Shortly before 8 a.m. when the 5K race is set to begin, a large crowd will gather at the starting line.
OLD LYME — Celebrate Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival Saturday, July 26, in historic Old Lyme Village with this family-friendly 5K run or walk, or a ‘Kid’s K.’
Registration fees for the 5K (run and walk) are $30 for adults, $15 for youth (18 and under). Registration for the “Kids K” fun run is $10. On-site registrations will be accepted up to shortly before races start on Saturday morning. Online registration closes at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, July 25.
The Midsummer Run benefits the Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau (LYSB) programs for youth and families in the areas of mental wellness, drug and alcohol prevention, positive youth development, juvenile justice, early childhood, and social services.
The LYSB Midsummer 5K Run features a fast and flat road with options for a 5K Run & Walk, and a Kids K. The race will begin at the LYSB located at 59 Lyme St. and wind through the beautiful streets of the village.
The race is being held on the morning of the renowned Old Lyme Midsummer Festival, kicking off a weekend of cultural, artistic and community events at multiple sites throughout Old Lyme’s Historic District.
The LYSB Midsummer Run is generously sponsored by numerous local businesses including Shoreline Web News LLC, owner of LymeLine.com.
Registration and race start times are as follows: 6:45 a.m. Registration Opens 8 a.m. 5 K Walk & Run 9 a.m. Kids K
Chip timing will be provided by Timing Plus New England for 5K participants only. Commemorative T-Shirts will be available for the the first 200 registered participants.
The overall top three men and women will be recognized as well as the top age group winner in the men and women divisions. Divisions will be broken down as follows: Youth 14 and under, 15 to 19, 20 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59 and 60 plus.
Volunteers are still needed for this event. Email lysb@lysb.org to volunteer.
There will be plenty of cars to photograph at Saturday’s Classic Car Show hosted by the Lyme-Old Lyme Lions. LymeLine file photo.
OLD LYME — The Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Lions Club will once again hold their Annual Classic Car Show during Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival on Saturday, July 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center (formerly the Bee and Thistle Inn) at 100 Lyme St. in Old Lyme.
What a beauty! See classic cars galore at the the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center on Saturday.
On July 26, Midsummer Festival day, the Old Lyme Town Band will be entertaining their audience ahead of the town-sponsored fireworks. LymeLine file photo.
OLD LYME — After a full day of Midsummer Festival activities, enjoy a free pre-fireworks concert performed by the Old Lyme Town Band, Saturday, July 26, starting at 7:30 pm on the Lyme-Old Lyme Schools’ Lyme St. campus (behind Center School.) Bring your own chairs and picnic too, if you wish.
Fireworks will fill the air behind Lyme-Old Lyme High School on Saturday, July 26. LymeLine file photo.
The traditional Town of Old Lyme-sponsored fireworks display will follow later, starting shortly after 9 p.m. View the fireworks from the fields behind the Middle and Center Schools. Again, bring your own chairs and perhaps a picnic too.
Details of shuttle bus schedules and parking will be released next week.
Full Slate of Candidates for November Election Unveiled, Shoemaker Will Not Run Again for BOE
Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker
OLD LYME–First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker, unanimously endorsed this week by Democrats in her bid for a second term, wants to keep trying her best for the town.
“There are still things that I want to finish,” she said Thursday at the Town Hall.
Shoemaker, who also serves on the Region 18 Board of Education, said she will not run again for the school board.
The first selectwoman cited several big projects she hopes will come to fruition in the next two years, as well as some new initiatives bolstered by volunteers committed to making the roads safer and the shoreline more resilient.
“I’d like to see the sewer project through,” she said of the decades-long push to update several beach communities currently reliant on septic systems. “I’d like to see the Grassy Hill (Road) Bridge and the Emergency Operations Center completed.”
She said she’s excited to see the work being done by a reinvigorated Flood and Erosion Control Board. The group had been dormant for four years before she made good on a campaign promise two years ago to bring it back.
“We live in an area that is prone to floods, and we need to do everything in our power to make sure that we’re keeping all water areas safe,” she said.
She also pointed to the creation of the Road and Public Safety Committee earlier this year to address resident concerns about speeding and other safety issues.
Shoemaker became first selectwoman in 2023 with a 51.8% majority. She brought in 1,820 votes compared to Republican opponent John Mesham’s 1,697.
The Republican Town Committee on Thursday had not yet announced the slate of candidates approved at the party’s Tuesday endorsement meeting.
Shoemaker acknowledged the past two years have not been without controversy.
A plan from the Halls Road Improvements Committee to reenvision the commercial strip as a mix of apartments and businesses was widely panned. The Board of Selectmen, which had voted to send the proposal to the Zoning Commission, reacted to the subsequent outcry by putting the Halls Road committee on hold while considering a new path forward.
The scaled-back focus now is on sidewalks, according to Shoemaker. She signed off in May on a grant application to the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) for $800,000 to install them on the north half of Halls Road.
Also contentious was Shoemaker’s failure to promptly disclose public documents requested by the CT Examiner involving the independent Old Lyme Ambulance Association. Reporters for the media outlet told the state Freedom of Information Commission it took 168 days for Shoemaker to provide incident reports revealing allegations that an intern was touched inappropriately and repeatedly by an adult emergency medical technician.
