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December 25, 2025

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Chester, Deep River, & Essex Vol. XXV Iss. 52

Valley Regional Using AI in the Classroom By Christian Maldonado Staff Writer

The popularity and importance of artificial intelligence has grown exponentially over the past few years, with more and more people realizing and coming to terms with the fact that it is here to stay, and it is not going away. Valley Regional High School is no

stranger to this trend, and the staff and students are now finding ways to use AI to benefit their learning. Denise Dalton, the library media specialist at Valley, has been the real point-person when it comes to using AI in the school, taking the lead when it comes to how the school can use it most effectively. Dalton says that while it has many different uses and ways

that it can positively affect students and their work, it is important to recognize its limitations. “It is not perfect, and it cannot replace what we do as teachers and educators,” she said. “We also have to realize that it is not something that is just going to go away any See Valley Regional page 6

Chugging Along Artist Steve Cryan readies his model train display for the day on Dec. 18 at the Connecticut River Museum in Essex. The exhibition, which runs Nov. 21 through Feb. 1, is a holiday tradition at the museum, with Cryan creating a new design each year. The display is viewable during the museum's regular hours, Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Photo by Wesley Bunnell/ Valley Courier

Old Saybrook resident John Aforismo gives back to his community through Rotary............2

Rocky’s Legacy Ahoy! Check out Captain Morgan’s weekly fishing column................12

Traditions of Stockings Liz Egan and her family have a tradition of each person possessing an heirloom Christmas stocking........20

KEEP CALM

AND

SHARE THE JOY!

Happy Holidays

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DECEMBER 25, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

John Aforismo: Giving Back Through Rotary By Eric O'Connell Staff Writer

For John Aforismo, what started as a suggestion from a friend to check out the Old Saybrook Rotary Club has turned into a treasured avenue to help people in need, whoever and wherever they are. In the summer of 2019 John and his wife, Shireen, had been Old Saybrook residents for about one year. While he enjoyed the town, John was also ready to meet new people and become more involved. “Two neighbors asked me to come to a Rotary meeting and said they thought it’d be a good time and a good fit,” John recalls. After attending two meetings John was impressed with the number of initiatives that the Rotary was involved in, both locally and internationally. Additionally, John says he was touched by the way that people seemed to appreciate the work done by the club.

Person

of the Week “My wife and I have been fortunate, so we like to give back and Rotary really did just seem like a great fit,” John tells The Harbor News. The Rotary is an international organization with over one million members across the world. According to the organization’s website, “The main objective of Rotary is service in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. Rotarians develop community service projects to address needs in their local communities and in the international community. Additionally, they support programs for educational opportunities and international exchanges for students, teachers, and other professionals.”

John says that what he enjoys about Rotary is the commitment the group has to helping others and living up to its stated goals. “All the money goes back to helping others,” he stresses. For example, in April the club will hold two of its biggest annual fundraisers, a wine and beer auction and a shredding event. “The money from the auction will go toward scholarships, and the shred day money goes toward the annual Macaroni Dinner and some of the other events we hold,” John explains. Recently. John helped organize a coat drive for the Old Saybrook Youth and Family Services that he says saw an “incredible” response. After talking to representatives at the department about the number of coats that were needed as the winter season quickly approached, John says approached his fellow Rotary members. “All the members got together

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You can help……

The need is great! In Connecticut River valley & shore towns little children will go cold this fall/winter without your help.

Just what is The Warm The Children program? Warm The Children Shoreline is a fund of the Community Foundation of Middlesex County (a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization) which provides new winter clothing and footwear for our area’s neediest children.

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How are needy families identified? Youth & Family Service coordinators in Chester, Deep River, Essex, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Westbrook, Clinton, East Haddam and Killingworth identify families and pass on contact information to Warm The Children coordinator who assigns each family to a volunteer shopper. How will the children’s clothing be purchased? Volunteer shoppers meet their assigned families at Walmart in Old Saybrook and assist in selecting clothing and footwear for each child. No money changes hands, Walmart bills Warm the Children Shoreline for all purchases. Children aged 4-18 have $100 to spend, children under 4 have $50 to spend on clothes. How can I help? Your donation of any amount is appreciated. Donate by mail or on-line. On-line – donations can be made using a credit card at MiddlesexCountyCF.org, Click the Make a Donation button, type Warm The Children Shoreline and select Search. Donations are tax deductible. By mail- Send your donation to: CFMC/Warm the Children, 49 Main St., Middletown CT 06457

