Land Trust Purchases Land for Permanent Protection
By Aaron Rubin
Staff Writer
The Killingworth Land Conservation Trust has closed in on the purchase of an ecologically valuable 27-acre property that now will be permanently protected from development, according to the trust’s directors.
The property at the center of the grant is a parcel located along Roast Meat Hill Road that was formerly owned by the First Congregational Church of Madison. It was last month that the land trust closed on purchase with a $35,000 grant awarded by the Connecticut Land Conservation Council, according to KLCT co-director Geoff Picard.
Picard described the purchase of the prop-
erty as a “big win” for the land trust, while similar sentiments were expressed by other heads of the KLCT. Vice President Celina Vansetti thanked the state conservation council for “its support in providing this important grant that allowed KLCT to acquire the land and create what is now a
See Land Trust Purchases page 8
Stellar Season Moves On
decisive 41-3 victory over Guilford in the annual Thanksgiving matchup.....................................14
Members of the Hand High football team come onto the field at the beginning of their game against Guilford, an easy 41-3 victory that propelled them into the playoffs.
Check out the recipes for several different types of shortbread cookies for the holiday season.................23
PhotobyWesleyBunnell/ TheSource
Lorey Walz Meig Walz Newcomb Karen Amlong Lee
Team at Coldwell Banker
Church Breakfasts Build Community
By Aaron Rubin
Staff Writer
There is a need in every community, including Madison, to ensure that people are fed, Rev. Sarah Vetter, one of the senior ministers at the First Congregational Church of Madison, observes. That support can be found at the church’s community breakfasts, held every Saturday from 9 to 10 a.m., a service the church has been offering since earlier this year.
The breakfasts are part of a partnership with Shoreline Soup Kitchens and Pantries, which now draw up to 50 people each week for a free hot meal. But what may appear to be one more form of food assistance for those in need is, according to Sarah and her colleagues, much more than that. They have witnessed the program create a sense of community and connection among neighbors — something especially meaningful during a time
when many families face uncertainty around food security.
“There is a real nice community feel,” Sarah says. “It doesn’t feel like you’re coming to a ‘soup kitchen.’ It’s like going out for breakfast with your friends. People meet each other here, we decorate, put out nice tablecloths — everything looks really like a café. Our volunteers put a lot of work into making the meal special.”
The “warm, fun environment” at the community breakfasts has meant a great deal to many attendees, especially as SNAP benefits have been cut or remain in flux, Sarah says.
Even before changes to SNAP, Sarah observed an uptick in attendance at the breakfasts, a
signal that people were already having to stretch their food budgets carefully.
“There was a big bump in attendance even when they were just talking about the possibility of SNAP benefits running out,” she says. “If they see ahead that that might happen, then right now they’re planning, ‘I’ve got to get as much food and support wherever I can, and save as much as I can to help me last through whatever might come.’”
Yet the program’s impact goes beyond providing a free meal on a Saturday morning. The sense of community is what many attendees crave, and can make a difference for somebody’s day, Sarah says.
“People are hungry for lots of things in this world, whether it’s that they’re hungry for food or they’re lonely,” she says. “And community — just a place to belong, a place where people
See Church page 11
Photo by Aaron Rubin
Rev. Sarah Vetter has seen the personal impacts of community breakfasts at the First Congregational Church.
Finishing
Staying Resilient
Fishing
Selectmen Consider Fund for Affordable Housing
Staff Writer By Aaron Rubin
At its Nov. 12 meeting, the Board of Selectmen discussed the prospect of establishing a Housing Trust Fund for the town as a means of supporting the “construction, rehabilitation, or repair of affordable housing” in Madison, according to the Affordable Housing Committee.
The creation of a Housing Trust Fund is a recommended action included in the town’s 2022-2027 Affordable Housing Plan and has been endorsed by the Board of Selectmen. Committee Chair Mark Edmiston told selectmen that “Madison…has an affordability problem” that a fund could help address.
The housing plan suggests the “regular investment of municipal funds” into the trust, which could be “principally funded through inclusionary zoning development fees.”
Inclusionary zoning requires developers of new housing projects to set aside a percentage of affordable units for low- to moderate-income residents.
Madison’s zoning regulations currently do not include inclusionary zoning. If such rules were adopted and a developer did not include a required percentage of units in a proposal, “inclusionary zoning could have a requirement to build affordable housing or allow for a ‘fee-in-lieu-of’ situation,” according to Town Planner Erin Mannix.
“That money would be deposited into the trust fund,” she said.
The Planning and Zoning Commission would need to establish specific regulatory language for both inclusionary zoning and the fee-in-lieu-of option to implement the action in zoning laws.
Monies collected into the fund could be used in several ways. For housing needs, they could help bolster Madison’s housing stock, which lacks an adequate number of affordable units for people below the Area Median Income. Funds could also support longtime residents seeking to remain in town while downsizing to suit their needs.
“We don’t have a diversity of housing types and, as a result of that, we have people who are stuck in houses that are bigger than they actually need but really have no option to move elsewhere,” Edmiston said. “I think this [fund] is something that will resonate with the residents in town.”
First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons agreed on the primarily symbolic nature of the fund but also viewed it as a useful mechanism. One example she offered was that the fund’s monies could help meet various requirements when reviewing town prop-
erties that may be developable, such as paying for a septic analysis or other forms of consultation. Funds could also be used to pay down rents for certain properties, pursue grant applications, or partner with nonprofits or the private sector on a housing venture.
In addition to fees collected through zoning, other potential revenue sources could include capital improvement bonds or the annual budget process. However, the latter option concerned Selectman Bruce Wilson.
“I’m not sure I can get past the irony of raising taxes to make Madison more affordable,” Wilson said.
While Edmiston believes that the total amount in the fund would ultimately be “fairly small,” he said it would nonetheless signal to prospective housing developers that Madison is demonstrating interest in introducing more affordable housing options.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re going to be able to have huge increases in the number of affordable units in town,” Edmiston said. “It’s more to be [about] working with developers who are looking at market rate and being able to discuss with them including some affordable housing within market rate. That is probably the most important part of it.”
Moving forward, the town will review trust fund ordinances crafted by other towns to help inform the drafting and possible adoption of one in Madison. Lyons said, “it is worth taking it to the next step” as a “really positive force” to encourage more affordable housing.
Selectwoman Jen Gordon, the board’s liaison to the housing committee, agreed.
“It definitely deserves more investigation,” she said.
Edmiston noted that the discussion of the fund is timely. While affordability overall has been a nationwide concern, the state has also taken significant steps to accelerate the development of affordable housing in Connecticut.
Last month, the Office of Governor Ned Lamont stated that “Connecticut’s housing shortage is among the most severe in the country” and that municipalities, through collaboration and investment, “need to do more to address this urgent need.” The committee expressed a similar sense of urgency.
“The issue of affordability is, of course, coming to the fore across the country,” Edmiston said. “This is very timely that we’re talking about this.”
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
Gabrielle Maljanian Sports Editor
Rita Christopher Senior Correspondent
Kristen Lennon Circulation Advertising Assistant
Aaron Rubin The Source Guilford Courier
Wesley Bunnell Chief of Photography
Editorial Staff
Obituaries
Obituary
Emil Anthony Manna Madison
Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, Emil Anthony Manna, 89, longtime resident of Madison passed away. Emil was born in Shelton May 25, 1936, son of the late Frank Manna and Anna (Dobravansky) Manna.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 59 years, Berit (Colwell) Manna. He is survived by his brother Frank Manna and predeceased by his sisters, Helen Chosczyk and Lilly Bilka. Loving father of Michelle (Charles) Rolls, Eric Manna, and Kimberly (Michael) Russell. Known as Tata, he is survived by seven grandchildren, Nicholas, Ashley, Alexandra, Kadison, Rhyleigh, Alyssa and Charles; and five great-grandchildren, Liam, Owen, Oliver, Hannah, Cameron and a baby boy on the way.
Emil served in the Army National Guard and earned degrees from UConn, as a member of the Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity, and the University of New Haven. Before retirement he worked as a Comptroller for Lilly Industries for many years. Emil was a devoted loving husband, father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, whose presence brought warmth to everyone around him. When his children were
Food Worth Tasting
young, some of his happiest moments were spent skiing together and spending winters at Okemo mountain. Emil and Berit enjoyed many cruises together with family and friends. He loved music, whether by the pool or sitting in his favorite chair, and had a passion for collecting coins. He was a Mr. Fix-it around the house and always loved a good project.
Throughout the year he looked forward to playing bocce with his wife and friends in Madison, as well as bowling and playing golf. Emil enjoyed cooking dinner and grilling with his wife, often making his own spin on recipes. Evenings would not be complete without a glass of Merlot in his hand.
A dedicated and hardworking man, Emil took pride and brought enthusiasm to decorating for every holiday season. Above all else, he treasured his family. His love for them was steady, deep, and unwavering — a love that will live on in their hearts always. He will be greatly missed and we will always remember his humor and kindness.
Family and friends are invited to calling hours from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, that the Guilford Funeral Home, 115 Church St, Guilford; followed by a private prayer service at 6 p.m. Burial will be held privately. To share a memory or leave condolences, visit www.guilfordfuneralhome.com.
The final tour for the 2025 Worth Tasting Event takes place Saturday, Dec. 13. The event wraps up the series of downtown culinary walking tours in New Haven led by Stephen Fries, food columnist, professor of hospitality management. The final tour lasts four hours and includes stops at six to eight restaurants and eateries in the Elm City. Participants depart 10:30 a.m. from the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale, 155 Temple Street. Parking is available at the Crown Street or Temple Street Garage in New Haven. Tickets cost $85. Service fees apply. Reservations are required. For more information or to make a reservation, call 203-415-3519 or visit worthtasting.co/newhaven.
Get Your Christmas Tree
A Thanksgiving holiday tradition continues as the Madison Exchange Club unloads a truck full of Christmas trees from a new supplier in Canada onto the Madison Green. The sale of Christmas trees continues every Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., while supplies last. Payment can be made in cash or check made out to Exchange Club of Madison. Proceeds benefit the Fourth of July parade, the Madison Salutes Our Heroes flag display on the Madison Green, youth programs, community service, and child abuse prevention programs. For more information, visit madisonexchange.org.
Contacting The Source
As your hometown paper, The Source welcomes reader contributions and questions. If it’s important to you, we want to know about it. Here are the best ways to bring matters to our attention.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR TheSourceencourages letters to the editor that offer a uniquely local perspective on local issues.
Writers may submit letters as often as every two weeks. Letters must include the writer’s full name, street address, and phone number for verification purposes. Letters submitted under pseudonyms, anonymously, or through third parties will be declined. Letters must be written by the submitter. No more than four signees are permitted per letter.
Letters must be 300 words or fewer and are subject to editing for clarity, style, and adherence to policy. Letter writers may be asked to supply sources to corroborate information presented as fact in letters.
Civility is required. Letters with personal attacks, unsubstantiated allegations, or inflammatory language will be declined.
For letters endorsing a political candidate, Shore Publishing will accept one endorsement per writer per candidate. Letters with negative content are not accepted for the two issues preceding elections to allow for candidate rebuttal.
Letters must be received and verbally confirmed by 5 p.m. Thursday, seven days prior to publication. Confirmation does not guarantee publication. Publication is subject to approval by the editor.
Letter writers who knowingly violate this policy three times will be banned from submitting future letters to the editor.
Letters may be submitted at www.zip06.com or email to shoreletters@shorepublishing.com.
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND CALENDAR To have your item considered for print, please email news@shorepublishing.com. Announcements and calendar items are printed as space allows. Deadline for submissions is Tuesday at noon, nine days before publication.
These are just a few ways to get involved in your newspaper. If you have an idea for a story, a question about news deadlines, or any other news-related inquiry, email news@shorepublishing.com or call the News Department at 203-245-1877, ext. 0.
OBITUARIES The Source publishes paid obituary notices in print and at Zip06.com. Obituaries should be sent to obits@theday.com. The deadline for all obituaries is Wednesday at 4 p.m., eight days prior to publication date. Obituaries will also be posted as quickly as possible at Zip06.com.
ADVERTISING To speak with someone about newspaper and online advertising, contact the Sales Department at advertising@shorepublishing.com or 203-245-1877. All advertising is subject to the approval of Shore Publishing. Shore Publishing shall have the right to revise, reject or cancel, in whole or in part, any advertisement at any time for any or no reason.
LEGAL NOTICES To place a legal notice, email legal@theday.com or call 860-701-4410.
CLASSIFIEDS To place an ad in the Classifieds section or in the Classifieds Service Directory, call 860-701-4200 and/or email classifiedads@theday.com.
CIRCULATION To speak with someone about receiving or canceling the paper, please call 203-245-1877, ext. 6 or email shorecirculation@shorepublishing.com.
The Source
200 State Street, New London, CT 06320 news@shorepublishing.com
203-245-1877
Fax 203-245-9773
SPONSORED CONTENT:
Find Obituaries
Posted Daily Online
While our press schedule often does not allow us to publish death notices in time to announce memorial services, readers can find obituaries posted to the The Source website, www.zip06. com, five days a week as they arrive.
Stories and features denoted with the Shore Publishing “Sponsored” icon are sponsored by advertisers. Sponsored content is content created or commissioned by advertisers in collaboration with Shore Publishing’s marketing team. As with all advertising, sponsored content does not necessarily reflect the views of Shore Publishing. Shore Publishing will ensure the treatment and design of Advertising and Sponsored Content is clearly differentiated from its editorial content.
The Perfect Retirement
Home for the Holidays: Budding Bromance
Submitted by Carol Andrecs
Six-month-old Bubbles and Bruno are best buddies. Although not related, they play, cuddle, wrestle, snuggle, and sleep together. Bubbles, a handsome brownish tan-and-gray tabby, was rescued on the property of a shoreline home with his siblings. Since there was no mom found, the kittens were scavenging for food until a caring person started to feed them, and a friend called Forgotten Felines to rescue the babies. Bruno, a darling orange-andwhite tabby, was rescued with his mom.
Ambulance Toy Drive
No other siblings were found, so he decided to make Bubbles his brother. Bruno is so darn cute and has such an endearing personality. Are you the lucky person to welcome these boys into your home for the holidays? For an appointment to meet these buddies, apply online at www.forgottenfelinesct.org.
Find Your Match at Forgotten Felines
Forgotten Felines holds an open house every Saturday from 11 a.m. 2 p.m. at 153 Horse Hill Road, Westbrook. No appointment is necessary.
79, through Saturday, Dec. 13. For more information, email contactus@madisonctems.org.
