May 7, 2026
Clinton, Westbrook, & Old Saybrook Vol. XXIX Iss. 19
Former Clinton Chamber Director Arrested in $100K Case
By Eric O'Connell
Staff Writer
Months after the sudden collapse of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce fueled rumors across town, its former executive director, Paul Orsini, was arrested May 1, accused of taking more than $100,000 from the organization. He also faces more than 50 tax-related charges, according to Clinton police.
the Clinton Police Department, Orsini is alleged to have misappropriated more than $100,000 of the chamber’s money. He was charged with larceny in the first degree and held on a $75,000 bond, the release said.
Orsini was also charged by the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services with more than 50 tax-related offenses. He was held on a $110,000 bond in connection with those charges.
place between 2022 and 2025 and notes that “other agencies” are still investigating the matter.
Harbor News
The obtained warrant affidavits from Middlesex Superior Court detailing the charges from the state agency. A document detailing the charge from the Clinton Police Department was not available at press time.
On the Trail
Gov. Ned Lamont leans in to speak with Noa Ruotolo, 10, of Madison as she stands with her father, Randy Ruotolo, following a meeting with local residents and delegates at Cafe Nola and Henry on Main in Clinton on May 1. Lamont answered questions and addressed community concerns as he seeks a third term, ahead of an Aug. 11 Democratic primary and the Nov. 3 general election.
PhotobyWesleyBunnell/ HarborNews
Jan Perruccio Leads Old Saybrook Rotary Club
By Alicia Gomez
Associate Editor
After spending years working in public education, Jan Perruccio still finds herself drawn to community-centered work. Now, as president of the Old Saybrook Rotary Club, she helps lead projects that support residents of Old Saybrook and beyond.
Jan’s connection to the Rotary Club runs deep. She first became involved while serving as principal at Lyme-Old Lyme High School, where she attended Rotary’s “Student of the Month” events alongside the students being honored.
She considers herself a lifelong educator. After working as principal at Lyme-Old Lyme, she moved into an assistant superintendent role in Wallingford before eventually becoming superintendent of Old Saybrook Public Schools in 2014. Even now, she remains involved in education as an adjunct professor at Central Connecticut State University and through various education orga-
Person of the Week
nizations.
She says she was first drawn to education through her love of literature, but it was the people who kept her there.
“Being around people who loved to learn fed into my love of learning,” she says.
During her time as superintendent, Jan faced many challenges, including leading the district through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I wouldn’t say the community was unscathed, but all the people involved—the community, parents, the different departments, elected officials, staff—everybody pulled together,” she says.
She says administrators were highly dedicated during that time, even working through holi-
days to help minimize the time students spent away from the classroom. Jan says she was especially proud of how the community worked together to keep students supported through the pandemic.
“No one could have done that by themselves, or even a small group of people,” she says. “It had to be everybody. And it was everybody.”
After retiring, Jan still wanted to remain involved in local organizations. Because she was already familiar with Rotary and had seen the organization support local students for years, joining the club felt like a natural fit.
Now, she says she uses many of the same skills she developed in education leadership through her work with Rotary, including collaboration, creativity, and helping people bring new ideas to life.
“The motto is service above self,” Jan says.
See Jan Perruccio page 8
Photo courtesy of Jan Perruccio
Jan Perruccio brings her background in education to her role as president of the Old Saybrook Rotary Club, helping guide community service efforts.
Clinton, Westbrook, & Old Saybrook’s Hometown Newspaper
Founded in 1998
Published by Shore Publishing, LLC ©2026 All Rights Reserved ISSN www.zip06.com • 203-245-1877
The Perfect Time to Prepare
As the days grow longer and the shoreline comes alive, the Old Saybrook Post Office is excited to welcome the start of vacation season along Connecticut’s beautiful coast. Whether you’re planning an international getaway or a relaxing escape closer to home, now is the perfect time to prepare for your travels.
To make it easier, the Old Saybrook Post Office will host a Passport Fair on Saturday, May 16, where customers can apply for a passport without an appointment. Our team will be on hand to guide applicants through the process, and for added convenience, passport photos can be taken on-site the same day. It’s a simple, one-stop opportunity to check an important task off your travel list.
This season also brings a special reminder to stay connected. The U.S. Postal Service has released its charming new “A Day at the Beach” stamps, celebrating the joy of summer by the shore. There’s no better place to use them than right here in Old Saybrook. After a day enjoying the sand and surf at one of our local beaches, consider sending a handwritten postcard to friends or family—sharing a little piece of Connecticut’s beauty through the mail.
We’re proud to serve a community that values both connection and tradition. Stop by on May 16, get ready for your next adventure, and don’t forget to send a postcard along the way.
Jodi
Wezenski, Postmaster Old Saybrook
The Old Saybrook Rotary Club would like to extend a huge thank you to all our local businesses, community members, sponsors, and Saybrook Point Resort & Marina for a most successful Wine/Beer Tasting and Silent Auction event on April 10. The excitement and enthusiasm of the crowds, the incredible auction items, and the fabulous hosts, Scot Haney and Nicole Nalepa, made it a night to remember. Congratulations to all our Rotary members for a spectacular team effort! Here’s to our generous sponsors for the evening: Middlesex Health, AscendBankCFMC, Swan and Robinson Funeral Home, Wright & Weymer Funeral Homes, FTD Florists, Absolute Air Services, Alarm Systems, Paul Burdick Oil Co., CT GI/PC, Essex Bank, Essex Financial, JJ Dibble Construction, Lahan & King Attorneys at Law, Little Pub, Morgan Stanley, Nautilus Architects, Parti & Zucco/Wm Pitt Sotheby’s Realty, Reynold’s Subaru & Reynold’s Boats, Shore Appliance, Sullivan Financial Advisors, Town Laboratories, TriState Glass, AJ Noodle Bar, B&L Construction, Barbara Krucko/William
Raveis Real Estate, Berkshire Hathaway/Mary Polchaninoff, Cloutier & Cassella Attorneys at Law, Coastal Performance Off-Road, Daniels Energy, Downs Septic & Excavation, Estuary Council of Seniors, Friends of Rotary (John & Gary), GG At Home, Hayes Services, Martino Brothers Painting Co., Middlesex Tree, Mosquito Joe CT Shoreline East, Northeast Medical Products, Old Saybrook Associates, OS Republican Town Committee, Pursuit of Pastry, Saybrook Seafood, Scotch Plains Tavern, ServiceMaster, Sounds Great/Joan Winters, Tilcon, Westbrook Honda, Ashlawn Farms, Beard Lumber, Border & Company/CPAs, Budget Blinds, Cardone & Daughter, Charles Schwab/Urban Achievers, Eastern Analytical Lab, Flanders Fish Market, Grossman Chevrolet-Nissan, Highliner III, JM Realty, Madison Avenue Salon East, Medicine Shoppe/Old Saybrook, Saybrook Ford, TJ’s Restaurant & Pizzeria, WolackLewitz CPAs and Advisors. Marty Drobiarz Pete Zucco Old Saybrook
Calls for Artists: Essex Summer Arts Festival
Artists and craftspeople are invited to participate in the Essex Summer Arts Festival, scheduled for June 20 through June 21 on the Essex Green in Essex. The outdoor event features fine art and crafts displayed in the historic walkable town overlooking the Connecticut River. Essex is a popular tourist destination known for its restaurants, coffee shops, and marina, and the festival typically attracts strong visitor traffic. Space is limited and early reservations are encouraged. For more information or to reserve a spot, email barbara@spectrumartgallery.org.
Serenity Bishop Sports Editor Ext. 6141
Wesley Bunnell Chief of Photography
Betsy Lemkin The Sound Guilford Courier Ext. 6130
Cindy Breckheimer The Source Ext. 6140
Lori Gregan Valley Courier Ext. 6167
Alicia Gomez Assistant Editor
Laura Giannelli Chief Revenue Officer Ext. 4304
Laura Robida Managing Editor Ext. 6119
Alan C. Ellis Production Director
Lisa Martin Real Estate Advertising Ext. 6122
Eric O’Connell Staff Reporter
Rita Christopher Senior Correspondent
Kristen Lennon Circulation Advertising Assistant
Aaron Rubin Staff Reporter
Editorial Staff
Obituaries
Obituary
Margo Viggiano
Chester
It is with heartbreaking sadness that the family of Margo Viggiano announces her sudden and untimely passing on March 31, 2026. Born on April 13, 1944, to Dale and Ethel King, of North Haven, Margo’s life was defined by her vibrant spirit, her dedication to her craft, and an enduring love for her family.
Growing up, Margo found her greatest joy by the water. Whether she was crabbing or simply enjoying the shoreline, the coast was her sanctuary. Her playful nature was evident early on — from insisting on an Easter basket until she was 18 to her legendary love for Halloween. One year, she famously dressed up as an entire boat, a testament to the creativity and humor that she carried throughout her life.
Margo leaves behind her loving and devoted husband of 60 years, David Viggiano. The two were looking forward to celebrating their 61st anniversary this coming May 23. She is also survived by her daughter, Jeanne Viggiano; her son, Adam Viggiano, and his wife, Kelly; and her son, John, and his wife, Anne. Her heart belonged completely to her two grandsons, Tanner Carlson and Luca Rodrigues. Margo never missed a basketball or baseball game and cherished the time spent teaching them to fish and crab, passing down the joys of her own childhood. Luca will deeply miss the adventures they shared, the lunches, dinners, and fairs, and the sight of his grandma using a stepstool to climb in and out of Jeanne’s Jeep. She also leaves behind her beloved dog, Bailey, who continues to look for her momma.
In her professional life, Margo was a pillar of the Chester community. In 1967, her father built Margo’s Beauty
Center for her. Though she was initially nervous about opening her own shop, her father recognized her immense talent. That instinct proved correct; Margo possessed a rare passion for hairdressing, often telling her daughter, Jeanne, who worked alongside her for 20 years, that she never woke up a day in her life without looking forward to work. For decades, she maintained a waiting list that rivaled any high-end city salon, yet she took immense pride in her “city salon in the country,” which many clients affectionately compared to the atmosphere of “Steel Magnolias.” Margo often said she hoped to be working until she was 100; while she didn’t quite make it, she worked with joy right up until the day before her surgery on March 25, 2026.
Outside the salon, Margo was a gifted gardener and an expert mushroom hunter. She maintained 16 beautiful gardens at her home in Vermont, showcasing a natural talent for garden architecture and design. Her love for “mushrooming” was a skill taught by her father; she spent countless hours in the woods and was famously protective of her secret spots. Her harvest often found its way into her famous holiday stuffing.
Margo was predeceased by her parents; her sister, Donna Kershaw, and husband, Tom; and her brother-in-law, John Alberino. She is survived by her brother, Dale King Jr., and his wife, Pat; her sisters, Kathy King and Susan Alberino; and nieces and nephews (Kim, Pam, Johnny aka Geo, Hank, and Jason); as well as her loyal clients who became like family over the last 60 years.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on June 13, at Saint Pio Parish (formerly Saint John’s) in Old Saybrook. A reception will follow at the Middlesex Yacht Club in Chester. All are welcome to attend and celebrate the remarkable life of a woman who was truly one-of-akind.
See Obituaries page 9
Contacting Harbor News
As your hometown paper, the Harbor News welcomes reader contributions and questions. If it’s important to you, we want to know about it. Here are the best ways to bring matters to our attention.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR The Harbor News encourages letters to the editor that offer a uniquely local perspective on local issues.
Writers may submit letters as often as every two weeks. Letters must include the writer’s full name, street address, and phone number for verification purposes. Letters submitted under pseudonyms, anonymously, or through third parties will be declined. Letters must be written by the submitter. No more than four signees are permitted per letter.
Letters must be 300 words or fewer and are subject to editing for clarity, style, and adherence to policy. Letter writers may be asked to supply sources to corroborate information presented as fact in letters.
Civility is required. Letters with personal attacks, unsubstantiated allegations, or inflammatory language will be declined.
For letters endorsing a political candidate, Shore Publishing will accept one endorsement per writer per candidate. Letters with negative content are not accepted for the two issues preceding elections to allow for candidate rebuttal.
Letters must be received and verbally confirmed by 5 p.m. Thursday, seven days prior to publication. Confirmation does not guarantee publication. Publication is subject to approval by the editor.
Letter writers who knowingly violate this policy three times will be banned from submitting future letters to the editor.
Letters may be submitted at www.zip06.com or email to shoreletters@shorepublishing.com.
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND CALENDAR To have your item considered for print, please email news@shorepublishing.com. Announcements and calendar items are printed as space allows. Deadline for submissions is Tuesday at noon, nine days before publication.
These are just a few ways to get involved in your newspaper. If you have an idea for a story, a question about news deadlines, or any other news-related inquiry, email news@shorepublishing.com or call the News Department at 203-245-1877, ext. 0.
OBITUARIES The Harbor News publishes paid obituary notices in print and at Zip06.com. Obituaries should be sent to obits@theday.com. The deadline for all obituaries is Wednesday at 4 p.m., eight days prior to publication date. Obituaries will also be posted as quickly as possible at Zip06.com.
ADVERTISING To speak with someone about newspaper and online advertising, contact the Sales Department at advertising@shorepublishing.com or 203-245-1877. All advertising is subject to the approval of Shore Publishing. Shore Publishing shall have the right to revise, reject or cancel, in whole or in part, any advertisement at any time for any or no reason.
LEGAL NOTICES To place a legal notice, email legal@theday.com or call 860-701-4410.
CLASSIFIEDS To place an ad in the Classifieds section or in the Classifieds Service Directory, call 860-701-4200 and/or email classifiedads@theday.com.
CIRCULATION To speak with someone about receiving or canceling the paper, please call 203-245-1877, ext. 6 or email shorecirculation@shorepublishing.com.
Harbor News
200 State Street, New London, CT 06320 news@shorepublishing.com
203-245-1877
Fax 203-245-9773
SPONSORED CONTENT:
Find Obituaries
Posted Daily Online
Come for the Challenge: Trivia Night
Come for a game of trivia on the first Tuesday of the month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Join in the fun and show off your knowledge on everything from movies to history to nature. For more information, contact 860-669-2342 or email sudie@hchlibrary.org.
While our press schedule often does not allow us to publish death notices in time to announce memorial services, readers can find obituaries posted to the Harbor News website, www. zip06.com, five days a week as they arrive.
Stories and features denoted with the Shore Publishing “Sponsored” icon are sponsored by advertisers. Sponsored content is content created or commissioned by advertisers in collaboration with Shore Publishing’s marketing team. As with all advertising, sponsored content does not necessarily reflect the views of Shore Publishing. Shore Publishing will ensure the treatment and design of Advertising and Sponsored Content is clearly differentiated from its editorial content.
Old Saybrook Parents Press BOE on Literacy Program
By Eric O'Connell
Staff Writer
Old Saybrook’s Board of Education (BOE) and school administrators faced sharp criticism from elementary school parents over the district’s literacy curriculum and communication, as officials said they are seeking an outside review of the program.
On April 28, the school board held a special meeting to detail the district’s literacy program for young readers. The nearly three-hour meeting grew contentious at times, with about 70 parents attending in person and another 30 online, pressing the Board of Education and administrators on how the program is evaluated and why the district has not yet scrapped the current curriculum.
In 2021, Connecticut passed legislation known as “Right to Read,” requiring schools to implement evidence-based reading curricula for students in kindergarten through third grade by 2025. The law emphasizes phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, oral language, and reading comprehension, and allows districts to choose from a list of approved programs.