COMMUNITY NEWS • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 25, 2025

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Inside Sports

A Family Affair Patrick Sirois was recently named the new head coach of the Valley girls’ basketball team, and he will be joined by his father............................. 14 A Fun-Filled Tournament The Valley Unified Basketball team had a lot of fun competing in the Shoreline Conference Unified Basketball Tournament...................... 14 Two-Sided Star Eli Torres propelled the Valley/ Lyme-Old Lyme football team to success as both an offensive and defensive player.................................... 13

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Living Christmas Goes to Space The Rev. Bill Keane received a special telescope as a Christmas gift at age 10...... 24

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Turning the Page The latest crop of page turners has arrived................. 22

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Valley Courier

(usps 021-267) Published weekly, 52 times per year by Shore Publishing, LLC 200 State Street, New London, CT 06320 Periodical postage paid Deep River, CT 06417 Postmaster: Send address changes to Valley Courier, 200 State Street, New London, CT 06320

Index Obituaries............................................ 5 Sports..................................................12 Fishing................................................12 Tides....................................................13 Classifieds..........................................15 Sudoku...............................................19 Living..................................................20 Calendar.............................................21 Horoscopes.......................................28 Crossword Puzzle...........................28 Real Estate.........................................30

DECEMBER 25, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

Laura Giannelli Chief Revenue Officer Ext. 4304

Laura Robida Managing Editor Ext. 6119

Alan C. Ellis Production Director

photo submitted

Josh Torchia alongside Deep River Elementary School students accepting the Deep River Cares grant Kristen Lennon Circulation Advertising Assistant

Lori Gregan Valley Courier Ext. 6167

Lisa Martin Real Estate Advertising Ext. 6122

Betsy Lemkin The Sound Guilford Courier Ext. 6130

Cindy Breckheimer The Source Ext. 6140

DRES Awarded with $3,400 Grant for Students to Explore their Coastal Ecosystems By Christian Maldonado Staff Writer

Editorial Staff

Maria Caulfield Living Editor

Gabrielle Maljanian Sports Editor

Alicia Gomez Specialty Publications Editor

Christian Maldonado Valley Courier

Rita Christopher Senior Correspondent

Wesley Bunnell Chief of Photography

Eric O’Connell Harbor News

Aaron Rubin The Source Guilford Courier

Deep River Cares (a part of the Community Foundation of Middlesex County), in collaboration with Deep River Elementary School, awarded a $3,400 grant to the school, with the intention of giving students in grades 3-6 students at the school a chance to explore Long Island Sound at Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme this coming spring towards the end of the school year. Students will have a chance to learn more about the life that lives along the shoreline, as well as the surrounding area. Jackie Calamari, the chair of Deep River Cares, says that this initiative is a joy to work with the school on, and that she and the rest of the committee members are excited for the students and happy to give them a memorable experience. “This is why we created this, for moments like this,” Calamari said. “We want to support our town and our community, and to provide things that the town budget cannot afford or cannot provide. It

really is exciting to see how happy the kids get for something like this.” In a ceremony to present the grant check to the school, numerous students of different grade levels were in attendance, and expressed their gratitude and excitement for this upcoming opportunity. Many of them said the things they are most excited to see and learn about, including learning more about the different rocks and shells on the shore of Rocky Neck, as well as being able to see some of the animals that call the ocean home. For them, this experience is about not only learning more about the different species that exist on and along the shoreline, but also getting involved and getting their hands dirty, with one student in particular emphasizing her excitement to not just see something on the smartboard in class, but to be able to go out with her teachers and see for herself all the things that she has been hearing about. The program is a part of the Mystic Seaport Aquarium Coastal Field Study See DRES page 10