Photo credit: Genevieve Ray
Celebrating their 25th anniversary, The Latin Grammy® Award-winning New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band (NYABABB) is an Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble featuring first call Jazz and Afro-Cuban musicians based in New York City who collectively perform with the greatest names in the business. For this concert, the band will be presenting their own unique version of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, complete with dancers!
NYABABB was founded and is led by drummer and Clinton resident, Joe McCarthy. The music of NYABABB has long been inspired by the great Bebop tradition, married to the rich cultural stylings of African, Afro-Caribbean, Brazilian and other multi-ethnic styles of music. The New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band has been featured at Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and The Smithsonian’s Jazz Appreciation Series, among many others.
HOLIDAY CHEER
Land Trust Purchases Land for Permanent Protection
Continued from page 1
green open space corridor right in the center of town.”
According to the state conservation council, the acquisition of the property ensures that it is “permanently protected from development, upholding the original owner’s intent for ‘fellowship and education.’ The property had been used by troops of the Boy and Girl Scouts for educationoriented purposes, the spirit of which will be allowed to continue with the acquisition of the property, confirmed Picard.
The property is a strategically located parcel given its surroundings.
“It abuts our Welter Woods property, which is 53 acres,” said Picard. “Right below that is our Platt Nature Center. To the west of it is also Parmalee Farm, and to the north…is Cockaponset State Forest. So altogether, the acquisition of this makes a swath of open spaces totalling over 300 acres.”
Thanks to the purchase of the Madison church property, those hundreds of protected acres now consist of even more space that is open to various recreational activities such as hiking and fishing and expanded nature trails, allowing many more visitors to explore the outdoors in Killingworth.
The purchase of the property improves water quality protection. Picard said an “important piece” of the purchase was protection of a brook that is tributary to the Menunkatesuck River and is considered watershed property by the Connecticut
Water Company. Protecting the waters in Killingworth will also go to protect the Kelseytown Reservoir that is located in proximity to Killingworth and Clinton residents.
The purchase of the property also saves trees that otherwise might be cleared for development, helping reduce pollution through carbon sequestration, a natural process in which trees and plants absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis.
Beneath the protected canopy will be the opening of two new hiking trails which can be trekked upon by the end of the year. The trails are named after longtime KLCT leaders Heather Greenaway and Bruce Dodson, the latter of whom designed the hiking trails at Parmalee Farm and now at the church property.
“If somebody else ever bought it, who knows if they’d ever cut the trail off and put ‘No Trespassing’ signs. But now, since we own it, it is a perpetually open space, the trail can remain,” said Picard.
Wildlife protection is also ensured through the purchase, with species of deer, turkey, crows, and crayfish in the area not facing the immediate threat of overdevelopment and polluted waters. Development would have been a difficult task from a topographic standpoint considering the active wildlife and the presence of the Menunkatesuck River.
“It’s pretty steep terrain when you first go into this. So if it was to be cleared, we worry about siltation into that river, which could have some native fish in it. Siltation could destroy the habitat,” said Picard.
The Madison Historical Society (MHS) announces it is hosting a vintage card exhibit called A Snail-Mail Holiday: Selections from the MHS Collection of Greeting Cards at the E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Road, Madison. Ranging from the Gilded Age to the Great Depression, the cards can be viewed in the foyer display case through Wednesday, Dec. 31. For more information, contact the MHS at 203-2454567 or office@madisonhistory.org.
Snail Mail Holiday Display
Need Your Old Christmas Tree Picked Up? Call Boy Scout Troop 490
Members of Madison Boy Scout Troop 490 will pick up old Christmas trees and recycle them for a tax-deductible donation of $20 each tree. Pickups can be scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 3, or Sunday, Jan. 11, starting at 9 a.m. Those who want their Christmas tree picked up can leave the tree in the yard and the check made out to BSA Troop 490 in the mailbox, and the Boy Scouts will take care of the tree. When contacting Troop 490, include the name, address, and phone number for the pickup. For more information or to schedule a pickup, contact 203-3509153 or bsatroop490@yahoo.com, or visit troopwebhost.org/Troop490Madison.
School Students
High school students are invited to audition for a place in The Anglican Singers, artists-in-residence at St. James Episcopal Church in New London. The choir is dedicated to preserving the English choral tradition of choral evensong. Selected singers will rehearse weekly from September through May in New London, receive instruction from Music Director Simon Holt, and sing alongside experienced vocalists. The group performs up to eight services and concerts during the season at St. James Episcopal Church, 76 Federal Street, New London, and at venues from Mystic to New Haven. Students accepted into the program must pass an audition with Holt and will receive a $500 stipend toward voice lessons or relevant training. Positions are open in the soprano, alto, tenor, and bass sections. For more information or to audition, email Simon Holt at smo.artisticdirector@ yahoo.com.
is crisp, clear, and more natural, providing a truly advanced listening experience.
Trust your hearing to a Doctor of Audiology at County Hearing and Balance. We are the area’s oldest, locally owned, full service Audiology Center. We provide a professional and thorough assessment of your hearing ability and provide several options if improvement is needed. If hearing aids are necessary, we work with several of the largest manufacturers to ensure that you are getting the right instrument for your hearing loss, at the right price. Plus, we participate or process most insurance and discount plans, including Medicare, Medicare supplements, Anthem, United Health, Tricare, Aetna, Sterling, Connecticare, Cigna, Electric Boat, Pfizer, all current and retired State and Federal Employees and AARP.
Help Warm the Children
The Rotary Club of Madison and the Rotary Club of Guilford announce their program, Warm the Children, a joint initiative that seeks to provide new winter coats, hats, gloves, clothing, and footwear to local children who need them most. Now in its 22nd year, the program has been making a direct impact by working with local social service agencies to identify children in need, ensuring that help goes to the families who will benefit the most. Every dollar donated goes directly toward purchasing clothing. Volunteer shoppers from the clubs meet with families at a local store and personally help them select the warm clothing and footwear they need. To help support this charitable effort, donors can make contributions by check made payable to the Madison Rotary Foundation Warm The Children and send to P.O. Box 335, Madison CT 06443. Online donations are also welcome. For more information or to make an online donation, visit guilfordrotaryclubct.com or madisonctrotary.com/ page/warm-the-children.
Social Emotional Learning with Pokémon
A Pokémon-themed social emotional learning group for kids is offered by Art and Soul Art Therapy, 149 Durham Road, Madison. This six-week therapy group uses the popular card game, art therapy, group discussion, and weekly challenges to assist children in recognizing and managing emotions, peer communication and negotiation, and creative problemsolving. Sessions are $30 each, and insurance is accepted. For more information, contact 203-350-3717 or artandsoulct@gmail.com.
Choral Scholarship Program for High
Church Breakfasts
Build Community
Continued from page 2
know your name and say hello.”
Support for the program has come from several local businesses. Cohen’s Bagels and Beach Donuts have donated their namesake products, and Starbucks has contributed baked treats. These donations allow attendees not only to eat a full breakfast but to take additional food home for later, Sarah says.
“We’re able to send people home with a bagel or two to go,” she says. “You can come and get a hot meal here, and then we’ll also pack you leftovers.”
Food for the breakfasts also comes from the church itself, thanks to a garden outside its offices that started by Sarah’s daughter. The garden has supplied fresh herbs, spices, and vegetables.
Assistance from the church for individuals with tight household budgets extends beyond food. Sarah notes that toiletries — often costly and not covered by government programs — can present significant financial strain. In response, the church has begun collecting items to create a toiletry pantry for breakfast guests.
“We’ve started collecting to create a toiletry pantry here that we’ll offer to people who are here for breakfast,” she says. “We’re also going to be working with the town Youth and Family Services to help
when they might have somebody that needs toiletries.”
As one of the senior ministers at the First Congregational Church, Sarah says the spirit of the breakfasts reflects one of the congregation’s “deepest values,” something they call “radical hospitality.”
“For us that means: whatever I would want for myself and my family, I want for you and your family,” she says. “I certainly want my family to have enough food on the table. I want my children to eat. I want a safe, welcoming, hospitable place. I want community. I want a sense that there are resources and there are people who have your back and you’re not alone in the world. That’s what we are trying to offer.”
“With our kitchen, with the breakfast, with the garden, it’s all part of saying, ‘We want good things, and we want people to thrive and have all they need in life. So let’s come together and give of ourselves, give what we have, to make that true for everybody that we can.’”
The church welcomes volunteers to help with the breakfasts in both the dining room and the kitchen. Per Shoreline Soup Kitchens’ safety rules, kitchen volunteers must be at least 16 years old. Younger volunteers may assist in the dining room by setting tables and placing silverware to help create the welcoming atmosphere for which the breakfasts are known.
Shoreline Soul announces it is holding its concert on Sunday, Dec. 14, at 3 p.m., with a preconcert rehearsal at 1:15 p.m. The concert takes place at the First Congregational Church, 122 Broad Street, Guilford. The event, which is the culmination of a five-session community choral gospel workshop, is free and open to the public. Space is limited. For more information, contact 203-619-1415 or shorelinesoul@gmail.com. Shoreline Soul Culminates Workshop with Concert
Rich Benoit: Time for Tuba Christmas
By Rita Christopher
Senior Correspondent
At music night, when parents came to pick instruments for their elementary school children in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Rich Benoit had given his mother very specific instructions: He wanted to play the flute.
But there were no more flutes left when she got there. She took a clarinet instead. When she got home, Rich cried.
Ultimately, he got the flute but along the way, also learned to play the trumpet, the French horn, the mellophone and most recently, the baritone horn, sometimes also called the euphonium, though the two instruments have some differences.
Rich will be playing the baritone at the upcoming performance of Tuba Christmas on Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. in the auditorium at the Morgan School in Clinton. The event, which is free and requires no tickets, features players of the lowest brass instruments from the entire Shoreline area, as well as some who travel farther distances to participate.
Rich will also be playing with the Old Lyme Town band in its annual Christmas Concert at The Kate on Dec. 17 at 7 p.m.
At Tuba Christmas, the assembled low brass perform a selection of Christmas carols for the audience to sing including favorites like Silent Night, Jingle Bells and O Little Town of Bethlehem, as well as playing instrumental holiday music and giving demonstrations of the different low brass instruments.
The program is directed by Gary Buttery, now retired but long the principal tuba of the U.S. Coast Guard Band along with Ray Smith, who, before his retirement, taught band and music in the Clinton Schools for 36 years and is now the Assistant Director of the New Horizons Band at the Community Music School, and Vidal Orduz, site coordinator, who is a current music and band instructor in Clinton.
Tuba Christmas, which started with an outdoor concert in 1974 at Rockefeller Center in New York now has holiday concerts throughout the United States and in a number of foreign countries as well.
Rich has been participating in Tuba Christmas since 2007, though not he admits every year. As a practicing dentist, he sometimes had appointments on Saturdays. But when he was able to come, he came in full regalia. Participants are encouraged to decorate their instruments for the season and wear holiday-inspired garb themselves. Rich taped antlers to the bell of his euphonium and wore what he describes as “pretty outrageous” Christmas t-shirts.
Growing up in Gloucester, Rich played in an awardwinning high school band where practice consumed much of his free time. By the time he got to Boston College, he had had enough.
“I took a 24-year vacation,” he says.
Then a friend who played in the Old Lyme Town Band suggested Rich join. He took some flute lessons at the Community Music School but when he saw the large number of flute players in the band, he wondered if any more were needed.
Helps to Support
Together, We Can Warm the Children
Together, We Can Warm the Children
Together,
We Can Warm the Children
The friend, who played the baritone, suggested he could teach Rich how to play the instrument. Since the friend was at that point the only baritone in the band, Rich agreed, and finding a used baritone for $50 began what turned out to be informal lessons and cocktail hour.
“Run, run, salute,” he recalls.
He served three years active duty, first on shore rotating through different dental specialties and then aboard ship, and added six years in the Reserves.
Rich has had an office in Old Saybrook since 1994, now practicing with Lifelong Dental. He also teaches twice a week at Goodwin University in East Hartford in a program concentrating on dental hygienists.
In his free time, he has recently taken up woodworking, creating a workshop in his basement and embarking, with the help of a friend who is a professional craftsman, on a serious of ambitious projects including cigar humidors and a number of jewelry boxes.
“I see people all day. This is a quiet time for me,” he says.
The Rotary Clubs of Madison and Guilford are committed to making sure no child faces winter without proper clothing. Through Warm The Children, 100% of your donation buys brand-new winter wear for kids in our community.
The Rotary Clubs of Madison and Guilford are committed to making sure no child faces winter without proper clothing. Through Warm The Children, 100% of your donation buys brand-new winter wear for kids in our community.
The Rotary Clubs of Madison and Guilford are committed to making sure no child faces winter without proper clothing. Through Warm The Children, 100% of your donation buys brand-new winter wear for kids in our community.
Every gift makes a difference. Together, we can reach $20,000 and give local children warmth, dignity, and joy this winter.
Every gift makes a difference. Together, we can reach $20,000 and give local children warmth, dignity, and joy this winter.
Donate now to make an immediate impact.
Every gift makes a difference. Together, we can reach $20,000 and give local children warmth, dignity, and joy this winter.
Donate now to make an immediate impact.
Donate now to make an immediate impact.
Madison Rotary Foundation – Warm The Children PO Box 335, Madison, CT 06443
Madison Rotary Foundation – Warm The Children PO Box 335, Madison, CT 06443
Rich’s father, a doctor specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, had wanted him to go into that specialty. But Rich was aware, given that babies tend to born at night, of how many family and school events his father had missed as a result of his practice.
Madison Rotary Foundation – Warm The Children PO Box 335, Madison, CT 06443
Instead, Rich chose dentistry and graduated from Tufts Dental School. Before graduation he had already joined the Navy.
Even if the projects he builds are not for him there is always a reward, “Every time I start a new project, I buy myself a new tool,” he admits.
He also likes to do some auto repairs and is thinking of once again taking flying lessons to get his private pilot’s license.
Whatever else, there is always time for music. “Even when I am tired, when I don’t feel like going to band, I get the baritone and sounds come out. It’s the endorphins, the harmonies,” he says. “Maybe it’s the artistic urge coming out after pursuing sciences for so long.”
The Madison Rotary Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
“My dad served and I wanted to,” he says.
His started as a dentist at Parris Island with the Marines, but first like all service personnel he had to go through basic training.
December 17, 7 p.m.
The Kate, Old Saybrook Tickets at Box Office
Tuba Christmas
Old Lyme Town Band Annual Holiday Concert
Photo submitted
Rich Benoit with his euphonium and antlers as he gets in a festive mood.