According to a press release from Old Saybrook Public Schools, the district selected the ARC Core Curriculum, one of six programs “…identified by the State of Connecticut in 2022–2023 for district consideration as part of the Right to Read Act imposed by the state.”
The district chose the program in 2023 and launched a pilot at Kathleen F. Goodwin Elementary School during the 2023–2024 academic year.
However, Old Saybrook parents say the program is not showing the results they expected.
Superintendent of Schools Christopher Drezek said parents have made three main requests: to cut ties with ARC, hold a community forum, and conduct an outside review. He said the district cannot replace the program without first completing that review and determining what changes may be needed.
To achieve that goal, Drezek said the district is looking to partner with Dr. Rachael Gabriel, a literacy education professor at the University of Connecticut, who could begin work as soon as May 4.
However, Drezek said details of the partnership remain unsettled and, to some parents’ frustration, he could not yet provide a cost estimate or timeline.
that rather than hiring Gabriel immediately, the board should follow the same process the town used two years ago when selecting a consultant to study the police department. At that time, the Police Commission and Board of Selectmen reviewed proposals from multiple firms before selecting one, then held a townwide referendum to approve the hire.
Harbor News
In an email to the , Gabriel said she had done similar curriculum reviews in Connecticut and other states.
“Most recently, I was part of the efforts to evaluate curricula in Madison,” Gabriel said. “I have also consulted on reading programs and MTSS systems [Multi-Tiered System of Supports] in several shoreline districts in Fairfield County, as well as some around the Hartford area.”
The Numbers
During the meeting, parents said they were frustrated that ARC was falling short of its goal of improving students’ reading performance, particularly for those with reading disabilities. Several said they have paid for tutors because the school program was not producing satisfactory results.
While budgets in Old Saybrook have passed with little controversy over the past 15 years, some parents this year say they will vote no due to concerns they say are not being addressed, including the literacy program. An online petition from a group called “Old Saybrook Parent Voices” urging a no vote has 158 signatures.
Drezek warned that if the budget fails, cuts could affect staffing or funding tied to the reading program.
Communication Concerns
Parents repeatedly said they felt left in the dark about what was happening in the schools.
Brodeur said the board is aware of those concerns and is working to address them.
“The board supports and encourages effective communication among all district stakeholders. The board also recognizes that it should do more to keep the public informed. This year, the Old Saybrook Board of Education has made a concerted effort to increase transparency and communication with the school community,” Brodeur said.
Following the meeting, BOE Chairperson Karen Brodeur told the the district had not yet hired a consultant.
Harbor News
“Hiring a consultant is the responsibility of the superintendent. The board will have input into the decision-making process; however, board or parent approval is not required when hiring consultants,”
Brodeur said. “Dr. Gabriel came highly recommended by a number of superintendents and, with her impeccable credentials and experience, seems like a potential match to perform an assessment of our literacy program here in Old Saybrook.”
Brodeur said Gabriel has agreed to host an in-person session to explain her scope of work, outline expectations, and take questions from the audience.
“This will not be a board meeting, but rather an informal session to better understand the process going forward. Confirmation of details to follow,” Brodeur wrote in an email.
Some parents expressed concerns about Gabriel’s selection as consultant, questioning her credentials, whether she would be independent, and past statements they said she made in academic papers about the Lucy Calkins reading model, a curriculum many Connecticut schools have phased out.
Resident Colin Heffernan suggested
At the start of the meeting, Dr. Khary Fletcher, the district’s director of curriculum, presented data from two reading assessments. On the Smarter Balanced Assessment, about 55% of third graders and 58% of fourth graders met or exceeded expectations in the 2024–2025 school year, the first full year of the ARC program. The previous year, those figures were 48% and 64%, and in 2018–2019 they were 60% and 73%.
Midyear DIBELS data showed 71% of third graders in 2025–2026 were at or above expectations, up from 61% the year before but below 78% in 2021–2022.
Fletcher said the data show reading levels declined after the COVID-19 pandemic but are now stabilizing.
Some parents said they were frustrated that test data was not being shared with them and questioned why the district was not more responsive to requests for communication. Others said the data already show the ARC program is not working and that further study is unnecessary.
Drezek denied accusations that the district was unwilling to change, saying that if Gabriel’s review recommends replacing the program, the district will make that decision.
The meeting came two weeks before a May 11 referendum on the proposed town and education budgets. The proposed 2026–2027 school budget is $32,155,913, a $1,308,485 (4.24%) increase.
“We have put together a new Communications Committee. The main focus of the committee is to fulfill the board’s responsibility to keep the citizens of Old Saybrook informed about public education in our town. We are also launching a new Board of Education webpage to make it easier for parents to access information about decisions made at our meetings, as well as board news and events.”
Brodeur pointed to the literacy meeting as an example of efforts to engage the public.
At the end of the meeting, Brodeur said the board had taken note of parents’ comments and questions and would work to respond in a timely manner.
“Giving parents an opportunity to come out and speak their minds is democracy in action. It is essential to hear from the public. While we may have different thoughts and opinions about how to get there, the one thing that unifies us — board members, administrators, teachers, and parents — is that we all want all of our students to learn to read well and to achieve their full potential,” Brodeur said.
“The board has allocated a substantial amount of money in next year’s budget to support the continued work on the reading program and the English Language Arts curriculum across all grades. The intended focus will be on writing curriculum, materials, professional development, and potentially consultants at the elementary level,” Brodeur said.
Old Saybrook Budget Goes to May 12 Referendum
By Eric O'Connell
Staff Writer
Old Saybrook voters can head to the polls Tuesday, May 12, to vote on the proposed town and education budgets, which would increase spending but raise the mill rate about 2% if approved.
At its April 7 meeting, the Board of Finance voted to forward a $22,623,966 town budget—a $627,986 (2.9%) increase—and a $32,155,913 Board of Education budget—a $1,308,485 (4.24%) increase—to referendum. The combined budget totals $54,779,879, a $1,936,477, or 3.7%, increase.
If approved, First Selectman Carl Fortuna said the mill rate is expected to rise slightly to 15.82 from 15.50, an increase of about 2.04%.
“Based on the budgets submitted by town government and education, we are projecting a mill rate increase of under .3, which is likely to be one of the lowest in the region. We are not doing this with gim-
micks or using reserves, just sound budgeting. Homeowners will see a small uptick in their bill but well below any inflationary indicators. We are hopeful that our residents can see fit to support it,” Fortuna said.
Voters will consider the town and education budgets separately. Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. at Old Saybrook Senior High School. Absentee ballots are available from the town clerk’s office.
What’s in the Budget?
As in surrounding towns, the largest increase comes from rising health insurance costs in the school budget.
“The largest item increase in our budget request is health insurance; we are currently at an 18% increase for next year,”
Superintendent Chris Drezek told the Harbor News earlier this year.
The school budget presented to voters is slightly lower than total proposed education spending. An additional 2%, or
$616,954, comes from a reserve account to fund one-time expenses, including facility upgrades and an overhaul of the English and language arts curriculum.
The reserve consists of unexpended funds from the previous year’s education budget, which state law allows to be used for educational purposes. While new in Old Saybrook, Drezek said the practice is common in other districts.
No staff positions are cut, though three full-time vacancies will remain unfilled.
“There isn’t the elimination of any staff in this budget request; however, three vacant positions will not be filled through attrition. The positions are District Math Coach, Grade 2, and Grade 3. No staff will be losing their jobs due to this budget,” Drezek said.
The budget includes eight new high school courses, as well as “new opportunities for the middle school and more supports for Goodwin School,” Drezek said. Additionally, Drezek said the budget
“…supports the district’s move toward a Pre K-12 Pathways model,” in line with a recent executive order calling for a statewide study of pathways programs.
“This budget recognizes the needs of the community, strengthens programs and support for all of our students PreK-12 and beyond,” Drezek said.
On the town side, Fortuna said there are no new services or positions.
He also outlined several capital improvement projects.
“We are investing in our parks department with upgrades to bathrooms, tennis and pickleball courts, and more. We will be building a new public works facility to replace one that is 50 years old, and we will be putting funds aside as we look toward improving Saybrook Point,” Fortuna said last month.
More information on the proposed budget is available at www.oldsaybrookct.gov. Voting information can be obtained from the town clerk’s office.
The most advanced cancer treatments. Delivered with the greatest of care. On the Shoreline.
The best available cancer care is close to home. In fact, Smilow Cancer Hospital is conveniently located all across the region. So you can meet with our team of renowned cancer experts right away, develop a personalized treatment plan together, and have direct access to genetic testing, tumor pro ling, and clinical trials through our af liation with Yale Cancer Center, Connecticut’s only National Cancer Institutedesignated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Because at Smilow Cancer Hospital, we’re committed to treating you with the greatest of care.
Smilow Cancer Hospital at Guilford
Shoreline Medical Center
111 Goose Lane
Guilford, CT 06437
For appointments and information: 203-453-9192
Arlene Mingione, RN Medical Oncology
Su Hsien Lim, MD Medical Oncology
Elan Gorshein, DO Medical Oncology
Daniel Hicks, MD Radiation Oncology
Clinton Budgets Go To May 13 Referendum
By Eric O'Connell
Staff Writer
linton residents will vote Wednesday, May 13, on whether to approve or reject the proposed town and education budgets for the 2026–2027 fiscal year. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Town Hall, and absentee ballots are available from the town clerk’s office.
At the referendum, voters will consider the town and education budgets separately. At an April 20 meeting, the Town Council unanimously voted to send a town budget of $23,237,935—a $317,014, or 1.36%, decrease from the current budget—and an education budget of $44,788,204—a $1,921,708, or 4.5%, increase—to referendum.
If approved, the combined budget would total $68,026,139, an increase of $1,604,694, or 2.41%, over the current year. While overall spending would rise 2.41%, property taxes may change at a different rate.
Finance Director Robert Tait has estimated the mill rate would be set at 22.55 if the proposed budgets pass, down from the current 31.14. However, that decrease is offset by a significant increase in assessed
residential property values, meaning tax bills may still rise despite the lower rate.
The amount of revenue raised by taxes would increase by 6.5% under the proposal, but Town Manager Michelle Benivegna said it is difficult to provide a single estimate of the tax impact due to the recent revaluation.
“There is not a simple answer to this question in a revaluation year. Property values were updated as of October 1, 2025, and those values are used to redistribute the tax burden among all taxpayers,”
Harbor News
Benivegna told the . “In this revaluation, residential properties increased in value at a much higher rate than commercial properties, resulting in a shift of the tax burden from commercial to residential.”
Because voters will cast separate ballots, one budget could pass while the other fails. If one or both are rejected, the Town Council will revise them, hold another public hearing the following week, and schedule another referendum the week after.
What’s in the Budget?
Despite a decrease on the town side, Benivegna said some operational costs have increased.
“Similar to the education side, the largest increase on the town side is in salaries and benefits. This is driven by union-negotiated salary increases ranging from 3.0% to 3.25%, as well as an 11.5% increase in medical benefits, which aligns with national trends,” she said.
A reduction of more than $1.5 million in capital and equipment spending helped
limit the increase, she said.
There are no proposed reductions to services or staffing. The part-time Economic Development Coordinator position would increase from 19 to 29 hours per week if the budget is approved.
In March, the council removed a request for about $155,000 to fund an additional school resource officer at Eliot Middle School. The position is not included in the proposed budget, a decision that has generated some community concern.
Capital improvement funding includes $195,000 for a police vehicle lease, $22,000 for a Public Works mower, $45,000 for transfer station repairs, $5,000 for Town Hall painting, $100,000 for a library HVAC reserve, $100,000 for a land use regulations update, $25,000 for open space acquisition, and $581,148 for educationrelated equipment and maintenance.
Benivegna urged voters to approve the budget.
“This is a needs-based budget with very little room for further reductions. It reflects what is required to maintain the level of services residents rely on today, without impacting staffing or core operations on the town side. If additional cuts were to be made, they would begin to affect services and personnel,” she said.
She encouraged residents to review budget materials on the town website and Facebook page.
Education Budget
Most of the overall increase comes from the education budget, proposed at $44,788,204, a $1,921,708, or 4.5%, increase.
Superintendent of Schools Maryann O’Donnell said most of that increase is tied to salaries and benefits.
“The increases in salary are due to contractual salary increases that are negotiated through collective bargaining and support maintaining our quality staff. The benefits increase represents an 11% increase in health benefits, which is a much larger increase than we have experienced in the past and is due to rising costs for health insurance in the industry,” O’Donnell told the Harbor News.
She said another significant increase involves tuition and transportation costs for students requiring specialized education programs outside the district.
Staffing changes include the reduction of one teaching position and the addition of two paraeducators and several assistant coaches for Eliot athletic teams.
“There are no major changes to school programming, but the budget is designed to support our quality district programming in our core areas, as well as the continued support and development of our postsecondary pathways in advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity and robotics, visual and performing arts, leadership development, and science and allied health,” she said.
Capital improvements include classroom technology replacements, security and network upgrades, upgrades to The Morgan School’s gym lighting, a maintenance truck replacement, and various facility improvements.
More information on the proposed budget is available on zip06.com. Voting requirements can be obtained from the town clerk’s office.
Jan Perruccio Leads Old Saybrook Rotary Club
Jan says she values that Rotary allows her to use teamwork to make a community impact.
As president of the Rotary Club, Jan helps oversee projects and initiatives that support residents across Old Saybrook, Westbrook, and Lyme-Old Lyme. Some of those efforts include food drives supporting local food pantries and shoreline soup kitchens, donations of coats, hats, and gloves for local families, and scholarship programs for students. The club also recently helped fund a new oven for the Estuary Council of Seniors.
One of the most rewarding parts of Rotary is seeing people with different
backgrounds and skills come together to support the community, she says. Her leadership style focuses on encouraging members to take initiative in areas they are passionate about supporting.
“People need to have their passions fed in a voluntary organization,” she says.
This approach has supported projects focused on literacy, food insecurity, and other community needs. One upcoming initiative is the Literary Day of Service on Saturday, May 16, when the Rotary will promote literacy by providing free children’s books and activities for children ages 5 to 8 in the three communities it serves: Old Saybrook, Old Lyme, and Westbrook. [Note: May 16, 2026, is a Saturday—correct.]
Jan says the Old Saybrook community has also played a major role in supporting the Rotary’s work over the years. She says local businesses and residents have consistently stepped up to support fundraising efforts, donations, and community projects.
“It’s a pretty special place,” she says. As the club prepares to celebrate 100 years of service next year, Jan says its mission of community service remains as important as ever.
She says community organizations like Rotary rely on people who are willing to volunteer their time and work together to support others.
“You just need to have a passion for serving others,” she says.
Obituaries Continued from page 5
Obituary
Douglas Goddard White Westbrook
Douglas Goddard White, 71, of Westbrook, passed away at home April 11, 2026, after an all-too-brief fight with cancer.
Doug was born Sept. 17, 1954, the son of the late Mac and Swish White. He spent his youth in Wenham, Mass., where he cultivated a lifelong fascination with the natural world, and immersed himself in music, swimming and tennis, treehouse-building, and bees (which he kept in his bedroom for six months, in spite of his cowardly brother). He was proud to attend Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, graduating in 1976 with a degree in biology.
High School until his retirement in 2018. Doug’s humor, ingenuity, and creativity always inspired his work with kids.
An accomplished amateur photographer, Doug captured the essence of field and forest life in award-winning photos. He championed his deeply felt love of the natural world through his many years on the board of the Westbrook Land Conservation Trust. He shared his musical spirit and deep bass voice as a longstanding member of Con Brio Choral Society. Doug was also a secret composer at his piano and the inventor of the famous (to those who knew him) Douglas Cookie. Aside from time with his family, he was happiest digging in his garden, sitting in his back acre with an IPA, or watching the Red Sox, Patriots, and Huskies win.
