Category Archives: Uncategorized

Old Lyme Library Hosts Talk on “The Pirates of Penzance,’ Sept. 27

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Salt Marsh Opera to present ‘Pirates,’ Oct. 17 & 19 in OS

James Kuslan.

OLD LYME— On Saturday, Sept. 27, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., James Kuslan will present a special talk titled, ‘The Pirates of Penzance: Flying the Flag of Fun‘ at the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library. The talk will take place in the Community Room at the library, 2 Library Lane, Old Lyme, CT, 06371.

This talk is co-sponsored by TheGuild of Salt Marsh Opera, who will present The Pirates of Penzance at The Kate in Old Saybrook on Oct. 17 and 19.

The Gilbert and Sullivan operettas are unique in the Anglosphere for the often exalted music of Sullivan and the wit of Gilbert’s dialogue whose DNA indicates Restoration comedy paternity.

The Pirates of Penzance is not the most musically profound of the Savoy operettas. Neither is it Gilbert’s wittiest libretto.

What Pirates is is a masterpiece of a particularly English kind of silliness which sends up the conventions of grand opera while indulging itself in them at the same time.

All are welcome. The talk is free but registration is appreciated. Register to attend at this link.

Letter to the Editor: Lyme Democrats Choose Conversation Over Confrontation

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To the editor:

It was disappointing to see Tom St. Louis resort to mischaracterizing recent events and conversations about the approach our Democratic Town Committee (DTC) is taking to connect voters with our candidates in advance of the upcoming election. His letter seemed intent on instilling drama and creating controversy where there is none. 

That’s not how we operate. The Lyme DTC is going to continue our efforts to meet with voters individually and in small groups to present our team of Democratic and Unaffiliated candidates to them, and facilitate productive conversations between our candidates and constituents that give us the opportunity to both listen and learn.  Lyme is a small enough town where we can make those kinds of connections happen.

In the world we live in now, we have all repeatedly witnessed that debates and forums too often result in generating public conflict between candidates and political parties, rather than forging personal conversations between candidates and voters.  These are not “unfounded” concerns, as characterized in Tom’s letter.

We believe voters should have an opportunity to speak personally with our candidates and express their ideas and concerns, and that our candidates have an obligation to listen and act on those concerns once in office. 

Our experience in the last municipal election demonstrated that we can connect powerfully with constituents when we meet with them for candid, one-on-one conversations about our town’s future … listening, answering questions, asking questions, understanding their concerns, and discussing what they want from town government. This approach results in rich, personal conversations that give us the opportunity to listen to and understand the issues that are important to voters as individuals and families. 

After engaging personally with constituents like this in the 2023 election, Lyme voters turned out in force at the polls.  We believe this type of personalized voter engagement is the foundation of our democratic electoral process.

Our goal is to knock on as many doors and meet with as many residents as possible between now and November 4. The goal of his letter, however, appears to be to instill a spirit of divisiveness into the campaign, which is something we have all seen take place with increasing frequency in other communities across the country. We think Lyme deserves more than that.  We think Lyme deserves better than that.  

It’s unfortunate that Tom and his wife Mary, who are running for First Selectman and Selectman respectively, have chosen to pull our community in that direction and it’s a decision we hope they will reconsider. We’ve had voters from both parties tell us they are uncomfortable with the idea of community divisiveness in Lyme and with the possibility of a husband-and-wife team making decisions for the entire town.

We’re not interested in fostering divisiveness.  We’re interested in fostering community.  

We’re not interested in confrontations between candidates.  We’re interested in conversations with voters.  

Lyme has always been a place where people of all political affiliations can work together on our boards and commissions in the best interests of our town. That’s certainly been true for the eight years I’ve served on the Board of Selectmen – and it’s a tradition that goes back much farther than that. It’s a tradition I hope we can continue.

To the voters of Lyme, our candidate team – which includes Christy Zelek, Kristina White, myself and others – look forward to seeing you in person for an open and insightful dialogue, and to seeing you again at the polls.

Early voting starts October 20; Election Day is November 4.

Sincerely,

John Kiker

Editor’s Note: i) The author is the chairman of the Lyme Democratic Town Committee and a candidate for selectman.
ii) Here is a reminder of our Policy on Letters to the Editor and our Policy on Comments.

Op-Ed: This Wealthy State Must Invest in School Meals to Ensure Children, Families Have Opportunity to Thrive

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Editor’s Note: This op-ed was submitted to us by Maryam Elahi, President & CEO of the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut

Maryam Elahi, President & CEO, Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut.