The Madison Rotary Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Workforce Alliance Connect Youth and Young Adults to Training and Jobs
Workforce Alliance offers training, certificates, and job search assistance to youth and young adults living in south central Connecticut who are not currently enrolled in high school or college. Workforce Alliance also provides tuition assistance, academic help, internships, GED completion, and guidance toward higher education. For more information, visit www.workforcealliance.biz.
Spectrum Holiday Show: The Art of Dreaming
Spectrum Art Gallery, 61 Main Street, Centerbrook, hosts its holiday show, The Art of Dreaming through Saturday, Jan. 10. The gallery showcases representational and abstract art in all mediums—including painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media—that explore the many dimensions of dreaming. Spectrum’s artisans store also offers fine crafts in wood, ceramic, pottery, glass, paper, fabric, jewelry, and more. In addition, the gallery has handmade ornaments in its six-foot holiday tree and seasonal items in all mediums. For more information, call 860-767-0742 or visit spectrumartgallery.org.
Scholarships for Connecticut Women
The Connecticut Federation of Women’s Clubs announces two scholarships for Connecticut women pursuing advanced courses of study at institutions of higher learning. Awards are granted on the basis of future promise, scholastic ability, and financial need. The Dorothy E. Schoelzel memorial scholarship has a maximum award of $2,000. Candidates must have completed three or more years of undergraduate work in an accredited institution with a 3.0 average or higher in the field of education. The Phipps scholarship has a maximum award of $1,000. Candidates must have completed two or more years of undergraduate work in an accredited institution with a 3.0 average or higher toward a bachelor’s or post-graduate degree. Completed applications, including general and personal information, a financial statement, instructor/employer references, and an official transcript of at least the most recent two years of undergraduate or graduate work, must be received by Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. To download an application form, visit northfordnbwomensclubgfwc.org/ education. For more information, call Rose Lynch at 203-483-8395.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF Gregory William Dworak (25-0346)
The Hon. Peter C. Barrett, Judge of the Court of Probate, District of Madison - Guilford Probate Court, by decree dated November 25, 2025, 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.
Nicole Malerba, Assistant Clerk
The fiduciary is:
Susan A. Dworak
c/o MICHAEL PATRICK IACURCI, LAW OFFICES OF MICHAEL IACURCI, 70 WALL STREET, MADISON, CT 06443
LEGAL NOTICE TOWN OF MADISON PUBLIC HEARING
The legal voters of the Town of Madison are hereby warned and notified that the Capital Improvement Program Committee will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at 6:30 p.m., in Town Campus Room A and Remotely via Zoom for the purpose of reviewing the Capital Improvement Plan process and to receive comments on future projects.
Zoom meeting details can be found on the town website at www.madisonct.org.
The Town of Madison does not discriminate on the basis of disability, and the meeting facilities are ADA accessible. Individuals who need assistance are invited to make their needs known by contacting “the Town at (203) 245-5644 “Telecommunication device for the deaf” (203) 245-5638 or by email to Debra Ferrante at ferranted@madisonct.org at least five (5) business days prior to the meeting.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ESTATE OF Constance J. Bruzy (25-0339)
The Hon. Peter C. Barrett, Judge of the Court of Probate, District of Madison - Guilford Probate Court, by decree dated November 17, 2025, 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.
Nicole Malerba, Assistant Clerk
The fiduciary is:
Michael Bruzy
c/o WILLIAM BASIL BILCHECK, WILLIAM BILCHECK, JR, 20 GENESEE LANE, P.O. BO, P.O. BOX 281, MADISON, CT 06443
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ESTATE OF Parke Patton Miller Johnson (25-0348)
The Hon. Peter C. Barrett, Judge of the Court of Probate, District of Madison - Guilford Probate Court, by decree dated November 17, 2025, 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.
Priscilla H. Geer,
The fiduciary is:
Clerk
Craig Russell Johnson, c/o LYNN MARIE PINDER, PINDER LAW OFFICE LLC, 752 BOSTON POST ROAD, MADISON, CT 06443
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ESTATE OF Patricia J. Lincoln (25-0350)
The Hon. Peter C. Barrett, Judge of the Court of Probate, District of Madison - Guilford Probate Court, by decree dated November 20, 2025, 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.
Notice is hereby given that the Commission will hold a public hearing(s) on Thursday, December 18, 2025 beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Meeting Room ‘A”, Town Campus, 8 Campus Drive, Madison CT 06443. This is a hybrid meeting and attendees may also join via Zoom webinar through either the webinar link or call-in information below.
www.zoom.us
Webinar ID: 915 8196 6735
Password: 452138 Or Call-in: 1 646 558 8656
The following application(s) will be heard:
#25-29. Warpas Road; Map: 64, Lot: 1; Zone: RU-1 and RU-2; Owner/Applicant: Ernest R Cimino; Request for Zone Boundary Change to extend RU-2 zone over entire property where it is currently bisected by the zone line between RU-1 and RU-2
Copies of these applications are available for inspection in the Land Use Office. Further details on how to participate in the webinar are posted on the Town of Madison website, www.madisonct.org. All written correspondence can be submitted to the Land Use Department via email to landuse@madisonct.org. Dial 203-245-5631 for assistance.
Dated at Madison, Connecticut this 24th day of November 2025.
Carol Snow, Chair
Hand Cruises to Win Over Guilford in Thanksgiving Clash
By Wes Bunnell
Although fog shrouded Madison Surf Club’s Strong Field during Nov. 26’s game against Guilford, Hand’s dominance over Guilford in this Thanksgiving week rivalry was still crystal clear.
Playing the night before Thanksgiving, the Tigers completed their regular season with a 41-3 victory over the Grizzlies while improving their all-time record against Guilford to 46-5-1, including their current 18-game winning streak which dates back to 2006.
For Hand (9-1), the lopsided victory provides momentum as the team heads into the postseason while also earning them the Southern Connecticut Conference championship.
“We are proud to win the SCC,” said Erik Becker, Hand’s head football coach. “We are proud to earn our 26th trip to the postseason.”
Some of Madison’s top performers this game included Bobby Reh, who threw for three touchdowns: two to Cole Preskar and one to Stone Leckey. Lucca Boyce added a 75-yard TD run to go over the 1,000 yards on the season, and Wilson Walker blocked a punt and had nine tackles. Paul Fumex and Diego Portley each returned interceptions for touchdowns. In addition, Ayden Brennan had two interceptions for a stifling Hand defense that limited Guilford to just 43 yards of offense.
“Going into the playoffs, number one, we’re healthy,” Becker said after the game. “So, coming out of tonight healthy was everything. Coming out tonight with a dominant performance meant a lot.”
Clinching the Southern Connecticut Conference is a significant accomplishment for a football program that prides itself in its consistency. “We’re the second smallest school in the SEC by about 10 boys,” Becker noted. “And to win this league outright, it says a lot about this program and our kids. This is our 30th division title.”
Hand senior captain Tim O’Malley embodies the confidence that Becker has instilled in his players all season.
“It’s always a good game against them. It’s always a lot of fun,” O’Malley said of the Grizzlies rivals. “They were going to come in with a fire… and, you know, Coach Beck says confident, not cocky. So, we were coming with that mindset, and
we’re just rolling from here on out.”
Fellow senior captain Conor Casagrande spoke of the importance of the senior class leaving a legacy for others “I always talk about legacy with these guys,” Casagrande said. “We have the chance to go in the state championship and win. We got three SEC titles under our belt throughout the four years.”
Instead of speaking about individual accomplishments, Casagrande was quick to state “Our team, honestly, I don’t really care about [personally] being remembered. I care about our teams that I play on being remembered,” he said. “So, I just tell these guys every day, play hard and play for a purpose. Fight for legacy.”
O’Malley holds a similar view when asked about how he’d like the senior class to be remembered.
“Just a hard-working group of guys who just loved each other,” he said. “And just went to war for each other every single day, really. This is the closest I’ve ever been with a team…and I just love these guys to death.”
The Tigers look to carry their momentum into the state playoffs which start on
“Just this confidence,” O’Malley said when asked what this team takes from this victory. “We’ve got to just keep riding this wave we have. It started after the Cheshire game, and we’ve really just been riding ever since, and I’m just really, really excited to finish out the year with these
Becker, now in his fifth year as Hand head coach, credited his team’s overall success to a culture of winning established in 1970 by coach Larry Ciotti and continued by his mentor Steve Filippone. He noted that the team has won more than threequarters of its games over the past 55
“That is a direct result of our culture,” he said. “Leaders create culture. Culture drives behavior. Behavior produces results. ... I am blessed and honored every day to lead our program. This is a special
“We’re very proud of the boys,” Becker said. “We’re not done yet.”
Hand’s playoff game Tuesday Dec. 2 against the Waterford Lancers came too late for this week’s deadline, but The Source will have results in next week’s paper.
Shore Photo Editor
Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Source
Senior Finn Barry has been a key asset to the Hand football team this fall.
Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Source Stone Leckey caught a touchdown pass in Hand football's 41-3 win over Guilford on Nov. 26.
H-K Loses Final Game 9-7
By Lee Howard
Acting Managing Editor, Shore Publishing
The Haddam-Killingworth Cougars lost a 9-7 heartbreaker to the Valley Regional/Lyme-Old Lyme High School Warriors on Nov. 25, in the traditional Thanksgiving football game that they led up until the final seconds. The game was played in Deep River.
With about a minute left, after a game of defensive stops and turnovers, the Warriors finally scored a touchdown but failed to convert on a two-point conversion, and the score had them down 7-6. But the Warriors recovered an onside kick, and then their freshman kicker Sam Zelek converted on an improbable 42-yard field goal to seal the game with no time on the clock as the ball clipped the bottom of the crossbar and fell through.
“Unfortunately, we did not move the ball efficiently in the second half which allowed Valley to possess the ball most of the second half,” said H-K head football coach Tyler Wilcox.
Still, after scoring on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Jamien Evans to Declan Moriarty in the second quarter, the Cougars held the lead nearly the entire game, which was the 46th matchup between the two schools.
“These games recently have come down to the wire and often have playoff births
H-K Girls Win Regional Championships; Boys Fifth
Press
On Saturday, Nov. 22, the H-K boys and girls cross country teams wrapped up their season at the Nike Northeast Region Championship meet held at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, N.Y. The girls team concluded their season, which saw them win Shorelines, States, place 5th at State Opens and qualify for New Englands, by winning the Nike Northeast Open race. Racing against teams and individuals from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the HK girls placed first by scoring 96 points to narrowly edge out runner-up Union Catholic of New Jersey with 105 points.
The girls were led by junior Charlotte Behnke, who placed 17th in a time of 20:26, and senior Grace MItchell 21st (20:38) on the hilly and muddy 5,000meter course. By virtue of their top 21 finish, both girls received all Northeast
Region team. They were followed by senior Julia Downing, 25th (20:44); junior Emi Schweitzer, 59th (21:32); senior Delaney Aronson, 66th (21:39); freshman Alyssa Behnke, 110th (22:25), and senior Amelia Riggs, 175th (23:43).
The H-K boys cross country team also competed in the Nike Northeast Open Race and placed 5th out of 58 team from all over the region by scoring 228 points.
The boys team was led by junior Evan Berardino, who placed 22nd in the race with a time of 17:16 for the challenging 3.1 meter course, just missing out on All Region by 0.2 seconds.. Following him were seniors Alex Fredericksen, 51st (17:34); Anthony Fredericksen, 55th (17:39), and Dan McCourt, 77th (17:49).
Rounding out the team scoring was junior Wyatt Voegtli, 109th (18:02); senior Cash Smigel, 143rd (18:21), and sophomores Trey Downing, 193rd (18:41) and Fischer Norton, 200th (18:45) out of 550 runners in the race.
associated with them,” Wilcox said. “Our kids love the opportunity to compete with a rival on Thanksgiving Day.”
The score remained 7-0 from the second quarter until the end of the game, when the Wildcats scored twice within about a minute. Before that, the Cougars’ defense had held steady, stopping the Wildcats with strong play and forced turnovers.
John Moyher was a stalwart on defense, leading the way with 13 tackles, one sack, and a forced fumble. Offensively quarterback Evans chipped in with 61 passing yards and a touchdown as H-K finished with a 6-4 record.
“I am proud of the way our kids competed all season long,” Wilcox said. “We dealt with some major injuries at unfortunate times, but ... the next man stepped in and played well. Our seniors were great leaders on and off the field.”
Going into the season, Wilcox knew he had holes to fill, especially on the offensive line.
“Players stepped up and changed positions to help fill those voids, and we had four players come out to join the team who made immediate impacts on both sides of the ball,” he said. “We wouldn’t be where we were without them.”
Wilcox noted that seniors who played all four years recorded winning seasons
See H-K Loses page 17
Release from Haddam-Killingworth Athletics
Photo courtesy of Matt Diglio
The H-K boys and girls team with the girls' 1st place NXR Northeast plaque.
Photo courtesy of Varrick and Denis Recchia
Haddam-Killingworth's offensive line wards off the defense for Valley Regional during the annual Principal's Cup Thanksgiving clash held Tuesday, Nov. 26, in Deep River.
Fishing Ports Have Hidden Benefits
Over the years, very little has remained unchanged - no matter where one looks. Nothing is more evident than when re-visiting a port that, at one time, would be considered unfaithful if bypassed. Even trusted fishing holes have morphed into something void of what once thrilled. But invariably, traveling can have its perks. Such as, clamming.
Sometimes before tides rise with the sun (or other times after they have dropped), we would fill our inflatable with clam rakes, buckets and a few accessories. Pointing our bow west, past a few of the movie “Jaws” action spots and heading in the direction of the Vineyard’s Katama Bay, we’d take a very scenic route every bit as glamorous as an tropical island. Today we passed llamas as well as modern day achievements that replaced once rustic beauty like old wooden docks and hand painted signs.
Looking as though dead ahead would house a bed of catchable clams, it appeared to be an appealing area to explore. The closer we got, the tastier those bivalves became. Anticipation and a little imagination has a way of whetting your appetite. I didn’t need X-ray vision to visualize the lemon and Tabasco sauce staying cool within the ice-filled cooler stowed by the bow.
Soon, after the raking, the sunset ride back and securing the basket of fresh caught clams to the port side cleat of the 40 footer, we were ready to freshen up.
The clams needed a little purging so, back on the ice they went. The back deck miraculously turned into mini lanai with all of the island fixings - clams on-the-half, shark bites, tuna sushi, lobster tails and a few island cocktails - with and without the benefit of any added lightning juice.
Except for being moored at an actual island and hopping around in a rented 4x4, we can cut and paste almost everything else. Getting away for a vacation is understandable. I get it! Everyone needs a break. But clamming? That is something that can be done year round (pending weather) almost in your back yard. That’s right! The Connecticut shoreline has excellent clamming.