Former Clinton Chamber Director Arrested in $100K Case
Continued from page 1
One warrant from Supervisory Special Agent James Tetreault of the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services Criminal Investigation Division states that an analysis of fiscal records showed that Doc’s Bar and Grill, a restaurant that operated in Clinton from 2014 to 2025 and listed Orsini as an agent, may have underreported its sales for several years.
According to the warrant, the agency reviewed point-of-sale records from January 2021 to September 2025. The records indicated the business consistently reported sales lower than what audited records showed.
The document states that the total amount of sales and use tax due is $56,192.80, not including penalties or interest.
DeMaio praised the department’s work investigating the alleged crime. He said he was surprised by how long it took the state prosecutor’s office to sign off on the arrest warrant but noted the complexity and level of detail involved in the investigations.
The Clinton Chamber of Commerce was not a town entity, but the organization worked closely with the town to support the local business community and sponsor public events.
Clinton Town Manager Michelle Benivegna said in a statement, “The Town is aware of the recent arrest of Mr. Orsini. We take matters of public concern seriously and will continue to monitor the situation and follow the court proceedings closely. As this is an active legal matter, we will refrain from further comment at this time.”
In 1980, he met his “density,” Marti Robinson, while teaching at TASIS Hellenic International School in Kiffisia, Greece. In 1983, the couple helped to open TASIS Cyprus in Nicosia, where their first son, Alex, appeared in 1984. Doug asked for “seven more of these,” but Marti agreed to only two, and thus, sons Ben and Nick came along in 1986 and 1988.
Doug’s career in education spanned more than 40 years. He was a science teacher and dean of students at TASIS and The Oxford Academy in Westbrook, and then a school counselor at Branford
Douglas is survived by Marti; his three sons, Alex (Sofia), Ben (Meredith), and Nick (Becky); his granddaughters, Evelyn and Olivia; his sisters, Randall and Jesse; his brother, Gerrit; not to mention a slew of loving cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.
In lieu of flowers, Doug would appreciate that contributions in his memory be made to the Westbrook Land Conservation Trust, Con Brio Choral Society, or Smilow Cancer Hospital. He loved to see his name in print. :-)
A service to honor Doug’s life was held on April 21 at the Westbrook Congregational Church in Westbrook.
See Obituaries page 10
Old Saybrook Youth & Family Services Offers Junior Strings Program
Old Saybrook Youth & Family Services will offer a Junior Strings summer session for students entering grades 3 and 4. The program will be held Tuesdays, July 7, 14, 21, and 28. Participants will perform with the Senior Strings on the Town Green on Wednesday, July 29, prior to the evening’s headlining performance. The program will focus on ukulele and guitar, with instruments and instruction provided. Enrollment is limited to 10 students for this pilot program. For more information or to register, visit www.osyfs.org.
Acton Public Library Announces Bookmark Design Contest
Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook, is accepting entries through May 11 for its “Plant a Seed, Read!” bookmark design contest for this year’s summer reading program. Artists of all ages are invited to design an original bookmark for the contest. Winners will be selected in four age categories: ages 0 to 5, 6 to 11, 12 to 18, and adults 19 and older. Entry forms are available at the library and at actonlibrary.org. Completed bookmark designs must be returned to the library for consideration. Winners will be announced during the library’s Summer Reading Kickoff Party. For more information, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
In a February 2026 interview with the agency, Orsini said he was solely responsible for the business’s finances. He reportedly said he reported all food sales but deducted beverage sales, as he believed beverages were pre-taxed. He acknowledged he would owe money for not correctly reporting taxes, the affidavit states.
The affidavit states there is probable cause to charge Orsini with 52 counts of willful delivery of a false return or document and one count of willful failure to file a sales and use tax return.
A separate affidavit states the agency also believes Orsini willfully filed false individual tax returns. The document states the agency reviewed returns for tax years 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 and alleges Orsini owes $51,935.50 in taxes to the State of Connecticut.
The document found probable cause to charge Orsini with four counts of willfully filing a false tax return or document.
Clinton Chief of Police Vincent DeMaio told the that at press time he had little to add beyond the information in the press release, out of respect for ongoing investigations by other agencies. DeMaio confirmed that the Clinton Police Department’s investigation into Orsini is closed. Harbor News
Community Spotlight
Whispers of trouble at the chamber first came to light in July 2025, after the chamber unexpectedly announced it would indefinitely suspend operations following Orsini’s resignation. In August, the Clinton Police Department confirmed there was an ongoing investigation into alleged criminal activity at the chamber but, citing the ongoing investigation, declined to specify who was being investigated or the nature of the alleged crime until now.
Orsini is well known in the Clinton community and had served as executive director of the chamber since 2019.
The chamber’s operations have remained suspended since its board of directors voted to close last year. In November, the board voted to vacate its headquarters at 50 East Main Street and transfer control of the building to the town. Recently, the Madison Chamber of Commerce announced its intention to collaborate with former members of the Clinton chamber.
In the wake of the chamber’s closure, the Town of Clinton, as well as local volunteer groups, stepped in to host community events previously handled by the chamber, including the summer concert series, Christmas in Clinton, and SummerFest.
The Spectrum Art Gallery, 61 Main Street, Centerbrook, has launched Community Spotlight, an up-to-date look at select artists who are creating new work, showcased through photography and video. The gallery has also started a YouTube channel to host these videos. For more information or to access Community Spotlight and the YouTube channel, visit spectrumartgallery.org.
Obituaries
Obituary
Joan Gosselin
Old Saybrook
Joan Barbara Gosselin, age 93, passed away in her sleep on March 31, 2026, in Old Saybrook. Joan was born Sept. 30, 1932, in Meriden, to the late Harry Forster and Julia Forster. Joan is predeceased by her husband, Joseph Gosselin; and her two sons, Lucien Gosselin and Raymond Gosselin.
A 1950 graduate of Meriden High School, Joan spent her years following high school working as a secretary and enjoying her time off rollerblading and dancing. She married Joseph Gosselin on July 4, 1959, and the couple moved to Westbrook in 1964 and had two children, Lucien and Raymond.
Following their births, Joan worked as an assistant tax collector for the town of Westbrook — a job she always took great pride in. Afterwards, she lived briefly in South Carolina and Florida
and frequently visited Anna Maria Island.
She was a devout Roman Catholic throughout her life and acted in ways truly befitting her faith; she loved everyone, no matter the circumstances of their life or birth, and never judged them for believing differently from herself. She loved her family dearly and was always thrilled to see her children, and eventual grandchildren, slowly grow and live out their lives. Joan was also a fantastic baker and chef, and regularly shared her creations with friends and family alike — her apple pie was always a crowd-pleaser. When not with family, she loved bingo, books, golf, and shopping.
She is survived by her grandchildren: Sophia Gosselin (Africa McLeod), of Hartford; Dylan Gosselin, of New Haven; Ryan Gosselin (Morgan Robinson-Gosselin), of Sandwich, Mass.; and Rachel Gosselin, of Portland, Ore.; her daughter-in-law, Kellie Gosselin (Eric Peterson), of Sandwich, Mass.; her sister-in-law, Kay Brain, of Old Saybrook; and her nieces, Terri Ashton (Clifford), of Niantic, and Gail Salafia (Joseph), of Haddam.
Funeral services were April 25, at St. Mark Catholic Church, Westbrook.
LEGAL NOTICE TOWN OF CLINTON HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING
The Historic District Commission of the Town of Clinton will hold a public hearing via ZOOM on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 7:00pm to hear and consider comments on the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness in the Liberty Green Historic District for Ed Ahlberg/Ahlberg Antiques at 109 East Main Street, for the right to make a minor modification to the north-east facade of his antique shop.. The commission will hear all who wish to speak.
You can join this ZOOM hearing from your computer, tablet or smartphone at: https://us02web.zoom.us/ j/84609930800?pwd=NEFqMnBTay9BUkVxK1dSQUQzV2xadz09 Meeting ID: 846 0993 0800 Passcode: 771789
Peggy Adler, Chairman Historic District Commission
Town of Clinton Planning & Zoning Commission
54 East Main Street Clinton, CT 06413
Legal Notice of Public Hearing in the Town Hall Green Room
The Town of Clinton Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, May 11, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. to consider the following:
PZC-26-7: Text Amendment, Stormwater Management, Section 36 of the Clinton Zoning regulations. Applicant: Town of Clinton, CT.
At said Hearing, all persons will have the right to be heard. The application(s) and correspondence are available for public inspection on the Town’s website.
Anyone requiring special accommodation to participate in the public meeting should contact the Land Use Office at 860-669-6133. Michael Rossi, Chairman, Town of Clinton Planning and Zoning Commission.
Obituary
William Jardine Cromwell
William Robert Jardine, of Cromwell, formerly of Old Saybrook, passed away peacefully on April 26, 2026, at the age of 93. Bill was born on Aug. 30, 1932, to the late James and Marjorie Jardine, in Hartford.
Bill graduated from Ellsworth High School in South Windsor, Class of 1951. Bill went on to serve in the United States Army, with an Honorable Discharge on Oct. 31, 1960. While in the Army, Bill earned the Korean Service Medal Bronze Stars, Presidential Unit Citation, United Nations Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. On Dec. 29, 2010, Secretary of the State of Connecticut Susan Bysiewicz presented Bill a public service award: “In recognition of your exemplary service and unwavering courage during this nation's struggle to preserve freedom during the Korean War. This award is a token of our deep gratitude to you for your patriotism and sacrifice.”
Bill had a successful career with The Mattabassett District for 28 years, retir-
ing as a Shift Supervisor. Bill received numerous employee recognition letters and passed many State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection certifications relative to water facility management.
Bill was predeceased by his beloved wife of 38 years, Margaret. Bill and Margaret resided in Knollwood, surrounded by a community of life-long friends and neighbors.
Bill was never far from his faithful dog, Lucky. Together they would take long walks by the beach, or Lucky would simply rest by Bill’s chair as he read the newspaper or watched television. Bill enjoyed traveling, especially memorable vacations to the Adirondack Mountains and Amish Country. Bill had a passion for reading history books, strumming his guitar, an enthusiastic sports fan of the New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox, and appreciated a Sunday matinee at the Ivoryton Playhouse. Bill will be deeply missed and forever remembered.
A Christian burial and Military Honors Ceremony will be held at noon Saturday, May 9, at Riverside Cemetery, 59 Sheffield St., Old Saybrook. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to St. John’s Church, 161 Main St., Old Saybrook, CT 06475, or The Old Saybrook Police Department K-9 Fund, 36 Lynde St., Old Saybrook, CT 06475.
LEGAL NOTICE OF DECISION WESTBROOK ZONING COMMISSION
Notice is hereby given that the Westbrook Zoning Commission took the following actions at their Regular Meeting on Monday April 27, 2026;
1. (Denied without Prejudice) ZC2025-022- REGULATION TEXT AMENDMENT APPLICATION – Section 2.C.2 and 2.C.3 – Area Dimensional Standards in the Rural Residential (RR) Zone Applicant: Gayle Erickson & Wayne Zirolli
2. (Approved with Modifications) ZC2026-007 - REGULATION TEXT AMENDMENT APPLICATION – Section 7.B.4.5– Municipal Signs in the Commercial Town Center (CTC) District
Applicant: J. Palermo, Emergency Services
Dated: 4/29/2026s
Harry Ruppenicker, Jr. – Zoning Commission Chairman
DISTRICT OF FENWOOD P. O. BOX 328 • OLD SAYBROOK, CT 06475
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF RESIDENTS
SATURDAY MAY 16, 2026
To the Residents of the District of Fenwood: Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of the residents of the District of Fenwood will be held at the Vicki G. Duffy Pavilion at Saybrook Point on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 9:00 AM for the purpose of the board of directors considering and acting upon the following:
• Approval of the 2026/2027 budget, laying the tax and fixing the tax rate.
• Election of Directors of the District to serve until their respective successors are elected and qualified.
More information will be sent directly by mail and email.
By order of the Board of Directors
Westbrook Budget Heads to Town Meeting May 12
By Eric O’Connell
Staff Writer
Westbrook voters can approve or reject the town’s proposed operating budget and capital plan at a town meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, at 7 p.m. at Westbrook High School. The proposed budget increases spending by 3.63%.
At an April 22 meeting, the Board of Finance voted to forward a $36,562,940 operating budget—a $1,218,926, or 3.63%, increase—to the town meeting. The budget includes both municipal and Board of Education spending, which will be voted on as a single item.
Voters will also consider a proposed capital plan allocating $3,184,678 in its first year, including $1,584,670 from the town’s fund balance.
Finance Board Chairman Paul Winch (R) said the plan includes roofing work, sidewalk improvements, fire department equipment, coastal resiliency efforts, and town center upgrades.
Both items will be voted on at the May 12 meeting. Immediately following the vote, the finance board will meet to set the mill rate. Officials said it is expected to track close to the overall budget increase.
61% of the budget increase,” Superintendent Dr. Kristina Martineau told the Harbor News. “The budget request for 2026–2027 would be closer to 2% without the staggering increase to health insurance.”
Martineau described the education budget as “a fiscally responsible budget” that maintains programming and services.
The proposal includes staffing adjustments, with three special education support positions added and a part-time Dean of Students position expanded to full time at Daisy Ingraham Elementary School.
Some positions were reduced, including an unfilled high school math teacher position and three leadership roles: a principal position tied to a shared model for WHS and WMS, Plants Operations and Facility Manager, and the Director of Student Services, now part time.
On the town side, Winch attributed increases to “structural cost pressures,” including rising health benefits and contractual salaries, and said the budget maintains services while limiting increases.
TOWN OF CLINTON ANNUAL BUDGET MEETING / BUDGET REFERENDUM
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2026
6 AM – 8 PM
LEGAL NOTICE
The electors of the Town of Clinton, Connecticut and all other citizens entitled to vote in town meetings of the said Town of Clinton are hereby notified and warned that a BUDGET REFERENDUM will be held at the Andrews Memorial Town Hall, Green Room, 54 East Main Street, Clinton, Connecticut on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, between the hours of 6:00 AM and 8:00 PM with voting to be done by paper ballot. The following questions will be placed on the ballot:
Question #1 In favor of the proposed Town Government Budget of the Town of Clinton for fiscal year July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 in the amount of $ 23,237,935.
Question #2 In favor of the proposed Board of Education Budget of the Town of Clinton for fiscal year July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 in the amount of $ 44,788,204.
Dated at Clinton, Connecticut the 21st day of April, 2026.
Hank Teskey, Chairman Town Council
Town of Clinton ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
Andrews Memorial Town Hall
54 East Main Street Clinton, CT 06413
LEGAL NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The Town of Clinton Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Wednesday May 20, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., in the Rose Room of the William Stanton Andrews Memorial Town Hall, 54 East Main Street, Clinton, Connecticut, to consider the following:
“Health insurance was by far the most significant budget driver and represents What’s in the Proposed Budget?
The largest increase, as in other towns, is in employee health benefits on the education side.
Westbrook has used a town meeting format for most of the past decade, unlike neighboring towns that rely on referendums. Officials say the format allows the town to provide a neutral citizen voting guide outlining the budget and financial condition.
Winch said the guide will be sent to voters ahead of the May 12 meeting.