At this moment, when all eyes are on the impact of federal budget cuts on our communities, it is important to highlight one of the most successful accomplishments of this last legislative session here in CT – the Early Childhood Education Endowment. We thank Governor Lamont for listening to advocates and residents who testified, and for demonstrating leadership, compassion and wisdom.

This was no small feat. Our state is now a national model. By supporting the Endowment Fund, our elected leaders put their arms around our youngest residents and their families. Working families won’t have to make a Hobson’s Choice between caring for their children (and not making a living wage) or working to earn a living (just to spend it all on childcare).

This is the role of responsible and responsive government – to use resources and revenue wisely, ensuring all residents can thrive and contribute back to their communities. Those of us in philanthropy have traditionally played a partnering role by providing grants and other support to the nonprofits that are the backbones of our communities. We are prepared to step up today, as we did during the pandemic. We aspire to do our best in these times to ensure that every one of our residents is supported.

The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut has led a campaign to “End Child Poverty Now” in our state for the last two years, with about 120 partners ranging from universities and nonprofit organizations to think tanks and municipal partners. We embarked on this campaign believing that we could do so much better in our wealthy state. We believe that every child should have what they need to reach their utmost potential.

Providing childcare for families who can’t afford it is an essential step in creating strong communities. But we need to do more. All school children should be provided with healthy school meals. Best practices in the United States and other nations demonstrate that providing nutritious meals for children and youth, especially those in struggling households, enhances their performance and reduces stress on families and teachers. Investing in school meals is a smart investment in our future generation.

As our elected leaders head into the Special Session this Fall, we ask that they build on the success of the last session and invest in structures that can protect those who are vulnerable and promote the basic rights of all our residents. We know that the federal cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and other programs will be devastating.

Difficult choices must be made. Strategic choices should be made.

Investing in school meals will ensure that children perform well in school. It will support families’ economic stability. No child should suffer from hunger and malnutrition on account of their parent’s economic status. After all, we are one of the wealthiest states in this nation. Let’s ensure that our children are well fed so that they and their families have the opportunity to thrive in this great state.

Op-Ed: Why Plagiarism Matters in Our Local Election

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Editor’s Note: This op-ed was written by Stephen Olbrys Gencarella, Ph.D. of Lyme.

It has been six weeks since I wrote a letter to the editor regarding how Christy Zelek, an Unaffiliated candidate for Lyme First Selectwoman, plagiarized DTC chair John Kiker. It has been six weeks of silence. I think it is safe to assume that Ms. Zelek has no intention of offering an explanation or an apology for her dishonesty. Perhaps she confuses cowardice with leadership.

Accordingly, in penning this op-ed, I request a written response from Ms. Zelek. As a lifelong Democrat and a potential constituent, I seek assurances that the leader of my town forefronts honesty. I also intend to explain to my fellow Democrats what plagiarism is and why its specific use in this case of local politics matters. I apologize upfront for the length.

There are many excellent primers on plagiarism, but I will draw from a source meaningful to this case, namely the Lyme / Old Lyme Parent-Student Handbook. That handbook succinctly defines plagiarism as “the act of presenting someone else’s words, work, or ideas as one’s own” and encompasses the “use of quotations, ideas, or work without proper citation” (2025, page 14).

Generally, it is not considered plagiarism when a candidate repeats political platitudes, phrases, clichés, or simple statements that describe a platform in partisan terms—what Tom Beyer calls “messaging” in a response to my original letter. It is plagiarism, however, if a candidate uses the specific words of another without attribution, and especially if they represent those words as their original expression.

Ms. Zelek’s full introductory statement to voters is as follows:

“I am grateful to have received the support of the Lyme DTC. I’m running for office because I love this town. My priorities will include keeping our town the beautiful, historic place it is; keeping our financials in check; keeping our taxes low and supporting our schools; and continuing to address our town’s capital needs, such as our roads, bridges and town equipment” (LymeLine, July 24, 2025).

Most of this is just common and harmless political phrasing. Indeed, it’s more notable for what is missing, such as even a modicum of support for Lyme’s LGBTQIA+ youth, veterans, immigrants, lower-income families, first responders, and social programs for children.

