February 12, 2026
Branford, North Branford & Northford
Vol. XXX Iss. 7
Beacon Hill Project Approved; Sewer Hurdle Remains
By Eric O'Connell
Staff Writer
A new age-restricted community for residents 55 and older may be coming to Branford after the Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously approved an application for construction of a new road serving 22 housing units off Rose Hill Road. The project, however, is contingent on the developer
securing sewer access.
At a meeting Feb. 5, the commission approved construction of seven buildings housing 22 age-restricted units on Beacon Hill Road off Rose Hill Road near the East Haven border. The application was received in November, and the commission held two public hearings at which no members of the public spoke.
The application was submitted by Paul
Santa Barbara, who also owns the property. Timmothy Lee, an attorney representing the applicant, told the commission that several years ago it approved a 10-lot open-space residential development for the site. The development was plotted but never built, and the proposed new street was never constructed.
See Beacon Hill Project page 9
Into the Freeze
Small boats sit surrounded by ice at Stony Creek Harbor in Branford on Feb. 8, 2026, including the Branford Fire Department’s Marine 5 in the background. The harbor froze during extreme cold, with temperatures dropping to 1 degree and wind chills well below zero. Connecticut has remained under a Severe Cold Weather Protocol since Jan. 23, the state’s longest consecutive activation since 2015.
Amy Donegan
is carrying a legacy of early childhood education, advocation, and education through play...............................................2
North Branford boys' basketball is taking it back to the state tournament..................................11
ONE Concert for Spring Orchestra New England (ONE) gives a prelude to spring with its BaroqueFest concert................................19
PhotobyWesleyBunnell/ TheSound
Amy Donegan Carries Forward Duck Pond Legacy
By Alicia Gomez
Special to The Sound
When Amy Donegan’s mother, Susan Pavelko, died, she left a legacy as a respected and devoted child educator and caretaker in the Branford community. But it was up to Amy to unexpectedly carry on her mother’s legacy as she took on leadership of the family business, Duck Pond Learning Center.
With years of experience working at Duck Pond Learning Center, founded by her parents, Amy was already familiar with child care. In fact, she always knew she would work with children. She majored in early childhood education and worked as a preschool teacher before joining Duck Pond Learning Center full-time.
That background gave her a strong foundation in working with children and understanding family needs. Still, she had to quickly adapt to the broader responsibilities that came with a leadership role.
Duck Pond Learning Center opened in Branford in 1993. The center was originally part of a partnership that operated multiple child care programs in Milford and Branford. As the programs grew, the
Person of the Week
partnership eventually split, and the Pavelko family became the sole owner and operator of Duck Pond Learning Center in Branford. The center has remained at its current Branford location since that time.
Amy strives to emulate her mother’s approach to leadership, both within the business and in the larger community. She continues her mother’s philosophy of “education through play,” an approach that allows children to learn through curiosity, exploration, and intentional
“Everybody wants their child to go to school learning ABCs and 123s and colors and numbers, and they will, but they don’t have to sit down and do workbook pages,”
At Duck Pond, intentional play may
look like children cleaning up blocks by color, counting pieces as they build, or learning science through hands-on sensory experiences. Math, literacy, and problemsolving skills are woven into everyday activities in ways that feel natural to
While Amy believes children have a great deal to learn through play, she also believes adults have just as much to learn
“If we could all act like children under 5, it would be a kinder place to live,” Amy
She points to children’s ability to forgive
Relationships are central to how Amy leads the center. Whether it’s parents or staff, her office door is always open.
“If people know you and trust you and know that you have their best interest at heart, that speaks volumes in any job,” she says. “I really learned so much of that from
Her staff, many of whom have worked at Duck Pond for decades, play a critical role in the center’s day-to-day success.
See Amy Donegan page 10
Photo courtesy of Amy Donegan
Amy Donegan, owner and director of Duck Pond Learning Center in Branford, stepped into leadership of the family child care business following the death of her mother, Susan Pavelko, carrying forward a legacy of early childhood education, community advocacy, and “education through play.”
Branford, North Branford, & Northford’s Hometown Newspaper Founded in 1997
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Nominations Open for 14th Annual Beacon Awards
Managing Editor Laura Robida
Since 2013, the Beacon Awards have been our way of pausing to say thank you to the people who quietly hold our shoreline communities together.
What began as a small effort to recognize a handful of extraordinary neighbors has grown into an annual tradition. Over the past 13 years, Shore Publishing and Zip06.com have honored nearly 200 individuals whose generosity, compassion, and commitment have strengthened our towns in ways both large and small. In 2026, we are proud to continue that tradition with the 14th annual Beacon Awards, to be held Wednesday, June 24, at Woodwinds in Branford.
Beacon Award honorees are not chosen for accolades or titles. They are chosen because they show up—consistently and selflessly. They lead food drives, mentor young people, advocate for neighbors, preserve local history, protect vulnerable populations, and give their time without expectation of recognition. These are the people who make our shoreline a place of opportunity, well-being, and connection.
As a local news organization, we have the privilege of telling many meaningful stories throughout the year. But the Beacon Awards are special. They are shaped directly by the community through nominations submitted by readers, neighbors, coworkers, and friends. You are the ones who know who is making a difference, often quietly and sometimes without thanks.
We invite you to submit your nominations for the 2026 Beacon Awards at www.beaconawardsct.com. Nominees must be at least 18 years old and have a strong connection to one of our shoreline communities, including Branford, Chester, Clinton, Deep River, East Haven, Essex, Guilford, Killingworth, Madison, North Branford, North Haven, Old Saybrook, or Westbrook. Nominations are due by Friday, March 13.
To our past honorees, nominees, sponsors, and nominators: thank you. The Beacon Awards endure because of your belief that service matters and that those who give of themselves deserve to be seen. Who inspires you? We’re looking forward to hearing their story.
In partnership with the Branford Parks and Recreation and Shoreline Adult Education, The Legacy Theatre offers its performance classes for students across ages, ranging from toddlers to adults. Classes take place either at the Joseph Trapasso Community House, 46 Church Street, Branford, or at Branford High School, 185 East Main Street. For more information on the class offerings, call The Legacy Theatre at 203-315-1901 or visit legacytheatrect.org/classes.
The Branford Elks Lodge is offering a $1,500 scholarship to a student who has been actively involved in service to the community. To be eligible, applicants must be Branford residents or members of the family of a Branford Elk in good standing and graduating from high school this calendar year. To apply, students need to submit a copy of their transcript, a letter of recommendation, and an essay describing what their involvement in their community has been. Transcripts should include their senior year courses taken. Letters of recommendation should be from an individual familiar with the work described in their essay. Recommendations from teachers describing academic achievement do not carry the weight of a recommendation from an individual with firsthand knowledge of their contributions to the community. Essays should be between 500 and 1,000 words in length. They should be wellwritten, succinct, and focused on their work in the community, not what they have accomplished in the classroom. Applications can be mailed to The Branford Elks Lodge #1939, 158 South Montowese Street, Branford, CT 06405 (Attention: Amy Lawler). The deadline for applications is Friday, April 10, For more information, email Amy Lawler at amyalisia@hotmail.com.
The Legacy Theatre Announces Classes
Branford Elks Welcomes Applications for Scholarship
Christian Maldonado Valley Courier
Betsy Lemkin The Sound Guilford Courier Ext. 6130
Cindy Breckheimer The Source Ext. 6140
Lori Gregan Valley Courier Ext. 6167
Maria Caulfield Living Editor
Alicia Gomez Specialty Publications Editor
Laura Giannelli Chief Revenue Officer Ext. 4304
Laura Robida Managing Editor Ext. 6119
Alan C. Ellis Production Director
Lisa Martin Real Estate Advertising Ext. 6122
Eric O’Connell Harbor News
Serenity Bishop Sports Editor Ext. 6141
Rita Christopher Senior Correspondent
Kristen Lennon Circulation Advertising Assistant
Aaron Rubin The Source Guilford Courier
Wesley Bunnell Chief of Photography
Editorial Staff
Obituaries
Obituary
Herbert Ekblade
Branford
Herbert T. Ekblade of Branford died Jan. 28, 2026, at Connecticut Hospice. He was the beloved husband of Gail Ekblade, and together they shared 63 wonderful years of marriage.
Mr. Ekblade was born in New Haven on Jan. 5, 1938, a son of the late Harry R. and Alice L. Ferguson Ekblade. He was a graduate of Quinnipiac College and proudly served in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Following college, Herbert worked as an account executive for O.M. Scott & Sons. He later branched out on his own, founding 95 Wholesale Nursery in Orange. He eventually joined his family’s automobile business, Ekblade Oldsmobile in Hamden, where he served as general sales manager for many years.
He also worked for Tremonte Cadillac before retiring. In retirement, Herbert embraced the simple pleasures he loved most. He was a devoted New York Giants and Boston Red Sox fan, found great enjoyment spending hours working on puzzles, especially loved playing bocce with his friends, and looked forward to their Thursday group lunches, which he truly cherished. He and Gail also spent many wonderful winters at Vista Del Lago in Stuart, FL, creating lasting memories.
In addition to his wife, Gail, he is survived by his children, Wendi Ekblade of San Diego, CA, Cindy (Anthony) Castellon of Branford, and Scott (Susan) Ekblade of Denver, CO. He was predeceased by his siblings, Carl Ekblade and Karen Kelley.
Relatives and friends are invited to a visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening, Feb. 4, at the W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 2344 North Main St., Branford.
See Obituaries page 6
Tax Relief for Veterans and Elderly or Totally Disabled Homeowners
The Town of North Branford Assessor's Office announces that applications for the elderly homeowner, totally disabled homeowner, and additional veteran programs are available in the Assessor’s Office through Friday, May 15. To qualify, applicants must be 65 by Dec. 31, 2025, or be considered totally disabled by the Social Security Administration. Income levels are as follows: for the state program, $46,300 for a single person or $56,500 for a married couple and for the local program, $60,000 if single or $70,000 if married. Applicants are required to bring their 2025 Federal Tax Return and 2025 Social Security Statement (1099). Applicants who do not file a return must provide proof of all forms of income, including, but not limited to, their 1099 statement, pension income, annuity income, and interest. No appointment is required. For more information, contact the Assessor’s Office at 203-484-6013 or ac@northbranfordct.gov.
Free Business and Leadership Program
Next Girl Up, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young women, is partnering with the Soundview Family YMCA to host a free 10-week business and leadership program every Wednesday from Feb. 25 through May 6 (no session April 15). The sessions take place from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Soundview YMCA, 628 East Main Street, Branford. The program introduces students to marketing, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and career exploration. Designed for girls in grades 9 to 12, Next Girl Up helps participants build confidence, communication skills, and practical knowledge rarely taught in traditional classrooms. Weekly sessions feature interactive lessons, group discussions, and real-world case studies. No prior experience or interest in business is required. The program is free and open to high school students in the community. For more information or to register, visit nextgirlup.org/soundview-ymca-february-2026.
Contacting The Sound
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Letters must be 300 words or fewer and are subject to editing for clarity, style, and adherence to policy. Letter writers may be asked to supply sources to corroborate information presented as fact in letters.
Civility is required. Letters with personal attacks, unsubstantiated allegations, or inflammatory language will be declined.
For letters endorsing a political candidate, Shore Publishing will accept one endorsement per writer per candidate. Letters with negative content are not accepted for the two issues preceding elections to allow for candidate rebuttal.
Letters must be received and verbally confirmed by 5 p.m. Thursday, seven days prior to publication. Confirmation does not guarantee publication. Publication is subject to approval by the editor.
Letter writers who knowingly violate this policy three times will be banned from submitting future letters to the editor.
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OBITUARIES The Sound publishes paid obituary notices in print and at Zip06.com. Obituaries should be sent to obits@theday.com. The deadline for all obituaries is Wednesday at 4 p.m., eight days prior to publication date. Obituaries will also be posted as quickly as possible at Zip06.com.
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12,
Community Lens: A Program for North Branford Residents
Totoket TV Channel 16 presents Community Lens, a monthly program with a panel discussion airing weeknights at 6:30 p.m. and available on YouTube (TotoketTV). This program informs and involves residents in North Branford town government, emphasizing transparency and encouraging voter participation in referendum votes. For more information, contact 203-859-1512 or communitylensinfo@gmail.com.
A duplicate bridge game is held every Friday at 12:30 p.m. at the Joseph Trapasso Community House, 46 Church Street, Branford. The game is for beginner to intermediate players. A partner is not necessary to play. For more information, contact Rick Seaburg at 203-915-5987 or tillerjock@gmail.com.
Exploring Our Grief Journey: A Grief Support Group
The James Blackstone Memorial Library is holding an open peer support group centered around the legacy of a loved one. Led by AccentCare bereavement volunteer Cheryl Cole, the group will meet every Monday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the library, 758 Main Street, Branford. The event allows grieving individuals to join a group of listeners dedicated to honoring memories of loved ones and exploring the impact of loss on their lives. Registration is not required to attend the event. For more information, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318 or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.
Obituaries
Continued from page 5
Obituary Kendrick Lyddon Norris
Kendrick Lyddon Norris, a gifted minister, insightful therapist, involved community leader, and devoted family man who made a profound and positive impact on multitudes, died of cholangiocarcinoma Jan. 23, 2026, at his home in Guilford. He was 75.
He was a loving husband to Mary Luders Norris and proud father to Soren, Evan (Beth Frazier), and Lizzie Norris Zoeller (Kenny); treasured grandfather to Nikoy, Nikena, River, Sammie, and Benjy; devoted brother to David (Kim) and Sally (David); and valued friend to many, including a wide extended family.
