July 16, 2026
Clinton, Westbrook, & Old Saybrook
Vol. XXIX Iss. 29
Town and WAA Reach Agreement
By Eric O'Connell
Writer
Westbrook residents approved up to $800,000 for the Westbrook Volunteer Fire Department to assume ambulance service, while the town and the Westbrook Ambulance Association announced an agreement
expected to resolve the remaining litigation between them and pave the way for the transition.
The appropriation was passed unanimously at a town meeting on July 9. After the meeting, Westbrook First Selectman John Hall told the that the bulk of that money will be spent on purchasHarbor News
ing two new ambulances and outfitting them with the required medical equipment. Previously, a department spokesperson had identified payroll, gear, uniforms, maintenance, fuel, and training as other required expenses.
The town first announced in March that
See Town and WAA page 5
A Boatload of Caring
Richard Fazzuoli, of the Westbrook Council of Beach Associations, collects a food donation from Jim Hirst during the Fill the Boat with Food event on the Westbrook Town Green on July 11. Donations were loaded onto a truck at the end of the event to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries and the food pantry at St. Mark's Church. The event collected more food and monetary donations than any previous year, according to Pat Marcarelli of the council.
Top Honor Leandri caps a standout career with Shoreline Conference Player of the Year award.........................12
Remembering the Revolution
A local man’s invention helped pioneer undersea warfare............20
PhotobyWesleyBunnell/ HarborNews
Jenny O’Leary: Finding Her Voice
By Pam Young
Correspondent
For years, Jenny O’Leary had a habit of downplaying one of her favorite creative pursuits.
“I used to consider myself an artist,” she says. “I was catching myself saying, ‘I play at writing children’s books.’”
Winning the 26th annual Tassy Walden Award for New Voices in Children’s Literature changed that.
“I no longer have to say I ‘play at writing children’s books,’” Jenny says. “I am able to use that term ‘writer.’”
Person of the Week
Born and raised in Ivoryton, Jenny attended Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, where she studied environmental science and art history. At the time, she wasn’t sure which passion would become her career.
Teaching offered a way to combine everything she enjoyed.
She began as a long-term substitute in a third-grade classroom before student teaching in first grade. Eventually she found herself in kindergarten, where she says she discovered exactly where she belonged.
“Kindergarten is a magical age,” Jenny says.
She has now spent 15 years teaching, including 10 years at Sayles School in Baltic and the past five at Joel Elementary School in Clinton.
Be Glad You’re Not a Crocodile
The Ivoryton native recently received the award in the picture book text category for , a rhyming bedtime story she now hopes to publish. For Jenny, however, the recognition meant far more than earning an award.
It was validation after more than a decade of quietly writing stories whenever inspiration struck.
“I always found it hard to choose one thing,” she says. “I loved animals and art and was hoping to put them together somehow.”
After graduating, she worked at Hammonasset’s nature center, teaching environmental science through field trips and educational programs featuring snakes and turtles. Although she loved the work, she soon realized seasonal employment wasn’t the future she wanted.
Watching children develop from recognizing their first letters to writing their own stories never gets old, she says.
“It is astounding,” she says. “They come in not knowing what a letter is and at the end they are writing stories for you.”
While teaching became her profession, writing remained something she did quietly.
See Jenny O’Leary page 8
the Sounds of Your Life
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Photo courtesy of Jenny O'Leary
Ivoryton native Jenny O'Leary, a kindergarten teacher at Joel Elementary School in Clinton, recently won the 26th annual Tassy Walden Award for New Voices in Children's Literature for her picture book manuscript, Be Glad You're Not a Crocodile
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Parents Challenge School Board Over Literacy Plan
Staff Writer By Eric O'Connell
Old Saybrook school officials on July 9 outlined a plan to address concerns about the district’s literacy instruction, but the three-hour Board of Education meeting was dominated by parents who said they no longer trust the board and administration to carry out the changes.
The meeting came on the heels of a report released last month by a consultant that identified several concerns with the district’s literacy program. In May, Old Saybrook Superintendent Christopher Drezek announced the district would hire Dr. Rachael Gabriel to review its literacy program, known as ARC Core Curriculum.
In early June, Gabriel presented her findings, and her full 33-page report was later posted on the district’s website. While Gabriel did not recommend replacing ARC, she offered six recommendations aimed at improving literacy instruction.
At its July 9 meeting, the Board of Education and district administrators outlined the next steps they were taking based on Gabriel’s report.
During a PowerPoint presentation, Drezek said some actions have already been taken. Literacy instruction was increased to 110 minutes from 60 minutes; each building now has department leaders and support systems for professional development; and curriculum development has been expanded.
Drezek said the district has begun implementing several changes, including posting a literacy coach position focused on teacher development, establishing building-level English language arts leaders, and creating a professional development committee to gather teacher input on future professional learning.
Regarding future priorities, Drezek listed rebuilding communication and trust with the public, increasing teacher input in professional learning, and establishing a new leadership structure at each school consisting of department leaders and administrators. Drezek said those leaders will be teachers in the schools.
“Moving forward, rebuilding trust means listening first, communicating clearly, and treating feedback from teachers, families, and community stakeholders as an essential part of the improvement,” the PowerPoint said.
Over the next 12 to 15 months, Drezek said the district will continue reviewing the curriculum and implementation guides, create shared strategies and
resources across instructional tiers, and review special education processes, services, and communication practices.
Some parents at the meeting said the special education audit should become an immediate priority rather than a longterm goal for the district.
Drezek told the the district remained committed to implementing Gabriel’s recommendations but asked residents for patience.
“As I stated last night, we committed to implementing Dr. Gabriel’s recommendations and thank her for all her work,” Drezek said. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done but we’re committed to acting on all her recommendations as quickly as possible. However, some of these actions will take time. Planning for implementation is already underway, including interviewing for her top recommendation of a literacy coach next week.”
Additionally, Drezek said the district would collaborate with staff over the summer to gather input on potential curriculum changes.
“Plans are underway to implement changes for the new school year. An important component of that is gathering staff input before we finalize these plans, which is what we are doing over the summer,” Drezek said.
Despite those planned changes, many parents at the meeting said they remained unconvinced the board and administration could restore their trust.
Parent Concerns
The meeting was well attended and, at times, heated, with several instances of parents raising their voices to interrupt the presentation and sharply criticize the board, including calls for Board Chair Karen Brodeur to step down.
Those in the audience, especially parents who said they had children with special education needs, expressed frustration with the level of communication among the board, administrators, and the public, saying the issues had been allowed to grow. Parents complained of ignored emails, a lack of urgency in addressing problems, and unsatisfactory handling of complaints.
Several parents said they did not trust the board or the superintendent to fix the issues identified in Gabriel’s report. More than one parent spoke of considering pulling their children from the district because of a lack of confidence in how the schools would address their concerns.
See Parents Challenge page 9
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Town and WAA Reach Agreement
Continued from page 1
the fire department would become the town’s licensed ambulance provider, but some details of the transition still needed to be resolved.
In a joint press release issued July 10, the town and ambulance association announced that both sides had “reached an agreement that will resolve all remaining litigation between the parties and transition primary emergency medical service responsibility to the Westbrook Fire Department.”
A stipulated judgment is expected to be filed with the court shortly, an attorney for the ambulance association said. As part of the agreement, both sides agreed to have no further comment beyond the release.
According to the release, under the agreement current Westbrook Ambulance Association employees and volunteer emergency medical technicians will be eligible to apply to serve as volunteers with the Westbrook Fire Department.
Ambulance association Chief Peter Thomas said he was proud of the organization’s 60-year history and would work to make the transition as seamless as possible.
“We are proud of that legacy, and we are grateful to our volunteers, staff, and the families who placed their trust in us. We’re committed to working with the Town of Westbrook and the Westbrook Fire Department to ensure a smooth transition and continued high-quality emergency medical care for our community,” Thomas said in a statement.
The association was founded by Westbrook citizens in 1964.
For the fire department to be approved as the ambulance provider, it will need to become the town’s Primary Service Area Responder, an approval from the Department of Public Health that designates a medical service as the official provider for a specific geographic area. Currently, the ambulance association, which is not a town agency, holds that approval.
Hall said the department is in the process of obtaining that approval, though he could not provide an exact timeline for when it will be completed.
Hall said the fire department will obtain the designation and be ready for ambulance service “in a couple of months,” but before the end of the year.
Town officials have repeatedly said that
the town has strong mutual aid agreements with neighboring towns that will be relied on to ensure there are no gaps in service should there be an emergency while the fire department gets up and running.
The town meeting followed a lengthy executive session on June 25 at a joint Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance meeting to discuss the move. Minutes of that meeting show the selectmen exited the executive session, approved the appropriation, and scheduled the town meeting.
The History
Tensions between the town and the ambulance association came to a head in the summer of 2024, when town officials learned that the ambulance association’s headquarters was at risk of foreclosure. An appraiser unexpectedly contacted the town regarding the building’s status, triggering an internal investigation.
That inquiry uncovered allegations of longstanding financial mismanagement under former Chief Gregg Prevost, who resigned in July 2024.
In August 2024, residents voted at a town meeting to authorize spending $163,000 to pay off the outstanding mortgage with KeyBank and another $75,000 to hire forensic accounting firm Sansevere, Kimball & Co. LLP to conduct an independent audit of the association.
The audit, completed in May 2025, documented years of financial irregularities and a failure by the association’s members to follow the organization’s bylaws.
The dispute led the town to file two separate lawsuits against the association. The parties announced July 10 that an agreement had been reached to resolve the remaining litigation.
One lawsuit, filed in November 2024, sought to evict the association from the headquarters building at 1316 Boston Post Road in Westbrook. In September 2025, a judge in Middletown Superior Court ruled in the ambulance association’s favor and found that the town had not proven its right to terminate the lease. The town appealed the decision.
In May 2025, Westbrook filed a second lawsuit against the ambulance association, this time seeking repayment for the defaulted mortgage the town paid off in 2024. That lawsuit had been scheduled for further action later in 2026.