COMMUNITY NEWS • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 25, 2025

Obituaries

Contacting Valley Courier

Obituary

Alan Bish Essex Alan Bish, 82 of Essex, passed away peacefully on Dec. 9, 2025, at Yale New Haven Hospital surrounded by his family after an accident at home. He was born on March 20, 1943, in San Diego, CA, to Frederick and Dorothy Bish. He attended Mission Bay High School and graduated in 1958. From there he was selected by his State Senator to enter California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, CA. There he earned his Bachelor of Science degree and Merchant Mariner Credential. After graduation, he set out to sea as a mate. He sailed the world and at 23 became a Captain. For a number of years that he sailed, his main port was Hoboken, NJ. It was there where he met his future wife, Priscilla Stephan through her close college friend. Their love grew and they were married on Sept. 30, 1972, in New Haven. On their honeymoon to California, Alan landed a job with one of the largest shipping container companies on the West Coast- MTA as a head stevedore. His hours were long, but he managed some spare time with his wife to go antiquing throughout California. It was then, he and his wife decided to head East and start a business in the wonderful town of Essex, along the Connecticut River. In October 1974, they opened a nautical antiques and gift shop called The Connecticut Mariner in the Griswold Square of Essex. They ran the store successfully for 15 years, and due to the economic downtrend, they were forced to close. The years were rewarding for them; and then they were blessed with healthy identical twins. The family spent many vacations traveling the United States and the Caribbean Islands. One time they skippered a 42foot sailboat on their own sailing around the Virgin Islands. Alan, having left the business world, got a job in Boston running the RORO operation which was a big project called “The Big Dig.” That took a number of years to be completed and during that

time, he was only home on the weekends, but always managed to attend his son’s baseball, lacrosse and football games. When The Big Dig ended, he took a job as the Port Captain for a transportation company - Reinauer on Staten Island, NY moving petroleum products. With this job, he managed daily operations, and represented his company in Washington, D.C meeting with many US Senators at the Capitol on marine transportation issues. Finally, he retired in his late 70s. In his later years, he and his wife spent time traveling to Europe, New Zealand, and the rest of the States. One of Alan's favorite pastimes was working on classic cars, which was sparked when his father bought him a Ford Model A to drive himself to high school. He and his wife attended many classic car shows and enjoyed showing their Blue and Ivory 1963 VW Beedle which won many trophies. Currently, Alan was working on a Model T Speedster project. Alan was predeceased by his parents, Frederick and Dorothy Bish; and his sister Marcia. He leaves behind his wife Priscilla; his sons, David Bish (Helen, deceased) of Rhinebeck, NY, and Randall (Jami) Bish, of Saco, Maine; and one grandchild Keira Bish; his brotherin-law Austin (Carolyn) Stephan of Guilford; three nephews, Craig Stephan and his children, Sage and Ameya of Madbury, NH, Todd (Heather) Stephan and their children, Isabell and Carter of Cullowhee, NC, and Brett Stephan of Branford; and loving cousin Orriel Razee. Alan will be remembered for his steady presence, kind heart, and the way he showed love through his actions. He will be terribly missed by his entire family. Burial will be private and in the family plot of Beaverdale Memorial Park in New Haven. Donations in Alan's name cam be made to the Connecticut River Museum, 67 Main Street, Essex, CT 06426 or Westbrook Animal Control 1050 Horse Hill Road, Westbrook, CT 06498. The family would like to thank the staff at Yale New Haven Hospital for the care Alan was given and the support they received. See Obituaries page 8

As your hometown paper, the Valley Courier welcomes reader contributions and questions. If it’s important to you, we want to know about it. Here are the best ways to bring matters to our attention. LETTER TO THE EDITOR The Valley Courier encourages letters to the editor that offer a uniquely local perspective on local issues. Writers may submit letters as often as every two weeks. Letters must include the writer’s full name, street address, and phone number for verification purposes. Letters submitted under pseudonyms, anonymously, or through third parties will be declined. Letters must be written by the submitter. No more than four signees are permitted per letter. Letters must be 300 words or fewer and are subject to editing for clarity, style, and adherence to policy. Letter writers may be asked to supply sources to corroborate information presented as fact in letters. Civility is required. Letters with personal attacks, unsubstantiated allegations, or inflammatory language will be declined. For letters endorsing a political candidate, Shore Publishing will accept one endorsement per writer per candidate. Letters with negative content are not accepted for the two issues preceding elections to allow for candidate rebuttal. Letters must be received and verbally confirmed by 5 p.m. Thursday, seven days prior to publication. Confirmation does not guarantee publication. Publication is subject to approval by the editor. Letter writers who knowingly violate this policy three times will be banned from submitting future letters to the editor. Letters may be submitted at www.zip06.com or email to shoreletters@shorepublishing.com. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND CALENDAR To have your item considered for print, please email news@shorepublishing.com. Announcements and calendar items are printed as space allows. Deadline for submissions is Tuesday at noon, nine days before publication. These are just a few ways to get involved in your newspaper. If you have an idea for a story, a question about news deadlines, or any other news-related inquiry, email news@shorepublishing.com or call the News Department at 203-245-1877, ext. 0. OBITUARIES The Valley Courier 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. Valley Courier 200 State Street, New London, CT 06320 news@shorepublishing.com 203-245-1877 Fax 203-245-9773

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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 Valley Courier 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.