An exceptional church leader renowned for sermons conveying complex thoughts in accessible language, Kendrick served the First Congregational Church of Guilford for 37 years and was voted by the congregation to be their minister emeritus. During his tenure, the church settled 150 refugees from around the world; offered a worldclass, interfaith high school youth group (Pilgrim Fellowship); became an Open and Affirming Congregation; and strove to be a healthy community where those of differing opinions were not demonized as ignorant or evil but respected as people of good will and intelligence. In retirement, Kendrick went on to bring his special light as interim minister to First Church New Britain and Center Congregational Church Meriden, and through his private therapy practice.
LEGAL NOTICE NORTH BRANFORD ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
Notice is hereby given that the North Branford Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a Public Hearing at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, February 23, 2026 at the North Branford Town Hall, 909 Foxon Road, North Branford, CT to consider the following:
A. Appl. #2025-9, 1821 Middletown Avenue – requesting variances to split existing lot into two (2) lots with variances for: square footage for lot size; lot square less than 150’; width along building line less than 150’; and street frontage less than 125’ for each parcel. Owner: George & Kathryn Gallager/Applicant: James Pretti, PE, LS, Criscuolo Engineering LLC
At this hearing, all interested parties may appear and be heard and written communications will be received. Copies of the applications are on file for public inspection in the Town Hall Planning Department or on the Town’s website www.northbranfordct.gov.
Steve Kenning, Chairman
A Yankee fan by birth and Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots fan by adoption, Kendrick appreciated all sports, including the UConn Women Huskies, who played the same kind of basketball that the champion New York Knicks played in 1970. He was captain of his high school football team and witnessed firsthand the greatness of Mickey Mantle in Yankee Stadium and Tom Brady in Foxborough. Kendrick was recharged by music, especially live music, and made a priority of going to shows throughout his life. Particular favorites were music of the 1960s; the country rock of Poco, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and Pure Prairie League; and, of course, the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia in all his forms. Until COVID-19, he enjoyed playing bluegrass with the Guilford Ramblers. His friendships and interests were varied and deep, including a Friday night poker crew for well over 40 years, local tai chi and pickleball communities, and a nationwide network of Native American artifact enthusiasts. Kendrick’s kind nature and generous laugh were paired with a sharp mind and ever-questioning intellect. A dedicated student, his degrees from Trinity School in New York City, Wagner College, Yale Divinity School, Andover Newton Theological Seminary, and the Graduate Theological Foundation encompassed two doctorates, with the addition of multiple certifications, including as a Jungian analyst. He is the immediate past president of the New York Association for Analytical Psychology (NYAAP) and served on the faculty of the C.G. Jung Institute of New
York and the C.G. Jung Institute of Boston, as well as teaching at Yale Alumni College. He was also a founding member of the Connecticut Association for Jungian Psychology, and served on the board of directors of the Dudley Farm Foundation and as chaplain to the Guilford Police Department and the local FBI. His compelling book, “Jungian and Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Christmas: Origins, Motifs, and Psychological Significances” (Routledge), was published in 2025.
When interviewed for the senior minister position at Guilford, Kendrick was thrown the question, “What is the meaning of life?” He later recalled, “What came out of my mouth had never been in my head, but it has profoundly affected my life ever since. I answered: ‘The purpose of life is to remove the obstacles within us that get in the way of our receiving and giving love.’” That became his guiding principle, to the benefit of us all.
A service of celebration for Kendrick’s life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at the First Congregational Church of Madison, 26 Meeting House Lane, Madison, with a reception following at the Guilford Yacht Club. The service will also be livestreamed on YouTube (@fccmadisonct). Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor may be made to the Dudley Farm Foundation, 2351 Durham Road, Guilford, CT 06437 (dudleyfarm.com).
Arrangements are in care of the Guilford Funeral Home. To share a memory or leave a message of condolence for the family, visit www.guilfordfuneralhome.com.
The Branford Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on Tuesday February 17, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom technology to conduct Public Hearings on the following applications. Information regarding how to participate in the Public Hearings will be provided on the meeting Agenda that will be posted on the Town’s website at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.
Old Business:
ZBA 25-8 Richard Hackley (Applicant) Phyllis Murphy (Owner) (E08-000-015-00003 R3) 11 South Montowese Street
Var. Sec. 3.4.A.5 To allow a front setback of 10 feet 2 inches where 15 feet is required for a 40-foot addition at the back door of the existing original house, to serve as a mudroom.
New Business:
ZBA 26-1 Paul Greenbaum (Applicant & Owner) (E11-D11-004-00007 R3) 13 Fenway Road
Var. Sec. 3.4.A.6 To allow a sideyard of 3 feet where 15 feet is required for an addition to a single family home.
Jim Sette Chairman
Enjoy a Game of Duplicate Bridge
All the World’s a Stage for Eric Santagata
By Nicholas Checker
Special to The Sound
“O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention, A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, and monarchs to behold the swelling scene!”
That muse, according to William Shakespeare in his classic “Henry V” is akin to what veteran theater performer Eric Santagata hopes to experience (once again) as he returns to his artistic roots in the Stony Creek section of his beloved hometown of Branford.
“I’m really a multi-hyphenated creative artist,” Eric explains when asked to describe himself. “And that’s how I wound up in this position.”
Born and raised in Branford, and a proud graduate of Branford High School, Eric was introduced to the craft of theater at an early age and references the Stony Creek neighborhood of his hometown as “the backbone of his childhood” — the Puppet House in particular — which would one day become the Legacy Theatre. And by the time he was a teenager, the theater had already poured through his veins and continued flowing in his blood as he later enrolled in the University of Cincinnati and its College Conservatory of Music, from which he graduated.
He would later return.to that distinguished institution and serve as Chair of the Musical Theatre Department from 2020-2023. Eric would then climb to even greater heights.
“I had a long career on Broadway as a performer and an associate and resident director/choreographer.”
Yet, after attaining the absolute pinnacle of theatrical triumph, Eric felt another call … from the depths of his soul. “I always wanted to come back to the Stony Creek neighborhood because of what it all meant to my formative years … especially in a creative way,” he reflects. “This job offers both.”
emotions — whether they are performers or patrons — and be carried away for a bit.”
Eric, 44, also feels his new role as artistic director of Legacy Theatre will allow him to discover values and challenges of his own.
“The theater’s function in our Branford community will present the opportunity to see how many different ways we can stretch this beautiful little space. And it’s enormously rewarding to return to my roots in the old Stony Creek neighborhood, and to experience its charm all over again.”
The Legacy Theatre building originally was built as a non-denominational church in 1866, then was transformed into a silent movie theater, moved on to producing summer stock works until World War II when it became a parachute factory. Around 1960, it was brought back to life as the Stony Creek Puppet House, opening as a professional theater only in 2021.
In the past, the theater has produced a wide range of works, including comedies, cabarets and musicals. This season, it is planning three Mainstage productions:
See All the World’s page 8
“At the time, the Legacy Theatre’s thendirector,Keely Baisden Knudsen was ready to step down. I’d heard about the position opening up. Keely had done a terrific job there with the theater and I hoped to follow suit. The work that lies before me is going to involve a lot of discovery in itself.”
(There’s that muse again … and finding those dynamics for creative development.)
For Eric, the key aspect will be what he considers plumbing the depths of theater itself.
“I believe theatre to be about the craft of storytelling, of representation … and disappearing into art and creativity. It’s a place where people can come and put their
Photo Submitted
Eric Santagata in front of Legacy Theatre in Branford
NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF Lillian Defilippo (26-00013)
The Hon. Charles E. Tiernan, III, Judge of the Court of Probate, District of Branford - North Branford Probate Court, by decree dated January 27, 2026, ordered that all claims must be presented to the fiduciary at the address below. Failure to promptly present any such claim may result in the loss of rights to recover on such claim.
Jennifer Jaconette, Assistant Clerk
The fiduciary is:
Salle-Ann Thibodeau, 145 Pheasant Lane, Branford, CT 06405
NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF Jacqueline H. Morales (25-00428)
The Hon. Charles E. Tiernan, III, Judge of the Court of Probate, District of Branford - North Branford Probate Court, by decree dated January 20, 2026, ordered that all claims must be presented to the fiduciary at the address below. Failure to promptly present any such claim may result in the loss of rights to recover on such claim.
Jennifer Jaconette, Assistant Clerk
The fiduciary is:
Ronald J. Morales, 2 Williamsburg Way, Milford, NH 03055
Notice of Public Hearing
The North Branford Town Council will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. in the North Branford Town Hall Council Chambers.
The purpose of the Public Hearing will be to hear comments on Proposed Ordinance #2026-1, which amends Chapter 120 of the Code of the Town of North Branford entitled “Blight” as summarized below.
The proposed revisions to the Blight Ordinance add the following new language: Upon application to the Town Council, the Council, after hearing and for cause shown, may reduce or abate civil penalties and costs imposed hereunder.
A copy of the proposed ordinance is on file in the Office of the Town Clerk and posted on the town website.
Dated at North Branford, Connecticut this 27th day of January, 2026.
Lisa A. Valenti, MMC North Branford Town Clerk
Email public comments to public-comments@townofnorthbranfordct.com
LEGAL NOTICE
The Town of North Branford is looking for residents to serve on a Charter Revision Commission.
The Town Charter is the document that sets the basic rules for how our local government works. The Charter defines the roles of the Town Council, the Town Manager, and other elected and appointed officials. The Charter Revision Commission will review the Charter and consider whether changes should be recommended to better serve the community.
Possible topics for review include:
• The structure and organization of Town government
• The duties and powers of elected and appointed boards, committees, commissions, and positions
• How the Town budget is developed and approved
Commission members will meet regularly over the next several months to study the Charter, discuss possible updates, and gather public input. The Commission will make recommendations for changes to the Town Council as allowed under Connecticut law.
Applicants must be residents and registered voters of the Town of North Branford. No special background is required, but an interest in local government and community service is important. Per Section 10-3 of the Town Charter, members of the Charter Revision Commission may not serve on other boards, committees, and commissions concurrently.
Residents interested in serving should complete the application at www.northbranfordct.gov/195/boards-comissions , submit a letter of interest, and a brief résumé to gcox@northbranfordct.gov, in person at the Town Manager’s Office by mail to:
Office of the Town Manager 909 Foxon Road North Branford, CT 06471
For more information, please contact Acting Town Manager Rory Burke at (203) 484-6000 or rburke@ northbranfordct.gov. The Town of North Branford encourages residents with a wide range of backgrounds and viewpoints to apply.
The Perfect Valentine: Hoping for a Home
Story by Carol Andrecs
Beautiful Hope has been waiting for her forever home for many years. She was rescued as a very pregnant stray and gave birth shortly thereafter. Her kittens were adopted several years ago, and she has been patiently waiting for her own loving home. Hope is quiet and a little shy, but warms up nicely when she is petted. She will blossom in a quiet home without dogs or young kids. Adopting one cat may not change the world, but for Hope, her world will change forever. Come meet Hope at our open house or apply to adopt her online at www.forgottenfelinesct.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. For more information, contact 860-669-1347 or volunteerinfo@forgotten felinesct.org.
All the World’s a Stage for Eric Santagata
Continued from page 7
“Nunsense,” “The Wizard of Oz” and “The Odd Couple.” Broadway legend John McDaniel also hosts a popular Broadway series with a variety of guest artists. These programs were all set before Eric came onboard, so his programming ideas will be announced in the coming months.
Eric has been on the job for barely more than three weeks now and he — along with Legacy Theatre’s Managing Director Jeff Zeitlin — are both already filled with multiple muses for its future … a facility, by the way, built on land of Eric’s own family origins.
New and Gently Used Books Needed
“There will be some exciting guest artists we’re bringing in … My vision for Legacy Theatre’s future is that audiences will trust us to have a creative experience at an artistic epicenter!”
No doubt, Mr. Shakespeare would be proud to see how Eric Santagata and that fiery muse burns so brightly in the small town of Branford. (Legacy Theatre is located at 128 Thimble Island Road, Branford CT, 06405. Patrons may reach Jeff Zeitlin at the box office: 203-315-1901 or explore its website: www.LegacyTheatre CT.org)
The Friends of the James Blackstone Library welcomes donations of new and gently used books of all kinds, as well as DVDs, CDs, and vinyl records. Donations can be placed in the bins behind the Blackstone Library or at 30 Harrison Avenue, Branford. Proceeds benefit the Blackstone Library and its enrichment activities and programs for children and adults in the community. For more information or to make arrangements for a large donation, email friends@blackstonelibrary.org.
Photo by Genevieve Ray
Beacon Hill Project Approved; Sewer Hurdle Remains
Continued from page 1
Lee said the developer revisited the approval and determined a 55-and-older community would be more feasible.
Lee explained the units would be restricted to tenants 55 and older. Plans included in the application show four buildings with three units each, two buildings containing four units each, and one building with two units, for a total of 22 units. In addition to the buildings, a pickleball court is proposed for the property. About 1.54 acres of the land would be deed-restricted open space.
During discussion of the application, Marci Palluzzi (R) said she was impressed with the proposal and called it a “good balanced project,” particularly because it was not overly large but would provide housing for the town’s active adult community.
“It’s something we need some more of in this town and we don’t have,” Palluzzi said.
While the commission approved the application, one major hurdle remains. To make the development feasible, Lee said
his client will need to connect to a sewer system. The land is not currently served by sewer, though the town is looking to extend sewer lines to the area.
Lee said he and the town have been working on a letter of understanding that would allow the Beacon Hill development to connect to the sewer system.
Michiel Wackers, Branford’s director of the Department of Planning, Conservation and Development, said conversations have been positive, but details still need to be worked out.
“The agreement would also be to route the extension so it can serve residents on Rose Hill Road,” Wackers said. “What needs to be worked out is the cost share—how much the developer will be responsible for and how much the town will be responsible for.”
Lee reiterated that the Beacon Hill development would require a sewer hookup to be built and said an application would need to be submitted to the town’s Water Pollution Control Authority for approval.