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Pierson School Closing Delayed; Redevelopment Still on Track
Staff Writer By Eric O'Connell
The closing of the sale of Clinton’s Pierson School has been delayed until the fall because of financing and pre-construction delays. However, developers say the deal to turn the former school into a mix of affordable senior housing and senior programming space remains on track.
In a statement provided to the Harbor News on July 8, developers Xenolith Partners and HOPE Partnership said, “The Pierson School Apartments project continues to move forward, and the development team remains committed to bringing this important redevelopment to the Town of Clinton. As with many affordable housing developments, the financing and pre-construction process is complex and often requires adjustments to anticipated closing and construction schedules as design, financing, and regulatory requirements are finalized.”
The redevelopment of the Pierson property, located at 75 East Main St., has been a topic of discussion at several recent Town Council meetings, prompting the Harbor News’ inquiry into the project’s status.
Construction had been scheduled to begin in July. However, at a May 20 Town Council meeting, Town Manager Michelle Benivegna announced the closing had been tentatively rescheduled for early September. Construction is expected to begin shortly after the closing and take about 18 months, “with lease-up projected to begin in winter 2027-28,” according to the meeting minutes.
Representatives from the development team also attended a half-hour executive session during the June 17 Town Council meeting. Because the discussion took place behind closed doors, however, there is no public record of what was discussed.
Despite the delayed closing, the developers said they remain committed to completing the project.
“The development team, along with our state and funding partners, continue to work towards finalizing the project’s financing. While timelines may evolve throughout this process, our commitment to delivering this project has not changed,” the July statement concluded.
The developers also said an FAQ section on the Pierson School Apartments website is updated regularly with the latest project information and timeline updates.
Benivegna said the construction delay will not directly affect the town or its services.
this project because of the significant longterm benefits it will provide to the community. The value of creating affordable housing and a modern Senior Center far outweighs the temporary delay,” she said.
Benivegna said the construction delay will not affect the tax abatement agreement between the town and the developers.
In 2024, Clinton residents voted, 154-33, to sell the Pierson School to developers Xenolith Partners, a New York-based affordable housing development company, and HOPE Partnership, a nonprofit affordable housing organization, for $500,000.
The developers plan to convert the former school into 50 affordable senior housing apartments and a separate senior programming space operated by the town. Under the redevelopment plan, the main school building and its façade will be preserved, and a new wing will be constructed on the property.
The gymnasium will be leased back to the town for use as a senior center for $1 a year. The town will be responsible for the programming and operational costs of the senior center. The lawn, gazebo, and statues on the property will remain in place for use by town residents.
“The primary impact of the delay is that the affordable housing units will not be available to future residents as soon as anticipated, and the new Senior Center will open later than originally planned. However, delays are a normal part of complex development projects of this size and scope,” Benivegna said.
“Importantly, this delay will have no impact on senior programming. The outstanding programs currently offered by Senior Connections, under the leadership of Christina Acampora, will continue without interruption.”
Benivegna also reiterated the town’s commitment to the project.
“The Town remains fully committed to
Although construction has not yet begun, several smaller steps related to the Pierson redevelopment have taken place since residents approved the sale. The project received approval from the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission, the developers and the town agreed to a tax abatement program, a subcommittee was formed to plan for programming needs, and, perhaps most notably, a deed restriction that had long complicated the redevelopment process was officially lifted last year.
The Pierson School most recently served the district’s fourth- and fifth-grade students. In the fall of 2018, however, Clinton’s Board of Education announced the school would close at the end of the academic year. A facilities needs study conducted by the school district found closing the school was prudent in the face of declining enrollment and rising operational costs. At the time of its closure, Pierson School had been in operation for 80 years.
Jenny O’Leary: Finding Her Voice
Continued from page 2
Ideas often arrived at night, where they lived for years inside the notes app on her phone.
Over time, those scattered ideas became a collection of bedtime stories, nostalgic tales inspired by her father’s childhood, and other manuscripts she rarely shared.
Ten years ago she entered the Tassy Walden competition for the first time with a handmade princess story. Nothing came of it.
Instead of giving up, she simply kept writing.
This year, only days before the submission deadline, she decided almost on a whim to enter two manuscripts.
One of them won.
“I was super pleased, honored, surprised, and amazed,” she says.
The winning manuscript has not yet been illustrated, something Jenny hopes to change as she explores digital art and reconnects with the artistic side of herself.
“I do consider myself an artist,” she says. “I am trying to use this new moment in creativity this summer to go back to my artist roots.”
Ultimately, she hopes to find an agent and publisher willing to bring to life. Be Glad You’re Not a Crocodile
She envisions a picture book filled with expressive animals and warm illustrations that complement its message of gratitude, though she says bringing those characters to the page may require collaborating with an experienced illustrator.
One of the most meaningful moments came shortly before the awards ceremony.
Jenny read the story aloud to her kindergarten class for the first time.
“It was a cool moment where I could show them what could come of putting your mind to something,” she says.
The timing couldn’t have been better.
Her students had recently completed an author study, learning how writers revise their work and how illustrators add detail to bring stories to life.
“They were really, truly a room full of artists and writers,” Jenny says.
Sharing her own story with them made the lessons feel real.
“It was amazing to show them that you can have the potential to write and do anything you set your mind to,” she says.
For Jenny, the Tassy Walden Award recognized a single manuscript.
What it really gave her, she says, was the confidence to finally embrace a title she had spent years hesitating to claim.
“Now,” she says, “I am able to use that term ‘writer.’”
Middletown Adult Education offers a free online or in-person GED program to residents of Old Saybrook, Madison, and Westbrook as well as Regional District #4 (Chester, Deep River, Essex, Centerbrook, and Ivoryton) and Regional District #17 (Haddam, Higganum, and Killingworth). Adult education offers free high school completion programs, GED tutoring and English as a second language classes to area residents. The program provides instruction for participants to learn the skills necessary for employment. In-person classes take place at the Middletown Adult Education, 210 Main Street, Old Saybrook or at 398 Main Street, Middletown. For more information, call 860-343-6044 or visit www.maect.org.
Parents Challenge School Board Over Literacy Plan
Continued from page 4
“I don’t think you’re capable of this. You need to respectfully, step down if you’re not capable,” one resident told the board during the meeting.
“Can you imagine a Yelp page for this?” asked another parent, who works in the local restaurant business and said he was considering removing his children from the school system.
Gabriel’s report indicated that English learners and Latino students experienced larger declines in performance, leading some parents to call for additional support for those populations.
Originally, the Board of Education had a regular meeting scheduled for June 23. However, at a meeting June 9 — the day before Gabriel’s presentation — the board voted to cancel that meeting, a move members said occurs every year because it falls so close to the end of the school year, when staff availability can be limited.
Board members Jordan Schellens and
Marijke Kehrhahn voted against canceling the meeting.
Given the level of community concern over the district’s literacy curriculum and the report’s findings, parents said they were frustrated the district did not hold a meeting to discuss the next steps as soon as possible.
During the July meeting, Brodeur said the next regular meeting was not scheduled until September. That upset the audience, which implored the board to schedule special meetings before September to continue discussing the literacy issues.
The board agreed to schedule at least one more meeting during the summer, though an exact date was not set, much to the chagrin of those who remained in the audience. Board members agreed to schedule a meeting when their calendars and those of district administrators aligned.
After the meeting, Brodeur said the board intends to hold a follow-up meeting
Legal Notice of Decision
Town of Clinton – Inland Wetlands Commission
The Town of Clinton Inland Wetlands Commission held its Regular Meeting on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in the Rose Room of the William Stanton Andrews Memorial Town Hall, 54 East Main Street, Clinton, Connecticut and rendered the following decision:
IWC-26-5 for 0 Old Nod Road, Accessors Map 14/ Block 3/ Lot 18, IP Zone. Alex Healy (Applicant), Town of Clinton (Owner). Application for Regulated Activity within 0 to 50’ of Inland Wetlands or a Watercourse. Proposed activity and use of site is regarding closure and remediation activities at the former Old Nod Road Landfill located in Clinton, Connecticut.
Approved with Conditions
A full record of this decision is available on the Town’s Website. Any party aggrieved by this decision may appeal to the Superior Court, Middlesex County, within 15 days of publication of this notice. Dated at Clinton, Connecticut this 8th day of July 2026. Scott Harley, Chairman
BOROUGH OF FENWICK NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCES
NOTICE is hereby given that a public hearing and meeting will be held by the Board of Warden and Burgesses of the Borough of Fenwick at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 23, 2026 at 4 Nibang Avenue within said Borough and via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84414882731?pwd=ZnLxAlbbwXZhDautOKUUMkVcewZS35.1; Meeting ID: 844 1488 2731; Passcode: 315019; dial by location +1 929 205 6099.
At this hearing, the Board of Warden and Burgesses of the Borough of Fenwick will consider and act upon the proposed “Ordinance Establishing Citation Procedures and Fines for Violations of Ordinances and Regulations”. The full text of the proposed ordinance is posted on the Board of Warden and Burgesses page of the Borough website: www.boroughoffenwick.com. If adopted, such amendment to the ordinances shall become effective 30 days after publication of its enactment in accordance with Section 7-157 of the Connecticut General Statutes. Dated this 30th day of June, 2026.
BOROUGH OF FENWICK BOARD OF WARDEN AND BURGESSES NEWTON BRAINARD, WARDEN
but could not commit to a date because it must ensure a quorum of members during the summer vacation season.
As the meeting ended shortly after 9 p.m., with no next meeting definitively scheduled, multiple parents still in the audience shouted that Brodeur should resign from the school board, on which she has served for more than 30 years.
Brodeur said she has no plans to step down as board chair.
“There is great work happening at all three schools and I will continue to support both administration and the teaching staff as we move forward with our goals,” she said.
It wasn’t just school administrators who faced parents’ ire. Multiple speakers said they were angry that the district’s director of curriculum and the director of student support services were not present at the July meeting.
Asked why the district’s director of curriculum and director of student support services were not present, Drezek said
both were away when the meeting was scheduled.
Brodeur said the district encourages administrators to take vacation during the summer rather than during the school year, when “it’s critical to be present for students.”
During the meeting, speakers argued that communication issues with the board and district extended beyond literacy programming and said a lack of transparency contributed to broader distrust of school leadership. Some also raised concerns unrelated to the literacy review, including student safety, personnel decisions, and district policies.
