Tag Archives: Lyme CT

Death Announced of Allen Gordon Rand of Lyme, CT: Service to be Held in Lyme Sept. 6

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LYME, CT—Allen Rand , fondly known as “Babe” by friends and family, passed away August 11th peacefully at his home at 98 Blood St., Lyme, CT.

Allen was born November 27,1931 to Leonard Rand and Mary Daniels Rand.

Allen was born and raised in his family home on Sterling City Rd in Lyme, CT until he joined the Army Reserves National Guard. He spent 2 years in Korea and is a Korean War veteran.

In 1953 he married the love of his life Marita Knutson of Old Lyme … The smoggy atmosphere did not agree with him, so they moved back to Old Lyme …

In 1955, with the help of his father-in-law Carl Knutson, Allen built their home at 98 Blood St. Lyme, where he and his wife raised their family and spent their remaining years.

Allen loved the outdoors working with stone, which allowed him to build all the stone walls at their home and a stone fireplace for his brother …

Allen was predeceased by his wife, Marita, in 2017. He is survived by their two daughters: Andrina Monte, married to Charles Monte, and their sons C. Andrew Monte and twin grandsons … ; Brian Monte, married to Angela Newton; and daughter Terry Bischoff, predeceased by her husband Thomas Bischoff, and their son … ; and brother Fred Rand (Lyme) and sister Helene Teixeira (NC) as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Allen was predeceased by brothers … sisters … [and] half sisters …

A Graveside Service with military honors will take place at the Mount Archer Road cemetery in Lyme on September 6, 2025 at 11:00am. 

Please visit www.fultontherouxoldlyme.com to leave a tribute for the family.

Editor’s Note: Visit this link to read the full obituary published Aug. 13, 2025 by Dignity Memorial.

CTDOT Welcomes Public Input on 2026 Pavement Preservation Project in Lyme, Old Lyme, East Haddam

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HARTFORD—The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is developing plans for the Pavement Preservation Project for the 2026 construction season in East Haddam. This project involves applying an asphalt rubber chip seal treatment on Rte. 156 through Lyme and Old Lyme, beginning in East Haddam at the intersection of Rte. 82 (Mile Point 0.00) and ending in Old Lyme at the intersection of Rte. 1 (Mile Point 8.43).  

The purpose of this project is to preserve and maintain the condition of the pavement, bringing it to a good state of repair. This project will help the CTDOT achieve Transportation Asset Management Plan (TAMP) goals, through pavement preservation treatments that extend the overall pavement life and improve pavement performance.

The present schedule indicates that the design will be completed in August 2025, with construction anticipated to start in the spring of 2026, assuming acceptance of the project, availability of funding, receipt of any required right-of-way, and environmental permits.  This project will be undertaken with one hundred percent (100%) State funds.

A press release issued July 31 by CTDOT states it is the CTDOT’s policy to keep the public informed and involved when such projects are undertaken and important that the community share its concerns with the CTDOT to assist in the project’s development.

If anyone has any questions or comments on this project, contact Sebastian Cannamela, Principal Engineer, at (860) 594-2698 or by email at Sebastian.Cannamela@ct.gov.  Questions/comments should make reference to State Project No. 0172-0553.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: LymeLine Editor Criticized for Publishing Gencarella Letter Accusing Zelek of Plagiarism

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To the Editor:

I write this letter to express my disappointment that you chose to publish the letter from Professor Gencarella accusing Ms. Zelec of plagiarism.

I preface my comments with the acknowledgement that I don’t have a dog in this fight.  I’m not a resident of Lyme and I don’t know either of the candidates or their views.

But this type of baseless name calling is what gives small-town politics a bad name.  Worse than that, it borders on slander – plagiarism is a serious accusation.   And in my mind, does nothing for the reputation of your fine publication.

Ms. Zelec’s statement is not plagiarism.  And Professor Gencarella knows it is not plagiarism!  

Her comments have been the mantra of every small-town politician for the last century.  It is no more plagiarism than the president ending a speech with “God Bless America”.  It is what you say!  It is what you are expected to say!  If the wording is the same as her political colleagues, that’s called “messaging”.

Equally troubling to me is Professor Gencarella’s pompous self-aggrandizement in an attempt to lend credence to an accusation he knows to be frivolous.  It trivializes the growing prevalence of true plagiarism and cheapens the idea of academic integrity.