DECEMBER 25, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

Valley Regional Using AI in the Classroom Continued from page 1 time soon.” Dalton, as well as department heads at the school, attended an AI tech summit at the University of Connecticut, in an attempt to better understand and recognize how they can use this technology and resource to better their instruction, as well as improve the learning of students. It was here that the educators learned more about the different tools that they could use to integrate the use of AI in their classroom, but in a way that would benefit them and their students. “One of our district goals is to increase AI for teacher productivity,” Rachel Rose, the associate principal at Valley Regional High, said. “We want to make sure that if students are submitting work and using AI, it is within the parameters the instructor has outlined.” The school has invested in two different subscriptions to AI tools for the classroom, Brisk and Magic School. The former provides different tools and guides for teach-

ers when it comes to work submitted by students. It allows instructors to inspect a document that a student has worked on, and track any and all changes or additions made to their work, in order for the teacher to see if there was any potential copy-and-paste using AI. The site will show the amount of edits made, when they were made, and scan for anything that looks as though it may have been generated by AI. “The whole staff knows about these features of Brisk,” Rose said. “...All of the kids in English classes know about this too, so it isn’t like a ‘gotcha’ for them.” This tool also allows teachers to put a rubric in for an assignment, and will attempt to provide constructive feedback on where the writer did well, and where they could improve their work. While not absolutely perfect, it can help teachers to find ways to help the student improve their work in a way that makes sense and can allow them to find their own way of correcting any errors without just giving them the answer.

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Magic School is a program that teachers at Valley are using side-by-side with students. The program is currently being used with students in a resume-building class, as a way to help them develop a concise and well-written resume. It takes all information, including previous experience, word choice, and even font into account, with the goal of helping students stand out when giving their resumes to colleges, job applications, or even for internships or volunteer opportunities. Students are able to see in real time how the program looks at their resume, and what kinds of things they should consider when making adjustments, and how they can better explain the key pieces of their resume. Overall, the staff of Valley Regional High School now understand that incorporating ways to use AI in their classrooms is the future, and are already considering more ways that they can use it to better the learning of teachers and students, and help enhance their experience in the classroom.

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“For those that are worried and overwhelmed by even trying to use this as a new thing, I spent a lot of time meeting with teachers and really answering questions and being a resource,” Dalton said. “We can’t expect teachers to teach and instruct on how to use AI effectively if they do not know how to use it…we need to break the stigma of what it is and what it can and cannot do, and practice using it. I feel fairly confident in my ability to use it, but I have been trying to stay on top of it with other teachers. It really changes so quickly.” Dalton also understands that there is a time and place that this can be used, and wants to not only expose the staff and students to more ways that they can use AI to be effective, but do so in a way that will have the most benefit to them and their learning. As of right now, AI is being used solely in English and social studies/history classes, with no definite plan to add it to other classes yet.

Library Hosts Food Drive Essex Library Association (ELA) will host a food drive until Friday, Jan. 30, during regular library operating hours. A wagon for nonperishable donated food items is set up across from the library’s circulation desk. The donated food items benefit the Region 4 Backpack Program, which provides nutritious food when other resources are not available to students identified by school social workers at Essex Elementary, John Winthrop Middle School, and Valley Regional High School. Occasions when other resources are unavailable include weekends or during school vacations. Suggested donations include juice boxes, shelf-stable milk, (vanilla or chocolate), applesauce cups, fruit cups, pretzels, fruit snacks, oatmeal pouches, cereal cups, breakfast/granola bars, Nutella, tuna, mayonnaise, mac & cheese, Chef Boyardee products, ramen, peanut butter, grape or strawberry jelly, beef stew, Rice-a-Roni, pasta, sauce, beans, corn, and sloppy joe. The food is delivered weekly to students and includes breakfasts, lunches, dinners, beverages, and snacks. For more information, call the library at 860-767-1560.