Brodeur said she believes there is confusion about the Board of Education’s role. She said the board is responsible for oversight, policy, budgeting, and evaluating the superintendent, while the day-to-day operation of the district rests with the superintendent and administrators.
Following the meeting, Drezek said the
See Parents Challenge page 11
All property owners liable to pay a Tax to the Borough of Fenwick on the Grand List of October 1, 2025, are hereby notified that the tax becomes due and payable July 1, 2026. Failure to make payment on or before August 1, 2026, will subject the tax to an interest charge of one and one-half (1 ½) percent per month or fraction thereof from the due date of July first (18% annually), with a minimum interest charge of 2.00 per bill. FAILURE TO RECEIVE a tax bill does not invalidate the tax or waive the interest due, should the bill become delinquent. Payments may be mailed to the Tax Collector, 580 Maple Avenue, Old Saybrook, CT 06475. The Tax Collector’s office will be open weekdays in July from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., except Friday, July 3rd, 2026.
LEGAL NOTICE – TOWN OF WESTBROOK – ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a PUBLIC HEARING on 22 July 2026 at 7:00 p.m. in the Multi-Media Room of the Teresa Mulvey Municipal Center, 866 Boston Post Road, Westbrook, to hear the following:
Appeal No. 2026-006 – Appeal of Joseph Murphy, owner; Thomas Wilcox, agent; Michael Ferrara, M. Ferrara Development, applicant. Property located at 34 Dolphin Avenue, further identified on Assessor’s Map 189, Parcel 89, HDR Zone, FPOD Zone, AE-12. Variances requested from Zoning Regulations Section 2.C.2.1 of 25’ required, 1.1’ requested to house, 7.1’ requested to Eversource stairs, 15.1’ requested to Eversource platform (westerly); Section 2.C.2.2 of 10’ required, 7.4’ requested to Eversource stairs, 7.3’ requested to Eversource platform (northerly); Section 2.C.2.3 of 35’ required, 7.4’ requested to deck landing, 7.4’ requested to deck stairs, 10.9’ requested to deck, 19.4’ requested to AC Units mechanical platform, 22.9’ requested to house, 23.9’ requested to porch (easterly); Section 2.C.3.1 of 25% maximum coverage allowed, 31.5% requested. Variances requested to tear down existing three-bedroom seasonal cottage and rebuild. CAM Required
Appeal No. 2026-007 – Appeal of George Bottone, owner/applicant; Joe Wren, P.E., agent. Property located at 207 Salt Island Road, further identified on Assessor’s Map 182, Parcel 113, HDR Zone, FPOD Zone, AE-12, and VE14. Variances requested from Zoning Regulations Section 2.C.2.2 (west) of 10’ required, 0.5’ requested to HVAC unit; Section 2.C.2.3 (rear) of 35’ required, 17.9’ requested to HVAC unit. Variances requested to install an HVAC unit on an exterior wall.
Bonnie Hall, Chairman Zoning Board of Appeals
Dated at Westbrook, Connecticut This 17th day of June 2026
Laid-Back Levi
Story by Carol Andrecs
Levi, a handsome 5-year-old black-andwhite cat, is a gentle guy who is mild-mannered, sweet, and has become very affectionate. He enjoys being petted, loves having his belly rubbed, and listens intently to whatever you have to tell him. Hanging out in front of the window and basking in the warm sunlight is his favorite way to chill. Levi would be a welcome addition to any cat-loving family and gets along peacefully with other cats. Come meet this special boy at our open house or apply to adopt him online at www.forgotten felinesct.org.
Find Your Match at Forgotten Felines
: Forgotten Felines holds an open house every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 153 Horse Hill Road, Westbrook. No appointment is necessary. Forgotten Felines is run entirely by dedicated volunteers with no paid staff. We are always in desperate need of volunteers to help care for the cats and keep our facility clean and organized. If you can donate your time, it will be very rewarding and much appreciated. Call the volunteer line at 860-669-1347 or send an email to volunteerinfo@forgottenfelinesct.org.
Chair-ity for a Cause Seeks Trades, Sponsors
The Connecticut Cancer Foundation is seeking local trades professionals, designers, artists, and business sponsors for Chair-ity for a Cause, a breast cancer fundraiser featuring creatively transformed chairs in an online auction throughout October. Participants are invited to refurbish or redesign a chair for donation. Only 15 chairs will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Chair participants must register and submit a before photo and chair description by Sept. 1. Bidding begins Oct. 1 and continues through Oct. 31. Businesses may also support the fundraiser through sponsorship opportunities. Proceeds benefit the Connecticut Cancer Foundation. For more information, to register a chair, or to inquire about sponsorships, contact Carla Snowdon at 959-746-2071 or carla@tidewaterltg.com.
Photo by Genevieve Ray
Parents Challenge School Board Over Literacy Plan
Continued from page 9
district hoped continued engagement and progress would help earn back the community’s trust.
“Trust must be earned, so we must keep engaging with families but more importantly show them the progress that we make,” he said.
Harbor News
In her email to the , Brodeur said she supports the district’s response to Gabriel’s report and remains confident in Superintendent Christopher Drezek’s plan to implement the recommendations.
“The superintendent’s plan acknowledges the concerns that have been raised, preserves the progress already made, and responds with concrete steps toward building a stronger literacy program for the entire district,” Brodeur said in an email to the
Gabriel’s Recommendations
Gabriel said she did not recommend replacing ARC because student achievement data did not indicate a need for a “radical change” and because the state is expected to revise its approved curriculum list in 2027.
Despite not recommending replacing ARC, Gabriel’s review identified concerns with implementation of the ARC Core Curriculum, including limited professional development for teachers, inconsistent implementation across grade levels, a lack of support staff, and communication concerns among administrators, teachers, and families.
Among her short-term recommendations was hiring an experienced, full-time literacy coach to provide professional development and instructional support to teachers. She also recommended implementing skill inventories and reducing redundant assessments.
A third recommendation called for policies supporting a multi-tiered system of supports, which helps schools identify students in need of academic, behavioral, or social support and connect them with interventions as early as possible.
Gabriel’s remaining recommendations were longer-term initiatives that could be addressed over the next 18 months. They include developing curriculum implementation guides, creating a comprehensive intervention resource guide for staff, and conducting an external audit of special education processes and programming.
Parents of elementary school students in Old Saybrook have expressed serious concerns about their children’s reading proficiency over the past four months.
In 2021, Connecticut enacted the Right to Read law, which requires districts to implement evidence-based reading curricula for students in kindergarten through third grade. The law emphasizes phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, oral language, and reading comprehension, and allows districts to choose from a list of approved programs.
Old Saybrook selected ARC Core Curriculum, one of six programs identified by the state in 2022-23 as eligible for implementation under the law. The district chose the program in 2023 and launched
Opera Theater of Connecticut seeks six to eight children ages 8 to 14 for the children's chorus in its 2026 mainstage production of Puccini's Tosca. Boys and girls who can read music and sing are encouraged to participate. Rehearsals begin Wednesday, July 22, in Madison, with additional rehearsals in Clinton. Performances are scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8, and Sunday, Aug. 9, at The Morgan School in Clinton. For more information, including schedules and audition information, contact Opera Theater of Connecticut at 860-669-8999 or otc@otcsings.org.
a pilot at Kathleen F. Goodwin Elementary School during the 2023-24 school year.
However, some parents said the program has not produced the results they expected. Those concerns came to a head during another three-hour meeting in April, when parents pressed district officials about the curriculum and its implementation.
At that meeting, district officials presented data showing reading performance declined following the COVID-19 pandemic but has improved under ARC. According to the district’s presentation, about 55% of third graders and 58% of fourth graders met or exceeded expectations during the 2024-25 school year, up from the previous year but still below prepandemic levels.
The April meeting was also when the district first announced its intention to hire Gabriel, a move that initially caught some parents off guard.
Gabriel’s review included classroom observations, interviews, curriculum analysis, and feedback from more than 200 parents and 22 teachers. The review cost approximately $13,000.
The Middlesex Hospital Vocal Chords (MHVC) seeks new members for its upcoming season, with a particular need for altos, tenors, and basses. No auditions or previous singing experience are required. Rehearsals begin Tuesday, Aug. 25, from 6:45 to 9 p.m. at St. Francis Church’s Msgr. Fox Parish Hall, 10 Elm St., Middletown. New members may join through Tuesday, Sept. 8. Directed by Samuel Tucker and accompanied by Alan Dougherty’s 10-piece orchestra, the chorus will present its holiday concert on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m. at Portland High School. The chorus awards scholarships to Middlesex County seniors planning to study nursing or music. For more information, call 860-342-3120 or visit vocalchords20.org.
Harbor News
Thursday, July 16, 2026
Valley-Westbrook’s Leandri Earns Shoreline Honor
By Serenity J. Bishop
Sports Editor
The Valley Regional-Westbrook baseball co-op team finished a successful season with double-digit regular-season victories and trips to both the Shoreline Conference Tournament and the Class S State Tournament.
As the team took the conference by storm, several players attracted attention from around the league. By the end of the season, two Valley Regional-Westbrook players had earned the conference’s top individual honors.
Jacob Knox was named Shoreline Conference Pitcher of the Year, while Kyle Leandri earned Shoreline Conference Player of the Year. Leandri said the honor was a goal he set for himself before the season began.
“That was just a great accomplishment for me to wrap up the season. Honestly, it was a goal of mine going into the season, so it was really an honor to receive that reward at the end of the year,” Leandri said. “It meant a lot to me to know that I’m valued as a player not only by my coaches and teammates, but by the whole Shoreline.”
Leandri said he entered the season knowing the league was filled with talented players, but he believed he could be in the mix for the award by season’s end.
“I knew that I was up there and that it was definitely an achievable goal if I just got the job done. Throughout the year, I didn’t really worry about my stats too much. I just kind of went out and played and tried to have fun
staff with helping shape his mindset throughout the season.
“It honestly comes down to our coaches,” Leandri said. “They really strive for us to put in the hard work every single day. It can be a long season at some points, and it gets kind of repetitive doing the same things over and over again, but they constantly remind us that we have to keep showing.”