LEGAL NOTICE
TOWN OF OLD SAYBROOK
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY
NOTICE OF BENEFIT ASSESSMENT MAY 2026 PAYMENT DUE
The Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) sent out the Benefit Assessment installment bills for upgraded properties in the Wastewater Management District. The second installment is due and payable on May 1, 2026. If payment is not received on or before June 2, 2026, the benefit assessment becomes delinquent and subject to interest at the rate of 18% per annum, 1½% per month from the due date for each month or fraction thereof. Interest will be taken from payments received or postmarked as of June 3, 2026. Mail with a postmark (U.S.P.S. postmark only) on or before June 2, 2026 will be considered a timely payment.
Effective November 2024, installment payments are being processed by the Tax Collector, Town Hall, 302 Main Street, Old Saybrook, CT 06475, daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm, and through the lunch hour, with the exception of weekends and holidays. Note: Please consider payment by mail as parking is limited. Should you wish a receipt, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your payment.
Checks should be made payable to the WPCA. Credit/Debit card payments can now be accepted at the Tax Collector’s Office. Transaction Fees are applied as follows:
Credit Card Fee = 2.5% of Total Payment added to the bill ($2.00 minimum)
Debit Card Fee (Visa or Mastercard) = $3.95 Flat Fee added Personal Checks = No Fee
If you did not receive a Benefit Assessment bill please contact the WPCA at (860) 395-2876.
Failure to receive a Benefit Assessment bill does not invalidate the assessment or interest due.
Thank you,
Water Pollution Control Authority
ZBA-26-2: 5 Shore Grove Road, Assessor’s Map 69/ Block 70/ Lot 19, R-15 Zone. David Seeger (Applicant), Laurie Seeger (Owner). After-the-fact variance requests to Section 26.11.6 for the front west setback for the house and shed and to Section 26.11.8 for the south side setback for the shed.
ZBA-26-3: 82 High Street, Assessor’s Map 44/ Block 26/ Lot 11, R-20 Zone. Joe Wren (Applicant), Chris Tennis on behalf of Gilead Community Services, Inc. (Owner). After-the-fact request for variance for ground coverage to Section 26.11.14.
ZBA-26-4: 32 Old Nod Road, Assessor’s Map 20/ Block 6/ Lot 57, Zone R-60. Robert and Brianna Godsey (Owners). Brianna Godsey, Appellant; Robert Godsey and Brianna (Muscio) Godsey, Property Owners. Appeal of the April 2, 2026, Cease and Desist Order issued by the Zoning Enforcement Officer for violations to Town of Clinton Planning and Zoning Regulations Sections 27.1.71, 12.53.3(b) and 12.53.3(1).
At said Hearing, all persons will have the right to be heard and written communication received. The application(s) and accompanying maps and correspondence are available for public inspection on the Town’s Website. Anyone requiring special accommodation to participate in the public meeting should contact the Land Use Office at 860-669-6133. Laurie Jaffe, Chair, Town of Clinton ZBA.
LEGAL NOTICE
ANNUAL TOWN BUDGET MEETING TOWN OF WESTBROOK, CONNECTICUT
The legal voters of the Town of Westbrook, Connecticut and all others qualified to vote in meetings of the said Town are hereby notified and warned that the Annual Town Budget Meeting, established pursuant to Section 7-388 of the Connecticut General Statutes, will be held in the Westbrook High School Auditorium, 156 McVeagh Road, Westbrook, Connecticut, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. to act on the following matters:
1. To consider and act upon the adoption of the Annual Town Budget for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, as estimated and recommended by the Board of Finance pursuant to Section 7-344 of the Connecticut General Statutes, in the amount of $36,562,940.00.
2. To determine and designate, pursuant to Section 12-142, 12-144 and 12-144a, of the Connecticut General Statutes, that taxes levied on said budget will be due and payable as follows:
a. All motor vehicle tax bills will be due and payable in full on July 1, 2026.
b. All real estate and personal property tax bills $100.00 or less will be due and payable in full on July 1, 2026.
c. Real estate and personal property tax bills over $100.00 may be paid in two installments with one half due July 1, 2026 and one half due on January 1, 2027.
3. To approve the Fiscal Year 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Plan in the amount of $3,284,678.00 for year one.
Horoscopes Crossword
For the week of May 7 - May 13
ARIES • Mar 21/Apr 20
Aries, a professional door you thought was locked is actually just heavy. Push a little harder. Your honesty is exactly what a stalled project needs to move forward.
TAURUS • Apr 21/May 21
Financial clarity is coming your way, Taurus. You might discover a subscription you don’t need or a better way to save for that big-ticket item. Your future self will thank you.
GEMINI • May 22/Jun 21
Your words have extra weight this week, Gemini. Use them to bridge a gap between friends or to draft that important email. A sibling or close neighbor has some surprising news for you.
CANCER • Jun 22/Jul 22
Don’t ignore your dreams right now, Cancer. Your subconscious is trying to solve a puzzle while you sleep. Keep a notepad by the bed; a “Eureka!” moment arrives soon.
LEO • Jul 23/Aug 23
You’re the glue holding your team together this week, Leo. While you’re busy leading, don’t forget to delegate. You’ll find that people are more than willing to help if you seek assistance.
VIRGO • Aug 24/Sept 22
A change in your daily routine brings a massive boost to your mood, Virgo. Try a morning workout or a different lunch spot. Breaking the cycle opens the door for a fresh perspective.
MAY 7
Breckin Meyer, Actor (52)
MAY 8
Enrique Iglesias, Singer (51)
MAY 9
John Corbett, Actor (65)
MAY 10
Kenan Thomspon, Comic (48)
LIBRA • Sept 23/Oct 23
Romance is leaning toward the intellectual this week, Libra. A deep conversation about your values or goals will bring you closer to a partner or a new interest.
SCORPIO • Oct 24/Nov 22
Scorpio, whether it’s your home life or a long-term project, pay attention to the small details and you will prevent a headache later. A family member offers some sage advice.
SAGITTARIUS • Nov 23/Dec 21
Your curiosity is your best asset this week, Sagittarius. Take a deep dive into a topic that usually bores you–you’ll find a hidden connection that benefits your career.
CAPRICORN • Dec 22/Jan 20
Patience is your mantra, Capricorn. You’re waiting for an answer, and while the silence is frustrating, the result will be worth it. Use the downtime to refine your current strategy.
AQUARIUS • Jan 21/Feb 18
You are a magnet for eccentric people this week, Aquarius. Embrace the weirdness. A chance encounter with someone outside your usual circle sparks a very profitable idea.
PISCES • Feb 19/Mar 20
Quiet reflection is more productive than busy work right now, Pisces. Slip away for some solitude. You’ll soon have the clarity you need to make a big decision about your living situation.
FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
MAY 11
Sabrina Carpenter, Singer (27)
MAY 12
Emilio Estevez, Actor (64)
MAY 13
Robert Pattinson, Actor (40)
CLUES ACROSS
1. Large dung beetle
7. Gambling game __-lo
10. Further along
12. Type of tobacco
13. Looked for
14. Silk fabric
15. Computer method to solve equations
16. As fast as can be done (abbr.)
17. Tear
18. Brews
19. “Famous” cookie baker
21. Women’s Army Corps
22. Front parts of an animal
27. It’s causing quite a stir
28. Beloved March holiday
33. 12th letter of the Greek alphabet
34. More impudent
36. Indicates center
37. Young woman (French)
38. A cause of distress
39. Santa’s helper
40. Hillside
41. Many wombs
44. Is afraid of
45. Popular baked goods ingredient
48. Popular computers
49. Conceiving of
50. Google certification (abbr.)
51. Sturdy
CLUES DOWN
1. Peruse quickly
2. Automobiles
3. Razorbill genus
4. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!
5. Consumed
6. A place to sleep
7. Small seeds
8. Legendary law man Wyatt
9. Female sheep
10. Indigenous peoples of eastern Siberia
11. A place ships dock
12. Reciprocal of sine
14. Discomfort
17. British Air Aces
18. Exit sleep
20. Solar energetic particle
23. Plagues characterized by starvation
24. Short musical composition
25. Trauma center
26. Habitual twitching
29. A place where checks are exchanged (abbr.)
30. Decameter
31. Hinged surface in a wing
32. Shouting
35. Sports official
36. Volcanic craters
38. Supportive device
40. It’s part of a rosary
41. Two-toed sloth
42. Body art
43. Let out
44. Foreign medical graduate
45. Nonprofit journalism organization (abbr.)
46. Couples say it
47. Bird’s beak
Word Search
Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, and diagonally throughout the puzzle.
LOVING HORSES WORD SEARCH
BRIDLE CANTER CHESTNUT COLT CROUP DRESSAGE EQUESTRIAN FETLOCK FILLY FOAL FORELOCK GALLOP GELDING HALTER HOOF MANE MARE MUZZLE PASTERN PONY SADDLE STALLION TROT WITHERS
Word Scramble
Word Scramble solution for April 30, 2026: SMILES
Word Search solution for April 30, 2026
TOWN OF WESTBROOK
TOWN OF WESTBROOK
RogeR CRampton
RogeR CRampton
PLUMBING l HEATING l AIRCONDITIONING
RogeR CRampton
RogeR
PLUMBING l HEATING l AIRCONDITIONING
RogeR CRampton PLUMBING l HEATING l AIRCONDITIONING
RogeR CRampton
RogeR CRampton
RogeR CRampton
NEWINSTALLATIONSORREPAIRS
PLUMBING l HEATING AIRCONDITIONING NEWINSTALLATIONSORREPAIRS
PLUMBING l HEATING AIRCONDITIONING NEWINSTALLATIONSORREPAIRS
PLUMBING l HEATING l AIRCONDITIONING NEWINSTALLATIONSORREPAIRS
RogeR CRampton
PLUMBING HEATING AIRCONDITIONING
Boilers, WaterHeaters, Wellpumps, Well Tanks, Waterfiltration,Faucets, Leakingpipes,Gaspiping 860-434-2200
Boilers, terHeaters,Wa llpumps,We llWe nks,Ta terfiltration,Faucets,Wa Leakingpipes,Gaspiping
860-434-2200
NEWINSTALLATIONSORREPAIRS
Fullyinsured
Boilers, WaterHeaters, Wellpumps, Well Tanks, Waterfiltration,Faucets, Leakingpipes,Gaspiping
RogeR CRampton
Boilers, WaterHeaters, Wellpumps, Well Tanks, Waterfiltration,Faucets, Leakingpipes,Gaspiping 860-434-2200
Boilers, WaterHeaters, Wellpumps, Well Tanks, Waterfiltration,Faucets, Leakingpipes,Gaspiping
Boilers, WaterHeaters, Wellpumps, Well Tanks, Waterfiltration,Faucets, Leakingpipes,Gaspiping
ogeRR RamptonC PLUMBING l HEATING AIRCONDITIONING NEWINSTALLATIONSORREPAIRS
Boilers, terHeaters,Wa llpumps,We llWe nks,Ta terfiltration,Faucets,Wa Leakingpipes,Gaspiping
CTlic#P1-204812
www.RogerCramptonLLC.com
PLUMBING l HEATING l AIRCONDITIONING NEWINSTALLATIONSORREPAIRS
Fullyinsured
Boilers, WaterHeaters, Wellpumps, Well Tanks, Waterfiltration,Faucets, Leakingpipes,Gaspiping 860-434-2200
CTlic#P1-204812 www.RogerCramptonLLC.com
Boilers, WaterHeaters, Wellpumps, Well Tanks, Waterfiltration,Faucets, Leakingpipes,Gaspiping 860-434-2200
CTlic#P1-204812
Boilers, WaterHeaters, Wellpumps, Well Tanks, Waterfiltration,Faucets, Leakingpipes,Gaspiping 860-434-2200
860-434-2200
860-434-2200 Fullyinsured
860-434-2200
www.RogerCramptonLLC.com
www.RogerCramptonLLC.com
Boilers,
CTlic#P1-204812
CTlic#P1-204812
CTlic#P1-204812 www.RogerCramptonLLC.com
www.RogerCramptonLLC.com
Boilers, WaterHeaters, Wellpumps, Well Tanks, Waterfiltration,Faucets, Leakingpipes,Gaspiping
CTlic#P1-204812
CTlic#P1-204812 www.RogerCramptonLLC.com
860-434-2200
Fun By The Numbers
Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test!
Last Week’s Answers Here’s How It Works:
Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
Rams Roll Over Rivals Valley Regional, Branford
By Serenity J. Bishop
Sports Editor
Last week, the Old Saybrook Rams boys lacrosse team faced two conference competitors in Cromwell and Valley, then traveled to Branford to face the Hornets. For the Rams, it was a week filled with confidence-building moments.
On April 21, the Rams came out strong against Cromwell and won 15-1. The team put up 10 goals in the opening minutes of play, and the younger Rams players got to see some good quality varsity minutes.
The Rams roster this season features a whopping 12 first-year players, and all are getting used to the high school game and head coach Jon Mason’s coaching. Mason said the underclassmen have grown throughout the season so far.
“Our younger players are our secret weapon,” Mason said. “We’re getting them into different roles, teaching them our systems, and we’re looking to build a future Rams team with them at the center.”
On April 23, the Rams hosted the Valley Regional Warriors in what has been a traditionally heated battle. The Warriors were put on their heels right away as the Rams took control early and did not relent.
Old Saybrook defeated Valley Regional 14-0 and was led by senior captain Grey Richards with five goals. Surprisingly, sophomores Chase Percival and Luke Beckner both got in on the action with three and two goals, respectively.
The loss for Valley Regional has continued a tough season for the Warriors. Valley Regional is currently 2-8 and is on a five-game losing streak. In that span, they have been outscored 73-7 while being shut out twice.
“Grey is a wonderful captain. He’s a sensational player, but humble and kind. He’s been the spark for us so far this year,” Mason said. “I am really impressed with sophomores Percival and Beckner. Each is stepping into large roles and finding his way. It’s a joy to watch them develop into the all-state players I know they can be.”
On April 25, the Rams were on the road, with a rain tent in hand, to battle a tough Class M Branford team that is currently ranked fifth in the state. Heading into the game, Old Saybrook knew that it would
take a gutsy performance to knock off Branford.
In fact, Mason said it would take a level of performance the Rams hadn’t produced yet this season to overcome, but it was the Rams’ defense, led by senior Charlie Dee in goal, that had one of its best games, with strong goalkeeping and efficient clears.
Senior captain and defenseman Julian Gage sprang into action, helping to shut down the Branford offense, limiting it to just nine shots all game. For comparison, the Rams took 59 shots during the game.
The Rams went on to win a physical game, where two Rams were removed from the game due to injury, including
starters and goal scorers Chase Percival and Brandon Flores.
“Our defense played their best game of the season so far. You could feel it in the air,” Mason said. “Branford wasn’t getting through. Their level of play created opportunities and time for our offense to find coverage gaps and exploit them. This was a fun game and a great day for Rams lacrosse.”
On April 28, the Rams hosted HaddamKillingworth, the reigning conference champion and currently ranked second in the state’s Class S ranking. The game was the opposite of Old Saybrook’s game against Branford.
The Rams’ defense struggled with the size and speed of Haddam-Killingworth’s attackers, and the offense had trouble finding the back of the net. The Rams fell to the undefeated Cougars 19-5.
“I am so pleased with this team. We’re putting in the effort every day in practice, and we’re starting to see the results,” Mason said. “The energy around Saturday’s win in Branford lifted our expectations on what we can do together, and it will stand out to me as a great moment in Old Saybrook lacrosse history. It was a great day to play lacrosse and be a Ram.”
Photo courtesy of Meg Susi
Old Saybrook’s Brandon Air Flores shoots on goal during a game this season as the Rams improved to 6-3.