COMMUNITY NEWS • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 25, 2025

John Aforismo: Giving Back Through Rotary Continued from page 2 and said ‘ask them what they need not just what sizes they’re looking for.’ They needed 30 coats, but we made 35 packages of coats, hats, gloves and scarfs for people who need them. It was incredible,” John proudly says. Besides the 35 coats in Old Saybrook, at the suggestion of a club member who got in touch with Westbrook Youth and Family Services, 22 more coats were donated for families in that town. For John, his interest in giving back was sparked out of an appreciation for his fortunes in life and a desire to help those who need it. “I want to share the good that the Rotary does with everyone I can.” Whether it’s through the Rotary or in conjunction with a program in Madison that seeks to build wells in Uganda so that people there have access to fresh water, John says his family tries to stay involved. “I’m really hopeful that whoever is read-

ing this maybe is inspired to come to a meeting and maybe get involved themselves. Simply, we raise money and give it way to those who need it. Plus, with the people involved, there’s a lot of camaraderie and warmth; we don’t agree eye to eye on everything, sure, but we find people who need help and do our best to get it to them,” John says. John grew up in Rocky Hill, but has called Old Saybrook home since 2018. “We wanted something along the coast and close to the grandkids.” While he and his wife have lived in town for under a decade, John says it’s quickly grown on him. “We just fell in love. The friendliness of the people here in the stores and in the neighborhood or just walking around Main Street. We just love it here,” John says of Old Saybrook. In his spare time John says he enjoys reading, learning the piano, traveling, and spending time with his grandchildren.

Shoreline Arts Alliance Accepting Applications for Scholarships in the Arts Shoreline Arts Alliance is now accepting applications for its annual Scholarships in the Arts program, open to juniors and seniors (or homeschooling equivalent) residing within Shoreline Arts Alliance’s 24-town region who will be pursuing an education in the arts. Applicants may apply in the fields of creative writing, dance, instrumental music, theatre, visual art, and vocal music. Deserving students will be awarded scholarships ranging from $250 to $1,000. The winner in each category will receive a $1,000 scholarship for continuing education and/or supplies as well as a mentorship from a professional artist. Applicants will be contacted to schedule interviews and auditions. Students who are interested in the arts and reside in the 24-town region (covering all of Middlesex County, Madison, Guilford, North Branford, Branford, and East Haven) are encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted through Thursday, Jan. 8. A nonrefundable fee of $25 is required with each application. The Jeffrey Dobbs Scholarship for Excellence in Painting and Richard S. Dart Memorial Arts Scholarship are also offered as part of the Shoreline Arts Alliance’s Scholarship in the Arts program. To submit an online application, visit shorelinearts.org. For more information, contact the Shoreline Arts Alliance at 203421-6739 or office@shorelinearts.

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DECEMBER 25, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

Notice is hereby given that a caucus of the enrolled Republicans in the Town of Chester will be held on Thursday, January 8, 2026 at 6:30 PM at the Chester Meeting House, 4 Liberty Street, Chester, CT, for the purpose of endorsing individuals for membership onto the Chester Republican Town Committee.

Obituaries Continued from page 5

Submitted Meredith Devanney, Chairman, Kathy Merola, Secretary

Leo Zavatone Chester

Republican Town Committee

NOTICE OF DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS To enrolled members of the Democratic Party of the Town of Deep River, Connecticut Pursuant to the Rules of the Democratic Party and State election laws, you are hereby notified that a caucus will be held on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at Deep River Town Hall, 174 Main St., Deep River, CT to endorse candidates for the Deep River Democratic Town Committee and to transact other business as may be proper to come before said Caucus. Dated at: Deep River, CT Date: December 25, 2025 Deep River Democratic Town Committee Chairman: Nancy Fischbach

LEGAL NOTICE TOWN OF DEEP RIVER Legal notice is hereby given to the taxpayers of Deep River that the second installment of all REAL ESTATE and PERSONAL PROPERTY tax bills based on the October 1, 2024 Grand List, and on all MOTOR VEHICLE SUPPLEMENTAL tax bills are due and payable on January 1, 2026. These taxes become delinquent if paid or postmarked after February 2, 2026. The interest rate on delinquent taxes is one and one-half percent of said tax for each month or fraction thereof which elapses after January 1, 2026. A minimum interest charge of $2.00 is made on all delinquent tax bills. Payments may be made online at deepriverct.us (Fees apply) or mailed to the Tax Collector, PO Box 13, Deep River, CT 06417. Katherine L. Cryder, CCMC Tax Collector