He added that when he looks back from his freshman through senior year, he feels he left the program in a better place.
“I’ve felt like I left a great mark by both leading by example on the field and off the field,” he said. “I’ve seen it in some of the younger players that have looked up to me and the other seniors too. I’m just excited to see where they will go.”
Leandri, the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year, will continue his baseball career at the Division I level next season. The Connecticut product will stay close to home, heading to New Haven to play for the Chargers.
Leandri said his senior season was filled with fun and lasting memories while also preparing him for the next level.
with my last season,” he said. “I ended up having a great season, and then this was just the results of that.”
Statistically, Leandri was one of the league’s top players. The New Haven commit finished with a batting average of about .450,
an on-base percentage above .500, 26 stolen bases and just two strikeouts all season.
Leandri credited his coaching
“I think this year has definitely prepared me for like knowing that it’s going to be a long, lengthy season, but I have to continue putting the work in,” he said. “The season in college is going to be longer than it was in high school and just having that understanding of you have to show up every day and put the work in no matter what. Having that mindset going into college is really going to help.”
Free Genealogy Help at Westbrook Library
Westbrook Public Library, 61 Goodspeed Drive, Westbrook offers free genealogy help from 6 to 8 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month. No appointment needed. For more information, contact the library at 860-399-6422 or westbrook.public.lib@snet.net.
Historical Society Seeks Members
The Westbrook Historical Society, 1196 Boston Post Road, is open on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon, or by appointment. The society meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. New members and volunteers are welcome. For more information, email westbrookhistoricalsocietyct@gmail.com.
July 16 to July 22
Photo courtesy of Kyle Leandri
Valley Regional-Westbrook's Kyle Leandri earned Shoreline Conference Player of the Year honors after helping lead the baseball co-op to the Shoreline Conference and Class S state tournaments.
Westbrook Dance Academy Excels at Nationals
By Serenity J. Bishop
Sports Editor
The Westbrook Dance Academy Competition Teams recently competed at the Revolution Talent Nationals at Kalahari Resort in the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania. The academy impressed fans, spectators and judges with standout performances throughout the competition.
Competing against more than 30 studios from across the country and more than 1,000 entries — with some divisions featuring more than 90 routines — the academy had two dances qualify for the End Game, earned a second-place End Game finish, posted multiple top-five, top10 and top-20 finishes, won the Entertainment Award, claimed several category titles, and received judges’ special awards and scholarships.
The Production Team earned Platinum honors, placed second in the Grand Line Division and finished second in the End Game with “Tarzan Rocks.”
Production Team members represented Westbrook, Clinton, Old Saybrook, Madison, Killingworth and Guilford. The team consisted of Olivia Amenta, Elijah Bragg, Ayla Foulkes, Riley Lindquist, Kylie Magee, Adele Merriman, Ava Merriman, Violet Topping, Mallory Tuccitto, Brinley Dwyer, Jolie Stevens, Bailee Barnett, Avery Bragg, Mackenzie Gallagher, Sydney Haynes, Taylor Lindquist, Zendaya Morris, Audrey Bragg, Delilah Calle Paredes, Sophie Furcolo, Aubrey Meyer, Tess Santarsiero, Mia Stowik, Vanessa Swanson and Sofia Taylor.
In the Senior Small Group Division, the Senior Competition Team earned Platinum honors with all of its routines. “Rated RED” finished third and qualified for the End Game, while “Uninvited” placed eighth. “Heathers” received the Entertainment Award, and “Heartlines” won its category.
The Senior Competition Team represented Westbrook, Old Saybrook and Clinton. Team members included Delilah Calle Paredes, Sophie Furcolo, Aubrey Meyer, Tess Santarsiero, Mia Stowik and Sofia Taylor.
In the Senior Solo Division, Delilah Calle Paredes earned Platinum honors and finished second among 93 soloists with “What Have You Done for Me Lately?” Tess Santarsiero earned Platinum honors and placed 20th with “Feeling Good.” Mia Stowik earned Platinum honors for both of her solos, “I’m on My Way” and “Fever.” Sophie Furcolo earned Elite Gold with “Twin Size Mattress,” and Sofia Taylor received Elite Gold with “Do I Wanna Know.”
In the Teen Solo Division, Aubrey Meyer earned Platinum honors and placed seventh among 93 soloists with “Battlefield.” Mallory Tuccitto earned Elite Gold and received a judges’ special award for “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” In the Junior Showcase Solo Division, Mackenzie Gallagher earned Platinum honors and finished seventh with “Sassy.”
In the Junior Duo and Trio Division, Sydney Haynes, Taylor Lindquist and Ava Merriman placed 10th overall with “Girls Night Out.” Mallory Tuccitto and Olivia Amenta received a scholarship for “Everybody Hurts,” Adele Merriman and Riley Lindquist earned Platinum honors with “Woman Up,” and Kylie Magee and Ayla Foulkes earned Elite Gold with “Better When I’m Dancin’.”
Dance Academy competition team members pose after competing at the Revolution Talent Nationals at Kalahari Resort in the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania, where the academy earned multiple top finishes, scholarships and special awards. Pictured are, top row from left, David Russo, Olivia Amenta, Adele Merriman, Vanessa Swanson, Audrey Bragg, Julie Reed-Russo, Tess Santarsiero, Sofia Taylor, Aubrey Meyer, Riley Lindquist, Delilah Calle Paredes, Sophie Furcolo, Mia Stowik and Carissa Kee-Conyers; middle row, Violet Topping, Ayla Foulkes, Kylie Magee, Ava Merriman, Bailee Barnett, Sydney Haynes, Elijah Bragg and Mallory Tuccitto; front row, Taylor Lindquist, Jolie Stevens, Brinley Dwyer, Mackenzie Gallagher, Avery Bragg and Zendaya Morris.
In the Junior Small Group Division, the Acro Team earned Platinum honors and received a scholarship for “Ring Around the Rosie.” The Junior Team earned Platinum honors with “Mr. Blue Sky” and Elite Gold with “Addams.”
Acro Team members represented Westbrook, Clinton, Old Saybrook and Guilford. The team included Olivia Amenta, Riley Lindquist, Taylor Lindquist, Kylie Magee, Adele Merriman, Ava Merriman and Mallory Tuccitto.
The Junior Team represented Westbrook, Clinton, Madison, Old Saybrook and Guilford. Team members were Olivia Amenta, Elijah Bragg, Ayla Foulkes, Riley Lindquist, Kylie Magee, Adele Merriman, Ava Merriman, Violet Topping and Mallory Tuccitto.
In the Junior Solo Division, Olivia Amenta earned Platinum honors with “Daddy,” Ayla Foulkes earned Platinum honors with “Goosebumps,” and Elijah Bragg earned Platinum honors with “I Ain’t Worried.” In the
Teen Duo and Trio Division, Avery Bragg and Olivia Amenta earned Elite Gold with “End of the Line.” In the Junior Showcase Small Group Division, the Petite Team earned Platinum honors with “Royal Affair.”
Petite Team members represented Westbrook, Clinton and Madison. The team included Bailee Barnett, Avery Bragg, Mackenzie Gallagher, Sydney Haynes, Taylor Lindquist and Zendaya Morris.
The Revolution Talent Nationals capped another successful season for the Westbrook Dance Academy Competition Teams. The academy offers programs for all ages and ability levels, from beginner to advanced, in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, pointe, hip-hop, acrobatics and musical theater.
For more information or to register for summer or fall classes, call (860) 664-4308, email westbrook danceac@aol.com, or visit WestbrookDanceAcademy.com.
Photo courtesy of Westbrook Dance Academy
Westbrook
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!
A Saybrook Invention Goes to War
By John Ruddy
Special to Living
Editor’s note
: “Remembering the Revolution” is a series that will appear throughout 2026 to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary. *** The waters of New York Harbor were calm the night of Sept. 6, 1776, and ships of the British fleet rode at anchor.
Around 11 p.m., Sgt. Ezra Lee set out from Manhattan in a vessel the likes of which had never been seen. It headed toward the British ships, first towed by whaleboats, then cast off on its own.
The vessel got too close too fast, and Lee had to change course until the tide slackened. Then he approached the flagship, the 64-gun HMS Eagle, off Bedloe’s Island, where the Statue of Liberty now
stands. He came close enough to hear men talking at the stern, but they didn’t see him.
What happened next was historic. Lee’s vessel sank beneath the surface next to the Eagle.
At that moment, for the first time, a submarine was used in combat. The man who made it happen was David Bushnell, of what is now Westbrook, then West Say-
brook, a Yale student who had been experimenting with undersea warfare for several years.
Bushnell had the sharp mind of an inventor and impeccable timing. His ideas were years ahead of their time, and they came together just as the American Revolution gave them a practical purpose.
See page 21
This engraving from an 1852 book shows David Bushnell's mine destroying a schooner in Niantic Bay in 1777.
Sgt. Ezra Lee of Lyme sails the Turtle away from the British warship after abandoning his attempt to sink it. This illustration by Cyril Field is from his 1908 book "The Story of the Submarine from the Earliest Ages to the Present Day."
HMS Eagle
A Saybrook Invention Goes to War
Continued from page 20
Entering Yale at age 31 in 1771, Bushnell spent much of his time trying to detonate gunpowder underwater. He figured out how to do it and invented an early naval mine.
During Yale’s spring recess in 1775, he returned home and established a workshop on the bank of the Connecticut River. With help from his brother Ezra, he worked on creating a vessel capable of traveling beneath the surface to deliver an explosive unseen. The project attracted the interest of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. Franklin may have visited that fall.
The result was the unusual craft in which Lee approached the Eagle. Lee, 27, of Lyme, was a last-minute replacement for Ezra Bushnell, who had fallen ill.
Under the warship, Lee used a wood screw, turned from within the vessel, to try to attach a mine tied to a rope, but he couldn’t penetrate the hull.
“I pulled along to try another place, but deviated a little ... and immediately rode with great velocity, and come above the surface 2 or 3 feet between the ship and the daylight — then sunk again like a porpoise,” Lee later wrote.
Fearing detection as dawn approached, Lee abandoned the effort.