The state commission issued Shoemaker a $250 civil fine for not promptly handing over the public documents. The hearing officer at the time acknowledged Shoemaker had put corrective measures in place and agreed to annual transparency training.
“I made a mistake,” Shoemaker said, without specifying where she went wrong. “I paid the fine. And we’ve revamped.”
The Democratic Town Committee on Wednesday voted on a slate of candidates that includes incumbent Jim Lampos for selectman, according to a committee press release.
Shoemaker said Lampos’ love for the town makes him an ideal running mate, again.
“He is so thoughtful in his comments,” she said of the business owner and author of several books on local history. “He has a historical perspective to anything that we are looking to do.”
Also endorsed were: (*incumbent, +current alternate)
Planning Commission – Michael F. Riggio
Board of Finance – Kimberly Thompson*, Candace A. Fuchs*
Board of Finance Alternates – Diane Y. Linderman*, Tom Walsh, Fred Behringer (U)*
Zoning Commission – Michael Fogliano (U)*
Zoning Board of Appeals – Michaelle Pearson+, Kip Kotzan*
Zoning Board of Appeals Alternates – Kathleen Tracy*, Richard Korsmeyer
Board of Assessment Appeals – Devin Berke+
Regional Board of Education – Jason L. Kemp*, Michael J. Hansen, Sheryl Shyloski and Cynthia Love McCollum
Editor’s Note: This article was corrected to show the Republican Town Committee endorsement meeting was held Tuesday.
With an alluring narrative, top-notch special effects, amicable characters, and thought-provoking themes, James Gunn’s adaptation of Superman is absolutely worth the occasion of going to the movies.
David Corenswet leads as Clark Kent (or Kal-El) and is perfect for the role. Besides his massive and well-built physique, he does justice to the superhero, who was raised in modesty (his parents, Jonathan and Martha, appear as if they were authentic elderly residents of Kansas, juxtaposed with his fast-paced city life). He curses only a few times, mostly resorting to wholesome words like “darn” or “heck”.
This is countered by Rachel Brosnahan’s performance of his cynical co-worker (and secret girlfriend) Lois Lane, always seeking the truth but giving a hint of envy for Clark’s unusually positive outlook on humanity.
Much can be said about Nicholas Hoult’s performance as archvillain Lex Luthor. Hoult perfectly personifies the man who does not possess superhuman powers, but brilliance, capital, and clout; all infused with coldhearted ambition, guided by cruelty. There is something all too familiar about the personality of this tech billionaire, who despises Superman and his kind because they remind humanity of their limitations.
He seems to be pursuing another kind of superman, the subject of the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche (the Übermensch), the next step in evolution. This superman must destroy all preconceived concepts of right and wrong, which will hinder humanity’s growth to dominate.
Gunn’s adaptation goes further than previous depictions of Superman. Despite being the starting point of a franchise that will (hopefully) be followed by many sequels, Superman’s origins are not depicted.
He is already an established superhero, beloved by the public, and working as a reporter for The Daily Planet (which also includes a steady relationship with Lois Lane that has yet to be disclosed to Human Resources.) And while the movie reminds the audience of Superman’s origins as an alien sent to earth after his home planet of Krypton was destroyed, a damning revelation is eventually made public which will break Superman’s understanding of his purpose.
This revelation also amplifies the themes interwoven throughout the movie’s runtime, particularly about morality and heroism. Superman is not the only superhero character (this also includes the Green Lantern, Mister Terrific, and Hawkgirl), but he appears to be one of the few characters, who authentically desires to do the right thing for the right reasons, while others appear to have corrupt motives.
In a bold move, this Superman acknowledges his imperfections and has come to terms with his limitations, understanding that true greatness comes from the choices we make, not the destinies that we create for ourselves.
But beyond the character development and themes, this is an overall enticing movie that entertains the viewer in every aspect. Despite being a DC superhero movie, which tend to have dark and gritty themes, there is an abundance of humor peppered throughout its runtime. I particularly loved Lois Lane’s “interview” with Superman which ultimately morphs into an argument about politics with her boyfriend.
Gunn also brings the nostalgic charm that made his Guardians of the Galaxy movies instant hits, with a soundtrack that consists of Dad Rock and title design similar to the 1978 movie with Christopher Reeve (there is also a wholesome Easter Egg in which Reeve’s son Will—a reporter for ABC News—makes a cameo appearance.)
In addition, the special effects were truly made for the movie theater, not the most expensive 4K (or even 8K) TV that can be grabbed from Best Buy or Amazon. One of the best ways to see it is in IMAX. For those in the greater Boston area (as I was this past weekend), I suggest catching a screening in one of the Jordan’s IMAX theaters that includes “butt-kickers” (speakers installed beneath the seats).
So what are you waiting for?
This is a summer blockbuster and a family-friendly movie (in fact, I saw a family in line in which mom, dad, and all the kids were wearing their own Superman t-shirts.)
Do you need any additional reasons to catch it? Well, you might even end up watching it multiple times … I know I am seriously considering another screening.
About the Author: Having lived in Old Lyme and Lyme since the age of three, Kevin Ganey has always had a passion for movies that is beyond simply watching, but understanding the craft of cinema and and experiencing films as if they were a musical album. Kevin also has his own website devoted to movie analysis, CityOfCinema.com, and also co-hosts a podcast, Moviehouse Mystics, with Koda Uhl (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.)