The organizers of Porchfest are seeking local volunteers for Branford’s inaugural Porchfest event on Saturday, May 30. The event is in need of residents near the town center who are willing to donate their front porches and lawns to host musicians and audience members for a day of musical performances. Hosts will need to provide access to electrical outlets and bathrooms for the performers. The event will run from noon to 5 p.m., though hosting can be just a portion of that time. The event area centers on the town green. The rain date is Sunday, May 31. Volunteers are also needed throughout the event to serve as community ambassadors to help guide guests to the performance sites and to do cleanup after the event. For more information, email info@shorelineevents-ct.com.
Shoreline Family Health Care (SFHC) is expanding its Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) to middle school students who struggle with emotional and behavioral health challenges to the point where daily functioning is impaired. IOP now focuses on adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 who are experiencing emotional and/or behavioral issues, family conflicts, and difficulties meeting school and social expectations due to serious emotional, behavioral, and social difficulties. IOP is an after-school program that provides comprehensive assessment, therapeutic structure, and support within a grouptherapy format. It is an 8- to 12-week program that meets three to four times per week. The program sessions are conducted via telehealth and in person. SFHC is located at 221 West Main Street, Branford, and is a collaboration between BHcare and Fair Haven Community Heath Care (FHCHC). For more information, visit shorelinefamilyhealthcare.org/iop.
Calling Volunteers for Branford Porchfest
Intensive Outpatient Program for Adolescents
Amy Donegan Carries Forward Duck Pond Legacy
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“They’re the boots on the ground every day in the mix,” Amy says.
Amy’s transition to full leadership came quickly after her mother’s passing, forcing her to step into responsibilities she had not previously managed while working as part of the staff. While she had been involved in daily operations, taking on sole leadership meant learning the financial and administrative side of running a child care business, from budgeting to long-term planning.
“I don’t love the mathematics and budgeting,” she says. “But I learned how to do it very quickly.”
That experience, she says, gave her a better understanding of the business and strengthened her ability to support both families and staff.
Her perspective was also shaped by time spent outside of Duck Pond. Before returning full-time nearly two decades ago, she worked in a corporate role focused on child care referrals and quality assurance. That position allowed her to hear directly from families and better understand their needs, which informs how she works with parents today.
“Hearing parent after parent and what they’re looking for really helped me understand how parents want to be part of a program,” she says.
Advocacy has become a central part of Amy’s work. She is a graduate of the Parent Leadership Training Institute, where she learned how to advocate for families and early childhood education at the local and state levels. She has written to and spoken with legislators on issues affecting child care in Connecticut.
That advocacy was reflected recently in Duck Pond’s receipt of a grant from the Women’s Business Development Council, which helped the center reopen a licensed classroom that had been closed since before the COVID-19 pandemic due to staffing challenges.
The grant allowed Duck Pond to renovate the space and purchase new equipment, expanding capacity and opening spots for families on the waiting list. The
classroom reopened in May.
“It didn’t pay for everything, but it gave us a leg up,” Amy says.
Amy says child care centers must often balance affordability for families with staffing and operational costs, a challenge that has only intensified in recent years.
“Parents are getting priced out, and daycares are running on very tight margins,” she says. “So having a little extra funding to break through that barrier made a big difference.”
Beyond its immediate impact, the grant marked an important milestone for Amy. It was one of the first grants she applied for independently, and the process gave her the confidence to continue seeking additional funding opportunities.
Her community involvement extends beyond Duck Pond. Amy serves as co-chair of Milford’s School Readiness program, now known as Connecticut Early Start, which works to expand access to early childhood education and funded preschool seats. She also remains involved in Early Start efforts in Branford as a community member.
In addition, Amy serves on the board of Prepared 2 Help, a nonprofit organization focused on addressing basic needs such as food, clothing, and education. Through Duck Pond, she encourages families to give back locally by partnering with organizations like the Branford Community Dining Room and organizing toy and toiletry drives.
Amy says collaboration, not competition, defines the early childhood community in Branford. Child care directors regularly share resources, advice, and referrals, a practice that became especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We worked together really, really well,” she says. “We held each other up.”
For Amy, carrying on her mother’s legacy means more than running a successful child care center. It means advocating for families, supporting her staff, and creating a space where children can learn, explore, and feel valued.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about the kids,” she says.
A beginner/intermediate-level hatha yoga series runs Tuesdays from 5:45 to 7 p.m. through Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at Trinity Church Hall, 1009 Main Street, Branford. The sessions are led by certified yoga instructor Gina Macdonald-Page. The cost is $10 per session, with drop-in participants welcome. Proceeds benefit the Branford Community Dining Room. Participants are advised to wear comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat. For more information, call or text Gina at 203 710-6665.
Hatha Yoga Series
February 12, 2026
North Branford Boys Basketball Qualify for State Tournament for Second Consecutive Season
By Serenity J. Bishop
The North Branford boys basketball team is headed back to the state tournament this season for the second consecutive year. Since coach John Donohue took over the program five seasons ago, the Thunderbirds' mission has been to return the program to its consistent winning ways.
The Thunderbirds missed the playoffs the first three seasons under the new leadership, but managed to reach the postseason last year for the first time in nearly eight seasons. Now, North Branford is heading back for a chance at a state title after putting together a double-digit win season.
The Thunderbirds are currently 10-5 and are on a fivegame win streak. The program clinched the playoffs with a win over Hale Ray, 58-50 on Jan. 30.
“We're thrilled to be going back to the state tournament,” Donohue said. “This is the second year in a row that we've made it after a bit of a drought and it's just a testament to the work that our guys have put in and their belief in what we're trying to accomplish.”
Last season, the North Branford Thunderbirds clinched a spot in both the conference tournament and the Division V State Tournament. In conferences, North Branford landed and early exit, falling to eventual conference champions Old Lyme.
The team then followed that up with a first round appearance in the state tournament. As the No. 19 seed in the tournament, the team fell to No. 14 Hartford Public in a road playoff game.
this season to make a deeper run in the playoffs.
“We are playing as a team and just really working hard every day in practice,” Donohue said.
taste of what the postseason is like last year they have carried that into this year and have put in the dedication and work to return.
“We don't want it to be a one time thing. We want this to now be a part of what we're striving for every year,” Donohue said.
make this a yearly thing that we're always striving to get back
North Branford is comprised of a well balanced team with nine seniors, several juniors, and a couple of sophomores, who have contributed this season.
Some of the main contributors have been senior captains Christopher Piercey Jr., Charlie O'Brien, Benicio Iamunno and Justin Carusone as well as junior
Off the bench, junior Craig Miller Jr., senior Cameron Lacroix, senior Jayden Horsford, junior Landon Burns, sophomore Cole Minnocci, and sophomore Jason Cappella have also played crucial minutes for the team this
“All those guys have been really important to what we've accomplished so far and are really looking forward to the second half of the season as we continue to try to build off making the state tournament,” Donohue said. With five games left in the regular season, North Branford will face Valley Regional, East Hampton, Cromwell, Coginchaug and
The focus will be to fine-tune and sharpen in area of needs and continue to increase their seedings by stacking wins.
“We're proud of the accomplishment. We're happy to have checked that off our list. but it doesn't end here. We can't be satisfied with eight and just say ok we're good,” Donohue said.
Donohue said the team played hard in the postseason last year despite a one and done performance. He said he is pleased that the team will have another shot
So thrilled for the guys to have an opportunity to be playing in March again this year.”
The North Branford coach added since the returners got a
Throughout the offseason, the team focused on the overall team good and worked to develop their game individually and collectively.
“Everybody needs to continue working and keep improving their game and getting bigger and stronger, better with the basketball. Every part of our game needs to improve so that we can
“We've got to keep playing, and we've got to be prepared for each opponent because our league is very challenging, so that on any given night, anybody can beat anybody. There are no easy games. We need to be hungry.” North Branford will face East Hampton on Thursday, Feb. 12 on the road at 7 p.m.
Sports Editor
Photo Submitted
The Thunderbirds are currently 10-5 and are on a five-game win streak. The program clinched the playoffs with a win over Hale Ray, 58-50 on Jan. 30.
Budz Ready for Another Run at States
By Serenity J. Bishop
Sports Editor
It has been a bit of a different season than normal for indoor track. With renovations to the Hillhouse facilities, a shortened season, and severe weather that has limited the athletes’ ability to get on the track, each program in the area has had to face adversity.
However, when there is adversity to face, only the resilient, dedicated, and hungry make it through and rise to the top. All three characteristics perfectly explain Branford indoor track standout Charlie Budz.
Budz, the senior captain for indoor and outdoor track, has had an impressive season so far. Each meet, Budz has helped his 4x200 relay team take a step closer and closer to qualifying for the state tournament, and finally, the team managed to reach their goal just before the season ended.
The team is comprised of Budz, Luke Gagliardi, Nick Marciano, and Nolan Smestad.
Budz said it’s been a bumpy road to reach the state qualifying mark, but they were finally able to get it done, even with an obstruction.
“We got close a couple of times. We had a couple of interferences, so it was a bumpy road to get there, but in one of our last chances, that would be able to qualify for states, we made it even with an obstruction, so it really meant a lot,” Budz said. “With all the challenges and bumps in the way, whether it was in the meet or anything else we faced in the season, we got what our goal was,
Sports Person Week of the
so it felt good. It was definitely a big accomplishment.”
Budz added that at some points in the season, it became frustrating when they weren’t able to reach the needed time to qualify for states. He said they knew it was doable from the beginning of the year, but they weren’t able to get it done at first.
“We knew that we had the talent, we knew we were able to make the time. It's just little things here and there that we couldn't get,” he said. “When we finished running, we were frustrated, like there's always next time, but how many times is there going to be a next time? It did get frustrating at a point.”
The accomplishment of heading to states is the second time that Budz will compete in the highly coveted meet, but the first time he has done it for indoor track. Budz previously qualified in outdoor track last season in the 4x100 relay race.
The experience last season helped him this year to know exactly what the relay team needed to do to get to the tournament next week on Friday, Feb. 13. However, this season included even more pressure on the senior, given that this season he was selected as the team captain.
Budz led Branford by leading by example, but gave his team-
mates high praise for making the role easy for him.
“I couldn't ask for a better group and a more dedicated group of guys. This is definitely one of the most dedicated teams I've been on,” Budz said. “It's really been great. They've made my job as a captain enjoyable and easy. There are no people on the team that I really have to keep an eye out for and have to worry about. They're all going to come into practice and put in 100 percent every day.”
Budz has found a lot of success in his Branford track career, but one of the most memorable moments for Budz is the day-today memories that he gets to make with his father, Chuck, one of the assistant Branford track coaches.
Over the last two years, the father-son duo has doubled as a coach-player tandem. The younger Budz said the experience has been special, and one that he cherishes.
“Some people might not like having their dad as a coach, and it might be hard to separate coaching from a parent-kid relationship, but I think it's great. I love it,” Budz said. “He doesn't treat me any differently than any other athlete, as he shouldn't. I want him to treat me like I'm just another athlete, but it's enjoyable to have him and to share his knowledge. He's a great coach.”
said. “He encourages me to go out there and just put on the best performance I can for the team, for myself, and for them.”
Budz added that in many of those moments where it became frustrating when he wasn’t able to hit the state qualifying goals, it has been encouraging to turn to his father and coach for guidance.
As Budz prepares for the state meet, his main objective is to soak in the experience and enjoy the day. He said the meet is a representation of the last four years, and he is simply hoping to enjoy
“It's really just about giving it our all for that last final run and going out there and getting a season best,” he said. “I'm really just proud of my teammates and glad for my coaching staff. They've really made these four years as a track athlete a great and memorable experience that I'll have with me for the rest of my life.”
NORTH BRANFORD
Photo courtesy of Charlie Budz Branford senior captain Charlie Budz will lead the 4x200 relay team to the state meet on Friday, Feb. 13.
The Hunt for the Postseason Continues; Guilford and West Haven tie, 1-1
By Serenity J. Bishop
Sports Editor
The chase to qualify for the state tournament is in full swing as the winter sports regular season comes to a close. Teams across the state are focusing on claiming the coveted eight wins, and the Guilford and West Haven co-op boys ice hockey teams are no different.
On Saturday afternoon, both teams met in the rink to hopefully either qualify for the tournament or take one step closer. Guilford entered the game 7-6 and needed just one win to solidify the season. West Haven was in need of three wins, as they entered the game 5-8-1.
After an intense and chippy battle, which resulted in the teams forcing an additional overtime period, the Grizzlies and the Blue Devils both walked away still needing more games to qualify. The teams tied 1-1, a slight step in the right direction.
Guilford coach Ralph Russo said while they were unfortunately unable to punch their ticket to the postseason yet, he was pleased with the effort the team played with throughout their bout against West Haven. He said they need to clean some things up to play more efficiently, which will produce more scoring opportunities.
“I loved the effort. We played a highspirited game,” Russo said. “If there are some things to improve on in the game is that we spent a little too much time in our defense zone in the second and third period. We have to learn how to get some more clears of the puck.”
Russo added that this first period of the game was the best period the team has played all season long.
“It was one of our best play periods of the year,” he said. “We moved the puck well, we got pucks in the net, and we generated some good scoring chances…there’s some stuff we can build on going down the rest of the schedule.”
Guilford and West Haven previously played each other early in the season, where the Blue Devils got the best of the Grizzlies, defeating Guilford 3-2. The loss actually sparked a three-game losing streak for Guilford, but over the last five games, the team has managed to finish 31-1.
Russo said it’s a testament to the team’s focus on making the state tournament. With very few games remaining in the back half of the season, the team has recommitted to its season goal, which they set at the beginning of the year.
“We were gunning for it. We know what eight means, and it’s a goal of the team to get that,” Russo said. “We put the effort in to get that. But we’ll go back and work hard in the next game, and try to get it the next game.”