“So I jogg’d on as fast as I could, and my compass being then of no use to me, I was obliged to rise up every few minutes to see that I sailed in the right direction, and for this purpose keeping the machine on the surface of the water, and the doors open.”
British soldiers spotted him and pursued him in a barge, but he cut loose the mine, and it “went off with a tremendous explosion, throwing up large bodies of water to an immense height.” The soldiers “took fright” and ended the chase.
The first submarine attack had failed, but it foreshadowed the future of naval warfare.
What exactly was this “sub-marine vessel” of 1776?
No contemporary drawings exist, but Bushnell and Lee left descriptions that were detailed yet open to interpretation. Bushnell wrote that the hull, about 7 feet long and made of oak, looked like two upper tortoise shells bound together with iron bands. Because of this, the vessel was later dubbed “Turtle.”
There was room inside for a single operator, who had a 30-minute air supply once underwater.
Turtle included innovative features, including the first screw propellers for propulsion, one horizontal and one vertical, powered by a crank-and-treadle sys-
This often-reproduced diagram of the shows the vessel with helical screw propellers, while Bushnell probably used bladed propellers. It was drawn by Lt. Francis M. Barber, a U.S. naval officer, in 1875. Barber assessed his interpretation as "a tolerably correct idea" of how looked.
Turtle
tem. There also were valves and pumps that admitted and released water for ballast so the vessel could descend and rise. It was navigated with a pocket compass and a glass-tube depth gauge, both covered with a bioluminescent fungus so they could be seen in the pitch-black interior.
For parts such as a brass hatch with deadlights and a mechanical timing device, Bushnell turned to Connecticut clockmakers Isaac Doolittle and Phineas Pratt. He also received funding and encouragement from Connecticut’s Council of Safety, a legislative subcommittee.
Though it hadn’t destroyed an enemy ship, the vessel came close and was surprisingly sophisticated.
“The Turtle had proven itself as a functional submarine,” Roy R. Manstan and Frederic J. Frese wrote in their book “Turtle: David Bushnell’s Revolutionary Vessel.”
Between 2003 and 2008, the authors worked with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center and Old Saybrook High School students to build a working, seaworthy replica, now on view at Westbrook Town Hall. The Connecticut River Museum in Essex has two other replicas, and a third is at the Submarine Force Museum in Groton.
Manstan and Frese’s creation helped them draw conclusions and make
informed speculation about Turtle’s mechanics.
“The complexity of all of these systems, the difficult environmental conditions, and the brief time Lee had to train and develop contingency decision-making ability all conspired to cause the mission to fail,” they wrote.
But Bushnell wasn’t done trying to sink a British ship. His next attempt was closer to home and relied on a simpler delivery mechanism.
In April 1777, the Council of Safety inspected New London, which had been under blockade for months. Members met with Bushnell, who demonstrated the submerged detonation of gunpowder. This produced “a column of water many feet in the air,” he wrote.
Sensing an opportunity, the council supplied Bushnell with the materials he needed.
By August, the blockade, which had been intermittent, was back in force as the 28-gun frigate HMS Cerberus took up position off New London. On Aug. 13, near Plum Island, Cerberus captured a schooner, which it brought to Niantic Bay.
As the warship anchored there for the night, Bushnell set out in a whaleboat rowed by two men. Two of his mines were in tow, tied together with a 600-yard line.
Bushnell released one, then the other, so
they would float toward Cerberus with the tide. The idea was for the mines to detonate on contact with the hull.
Before that happened, sailors aboard the schooner spotted the line and hauled it aboard. At one end was a device they couldn’t identify, consisting of two boatshaped pieces, each 20 inches long, connected by two iron bars 4 feet long. They made the mistake of trying to examine it.
“Upon Setting Some wheels in Motion that was plac’d on the outside it went off with a great Explosion,” Cerberus’ log reads. Three men were killed, and a fourth was blown into the water, where he was recovered with injuries.
The blast “set the vessell on fire and burst the Sides of her out that she sunk immediately,” the log notes.
Aboard Cerberus, crew members spotted the line’s other end attached to the second mine and cut it away before it, too, could explode.
“The ingenuity of these people is singular in their secret modes of mischief,” Cerberus’ captain wrote.
The intended target of Bushnell’s weapon remained intact, but he had made history a second time. The schooner in Niantic Bay was the first vessel ever destroyed by a mine.
Turtle
For more Life & Style stories, visit our website, www.zip06.com. To submit events for the calendar, email news@shorepublishing.com.
THURSDAY, JULY 16
All About Axolotls
: 10:30 a.m. Deep River Public Library, 150 Main St. Features a presentation on axolotls, including their history, care, and characteristics. Participants will have an opportunity to see a live axolotl from the Amphibian and Reptile Center. Recommended for ages 5 and older. For info or to register (required), call 860-5266039 or visit deepriverlibrary.libcal.com.
Teen and Tween Pizza Scene
: 1 to 3 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Features pizza, games, and activities for rising fifth- through 12thgrade students. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.
The Hidden Cost of the American Dream and Healing Through Storytelling with Reyna Grande
Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget
: 2 p.m. Online. Author Reyna Grande discusses her memoir, . Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Community Baby Shower
: 2 to 6 p.m. Dixwell Community House (Q House), Room 112, 197 Dixwell Ave., New Haven. For expectant families and new parents living in Hamden, New Haven, Middletown, Meriden, Old Saybrook, and surrounding communities. Features information and resources from community providers, giveaways, door prizes, a car seat safety clinic, and more. Hosted by Wheeler, SEPI-CT, and Dixwell Community House. Free. For info, visit sepict.org.
Tinker and Take-It-Apart
: 4 to 5 p.m. Killingworth Library, 274 Route 81. Hands-on engineering and problem-solving activities for ages 5 to 11. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Under Our Feet
: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. For incoming grades K to 5. Learn about soil layers and soil health, then make dirt pudding cups. Recipe contains dairy and gluten. For info or to register (required), call 203-3156020 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.
Summer Nights @ APL: BubbleMania with Casey Carle
: 6 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Features a family program exploring giant bubbles, bubble art, and bubble science. Sponsored by
the Friends of Acton Library. Free. For info or to register (suggested), call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
Rock Painting
: 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. Westbrook Public Library, 61 Goodspeed Drive. For teens. Participants will paint flat river rocks to decorate and take home. Supplies provided. For info or to register (required), call 860-3996422 or visit westbrooklibrary.org.
Shoreline Sailing Club Event
: 7 p.m. Old Elks Cottage, 142 Seaside Ave., Westbrook. For active singles 35 and older. Features a celebration of SAIL250 Boston and information on sailing, boating, kayaking, hiking, and other club activities. Guests welcome. For info, visit shorelinesailingclub.com.
Outdoor Summer Concert Series: The Subliminals
:
7 p.m. Guilford Free Library, 67 Park St. Features The Subliminals, a southeastern Connecticut jazz and groove ensemble performing instrumental music inspired by Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, and Roy Hargrove. Seating is available on the library patio; attendees may also bring their own chairs. Rain location: Meeting Room. Free. For info or to register (required), call 203-453-8282 or visit guilfordfreelibrary.org.
THURSDAY, JULY 16 THROUGH
SATURDAY, JULY 18
Friends of the E.C. Scranton Memorial Library Used Book Sale:
Patron preview 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 16, with donations accepted at the door; sale continues 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, July 17, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 18. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd, Madison. Features used books in a variety of genres, including children's and young adult titles. For info, email scrantonlibraryfriends9@gmail.com
FRIDAY, JULY 17
Xen's Critters
: 10:30 a.m. Deep River Public Library, 150 Main St. All ages welcome. Features Beth from Xen's Critters with a bunny, guinea pig, turtle, chinchilla, hedgehog, and snake. Participants will have the opportunity to meet the animals and ask questions. Space is limited. For info or to register (required), call 860-526-6039 or visit deepriverlibrary.libcal.com.
Cool-ology
: 3 to 4 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Features STEM experiments focused on American inventors for rising firstthrough fifth-grade students. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.
Calendar for the Week of July 16, 2026
Food Group: The Good Egg
: 3:30 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. For ages 4 to 12. Features a reading of by Jory John followed by a snack-making activity inspired by the book. Children ages 4 to 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Space is limited. For info, including allergen information, or to register (required), call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Other Side of Rio
: 5 p.m. Chester Meeting House, 4 Liberty St. Annual scholarship fundraiser celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Brazilian and American Youth Cultural Exchange (BRAYCE). Features presentations by BRAYCE students from Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian music, appetizers, drinks, and live and silent auctions. Proceeds benefit BRAYCE scholarships and cultural exchange programs. For info or tickets, visit brayce.org.
Tweens Magic: The Gathering
: 5 to 6 p.m. Killingworth Library, 274 Route 81. Features instruction and game play for the trading card game. Recommended for ages 9 and older. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Opening Reception for
: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Spectrum Art Gallery, 61 Main St., Centerbrook. Features an opportunity to meet participating artists and view the exhibition of paintings, photography, and sculpture inspired by birds, wildlife, and the natural world. For info, call 860-767-0742 or visit spectrumartgallery.org.
Opening Night for
The Good Egg Birds & Beasts A Midsummer Night’s Dream
: 7:30 p.m. Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society, 297 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Presented by Madison Lyric Stage, led by Marc Deaton. Duration: Two hours with one intermission. Suitable for all audiences. The show runs through Sunday, July 26. Other showtimes available. For info and tickets, call 203-215-6329 or visit madisonlyricstage.org.
FRIDAY, JULY 17 THROUGH SUNDAY, JULY 19
Guilford Art Center Craft Expo
: Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guilford Green, 33 Whitfield St. Outdoor show featuring more than 170 artists, food vendors, live music, and family activities. Admission: $11 adults; $10 seniors; free for ages 16 and under, members, and active military. For info, call 203-453-5947 or visit guilfordartcenter.org.
See page 24
The
Gershwin Songs and High-Energy Dancing Make Goodspeed’s a Delight Crazy for You
By Karen Isaacs
Gershwin songs, choreographic references to the great movie musicals of the 1930s, and high-energy performances make Goodspeed’s production of an absolute delight.