Leandri Reaches 100 Hits, Earns Scholar-Athlete Honor
By Serenity J. Bishop
Sports Editor
Some students excel in the classroom, and others excel on the field, but Valley Regional and Westbrook baseball standout Kyle Leandri has excelled at both. Leandri has recently accomplished something that most high school baseball players don’t have the chance to do. The Westbrook standout earned his 100th career hit on a single against Hale Ray. However, even more impressive, Leandri was also recognized on May 3 by the CIAC and was given the Scholar-Athlete award. The award goes to the top male and female athletes with the top GPA in the school.
Both achievements showcase the true definition of a studentathlete.
“It was just a great experience for me, honestly. It just shows the hard work throughout the four years is paying off,” Leandri said. “It’s just another sign that if I keep putting the work in, the results are going to come up for me.”
As far as the 100th career hit, Leandri knew that he was close to the milestone after his junior season, when he was named AllState and All-Conference. At the beginning of his senior season, he was in the 80s for hits, but when the career achievement actually came, he was so focused on the game that it didn’t register for him.
Leandri helped lead the Valley Regional co-op to a 9-1 victory over Hale Ray that day, and then, after the game, his coaches told him the news.
“It was just a great moment. It honestly came as a surprise to me because I didn’t think I’d get there so quickly this season,” Leandri said. “But when he told me, it was just a great moment, especially after coming off a win in that game, too.”
To make the accomplishment clear, Valley Regional and Westbrook coach Patrick Sirois said obtaining 100 career hits is not easy. He said it showcases a long period of consistency, growth, and immense talent.
“Most people don’t start until their junior or senior year, and they’re probably happy to get maybe 15 hits on the year. That would be maybe between 25 and 35 hits for their career, but in reference to Kyle, he came into high school good enough to start right away,” Sirois said. “Based on his work ethic when he was younger, he put himself in a position from a young age to achieve an accomplishment.”
Leandri is hitting all the time during the season and during the offseason. In fact, this year he is currently hitting around .459. Sirois said the 100th career hit is a culmination of all the work that he continues to put in. He also said that Leandri is the perfect example to the rest of the team.
“He’s a straight lead-by-example guy. He is always doing the right thing and practicing the right way, full speed, 100 percent all the time. From a leadership standpoint, he’s doing a very good job of showing younger kids the expectations and what it means to be a part of the program,” Sirois said. “He’s a phenomenal defensive shortstop, first off, and he makes plays that most high school shortstops don’t make.”
Sirois believes it’s his range, arm ability, and baseball IQ that separate him from the rest.
“He always throws the ball to the right spot. He always knows the situation, and with his bat, he’s just a rare talent,” he said. “He has also settled into that closing role. He’s our closer now. He’s the guy we’re going to when the pitcher runs out of gas. He’s not a pitcher by trade, but he stepped up and took that role on for us this year. He’s a five-tool player.”
On the academic side, Leandri is just as proud of his ScholarAthlete award as his 100th career hit. His grades and baseball tal-
ent are two reasons why he will be headed to the University of New Haven next season to play Division I baseball for the Chargers.
Leandri will study business management at New Haven.
“Being nominated for this award is just a really great thing for me to hear because I pride myself on academics just as much as I do athletics,” Leandri said.
“So to be able to get this award really shows that my academics are paying off, too.”
The Valley Regional and Westbrook co-op baseball team is currently 10-3 and has already
punched its ticket to the state tournament. Going forward, the Warriors will be focused on improving their postseason seeding while fine-tuning the details.
Leandri and the Warriors will return to the field Friday, May 8, at home against Cromwell at 6:30 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Kyle Leandri
Kyle Leandri collects his 100th career hit during a 9-1 win over Hale Ray.
Schedules
MORGAN
Saturday, May 9: at Haddam Killingworth at 3 p.m.
Monday, May 11: vs. Portland at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, May 13: vs. Branford at 6 p.m.
Baseball Softball
Monday, May 11: vs. Wheeler at 4 p.m.
Tuesday, May 12: vs. Wilbur Cross at 4 p.m.
Thursday, May 14: at Stonington at 4 p.m.
Boys Lacrosse
Saturday, May 9: vs. Waterford at 1 p.m.
Tuesday, May 12: vs. Lyme-Old Lyme at 4 p.m.
Thursday, May 14: at Cromwell at 4 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse
Saturday, May 9: at North Haven at noon
Monday, May 11: vs. Wheeler at 4 p.m.
Thursday, May 14: vs. Cromwell at 6 p.m.
OLD SAYBROOK
Baseball
Friday, May 8: vs. Coginchaug at 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 9: at NFA at 7 p.m.
Softball
Tuesday, May 12: vs. Hale Ray at 3
May 13: vs. East Hampton at 3
Monday, May 11: vs. East Granby/Canton at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 12: vs. Coginchaug at 3:45 p.m.
Thursday, May 14: at Lyme-Old Lyme at 3:45 p.m.
May 13: vs. East Lyme at 4 p.m.
Monday, May 11: at CIAC Tournament at 3 p.m.
Tuesday, May 12: vs. Daniel Hand at 3:20 p.m. Thursday, May 14: at Lyme-Old Lyme at 3 p.m.
Monday, May 11: at Valley Regional at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 13: vs. Fitch at 4 p.m.
Boys Lacrosse
Tuesday, May 12: vs. North Branford at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14: at Valley Regional at 4 p.m.
Girls Lacrosse
Tuesday, May 12: at North Branford at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 14: vs. Valley Regional at 6 p.m.
WESTBROOK
Friday, May 8: vs. Cromwell at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 9: at Tolland at noon Wednesday, May 13: vs. Wolcott Tech at 4 p.m.
Monday, May 11: at Valley
Friday, May 8: vs. Platt Tech at 4 p.m. Monday, May 11: vs. Valley Regional at 4 p.m. Monday, May 11: at Valley Regional at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 12: vs. Portland at 4 p.m.
at Legacy Theatre Provides Lots of Laughs and Gentle Satire Nunsense
Review THEATER
By
No one will mistake the lighthearted as great theater. But when well done — and this production at Legacy Theatre is — it can be an enjoyable and funny evening in the theater.
Nunsense
When playwright Dan Goggin wrote the original in 1985, he hit a gold mine. Not only was the show a success, but it led to a franchise of shows featuring the same five characters. There was , , and others.
Nunsense 2: The Second Coming Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical
None lived up to the original. The original ran more than 3,600 performances off-Broadway, has been translated into more than 20 languages, and was made into a TV movie.
It makes gentle fun of nuns — in this case, the order of the Little Sisters of Hoboken. They’re holding a fundraiser to raise money to bury four of their sisters. I won’t explain why they need the money or how the four sisters died; that’s part of the humor.
What you have is a series of songs, scenes that are more like skits, and jokes, many of which were old when the show was new. A few sly references to more recent events have been added. Plus, there’s a bare-bones plot. The music and lyrics are serviceable and pleasant. You won’t leave the theater remembering any of them.
What you will remember is the fine cast.
Nunsense
The success of any production of depends upon the director and the cast. In this case, Legacy Theatre has hit it out of the park. We have the stereotypical characters: the stern Mother Superior (Jenifer Smith as Sister Mary Regina), Sister Mary
Hubert (Keisha T. Fraser), the head of the novices who is yearning to replace the Mother Superior. Then there’s the young novice (Melissa Goldberg), the easily confused Sister Mary Amnesia, and the tough girl from Brooklyn, Sister Robert Anne (a fine Sarah Viera).
The coup in the casting was getting Semina De Laurentis to play Sister Mary Amnesia. She created the role in the original production and appeared in the two films. She mines every bit of
humor, as well as creating an endearing character. She also displays a wide vocal range. De Laurentis recently retired as artistic director of Waterbury’s Seven Angels Theatre, which she founded.
The cast works together like a well-oiled machine, playing off each other with humor. It seems that any play about nuns needs to have some audience participation. In , no one gets dragged up on stage, and the humor is gentle.
Nunsense
Some glitches occurred when I saw the play; it was only the third performance: a slight mic problem and the band (unseen but at the rear of the stage) occasionally overpowering the singers. I’m sure those have been fixed. The timing will also pick up as the cast settles into their roles.
The show runs more than two hours. A faster pace or some judicious cuts would improve it; it seemed to drag toward the end.
Jill Brunelle is both music director and conductor. James
Gray, as director and choreographer, created a delightful tap dance for the nuns; he makes effective use of the stage and the access to the audience without overdoing it. He was assisted by Robert Mintz as associate director and choreographer. runs through Sunday, May 17; many performances are already sold out. Tickets are available at LegacyTheatre CT.org. Nunsense
Nunsense
Special to Living
Karen Isaacs
Photo by Diane Sobolewski
Photo by Diane Sobolewski
Jennifer Smith stars in at Legacy Theatre. Nunsense Semina De Laurentis, Melissa Goldberg, and Sarah Viera perform in Nunsense
Photo by Diane Sobolewski
Photo by Diane Sobolewski
Semina De Laurentis reprises her role as Sister Mary Amnesia.
From left, Semina De Laurentis, Keisha T. Fraser, Jennifer Smith, Sarah Viera, and Melissa Goldberg appear in at Legacy Theatre. Nunsense
For more Life & Style stories, visit our website, www.zip06.com. To submit events for the calendar, email news@shorepublishing.com.
THURSDAY, MAY 7
The Chocolate Factory of Life: Cellular Machines and Transporters
: 10 a.m. Madison Senior Center, 29 Bradley Rd. Presented by Sue Moon, Deepanshi, and Nghia Le of Yale Science in the News. Sponsored by the Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning (SSILL). Open to SSILL members (with an annual membership of $35). Cost: $3. For info or to join SSILL, call 203-453-8086 or visit ssill.org.
Blackstone Game Group
: 5 to 7:30 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Casual game group for adults. Free. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.
Kids Book Discussion on Handling Emotions
: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Features a discussion of the graphic novel by David DeGrand led by Stephanie Schillat of the East Shore Health District. Free copies of the book available in advance. For ages 7 to 11. Registration required. For info or to register, call 203-315-6020 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.
I Am Not Okay
Evening Tech Support and Exploration
: 6 p.m. Acton
Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Technology help sessions. Free. No registration required. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
National Day of Prayer
: 6 p.m. Branford Green, 1011 Main St. Features prayers for government, the church, education, family, business and the workplace, the military, and arts, entertainment, and media. Free and open to the public. For info, contact Marion Lovig at 203-6757056.
On Courage, Turmoil, and the Transformative Power of Love with Marjan Kamali
The Lion Women of Tehran
: 7 p.m. Virtual. Author talk discussing . Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
FRIDAY, MAY 8
Friends of the Guilford Free Library Spring Book Sale
:
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guilford Free Library, 67 Park St., Guilford. Features a sale of gently used books, DVDs, CDs, and puzzles. Proceeds benefit library programs and services. For info, call 203-453-8282 or visit guilfordfreelibrary.org.
Tots and Tunes
: 10:30 to 11 a.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Features songs, stories, and movement for children ages 18 months and older and their siblings. Parent or guardian must attend. No registration required. For info, call 203-315-6020.
Drop-In Tech Help
: 1 to 4 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Features oneon-one technology assistance. Bring a device for assistance. Sessions limited to 30 minutes. First come, first served. No registration required. For info, call 203-3156020.
History Happy Hour: The 93rd Anniversary of Connecticut Civilian Conservation Corps Camps: Their History and Legacy & Camp Hadley
: 6 p.m. Allis-Bushnell House Museum, 853 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Features a presentation by author and historian Marty Podskoch. Hosted by the Madison Historical Society. Suggested donation: $15 general admission, $10 for Madison Historical Society members. Advance registration requested. For info or tickets, contact 203-245-4567 or office@madisonhistory.org, or visit madisonhistory.org.
Military Whist Card Party
: Doors open at 6 p.m.; games begin at 6:45 p.m. St. Monica Church Hall, 1321 Middletown Ave., Northford. Card games, raffles, and light refreshments. Cost: $12. Advance tickets required. For info or tickets, call 203-239-5378.
Calendar for the Week of May 7, 2026
Killingworth Evergreen Garden Club Plant Sale
: 6:30 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Talk on local history during the American Revolution presented by the Essex Historical Society. Free. Registration suggested. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Revolution Close to Home: Five Lives in Early Potapaug during America’s Turning Point Roses and Rosé
: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Madison Beach Hotel, 94 West Wharf Rd., Madison. Event featuring rosé tastings and floral arrangements. For info or tickets, visit eventvesta.com/events/143152/tickets.
Killingworth Town-Wide Tag Sale:
8 a.m. Locations throughout Killingworth, with a central site at the Courtyard, 176 Rte. 81. Hosted by the Killingworth Women’s Organization. Features tag sales across town, plus a “Snag-A-Bag” sale and Juniorettes thrift shop fundraiser. Proceeds benefit the KWO Scholarship Fund and other charitable efforts. For info or to register, email tagsale@kwoct.org or visit kwoct.org.
Killingworth Historical Society Annual Tag and Bake Sale
: 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Parmelee Farm, 465 Route 81, Killingworth. Features vintage collectibles, small furniture, fabric and craft items, books, toys, and baked goods. Proceeds benefit educational programs and preservation efforts. For info or to donate items, call 860395-9955.
Leete’s Island Garden Club Plant Sale
: 9 a.m. to noon. Southwest corner of the Guilford Green, 79 Whitfield St. Features member-grown annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, and hanging plants. Proceeds benefit civic projects and educational programs. Rain date: Sunday, May 10. For info, call 203-453-0780.
Goodness Grows Plant Sale
: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. North Madison Congregational Church, 1271 Durham Rd., Madison. Annual plant sale featuring member-grown perennials, annuals, herbs, hanging baskets, garden goods, and gardening demonstrations. Live music and baked goods available. Rain or shine. For info, contact 203-421-3241 or office@northmadisoncc.org, or visit northmadisoncc.org/goodnessgrows.
Friends of the Guilford Free Library Spring Book Sale
: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guilford Free Library, 67 Park St., Guilford. Features a sale of gently used books, DVDs, CDs, and puzzles. Proceeds benefit library programs and services. For info, call 203-453-8282 or visit guilfordfreelibrary.org.
Caregiver Support Group
: 10 to 11 a.m. Women and Family Life Center, Carriage House, 96 Fair St., Guilford. Ongoing support group for family and informal caregivers. Cost: Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 203-458-6699 or email programs@womenandfamilylife.org.
Blackstone Library Tour
SATURDAY, MAY 9 : 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Parmelee Farm, 465 Route 81, Killingworth. Annual plant sale featuring locally grown perennials, hanging baskets, houseplants, and planters for Mother’s Day. Rain or shine. Proceeds benefit the club’s scholarship fund and town gardens. For info, call 203-988-1528.
: 10 to 11 a.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Guided tour of the library. Free. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.
Saturday Sleuths Book Club
he Key Lime Crime
: 10 to 11:30 a.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Book: T by Lucy Burdette. Snacks will be provided. For info or to register (required), call 203-2457365 or visit scranton.librarycalendar.com.
See page 30
This Production of Tries Too Hard Native Gardens
By Karen Isaacs
Special to Living
The production of , now at Hartford Stage through Sunday, May 10, is the third production of the play that I’ve seen in the last three years.
I left the first two (at Ivoryton and Westport Country Playhouse) having thoroughly enjoyed the play and the productions. This time, my reaction was different.
I’m still trying to figure out why. Does the play have flaws that I hadn’t recognized? Is it that the directorial concept of this production was off? Perhaps part of the issue is the change in the political climate in the last two years.