The Guilford coach highlighted that their development is credited to younger players who are contributing more, paired with upperclassmen like senior defenseman Matthew Hwang and junior forward Thomas Melillo, who scored the only goal of the night for the Grizzlies.
“We ran three lines today, and all of them did the work defensively,” he said.
“Some of the younger guys keep getting experience. In the long haul, we’re looking for them to keep getting better. Hopefully, we’re going to have that game going into the playoffs where everything hits.”
For West Haven, they are hoping for the same, as they are a bit further behind Guilford in securing their postseason berth. Now at 5-8-2, the Blue Devils have five more chances to do it with matchups against Fairfield, Daniel Hand, Milford, Glastonbury, and Notre Dame Prep.
West Haven, a co-op that serves Branford and Seymour, is 2-0-2 in their last four games, with victories against New Milford and Notre Dame Prep, and tying with Guilford and Hamden.
West Haven coach Steve Harris said qualifying for states is something that both the coaches and players are talking about and focusing on.
“We’re in the playoff hunt right now, trying to get our eighth win, so I think there is a little more intensity,” Harris said. “The kids want to hit that eighth win.
I think they have it in the back of their minds. The tempo has picked up, and the pace of play has picked up.”
Guilford came out slow in the first period, but in the second period, held West Haven to just five shots. The team was unable to capitalize on a couple of scoring opportunities, but overall, they were pleased with the tie.
“We got out of here with a tie. I know it’s not a win, but it’s better than a loss,” Russo said. “We’re taking it slow with one game at a time, but we concentrate on trying to get eight. That’s a magic number.”
West Haven returns to Bennett Rink on Friday, Feb. 13, to face Fairfield at 5:30 p.m., while Guilford will play Watertown co-op on the road Saturday, Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Sound
Guilford and West Haven players battle for the puck during a boys ice hockey game Feb. 7 in West Haven. The teams skated to a 1-1 tie after an overtime period.
Branford Soccer Club Boys Team Cap Season with a 4-3 win over CT Rush
By Serenity J. Bishop
Sports Editor
The Branford Soccer Club was in action Feb. 7 despite frigid temperatures and light snow, as the High School Underclassman League wrapped up regular-season play.
Branford kicked off at 2 p.m. against CT Rush in its final game of the indoor season, needing a win to improve its position in the league standings. The opening minutes were evenly played, with several scoring chances turned aside by strong goalkeeping and solid defensive play on both sides.
Branford freshman Matt Boffa broke the deadlock around the 7-minute mark after outworking a CT Rush defender to score. Minutes later, CT Rush responded with an equalizer to tie the game 1-1.
Play remained even until the 20th minute, when Boffa converted a free kick to give Branford a 2-1 lead. Moments later, Boffa won possession in CT Rush territory and carried the ball down the left side before sending a pass across the goal mouth. Freshman Travis Meli finished the play with a tap-in goal to extend Branford’s lead.
Branford carried a 3-1 advantage into halftime.
In the second half, goalkeeper Justin Perez made several key saves, coming off his line to collect loose balls and preserve the lead. Branford extended its advantage when defender Tommy Kovaci intercepted an errant pass, dribbled through the center of the field and scored into the lower left corner of the net, making it 4-1.
CT Rush continued to press late in the match and scored two goals in the closing minutes, but time ran out before it could complete the comeback. Branford held on for a 4-3 victory.
With the win, Branford finished its indoor season and has a bye next week. Depending on results from other teams, Branford could still move into a tie for first place in the league standings, but the team is guaranteed to finish no worse than third place.
Branford will now turn its attention to preparations for the spring outdoor season in the coming weeks.
Easter Seals Goodwill is seeking donations, particularly clothing for men, women, and children, as well as linens and household items, including small kitchen appliances, glasses, and dishware. Donations are accepted at 249 West Main Street, Branford. For more information, visit goodwill-branford-gwsne.business.site.
Shoreline Adult Education, formerly known as ERACE, offers free academic programs for individuals seeking to earn their high school diploma/GED, practice their English language skills, or prepare for their U.S. citizenship test. These classes are available to individuals aged 17 years or older who live in Branford, North Branford, Guilford, or Clinton. Individuals outside the four-town region may register for a fee if space is available. Limited spots are available for residents of any town at no charge. Shoreline Adult Education also offers a variety of affordable enrichment classes, open to individuals of any town, including courses on computers, music and dance, cooking, career development, CPR and first aid, world languages, business and financial planning, fine arts, photography, and writing. For more information, call 203-488-5693 or visit shorelineadulted.org.
Photo courtesy of the Branford Soccer Club
Branford goalkeeper Justin Perez prepares to take a free kick during the team’s High School Underclassman League game against CT Rush on Feb. 7.
860-434-2200
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!
Orchestra New England Brings BaroqueFest to Battell Chapel March 7
Orchestra New England (ONE) eagerly anticipates the arrival of spring with a “BaroqueFest” concert featuring two concertos by Antonio Vivaldi and one each by J.S. Bach and his son Carl Philip Emanuel Bach.
The concert takes place Saturday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. at Battell Chapel, located at the corner of Elm and College Streets on Yale’s Old Campus.
ONE’s concertmaster Raphael Ryger will play “Spring” from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and will be joined by ONE principal oboist Stephen Wade in J.S. Bach’s Concerto in D minor for Violin and Oboe.
Vivaldi is known for his concertos, especially those for violin, but he wrote almost 40 concertos for bassoon. Rémy Taghavi will solo in the Concerto in E-flat.
ONE flutist Adrianne Greenbaum will perform a showpiece by C.P.E. Bach, Concerto in D Minor.
Viewing a performance in Battell Chapel includes the great joy of experiencing the remarkable acoustics. In many ways, it is the finest performance space in the greater New Haven area.
A celebratory, catered, postconcert reception will take place just across Elm Street in Yale’s Berkeley College Common Room.
Tickets cost $50 reserved seating, $30 general admission, and $5 for students. Tickets are available at the door. Media sponsors are WSHU and WMNR.
For more information or
tickets, contact 203-777-4690 or info@orchestranewengland.org, or www.orchestranewengland .org.
About Orchestra New England
Orchestra New England is one of the most versatile and exciting orchestras in America. The orchestra is committed to quality and innovation, a commitment that has made its artistic achievements possible by generating and nurturing an unusual
workplace and a remarkable orchestra.
ONE was founded in March 1974 as the Yale Theater Orchestra, adopting the name Chamber Orchestra of New England in 1975 and the name Orchestra New England in 1985. Early in its history, ONE began to establish itself as one of the most innovative and critically acclaimed orchestras in the Northeast.
Immediately following its premiere concert, the orchestra and
its founding music director, James Sinclair, recorded an album of premieres for CBS Masterworks.
That was the beginning of a tradition. Today, ONE is unsurpassed among musical ensembles between New York and Boston in the number of commercial recordings it has created. These include CBS Masterworks’s world premiere recording of the Villa-Lobos folk opera, Magdalena, New World Records’s
release of Cole Porter’s first Broadway hit, 50 Million Frenchmen, and both Naxos’s and Koch International Classics’s world premiere recording of orchestral music by Charles Ives. These recordings have met with extraordinary and unanimous critical praise. In June 2023 Naxos released ONE’s new recording of Charles Ives’s complete Sets for Chamber Orchestra.
About the Soloists
Violinist Raphael Ryger was born in Israel and grew up in New York City before returning to Israel and later returning to the U.S. for graduate study in philosophy at Yale. His violin training included some of the greatest pedagogues and mentors in both countries, among them Josef Gingold, Ilona Feher, Dorothy Delay, and Isaac Stern. He has been soloist and concertmaster with many orchestras in Israel and in Connecticut and, since 1988, has been in those capacities with Orchestra New England, with which—then as the Chamber Orchestra of New England—he first performed the Vivaldi “Spring” concerto in the spring of 1983. He appears regularly as a chamber musician in the Lillibridge Ensemble, founded by piano virtuosa Madeleine Forte. In other lives, Ryger has academic publications in computer science and patents in software engineering for patent search.
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Photo by James G. Henkel
Photo courtesy of Orchestra New England
Photo courtesy of Orchestra New England
Photo by Brandon Ilaw
Stephen Wade, oboist Adrianne Greenbaum, flutist Rémy Taghavi, bassoonist
Raphael Ryger, violinist
Press Release from Orchestra New England
Photo by Harold Shapiro
James Sinclair and ONE musicians perform in Battell Chapel.
For more Life & Style stories, visit our website, www.zip06.com. To submit events for the calendar, email news@shorepublishing.com.
THURSDAY, FEB. 12
Hollywood Gems:
The Three Musketeers
: 1 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
Tips for Managing Loneliness
: 1 p.m. Deep River Public Library, 150 Main St. Presented by Wendy Hurwitz. Covers strategies for managing isolation and loneliness followed by a discussion with audience questions. Registration is required. For info or to register, call 860-5266039 or visit deepriverlibrary.libcal.com.
2026 Internship and Career Fair
: 1 to 4 p.m. 101 College St., New Haven. Free admission. Features networking opportunities with more than 30 organizations. Hosted by the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce. For info, visit gnhcc.com/events.
Mojos, Mermaids, Medicine, and 400 Years of Black Women’s Magic with Lindsey Stewart
: 2 p.m. Online event. Book:
The Conjuring of America: Mojos, Mermaids, Medicine, and 400 Years of Black Women’s Magic
. Hosted by the North Branford Libraries through a partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium. For info or to register (required), visit libraryc.org/nbranfordlibraries.
Gracias a la Vida Concert
Gracias a la Vida: Spanish and Latin Songs of Life and Romance.
: 5:30 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features a concert by the Entwyned Early Music group, presenting Free and open to the public. Space is limited; registration is suggested. For info or to register, call the library at 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Growing Annuals From Seeds
: 6 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Covers plant selections, materials needed, and scheduling, including which annuals are suitable to start indoors. Hosted by the Essex Library in collaboration with the Essex Garden Club. For info or to register, call the library at 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Calendar for the Week of February 12, 2026
: 6 p.m.
New Haven Museum, 114 Whitney Ave. Features a presentation by Ainissa Ramirez on Black inventors who contributed to everyday innovations, including New Haven’s Sarah Boone. Preceded by a reception at 5:30 p.m. Free with regular museum admission. Part of the NH250 series. For info or to register, call 203-562-4183 or visit newhavenmuseum.org.
Drive-In Movie Night
: 6 to 6:45 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. Children decorate cardboard cars and watch a short film. Smartfood popcorn provided. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Guilford Poets Guild: Patricia Cleary Miller
: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Guilford Free Library, 67 Park St. Features an open mic followed by a reading from Patricia Cleary Miller, author of , , and Free and open to all. For info or to register (required), call 203-453-8282 or visit guilfordfreelibrary.org.
Starting a Swan Dive Can You Smell the Rain? Warmer Than Yesterday.
Orchestra New England Brings BaroqueFest to Battell Chapel March 7
Continued from page 19
Oboist Stephen Wade has performed throughout New England with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Connecticut Opera Orchestra, New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Pro Musica, Monadnock Music Festival Orchestra, Nashua Symphony Orchestra, Boston Virtuosi, Cape Ann Symphony, Orchestra New England, and Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been the featured soloist in concerti by J.S. Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Vaughn Williams, Samuel Barber, and William Bolcom. In 2011, he premiered the Concerto for Oboe and Wind Ensemble by Thomas Briggs with the United States Coast Guard Band. He and violinist Katheryn Winterstein have recorded Bach’s Concerto for Oboe, Violin and Strings, BWV 1060, with Boston Virtuosi. Wade retired as principal oboe of the U.S. Coast Guard Band in 2012 after a 30year career. He is currently assistant principal oboe of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and principal oboe of Orchestra
New England, as well as president of the Regional Orchestra Players’ Association, the largest of the five Player Conferences of the American Federation of Musicians.
Classical Review
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Washington
Praised for his “precise fingerwork…and impeccable breath support” ( ), Re•my Taghavi is a highly sought-after bassoonist based in the Northeast. Taghavi is principal bassoon of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra New England, and he has performed with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, and Las Vegas Philharmonic, among others. An active chamber musician, he is co-founder of the Annapolis Chamber Music Festival, a member of the “explosive” New York-based chamber ensemble Frisson, and an alumnus of Carnegie Hall’s teaching artist and chamber music program, Ensemble Connect. He has given chamber performances at the Library of Congress, Chamber Music Northwest, and Morgan Library, among others. Rémy has performed as a soloist with the New York Symphonic Ensemble,
Pierre Monteux Festival, and the Stony Brook Symphony. Taghavi is assistant professor of bassoon at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and faculty at Rocky Ridge Music (Colorado). He completed degrees at the University of Southern California, The Juilliard School, and Stony Brook University.
Adrianne Greenbaum, professor of flute at Mount Holyoke College and pioneer of the klezmer flute tradition, is a nationally acclaimed flutist and clinician, performing on historical instruments of the 18th and 19th centuries. Her classical training and career ranks among the finest flutists of her time. As a classical musician, she performed as soloist and orchestral musician in all of New York’s major concert halls and in many major U.S. cities. She appeared with such prestigious orchestras as New York’s Mostly Mozart Festival, Berlin Ballet at the Met, Period Orchestra of the Fairfield Academy and, for many years, performed with the New York City Ballet Orchestra. She is solo flutist with the Wall Street Chamber Players and
maintains an active freelance life in the U.S. and Canada. Greenbaum’s decadeslong symphonic career was as principal of the New Haven Symphony for over three decades and happily maintains her principal position with Orchestra New England. Her college/university positions are many, including faculty positions at Wesleyan and Yale universities and at Smith College. She also enjoys giving master classes in klezmer techniques, traverso exploration, and improvisation across genres. She can be heard in recording on the Koch and Music Masters labels as well as her own solo classical album “Sounds of America” and her three FleytMuzik records. Her last klezmer flute record, on the BorshtBeat label is “Di Klezmer Flute Nisht Fargesen.” She has received acclaim for her “flying-finger performances and unique, soulful, and sparkling klezmer style: “Adrianne is a force of nature. Nobody plays like her. If Jethro Tull played klezmer, the energy would be there—but not her skill,” writes Ari Davidoff (Klezmershack, 2025).