Clamming is a low-tech, accessible outdoor activity that does not necessarily need a boat. In fact, most recreational beds can be accessed from shore. One finds that it is a fun way to connect with the marine environment — tide watching, exploring flats, the satisfaction of digging or raking and, of course, eating. Many vacationers head to the islands to clam yet have not
CAPTAIN MORGAN’S
Fishing report
discovered the activity much closer to home. When they do, it becomes catchy.
Dating back to colonial times, it was the Native American peoples of the Quinnipiac, Hammonasset and Algonquian-speaking tribes who were known to actively clam the tidal rivers located from New Haven to Old Saybrook.
Today, recreational shellfishing continues to have a real economic impact as it contributes significantly to local economies. Clams are part of an ongoing Long Island Sound restoration and conservation effort since healthy beds contribute to ecosystem resilience.
Additionally, work is being done to restore eelgrass in Connecticut, which is closely linked to clam beds.
In short, clamming Connecticut’s shoreline offers a uniquely rewarding combination of sustainable wild food, community engagement, and low-barrier access to nature. With proper permits, respect for regulations, and attention to health, it’s a really compelling way to harvest a delicious protein source while participating directly in coastal stewardship.
and
The salt breeze is refreshing - the activity is body-friendly. And was ‘fun’ mentioned? From the rake to the bake - try it!
When needed, Captain Morgan’s has all that’s necessary for your clamming needs or a thoughtful holiday gift that keeps on giving.
On The Water:
High pressure remained directly over the region for a short time. It then moved offshore with a frontal wave moving across during the next couple of days. High pressure built back in and remained in control through the week. The high eventually moved offshore followed by the next frontal system impacting the waters before the holiday. Most days were a mix of sun and clouds. Daytime air temperatures took a gradual climb to the high of 59ºF to a low of 43ºF while predawn temps hit a rock bottom of 30ºF before climbing to a high of 40ºF, inclusive of a one-day, brief rainy period when it hit 51ºF.
Meanwhile, Long Island Sound went through a calm period of light to moderate variable winds, relatively calm seas and water temperatures hovering around 47ºF. By all accounts, Long Island Sound is
almost through receiving Fall’s agitating winds blowing seas into a frenzy one day and smoothing out over the next couple. Water temperatures are descending into the range where most seasonal fish have left, and semi-hibernating ones have gone into deeper water. The flat, calm mornings have that seasonal look where the water’s surface has the look of a cold dark mirrorcold and rippleless to the eye.
Blackfish closed with a mix of sea-battered rock conditions and tides where deep water fishing paid off. Although most black sea bass traditionally migrate to offshore warmer waters, because of warming water temperatures, a growing number of them are become year-round residentsespecially, young ones.
However, their fall season in CT also closed. Now might be the time to slip a small vessel into a nearby bay to seek out some winter flounder since their season remains open through Dec. 31.
While inland waters from the tidal rivers to their upper reaches respond to swings in temperatures, they remain in a state of flux. That aside, lake and pond fishing generally continues to be inviting for the late season anglers looking to stretch out their season in an attempt to capture another moment in time to remember as well as enjoy some alone
time to meld with the environment. Fish are biting!
Trout, salmon, bass, toothy critters, bottom feeder and panfish. In the scheme of things, it really doesn’t matter much, does it?
Note: Email us pics of your catches to share with our USA and International fishing friends who keep up with the latest fishing news and frequent social media. Or, contact Captain Morgan for a fly fishing trip of a lifetime to a remote national or international fishing destination.
For Holiday Gifts and all things fishy including the latest gear, flies/fly fishing, rods/reels, clam/crabbing supplies, fishing trips, 2026 licenses/permits and much more, swing by the shop located at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison or call 203-2458665 for updated Fall hours.
Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline’s full-service fishing outfitter, authorized Penn Premium Dealer and promoter of the Daiwa Tournament Program, where we don’t make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better.
Tight Lines, Captain Morgan captainmorganusa@hotmail.com captainmorgan-fish.blogspot.com X (formerly twitter) @captmorgan_usa
Photo illustration courtesy of Captain Morgan
A very popular shoreline activity, clamming is one of the most rewarding activities. From rakes to baskets
accessories, these much appreciated holiday gifts are ones that keep on giving year-round.
Schedules
HAND
Football
Sunday, Dec. 7: Class SS State Tournament semifinals
Friday, Dec. 12 or Saturday, Dec. 13: Class SS State Tournament Finals
Boys’ Basketball
Wednesday, Dec. 10: at Sheehan at 4 p.m. (scrimmage)
Tuesday, Dec. 9: at Fairfield Warde at 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 6: at Milford at 8 p.m. (scrimmage)
Tuesday, Dec. 9: at Guilford at 8 p.m.
Teleflora's Yuletide Sparkle Tree
Teleflora's Yuletide Sparkle Tree is a festive floral Christmas tree made of red blooms, holiday greens, and shimmering accents. Arranged in Teleflora's keepsake Crystal Drum Vase, it's a joyful holiday gift or centerpiece. SKU
Sunday,Dec.7:ClassSStateTournamentsemifinals Friday, Dec. 12 or Saturday, Dec. 13: Class S State Tournament Finals
Football Boys’ Basketball
Thursday, Dec. 11: at Vinal Tech at 4 p.m. (scrimmage)
Thursday, Dec. 4: at RHAM at 3:30 p.m. (scrimmage) Saturday, Dec. 6: at Housatonic Regional at noon (scrimmage)
Continued from page 15
during three of those campaigns.
Top performers included Jamien Evans with 1,543 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, along with Josh Frith with 518 rushing yards and five touchdowns and Tyler Napierkowski with over 1,000 yards of as both a rusher and receiver. On defense, John Moyher led the team with 93 tackles, 16 tackles for losses and five sacks.
John Moyher, Josh Frith, and Jackson Bottaro were team captains this year.
“Our seniors brought exceptional varsity experience and leadership,” Wilcox said. “They played a lot of varsity football here in their four years.... They are the standard setters and culture builders since I took over this program. They are great role models for the underclassmen.”
Underclassmen who played big roles included Kyle House, Owen Hill, Joe Slane, Timmy Hickman.
“These guys will be looked upon to carry on the culture and standards these seniors left,” Wilcox said.
He added that with the H-K team over the years, everyone has done a part to make the group of guys into a family.
“I love these kids and am very proud of this group,” Wilcox said. “These seniors are my second class through since taking over and they have bought into the program the traditions and culture we have created here at H-K. They are great athletes and one of the best classes H-K has ever had top to bottom and I am proud of the men they have become both on and off the field.”
Reg. Price $89.99
MADISON
Dec. 4 to Dec. 10
Fun By The Numbers
Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test!
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!
Holiday Cookies to Bake, Gift, and Serve
The Trifecta of Shortbread Recipes
By Liz Egan
Baking cookies encompasses all I love about the holidays. The sights and smells of cookies being made, their mouthwatering taste and delicate texture, as well as the anticipation of the joy and delight in the giving and receiving are an all-consuming sensory experience.
My favorite cookies to make and eat are shortbread. In simple terms, shortbread is a type of cookie classified by its high butter content. It is named shortbread due to its short, or crumbly, structure—which is caused by the high proportion of fat. The traditional recipe, developed in Scotland, consists of one part sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour.
My favorite shortbread recipe is petticoat tails. They are my father’s favorite cookies, too, and I do not remember a Christmas without them. My mother’s recipe was written again and again on index cards that date back to the 1950s. Like traditional recipes, it has simple ingredients—butter, sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt. Her recipe, which I follow faithfully, also includes a teaspoon of vanilla.
I always wondered why they were called “petticoat tails,” and only recently did I find out that the name is meaningful in baking history. The French term for the wedges of shortbread was or —little cakes, and this became “petticoat tails.” It is now thought the Scots term derives from the decorated round edge of the segments which resemble petticoats.
It is so important when making shortbread, or cookies of any kind for that matter, not to overwork your dough. An important thing I noticed many years ago with cookie recipes is that the directions are very specific. When the recipe says “beat together” or “mix together” or “cream” the butter and sugar ingredients it means use an electric mixer. Be watchful though if the recipe says “stir in” as it is a signal that the dry ingredients should be hand mixed, either with a wooden spoon, rubber scraper, or with your clean hands. Then, mix it just until it starts to come together, then dump it onto a floured surface until you have a smooth dough. Shortbread has so few ingredients that you cannot get away with cutting corners; petits gâteaux petites gatelles
excellent quality butter and sugar are essential, and plenty of them. A pinch of salt helps to balance that rich, delicious sweetness. The dough can be made ahead and refrigerated and sliced at the time of
baking. Shortbread is stored in cookie tins lined with wax paper and the flavor develops as they “age,” so a few days or weeks (if they last that long) will only improve their quality.
When polling my many siblings, my Bermel family favorite is pecan crisps. A shortbread because it has no egg or leavening, it includes roasted, chopped pecans in the recipe and its appeal is the powdered confectioner’s sugar that it is rolled in three times. When I see pictures of round versions of these cookies on Facebook called “snowballs,” it is simply the same recipe here without the nuts in a different shape. My mother got her recipe from her friend Ad Newins in 1964. Every time I eat a pecan crisp, I exclaim, “Now that’s a cookie!”
Holiday Cookies,
100 Recipes for the Season
While on the checkout line at the supermarket in late November 2005, I purchased a magazine titled . Published by
Martha Stewart, it was a limited-edition magazine that has several of my “new” favorite recipes. The shortbread cookies I now make every year from the magazine are cream cheese walnut cookies. A favorite of my mother-in-law, the addition of cream cheese and toasted chopped walnuts takes buttery shortbread to a new level. The large batch recipe makes four dozen cookies and is meant to be made ahead, which was always most convenient for me when I was working. I could take 45 minutes to make the dough after dinner during the week and refrigerate until the weekend when I had more time to bake them.
Cookies, and all homemade goods, make great gifts because they are a gift of love from the heart. A simple and inexpensive holiday gift bag that includes a plastic bag of assorted cookies, my homemade jam, and/or ornament has been a gift to our friends, neighbors, teachers, colleagues, and service personnel for many years. These priceless gifts affirm the gratitude and appreciation I have for everyone in my life. This simple gift of self is always enough.
The recipes to three kinds of shortbread
cookies follow. Select from these cookies and many more as you fill your own cookie jar at the Christmas fair at the First Church of Christ Congregational on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The church, located across from Town Hall, hosts the Christmas fair which is one of the featured activities of Christmas in Clinton. Other items that will be available for sale are hand-sewn quilts, ornaments, jewelry, holiday items, used books, and many vendor items. Jim’s famous clam chowder is among the fresh lunch items available for purchase.
See Holiday Cookies page 24
Special to Living
Photo by Liz Egan Recipes written on index cards
Photo by Liz Egan
A plate of shortbread cookies
For more events, both local and farther afield, or to enter your event online, visit our website, www.zip06.com.
THURSDAY, DEC. 4
Holiday Jamboree Tea
: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Westbrook Inn Bed & Breakfast, 976 Boston Post Rd. Tea service features a choice of two teas, finger sandwiches, cookies, a warm scone with jam and crème fraîche, and more. Open to the public. Cost: $49.95 plus tax and gratuity. For info or to make a reservation (required), contact 860-399-4777 or info@westbrookinn.com, or visit westbrookinn.com/afternoon-tea.
Red Cross Blood Drive
: Noon to 5 p.m. Northford Community Church, 4 Old Post Rd. For info or an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org.
Make a Sock Snowman: Teens Session
: 3 to 4 p.m.
Edward Smith Library, 3 Old Post Rd., Northford. Materials will be provided but supplies and space may be limited. For info or to register (required), call 203-484-0469 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.
Teen Event: Cook and Books Book Club
: 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Guilford Free Library, 67 Park St. Participants will cook a peppermint-flavored treat during the first hour and discuss books during the final half hour. Free and open to grades 5 to 8. For info or to register (required), call 203453-8282 or visit guilfordfreelibrary.org.
First Thursday Book Group
The Most Fun We Ever Had: A Novel
: 4 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Book: by Claire Lombardo. Moderated by Adult Services Librarian Elizabeth Reinhart. Virtual participation by Zoom is an option. For info or to register (required to receive the Zoom link), email ereinhart@essexlib.org or visit the events calendar link at youressexlibrary.org.
Opening Reception for
Calendar for the Week of December 4, 2025
Visual Dialogues
: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Valentine H. Zahn Community Gallery, Middlesex Health Shoreline Medical Center, 250 Flat Rock Pl., Westbrook. The exhibit runs through Friday, Feb. 27. For info, email galleryonect@gmail.com or visit MiddlesexHealth.org/ZahnGallery.
Author Event: Claire Criscuolo
: 6 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Book:
Vegetarian Recipes from 50 Years at Claire’s Corner Copia
. Copies of the book will be available for sale and signing. For info or to register (required), call the library at 860-767-1560 or visit the events calendar link at youressexlibrary.org.
Scrapbooking Class
: 6 to 8 p.m. Edward Smith Library, 3 Old Post Rd., Northford. Participants bring their own projects or blank pages and holiday photos. Holiday stickers, paper, and decorative scrapbook scissors will be provided. For info or to register (required), call 203-484-0469 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.
Concert by Creedence Revived
: 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.
See page 25
Holiday Cookies to Bake, Gift, and Serve
Continued from page 23
Petticoat Tails
1 cup soft butter
1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
2½ cups sifted flour
Combine flour and salt in a bowl and set aside. Mix the first three ingredients. Divide dough in half and make rectangular rolls 2” x 3” squared at front and back. Wrap in wax paper. Place in refrigerator. Using a sharp knife, cut into ¼” slices and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges and bottom are barely light browned. Cool on wire rack. Watch carefully!
Tips: This is a delicate dough that should not be overhandled. I mix the dough with my hands, keeping the premeasured flour nearby. Make sure that the bars are solid. Use a sharp knife when slicing the cookie bars. If they crumble,
make a slightly thicker slice. Crumbs can be combined into a ‘taste’ cookie.
Pecan Crisps
From Ad Newin, 1964
This cookie, a family favorite, is about the best gift I can give my adult siblings.
1 cup (very, very soft, but not melted) butter
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups flour
¼ tsp salt
Cream butter and sugar well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Shape about the size of a thumb. Place onto cookie sheets ½ inch apart. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees (lightly browned on bottom). While hot, roll in confectioner’s sugar. Cool and roll in confectioner’s sugar again. Let rest and reroll in confectioner’s sugar. Layer in cookie tin with wax paper in between. Very delicate.