The idea of the play sounds both promising and fun: a young couple buys a fixer-upper home in an established, uppermiddle-class Washington, D.C., neighborhood. Immediately, there is a conflict between the wife (Tania) and Frank, the husband of the older couple who have lived there for decades. The conflict is about their gardens. Frank has worked tirelessly to create what we might call an English garden; it is manicured, pruned, fertilized, and sprayed. Frank is determined to win the neighborhood contest. Tania, on the other hand, already envisions taking their rundown backyard and planting it with native plants that attract bees, birds, and mosquitoes. She is horrified at the thought of using insect sprays or pesticides.
Playwright Karen Zacarías and director
Review THEATER
Nicole A. Watson try to expand this conflict into much more, stretching it well beyond its natural limits. In this production, the play focuses on ethnicity.
Frank and Virginia, the long-term residents, are what might be called WASPs — white professionals, with Frank tracing his roots back generations. Tania and Pablo are Hispanic. She is a doctoral student in anthropology who grew up in New Mexico.
But Zacarías adds a twist. Virginia is a first-generation American whose parents emigrated from Poland. Pablo grew up in Chile as a member of a powerful family accustomed to servants and limousines. He was disowned and disinherited when he married Tania and is now working for a prestigious and powerful D.C. law firm and striving to make partner.
But more than differences in gardening philosophies threaten to bring all four to violence: while preparing to replace their old fence, Pablo discovers that their yard includes 2 feet of Frank’s yard, including some of his flower beds. What begins civilly soon escalates.
It becomes preachy and polemical. Each couple ups the temperature. What had been a pleasant, casual relationship soon
is hostile. Virginia — and Frank in particular — seem to have a knack for saying insensitive things to which Tania is very sensitive. Today, they would be called microaggressions. Each side stakes out a position and will not budge.
It goes so far that Tania calls Frank’s plants “colonialists.”
The result is that while the audience is laughing, the humor seems nastier and more uncomfortable.
Was this what Zacarías and Watson wanted?
Zacarías has created strong female characters: both Tania and Virginia have succeeded while facing barriers due to their sex. Virginia is an engineer working in the defense industry.
The scenic design by Lawrence E. Moten III exaggerates the run-down condition of Tania and Pablo’s new home. Yet, while a sagging fence starts the conflict, his fence does not sag even one inch. Was this intentional, or was I the only one who noticed?
The four main cast members are very good at portraying the hardening positions of their characters, even if at times these seem unrealistic. Greg Wood’s Frank is obsessed with his garden and winning, while also unaware of his insensitivity; he truly does not understand why Tania is so upset with him. Wood keeps him from becoming a total stereotype of the privileged, condescending white male. As Virginia, Judith Lightfoot Clarke walks a tightrope between portraying the character’s steely determination — developed as
she had to fight for recognition and success in a male-dominated field — and a recognition of her similarities with Tania. Alina Collins Maldonado as Tania and Bradley Tejeda as Pablo try to keep the characters from becoming overly emotional stereotypes. In their cases, neither the playwright nor the director helps them. can be entertaining theater. As sometimes happens, playwrights and directors try to cram too many issues and too much meaning into a work.
Tickets are available at Hartford Stage.org. Native Gardens
Native Gardens
Photo by Charles Erickson
Photo by Charles Erickson
From left, Greg Wood, Alina Collins Maldonado, Bradley Tejeda, and Judith Lightfoot Clarke in Native Gardens
Judith Lightfoot Clarke, left, and Alina Collins Maldonado in Native Gardens
Photo by Charles Erickson
Greg Wood appears in at Hartford Stage. Native Gardens
‘Aw, Shucks!’ Explores History and Future of Connecticut Oysters
Connecticut oysters are so prized they were designated the state shellfish in 1989. Historians note, however, that this was not always the case.
The New Haven Museum will kick off the summer season at the Pardee-Morris House with a program exploring one of the region’s oldest heritage foods — and how it is helping preserve the coastline — during “Aw, Shucks! The Extraordinary History & Outlook for CT Oysters,” on Sunday, June 7, from 12:30 to 3 p.m.
The NH250 program features two presentations. At 12:30 p.m., Tim Macklin will discuss the critical role oysters play in the ecosystem and how the nonprofit he cofounded, Collective Oyster Recycling and Restoration (CORR), is working to preserve the coastline for future generations.
At 2 p.m., Brett Palfreyman, associate professor of American history at Wagner College, will present “Bringing Oysters Back to the Northeast,” tracing how oysters — once a dietary staple — were declared unsafe to eat in the early 1900s after years of overharvesting and increasing pollution.
Macklin’s presentation, “Shell Recycling & Oyster Habitat Restoration,” will offer insight into shell recycling, habitat restoration, and the environmental benefits oysters bring to Long Island Sound.
“They improve water quality, promote biodiversity, stabilize shorelines, and support both commercial and recreational shellfishing communities,” Macklin says.
Continued from page 28
Despite their importance, oyster shells are in short supply, and many are discarded rather than recycled.
“My partner and I were surprised that shell recycling was not being implemented in Connecticut,” Macklin says. “Following a successful pilot program in Fairfield, we expanded the initiative statewide in 2023
: 10 a.m. to noon. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Demonstration by Paul Loescher. Free and open to the public. For info, email Marianne@RTDTECH.com or visit madisonartsocietyct.org.
: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All the King’s Horses Equine Rescue, 628 Forest Rd., Northford. Community event featuring local animal welfare organizations including All the King’s Horses Equine Rescue, Branford Compassion Club, Water N Webs, and The Greater New Haven Cat Project. Features vendors, educational materials, and animals. For info, contact 203-815-4013 or allthekingshorsesequinerescue@gmail.com.
Homes Walking Tour
: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Chester. Self-guided walking tour of seven historically significant private homes hosted by the Chester Historical Society. Ticket holders will receive tour details and locations after purchase. Cost: $40 early bird; $35 for Chester Historical Society members; $50 day of tour. For info or tickets, visit chesterhistoricalsociety.org.
and developed CORR.”
The nonprofit now collaborates with 21 municipalities, 51 restaurants and seafood businesses, and seven oyster festivals, and has recycled nearly 964,000 pounds of shell to date, helping provide habitat for millions of oysters.
Palfreyman notes that New York Har-
: 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Down the Lane Farm, 18 Reservoir Rd., Killingworth. Features honey products, handcrafted gifts, tastings and sales of artisan sourdough breads from BROTworkshop, and informal educational sessions on beekeeping and sourdough bread making. For info, call 203619-3976 or visit downthelanefarm.com.
: 11 a.m.
to 1 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Casual puzzle group; materials provided. Free. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.
: 1 p.m. Chester Public Library, 21 W. Main St. Participants will design a mug using infusible ink markers. Materials provided. Free and open to all. Sponsored by the Friends of the Chester Public Library. For info or to register (required), contact 860-526-0018 or chesterkidlib@gmail.com.
Patriotic Jigsaw Puzzle Competition
: 1 p.m. Acton
Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Puzzle competition for all ages. Free. Registration suggested. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
bor was once the greatest oyster habitat on the planet, with oystering a booming industry providing food and jobs. The same was true in New Haven.
By the early 1900s, however, pollution and overharvesting led officials to declare New York Harbor oysters unsafe to eat in 1927. In Connecticut, population growth, industrialization, marine traffic, and overfishing contributed to declining oyster beds after 1920, with production dropping sharply after 1950.
In the past decade, organizations have worked to restore oyster populations. Palfreyman points to efforts such as the Billion Oyster Project, which aims to seed one billion oysters by 2050.
Oysters play a key environmental role as filter feeders — each can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day — and as ecosystem builders, creating reefs that provide habitat for marine life. They also help protect shorelines from storm surges and erosion.
Visitors are encouraged to bring chairs and picnics and stay for the afternoon. Free tours of the historic house will be available from noon to 4 p.m. Weather updates will be posted on the museum’s social media.
The New Haven Museum thanks community partner WSHU 91.1 FM for supporting the 2026 summer season.
The Pardee-Morris House, 325 Lighthouse Road, dates to about 1780 and is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. For more information or to register, visit newhavenmuseum.org.
Photography 101: Composition
: 2 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Tpke., Clinton. Workshop on light, white balance, and composition. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.
Burning of the Ships Parade and Celebration
: 2 p.m.
Begins at Essex Town Hall, 29 West Ave. and proceeds down Main Street to the Connecticut River Museum, 67 Main St., Essex. Commemorates the attack on Essex during the War of 1812. Features performances by fife and drum corps from Connecticut and Massachusetts and a demonstration by the U.S. Navy Silver Dolphins. Hosted by the Sailing Masters of 1812. Free and open to the public. For info, call Bob at 860-304-1858.
Songs We All Know
: 3 p.m. Clinton Town Hall, 54 East Main St., Clinton. Spring concert by the Shoreline Chorale featuring guest artist Dylan Armstrong. For info or tickets, visit shorelinechorale.org.
See page 31
Press Release from New Haven Museum
Photo courtesy of New Haven Museum Smith Brothers Oysters, Oyster Point, New Haven Museum Collection
Madison Art Society: Framing Watercolors Without Glass
Animal Welfare Day
Historic
Down the Lane Farm Season Opening Event
Piece by Piece: A Community Puzzling Group
DIY Mug Workshop
Chester Historical Society Sponsors House Tour
By Rita Christopher
Senior Correspondent
Here’s the question: What is more interesting, the house or its occupant? Nikki Sahagen’s centerchimney Colonial, well over 100 years old, is one of the highlights of the Chester Historical Society’s upcoming house tour on May 9. Her career is equally fascinating.
The walking tour, at visitors’ own pace, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., includes seven houses spanning 300 years of Chester history. Tickets are available at the Chester Meeting House May 8 from 3 to 6 p.m., or the day of the tour, May 9, at the Meeting House starting at 9 a.m.
Many of the owners, Sahagen among them, will be on hand at their properties to answer questions about the history, architecture, and renovations of their homes.
theater productions.
Snow White Rumpelstiltskin
“ , , you name it. I sang, I danced,” she says. “By the time I was 11, I knew how to do stage makeup.”
Early in her acting career, she began appearing in local dinner theaters where, between performances, the actors also waited tables. She was in a production where she played five different female roles. In one, she was required to spill a bottle of wine on a table.
Life imitating art, she also spilled a bottle of wine on diners. The man she splattered was a critic sent to review the production. Despite the accident, he gave her a rave.
“When that was over, I was completely burnt out,” she says. Sahagen says what makes her most proud, however, was not her onstage performances but her work assisting choreographer and coach Dan Siretta on the film version of
Children of a Lesser God
The plot revolves around a romance between a deaf woman and a hearing teacher at a school for the hearing impaired. Siretta was somewhat stymied teaching the unhearing children to sing and dance. Sahagen knew a bit of sign language from interacting with the hearing-impaired brother of a friend. She was able to help put the scenes together.
“It was the most rewarding thing I ever did in theater,” she says.
Sahagen and Siretta married after the film and bought the house in Chester.
42nd Street
Sahagen has lived in her Chester house since 1989, having discovered Chester as a result of appearing in Goodspeed’s 1983 production of the long-running Broadway hit musical . She also appeared in the original cast of the 1980 Broadway production. She both understudied the lead and played the role herself.
Sahagen’s career started in her native California. Her father, an engineer, loved to dance and taught her the Charleston at 5. “I loved Shirley Temple and wanted to do all the things she could do,” she recalls.
By her early teens, she was appearing as the lead in children’s
Continued from page 30
When her then-fiancé did not want her acting, Sahagen taught dance at a local studio. Two of her students, twins, wanted her to go to a local tryout for a new Broadway production.
The twins were not only persuasive; they were also the children of dance and choreography greats Marge and Gower Champion.
Nikki went to an audition. She was subsequently called and told to get herself on a plane to New York.
“I threw my tap shoes in a suitcase and went,” she says.
42nd Street
Irma La Douce Lady Be Good Lady Be Good
Her career lasted; the fiancé did not. After , Sahagen appeared on Broadway and toured in a number of shows, among them and . For , she was on stage for the entire show except for 10 minutes.
Friends of the Farm River and Estuary Riverside Dance
: 7 to 10 p.m. Italian American Social Club, 40 Hamre Ln., Branford. Features music, dancing, refreshments, games, and a cash bar to benefit Friends of the Farm River and Estuary. Cost: $25; free for children under 15. For info or tickets, visit friendsoffarmriver.org.
SATURDAY, MAY 9 AND SUNDAY, MAY 10
Mother’s Day Weekend Bird Walks
: 9 a.m. Stony Creek Trolley Trail, meet at the far end of West Point Road across from Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library, 146 Thimble Island Rd., Stony Creek. Led by local birder Chris Woerner. Features guided walks to identify migrating
“I dreamt of a house like this. It was magical, New England magical, just like you would see in the movies,” Sahagen says.
For some five years, Sahagen ran a dress shop in Chester but closed it to raise her now-grown children.
Sahagen says she and Siretta remain a close family unit despite the fact that they are divorced.
At home, she tap dances in the kitchen when making coffee in the morning and sings all day. If she were to act again, she would like to be in a drama — and this time with a difference: no singing, no dancing.
For more information, visit chesterhistoricalsociety.org.
May 9 house tour, enjoyed
before settling in Chester.
and resident birds by sight and sound along the trail and the Branford Land Trust’s Vedder property. Bring water and binoculars, if available. No dogs. Hosted by the Branford Land Trust. Free and open to the public. For info, call 203-483-5263 or email info@branfordlandtrust.org
SUNDAY, MAY 10
Mother’s Day Grand Buffet
and
Mother’s Day Weekend: Scenic Trolley Rides and Craft Activity : 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Madison Beach Hotel, 94 W. Wharf Rd., Madison. Features a Mother’s Day brunch buffet. For info or reservations, visit madisonbeachhotelevents.com/events/mothers-daybrunch.
: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Shore Line Trolley Museum, 17 River St., East Haven. Features scenic trolley rides along the Farm River. On Saturday, children can create a handmade Mother’s Day craft. Mothers and grandmothers receive free admission. General admission for other guests. For info, call 203-467-6927 or visit shorelinetrolley.org.
: 2 p.m. Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library, 146 Thimble Island Rd.., Branford. Features a paper-making workshop using recycled materials led by visiting artist Bella Bartner. Held outdoors, weather permitting. Free and open to all ages. For info or to register, call 203-488-8702.
Paper Making Workshop See page 33
Photo by Rita Christopher/Shore Publishing
Nikki Sahagen, whose home is featured on the Chester Historical Society’s
a Broadway
touring career
Page Turners
MadMabel bySallyHepworth
This book had me hooked from the first page! Elsie “Mad Mabel” Fitzpatrick is a curmudgeonly, often hilarious, outspoken 81-year-old with a dark past that she has concealed for more than 60 years. When an extremely nosy but wellmeaning young neighbor tries to befriend her, Mabel finds the past catching up with her. Highly recommended!
— Marilyn, R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison
Every other week, we invite local booksellers to submit suggestions for the best books on shelves now—it’s all part of our mission to keep our readers informed, up-to-date, and entertained. View previous Page Turners at www.zip06.com/pageturners.
SerafinaMakesWaves byMatthewBurgessand RobinRosenthal
Serafina is a fabulous character full of personality! I fell in love with her right away. In this debut story, she is not excited to be forced to take swimming lessons, but the reason she finally jumps in will melt your heart.