Let’s start with Kelli Barclay’s choreography, which draws references from every Busby Berkeley movie musical as well as the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers films. From ballroom dancing to wild tap numbers, she and the very talented cast bring it all to life. You will wonder how the entire cast keeps going during the high-energy, 10-minute dance number “I Got Rhythm,” which closes the first act.
Then add Michael J. Fling’s fine direction. That the cast convinces us all the escapades on stage actually make sense is an accomplishment in its own right. But his direction is much more. One scene in the second act has two characters mirror each other’s actions, not for just a few seconds but for several minutes. His direction of the scene, and the outstanding work of the two cast members, make it a comic delight.
When opened on Broadway in 1992, it was billed as “the new Gershwin musical.” It was loosely based on the 1930 Gershwin musical , though only five songs from the original show were included. Book writer Ken Ludwig fashioned a plot that kept a few elements of the original — a wealthy young Manhattan playboy is sent west, where he falls in love.
The original show had co-leads — Molly, played by Ginger Rogers in her breakout role, and Irene, played by Ethel Merman. Ludwig puts the spotlight squarely on the young playboy, here called Bobby. Instead of being sent west to manage a ranch, his mother sends him to foreclose on a theater in Deadrock, an isolated desert town. Bobby decides he can save the theater. Again, he falls in love, this time with the theater owner’s daughter, Polly, who, like in all good rom-coms, takes an instant dislike to him. Bobby pretends to be the Broadway producer Bela Zangler (think Flo Ziegfeld), whom Polly does fall in love with. When the real Zangler shows up, confusion reigns until the happy ending.
as does their number, “Stiff Upper Lip” (originally from the film ). It’s pleasant but not memorable. The same is true of “Naughty Baby,” a number for Bobby’s longtime New York fiancée, Irene, and Lank, the saloon owner she falls for. It should work better than it does. Both occur at points in the second act where you are ready for everything to wrap up. These two numbers seem to prolong the goings-on for no real purpose.
Will Burton dances up a storm as Bobby and effectively puts over the Gershwin songs. Perhaps there could be more chemistry between him and Brittany Zeinstra as Polly. If Burton is the stronger dancer, Zeinstra is the stronger singer; her rendition of “Someone to Watch Over Me” is excellent.
One of the strengths of the show is the supporting cast and ensemble. Each creates a unique character, from the cowboys to the chorus girls. Taylor Lane may be an ensemble member, but her performance as Tess, Zangler’s assistant, makes the character more than a stereotype.
High praise goes to Edward Juvier, who plays the real Bela Zangler, and Jeremy Davis, who plays Polly’s father, whose dream is to open the theater. David Andrew Morton makes Lank Hawkins, the closest thing to a villain the show has, just the right degree of menacing. Yet Haley Rogers, as Bobby’s New York fiancée, Irene, somehow seems bland.
Goodspeed’s nine-piece orchestra provides plenty of brass and rhythm. As usual, Adam Souza, as musical director, has honed the singers and orchestra into a cohesive whole. Jay Hilton does his usual outstanding job with the sound.
If you don’t “ooh” and “aah” at the elaborate Follies-style costumes and headdresses, courtesy of costume designer Joseph Shrope, you must be jaded. They are breathtaking to behold.
Don’t quibble about a few missteps in the production — you get to hear lovely renditions of “Bidin’ My Time,” “I Can’t Be Bothered Now,” “Embraceable You,” “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” “But Not for Me,” and more.
Substituting the theater for the dude ranch allows Ludwig to bring in the Zangler Follies chorus girls and makes the songs and dance numbers more plausible.
But Ludwig’s book isn’t perfect, just as this production isn’t perfect. Retaining Mr. and Mrs. Fodor, two staid British travel writers, seems unnecessary,
Who could ask for anything more? runs through Sunday, Aug. 16. Tickets are available at Goodspeed.org.
Crazy for You
A Damsel in Distress
Special to Living
Photo by Diane Sobolewski
Will Burton, center, and the cast of Goodspeed Musicals' Crazy for You
Photo by Diane Sobolewski
The company of Goodspeed Musicals' brings high-energy singing and dancing to the Gershwin classic. Crazy for You
Continued from page 22
79th Annual Guilford Art League Art Exhibit
SATURDAY,
JULY 18
Boat America Boating Safety Course:
: Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guilford Green, 122 Broad Street. Features original artwork by members of the Guilford Art League displayed outdoors on the Guilford Green. Held in conjunction with the Guilford Art Center Craft Expo. Free. For info, visit guilfordartleague.org. 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Building, Cedar Island Marina, 34 Riverside Dr., Clinton. One-day NASBLAapproved boating safety course. Cost: $65 prepaid by Thursday before class; $70 day of class; $75 walk-in, space permitting. For info or to register, contact Mark Bennett at 860-304-2696 or m.a.bennett@sbcglobal.net
How-To: Needle Felting
: 9 a.m. to noon. Killingworth Library, 274 Route 81. Carole Pleines leads an introduction to needle felting. Materials fee: $10. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Flintknapping and Atlatl Demonstration
: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dudley Farm, 2351 Durham Rd., Guilford. Features demonstrations of Native American flintknapping techniques and atlatl throwing. Participants may try throwing a reproduction atlatl. For info, visit dudleyfarm.com/events.
Salt Shaker Bouquets
: 10 to 11:30 a.m. Westbrook Public Library, 61 Goodspeed Drive. For adults 18 and older. Participants will create flower bouquets using salt shakers and buttons. For info or to register (required), call 860-399-6422 or visit westbrooklibrary.org.
Historic Downtown Walking Tour
: 11 a.m. Allis-Bushnell House, 853 Boston Post Rd, Madison. Guided walking tour of Madison's historic downtown presented by the Madison Historical Society. Space is limited to 10 participants. Advance ticket purchase required; no walk-ins accepted. For info or tickets, visit madisonhistory.org/events.
Summer Market and Open House
: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
A Town
Pokémon Club
: 2 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Features Pokémon card games, activities, and trading. Cards will be available for use during the program. For children ages 6 to 11. Free. For info or to register, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
Shakey: An Evening with Neil Young… Almost
: 2 to 4 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Features musician Briz performing a Neil Young tribute show, with narratives about the songs and the artist's career. Sponsored by the Friends of Blackstone Library. Free. For info or to register (required), call 203488-1441 x 318 or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.
Drag Queen Bingo
: 7 p.m. North Madison Congregational Church, 1271 Durham Rd. Features bingo, performances by Shaneeda Razor and Brandy Alexander Amore St. James, refreshments for purchase, and fundraising for the church. All ages. Cost: $25. Alcohol-free event. For info or tickets, call 203-421-3241 or visit northmadisoncc.org/bingo.
Open Dance Party
: 7 to 10 p.m. Time to Dance Ballroom Dance Studio, 45 NE Industrial Rd., Branford. Features a group dance lesson with Karen Pfrommer from 7 to 7:30 p.m., followed by ballroom dancing. Admission: $20. Light refreshments will be served. For info, contact 203208-0017 or info@timetodanceballroom.com.
SUNDAY, JULY 19
Trades Day
: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Henry Whitfield State Museum, 248 Old Whitfield St., Guilford. Features woodworking demonstrations, hands-on activities, and opportunities to learn about traditional woodworking tools and techniques. Presented by TradesUp. Free. Rain or shine. Admission to the Whitfield House and Visitor Center galleries is also free. For info, contact 203-453-2457 or whitfieldmuseum@ct.gov, or visit portal.ct.gov/ECD-HenryWhitfieldStateMuseum.
Escape Alive Self-Defense Class
Named Madison: Celebrating 200 Years
Allis-Bushnell House Museum, 853 Boston Post Rd, Madison. Features artists, creative vendors, and the exhibit. Hosted by the Madison Historical Society. Free. For info, call 203245-4567 or visit madisonhistory.org.
"A Dash of Nutmeggery in the Revolutionary War" featuring Tom Callinan
: 1 to 2 p.m. Westbrook Public Library, 61 Goodspeed Drive. For adults 18 and older. Features songs from the 1700s and stories about Connecticut during the Revolutionary War. For info or to register (required), call 860-399-6422 or visit westbrooklibrary.org.
: 1 to 5 p.m. Old Saybrook Parks and Recreation Gymnasium, 308 Main St. Free self-defense training for women and girls ages 12 and older. Presented by Jane Doe No More in partnership with East Coast Training Systems and hosted by Old Saybrook Youth and Family Services. Registration required. For info or to register, call 203-729-0245 or visit janedoenomore.org.
Shoreline Jazz Quartet: Celebrating the Music of Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans
: 2 p.m. Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library, 146 Thimble Islands Rd., Branford. Features a performance by the Shoreline Jazz Quartet celebrating the music of Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans. For info or to register, call 203-488-8702.
All About Trains with CT Rail
: 10:30 to 11 a.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd, North Branford. Features a presentation about train safety, navigating the CT Rail system, and destinations accessible by rail for children in pre-K through grade 5. Registration required. For info or to register, call 203-315-6020 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.
MONDAY, JULY 20
Outdoor Fun: Grades 3 and 4
: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Old Saybrook Youth and Family Services, 322 Main St., Old Saybrook. Outdoor program featuring park exploration, trail activities, games, and more. Registration required. For info, visit osyfs.org.
10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features breathing exercises, stretching, and movement for all experience levels. Continues July 27. No registration required. For info, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Yoga with Hannah: Art with Kristin
: 4 to 5:15 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Participants will create a Statue of Liberty drawing. For rising second- through sixth-grade students. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.
TUESDAY, JULY 21
: 9 to 10 a.m. Estuary, 220 Main St., Old Saybrook. Program for students entering grades 3 to 4 introducing string instruments and basic music skills. Fee is $40. Registration required. For info, visit osyfs.org.
Junior Strings Pick Your Project Glass Class
: 2 p.m. RiverFire Glass, 500 Main St., Deep River. Create a fused-glass project. No experience necessary. For info or to register, email RiverFireGlass@gmail.com or visit riverfireglass.com.
Historical Fiction Book Club
The Doll Factory
: 2 to 3 p.m. Westbrook Public Library, 61 Goodspeed Drive. For adults 18 and older. Book: by Elizabeth Macneal. Copies are available for pickup at the circulation desk. For info or to register, call 860-399-6422 or visit westbrooklibrary.org.