Cream Cheese Walnut Cookies
Holiday Cookies, 100 Recipes for the Season
, limited edition magazine, 2005
The dough for these slice-and-bake cookies can be shaped into logs and frozen for up to two weeks. This cookie, which I added to my annual repertoire in 2005, was my mother-in-law’s favorite. So delicious! This large recipe makes a lot of cookies—plenty to eat, plenty to share.
4 cups all-purpose flour
1¼ tsp coarse salt
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 oz. cream cheese
1½ cups sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2½ cups walnut halves (1½ cups toasted and coarsely chopped, 1 cup finely chopped)
Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put butter and cream cheese in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about
two minutes. Mix in sugar and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined (do not overmix). Mix in toasted walnuts. Divide dough in half and transfer to a work surface. If the dough is very sticky, flour the surface first. Shape into a log 8 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in parchment paper. Freeze until firm about two hours or up until two weeks. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds. Unwrap one log and roll in finely chopped walnuts, coating completely. Cut into ¼” thick rounds. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper about 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, rotating halfway through, until golden around the edges. Repeat with remaining log. Store in airtight container or cookie tin at room temperature. Tips: I wrap logs in wax paper and refrigerate and make the cookies the next day. Chop extra walnuts to roll the logs on to make sure the edges are completely covered.
So Much to See: From Local Performers to an Irish Rep Show
Inside notes and comments about Connecticut and New York Professional Theater
By Karen Isaacs
Columnist
: Guilford’s own Nick Fradiani will be starring as Bob Dylan in the musical , when it plays the Shubert Theatre from Tuesday, Dec. 2, to Sunday, Dec. 7. He first understudied the leading role, then played it on Broadway before leading the tour. For tickets, visit Shubert.com. On Monday, Dec. 15, and Tuesday, Dec. 16, he will join his father, Nick Fradiani, Sr., at The Kate in Old Saybrook for an evening of holiday music. Tickets are at TheKate.org.
A
Beautiful Noise torical Society
Long Wharf and New Haven His-
: As part of its 60th anniversary, Long Wharf has teamed up with the New Haven Historical Society Museum for several programs. On Saturday, Dec. 6, the New Haven Museum and Long Wharf honors T. Charles Erickson, a renowned theatre photographer. He worked with Long Wharf for many years.
“Long Wharf Theatre: A Legacy in Moments” features a reception and con-
Continued from page 24
FRIDAY, DEC. 5
Chester First Friday Night Art Stroll
Aisle ON THE
versation with Erickson about his work, particularly at Long Wharf. The free event will be preceded by a curator-led tour of the Long Wharf exhibit,
Invitation to Engage: 60 Years of Long Wharf Theatre & Beyond
. This exhibit, which runs through February, traces the theater’s history through photos and other memorabilia. For more information, visit newhaven museum.org.
original score. It runs through Wednesday, Dec. 31. For tickets, visit IrishRep.org.
More Time to Get Your Tickets
: The
Ragtime
wonderful production of , at Lincoln Center, has extended its run through June 14. The show had been scheduled to close Sunday, Jan. 4, but rave reviews, ticket demand, and the cast’s ability to continue in their roles led to an extension. I bet it will be nominated for multiple Tony Awards next spring.
Grammy Nominees
: Five shows received nominations in the Best Musical Theater Album category:
Bueno Vista Social Club Death Becomes Her Gypsy Just in Time
cut’s terrific theaters. All offer a variety of options that allow the recipient to select the show and/or the performance that best suits their interests. Just check the theater’s website for information.
PBS Still at It
: PBS may have been “defunded,” but it is not eliminating its commitment to Broadway and theater. Beginning Friday, Nov. 28, will be airing, featuring performers LaChanze, Jennifer Holiday, Jessie Mueller, Kate Baldwin, and many others. It was filmed during the Town Hall concert last March.
NYC Notes Broadway’s Leading Ladies Concert
: Did you play the game Clue? Most of us did. The game and the 1985 film are the basis for a murder-mystery comedy with music that has traveled the country. It is stopping at Waterbury’s Palace Theatre from Tuesday, Dec. 16, to Thursday, Dec. 18. Tickets are available at PalaceTheaterCT.org.
Irish Rep Holiday Show
It’s a Wonderful Life Murder Mystery Comedy
: Off-Broadway’s terrific Irish Rep will present as a radio play this year. The show reimagines the film as a live radio broadcast from the period with an
: Various times. Features a book signing and readings by Christopher D. Abbott at Leif Nilsson Spring Street Studio and Gallery, 1 Spring St., with interludes of live music by Paddy Whack; live music by Andie Arel from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Little House Brewing Company, 16 Main St.; a Sip & Shop Fundraiser with complimentary wine at Montgomery & Taggert Bookshop, 26B Water St.; treats, drinks, and locally made gifts at Sunroom Salon & Gallery, 1 Main St.; glass ornament–making demonstrations at Arch One Glass, 51 Main St.; and the opening of Village Roots, 5 W. Main St. Most shops, restaurants, and galleries will be open late for the holiday evening. For info, call 860-5262077 or visit nilssonstudio.com.
Friends of the Guilford Free Library Holiday Book Sale
: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Features books from all genres, DVDs, CDs, puzzles, games, and more. Also includes a performance by local musician Mimi Dudley at 11:30 a.m. Proceeds benefit the library. For info, call 203-453-8282 or visit guilfordfreelibrary.org.
Guilford Garden Club Boutique
: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. St. George’s Parish Hall, 33 Whitfield St., Guilford. Features wreaths, swags, crafts, raffle baskets, and a food table. Supports club donations to the community and scholarships to Guilford High School seniors. Hosted by the Guil-
, , (with Audra MacDonald), , and . In addition, the first movie of received nominations for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s “Defying Gravity” in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category, and composer Steven Schwartz was nominated for Best Score Soundtrack. Winners are announced on Sunday, Feb. 1. : Tickets for two upcoming shows at the Bushnell are now on sale. will play from May 5 to 10, and will play from June 2 to 7. For more information, visit Bushnell.org.
Tickets on Sale
Maybe Happy Ending Wicked & Juliet Water for Elephants
Holiday Gifts
: A great holiday gift is a gift card/gift certificate to one of Connecti-
ford Garden Club. For info, email guilfordgardenclub06437@gmail.com or visit guilfordgardenclub.org.
Food Drive
: Noon to 4 p.m. Stop & Shop, 665 Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Hosted by the Old Saybrook Rotary Club. Proceeds and food donations benefit food pantries in Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook. For info, call Joan at 860-861-8811.
Book Ornament Craft
: 2 to 3:30 pm. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. For tweens to seniors. Participants will craft miniature books to display in a clear plastic globe. Materials will be provided but supplies and space may be limited. For info or to register (required), call 860663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
The Last Ship
: The Metropolitan Opera is veering from its usual repertory in June, when Sting will star in a newly revised version of his musical . To be honest, this is not a Met production. The new Steven Schwartz musical starring Kristin Chenoweth did not wow the majority of critics. It will be interesting to see how long lasts.
The Queen of Versailles
To check out her reviews for New York and Connecticut shows, visit 2ontheaisle.word press.com. She’s a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle, New York’s Outer Critics Circle, the League of Professional Theater Women, and the American Theatre Critics Association. Karen Isaacs is an East Haven resident.
area, craft area, and Visitor Center galleries. Tickets available only on-site at the event. Bring donations for the Guilford Food Bank and new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots. For info, contact the museum at 203-453-2457 or whitfieldmuseum@ct.gov, or visit portal.ct.gov/ecdHenryWhitfieldStateMuseum.
Ladies Night Out
: 5 to 8 p.m. Participating shops in Old Saybrook. Features discounts, specials, a raffle drawing, and extended shopping hours. Sponsored by the Greater Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce. For info, email the chamber at info@oldsaybrookchamber.com or visit goschamber.com.
Pre-Tree Lighting Community Event Story Time
: 4 to 5 p.m. Via Zoom or Google Meet. Cost: $25. Sponsored by Shoreline Adult Education. For info or to register (required), call 203-488-5693 or visit shorelineadulted.org.
Sri Lanka, Tahiti, Tonga: Islands of Splendor 26th Annual Firelight Festival
: 4 to 8 p.m. Henry Whitfield State Museum, 248 old Whitfield St., Guilford. Features luminaria, lanterns, and outdoor fires. Guests can enjoy roasted marshmallows, popcorn, hot cocoa, and mulled cider. Admission: $10 for adults; $8 for seniors and veterans, $5 for youth ages 6 to 17, and free for children ages 5 and younger as well as active-duty military personnel with up to five family members. Tickets include admission to Whitfield House, the outdoor fire
A Town's Not-So-Perfect, Perfect Christmas Tree
: 5 to 7 p.m. Breakwater Books, 81 Whitfield St., Guilford. Features a reading of by Guilford authors Joe and Adam Briganti. At 5:30 p.m., the Staven Wassailers perform outside the store and continue playing after the tree lighting until 7 p.m. Free. For info, call 203-453-4141 or visit breakwaterbooks.net.
Guilford Tree Lighting
: 5 to 9 p.m. Guilford Town Green. Other town events may take place to coincide with the tree lighting. For info, call 203-453-8001.
Nick Fradiani
Gallery One CT Presents Visual Dialogues
Press Release from Gallery One
Visual Dialogues
Gallery One CT presents from Thursday, Dec. 4, through Friday, Feb. 27, at the Valentine H. Zahn Community Gallery at Middlesex Health Shoreline Medical Center, 250 Flat Rock Place, Westbrook.
The exhibition features ten Gallery One artists who use imagination and exploration to create connections and share meaningful ideas through their work. This exhibit showcases paintings, collage, mixed media, and photography.
Continued from page 25
5:30 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. Features the annual lighting of Connecticut’s official Heroes Tree, honoring service members with Gold Stars for the deceased, Silver Stars for those injured, and Blue Stars for those currently serving. Local veterans, Gold Star families, members of the U.S. Coast Guard, the American Legion, VFW, Westbrook Elks, and the Patriot Guard Riders Flag Line and Honor Guard will attend. Lisa Carberg of WTNH-News 8 will serve as master of ceremonies. For info, call 860-5100473.
Annual Town of Madison Tree Lighting
: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Madison Green. First Selectwoman Lyons gives remarks at 6 p.m., followed by a performance by the Yale Spizzwinks at 6:15 p.m. After the music, Santa lights the town’s holiday tree. For info, visit madisonct.org.
Exhibiting artists include Rosemary Cotnoir (Westbrook), Michael Fanelli (Clinton), Victor Filepp (New London), Karen Israel (West Hartford), Ann Knickerbocker (Old Saybrook), Brian McClear (West Hartford), T. Willie Raney (Ivoryton), Diana Rogers (Clinton), Rick Silberberg (Ivoryton), and Jill Vaughn (Ivoryton).
“Experiencing art plays a vital role in nurturing resilience and healing,” says artist Diana Rogers. “Works in the exhibit invite visitors to pause for a moment and be a part of the visual dialogue created by our artists.”
Artist Jill Vaughn notes, “Works in the exhibit tell a
Dessert by Candlelight
: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Deep River Congregational Church, 1 Church St. Features gourmet desserts and beverage. Cost: $6. For info, contact the church at 860-525-5045 or office.drcc@snet.net, or visit deeprivercc.org.
Broad Street Luminary Stroll
: 6 to 9 p.m. Broad Street, Guilford. Hosted by the Guilford Garden Club. Broad Street is closed to traffic for strollers to enjoy the decorated wreaths created by garden club members on the doors of homes, garlands adorning the picket fences, and luminaries lighting the way. Coincides with the Guilford tree lighting. For info, contact guilfordgardenclub06437@gmail.com or visit guilfordgardenclub.org.
Celebrate Repeal Day and the End to Prohibition
: 7 to
9 p.m. Madison Beach Hotel, 94 W. Wharf Rd. Features prohibition-inspired cocktails curated and created by professional bartenders. Dress up in 1920s garb and win a prize for best dressed and most dapper. Tickets: $65 per person. Service fees apply. Cash bar available for full-
story of each artist’s creative journey. Our goal for the show is to share the power of art to help promote wellbeing and healing.”
Photographer Michael Fanelli adds, “The show celebrates how the power of creating and viewing art can transcend boundaries, both physical and emotional.” The opening reception is on Dec. 4 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday during regular medical center hours. For more information, email galleryonect@ gmail.com or visit galleryonect.com.
size cocktails. Complimentary valet parking. For info or tickets, visit madisonbeachhotel-curio.eventbrite.com.
Side by Side: The Nutcracker Swings
: 7:30 to 9 p.m. Woolsey Hall, 500 College St., New Haven. Features a performance of the Yale Concert Band and Yale Jazz Ensembles Big Band. Tickets: $15 general admission, $10 students. Service fees apply. For info or tickets, call 203-4324111 or visit bands.yalecollege.yale.edu.
Joan Osborne Sings the Songs of Bob Dylan
: 8 p.m.
The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. Separate tickets will be on sale for a meetand-greet event at 6:30 p.m., before the show. For info or to purchase a ticket, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
Photo by Michael Fanelli
Photo by Diana Rogers
Photo by Ann Knickerbocker , pastel by Diana Rogers Heading to the Vernal Pool, Springtime , mixed media by Ann Knickerbocker Persuasion , photograph by Michael Fanelli Falls River
16th Annual Heroes Tree Lighting Ceremony:
By Karen Isaacs
Ivoryton’s Is Old-Fashioned Fun Holiday Jamboree
It’s down home. It’s folksy. It’s country, and it’s fun. That best describes Ivoryton Playhouse’s holiday show this year.
Grand Ole Opry
, which runs through Sunday, Dec. 21, was written by Ben Hope, the Playhouse’s executive producer, and Katie Barton. They also codirected the show, and Barton choreographed. It has a pseudofeel. In fact, it reminded me of some of the local country-western TV shows that aired in northern Virginia decades ago, when I was in college. I remember in particular the Porter Wagoner daily afternoon show
Scenic designer Glenn Bassett makes effective use of the two small areas on each side of the stage: One becomes a mid-50s kitchen, and the other a sitting area with a fireplace and a comfortable chair. Bassett cleverly uses books—reversed to show their white pages—to create a Christmas tree in the bookshelf.
Six talented performers—some of whom have appeared multiple times at the Playhouse—sing, dance a little, and also play multiple instruments, from banjos, ukuleles, guitars, piano, and more. They’re backed up by an eight-piece ensemble that even includes a cello.
Unfortunately, the program does not provide a list of songs, which is too bad; some were unfamiliar, and I would like to hear them again.