— Heather, R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison
Yesteryear byCaroClaireBurke
This book is wild and unhinged in all the best ways. With a narrator you love to hate and a plot full of twists, it combines dark humor, suspense and cultural commentary as it delves into themes of motherhood, ambition, faith and the curated perfection of social media. It’s a timely and thought-provoking read that is sure to spark plenty of interesting conversations.
— Tijae, R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison
AnatomyofanAlibi byAshleyElston
This novel drew me in with its elaborate scheming and kept me hooked as the chapters slowly unraveled more mysteries. Camille and Aubrey form an uneasy and unwanted alliance to snoop on Camille’s husband, but it all falls apart when he’s found murdered the morning after. Swap between the before, during and after of the alibi as the women struggle to cover their own tracks and keep their alibis solid.
— Josh, R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison
Page Turners
Continued from page 32
Continued from page 31
Tango and Jazz Concert
GoGentle byMaria
Semple
Perfect for fans of , Maria Semple is back with a wise and thrilling examination of a life well-lived. Utterly relatable but full of surprises — you’ll never guess what happens next! Adora Hazzard, resident philosopher and coven leader, finds herself in the middle of an international art heist while also being thrust into the arms of a man from her past. Will she allow the chaos of her present to determine a shiny new future ahead?
The Wedding People — Mel, R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison
: 2 to 3 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Performance by The Broken Reed Saxophone Quartet. Free. Registration required. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.
MONDAY, MAY 11
Book Discussion
: 10 a.m. Nathanael B. Greene Community Center, 32 Church St., Guilford. Book:
The House at
Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood By Helene Cooper
. Facilitated by educator Pamela Asmus. Sponsored by the Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning (SSILL). Open to SSILL members (with an annual membership of $35). Cost: $3. For info or to join SSILL, call 203-453-8086 or visit ssill.org.
Drop-In Tech Help
: 4 to 7 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Features oneon-one technology assistance. Bring a device for assistance. Sessions limited to 30 minutes. First come, first served. No registration required. For info, call 203-3156020.
Branford Land Trust Annual Meeting
: 5:30 p.m. Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Features the election of incoming directors followed by “Access to the Outdoors: Disability, Grit, and Belonging in Nature,” a
I love a coming-of-age novel that centers on an adult protagonist, and Surrender fits that bill. Acker shares a story filled with an eclectic ensemble of characters to whom every reader can relate. Have I ever owned a goat farm or had to struggle with the decision to save said farm by partnering with a solar company? No, I have not. But I still found Lucy and the challenges she and her found family faced to be extremely relatable. I rooted for Lucy every step of the way because, in some way, we are all her.
— Julie, R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison
presentation by Justin Brownell. Refreshments and fellowship follow the presentation. Free and open to the public. Assistive listening devices and ASL interpretation available. For info, contact 203-483-5263 or info@branfordlandtrust.org.
Pasta for Pups
: 6 to 9 p.m. The Lodge Restaurant, 640 Silver Sands Rd., East Haven. Features a fundraiser for the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter with a buffet of pizza, pasta, and salad, raffles, and surprises. Hosted by Apizza Abate. Cost: $45. Cash bar available. For info, visit eventbrite.com and search "Pasta for Pups".
Social Justice Book Discussion
: 6:30 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Hybrid discussion program. Free. Registration suggested. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
TUESDAY, MAY 12
Inside the World of Hummingbirds
: 10 a.m. Nathanael B. Greene Community Center, 32 Church St., Guilford. Presented by Joe Attwater, conservation and education coordinator for the Connecticut Audubon Society’s RTP Estuary Center in Old Lyme. Sponsored by the Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning (SSILL). Open to SSILL members (with an annual membership of $35). Cost: $3. For info or to join SSILL, call 203-453-8086 or visit ssill.org.
The History of Salt Haymaking in New England Marshes
: 12:30 p.m. Guilford Community Center, 32 Church St., Guilford. Features a presentation by Shaun Roche, visitor services manager of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, on salt marsh ecology and the history of haymaking in local marshes. Hosted by Leete’s Island Garden Club. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, contact 203-453-0780 or kayclaiborn@comcast.net.
YA Library Advisory Board
: 3:30 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Program for ages 12 to 18. Free. Registration suggested. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
: 4:15 to 5:30 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Tpke., Clinton. Art program focused on painting a coastal scene. For grades 2 to 6. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.
Art with Kristin Spring BINGO
: 5 to 5:30 p.m. Killingworth Library, 188 Route 81. Bingo program with prizes for ages 3 and up. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Surrender byJenniferAcker
Continued from page 33
: 5 to 6 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Children in grades 3 through 5 can read to Libby, a trained therapy dog. Participants may bring a book or select one from the library. Registration required. For info or to register, email cveenema@nbranfordlibraries.org.
: 5:30 p.m. Henry on Main, 10 W. Main St., Clinton. Poetry reading event with the Clinton Poet Laureate. Free. For info, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.
Chamber on Tap: Speed Networking and Business Matchmaking
: 5:30 to 8 p.m. Myrcene Ale Co., 39 Ragged Rock Rd., Old Saybrook. Networking event connecting local businesses through matched introductions. Cost: $25 members; $35 nonmembers. Registration required by May 5. For info or to register, visit oldsaybrookchamber.com.
The Web They Wove: Women and Their Wardrobes During New England’s Revolution
: 6 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Sponsored by the Friends of Acton Public Library. Historical presentation. Free. Registration suggested. For info, call 860-3953184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
Storytime
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13
Trip: Tour of the Living Village at the Yale Divinity School
Make Your Own Pine Cone Bird Feeder
:
4 to 5 p.m. Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library, 146 Thimble Island Rd.., Branford. Features a drop-in workshop to make bird feeders using pine cones, seeds, sunflower butter, and wooden ornaments. Held outdoors, weather permitting. Free and open to all ages. No registration required. For info, call 203-488-8702.
Louie Listens: Read to a Therapy Dog
5:15 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Children and families can sign up for a 15minute session to read to a therapy dog. Free. Registration required. For info, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Acoustic Artist Storyteller: Crows in the Meadow
: 6 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Music and storytelling program. Free. Registration suggested. For info, call 860-3953184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
Create Your Own 250th Keepsake
:
6 p.m. Pine Orchard Chapel, 25 Chapel Drive, Branford. Features a workshop led by Courtney Rosenberg to create framed and embellished needle-felt hearts. Registration required. For info or to register, visit pineorchardchapel.com.
Creative Fun For Kids at Gillette Castle this Month
At the visitor center of Gillette Castle on Saturday, May 16, inventors and artists of all ages can try their hand at designing innovative doors like those inside the famous castle.
Local author Kimberly Kenna will host a creative workshop inspired by William Gillette and the new middle-grade novel Lola Gillette and the Summer of Second Chances. Attendees are invited to help reimagine the castle’s famous 47 doors. Children will be guided to design and build secret cardboard doors that blend into a wall and open with latches, levers, and sliders.
: 6 to 6:30 p.m. Killingworth Library, 188 Route 81, Killingworth. Storytime for families; wear pajamas and bring a stuffed animal. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org. : 9:30 a.m. Meet at St. George Church parking lot, 33 Whitfield St., Guilford. Features a walking tour of the Living Village residential complex. Suggested reading: Laudato si by Pope Francis. Led by Greg Sterling, dean of the Yale Divinity School. Sponsored by the Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning (SSILL). Open to SSILL members (with an annual membership of $35). Cost: $10. For info or to join SSILL, call 203-4538086 or visit ssill.org.
History to Legend to Myth: Remembering the Revolution in Connecticut
“We are excited to host an event for young folk,” says Lynn Wilkinson, president of the Friends of Gillette Castle State Park. “William Gillette was full of whimsy, and we think that kids of all ages will enjoy the creative challenge of making these doors.”
: 6 to
7:30 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Presentation by Richard Franklin Donohue. Free. Registration required. For info, call 203488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.
Patriotic Garden Rock Painting
: 6 to
8 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Participants will decorate two garden rocks to take home. Supplies provided. Registration required. For info or to register, call 203315-6020 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.
THURSDAY, MAY 14
Trip: An Insider’s Tour of the Blackstone Library, Branford
: James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Participants provide their own transportation. Features a tour led by Katy McNicol, library director. Sponsored by the Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning (SSILL). Open to SSILL members (with an annual membership of $35). Cost: $10. For info or to join SSILL, call 203-4538086 or visit ssill.org.
See page 35
This free event for 25 children will take place from 2 to 3:30 p.m., and pre-registration is required at gillettecastlefriends.org. Parents are welcome to stay and join in the fun. Books signed by the author will be available for purchase, with all proceeds benefiting the Friends of Gillette Castle State Park.
Kimberly Kenna and her children’s books have received recognition from the Nautilus Book Award, the Eric Hoffer Award, the Foreword INDIES Award, and the Green Earth Book Award. A former fifth grade teacher, she enjoys bringing her books to life through workshops and activities that spark creativity in young readers.
Kenna’s frequent visits to Gillette Castle State Park inspired the setting of her latest novel, Lola Gillette and the Summer of Second Chances. In the book, 13-year-old Lola spends the summer with her agoraphobic Uncle Milo in his ramshackle mansion on the Connecticut River. While grieving the loss of her twin, she becomes obsessed with finishing a project she believes will magically keep her out of Bad Girls Boarding School. But mishaps in a Zen garden, a glitchy projector that produces holographic messages from her late aunt, a beached houseboat, and a displaced wolf upend everything and force her to rethink her mission. A warm and heartfelt story of inner strength, Lola Gillette is available wherever books are sold.
Though the mansion itself is closed to the public, the park at 67 River Road in East Haddam remains open, and visitors may stroll the grounds during regular hours (8 a.m. until sunset daily, yearround). The castle opens for the season on Saturday, May 23. During the open season, visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance through the state park reservation system.
The park is nestled between the towns of East Haddam and Lyme. Many of its trails follow a former railroad bed created for a narrow-gauge track installed by William Gillette, the late Connecticut stage actor who built his unique fieldstone home more than a century ago. Trail maps and videos of the estate are available on the Friends website.
The mission of the Friends of Gillette Castle State Park is to preserve and promote the legacy of William Gillette and support the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection in conserving park grounds and restoring the castle. Memberships help finance park and structural improvements while preserving the estate and Gillette’s legacy. For more information, visit gillette castlefriends.org.
Press Release from Friends of Gillette Castle State Park
Photo courtesy of Friends of Gillette Castle Local author Kimberly Kenna will host a creative workshop inspired by William Gillette on Saturday, May 16, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Registration is required. Visit gillettecastlefriends.org for details.
Read to a Therapy Dog
Open Mic Night
Pajama
Bus
Local Impresario Previews New Opera
About Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera
Press Release from Shoreline Opera Club
A pre-performance lecture about the Metropolitan Opera’s presentation of will be presented by Alan Mann, artistic director of the Opera Theater of Connecticut, on Tuesday, May 26, at 5:30 p.m. at the Guilford Free Library. The opera will be broadcast live from the Met on Saturday, May 30. The event is co-sponsored by the Shoreline Opera Club and Shoreline Village Connecticut. Registration for the prebroadcast talk is available at guilfordfreelibrary.org/events.
American composer Gabriela Lena Frank makes her Met debut with her first opera, a magical-realist portrait of Mexico’s painterly power couple Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, with a libretto by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz. Fashioned as a reversal of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, the story depicts Frida, sung by leading mezzosoprano Isabel Leonard, leaving the underworld on the Day of the Dead and reuniting with Diego, portrayed by bari- tone Carlos Álvarez. The famously feuding pair briefly relive their tumultuous love, embracing both the passion and the pain before bidding the land of the living a final farewell. The vibrant new production is inspired by Frida and Diego’s paintings.
Alan Mann is artistic director of Opera Theater of Connecticut, the state’s oldest opera company, now in its 41st season. His work in professional theater and opera has taken him from New York’s Lincoln Center to London’s West End, the Edinburgh Festival, the Stratford (Ontario) Shakespeare Festival, the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy, and Broadway. His
Continued from page 34
directing assignments span traditional opera, contemporary opera, comic opera, musical theater, and classic and modern theater.
Mann is also a frequent guest speaker, known for his “Opera Talks,” a series of informal, informative presentations on operas and composers. He has served as master of ceremonies for numerous concerts, sharing anecdotes and insights into the “human” side of opera.
: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Features oneon-one technology assistance. Bring a device for assistance. Sessions limited to 30 minutes. First come, first served. No registration required. For info, call 203-3156020.
Support Group for Dementia and Alzheimer’s Caregivers
: 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Facilitated by Karen LaBanca. Features support and discussion for caregivers in a shared group setting. Registration required. For info or to register, call 203-315-6020 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.
: 2 p.m.
He frequently serves as a judge for competitions, including the Jenny Lind National Competition for Sopranos, the Connecticut Opera Guild’s National Vocal Competition, the San Antonio Opera Competition, and Opera Theater of Connecticut’s Vocal Competition, as well as the English-Speaking Union’s Shakespeare Competition.
Shoreline Village Connecticut is a nonprofit, member-led community of active,
Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.
Senior Series 6: Home Maintenance 101 for Seniors: Protecting Your Home and Your Equity
: 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. The Orchard House, 421 Shore Dr., Branford. Cost: $10. Sixth in a six-part educational series designed for older adults and the adult children who support them. Each session offers practical guidance on topics related to aging in place, downsizing, home care, and senior living options. Participants can attend any or all sessions; there is no obligation to attend the full series. Sponsored by Shoreline Adult Education. For info or to register (required), call 203-488-5693 or visit shorelineadulted.org.
The Science of Apizza: A Talk with Scott Weiner
: 6 p.m.
New Haven Museum, 114 Whitney Ave., New Haven. Features a talk and discussion with Scott Weiner on the his-
resourceful, and forward-thinking people dedicated to helping one another age in place. As part of the Village movement, its mission is to redefine how and where people age by providing services and activities that empower seniors to remain in the homes and neighborhoods they love. More information is available at shorelinevillagect.org.
The Shoreline Opera Club builds community among opera enthusiasts. Members enjoy opportunities to enter lotteries for free tickets to the Met’s Live in HD broadcasts, participate in post-performance discussions, attend expert-led talks, and receive curated resources about upcoming operas. For more information, email ShorelineOperaClub@gmail.com.
tory and science of pizza, presented in conjunction with the exhibition Pronounced Ah-Beetz. Includes a conversation with filmmaker Gorman Bechard and a Q&A session. Free with museum admission. For info or to register (required), call 203-562-4183 or visit newhavenmuseum.org.
Seize the Beat: The Evolution of American Music: Evening Tech Support and Exploration
6 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave., Essex. Lecture by Brian Q. Torff on the history of American music. Free. Registration suggested. For info or to register, visit youressexlibrary.org or call 860-767-1560.
: 6 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Technology help sessions. Free. No registration required. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
See page 36
El
Último Sueño de Frida y Diego
Photo courtesy of Opera Theater of Connecticut Alan Mann, artistic director of Opera Theater of Connecticut, will present a pre-performance lecture May 26 at the Guilford Free Library.
Photo by Zenith Richards/Metropolitan Opera Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera are the subjects of , broadcast live from the Metropolitan Opera on May 30.
El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego
Virtual Author Talk with Patrick Porter and Ruchika
Continued from page 35
Drive-In Movie
: 6 to 6:45 p.m. Killingworth Library, 188 Route 81, Killingworth. Children decorate cardboard “cars” and watch a story-based film. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Jenny Lind’s America
: 6 to 7 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Musical performance by Zoe Vandermeer. Free. Registration required. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.