Black Inventors Who Made the Stuff Around Us
New Haven Museum Marks America’s 250th Year with Triple Events
In what amounts to a “250 trifecta,” New Haven Museum kicks off a lively, yearlong celebration of the nation’s semiquincentennial with the first of three presentations offering fresh perspectives on the American Revolution. From social movements co-opting the concept of liberty, to little-known tales of Paul Revere, to neoclassical fashion from the somewhat cynical perspective of John and Abigail Adams, the thought-provoking NH250 series will appeal to anyone who has ever marveled at the “great American experiment” of democracy, freedom, and self-governance.
The series begins with historian and author Michael D. Hattem presenting “An Unfinished Revolution at 250” at the New Haven Museum on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 6 p.m. Hattem will discuss the unique role that the Revolution has had in American life and the longstanding tradition in American history of remembering the nation’s founding as an “unfinished revolution.” The free event will be preceded by a reception at 5:30 p.m. Hattem notes that the principles of the Revolution have been constantly redefined to fit the needs of the times. “Countless social movements—including abolitionists, suffragists, and the Civil Rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s—have tried to win popular support by depicting their causes as attempts to fulfill the ideals of the American Revolution,” he says. He notes that abolitionists were the first Americans to celebrate the Declaration of Independence specifically for its preamble and the statement that “all men are created equal.”
On Saturday, March 28, textile expert Lynne Bassett will present “Federalist Fathers and Republican Mothers: The Fashions of John and Abigail Adams.” Using letters, garments, portraits, fashion plates, and satirical cartoons
from the period to keep things buoyant, Bassett will demonstrate how both early and contemporary Americans have expressed their national and personal character through their clothing choices. The free event will be held at 2 p.m. and preceded by a reception at 1:30 p.m. Bassett maintains that fashion isn’t frivolous. “It’s an important document manifesting a period’s culture, economy, and labor,” she says, “and a valuable means of examining women’s history.” She notes that John and Abigail both expressed their personal and national character through their choice of clothing. Their judgment of people’s choices in fashion, though, brings some levity to the subject. One example includes a letter in which Abagail quips, “Most of [the Ladies]…wear their Cloaths too Scant, upon the body & too full upon the Bosom for my fancy; not content with the Show Which nature bestows, they borrow from art, and literally looke like Nursing Mothers.”
On Saturday, April 18, the anniversary of the most famous horse ride in American history, author Kostya Kennedy will present little-known aspects of the story in “The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night that Saved America,” based on his book of the same title. The free event will be held at 2 p.m. and preceded by a reception at 1:30 p.m.
Revere, the Boston-based silversmith, engraver, and staunch anti-British political operative, inspired the poem and legend of “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.” But, according to Kennedy, the story of Revere’s ride to warn of approaching British troop is deeper and richer than previously assumed.
“That night in 1775 was 12 hours that changed the world,” Kennedy says.
Revere was not the only rider that April night in 1775, but he was by far the most critical. The patriots’ best and
most trusted “express rider,” Revere had already completed at least 18 previous rides throughout New England, disseminating intelligence about British movements.
But this ride was like no other, Kennedy asserts, and its consequences in the months and years following—as the American Revolution transitioned from isolated skirmishes to a full-fledged war—became one of our founding tales.
About NH250
This event is part of NH250, an ongoing series of programming developed by New Haven Museum to complement “America 250.” Culminating with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the series will highlight inclusive, local, and lesser-known stories, connecting past and present.
About the New Haven Museum
The New Haven Museum has been collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history and heritage of Greater New Haven since its inception as the New Haven Colony Historical Society in 1862. Located in downtown New Haven at 114 Whitney Avenue, the museum brings more than 375 years of New Haven history to life through its collections, exhibitions, programs, and outreach. As a designated Blue Star Museum, the New Haven Museum offers the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, free admission from Memorial Day through Labor Day. For more information, call 203-562-4183 or visit newhavenmuseum.org or Facebook.com/NewHaven Museum.
National Portrait Gallery, London
Photo courtesy St. Martin’s Press
The HMS Somerset on the Charles River , James Gillray, National Portrait Gallery. This engraving caricatures the loosely clinging Empire/Regency styles, worn with few layers of stiffening petticoats.
The Graces in a High Wind
Press Release from the New Haven Museum
Continued from page 20
Bird Migration in Offshore Wind Energy Areas: Informing Collision Risk and Mitigation
: 7 p.m. Webinar. Presented by Shannon Curley, a migration ecologist studying offshore bird movements using weather surveillance radar to help inform wind energy development. Part of the 2026 Young, Gifted, and Wild About Birds series. Hosted by the Connecticut Audubon Society. Cost: $9 for members, $12 for nonmembers. Proceeds benefit the Connecticut Audubon Society conservation programs. For info or to register, visit ctaudubon.org/2026.
: 7:30 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
FRIDAY, FEB. 13
: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saybrook Point Resort and Marina, 2 Bridge St., Old Saybrook. Features a talk by Linda Albright of Albright AI Agency on "AI Without the Hype: How Women Business Owners Are Using AI to Grow Their Companies and Free Up Time.” Hosted by the Greater Old Saybrook Chamber. Cost: $25 for members, $35 for nonmembers For info or to register, visit oldsaybrookchamber.com/events.
Writers Writing
: 1 to 2:30 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. Features an adult writers group exploring various genres. Sharing optional. For info or to register (required), call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
: 5 to 7 p.m. Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library, 146 Thimble Islands Rd., Stony Creek. Led by Branford Poet Laureate Judith Liebmann. To register, call 203-488-8702. For info, visit wwml.org.
: 5:30 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features a concert by the Entwyned Early Music group, presenting Spanish and Latin songs of life and romance, performed on reproduction historical instruments. Free and open to the public. Space is limited; registration is suggested. For info or to register, call the library at 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
:
5:30 to 7 p.m. Branford Arts & Cultural Alliance (BACA) Gallery, 1004 Main St., Branford. Features new work by 50 artists in painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, photography, sculpture, ceramics, turned wood, textiles, and jewelry. Light fare and refreshments will be available. Free. For info, visit bacagallery.org.
: 6 to 8 p.m. Guilford Art Center, 411 Church St. For participants ages 21 and up. BYOB. No partner needed. No art skills required. Cost: $27 for members, $30 for nonmembers. To register, visit guilfordartcenter.org. For info, call 203453-5947.
SoMA Creative Crawl
: 6 to 9 p.m. RiverFire Glass Studio at SoMA, 500 Main St., Deep River. Features three mini workshops for participants to create winter watercolors landscape with Shell & Bee, make a glass fusion dish with RiverFire Glass, and learn from an introduction to social dance with River Valley Dance Project. Cost: $72. Service fees apply. Child care available through Artsistic Babysitter. For info or to register, call 860-864-5004 or visit riverfireglass.com.
Author Event: James Ponti
: 6:30 p.m. R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Book: . For info or to register (required), call 203-245-3959 or visit rjjulia.com.
Open Mic with Terri Lachance
: 7 to 9 p.m. Nightingale’s Acoustic Café, 68 Lyme St., Old Lyme. Minimum three songs for each performer, more if time allows. House piano and sound system available. Admission: $5 donation at the door. For info, visit musicnowfoundation.org.
Yale Concert Band Winter Concert
: 7:30 to 10 p.m.
Woolsey Hall, 500 College St., New Haven. Features a performance with Thomas C. Duffy, music director. Free admission. For info, call 203-432-4111 or visit bands.yalecollege.yale.edu.
Concert by Mullett
: 8 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
SATURDAY, FEB. 14
37th Annual Eagle Watch on the Connecticut River
:
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meet at The Audubon Shop, 907 Boston Post Rd., Madison at 7:45 a.m. or the first stop at Haddam, Eagle Landing State Park, at 8:30 a.m. Features a land-based trip along the shore of the Connecticut River to spot bald eagles and other wintering birds from a variety of locations and discuss the birds’ natural history. Not a boat trip. Led by Jerry Connolly of The Audubon Shop. Cost: $33, includes soup and sandwich lunch at Otter Cove Restaurant, Old Saybrook. Binoculars recommended and available to rent. Pre-payment required. For info or to register (required), call 203-245-9056 or visit theaudubonshop.com/events.
Saturday Sleuths Book Club
The Mystery Guest
: 10 to 11:30 a.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Book: by Nita Prose. Snacks will be provided. For info or to register (required), call 203-245-7365 or visit scranton.librarycalendar.com.
Sweetheart Twill Weaves Workshop Europa
: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Guilford Art Center, 411 Church St. Participants will use 100% cotton loop materials from a New England familyowned mill and a sturdy metal peg loom to create a coordinating pair of potholders. Printed weaving charts and cotton weaving loops are included in materials fee. Bring embroidery scissors. Metal peg loom and hooks will be available in class for $20 purchase. Cost: $37.80 for members, $42 for nonmembers. Materials fee of $12 is payable with the tuition. To register, visit guilfordartcenter.org. For info, call 203-453-5947.
: 10:30 a.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. For ages 5 to 12. Participants will cut, tie, and stuff a heart-shaped pillow—no sewing required. Free. Registration is required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Kids Create: No-Sew Heart Pillow Bird Valentines
: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. For children up to age 8 and their families. Participants make pine cone and Victorian-style birdthemed Valentines. For info or to register, call 860-6632000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Stop Motion Animation Workshop
: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Chester Public Library, 21 W. Main St. Drop-ins welcome but space is limited. Participants may stay longer to finish their projects. For info or to register, contact 860-5260018 or ChesterKidLib@gmail.com.
Cool-ology: Valentine’s Day Science
: 11 a.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Features hands-on science activities themed for Valentine’s Day, including chemistry experiments and engineering challenges. For grades 1 to 5. Registration is required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.
: 1 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. Shown on The Kate’s big screen. Running time: 210 minutes. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
Met in HD Encore: Saturday Cinema
: 2 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Tea and light refreshments served. Free and open to all. Registration suggested. For info, including the movie title, or to register (required), call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
Movie Screening
: Noon to 3 p.m. Smith Library, 3 Old Post Rd., Northford. Screening of a musical film. Registration is required. For info, including the movie title, or to register, call 203-484-0469 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.
Jazz Trio at Henry on Main
: 4 p.m. Henry on Main, 10 W. Main St., Clinton. Features live jazz with Ciara Garcia on baritone sax, Eneji Alungbe on bass, and Ohm Soni on drums. Cost: $10 at the door. For info, call 860-669-2342.
Teddy Bear Clinic
: 5 to 6 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Children ages 2 to 10 may bring a stuffed animal or doll for a pretend medical checkup using tools such as stethoscopes and bandages. Registration is required. For info or to register, call 203315-6020 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.
Concert by Roomful of Blues
: 8 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. Tickets: $45. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
Concert by Stephane Wrembel
Women in Business Luncheon
Drop-in Poetry Workshop
“Gracias a la Vida” Concert
Opening Reception for BACA Winter ’26 Art Show
Valentine Portraits: BYOB Paint and Sip
Cinderella
Ivoryton Playhouse Announces America 250 Season
Over the past 96 years, the Ivoryton Playhouse has showcased onstage a wide variety of stories and music from around the world.
In 2026, Ivoryton Playhouse will present a special season, an American celebration to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It will be a tribute to American history, music, and shared experiences in a theatre that feels like home.
The America 250 season opens on Thursday, March 26, with an old favorite—a hilarious celebration of the Nutmeg State. is a wacky, sweet, romantic comedy by Connecticut native Mike Reiss, who has been making viewers all laugh for years as a writer with . Why does sweet, kind Marc struggle to find love? Because he comes from Connecticut, a land of steady habits, sanity, and politeness. The show runs through Sunday, April 19.
unlikeliest of places. The show runs Thursday, Aug. 6, through Sunday, Sept. 6.
Piece of My Heart
This year is also the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. Honoring the veterans who served and continue to serve this country reminds all that patriotism is not just a sentiment but a practice. by Shirley Lauro follows the true stories of six women—five nurses and an entertainer—who served in Vietnam. The significant role that women played in the war is often unacknowledged. Their stories and music are powerful, a reminder of the human cost of war and the scars that still remain. The show runs Thursday, Oct. 1, through Sunday, Oct. 25.
Playhouse Holiday Jamboree
Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill
On Thursday, May 7, Ivoryton Playhouse takes a step back in time to South Philadelphia in 1959. by Lanie Robertson is a Tony Award-winning play that brings to life the soul and struggles of jazz legend Billie Holiday. Featuring a selection of Holiday’s iconic songs, including “Strange Fruit” and “God Bless the Child,” this acclaimed play with music transports the audience on a spellbinding journey for one of the jazz legend’s final concerts.
In June and July, Ivoryton Playhouse celebrates America 250 with the founding fathers who come alive in the glorious musical by Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone. This powerful, award-winning Broadway show brings the story of the nation’s founding to life. The show highlights John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson as they fight for independence against a dead-
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SATURDAY, FEB. 14 AND
SUNDAY, FEB. 15
Maple Sugaring Time
: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Dudley Farm Museum, 2351 Durham Rd., Guilford. Weather permitting, volunteers will demonstrate traditional maple sugaring methods at the sugar house behind the Quinnipiac Dawnland Museum and Munger Barn. Features sap collection and syrup-making using a historic “cooker,” along with woodfired cooking, stories, and hands-on opportunities. Continues Wednesday, Feb. 21, and Thursday, Feb. 22. For info, call 203-457-0770 or visit dudleyfarm.com.