Plant the Seed Learning Series: Coding with LEGO WeDo!
: 3:30 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features a program for children ages 5 to 12 to build, engineer, and code with LEGO WeDo robots while learning the basics of engineering, robotics, and coding. Free. For info or to register (required), call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Dinosaurs Rock!
: 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Presented by Cool-ology. Explores different types of dinosaurs, how they lived, and how fossils help scientists understand prehistoric life through hands-on activities, games, and fossil exploration. Recommended for children ages 6 to 12. Registration required. For info or to register, call 203315-6020 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.
Tapping Into the Past: Tavern Life in Early Connecticut
: 6 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Presented by the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History. Explores the role of taverns in early Connecticut communities. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.
See page 25
Dan Pugach Big Band with Nicole Zuraitis to Perform in Clinton
Press
The George Flynn Classical Concerts series will present the Dan Pugach Big Band, with special guest Nicole Zuraitis, at 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2, at The Morgan School Auditorium, 71 Killingworth Turnpike.
Pugach is a Grammy Award-winning drummer and composer, a five-time Grammy nominee, and a two-time ASCAP Foundation Jazz Composer Award recipient. His latest album, Bianca Reimagined: Music for Paws and Persistence (2024), featuring Zuraitis, won the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. The Dan Pugach Big Band has performed at venues including Dizzy’s, Birdland, Blue Note, and the Red Sea Jazz Festival.
Zuraitis is a two-time Grammy Awardwinning and six-time Grammy-nominated jazz singer-songwriter, pianist, producer, and arranger.
Free tickets must be reserved through the George Flynn Classical Concerts website. Clinton residents may reserve tickets beginning one month before each concert. If tickets remain available, nonresidents may reserve them beginning two weeks before the performance.
For more information, visit george flynnclassicalconcerts.com or the George Flynn Classical Concerts Facebook page.
Continued from page 24
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22
Boys Group
: 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Old Saybrook Youth and Family Services, 322 Main St., Old Saybrook. For boys entering grades 7 and 8. Includes off-site trips and activities. $60. Registration required. For info, email adam.stahr@oldsaybrookct.gov.
Birds Are Dinosaurs
: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Northford Park, 1827 Middletown Rd. Presented by Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center. Explores how modern birds are related to dinosaurs through hands-on activities and a live bird ambassador. For all ages. Registration required. Rain location: Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. For info or to register, call 203-315-6020 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.
The Importance of Connecticut to the Revolution
:
5:30 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Storyteller and journalist Mike Allen discusses key people and events in Connecticut during the American Revolution. Registration suggested. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Book Bedazzling
: 5:30 p.m. Deep River Public Library, 150 Main St. For ages 11 through adult. Participants will decorate a book cover with gems. Bring a book to embellish. Hosted by Shell & Bee. For info or to register (required), call 860-526-6039 or visit deepriverlibrary.libcal.com.
The Turtle: David Bushnell’s Revolutionary Vessel
:
Turtle:
David Bushnell’s Revolutionary Vessel
Karaoke: America 250 Event
Hamilton Hamilton
: 6 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Features a singalong of songs from . Light refreshments provided. Hosted by Brian Story. Free. For info or to register (suggested), call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org. :
7 p.m. Westbrook Town Hall, 866 Boston Post Rd. Features a presentation by Frederick J. Frese and Roy R. Manstan on David Bushnell’s submarine, the Turtle. Frese and Manstan built, launched, and tested a full-size working replica of the vessel and are co-authors of . A question-andanswer session will follow at the Turtle model displayed in Town Hall. Hosted by the Westbrook Historical Society. For info, contact 860-399-7473 or westbrookhistoricalsocietyct@gmail.com.
Guilford Job Network
Chautauqua Series: Witchcraft in Colonial America
6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Tpke., Clinton. Part of the Clinton Human Rights Committee's Fifth Annual Chautauqua Series. Features Dr. Rebecca Tannenbaum, senior lecturer in history at Yale University, discussing witchcraft accusations and trials in colonial Connecticut and New England. Musical guest Allison Farrell and poet Bethany Howard. Refreshments will be served. For info or to register (recommended), call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.
: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Via Zoom. Hosted by St. George Catholic Church. Features guest speakers. Open to all job seekers. For info or to receive the Zoom meeting link, contact Russ Allen at 203-457-0121 or RussAllen2@aol.com.
THURSDAY, JULY 23
Thrifting Thursdays
: 9:30 a.m. to noon. Old Saybrook Youth and Family Services, 322 Main St., Old Saybrook. Program for students entering grades 7 to 12 exploring local thrift shops and cafes. Registration required. For info, contact 860-510-5050 or jessica.wood@oldsaybrookct.gov, or visit osyfs.org.
Release from the George Flynn Concert Series
Photo courtesy of the George Flynn Classical Concerts Series
The Dan Pugach Big Band, joined by special guest Nicole Zuraitis, will perform Aug. 2 as part of the George Flynn Classical Concerts series at The Morgan School Auditorium in Clinton.
Madison Lyric Stage Presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Madison Lyric Stage will present William Shakespeare’s beloved comedy July Friday, 17, to Sunday, July 26, at the Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society.
The production follows four young lovers and the weaver Bottom as they wander into an enchanted forest where a quarrel A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Continued from page 25
between the fairy king and queen unleashes the mischievous Puck, turning romance and reason upside down. Filled with fairies, magic, mistaken identities, and comic chaos, the play explores love, illusion, and the fine line between dreams and reality.
Audiences can arrive early for a festive outdoor pre-show featuring roaming musicians, madrigal singers, food, and drinks
before each performance.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
“ is perhaps Shakespeare’s most joyful comedies,” Artistic Director Marc Deaton said. “It is indeed a feast of magic and mayhem, and I’m sure our audiences will find it irresistible fun.”
Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. at the Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Soci-
Comic and Graphic Novel Workshop
: 10:30 a.m. Deep
ety, 297 Boston Post Road, Madison. Tickets are $45.
Madison Lyric Stage is an award-winning professional non-Equity theater company dedicated to presenting accessible, inclusive, and affordable opera, musical theater, and drama. For more information, visit madisonlyricstage.org.
The Wonders and Perils of Bird Migration
: 10 to 11 a.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Features stepby-step painting instruction for rising fourth- through seventh-grade students. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.
Painting With Carol Furbearers of Connecticut:
12:30 to 1:15 p.m. Killingworth Library, 274 Route 81. DEEP Master Wildlife Conservationist Julie Shaw discusses Connecticut wildlife and presents animal pelts. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Punk Taco : 4:30 p.m.
River Public Library, 150 Main St. For ages 8 and older. Local artist and writer Adam Wallenta, creator of , will demonstrate comic and graphic novel creation, including character design and printing options. For info or to register (required), call 860-526-6039 or visit deepriverlibrary.libcal.com.
Teen Crafternoon: Mending Workshop
: 3 to 4 p.m.
Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Participants will learn basic sewing and clothing repair techniques. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.
Westbrook Public Library, 61 Goodspeed Dr. Craig Repasz discusses bird migration, including migration routes, behaviors, challenges faced by migratory birds, and the importance of stopover sites. Repasz is co-chair of Lights Out Connecticut and president of the Friends of Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. Hosted by the Westbrook Garden Club. For info, email westbrookgardenclubct@yahoo.com.
See page 27
Photo courtesy of Madison Lyric Stage
Cast members and the creative team for Madison Lyric Stage's upcoming production of
gather during rehearsals. The Shakespeare comedy runs July 17-26 in Madison.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Press Release from Madison Lyric Stage
Whitfield Museum to Host Trades Day
The Henry Whitfield State Museum will host Trades Day, a free, hands-on woodworking program for all ages, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 19. The event will feature demonstrations, interactive activities, and opportunities to learn traditional woodworking skills.
Presented in partnership with TradesUp, the program offers a STEAM-based learning experience that introduces participants to woodworking with hand tools while building skills in basic math, measuring, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving. TradesUp is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging people to explore the skilled trades through hands-on experiences.
Master Connecticut woodworker Rick Liegl will demonstrate 17th- and 18th-century joinery and carving techniques. A selection of his handmade pieces will also be available for purchase.
visitors during a previous Trades Day at the
Connecticut artist and woodworker Lara Miller will demonstrate traditional New England decorative woodcarving. Along with creating historical reproductions, Miller incorporates many of these traditional techniques and designs into her contemporary artwork.
Continued from page 26
Andrew Rowand, curator of the Eric Sloane Museum in Kent, will give visitors the opportunity to work with antique woodworking
hand tools from the museum’s collection. The museum honors Connecticut artist and author Eric Sloane, whose extensive collection of early American hand tools celebrates the craftsman-
ship of American artisans.
Trades Day will be held rain or shine. Admission to the Henry Whitfield House and Visitor Center exhibit galleries is also free.
For more information, call 203453-2457, email whitfield museum@ct.gov, or visit portal. ct.gov/ECD-HenryWhitfieldStateMuseum.
Summer Nights @ APL: Playful Engineers: Chain Reactions and Creative Contraptions
11 a.m. Allis-Bushnell House, 853 Boston Post Rd, Madison. Guided walking tour of Madison's historic downtown presented by the Madison Historical Society. Space is limited to 10 participants. Advance ticket purchase required; no walk-ins accepted. For info or tickets, visit madisonhistory.org/events.
: 5 to 7 p.m. Mercy by the Sea, 167 Neck Rd., Madison. Features a gallery program with photographer Bill Graustein discussing the exhibition . For info, call 203-245-0401 or visit mercybythesea.org.
Traces: Witness and Trespass
: 5:15 p.m. Westbrook Public Library, 61 Goodspeed Drive. Intended for ages 6 to 13. Features Rachel from The Replanted Witch leading participants in creating a crystal-tipped wand and demonstrating basic wand movements. Space is limited. For info or to register (required), call 860-399-6422 or visit westbrooklibrary.org.