: 6 to 9 p.m. Water’s Edge Resort & Spa, 1525 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. Awards presented to Devin Carney, Tina Dattilo, and the Westbrook Fire Department; keynote speakers Erin Stewart and Ryan Fazio. For info or tickets, email Kholbrook1981@yahoo.com or visit westbrookctrepublicans.com.
Tom Callinan: Revolutionary Storyteller and Songster
: 7 p.m. Deep River Historical Society Carriage House, 245 Main St., Deep River. Performance of music and stories based on Connecticut history. Presented in collaboration with the Deep River Historical Society and Deep River Public Library. Free. No registration required. For info, call 860-526-6039 or visit deepriverlibrary.libcal.com.
THURSDAY, MAY 14 THROUGH SATURDAY, MAY 16
Scranton Library Friends Used Book Sale
: Thursday, 4:30 to 7 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd. Features used books in a variety of genres, including children’s and young adult titles. Thursday preview event open with donations accepted at the door. Hosted by the Friends of the Scranton Library. For info, email scrantonlibraryfriends9@gmail.com.
FRIDAY, MAY 15
The Future Impact of Artificial Intelligence, Part One
: 10 a.m. Guilford Free Library, 67 Park St. Presented by educator Harvey Heyman. This event is a repeat presentation of one held Nov. 21, 2025, for those who could not attend. Sponsored by the Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning (SSILL). Open to SSILL members (with an annual membership of $35). Cost: $3. For info or to join SSILL, call 203-453-8086 or visit ssill.org.
Junior Chefs: Monkey Tails
: 4 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Cooking program for children ages 5 to 12 featuring chocolate-dipped banana treats with assorted toppings. Registration required; space is limited. For info, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Women of ’76
: 4 to 5 p.m. Centerbrook Meeting House, 51 Main St. Presented by the Essex Historical Society as part of its America 250 programming. Solo theatrical performance by Rita Parisi of Waterfall Productions exploring the lives of women who witnessed, documented, and influenced the American Revolution. Portrays historical figures including Baroness Frederika von Riedesel, Prudence Wright, Nancy Hart, Mary Katharine Goddard, and Mary Gould Almy. For info, email membership@essexhistory.org or visit essexhistory.org.
Shoreline Civil War Roundtable Meeting
: 6:15 p.m.
Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Features a presentation, “Bleeding Kansas, Part One,” by Civil War historian Steve Chatlas. Free. For info, call 860-395-1124.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Passport Fair
: 7:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Old Saybrook Post Office, 36 Main St. Features passport application and renewal services with no appointment required. Passport photos available on-site for $15. Applicants must appear in person and bring required citizenship and identification documents. Hosted by the U.S. Postal Service. For info, email amy.n.gibbs@usps.gov.
Rotary Day of Service: Literacy Project
: 9 a.m. to noon. Locations include Old Saybrook Town Green, 308 Main St., Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, 2 Library Ln., Old Lyme, and Valley Shore YMCA, 201 Spencer Plains Rd., Westbrook. Literacy activities for children ages 5 to 8, including reading, games, and free books and journals. Rain or shine. For info, visit osrotary.org.
Spring Craft Fair
: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. St. Mary’s Parish Center, 731 Main St., Branford. Features a craft fair with indoor and outdoor vendors. Sponsored by the St. John Bosco Women’s Group. For info, email sjbcraftandtag06405@gmail.com.
Tag Sale Fundraiser
: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Greater New Haven Cat Project Center, 1874 Middletown Ave., Northford. Features a tag sale with household items, collectibles, toys, and more to benefit The Greater New Haven Cat Project. For info, contact 203-782-2287 or gnhcp1@gnhcp.org.
Annual Spring Plants, Flowers and Seedlings Sale
: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Blackstone Library front lawn, corner of Main Street and Laurel Street, Branford. Features perennials, herbs, native plants, vegetable and flower seedlings, and more. Rain date May 17, noon to 4 p.m. For info, visit branfordgardenclub.org.
Eric Carle Collage
: 10 to 11:15 a.m. Killingworth Library, 188 Route 81. Art program for ages 7 to 12. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Ask a Medicare Specialist
: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Drop-in assistance with Medicare questions. Free. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.
Cupcake Decorating
: 10:30 a.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Program for children through age 11. Free. Registration required. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
Kids Create: Water Gun Painting
: 10:30 a.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Arts and crafts program for children ages 5 to 12 using water guns filled with paint to create artwork. Program held outdoors; dress for mess. Weather dependent. Registration required. For info, call 860-7671560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Chess Tournament
: 10:30 a.m. Deep River Public Library, 150 Main St., Deep River. Features competitive chess matches led by a ranked chess coach. Open to children, teens, and adults interested in tournament play. Space is limited. Registration required. Sponsored by the Community Foundation of Middlesex County and funded by Deep River Cares. For info or to register, call 860-5266039 or visit deepriverlibrary.libcal.com.
Open House at the Allis-Bushnell House Museum
A Town Named Madison: Celebrating 200 Years
: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Allis-Bushnell House Museum, 853 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Features the Madison 200 exhibit, , with displays and audio recordings highlighting notable Madison residents. Hosted by the Madison Historical Society. Free and open to the public. For info, call 203-245-4567 or email office@madisonhistory.org, or visit madisonhistory.org.
RiverLane Men and Sport Grand Opening
: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. RiverLane Men and Sport, 11 Main St., Essex. Grand opening event featuring mini golf competition, raffles, tastings, and shopping. Portion of proceeds benefits the Pieper Olson Foundation. For info, visit theriverlane.com.
Guilford Pride 2026
: Noon to 4 p.m. Guilford Green, 79 Whitfield St., Guilford. Features the fourth annual community Pride event. Rain date Sunday, May 17. For info, visit guilfordpride.org.
: 4 p.m. Lutheran Church of Madison, 9 Britton Ln., Madison. Presented by Opera Theater of Connecticut as part of its 41st season. Reception follows. Cost: $40 general admission; $20 ages 13 and under. For info or tickets, call 860-669-8999 or visit operatheaterofct.org.
Madison Bicentennial Celebration
: 4 to 7 p.m. Deacon John Grave House, 581 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Event marking the 200th anniversary of Madison’s incorporation with music, games, and a historical reenactment of a post rider delivering the news of separation from Guilford. Free. For info, email henry.griggs@yahoo.com.
America Sings Almost, Maine
: 6:30 p.m. Shoreline Theater Academy, 61 E. Main St., Clinton. Presented by the Shoreline Theater Academy. Features a play by John Cariani performed by the advanced dramatic theater troupe. Cost: $15; $20 for two students or seniors. For info or tickets, contact 860227-2363 or shorelinetheateracademy@gmail.com, or visit shorelinetheateracademy.org.
See page 37
John A. Holbrook Awards Dinner
Oddfellows Teen Repertory Company Premieres
Mel Chomsky’s History of the World
Press Release from Oddfellows Playhouse
Oddfellows Playhouse Teen Repertory Company will present the world premiere of Thursday, May 14, through Saturday, May 16, and Friday, May 22, through Saturday, May 23 at Oddfellows Playhouse, 128 Washington St. Performances are at 7 p.m. May 14, 15, 16, 22, and 23, with a 2 p.m. matinee May 23. A “pay what you can” preview will be held May 14 at 7 p.m. is an original comedy written and directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Dic Wheeler. The high-energy production blends theater, circus, and Commedia dell’Arte. Beginning in Melilli, Sicily, in 1626, three performers are swept into a time-travel adventure led by a dead philosophercomedian, Mel Chomsky, journeying from Melilli to Mattabesset, ancient Greece, the American Revolution, and beyond. The play explores the ongoing tension between democracy and authoritarianism.
Mel
Wheeler, who will leave the Playhouse in June, says the production reflects both his artistic influences and current events.
“I wanted my final show at Oddfellows to celebrate my life-long love of physical comedy, Commedia, and circus, but also be a commentary about the current state of the world,” Wheeler says. “The play combines the broad comedy of Mel Brooks with the worldview of Noam Chomsky, throwing in a dollop of . The cast includes familiar characters like Socrates, George Washington, Marie Antoinette,
Doctor Who
Continued from page 36
Open Dance Party
SUNDAY, MAY 17
Storytime with Violinist Gregory Tompkins
Mole Music
formers ages 14-21. It includes original music by Eric Kuhn, scenic design by Dan Schmidt, costume design by Elizabeth Saylor, sound design by Joseph Getter, choreography by Marcella Trowbridge, fight choreography by Meg Buckner Furtick, lighting design by Aaron Westcott, and properties design by Pam Lang. Jasmine Peck is technical director, Kayla Bucholz is stage manager, and assistant directors are Maegan Fuller and Lochlan Reeder. The lobby display is researched and designed by Sasha Nelson.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for children and students. “Big Hearted Oddfellow” tickets are available for $30.
The production contains strong language and absurd situations.
Tickets are available at events. ticketleap.com/tickets/ oddfellowsplayhouse/mel-chomsky-s-history-of-the-world. For more information, call 860-347-6143, email info@odd fellows.org, or visit oddfellows.org.
Two performers from Oddfellows Playhouse Teen Repertory Company appear in costume for , running May 14-16 and May 22-23 in Middletown. Mel Chomsky’s History of the World
and Pope Leo X, plus many others throughout time and space, but at the heart are three archetypes of Commedia — the miser Pantalone, the hungry
servant Arlecchino, and his love and protector Colombina — all led by their tour guide Mel Chomsky.”
The production features a cast of 17 per-
The Teen Repertory Company’s 2026 production is supported in part by a Semiquincentennial Arts Engagement Grant from the City of Middletown Arts and Culture Office and production support from ARTFARM. Additional support for the 2025-26 season is provided by the Tinty Foundation, the Cornelia T. Bailey Charitable Trust, the Maximilian E. and Marion O. Hoffman Foundation, and the George and Grace Long Foundation, along with contributions from the Connecticut Office of the Arts, the Fund for Greater Hartford, and other public and private supporters.
: 7 to 10 p.m. Time to Dance Ballroom Dance Studio, 45 N.E. Industrial Rd., Branford. Features ballroom dancing, a group lesson led by Karen Pfrommer from 7 to 7:30 p.m., music, and light refreshments. Cost: $20. For info, contact 203-710-2805 or info@timetodanceballroom.com. : 2 p.m. Pine Orchard Chapel, 25 Chapel Dr., Branford. Features a musical reading of by David McPhail and an introduction to the violin presented by the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. Registration required. For info or to register, visit pineorchardchapel.com.
MONDAY, MAY 18
Madison Historical Society Annual Meeting
: 5 to
7 p.m. Johnson Community Room, E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd, Madison. Features a review of the Madison Historical Society’s accomplishments and financial results, a presentation by Thomas Boyle of the Historic District Commission, and presentation of the Jane R. Kuhl Award for Historic Preservation. Refreshments served. Open to members and the public. For info, contact 203-245-4567 or office@madisonhistory.org , or visit madisonhistory.org.
Color and Conversation
: 6 to 7:30 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Adult coloring group. Free. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.
TUESDAY, MAY 19
Implications of AI for the Job Market, the Stock Market, and Education
: 10 a.m. Nathanael B. Greene Community Center, 32 Church St., Guilford. Presented by Ray Lombra, professor emeritus of economics at Penn State University. Sponsored by the Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning (SSILL). Open to SSILL members (with an annual membership of $35). Cost: $3. For info or to join SSILL, call 203-453-8086 or visit ssill.org.
To submit an event to the Living Calendar, send an email to news@shorepublishing.com. For more events, both local and farther afield, or to enter your event online, visit our website zip06.com. The deadline for submissions is noon, eight days prior to the publication date.
Mel Chomsky’s History of the World
Chomsky’s History of the World
Photo by John Ward
Real Estate Transactions
BRANFORD
10 Montgomery Parkway
: John T.
Wolfenden to Amy Fracasso, $905,000 on April 14
: Kelly Ward
258 Nut Plains Road and Irving Minott to Dante and Jordan Parisi, $605,000 on April 14
East Main Street 20 Harbour Village Unit G
: Venturee
LLC to 540 East Main LLC, $300,000 on April 16 :
Charlene Moschette to Karen Fahey, $291,500 on April 14
Island
: Cmmm Holdings LLC to Chaching Co, $850,000 on April 13
Lakeview Drive
: Karen Fahey to Andrea Doyle, $335,000 on April 14
98-B Limewood Avenue
: Peter M.
Tassmer to First Class Prop LLC, $244,000 on April 13
6 Montgomery Parkway
: John T.
Wolfenden to Amy Fracasso, $905,000 on April 14
30 Pepperwood Lane
: Roland and Melissa Guglielmi to Annette Charlevois, $733,169 on April 15
: Colton
Kinney to Connie I. Bates, $270,000 on April 17
: Ann
C Billings Real Estate Trust and Ann C.
Billings to Melinda J. Mann, $335,100 on April 13 49 Rose Street Unit
11 Tamarack Lane
: F Vigliotti
Const Co LLC to Sylvain and Martha Gaboury, $715,666 on April 16
7 Village Circle Unit 7
: State
Street Dev LLC to Paul and Susan Poniatowski, $836,475 on April 17
: Sean Nolan to First Class Prop LLC, $261,000 on April 13
: Daniel W. and Isabel J. Acampora to Papoosha Re Investors LLC, $600,000 on April 13 18 Happy Acres Road 272 Westbrook Road
EAST HAVEN
Birch Lane Unit H
: Jason
Cusack to Jagdeep Sekhon, $144,900 on April 16
Estelle Road
: Ralph V. Streeto to Carolyn C. Montgomery, $315,600 on April 14
: Lori A. Aiello to Brian Onze, $520,000 on April 16
: Karen L. Obenauf and Quonnipaug Hls Condo Section to Akach Dev Group LLC, $128,000 on April 14
: Wendy W. and Ronald L. Hughes to Victoria D. Vermeer, $580,000 on April 17
: Warren K. Johnsen and Rachel A. Berwick to Patricia Ann and Ericka Norberg, $899,000 on April 15
Frank Capuano to Amy Paradiso, $640,000 on April 16 : James Heffernan and Holly
Real Estate Transactions
NORTH BRANFORD
Carlen Drive
: Estate of Ronald Pizzano Sr. and Whitehead & Munson Conservat to Juliana Carchia and Anthony Fassett, $301,000 on April 13
20 Edward Road
: Margaret Carlson to Mirella L. Cole, $437,500 on April 16
: Donald R Bachmann Irt and Laurie Buick to Kevin McCoy and Autumn Penna, $410,000 on April 9 NORTH HAVEN
45 Bradley Street
OLD SAYBROOK
AYERS POINT
Fort Path Farm Hldg LLC to 12 Forest Hills LLC, $68,000 on April 16
: Butler Road LLC to Rga LLC, $220,000 on April 10
42 Butler Road 6 Carriage Drive
: Richard L. and Cora T. Perrone to William A. and Beth Ann Gambardella, $603,500 on April 10
16 Fieldstone Court Unit 16
: Carmela Marino to Deborah S. and Mark B. Camner, $469,000 on April 10
: Bartlett Ft and Christopher Bartlett to Dominic Adonna, $157,500 on April 15
Quinnipiac Avenue 1793 Ridge Road
: Deborah Miller to Alexis Wheeler, $410,000 on April 14
: Jonathan M. Sandor to David John Liptak and Sydney Rossi, $415,000 on April 15
: Amelia and Theodore Dupre to Katelyn E. and Thomas F. Connolly, $380,000 on April 14
: Real estate transactions are published using publicly available records and are matters of public record. Listings are not removed in response to general privacy requests. Removal will only be considered in cases involving a documented and credible personal safety concern. Requests may be submitted to zip06@shorepublishing.com