Each performer has moments where they shine as well as some group numbers with lovely harmonies—“Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart”—is one example. Larry gets to do “Here Comes Santa Claus” as well as a bluegrass piece in which he plays the banjo. Morgan performs a touching Spanish song and joins Sam for a rendition of “Silver Bells.” Sam Sherwood also pairs with Margaret Dudasik in several numbers. Margaret also has a touching “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Elizabeth Nesttlerode ends the show with a terrific version of “O Holy Night.”
Larry (Larrey Tobias) serves as host, offering some cringe-worthy jokes and connecting the segments of the show. But the focus is on an eclectic mixture of music.
The cast offers some traditional holiday pop (“Silver Bells” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”) mixed with country Christmas songs (“It’s Winter Again” and “To Drive the Cold Winter Away”) plus one or two jazz and bluesy numbers. Elizabeth Nestlerode gets to do a pseud-
Ella scat number, “Winter Weather” and a jazzy “Waiting for the Man with the Bag.”
The show is broken into segments; each starts with a vocal advertisement for a local supporter. These are clever, and they even had the out-of-towners applauding. It’s not clear what the show’s premise is. Is this a radio broadcast with us as the live audience, which would make the advertisements logical? Or is it just a stage show?
Each of the short segments—the show is under two hours with intermission—has a theme. The most effective is when cast members share some memories. I’m not sure if these were scripted lines or actual experiences they’ve had, or a combination.
One of the best moments was Morgan Morse using shadow puppets as Larry recounts a Finnish folk tale about why bears hibernate in the winter.
The cast does an encore of “Run, Rudolph, Run,” which had the audience swaying and clapping.
The projections, possibly created by Glenn Bassett, were particularly effective.
All in all, will get your holiday celebrations off to a pleasant if not high-energy start.
For more information or tickets, visit IvorytonPlay house.org. Playhouse Holiday Jamboree
Playhouse Holiday Jamboree
The cast of Playhouse Holiday Jamboree
Photo courtesy of Ivoryton Playhouse
Special to Living
Photo courtesy of Ivoryton Playhouse
Photo courtesy of Ivoryton Playhouse
Photo courtesy of Ivoryton Playhouse Front to back: Macy Robinson, Elizabeth Nestlerode, and Margaret Dudasik
Larry Tobias
Sam Sherwood and Margaret Dudasik
New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band Performs in Clinton
On Sunday, Dec. 14, the George Flynn Classical Concerts series presents the New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, The Latin Gramm Award-winning New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band (NYABABB) is an Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble featuring first call jazz and Afro-Cuban musicians based in New York City who collectively perform with the greatest names in the business. For this concert, the band will be presenting its own unique version of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, complete with dancers.
NYABABB was founded and is led by drummer and Clinton resident Joe McCarthy. The music of NYABABB has long been inspired by the great bebop tradition, married to the rich cultural stylings of African, AfroCaribbean, Brazilian, and other multi-ethnic styles of music. The NYABABB has been featured at Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and The Smithsonian’s Jazz Appreciation Series, among many others.
Admission is free but tickets are required. Clinton residents can order on a first-come, first-served basis one month before each concert. Nonresidents can order two weeks before each concert, depending on availability. For more information visit www.georgeflynn classicalconcerts.com or facebook.com/GeorgeFlynnClass icalConcerts.
Continued from page 26
FRIDAY, DEC. 5 AND
SATURDAY, DEC. 6
Annual Christmas Fair
: Friday, 5 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saint Lawrence Church, 7 Hemlock Dr., Killingworth. Features a basket raffle, silent auction, decorated wreaths and greens, homemade holiday baked goods, food, and more. Free admission and parking. For info, visit www.stlawrencechurch.com
SATURDAY, DEC. 6 AND
SUNDAY, DEC. 7
Dudley Farm Holiday Market and Museum Open House
: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dudley Farm, 2351 Durham Rd., Guilford. Features handcrafted and homegrown artisan crafts, greenery, and food by more than 30 local artists and vendors. The farmhouse museum is decorated for a Victorian Christmas; the Quinnipiac Dawnland Museum is also open. Includes a food truck on site. For info, visit dudleyfarm.com/events.
SATURDAY, DEC. 6
Holly Day Christmas Fair
: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Winthrop Baptist Church, 444 Winthrop Rd., Deep River. Features handcrafted items, baked and canned goods, vintage
Christmas items, and more. Children can write and send letters to Santa at the letter-writing station. Breakfast available 8 to 10:30 a.m.; lunch 10:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. For info, contact 860-526-5241 or office@winthropbaptist.org, or visit winthropbaptist.org/holly-day-fair.
: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Deep River Congregational Church, 1 Church St. Features decorated halls and Christmas booths with items for giftgiving, wreaths and greenery, country and wooden décor, birdhouses, handmade goods, and the Christmas cookie walk. Food will be available from the Reindeer Restaurant, Brick Oven, and Sweet Shoppe. Includes an appearance by Santa Claus. Free admission. For info, visit deeprivercc.org/event/christmas-faire.
: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parmelee Farm, 465 Rte. 81, Killingworth. Features fresh arrangements, baked goods, jams and jellies, holiday ornaments and decor, gift baskets, knitted accessories, and more. Free admission. Proceeds benefit the Killingworth Historical Society’s ongoing preservation and maintenance projects. For info, visit killingworthhistorical.org/events.
: 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. United Church of Chester, 29 W. Main St. Features cookies by the dozen, homemade foods, a silent auction, gift basket raffle, knitted items, Christmas decor, and more. For info, contact 860-526-2697 or unitedchester@uccchester.org.
: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. First Baptist Church of Branford, 975 Main St. Features Christmas wreaths, swags, centerpieces, bows, and decorations; arts and crafts; antiques and vintage collectibles; cookies and baked goods; a jewelry room; tag sale room; Christmas room; raffle with specialty gift baskets; and local vendors. Includes live Christmas music by pianists Michael Cretella and Leah Smith and an appearance by Santa for picture-taking with children. Breakfast sandwiches will be available from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., followed by lunch of hot dogs, chili, and butternut squash soup. Proceeds benefit charities to be determined. For info, call the church office at 203-488-9777.
: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. St. Joseph’s Church Rectory, 48 Middlesex Ave., Chester. Features fresh and artificial greens, baked goods, take-out luncheon, raffle baskets, and more. For info, contact Nancy McGee at 860-304-1483 or nancy.o.mcgee@gmail.com.
: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. North Madison Congregational Church, 1271 Durham Rd. Features 40 artisans and crafters, more than 2,500 homemade cookies, and Karen’s Café offering soups and turkey pot pies. Free admission. For info, call 203-4213241 or visit northmadisoncc.org/artisanfair.
See page 29
Press Release from the George Flynn Classical Concerts
Photo courtesy of the New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band
New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band
59th Annual Christmas Faire
Killingworth Historical Society Annual Christmas Fair
Annual Christmas Fair
Traditional Christmas Fair
Annual Christmas Fair
30th Annual Holiday Artisan Fair
Cookies will be a highlight of the 30th annual holiday artisan fair at the North Madison Congregational Church, Saturday, Dec. 6.
It’s More Than a Craft Fair
Cookies, cookies, cookies!
Over 2,500 cookies will be available for purchase at the 30th annual holiday artisan fair on Saturday, Dec. 6, at the North Madison Congregational Church (NMCC), 1271 Durham Road. Experienced shoppers of the Cookie Walk know to come early for the largest selection.The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Linda Young, who serves as the event’s
Continued from page 28
cookie collector, shares how it works: “Shoppers pick out the number of boxes they want filled, point out their choices of the clearly-labeled cookies to the volunteers who fill their boxes.”
The Cookie Walk is a great chance to kick off the season of cookie gifting.
Aside from cookies, the event features 42 tables filled with a wide variety of handmade items from all over Connecticut, including wood crafts, pottery, glass, jewelry, Christmas decorations, soaps, knitted items, and tasty treats.
NMCC member Christine Hopkins
ensures vendors have successful experience at the fair, noting “It’s a joy to watch customers shop and buy their crafts.”
Neighbor Colleen Neutra says, “I put the holiday fair on my calendar every fall. It’s a terrific place to holiday shop—and shop in general for quality artisan and craft items. I find hostess gifts, future birthday gifts, and of course holiday gifts. I always walk out of the Fair with a smile.”
When shoppers are ready for a break, they can stop by Karen’s Café, serving a variety of hot homemade soups, which are always a hit, along with turkey pot pie
email ereinhart@essexlib.org or visit the events calendar link at youressexlibrary.org.
Annual Country Christmas Fair and Bake Sale
: 9 a.m.
to 2 p.m. St. Colman Church, 170 Hubbard St., Middlefield. Features crafts, decorations, baked goods, games, raffle baskets, a straw raffle, hand-knitted and crocheted items, a kids’ shopping booth, attic treasures, youth table activities, and more. Refreshments will be available for purchase in the church hall kitchen. For info, call 860349-3058 or visit stcolmanmiddlefield.org.
Story Time with The Grinch
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
: 9:30 a.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.
Saturday Book Group
The Most Fun We Ever Had: A Novel
: 9:30 a.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Book: by Claire Lombardo. Moderated by Adult Services Librarian Elizabeth Reinhart. Virtual participation by Zoom is an option. For info or to register (required to receive the Zoom link),
Holiday
Crafts with Shell & Bee
: 10 a.m. Chester Public Library, 21 W. Main St. Participants will create a choice of a snow globe or a wooden ornament. Space is limited. Sponsored by the Friends of the Chester Public Library. For info or to register (required), call the library at 860526-0018 or visit chesterctlibrary.com.
STEAM Saturday: National Slime Day
: 10 a.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Free and open to children ages 5 to 12. Participants will make their own colorful, squishy slime using simple ingredients. For info or to register (required), call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.
Make a Sock Snowman Adults Session
: 10 to 11 a.m. Edward Smith Library, 3 Old Post Rd., Northford. Materials will be provided but supplies and space may be limited. For info or to register (required), call 203-484-0469 or visit northbranford.librarycalendar.com.
served with the NMCC signature cranberry chutney. Pies are sold whole or by the slice.
Meredith Young, daughter of Melissa Blundon, who has led the café for years, will serve as lead of the café this year. She invites all to “sit down and relax in our bistro or take your pies and soups home.”
Be sure to fire up your holiday spirit with cookies, handmade goods, and a cozy lunch.
For more information, call 203-421-3241 or visit www.northmadisoncc.org/ artisanfair.
Author Event: Joyce Schriebman
: 10 a.m. to noon. Breakwater Books, 81 Whitfield St., Guilford. Book: Free admission. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and author signing. For info, call 203453-4141 or visit breakwaterbooks.net.
Fill the Forester for Ferals
: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Premier Subaru of Branford, 155 N. Main St. Features a cat food drive; donations of unopened dry or canned cat food benefit the Greater New Haven Cat Project. For info, contact 203-782-2287 or rise@gnhcp.org, or visit gnhcp.org/filltheforester.
Stocking Walk Oy, Santa!
: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Participating shops in Old Saybrook. Each stocking costs $5. Stockings can be filled with treats and gifts from participating businesses. Sponsored by the Greater Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce. For info, email the chamber at info@oldsaybrookchamber.com or visit goschamber.com.
See page 30
Photo courtesy of the North Madison Congregational Church Photo courtesy of the North Madison Congregational Church
Photo courtesy of the North Madison Congregational Church
The crew of Karen's Café will serve a variety of hot homemade soups.
Woodcrafts can be purchased at the 30th annual holiday artisan fair.
Press Release from The North Madison Congregational Church
Continued from page 29
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Grace Episcopal Church, 336 Main St., Old Saybrook. Features Christmas decorations, toys and games, baked goods (pies, cakes, and candies), jewelry, housewares, and antiques. Includes a silent auction with gift baskets and antiques, a visit with Santa from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and a luncheon with hot dogs, kielbasa, and several homemade soups. For info, call 860-388-0895 or visit graceoldsaybrook.org.
: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Participating shops in Old Saybrook. Features extended shopping hours, a stocking walk from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., horsedrawn wagon rides from 1 to 4 p.m., a visit from Santa Claus at the town gazebo from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., carolers on Main Street 2 to 4 p.m., heroes tree lighting at The Kate 5 to 6 p.m., and more. Hosted by Old Saybrook Office of Economic Development, Old Saybrook Youth and Family Services, Old Saybrook Parks and Recreation, Old Saybrook Department of Police Services, Greater Old Saybrook Chamber, The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, Acton Public Library, the Old Saybrook Lions Club, and the Estuary Council of Seniors. For info, visit sayoldsaybrook.com/saybrook-starlight-festival.
: 10:30 a.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Hosted by the Old Saybrook Garden Club. Participants will make a birdseed wreath for winter birds, learn about the feeding habits of local species, and create a grapevine feeder wreath. All supplies provided. Free and open to kindergarten to grade 4. Registration required. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library steps, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. For info, call 203-245-7365 or visit scranton.librarycalendar.com.
: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Allis-Bushnell House Museum, 853 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Hosted by the Madison Historical Society (MHS). Visitors can explore the museum and view the exhibit, A Snail-Mail Holiday: Selections from the MHS Collection of Greeting Cards, in the tearoom. The MHS shop offers a variety of Madison-themed gifts. Free admission, but donations are welcome. For info, visit madisonhistory.org.
: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. North Branford Police Department, 305 Forest Rd., Northford. Guests are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items or monetary donations as their “ticket” for photos. Santa will be on hand until every child has had a chance to visit. Sponsored by real estate professional and community advocate Kim Dawson. For info, contact 203-481-4605 or Kim@CoastalCTHomes.com.
: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Downtown Madison. The parade begins at 11 a.m. as Madison Hose Co. No. 1, North Madison Volunteer Fire Department, and the Madison Police Department escort Santa into town on an antique sleigh. He will travel from Madison Hose Co. No. 1 down Boston Post Road to E.C. Scranton Memorial Library. The Limelite Dance Team will help lead the
procession. Families, children, and pets are welcome to meet Santa at the library; bring a camera and letters to Santa, including a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Features a festive hayride from Madison Earth Care, visits with the Grinch, and cookie decorating with the Newcomers Club. For info, visit madisonct.org.
Holiday Collage for Adults with Special Needs
: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. Features a creative session for adults with special needs using Christmas cards, magazines, stickers, and other holiday materials to design a collage. All supplies provided. Free. Space is limited. For info or to register (required), call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Holiday Jamboree Tea
: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Westbrook Inn Bed & Breakfast, 976 Boston Post Rd. Tea service features a choice of two teas, finger sandwiches, cookies, a warm scone with jam and crème fraîche, and more. Open to the public. Cost: $49.95 plus tax and gratuity. For info or to make a reservation (required), contact 860-399-4777 or info@westbrookinn.com, or visit westbrookinn.com/afternoon-tea.