LEGAL NOTICE TOWN OF ESSEX All property owners liable to pay a tax to the Town of Essex on the Grand List of October 1, 2024, are hereby notified that the second and final installment of taxes becomes due and payable on or before the 1st of January, 2026. Failure to make payment on or before the 2nd day of February, 2026 will be subject to an interest charge of one and one half (1½%) percent per month from the due date of January 1st 2026 (18% annually) with a minimum interest charge of $2.00 per bill. This also applies to the Motor Vehicle Supplemental tax bill due and payable in January, 2026. We suggest you pay online or mail in your payment. Megan Haskins Tax Collector

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING ESSEX PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Essex Planning and Zoning Commission will hold the following public hearing on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at Essex Town Hall 29 West Avenue Essex, CT (see agenda on Town’s website www.essexct.gov for further details), at 7:00 p.m. to hear the following application: -

PZC #25-18 Proposed Text Amendment to Section 90 Limited Industrial Districts of the Essex Zoning Regulations to permit municipally operated and owned facilities. Applicant: Essex Planning and Zoning Commission

PZC #25-19 Special Exception under Section 101J of the Essex Zoning Regulations for construction of a single-family home exceeding 4,000 sq ft of total area, inground pool and associated improvements within the Gateway Conservation District at 11 Clark Lane Essex. Applicant/Owner: Eric and Amy Nordquist

Copies of the application are on file in the Town Clerk’s Office and Land Use Department at Essex Town Hall and can be viewed on the Town’s webpage. Essex Planning and Zoning Commission Russell Smith, Chairman

Obituary

vegetables and making flower arrangements expressed his creativity and his love — especially for Burgi, his treasured bride of 61 years. Even in his final weeks, he took meaning and Leo Vincent Zavatone, 91, of Chester, delight in creating the traditional holiday arrangements for his children and passed away peacefully on Dec. 12, their families. 2025, surrounded by A lover of language (speaking his beloved wife and English, Italian, German, and Arabic) children and under and learning, Leo delighted in reading, the gentle care of the sharing stories, and writing poems to Middlesex Hospital mark milestones. He nurtured this pashospice team. A passion for language and learning in his sionate gardener and children and grandchildren, modeling poet, life-long learner the importance of showing care through and world traveler, words and sustaining curiosity. Leo’s Leo’s curiosity carried Catholic faith guided his life of service, him far, but his life including years volunteering with was most deeply defined by his dedication to family, com- Friends in Service Here (FISH), parish involvement, and sharing garden promunity, and faith as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, duce and flowers. He remained focused on helping others until his final days. and uncle. His family feels tremendous gratitude Born near the granite quarries of for his example of dedication to the Quincy, MA, Leo grew up in an immiearth, family, and the human commugrant family rooted in faith, flowers, nity in a spirit of faith and hope. and hard work. With an Irish mother, Leo is survived by his beloved wife, Swiss-Italian father, and Swiss grandWalburga Zavatone; his children: Heidi mother, he was immersed early in the languages and cultures of his neighbor- Zavatone-Veth, Stefan Zavatone hood, school, and the family florist busi- (Maureen), Bernard Zavatone (Alison), and Kristen Murray (Paul); and his ness, where he worked alongside his cherished grandchildren: Jacob Zavaparents, uncle, and siblings. tone-Veth (Ningjing Xia), Sofia ZavaHis early fascination with learning tone-Veth, Gavin, Liam, and Graham about the world’s peoples and love for Zavatone, Owen and Paige Zavatone, gardening endured. After graduating and Kaitlyn, Allison, and Ronan Murfrom Boston College High School, Leo took great joy in his studies at Harvard ray. He is also survived by his sisters, University, earning a bachelor’s degree Veronica Coyne and Mary Pearl; sisterin-law Barbara Zavatone; and many in 1956. Following service in the US nieces, nephews, and relatives. He was military and work in the family busipredeceased by his parents, Otto and ness, he returned to Harvard to earn a master’s degree in Middle Eastern His- Helen (Lally) Zavatone; his brothers, James F. and Otto A. Zavatone; his sontory in 1962, before embarking on a in-law, Joseph Veth; his brother-in-law, career in international business. Francis Coyne; and his grandson, VinWhile on a work trip to Rapperswil, cent O’Connor Zavatone. Switzerland, Leo met a fellow lover of Visitation will be held from 5 to languages and the love of his life, Wal7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, at burga Maria (“Burgi”). Married on Oct. 3, 1964, they shared a deep partnership, Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral raising four children while living across Home in Centerbrook. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Dec. 19, 2025, at St. Joseph’s Church in the United States. Settling in Chester Chester, followed by burial in St. more than 30 years ago, they nurtured Joseph’s Cemetery. a beautiful space filled with gardens, In addition to flowers to remember wildlife, and a warm welcome for kids, Leo, donations in his memory may be grandkids, extended family, and made to organizations providing food friends. Leo remained devoted to his family spanning Switzerland, Italy, Ire- and meals to the region’s seniors and land, the US, and beyond, always show- families, including The Estuary of Old ing up in times of need and celebration. Saybrook, CT (https://estuarycouncilof seniorsinc-bloom.kindful.com/) and the Leo found great joy in his grandchildren, sharing his love of nature through Shoreline Soup Kitchen & Pantries of walks in the woods, gardening, fishing, Essex, CT (https://shorelinesoupkitchens.org/get-involved/13-donate). and caring for the earth. Growing