Victorian Valentine Pop-up Exhibit
: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dudley Farm Museum, 2351 Durham Rd., Guilford. Features a pop-up exhibit of Victorian-era valentines, including German and Austrian paper-engineered designs popular from the 1890s through the 1920s, as well as Vinegar Valentines, also known as Mock Valentines. For info, call 203-4570770 or visit dudleyfarm.com.
Come From Away
locked Continental Congress in a retelling filled with humor, romance, pathos, and nail-biting tension. It’s revolutionary! The show runs Thursday, June 25, through Sunday, July 26. by Irene Sankoff and David Hein tells the true story of 7,000 airline passengers stranded in the remote town of Gander, Newfoundland, in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001. In a moment filled with fear and uncertainty, joy and resilience prevail as the tiny community of Gander pulls together and strangers become friends. Through exuberant music, humor, and heart, this show celebrates the power of human connection, proves that kindness can bring people together in the most difficult of times, and affirms that hope can arise in the
SUNDAY, FEB.
15
Tractor Parade
: 1 to 3 p.m. Main Street, Chester. Tractors roll at 1:30 p.m. Includes music and chili. Proceeds benefit the Chester Hose Company. For info, visit facebook.com/chesterct.
Sewiong Sunday: Make Your Own Heart Bag
: 1:30 to 4 p.m. Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library, 146 Thimble Islands Rd., Stony Creek. Beginner-friendly project. Limited spots.To register (required), call 203-488-8702. For info, visit wwml.org.
Film Screening and Q&A: Eva’s Promise
: 3 p.m. Oliva
Eva’s Promise
Hall, Cummings Art Center, Connecticut College, New London. Free screening of the documentary , followed by a question-and-answer session with director Steve McCarthy and co-producer Susan Kerner, moderated by Rabbi Jessica Goldberg. Presented by the Lyman Allyn Art Museum in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut and Connecticut College. Free and open to the public. Registration is required. For info or to register, contact 860-443-2545, ext. 2129, or info@lymanallyn.org.
Playhouse Holiday Jamboree
The Playhouse also continues its tradition with the holiday show, by Katie Barton and Ben Hope, which features festive tunes, family stories, and some new surprises. Inspired by classic radio shows and old-time musical revues, is the perfect holiday show for the whole family. What better way to end a special birthday year! The show runs Thursday, Nov. 19, through Sunday, Dec. 20.
Gift certificates and subscriptions are on sale now. Subscriptions are a great way to save money and support live theater, and they make great holiday gifts. Six- and three-play subscriptions are available now. Single tickets will go on sale Tuesday, March 3.
About Ivoryton Playhouse
Ivoryton Playhouse, located at 103 Main Street, is a renowned small professional theater on the Shoreline. It is known for its exceptional productions and commitment to creating unforgettable experiences for audiences of all ages.
For more information or tickets, call 860-767-7318 or visit www.ivorytonplayhouse.org. A
: 7 p.m.
MONDAY,
FEB. 16
Youth Art Class: Artistic Penguins
The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org. : 10 a.m. to noon. Branford Arts & Cultural Alliance (BACA) Gallery, 1004 Main St. Features a winter-themed art class where participants will create an artistic penguin project. For ages 8 to 12. Led by artist Sharon Hart. Cost: $10. For info or to register, contact 203-232-4384 or baca06405@gmail.com.
Teen Drawing Class
: 1 to 3 p.m. Branford Arts & Cultural Alliance (BACA) Gallery, 1004 Main St., Branford. Features a drawing skills class where participants refine their techniques and explore creative expression. For ages 12 to 18. Led by instructor Edith Reynolds. Cost: $10. For info or to register, contact 203-232-4384 or baca06405@gmail.com.
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I’m
Press Release from the Ivoryton Playhouse
Photo courtesy of Ivoryton Playhouse
Concert by The Dave Matthews Tribute Band
Continued from page 23
TUESDAY, FEB. 17
12,
Annual Madison and Clinton Chamber Joint Business After Hours Event
Kate Classic Film: Math Mania
Senior Series 2: All About Senior Living Communities
: 2 and 7 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
: 4 to 5 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. Elementary-age students will play math games with the theme of Abe Lincoln and money. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
LEGO STEM Club
: 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. For grades 1 to 4. Participants will explore engineering concepts with a focus on "logo shadows." For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Calligraphy that Inspired a Nation
: 6 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Features a 90-minute workshop on colonial calligraphy using dip nib and ink. Includes signature-making activity. Sponsored by the Friends of Acton Public Library. Free and open to all. Registration suggested. For info, call 860-3953184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
Pickin’ Party
: 6 to 8 p.m. Nightingale’s Acoustic Cafe, 68 Lyme St., Old Lyme. Features a performance by blues musician Ramblin’ Dan Stevens. Tickets: $5 at the door. For info, call 860-434-1961 or visit danstevens.net or musicnowfoundation.org/events.
Author Event: Rick Tulsky in Conversation with Emily Bazelon
: 7 p.m. R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Book:
: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Donahue’s Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Co-sponsored by the Madison and Clinton Chambers of Commerce. For info, contact the Madison Chamber at 203-245–7394 or chamber@madisonct.com, or visit madisonct.com.
Family Paint Night: Tiny Art Returns
: 6 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Participants create tiny art pieces for the community exhibit. Supplies provided. Free and open to all. Registration suggested. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
Books and Boos
: 6 p.m. R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Sponsored by R.J. Julia Booksellers. For info or to register, call 203-245-3959 or visit rjjulia.com.
10 Things Every Baby Boomer Should Know About Cremation
: 6 p.m. Henry Carter Hull Library, 10 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Features an informational presentation on cremation planning for adults born between 1946 and 1964 and their families. Registration is required. For info or to register, call 860-669-2342 or visit hchlibrary.org.
Writing Injustice Book Discussion:
: 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. The Orchard House, 421 Shore Dr., Branford. Cost: $10. Second in a six-part educational series designed for older adults and the adult children who support them. Each session offers practical guidance on topics related to aging in place, downsizing, home care, and senior living options. Participants can attend any or all sessions; there is no obligation to attend the full series. Sponsored by Shoreline Adult Education. For info or to register (required), call 203-488-5693 or visit shorelineadulted.org.
Chinese New Year
: 6 to 6:45 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. For elementary-age students. Includes story time, a horse decoration craft, and noisemaking to welcome the Year of the Horse. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Art Talk with Curator Mallory Mortillaro: Exciting Discoveries in Art History
: 6:30 p.m. Via Zoom. Sponsored by the Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Second in a two-part series. Free and open to all. For info or to register (required), call the library at 860-767-1560 or visit the events calendar link at youressexlibrary.org.
Our Salt Marshes and the History of Salt Marsh Haymaking in New England
. For info or to register (required), call 203-245-3959 or visit rjjulia.com.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18
Ash on the Dash
Afternoon Pick Your Project
Comic Crew: Morning Glory Warrior Cats
: 7 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Guilford. Led by Hazel V. Carby and Donna Daniels, this session explores Zora Neale Hurston’s 1937 novel about independence, love, and self-discovery. Copies available at the Reference Desk. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, visit scrantonlibrary.org.
: 6:30 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Guilford. Presented by Shaun Roche of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. Features historic images and stories of sustainable farming along coastal marshes. Co-sponsored by the Guilford Conservation Commission. Free. For info or to register (required), visit scrantonlibrary.org.
Shoreline Sailing Club Event:
: 7 to 8 a.m. North Branford Congregational Church, 1680 Foxon Rd. (Rte. 80), North Branford. Drive-through Ash Wednesday observance offering ashes in the church parking lot. For info, email nobfdcong@sbcglobal.net.
: 1 to 3:30 p.m. RiverFire Glass Studio at SoMA, 500 Main St., Deep River. Features a beginner to advanced beginner class depending on what the participant wants to make. Closed-toe shoes, long pants, and safety glasses are required. Bring an N95 facemask in case glass powder is involved in the class. No prior experience required. Cost: $64. Service fees apply. Some beginner projects may require additional fee paid in cash, check, or Venmo on the day of class. For info or to register, call 860-864-5004 or visit riverfireglass.com.
Injustice Town: A Corrupt City, a Wrongly Convicted Man, and a Struggle for Freedom Warrior Cats
: 4 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. For ages 8 to 12. Features games, contests, crafts, and activities inspired by the graphic novel series. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
THURSDAY, FEB. 19
Book Club Shoreline Village Tea and Talk
7 p.m. Clark Memorial Field, 210 Elm St., Old Saybrook. For active singles 35 and over. New members are welcome and sailing experience is not necessary. Cost: free for members and first-time guests, $10 for others. BYOB. For info, visit shorelinesailingclub.com.
The Frozen River: A Novel
: Noon to 2 p.m. Atwater Memorial Library, 1720 Foxon Rd., North Branford. Book: by Ariel Lawhon. For info or to register, call 203315-6020 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.
: 2 to 3:30 p.m. Shoreline Diner, 345 Boston Post Rd. Guilford. Features a conversation with members of Shoreline Village CT (SVCT). For info or to RSVP, contact 203-747-5939 or info@ShorelineVillageCT.org.
Junior Librarians Their Eyes Were Watching God
: 4 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Second in a four-session program for ages 8 to 12 offering a behind-the-scenes look at library operations with the children’s and teen librarians. Participants will learn how librarians select books for the collection, how much they can spend, and how they decide when it is time for a book to retire. Free. Commitment to all four sessions and celebration is expected. For info or to register (required), call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
: 7 to 8 p.m. Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library, 146 Thimble Islands Rd., Stony Creek. Book: Held in the Keyes Gallery. For info, call 203-488-8702 or visit wwml.org.
Author Event: Gish Jen in Conversation with Barbara Pearce Concert by Journeyman (Tribute to Eric Clapton)
:
7:30 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
FRIDAY, FEB. 20 AND SATURDAY, FEB. 21
Stage Door Medium Live With Jimmy Moses Bad Bad Girl
: 7 p.m.
The Legacy Theatre, 128 Thimble Islands Rd., Stony Creek. Features live audience readings and an interactive Q&A with Stage Door Medium Jimmy Moses. For info or tickets, call the box office at 203-315-1901 or visit legacytheatrect.org.
See page 25
Saint Ann’s Griswold Forum
Hosts Decoda
Saint Ann’s Parish in Old Lyme presents members of Decoda at the church’s Griswold Forum on Sunday, Feb 22, at 9:30 a.m.
Members of Decoda, affiliate ensemble of Carnegie Hall, will talk about their unique group and their ongoing creative community projects in prisons, community centers, hospitals, and shelters, with a special focus on their community engagement work for Musical Masterworks, a chamber music series in southeastern Connecticut.
Attendees will learn about the songwriting workshop that Decoda will have just concluded during their weeklong residency at Cheshire Correctional Institute and the challenges associated with working in incarceration facilities in general.
Decoda will also share some lyrics from the inmates’ newly written songs and perform some of the music, in arrangements for an ensemble of oboe, bassoon, viola, and cello. Members will also share reflections on their experience presenting workshops at Vista Life Innovations, a community center for adults with chronic neurological impairments located in Madison. As Musical Masterworks’ ensemble-in-
residence for community engagement for the past four years, Decoda has worked with students at Fitch High School in Groton, as well as with students at Waterford Country School. All these residencies help to build confidence, trust, and skills in the participants, proving that music is a force for connection, empowerment and transformation.
“For four years, Decoda has helped Musical Masterworks deepen its commitment to community engagement, using music as a bridge between people, experiences, and voices that are too often unheard,” said Mic Herring, executive director of Musical Masterworks. “Their work shows the extraordinary impact that creativity can have in fostering empathy and belonging.”
Rev. Anita Louise Schell, Saint Ann’s rector, added, “Saint Ann’s is delighted to host Decoda in this Griswold Forum, where we can shine a light on the remarkable work that they and Musical Masterworks have been doing in our communities.”
Saint Ann’s Church is located at 82 Shore Road, Old Lyme. All are welcome to attend this presentation.
For more information, call 860-4341621.
Continued from page 24
FRIDAY, FEB. 20
Crescendo and Cayenne: A Mardi Gras Epicurean Dinner and Blues Revival
:
7 p.m. Madison Beach Hotel, 94 W. Wharf Rd., Madison. Features a multicourse Mardi Gras–inspired dinner with wine pairings and live blues by Paul Gabriel. Cost: $150. For info or reservations, visit madisonbeachhotel-curio.eventbrite.com or madisonbeachhotelevents.com/hotel/ hotel-happenings.
Concert by Lunasa
: 8 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. Tickets: $50. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
SATURDAY, FEB. 21
37th Annual Eagle Watch on the Connecticut River
: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meet at The Audubon Shop, 907 Boston Post Rd., Madison at 7:45 a.m. or the first stop at Haddam, Eagle Landing State Park, at 8:30 a.m. Jerry Connolly of The Audubon Shop leads this land-based trip along the shore of the Connecticut River to spot bald eagles and other wintering birds from a variety of locations and discuss the birds’ natural history. Not a boat trip. Cost: $33, includes soup and sandwich lunch at Otter Cove Restaurant, Old Saybrook. Binoculars recommended and available to rent. Pre-registration and payment required. For info or to register (required), call 203-245-9056 or visit theaudubonshop.com/events.
Create a Succulent Terrarium
: 10:30 a.m.
Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Hosted by the Old Saybrook Garden Club. All supplies provided. For grades K to 4. Registration required. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
STEAM Saturday: Make Your Fake Snow
: 10:30 a.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Free and open to children in ages 5 to 12. Participants will conduct an experiment to make fake snow that even feels cold. Seating and materials are limited. For info or to register (required), call the library at 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Polar Bears and How They Live in the Arctic
: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. For ages 5 and older. Led by Bauer Park educator Julie Ainsworth. Includes interactive learning stations and puppet-making. For info or to
register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Deep River Public Library, 150 Main St. First in a three-class series featuring instruction from a professional chess coach. Open to children, teens, and adults. Funded by Deep River Cares and sponsored by the Community Foundation of Middlesex Country. For info or to register (required), call 860-526-6039 or visit deepriverlibrary.accountsupport.com.
Chess Workshop Series : Interactive Author Talk
: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. Authorillustrator Adam Wallenta and his son read from their graphic novel, share their creative process, and lead a drawing demonstration. Book signing follows. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org. : Noon to 1 p.m. Virtual event. Presented by Alicia Farrell, cognitive psychologist and parenting professional. Designed for parents and caregivers of elementary and intermediate school children. Hosted by HaddamKillingworth Youth & Family Services. For info or to register, visit hkyfs.org.
Parenting Power Hour Elementary School (K-5): Encouraging Independence and Building a Healthy Relationship with your Children
Author Talk:
Women Marines
: 1 to 2 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Guilford author Ellen Creane discusses her book
Musical Women Marines: The Marine Corps Women’s Reserve Band in World War II
, which examines the only all-female Marine Corps band, active from 1943 to 1945. Registration is not required. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.
Concert by Best of the Eagles (Tribute to Eagles) A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett
: 3 and 8 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
: 5 p.m.
Water's Edge Resort & Spa, 1525 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. Performed by Changes In Latitude. Tickets: $74 per person, includes a buffet dinner. Guests purchasing less than 10 tickets will be seated at tables with other guests. For info or reservations, call 860-399-5901 or visit watersedgeresortandspa.com/events.
See page 26
Photo courtesy of Saint Ann's Church Decoda musicians
Press Release from Saint Ann's Church
Local
Punk Taco Adventures
Musical
Continued from page 25
: 7 p.m. Shubert Theatre, 247 College St., New Haven. For info or tickets, call the Shubert Box Office at 203-562-5666 or visit Shubert.com.
: 7 to 10 p.m. Time to Dance Ballroom Dance Studio, 45 NE Industrial Rd., Branford. Admission: $20, includes a group lesson from 7 to 7:30 led by Karen Pfrommer. For info, email info@timetodanceballroom.com.
: 8:30 p.m. Madison Beach Hotel, 94 W. Wharf Rd., Madison. Features Jake Kulak and the Modern Vandals, with guest performances by Tommy Castro and James Montgomery. Doors open at 8 p.m. Cost: $45. For info or tickets, call 203-245-1404 or visit eventvesta.com.
SATURDAY, FEB. 21 AND
SUNDAY, FEB. 22
: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Dudley Farm Museum, 2351 Durham Rd., Guilford. Weather permitting, volunteers will demonstrate traditional maple sugaring methods at the sugar house behind the Quinnipiac Dawnland Museum and Munger Barn. Features sap collection and syrup-making using a historic “cooker,” along with woodfired cooking, stories, and hands-on opportunities. For info, call 203-457-0770 or visit dudleyfarm.com.
: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dudley Farm Museum, 2351 Durham Rd., Guilford. Features a pop-up exhibit of Victorian-era valentines, including German and Austrian paper-engineered designs popular from the 1890s through the 1920s, as well as Vinegar Valentines, also known as Mock Valentines. For info, call 203-4570770 or visit dudleyfarm.com.
SUNDAY, FEB. 22
: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. YMA Annex, 554 Woodward Ave., New Haven. Sponsored by the New Haven Philatelic Society. For info, visit nhps1914.com.
: 9:30 a.m. Saint Ann’s Church, 82 Shore Rd., Old Lyme. Presented by Steve MacAusland. Part of the church’s Griswold Forum series of lectures. For info, contact 860-434-1621 or office@saintannsoldlyme.org.
: 2 p.m. The Legacy Theatre, 128 Thimble Islands Rd., Branford. Ticket subscriptions are available. Service fees apply. For info or tickets, contact the Legacy Theatre at 203-315-1901 or Info@LegacyTheatreCT.org, or visit legacytheatrect.org.
An Afternoon of Music with Joe Flood
: 2 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Guilford. Features songs from Flood’s upcoming 2026 album and past works. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, visit scrantonlibrary.org.
Essex Winter Series (EWS): Hot and Sweet Music of the 1920s and '30s
: 3 p.m. Valley Regional High School, 256 Kelsey Hill Rd., Deep River. Features Vince Giordano and the jazz orchestra The Nighthawks. Part of the EWS 2026 Season, in the celebration of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence. Tickets: $45, general admission; $5, students through college. For info or tickets, call 860-272-4572 or visit essexwinterseries.com.
Madison’s Role in the Civil War
: 4 p.m. Hubley Hall, First Congregational Church of Madison, 26 Meeting House Ln. Presented by Charlie Fischer, former Daniel Hand High School history teacher. Sponsored by the Madison Historical Society (MHS). Part of the 2026 Frederick Lee Lectures series. Admission: $5 suggested fee, free to MHS members. For info, contact 203-245-4567 or office@madisonhistory.org.
The Occasional Coffee House: Rees Shad
: 7 p.m. North Madison Congregational Church, 1271 Durham Rd. Features live music, coffee, and a relaxed evening with friends. Tickets: $20, available online or at the door. Space is limited. For info or tickets, call 203-421-3241 or visit northmadisoncc.org/occasional-coffeehouse.
Concert by American Elm (Electric) and The Bargain
:
7 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-5100453 or visit thekate.org.
MONDAY, FEB. 23
Artist2Artist Enrichment Program: Macro Photography Workshop
: 10 a.m. to noon. Branford Arts and Cultural Alliance (BACA), 1004 Main St. Presented by photographer Robert Thomas. Part of a program of free workshops covering various aspects of professional art practice. For info or to register, contact 203-232-4384 or baca06405@gmail.com.
Staying Strong and Steady: Fall Prevention
: 3 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Guilford. Presented by Dr. A.J. Gagliardi and Dr. Jill Caruso. Learn ways to improve bone density, enhance balance, and reduce fall risk. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, visit scrantonlibrary.org.
Author Event: Deborah Goodrich Royce in Conversation with Luanne Rice
: 6:30 p.m. RJ Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Book: . For info or to register (required), call 203-245-3959 or visit rjjulia.com.
Best Boy: A Novel
TUESDAY, FEB. 24
Rep. Renee Lamark Muir:
1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Deep River Ambulance Barn, 284 West Elm St., Deep River. Features a question-and-answer session with Renee Lamark Muir on her role and responsibilities as Deep River’s state representative. Sponsored by the Deep River 60 Club. For info, call 860-767-2302.
Smithson’s Gamble: The Incredible History Behind the World’s Largest Museum with Smithsonian Curator Emeritus Tom Crouch
: 2 p.m. Online event. Book:
Smithson's Gamble: The Smithsonian Institution in American Life, 1836–1906
. Hosted by the North Branford Libraries through a partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium. For info or to register (required), visit libraryc.org/nbranfordlibraries.
American Girl Doll Club
: 6 to 6:45 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. For grades 1 to 4. This session focuses on Ivy Ling. Participants should bring a doll (it does not have to be an American Girl doll) and join in story time, activities, and a craft. For info or to register, call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Getting Your Estate Plan Right: How to Create the Best Plan for You Pickin’ Party
: 6 to 7 p.m. Via Zoom or Google Meet. Cost: $20. Sponsored by Shoreline Adult Education. For info or to register (required), call 203-488-5693 or visit shorelineadulted.org.
: 6 to 8 p.m. Nightingale’s Acoustic Cafe, 68 Lyme St., Old Lyme. Features a performance by blues musician Ramblin’ Dan Stevens. Tickets: $5 at the door. For info, call 860-434-1961 or visit danstevens.net or musicnowfoundation.org/events.
Evening Pick Your Project
: 6 to 8:30 p.m. RiverFire Glass Studio at SoMA, 500 Main St., Deep River. Features a beginner to advanced beginner class depending on what the participant wants to make. Closed-toe shoes, long pants, and safety glasses are required. Bring an N95 facemask in case glass powder is involved in the class. No prior experience required. Cost: $64. Service fees apply. Some beginner projects may require additional fee paid in cash, check, or Venmo on the day of class. For info or to register, call 860-864-5004 or visit riverfireglass.com.
Popcorn and PJs: Virtual Family Story Time
Pout-Pout Fish Goes to the Dentist The Pout-Pout Fish and the Can’t-Sleep Blues,
: 7 p.m. Online event. Features author Deborah Diesen reading and discussing her creative process, answering questions, and leading a brief drawing activity. Cost: $10 for the link to the live event; $30 for the full package, which includes the link, a signed copy of the book, popcorn, crayons, sketch pad, and additional materials shipped to the provided address. Presented by Read to Grow in Branford. For info or to register, call 203488-6800 or visit readtogrow.org.
Rent: In Concert
Open Dance Party
Annual Blues Concert with Jake Kulak and the Modern Vandals
Maple Sugaring Time
Victorian Valentine Pop-up Exhibit
Stamp, Coin, and Collectibles Show
Presentation by Decoda, Affiliate Ensemble of Carnegie Hall
Sunday Broadway Concert Series with John McDaniel and Matt Doyle
Guilford Job Network Meet
Music and Poetry Mark International Women’s Day
The Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek is hosting an afternoon of music and poetry for healing and hope from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day.
The event features Grammy Awardwinning flutist Rhonda Larson, whose multilayered performances have earned international praise, and poet Jude Rittenhouse, whose poems have been awarded the Joy Harjo Poetry Prize, Margaret Gibson Award, and the Tiferet Poetry Prize.
After winning first prize in the National Flute Association Young Artists Competition at the age of 22, Larson was invited to join the Paul Winter Consort—and thus began a global journey which led six years later to winning a Grammy Award. Her performances have been described as transformative as she “wields her instruments like a blow torch.”
A Montana native, Larson has charmed audiences across the country and abroad. She plays a variety of flutes from around the world including ones made of glass. She has perfected the unusual technique of producing vocal sounds while playing the flute using the voice as melody and flute as harmony. With home base now in Killingworth, she has become a mentor for the next generation of flutists while keeping a full performance schedule.
Rittenhouse has spent decades in the fields of trauma recovery and domestic violence, using writing with her clients as a source of empowerment. She is a poet, short story and nonfiction writer, teacher, speaker, counselor, mental health professional, and lifelong activist.
Continued from page 26
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25
Let's Make Bagels!
: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Branford High School, 185 E. Main St. Cost: $30 class fee plus a $30 materials fee (exact change requested). All ingredients provided. Bring an apron, a clean dish towel, and a sponge for cleanup. Each student will take home the six bagels they made and three large almond croissants. Take-home bags will be provided. Sponsored by Shoreline Adult Education. For info or to register (required), call 203-4885693 or visit shorelineadulted.org.
RPG Game Night
: 6 p.m. Acton
Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Participants can play or plan games like Zombiecide or MTG. Facilitated by librarian Brian Story. Free and open to all. Registration suggested. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
An Unfinished Revolution at 250
: 6 p.m.
Concert by Sons of Town Hall
: 7:30 p.m.
Pump Up Your Heart: Nutrition Talk
The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org. : 11 a.m. to noon. Congregational Church in Killingworth, 273 Rte. 81. Presented by Natalie A. Webb, consulting dietitian for Big Y. Covers eating plans for heart health, including tips for those with high blood pressure or atrial fibrillation. Hosted by the Killingworth Women’s Organization (KWO). Free. For info or to register (required), visit facebook.com/kwo06419.
Guilford Newcomers & Neighbors Snow-cial
Tiferet Nimrod International Journal Connecticut River Review Cutthroat The Tiferet Talk Interviews
Nimrod International Journal
Her poems have appeared in , , , and , among others. She was featured in , along with Julia Cameron, Edward Hirsch, Robert Pinsky, and Bernie Siegel (2013). Awards include a writer’s grant from the Vermont Studio Center, second place in the 2023 Margaret Gibson Award, honorable mention in the 2025 Joy Harjo Awards, and finalist for the Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry by and the Tiferet Poetry Prize. In fluid language, Jude’s poems merge feminine imagery with nature and will be a perfect pairing with Larson’s music, especially on International Women’s Day.
Event Details:
Date: Sunday, March 8
Time: 2 to 4 p.m.
Place: Congregation Beth Shalom
Rodfe Zedek, 55 East Kings Highway, Chester.
Admission: $10 members/ $15 nonmembers
For more information or to pre-register, contact 860-526-8920 or office@cbsrz.org.
New Haven Museum, 114 Whitney Ave. Features a talk by historian and author Michael D. Hattem on the role of the American Revolution in U.S. history. A reception precedes the free event at 5:30 p.m. Part of NH250, a series highlighting local and lesser-known stories connected to the semiquincentennial. For info, call 203-562-4183 or visit newhavenmuseum.org.
Book Art Workshop
: 6 to 8 p.m. Branford
Arts & Cultural Alliance (BACA) Gallery, 1004 Main St., Branford. Participants will transform old books into usable and decorative art pieces. Led by artist Sharon Hart. Cost: $10. For info or to register, contact 203-232-4384 or baca06405@gmail.com.
Your Guide to Menopause: Symptoms, Safety, and Therapy Options
: 6:30 p.m.
Chester Meetinghouse, 4 Liberty St. Presented by Jill McEachern, a board-certified women’s health nurse practitioner. For info or to register (required), contact the Chester Public Library at 860-526-0018 or library@chesterct.org.
7 p.m.
First Congregational Church of Madison, 26 Meetinghouse Ln. Book: . Cost: $33, includes admission for one to the event and one copy of . Sponsored by R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Rd., Madison. For info or to register (required), call 203245-3959 or visit rjjulia.com.