: 5:30 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Features a hands-on workshop where participants build Rube Goldberg-style contraptions. Sponsored by the Friends of Acton Library. Free. For info or to register (suggested), call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
Summer Movie Nite
: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Killingworth Library, 274 Route 81. Features family movie screenings with popcorn. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Craft and Board Game Night
: 6 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Features crafts and board games for all ages. For info or to register, email SMehmet@clintonct.gov.
Pick Your Project Glass Class
: 6 p.m. RiverFire Glass, 500 Main St., Deep River. Create a fused-glass project. No experience necessary. For info or to register, email RiverFireGlass@gmail.com or visit riverfireglass.com.
A Career in Movies with Storyboard Artist Brick Mason
: 6 to 7:30 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Features a discussion on working in the film industry with storyboard artist Brick Mason, including storyboard samples and a video presentation comparing original storyboards with finished films. Free. For info or to register (required), call 203-488-1441 x 318 or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.
Replanted Witch: Awakening the Stones
: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Westbrook Public Library, 61 Goodspeed Drive. For teens. Features an exploration of crystals and chakras led by The Replanted Witch. Participants will create a crystal chip-infused rollerball to take home. For info or to register (required), call 860-399-6422 or visit westbrooklibrary.org.
Take a Vet Fishing Benefit Concert
: 6 to 8 p.m. Stony Creek Congregational Church, 192 Thimble Island Rd., Branford. Features performances by Take Two and Call Me in the Morning. Bring a lawn chair or beach chair for seating on the front lawn. Donations welcome. For info, contact 203-488-7827 or office@stonycreekchurchct.org.
See page 30
Press Release from the Henry Whitfield State Museum
Photo courtesy of the Henry Whitfield State Museum
Photo courtesy of the Henry Whitfield State Museum
Connecticut woodworkers Rick Liegl, left, and Lara Miller display examples of their handcrafted work. Both will demonstrate historic woodworking techniques during Trades Day at the Henry Whitfield State Museum.
A demonstrator explains traditional woodworking techniques to young
Henry Whitfield State Museum.
Historic Downtown Walking Tour:
Gallery Stories: Wand Workshop Traces: Witness and Trespass
Horoscopes Crossword
For the week of July 16 - July 22
ARIES • Mar 21/Apr 20
How you respond to a situation matters more than how quickly you react, Aries. Interactions with others will feel more charged than expected, but will be effective.
TAURUS • Apr 21/May 21
Taurus, slow down so you can see what actually matters right now. You may feel slightly off if you move too quickly; give yourself time to respond to those seeking your help.
GEMINI • May 22/Jun 21
You may want to say yes to something quickly, Gemini, without giving it ample time for consideration. Do not jump into things without careful reflection. It’s hard to backtrack.
CANCER • Jun 22/Jul 22
What you prioritize this week will shape how stable you feel, Cancer. Focus on those things that matter to you the most and give them your full attention.
LEO • Jul 23/Aug 23
Leo, when your messages are clear and direct, others will understand you more easily and this will keep discussions moving forward. Clarity comes from simplicity.
VIRGO • Aug 24/Sept 22
This week you may feel a pull between staying comfortable and going deeper into something that has been on your mind, Virgo. When you stay grounded, your decisions will be easier.
JULY 16
Will Ferrell, Actor (59)
JULY 17
Luke Bryan, Singer (50)
JULY 18
Kristen Bell, Actress (46)
JULY 19
Jared Padalecki, Actor (44)
LIBRA • Sept 23/Oct 23
Tell others what you need without conforming to what you think they want you to be, Libra. You may feel pulled between your needs and theirs. Stay clear about what works for you.
SCORPIO • Oct 24/Nov 22
Set clear boundaries around your time this week, Scorpio. Your work will be consistent and controlled. This is how to find success.
SAGITTARIUS • Nov 23/Dec 21
Sagittarius, plans will move better this week when you keep them simple and flexible. Progress will build when you have a clear and manageable plan.
CAPRICORN • Dec 22/Jan 20
It is important to be direct with others about your limits, Capricorn. Identifying what you are willing to do and what you are not can help you and others to achieve your collective goals.
AQUARIUS • Jan 21/Feb 18
A shift in your perspective this week helps everything make more sense to you, Aquarius. You may feel tension, but take a moment to think before responding to others.
PISCES • Feb 19/Mar 20
You may be pulled to either avoid a topic or resolve it quickly, Pisces. Progress builds when you stay present and define what’s actually beneficial.
FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
JULY 20
Julianne Hough, Dancer (38)
JULY 21
Juno Temple, Actress (37)
JULY 22
Willem Dafoe, Actor (71)
CLUES ACROSS
1. Tire pressure measurement
4. Request
7. Clairvoyance
10. 007’s creator
11. Adult male
12. God of battle (Scandinavian)
13. Cloths spread over a coffin
15. Breeze through 16. Ladyfish genus
19. We all take them
21. Earl’s jurisdiction
23. Members of U.S. Navy
24. Rummy-like card game
25. Affected by injury
26. Member of a Semitic people
27. Withdrew from a union
30. Woman’s cloak
34. Spanish river
35. Prohibit
36. Something you can take
41. Dish soap brand
45. Ottoman military commanders
46. Ancient Italian-Greek colony
47. Makes somber
50. Discuss again
54. A tool to inject
55. Support
56. Informal term for money
57. Catch doing something wrong
59. Prehistoric people
60. Large African antelope
61. Vehicle
62. Georgia rockers
63. High resolution microscope
64. Pitching statistic
65. Attempt
CLUES DOWN
1. Indoor plant
2. Marketable
3. Rather
4. Collected
5. A bag-like structure in a plant or animal
6. Irish hip-hop trio
7. Ageless
8. Course requirements
9. Pokes at
13. TV channel
14. They __
17. Cooking material
18. Investment account
20. Iron-containing compound
22. Swiss river
27. Small coin (French)
28. Electronic countermeasures
29. Taxi
31. Helps little firms
32. Unhappy
33. Midway between northeast and east
37. Glowing
38. Item to be addressed
39. An informal body of friends
40. Intrinsic nature of something
41. Neural structures
42. Brews
43. A place for ships
44. One who sings holiday songs
47. Sino-Soviet block (abbr.)
48. Scottish town
49. The most worthless parts
51. Sticky
52. Put to work
53. Precursor to the EU
58. Retrospective analysis (abbr.)
Word Search
Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, and diagonally throughout the puzzle.
AT THE GRILL WORD SEARCH
BACKYARD BARBECUE BURGER CHARCOAL CHICKEN DELICIOUS FLAME FLAREUP GRATE HEAT MARINADE PROPANE SAUSAGES SEAR SEASONING SIZZLE SKEWERS SMOKE SPATULA STEAK SUMMER TEMPERATURE TONGS VEGETABLES
Word Scramble
Word Scramble solution for July 9, 2026: CREDIT
Word Search solution for July 9, 2026
Period cookware, ingredients, and reproduction tools are used during a colonial chocolate-making demonstration.
period-style equipment.
Exploring Chocolate and the Revolution
Press Release from
The New Haven Museum will present “Sweet Liberty: John Adams & Chocolate in the Revolution” at the Pardee-Morris House at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 19.
The afternoon begins with a presentation by colonial chocolatier Robert Lecce of Pewter Pot Chocolates, who will demonstrate how chocolate was sourced, prepared, and enjoyed during the 18th century using period-appropriate tools and ingredients. Lecce’s demonstration is based on recipes developed by a prominent Norwich businessman who produced chocolate in Con-
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ONGOING EVENTS
Farmers Markets
necticut during the 1770s. Visitors will have an opportunity to purchase handcrafted chocolates following the presentation.
At 2 p.m., reenactor George Baker will portray President John Adams in “Meet John Adams,” a one-man performance that brings the nation’s second president to life through storytelling, music, and song. Baker explores Adams’ journey from his early years in Braintree, Massachusetts, to his leadership during the American Revolution, diplomatic service in Europe, and presidency from 1797 to 1801. A graduate of Columbia College and
Columbia Law School, Baker portrayed Adams at venues across the country, including the presidential libraries of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Harry S. Truman, and George H.W. Bush, as well as the New York Historical Society. He practiced law in Connecticut from 1973 through 2024. Lecce developed an interest in recreating 18th-century chocolate while working as a colonial reenactor. He later founded Pewter Pot Chocolates, an 18th-centurystyle chocolate house in Salem, where visitors can enjoy handcrafted confections and drinking chocolate prepared from a 1745 recipe.
Farmers Market at the Guilford Fairgrounds
Dudley Farm Farmers' Market : 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays through October, weather permitting. Guilford Fairgrounds, 111 Lovers Ln. Features locally grown produce, baked goods, artisan breads, meats, seafood, fresh pasta, eggs, specialty foods, and Connecticut-made crafts. Rain or shine. For info, email farmersmarket@guilfordfair.org
: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Saturdays through Oct. 31. Dudley Farm, 2351 Durham Rd., Guilford. Features fresh produce, prepared foods, baked goods, handmade crafts, live music, children’s activities, and seasonal events. For info, email marketmanager@dudleyfarmfoundation.com or visit dudleyfarm.com.
Old Saybrook Farmers Market
: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Wednesdays and Saturdays through Oct. 28. 210 Main St., Old Saybrook. Features Connecticut-grown and Connecticut-made products from local farmers, food producers, and artisans. For info, visit the Old Saybrook Farmers Market on Facebook.
The program is part of NH250, the New Haven Museum’s series commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary by exploring local and lesser-known stories from the Revolutionary era.
The Pardee-Morris House, at 325 Lighthouse Road, dates to about 1780. Originally built by Amos Morris around 1750, it was burned during the British raid on New Haven in 1779 before being rebuilt by the Morris family. The property was later donated to the New Haven Museum. The event is free. For more information, visit newhavenmuseum.org or call 203562-4183.
Stony Creek Farmers’ Market
: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 1. Bayview Park, Thimble Island Rd., Stony Creek. Features a weekly market with local produce, baked goods, seafood, meats, crafts, live music, and family activities. For info, call 203-988-9335 or email shreichert@gmail.com, or visit scfarmersmarket.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.
Photo courtesy of the New Haven Museum
Photo courtesy of the New Haven Museum
A colonial interpreter demonstrates 18th-century chocolate-making techniques using
the New Haven Museum
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