COMMUNITY NEWS • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 25, 2025

Home for the Holidays: A Gift for Gizmo Story by Carol Andrecs

Gizmo is a small cat with a big personality. At only 4 years old, he is playful and loving, and craves attention from his humans. His long white fur with brown and black tiger markings makes him extra stunning and unique. Gizmo is not a fan of all the other cats in his room and is ready to make holiday memories in a permanent home of his own. Are you the person to give Gizmo this gift? Come meet this sweet and affectionate boy at our open house or apply to adopt him online at www.forgottenfelinesct.org. b

Find Your Match At Forgotten Felines Forgotten Felines holds an open house every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 153 Horse Hill Road, Westbrook. No appointment is necessary. Forgotten Felines is run entirely by dedicated volunteers with no paid staff. We are always in desperate need of volunteers to help care for the cats and keep our facility clean and organized. If you can donate your time, it will be very rewarding and much appreciated. For more information, contact 860-669-1347 or volunteerinfo@ forgottenfelinesct.org.

Photo by Genevieve Ray

Choral Scholarship Program for High 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.

LEGAL NOTICE TOWN OF CHESTER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Audit of Accounts of the Town of Chester for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 has been filed in the Town Clerk’s Office and is available for public inspection. Kathryn Hair Town Clerk Dated at Chester, Connecticut this 16th day of December, 2025.

ATTENTION ESSEX REPUBLICANS NOTICE OF CAUCUS Notice is hereby given that there will be a caucus of Registered Republicans in the Town of Essex, on Tuesday January 6th, 2026 in the Essex Veterans Memorial Hall at 7pm, for the purpose of electing Essex Republican Town Committee officers and members. ATTEST Carolyn Field

DECEMBER 25, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

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DRES Awarded with $3,400 Grant for Students to Explore their Coastal Ecosystems Continued from page 4 Program, which allows students to participate in hands-on investigation of the ecosystems at various public parks in Connecticut. Josh Torchia, the principal of Deep River Elementary School, was on hand along with the students to accept the grant from Deep River Cares. He mentioned that the school has programs and classes in place to provide more information on what the students will be seeing and working with during the field trip, and will be incorporating their learning both before

and after the trip. “A lot of our learning tends to be inside and in the classroom,” he said. “I think it really is great that we have an organization in Deep River Cares that is passionate to see these kids learn more outside of the classroom and to be more hands-on.” The organization plans for this not to be the last time that they work alongside the school to provide an opportunity like this. There are no definite plans yet, but organizers expressed a desire to provide an experience like this to more students in the near future.

Essex Library Holds December Gift Sale The Friends of the Essex Library is holding a gift sale through the month of December in the foyer of the library, 33 West Avenue. The gift sale focuses on new or like-new books and puzzles. Unless otherwise noted, hardcovers are priced at $3 each or two for $5, and paperbacks are $2 each. For more information, visit the Friends tab at youressexlibrary.org.

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COMMUNITY NEWS • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 25, 2025

Food Drive at Essex Library The Essex Library Association is hosting a food drive to benefit the Region 4 Backpack Program through Jan. 30. A wagon for nonperishable donated food items is set up across from the Essex Library’s circulation desk. The Backpack Program provides students identified by school social workers at Essex Elementary, John Winthrop Middle School, and Valley Regional High School with nutritious food when other resources are not available, such as on weekends or during school vacations. The food is delivered weekly to students and includes breakfasts, lunches, dinners, beverages and snacks. For more information, visit youressexlibrary.org.