“Billy
Winter’s Neighbors”
Osprey Die-off: What We Know and What We Need to Learn THURSDAY, FEB. 26
: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Anthony’s Pizza Bar & Grill, 2392 Boston Post Rd., Guilford. Social gathering hosted by Guilford Newcomers & Neighbors, open to members and prospective members. Features cocktails and food available for purchase. Cash bar. For info or to RSVP, visit the event page at evite.com.
: 7 p.m. Deep River Historical Society Carriage House, 245 Main St., Deep River. Presentation by Rhonda Forristall on Billy Winter, a selfemancipated slave who made his home in Deep River, and the contributions of African American families in the town’s history. For info, call 860-541-1247.
: 7 p.m. Webinar. Presented by Osprey researchers Michael Academia from the William & Mary University and Ben Wurst from the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey along with Connecticut Audubon’s Milan Bull and Matt Joyce. Part of the 2026 Young, Gifted, and Wild About Birds series. Hosted by the Connecticut Audubon Society. Cost: $9 for members, $12 for nonmembers. Proceeds benefit the Connecticut Audubon Society conservation programs. For info or to register, visit ctaudubon.org/2026.
Author Event: Anna Quindlen in Conversation with Beatriz Williams: More Than Enough More Than Enough : 7 to 8:30 p.m. Via Zoom. Includes guest speakers. All job seekers welcome. For info or to register and receive the Zoom link, contact Russ Allen at 203-457-0121 or RussAllen2@aolcom.
Press Release from Melanie Greenhouse
Photo by Kurt Rauschenberg Jude Rittenhouse
Photo by Steve Winslow Rhonda Larson
Tabletop
Willoughby Book Talk
When the Cranes Fly South
: 7 to 8 p.m. Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library, 146 Thimble Islands Rd., Stony Creek. Book: by Lisa Ridzén, translated from the Swedish by Alice Menzies. Held in the Keyes Gallery. For info, call 203-488-8702 or visit wwml.org.
by
: 7:30 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
ONGOING EVENTS
Art Exhibits
Andrews Memorial Town Hall
Madison Center for History and Culture
: Lee’s Academy, 14 Meetinghouse Ln., Madison: For info, call MHS at 203-245-4567 or visit madisonhistory.org.
This Side of Paradise
: Runs through March.
New Haven Museum
: 114 Whitney Ave. For info, call 203-562-4183 or visit newhavenmuseum.org.
Invitation to Engage: 60 Years of Long Wharf Theatre & Beyond
: Runs through February.
Pronounced Ah-Beetz
: Runs through October 2027.
Spectrum Art Gallery
Seaview Bistro at Water's Edge Resort & Spa
: 1525
Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. For info, visit watersedgeresortandspa.com.
Fridays and Saturdays: 9 p.m. to midnight. Various performers.
The Choo Choo Lounge at Saybrook Point Resort & Marina:
2 Bridge St., Old Saybrook. For info, call 860-3952000.
Thursdays and Sundays: 6 to 9 p.m. Live music.
The Highliner III:
139 Essex Rd., Westbrook. For info, call 860-399-5042 or visit thehighliner3.com.
Clinton Art Society 2026 Winter Juried Member Artists Show
: 54 E. Main St., Clinton: For info, visit clintonartsocietyct.org/exhibitions. : Runs through April 23.
Branford Arts & Cultural Alliance (BACA) West Gallery
: 360 State St., New Haven: For info, contact 203433-4071 or baca06405@gmail.com, or visit branfordarts.org/events.
Artists in Exhibition: Barbara Fenton, Lisa Hess Hesselgrave, Molly McDonald, Edith Reynolds, and MJ Stevenson
: Runs through March 31.
Art Center
: 411 Church St.: For info, call 203453-5947 or visit guilfordartcenter.org. : Runs through Feb. 28.
Local Color 7: Circular Thinking
Guilford Free Library
: 67 Park St. For info, contact 203535-9442 or EileenClarkArt@gmail.com. : Runs through Feb. 27.
All Mixed Up
Lyman Allyn Art Museum
: 625 Williams St., New London. For info, call 860-443-2545, ext. 2129, or visit lymanallyn.org.
Art in the Holocaust
: Runs through Feb. 15
Lyme Art Association
First Impressions: 34th Annual Associate Artists Show
: 90 Lyme St., Old Lyme: For info, call 860-434-7802 or visit lymeartassociation.org. : Runs through Feb. 20.
Congratulations
: Runs through Feb. 20.
The Artists Garden
Banned Book Club: Bingo Continued from page 27
: Runs through Feb. 20.
This Land is Your Land
: Runs Feb. 27 through April 10.
Animal Kingdom
Stillness: A Still Life
Abstracted Faces & Figures
: Runs Feb. 27 through April 10. : Runs Feb. 27 through April 10.
: Runs Feb. 27 through April 10.
: Runs Feb. 27 through April 10.
: 61 Main St., Centerbrook. For info, call 860-767-0742 or visit spectrumartgallery.org. Runs through March 14.
Fridays and Saturdays: 7 to 10 p.m. Live music.
Second and fourth Thursdays: 7 to 10 p.m. Open mic.
Signs of Love:
Golden Threads: Runs March 27 through May 9.
Susan Powell Fine Art
: 679 Boston Post Rd., Madison. For info, call 203-318-0616, email susanpowellfineart@gmail.com, or visit susanpowellfineart.com.
Valentine Gems
: Runs through Feb. 28.
Valentine H. Zahn Community Gallery
: Middlesex Health Shoreline Medical Center, 250 Flat Rock Pl., Westbrook: For info, email galleryonect@gmail.com or visit MiddlesexHealth.org/ZahnGallery.
Visual Dialogues
: Runs through Feb. 27.
Yale University Art Gallery
: 1111 Chapel St., New Haven. For info, call 203-432-0600 or visit artgallery.yale.edu/visit/exhibitions.
American Impressionism
John Coplans
: Runs through June 14. : Runs through June 14.
August Sander’s People of the 20th Century
: Runs Feb. 27 through June 28.
Jes Fan: Unbounded
: Runs Feb. 27 through June 28.
Keeping Alive the Remembrance: Commemorating America's Founding, 1776–1876
: Runs through Oct. 11.
Music
Bill’s Seafood Restaurant:
Rte. 1, Westbrook. For info, call 860-399-7224 or visit BillsSeafood.com.
First and third Wednesdays: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Corinthian Jazz Band.
First and third Fridays: 7 to 9 p.m. Bill’s Seafood All-Star Jazz Band.
Second and fourth Fridays: 6:30 to 9 p.m. The Modeans. Saturdays: 7 to 10 p.m. Various performers. Sundays: 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Various performers.
Edward A. Norton VFW Post 7666:
104 Mill Rd., Guilford. No cover. For info, call 203-214-5874. Mondays: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Big Swing Band with Tuxedo Junction.
Nightingale’s Acoustic Café:
68 Lyme St., Old Lyme. Donation $5 to $10 at the door. For info, email gstevens@musicnowfoundation.org or visit musicnowfoundation.org.
Tuesdays: 6 to 8 p.m. Ramblin’ Dan Stevens.
Last Friday: 7 to 9 p.m. Teen Open Mic.
Sweet Saturday Nights: 7 to 9 p.m. Various performers.
The Tap Room at The Griswold Inn:
36 Main St., Essex. No cover charge. For info, call 860-767-1776 or visit griswoldinn.com.
Fridays: 8:30 p.m. to midnight. Psychedelic ‘60s.
The Shore Line Trolley Museum:
17 River St., East Haven. Cost: $5 suggested donation. For info, call 203467-6927 or visit shorelinetrolley.org.
First Tuesday: 6 to 9 p.m. Bluegrass acoustic and traditional music.
The Wharf:
Madison Beach Hotel, 94 W. Wharf Rd. For info, call 203-350-0014 or visit thewharfmadison.com. Fridays: 8 to 10 p.m. Acoustic Fridays. Various performers.
Groups and Activities
A Journey Through America’s Past:
10:30 a.m. Thursdays. Via Zoom. Sponsored by the Madison Senior Center, 29 Bradley Rd. Free. Registration is required to receive a Zoom link. For info, contact 203-245-5695 or gillespiee@madisonct.org.
Acoustics Club:
6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. On temporary break for winter. Bring your own acoustic instrument. No registration required. For info, call 203245-7365 or visit scrantonlibrary.org.
Ask-A-Lawyer: A Free Legal Clinic:
5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Second Tuesday. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. No registration required. For info, visit scrantonlibrary.org.
6:30 to 7:30 p.m. First Tuesday. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. For info, call 203-488-1441 or visit blackstonelibrary.org.
: 7 p.m. Mondays. East Creek Landing, 390 S. Union St., Guilford. Doors open 5 p.m. Light refreshments. Cost: $15. Hosted by the Knights of Columbus Council 3928. For info, call 203-453-2801.
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.
Concert
Sister Sadie
Guilford
Real Estate Transactions
BRANFORD
5 Kings Grant Road
: Jillian
Mondaca to Michael R. Boller and Elizabeth Allen, $575,000 on Jan. 23
GUILFORD
NORTH BRANFORD
Road
: 5 Beachwood
LLC to Paul Matute, $200,000 on Jan. 21
: Todd and Shannon Hamilton to Michele L. Jokl, $365,000 on Jan. 21
:
Thanh C. Pham to John Macdonald, $230,000 on Jan. 23
: Estate of Alice East Stanley and Alice S. Mandel to Cheryl Lipka, $399,000 on Jan. 20
: Leo J.
Bombalicki to Lindsay A. Ronshagen, $430,000 on Jan. 23
: Anthony R. Caramanica and Hannah M. Theriault to Jit B. Gurung, $310,000 on Jan. 23
: Far
Mill Riv Re Hldg LLC to Ann C Billings Real Estate Trust and Ann C. Billings, $395,000 on Jan. 21
19 Riverside Drive
: Peter R. and Constance M. Gallagher to Michael Andal and Nina Liang, $1,000,000 on Jan. 22
19
: Better Buyer
LLC to Kevin P. and Maureen Noonan, $320,000 on Jan. 21
157 Barker Hill Drive
: Joseph R.
Ricigliano to Jose Mendoza and Esperanza Castillo, $320,000 on Jan. 20
Coachlamp Lane
: Matthew and Lori Cattaneo to Phoebe and Matthew Miller, $595,000 on Jan. 20
: Amer Intl Relocation to Kevin Swenson and Caitlin Crowley, $380,000 on Jan. 20
: Frank and Jennifer Gibilisco to Amer Intl Relocation Soln, $380,000 on Jan. 20
: Kimberly Waligroski to Nikolas Spadacenta, $499,900 on Jan. 21
NORTH HAVEN
: Paul J. Hyatt to Hillyn Natter, $319,900 on Jan. 20
: Linda Mcauley to Christopher Bronander and Samantha Anastasio, $342,000 on Jan. 23
: Estate of Joann
South Onofrio and Pamela Katynski to Tule Riv Hmbuyer Earned E, $489,000 on Jan. 20
: Robert G.
Grether to Carlos and John Betancourt, $415,000 on Jan. 22
: Alton
Prperties LLC to Christopher and Carlos Tapia, $320,000 on Jan. 20
: Jill and Benjamin Franco to Veronica Melendez and Cierra Alvarado, $412,000 on Jan. 23
: Bsm
Hsh LLC to Nelsy Badia, $215,000 on Jan. 23
: Estate of Elaine M. Rubino and Frank N. Rubino to Zebcon LLC, $224,500 on Jan. 20
: Edgar Patino to Jose F. Torres-Torrens and Kevin Damian, $388,000 on Jan. 23
: Helem J. Datica and Wilson G. Palacios to Stephan Siebel, $460,000 on Jan. 20
62 Hahn Road
: Daniel M. and Melissa A. Reiner to Staci Fernandez, $370,000 on Jan. 20
59 Hoadley Creek Circle
: Jeffrey
M. Niro and U South Bank Na to Juan Escalanate, $330,500 on Jan. 23
Hoop Pole Road
: Kenneth J. Pardee to Joseph Lombardo, $419,000 on Jan. 23
: Market
Equities Grp LLC to Andrew Theori and Shujuan E. Huang, $390,000 on Jan. 20
: Rcf 2 Acquisition T and Us Bank to Rcf 2 Acquisition T and Us Bank, $428,782 on Jan. 21
: Millie C Legenhausen Lt and Millie C. Legenhausen to Donald and Laura James, $950,000 on Jan. 22
: Donna L. Haas to Matthew J. Jansen, $140,000 on Jan. 22
: George and Kimberly Grieco to Gregory and Kristin Webster, $1,160,000 on Jan. 22
: Matthew Ramadanovic to Rajiv C. and Victoria F. Dua, $1,385,000 on Jan. 20
231 Nortontown Road 52 Seaside
: John L. Tarutis and Paula R. Deveau to Michael A. Dechello, $780,000 on Jan. 21
: Philip D. and Stephanie M. Johnson to Sarah D. Johnson and Ethan J. Long, $550,000 on Jan. 20
OLD SAYBROOK
: Vin Properties LLC to Robert Tropiano, $403,000 on Jan. 20 : Joseph E. Smith to Linda J. and Robert M. Guilmette, $320,000 on Jan. 20
: Freedom
Property LLC to Chris and Roberta Fernau, $551,000 on Jan. 20
: Maureen J Lage T and Maureen J. Lage to Francis X. Foley, $1,600,000 on Jan. 22
: Stanley J. and Mary P. Griskewicz to Kyle Butler, $775,000 on Jan. 20
: Audrey E.
Cameron to David A. Facini, $343,000 on Jan. 21
: Real estate transactions are published using publicly available records and are matters of public record. Listings are not removed in response to general privacy requests. Removal will only be considered in cases involving a documented and credible personal safety concern. Requests may be submitted to zip06@shore publishing.com