But as I explained earlier, the phrase “I love this town … keeping our town the beautiful, historic place it is” is directly lifted from chairman Kiker’s statements in Lyme Matters, the DTC newsletter. Those patterned words and sentence structure are unique to Mr. Kiker, who employed them repeatedly over the course of several years in specific contexts and who often signed his name to them. So, the use of that phrase is not general “messaging” akin to “God Bless America” (as Mr. Beyer contends). It’s taking someone else’s quotable words without citation and representing them as one’s own.

Why does this matter?

As I’ve noted before, Ms. Zelek’s use of Mr. Kiker’s words raises questions about the nature of her campaign and who would actually be in charge of the town. It is reasonable to wonder, further, if Mr. Kiker wrote that statement for her, recycling his own language, but that would raise the subsequent question of why Ms. Zelek did not compose her own introduction to voters, which is not difficult work.

It’s important to recognize that Ms. Zelek is asking to be elected First Selectwoman. Yes, Lyme is a small town, but the office she seeks is the equivalent of being hired as the CEO of a small company or the president of a small college. It is a position that must have command of financial and legal matters, demonstrate good judgment in appointments, well represent the town to other municipalities, and provide calm and skillful leadership in the case of a crisis such as a hurricane or an ICE raid.

By her own admission, Ms. Zelek has not served on any town board, commission, or regional association. Instead of following a normal trajectory of requisite—or at least relevant—experience to First Selectwoman, she has instead posited that her primary qualifications for the town’s top job are her “leadership positions in parent-teacher groups at the high school, middle school and elementary school” (LymeLine, July 24). In other words, Ms. Zelek is asking voters to judge her readiness for leadership and to grant her public trust and authority according to her contributions to an educational community.

It is unthinkable that someone who has dedicated such time to educational support would not comprehend the nature and problem of plagiarism. Indeed, I trust that Ms. Zelek, as the longstanding president of the PTO and PAB, understands the significance of this issue better than most people, especially as it concerns modeling proper behavior for youth. I trust that she understands the crisis that we teachers are facing in the rampant and escalating practices of dishonesty among students. I trust that she knows we educators implore young people not to risk plagiarizing and to err on the side of caution if there’s a chance it could happen.

And that is why it is so disappointing that given the opportunity to introduce herself to voters, she opted to take the course of action that she did. It was a failure of principled leadership—and by her own stated standards.

I assume that many Democrats in Lyme will simply circle the wagons and find a way to excuse this behavior. So, to them, let me ask: If plagiarism is wrong when done by Melania Trump or Pete Hegseth or Benny Johnson, is it not also wrong when people on our side commit it? And do we or do we not as Democrats wish to restore the value and virtue of honesty in public life?

I will close with a relevant citation from the Honor Code of the Lyme-Old Lyme High School:(http://lolhsnews.region18.org/uploads/2/1/7/9/21791640/honor_code_8_17.pdf):

“We believe in taking ownership and pride in our actions and choices by demonstrating our Core Values of Accountability, Integrity, Respect, and Perseverance. In addition to abiding by the rules set forth in the student handbook, LOLHS Honor Code is founded on the following pillars of character:

Honesty is demonstrated by:

  • Refusing to lie, plagiarize, steal, or deceive in any way”

Despite its widespread decline in adherence, especially among politicians, it is still the right message. And I wish all local candidates and elected officials supported by my party lived by it.

Editor’s Note: This is the opinion of Stephen Olbrys Gencarella, Ph.D.

Death Announced of Joseph Thomas Onofrio of Old Lyme, Husband of Carla

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OLD LYME — Joseph Thomas D’Onofrio, 79, of Old Lyme Connecticut, left his earthly body on August 27, 2025. Joe was born on July 9, 1946 in Brooklyn, New York to Thomas and Mary (Rich) D’Onofrio. He was the youngest of their 7 children and was affectionately known as Joey. As a young child his family moved to Gloversville, New York, where he grew up and was a 1966 graduate of Gloversville High School.

Joe is survived by Carla, his wife of 54 years, his son David, his daughter-in-law Leonore, and his 3 grandchildren Elias Orion, Eva Rose and Lucia Calise, all the joys of his life.

Also, Joe is survived by his brother Dominick (Butch), his sisters Regina Falbo (Skip), Adeline Oare and predeceased by his brothers Anthony (Sheila), and Thomas, and sister Maryann Bronk as well as many nieces and nephews …

To honor Joe’s wishes no services will be held at this time.

Editor’s Note: Visit this link to read the full obituary published by Dignity Memorial.