Christmas Ice Carving Competition and A Cappella Concert
: Noon to 4 p.m. The Shops at Yale tent, Broadway Island, New Haven. Five professional ice carvers from New England will each transform 900 pounds of ice into an iconic Christmas character in four hours. Also features a Christmas concert by eight Yale a cappella groups as well as a hot cocoa competition (from noon to 3 p.m., while supplies last). Free parking is available at the 150 York Street Garage from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Chapel-York Garage). Bring your parking ticket to The Shops at Yale tent for validation. Part of the 2025 holiday events and promotions at The Shops at Yale. For info, visit theshopsatyale.com/holiday.
Holiday Trees and Wreaths of Branford:
Noon to 4 p.m. Branford Arts and Cultural Alliance Gallery, 1004 Main St. Features a reception celebrating the holiday trees and wreaths of Branford designed by local artisans. There will be a silent auction and a chance to purchase trees and wreaths outright. For info, visit branfordarts.org.
Curator Tour
Invitation to Engage: 60 Years of Long Wharf Theatre & Beyond
: 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. New Haven Museum, 114 Whitney Ave. Presented by Jessica Durdock Moreno, director of artistic planning at Long Wharf Theatre. The tour highlights the new exhibition, . Other tours are scheduled through Saturday, Feb. 7. For info, visit newhavenmuseum.org.
Met in HD Encore:
The Magic Flute
: 1 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. Shown on The Kate’s big screen. Running time: 112 minutes. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
Ornament Decorating
: 1 p.m. Old Saybrook Parks and Recreation Center, 308 Main St. For ages 3 to 10. Cost: $15 for residents, $25 for nonresidents. For info or to register, visit the fall activities/events link at oldsaybrookct.myrec.com/info/activities.
Book Reading and Signing with Stephen Bowling:
Calvin the Christmas Tree
1 p.m. Madison Green. Children’s book author Stephen Bowling will sign discounted copies of , with a reading by Neck River Elementary School Vice Principal Sherry Farmer. A portion of proceeds benefits the Madison Exchange Club. Sweet treats for children. For info, email the Madison Exchange Club at madison.exchange@gmail.com or visit madisonexchange.org.
Fireside Chats with Local Authors: Katie Tietjen
: 1 to
2 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Books: and
Death in the Details Murder in Miniature
. Features readings from the books and discussion by the fireplace in the Reading Room. Sponsored by the Friends of the Blackstone Library. Free. No registration. For info, call 203-488-1441, ext. 318, or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org.
Fourth Annual Adult Jigsaw Puzzle Tournament
: 1 to
3 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Teams of two to four members race to complete a 500-piece puzzle. Limited to eight teams. A prize will be awarded to the first team to either complete the puzzle or come closest to completion. For info or to register (required), call the library at 860-767-1560 or visit the events calendar link at youressexlibrary.org.
Crafts with Natalie: Bow-Making Workshop
: 1 to
3 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. No registration needed. Drop-ins welcome. For info, call 203-245-7365 or visit scranton.librarycalendar.com.
Saturday Cinema
: 2 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. For info, including the movie title, or to register, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org.
Holiday Decor Swap
: 2 to 4 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library steps, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. All holiday decor items in good, usable condition are welcome from Saturday, Nov. 29, through Friday, Dec. 5. Those who donate will receive an early bird ticket to shop the swap at 1:30 p.m. All others can still visit the swap starting at 2 p.m. Leftover supplies may be donated or used by the library for programs. For info, call 203-245-7365 or visit scranton.librarycalendar.com.
Festival of Trees and Wreaths
: 2 to 5 p.m. Clinton Town Hall, Lower Level, 54 E. Main St. Features faux wreaths and trees of varying sizes available for silent auction or immediate sale, many suitable for small spaces and gift giving. Includes small conical trees made of live boxwood cuttings or mussel shells, each uniquely adorned for the holidays. For info, email clintonarborgardenclub@gmail.com
Fifth Annual Holiday Enchantment and Tree Lighting
3 to 5 p.m. Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, 84 Lyme St., Old Lyme. For info, visit lymeacademy.edu.
:
Grace Episcopal Church Holiday Fair:
Saybrook Starlight Festival
Birdseed Wreath Making
Santa Visits the Library
Allis-Bushnell House Open House
Annual North Branford Holiday Photo Exchange
Madison Holiday Parade
Continued from page 30
:
5:30 to 8 p.m. Downtown Ivoryton. The village is illuminated for the month of December with thousands of lights which dance to the music aired on 101.5 FM. Guests are welcome to tune in on their car radios. Includes a petting zoo, elf scavenger hunt, cookie decorating, hot cocoa, letters to Santa, and stuff-a-cruiser. Santa Claus arrives at 6 p.m. at the Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main St. Organized by the Ivoryton Village Alliance. For info, visit ivorytonalliance.org.
: 7 p.m. Chester Meeting House, 4 Liberty St. Presented by AcousticMusic.Org. Sponsored by Wyeth Architects. Tickets: $25. Service fees apply. For info or tickets, visit acousticmusic.org/artof-the-guitar.
to Neil Young)
: 8 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
Charles Dickens in New Haven: Library Collection and a One-man Performance
Press Release from New Haven Museum
Through the years, celebrity sightings were not uncommon in the Elm City. For instance, on March 24, 1868, thousands filled the streets outside the former Tontine Hotel (corner of Church and Court) to get a glimpse of literary giant Charles Dickens. The crowd became so unmanageable that hotel management engaged “two stout porters” for crowd control, creating a much-needed barrier between the crowd and the famed author.
That popular visit to New Haven by the author and his renowned work, , will be the focus of two programs at the New Haven Museum (NHM), 114 Whitney Avenue, on Saturday, Dec. 13. Entry for both events is free with regular museum admission.
Breakfast with Santa
: 9 to 11 a.m. Madison Beach Hotel, 94 W. Wharf Rd. Features breakfast, meet-and-greet with Santa and time for pictures, and a treat bag for each child. Tickets: $59 per person. Free admission for children under 3. Service fees apply. Bring a camera and have your child write a letter to Santa if preferred. A second breakfast with Santa event takes place Sunday, Dec. 21. For info or reservations, visit madisonbeachhotelcurio.eventbrite.com or madisonbeachhotelevents.com/hotel/hotel-happenings.
Advent Sundays at Emmanuel Episcopal Church
: 10 a.m. Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 50 Emmanuel Church Rd., Killingworth. Includes lighting of the Advent wreath, decoration of the Jesse Tree, and an Advent reflection at coffee hour. All are welcome. For info, call 860-663-1800 or visit churchinthewilderness.org.
Santa's Workshop
: 10 to 11 a.m. Joseph Trapasso Community House, 46 Church St., Branford. For children 12 years and younger. Cost: $12 for residents, $17 for nonresidents. Bring a camera. Space is limited. For info, visit the holiday events link at branfordct.myrec.com/info/ activities.
A Christmas Carol New Haven Register Christmas Carol
The festivities will begin with “New Haven Holidays,” a presentation as part of a special “What’s in the Whitney Library?” program. Librarian Emma Norden will offer a glimpse of past Christmases from the Whitney Library collection from noon to 4 p.m.
Visitors will view a charming collection of holiday treasures—from handmade Christmas cards dating back to the early 1900s to greetings from overseas soldiers during WWI. It will also include an article from the Dec. 24, 1950, recounting Dickens’ 1868 Elm City reading of the , replete with rioting crowds and a ticketing scandal so colossal that the entire appearance was rescheduled and reticketed.
SUNDAY, DEC. 7 : 11
Christmas Carol
At 2 p.m., visitors will gather in the auditorium for a one-man performance of Dickens’ , performed by Michael Rose. In his 90-minute cut of the perennial holiday favorite, Rose embodies over a dozen characters, from Ebenezer Scrooge to Tiny Tim to the three ghosts of Christmas. The performance will be preceded by a reception at 1:30 p.m.
Rose is an actor and theatre educator based in New Haven. He studied theater at Yale University and the London Academy of Musical and Dramatic Arts. He directs and performs in plays at the Whitney Center senior living facility and teaches theater to youth through his own extracurricular programs. is one of the most adapted of Dickens’ works, with versions ranging from the Muppets to David Sedaris. Rose notes that the show arose out of a tradition of him reading the novella out loud to his family at Christmas time; he enjoyed it so much that he wanted to share it with the public. Having seen a number of adaptations of , he wanted to create one that was very true to the original text.
Christmas Carol A Christmas Carol A Christmas Carol
faith or background because it is about opening our heart to connection with others.” Rose says. “The tale’s spirit of open-heartedness and generosity is what I hope the public will take from the presentation.”
“ will always be relevant to people of any
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. Presented by The Barter Players. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
Community Choral Concert and United Way Toy and Coat Drive:
Noon to 3 p.m. Broadway Island, 56 Broadway, New Haven. Features a community choral concert and a collection of new coats for all
For more information, call 203-562-4183 or visit newhavenmuseum.org.
ages and new toys for ages 3 and younger to support neighbors in need. Includes complimentary photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, with a printed photo and frame. Activities on Saturday, Dec. 6, and Sunday, Dec. 7, include lunch specials, a hot cocoa competition, holiday crafts, fresh kettle popcorn, and free all-day parking at the 150 York Street Garage with event validation. For info, visit theshopsatyale.com/holiday.
Ninth Annual Children’s Holiday Open House:
1 to 4 p.m. Deacon John Grave House, 581 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Features cookie decorating, holiday crafts, roasting chestnuts, live music, storytelling, and refreshments. Free admission. For info, contact 203-887-7640 or blk4@cshore.com, or visit deaconjohngrave.org.
Photo courtesy of New Haven Museum
Michael Rose gives a one-man performance of A Christmas Carol
17th Annual Ivoryton Illuminations
Concert by Stephen Bennett: Art of the Guitar Series
Concert by Harvest and Rust (Tribute
: 1 to 3:30 p.m. Spectrum Art Gallery, 61 Main St., Centerbrook. Students will learn ink blending, die cutting paper pieces, card layouts, accents, and sentiments. Students will also receive a kit with white cardstock, die cut pieces, coordinating colored cardstock, and any other supplies needed to make cards on their own. Cost: $31.50 for members, $35 for nonmembers. Includes all materials. For info, call 860-767-0742 or visit spectrumartgallery.org.
: 4 p.m. Westbrook Town Green. Parade starts at 4 p.m. Features horsedrawn carriages, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, musical performances, an ice carving display, crafts, snacks, drinks, a bonfire, and more. Free. For info, visit westbrooktreelighting.com.
: 4 p.m.
Saint Ann’s Church, 82 Shore Rd., Old Lyme. Features anthems sung by the choir illuminating parts of the Nativity story. For info, contact 860-434-1621 or office@saintannsoldlyme.org.
: 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.
The Occasional Coffee House: Holiday Duets
: 7 p.m. North Madison Congregational Church, 1271 Durham Rd. Features the return of Sam Robbins and Halley Neal performing as a duet, with live music, homemade gourmet cookies, local coffee, and tea. Tickets: $20. Sponsored by Shoreline Pastoral Counseling. For info or tickets, call 203-421-3241 or visit northmadisoncc.org/occasional-coffeehouse.
MONDAY, DEC. 8
Art for All: Winter Wishes
: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. Features a session to reflect on the past year while creating painted rocks for gifts or holiday decorations. Supplies for collages provided; snacks included. Space and supplies are limited. For info or to register 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Author Event: Cory Doctorow in Conversation with Roxanne Coady
:
6:30 p.m. R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Book:
Opera Theater of Connecticut Celebrates Holidays and 40 Years
Press
The Opera Theater of Connecticut is celebrating the holiday season and its milestone 40th anniversary year with the enchanting melodies of its Yule Tide Songs and Carols concert, a heartwarming event designed for the whole family. The event promises an atmosphere filled with warmth and wonder, welcoming audiences to immerse themselves in beloved musical traditions and seasonal celebrations.
This year’s concert will be held at the Lutheran Church of Madison, 9 Britton Lane, on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 4 p.m.
Accompanied by acclaimed pianist Eric Trudel, the ensemble of singers will bring to life a selection of timeless songs, festive carols, and opera favorites, with melodies revolving around the holiday season and offering both cherished classics and new memories for all ages. Singers include Leah Brzyski, Amy Maude Helfer, Daniel Juárez, Michael McAvoy, and Andrew Martens.
A holiday reception will follow the concert with wine, cheese, and seasonal goodies.
General admission tickets are available for $40 per adult and $20 for guests under 18. For tickets or more information, call the box office at 860-669-8999 or visit operatheaterofct.org.
What to Do About It
. Cost: $30, includes admission for one and a copy of the book; $5 includes admission for one. For info or to register (required), call 203-245-3959 or visit rjjulia.com.
Increasing Coastal Resilience at Hammonasset Beach State Park
MONDAY, DEC. 8 AND TUESDAY, DEC. 9
Concert by The Irish Tenors
300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.
TUESDAY, DEC. 9
Monarch Butterfly Biology, Ecology, and Conservation Needs
: 10 a.m.
Nathanael B. Greene Community Center, 32 Church St., Guilford. Presented by Kelsey E. Fisher, assistant agricultural scientist in the entomology department at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Sponsored by the Schiller Shoreline Institute for Lifelong Learning (SSILL). Open to SSILL members, with an annual membership of $35. Cost: $3. For info or to join SSILL, call 203-453-8086 or visit ssill.org.
Historical Fiction Book Group
:
ipation by Zoom is an option. To register and receive the Zoom link, email emiller@essexlib.org. For info, visit the events calendar link at youressexlibrary.org.
: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Westbrook Inn Bed & Breakfast, 976 Boston Post Rd. Tea service features a choice of two teas, finger sandwiches, cookies, a warm scone with jam and crème fraîche, and more. Open to the public. Cost: $40 plus tax and gratuity. For info or to make a reservation (required), contact 860-3994777 or info@westbrookinn.com, or visit westbrookinn.com/afternoon-tea.
:
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.
The Legacy of Julia Child's Kitchen with Author and Smithsonian Curator Paula J. Johnson
Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and
: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Hosted by Audubon Connecticut. Features a presentation by Jack Matthias on efforts to strengthen coastal resilience at Hammonasset Beach State Park. Community feedback and questions follow the presentation. For info or to register (required), email jcristiano@audubon.org or visit scranton.librarycalendar.com. : 8 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center,
Small Island
10:30 a.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Book: by Andrea Levy. Moderated by Essex Library Adult Services Librarian Elizabeth Reinhart. Virtual partic-
Julia Child’s Kitchen: The Design, Tools, Stories, and Legacy of an Iconic Space
: 2 p.m. Online event. Book: . Hosted by the Chester Public Library through a partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium. For info or to register (required), visit libraryc.org/chesterct library.