I realize that every editor has to walk a fine line between free speech and editorial discretion.  I respectively submit that you came down on the wrong side of that line in this case.    

Sincerely,

Tom Beyer,
Old Lyme

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Plagiarism is No Way to Start a Campaign

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To the Editor:

I have been a professor for nearly a quarter of a century, and I have seen truly remarkable attempts at cheating from people who opted to be unethical rather than to do their own work. But I have never seen a novice politician cheat on their introductory statement until now.

In her first public remarks—her announcement to run for First Selectwoman of Lyme—Democratic-endorsed candidate Christy Zelek pledged: “I’m running for office because I love this town. My priorities will include keeping our town the beautiful, historic place it is.” (LymeLine, July 24)

This is straight, ugly plagiarism. And it’s not even a close call. Witness the evidence from Lyme Matters, the newsletter of the Lyme DTC:

  1. “He’s running because he loves Lyme and wants to help ensure it stays the beautiful gem of a town that it is.” (John Kiker, Fall 2017, page 2)
  2. “We know people love our town and want Lyme to stay the way it is – beautiful, historic and sparsely developed.” (John Kiker and Steven Mattson, Fall 2017, page 3)
  3. “They want Lyme to stay the beautiful, historic place that it is.” (John Kiker, Fall 2019, page 1)
  4. “Our candidates love Lyme, value the importance of open space and want our Town to stay the beautiful, historic place that it is.” (John Kiker, Fall 2021, page 1)
  5. “They want Lyme to stay the beautiful, historic place that it is.” (John Kiker, Fall 2021, page 3)

I think there are few things that should immediately disqualify a candidate to lead a town, but the absurdity of plagiarizing why they want to do so seems a reasonable cause for concern. If a candidate is willing to cheat on a statement of their own beliefs, what would they not cheat on?

The only defense Zelek could offer is to admit she’s simply the mouthpiece for DTC Chair and Second Selectman John Kiker, which then begs a very serious question of who would actually run the town. I hope local journalists and others concerned with the potential dishonesty of public officials investigate.

The problem is made even worse given that Zelek has no substantial governmental or business executive experience. By the DTC’s account, she deserves this important public trust and authority because she “has held leadership positions in parent-teacher groups at the high school, middle school and elementary school level and in the local Boy Scouts organization.”

As an educator, I shudder to think what a message someone who is willing to plagiarize in such a way conveys to young people. But it may help explain the crisis of cheating I see among students.

I write these lines as a lifelong Democrat who is profoundly concerned about the health of democratic society. As I have noted on other occasions, I believe it is essential that we hold elected officials in our own parties to the highest standards of accountability and honesty.

No one whose first act as a candidate is blatant cheating should be entrusted with public money, civic responsibilities, or the welfare of others. And for the sake of our children and their future, I hope that’s a message to which we can all agree, regardless of political party.

Sincerely,

Stephen Olbrys Gencarella, Ph.D.
Lyme, CT.

Editor’s Note: Commenting is now closed. Comments are closed 48 hours after publication of an article or letter.

Death Announced of Jacquelyn “Jackie” (Kiefer) Mildrum of Lyme

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LYME — Jacquelyn “Jackie” (Kiefer) Mildrum of Lyme, passed away peacefully July 16, 2025. Born in New Haven Dec. 2, 1939, Jackie was the daughter of the late Fredrick and Georgianna Kiefer …

Jackie met her future husband, Louis Mildrum Jr. at Sound View Beach in Old Lyme, while on summer vacation with friends …

Jackie is survived by her husband of 64 years, Louis Mildrum Jr. of Lyme; her daughter Donna Mildrum of Colchester; her daughter Joyce Johnson and her husband John Johnson of Colchester; and her son Michael Mildrum of Fayetteville, N.C. …

… Jackie continued to volunteer well after retirement at places such as Lyme Fire Company Auxiliary, High Hopes Therapeutic Riding in Old Lyme, and at Shoreline Soup Kitchen and Pantries in Old Saybrook.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 9:30 a.m. Monday July 21, at Christ the King Church at 1 McCurdy Road in Old Lyme. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, or the Shoreline Soup Kitchen and Food Pantries …

Editor’s Note: Visit this link to read the full obituary published by ‘The Day’ on Jul. 19, 2025.