: 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. For children in grades 1 through 4. For info or to register (required), call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Cookie Decorating and Wine Night
: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Madison Beach Hotel, 94 W. Wharf Rd. For ages 21 and over. Features a 15-minute pre-decorating mini workshop with pastry chef Lily and time for cookie decorating while sipping wine. Participants will receive four six-inch gingerbread cookies to decorate and take home Cost: $50. Eventbrite fees apply. For info or reservations, visit madisonbeachhotel-curio.eventbrite.com or madisonbeachhotelevents.com/hotel/hotel-happenings.
Holiday Gift-Making
: 6 to 7:30 p.m. TriTown Youth Services 56 High St., Deep River. Features gift-making ideas for children to make. Cost: $10 donation per child. For info, visit ttysb.org/events.
Continued from page 31 See page 33
Release from the Opera Theater of Connecticut
Photo courtesy of Opera Theater of Connecticut
Pianist Eric Trudel is one of the performers at the Yule Tide Songs and Carols concert presented by the Opera Theater of Connecticut
Best Wishes Holiday Cardmaking Workshop
Westbrook's Tree Lighting and Holiday Parade
A Service of Lessons and Carols
Tartan Terrors Celtic Christmas
Fireside Holiday Tea
Hollywood Gems:
Lego STEM Club
Gingerbread
White Christmas
Continued from page 32
Author Event: Cynthia Zarin in Conversation with Amity Gaige
: 6:30 p.m. R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Book: . Sponsored by R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Rd., Madison. For info or to register (required), call 203-245-3959 or visit rjjulia.com.
Dear Reader,
I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the readers of Shore Publishing’s newspapers for your past contributions to our Voluntary Pay efforts. Your generosity has made a significant difference, and we are truly thankful for every donation.
Local journalism is a vital pillar of our communities, serving as the voice that shares the stories of our friends and neighbors, celebrates our successes, and addresses our challenges. Small businesses depend on local newspapers to connect with customers and promote their services. When local journalism thrives, so does our community and economy.
Popcorn and PJs: Virtual Family Story Time
Estate: A Novel Pizza and Taco: Super-Awesome Comic! Pizza and Taco: Too Cool for School
: 7 p.m. Online event. Features Stephen Shaskan, author of and . Cost: $10 for the private link to the event, $30 for the link plus a signed copy of the book, popcorn, crayons, and sketch pad. Service fees apply. Presented by Read to Grow in Branford. For info or to register, call Read to Grow at 203-488-6800 or visit readtogrow.org.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 10
Gingerbread House Workshop
: 4 to
6 p.m. Guilford Free Library, 67 Park St. Open to children ages 9 and up. Candy decorations of all varieties will be available to participants, making the event not allergen-free. For info or to register (required), visit guilfordfreelibrary.org.
Art with Kristin: Abstract Sports Silhouette
: 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Led by local artist and educator Kristin Cafferty. For children ages 8 to 12. For info or to register (required), call 203245-7365 or visit scrantonlibrary.org.
Bath Bomb Crafting Night
: 6 to 7 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. Features a crafting session using fragrances, colors, and packaging. Free. Materials will be provided, but supplies and space may be limited. For info or to register (required), call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org.
Author Event: Stefan Fatsis in Conversation with Adam Sexton
: 6 p.m. R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Book: . Sponsored by R.J. Julia Booksellers. For info or to register (required), call 203-245-3959 or visit rjjulia.com.
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.
As the last independently owned newspaper in Connecticut, our mission has always been to provide local news, share meaningful stories, and elevate the voices within our community. Each week, you can count on our reporters for the latest coverage, including:
• Person of the Week Profiles
• Education and School News & Updates
• High School Sports & Athlete of the Week Profiles
• Local Politics & Government News
• Real Estate Transactions
• Living Features
– Arts, Culture, Recipes & Local Events
• Letters to the Editor
• Obituaries and Public Notices
While delivering news free of charge is our goal, it is costly. Unlike larger media outlets, we rely heavily on the support of readers like you. We are reaching out to ask for your continued support to keep Shore Publishing thriving and independent.
In 2015, we launched our Voluntary Pay program to help sustain our mission and enhance our resources for even better coverage. Due to the evolving media landscape and rising production costs, we now seek your voluntary contribution to help sustain our publication. Your donation will directly support printing and editorial work, continuing to maintain our editorial independence.
Thanks to your contributions, in 2024, we donated $40,150 worth of advertising space to several non-profit organizations, including Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries and the Community Foundation of Middlesex County. These donations allowed these vital organizations to promote fundraising events that support their initiatives.
We appreciate each of our donors and invite you to make a difference. If you value our weekly product, please consider contributing. We understand everyone’s financial situation is unique, and any gift—large or small—helps us continue delivering the local news that matters.
To contribute to our Voluntary Pay program, please visit www.zip06.com/voluntarypay or complete and return the form below. You can also scan the QR code below and help us reduce our costs by donating electronically. For questions or more information about your contribution’s impact, please contact us via phone or email.
Regardless of your decision to donate, we will continue to deliver your paper each week. It is our privilege to keep providing you with local news, ads, and information. To remain compliant in our partnership with USPS, please complete the form below or visit www.zip06.com/subscribe. Your request to receive your community newspaper is valid for three years and enables us to provide cost-effective and efficient delivery via mail.
Thank you for your support of Shore Publishing. Together, we can ensure our community remains informed and connected.
Sincerely,
President & Publisher, The Day & Shore Publishing Companies
If you would like to contribute to our Voluntary Pay program, please complete and return this form to: 200 State Street, New London, CT 06320 Or donate online at www.zip06.com/voluntarypay
Name:
Phone:
Address:
City: State: Zip:
Email: Date
Donation Amount: $
YES, continue to send the local newspaper each week to my home address (Local delivery only)
If you have an address change, please complete and return this form so there is no interruption in delivery.
Horoscopes Crossword
For the week of December 4 - December 10
ARIES • Mar 21/Apr 20
Aries, this week is all about momentum. Your boldness helps you break through obstacles like a professional. A surprise opportunity might crop up. Embrace this chance.
TAURUS • Apr 21/May 21
The week starts off slow and steady, but then a sprinkle of excitement is added to your routine. A sweet surprise from a loved one could make your week even better.
GEMINI • May 22/Jun 21
Your social butterfly wings are flapping, Gemini. Engage in fun conversations with all of the people who come your way. Who knows, even a spontaneous adventure might present itself.
CANCER • Jun 22/Jul 22
Cancer, your nurturing side shines through this week. You might find yourself acting as the go-to person for support or advice. Just be sure to tend to your own needs as well.
LEO • Jul 23/Aug 23
Leo, you are ready for action even if everyone else isn’t. They will look to you as a leader, but you probably won’t mind having a few chances to lead over the next several days.
VIRGO • Aug 24/Sept 22
Clarity and calm are the words of the week for you, Virgo. Those little details that you’ve been puzzling over for a bit finally click into place, leaving you feeling amazing.
DECEMBER 4
Jelly Roll, Singer (41) DECEMBER 5
Shalom Harlow, Model (52) DECEMBER 6
Sarah Rafferty, Actress (53) DECEMBER 7
Larry Bird, Athlete (69)
LIBRA • Sept 23/Oct 23
Libra, this week is all about harmony and how you can organize things to achieve it. You may be in the mood to connect and collaborate, helping to bring people together.
SCORPIO • Oct 24/Nov 22
People may be drawn to your playful and magnetic side this week, Scorpio. Make time for socialization, but don’t hesitate to book some alone time if you think you need it.
SAGITTARIUS • Nov 23/Dec 21
Sagittarius, your adventurous side is unstoppable right now. You are still being fueled by discovery and others want to join in the fun. Remember to slow down and recharge.
CAPRICORN • Dec 22/Jan 20
Hard work pays off in little victories this week, Capricorn. While you love being productive, remember to celebrate every success, even if it is a small one.
AQUARIUS • Jan 21/Feb 18
A change of scenery could be good for you, Aquarius. If work had you feeling tired and worn out, book a short trip somewhere to enjoy some much-needed rest and relaxation.
PISCES • Feb 19/Mar 20
Don’t brush aside the creative sparks that seem to be popping into your brain one after another, Pisces. Trust your intuition, as it’s guiding you toward fun things ahead.
FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
DECEMBER 8
Tanner Buchanan, Actor (27) DECEMBER 9
Tré Cool, Drummer (53) DECEMBER 10
Joe Burrow, Athlete (29)
CLUES ACROSS
1. Dough made from corn flour
5. Rise
11. Gratitude
14. A low wall
15. Kidnap
18. A cup golfers want to win
19. Outgoing
21. “Partner” to flow
23. Former Michigan coach Brady
24. Proverb
28. Gasteyer and de Armas are two
29. Helps a body recover
30. Baseball Cy Young winner
32. Very fast airplane
33. Offensive baseball stat
35. Body of water
36. Record of one’s heartbeat
39. Signs a contract
41. Atomic #24
42. Bind securely
44. French Jesuit theologian
46. Fragrant brown balsam
47. Post office box
49. Sells tickets at inflated prices
52. Places to hang coats
56. Jewish salutation
58. Yellow fruits
60. Poorly educated
62. Microorganism
63. Talk show host Barrymore
CLUES DOWN
1. A way to plan
2. Three-banded armadillo
3. Mobile
4. Romanian city
5. Making sour
6. Take a seat
7. “The Golden State”
8. When you hope to arrive
9. Pointed ends of pens
10. Extinct flightless bird
12. Sharp-pointed dueling sword
13. Nape of neck
16. Problems (Spanish slang)
17. Narrow carpet
20. To avoid the risk of
22. Spiritual academic degree (abbr.)
25. Equally
26. Traditional cars still need it
27. Eligible voters
29. Greek alphabet letter
31. Body part
34. Referee-declared outcome
36. Means to moving money
37. Popular footwear brand
38. Cockatoo
40. NFL’s big game
43. Botswana currencies
45. News-reporting organization
48. Batman villain
50. Urgent request
51. Not all
53. Hallmark’s specialty
54. Knot in a tree
55. Satisfy
57. Notable space station
58. Baby’s dining accessory
59. Stitch clothing
61. __ and behold
Word Search
Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, and diagonally throughout the puzzle.
BUSINESS WORD SEARCH
ACQUISITION ANALYSIS
ASSETS BRAND CASH FLOW COMMUNITY
ENTREPRENEUR EQUITY
GLOBAL INNOVATION
INVESTMENT
LIABILITIES
LOCAL
MARKET SHARE
MERGER
OUTSOURCING
PERFORMANCE
PROFIT
RETURN
REVENUE
SCALABILITY
STAKEHOLDER
SUPPLY CHAIN VALUE
Word Scramble
Word Scramble solution for November 27, 2025: PROSTATE
Word Search solution for November 27, 2025
A Madison Middle Beach
$2,400,000
Charming beach home with full guest apartment above garage across the street from Long Island Sound. Perfect opportunity for personal use, 1031 exchange or investment property. Main house and guest apartment both enjoy decks that overlook beautiful marshes with abundant wildlife. Main house has views of Long Island Sound from the second floor. Guest apartment embraces a full kitchen, family room with dining area, and bedroom suite all overlooking the tidal marshes. Main house offers hardwood floors throughout, a first floor bedroom adjacent to a full bath, family room and three additional bedrooms and full bath on the second floor. Walk up attic provides ample storage space.
John Campbell
203.415.5439
john.campbell@compass.com 724 Boston Post Road
BRANFORD
EAST HAVEN
23 Dominican Rd:
Branford House LLC of Branford to Home Helpers LLC, $78,319 on 11/12/2025
22 Lakeview Dr Unit 22:
Forrest and Blanche Temple of Branford to Joseph Gilhuly, $430,000 on 11/12/2025
82 Limewood Ave:
Margaret S Lee T and Henry C. Lee of Branford to Vks LLC, $970,000 on 11/12/2025
16 Riverwalk:
Nancy Donald RET and N J. Donald of Branford to Richard and Amy Dezenzo, $845,000 on 11/12/2025
5 S Main St Unit 515:
Robert J. and
Cynthia G. Badrigian of Branford to Endocare Real Estate LLC, $250,000 on 11/12/2025
CLINTON
Bluff Ave Unit 2-3:
Matthew J. and Stephen D. Hayes of Clinton to Bluff Properties LLC and Vincent A. Neri, $95,000 on 11/12/2025
Captains Walk:
Ostrander
William A Est and Lisa Mansfield of Clinton to Ann Burke and Emily G. Cruzeiro, $410,000 on 11/10/2025
30 Bradley Ave:
Marta Martins of East Haven to Jaime V. Delgado and Azucena D. Torres, $390,000 on 11/10/2025
ESSEX
20 Comstock Ave Unit 2C:
Shallow20 LLC of Essex to Joseph Lopez, $269,750 on 11/10/2025
GUILFORD
Michael P. and Kerry L. Mcgowan of Guilford to Paul K. and Melanie E. Kregling, $1,350,000 on 11/14/2025
455 Birch Dr: 1270 Durham Rd:
Eva S Delli Paoli Irt and Greg P. Maurer of Guilford to Mark and Thanit Lyons, $629,000 on 11/10/2025
Prospect Ave:
Stephen E Vance RET and Stephen E. Vance of Guilford to John R. Atwater and Beryl Kammerer, $1,500,000 on 11/12/2025
KILLINGWORTH
Egypt Ln: 148 Glenwood Rd:
Arsen and Ave M. Hovsepian of Clinton to Rosario H. Castro, $490,000 on 11/10/2025
Judy Postemsky of Clinton to Daniel Gonzalez-Hincapie, $375,000 on 11/10/2025
Kim C. and Lawrence J. Pollack of Killingworth to Stephen and Sheryl-Lee Albertson, $650,000 on 11/10/2025
Real Estate Transactions
Nancy A. Torpey of Madison to Janet M. Brown, $715,200 on 11/12/2025
Russell P. Lanziero and Theresa M. Broadwell of Old Saybrook to Meadow Cove LLC, $358,000 on 11/12/2025
Dylan Ficke of Old Saybrook to Stephen Scorziello and Amy Lionetti-Scorziello, $379,000 on 11/14/2025
Fair Investments LLC of North Branford to Alicia Flores, $465,000 on 11/10/2025
Donald G. and David A. Harris of North Branford to Nathaniel Rose, $525,000 on 11/10/2025
Dgg Properties Co Inc of Westbrook to Christine M. and Chad K. Iris, $12,500 on 11/10/2025