Little Learners at the Library Essex Library, 33 West Avenue, continues its series of Little Learners story times with stories, songs, rhymes, and crafts around a designated theme. Children and their caregivers can enjoy story time on Fridays at 10 a.m., with the theme of police pals on Jan. 9, yetis and abominable snowmen on Jan. 16, sledding on Jan. 23, and our five senses on Jan. 30. The program is best for children ages 2 to 5 to learn early literacy concepts of colors, shapes, opposites, the alphabet, and more. Little Learners story times take place at the library, 33 West Avenue. For more information or to register, contact the library at 860-767-1560 or staff.essexlib@gmail.com, or visit youressexlibrary.org.

Singing Voices Wanted The Middlesex Hospital Vocal Chords, conducted by Samuel Tucker and accompanied by a 10-piece orchestra under the direction of Alan Dougherty, is currently seeking individuals to join its expanding alto, tenor, and bass sections. No auditions or prior experience are required—only a passion for singing and a commitment to the ensemble is necessary. Rehearsals will start Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 6:45 to 9 p.m. at St. Francis Church, Msgr. Fox Parish Hall, 10 Elm Street, Middletown, in preparation for the spring concert scheduled for Saturday, May 2, at Portland High School. New members may enroll through Tuesday, Feb. 3. For more information, call 860342-3120 or visit vocalchords20.org.

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. 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

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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,

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VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 25, 2025 • SPORTS

Sports Rocky - The Matriarch of the Striper Coast

Valley Courier Valley Courier Thursday, December 25, 2025

They still whisper her name up and down the Atlantic seaboard — Rocky, the old queen of the Striper Coast. She’s as much legend as fish now, a survivor etched into the tides from the brackish nurseries of the Chesapeake Bay to the rocky headlands of Maine. For decades, she’s made the same pilgrimage north and south, driven by instinct older than memory. Each spring she’s migrated from her birth waters north, pushing through the murky tributaries heavy with silt and runoff, dodging ghostly nets that hang like curtains of death. She’s felt the drag of trawler wakes and the sting of rusted hooks, and still she’s swum on — a silver streak beneath the changing seas. Once, she was quick and agile, all muscle and flash, her broad caudal tail slicing through rip currents like a scythe. She hunted bunker under the moonlight and danced through bait balls with effortless grace. But the years have slowed her. Her once-sleek flanks are scarred — faint reminders of battles fought and survived. She remembers the strange two-legged predator who caught her once, maybe twice — the old salt with the weathered hands and the knowing eyes. He had lifted her from the water, studied her like an old friend, then smiled. A kiss to her head, a wink to the wind, and back she went. That memory lingers, as warm as the current itself. Now, the waters are warmer than they used to be. The currents twist differently. The eelgrass beds that once sheltered her young have thinned. And yet, something deeper than age — deeper than time — urges her onward. For within her still pulses the strong DNA that built a species, the promise of new life in every tide. She knows she won’t see another dozen migrations, perhaps not even another spring. But that doesn’t matter. The Chesapeake calls again — the scent of the estuary, the soft push of freshwater against salt, the pull of generations unbroken. And so Rocky, scarred matron of the striper line, turns her nose to the south once more. Against the tide, against time itself, she forges ahead — not for herself, but for every shimmering life that will follow in her wake. Quietly, she slipped beneath the waves — vanishing once more into legend. b

Fishing report CAPTAIN MORGAN’S

On The Water After the blast of Arctic cold and the unusual amount of snow that fell south of the I-95 corridor (especially along the shoreline) compared to the rest of Connecticut, high pressure built from the southwest. High winds followed ahead of a weak upper level disturbance that quickly pushed across the area. Putting a damper on potentially a white Christmas, a warm front pushed north followed by another cold front, and as forecast, a warm front moved in again, greatly reducing any leftover snowpack. Weather fronts seesawed between cold and warm fronts, as pre-dawn temperatures bottomed out at a low of 14 degrees while daytime temperatures rose to a high of 53 degrees. During this period, most days saw a mix of sun and clouds, including four with rain. Small craft advisories poked Long Island Sound with south/southwest winds gusting to 30 knots, bringing in warmer air as seas managed to reach three to six feet - eight at one point. Water temperatures dipped as low as 37 degrees, but for clammers, the days around Christmas can provide good low morning tides. Whether lakes and ponds develop and maintain enough hard water locally, fishing will continue through January when some of those cold weather garments will be layered up and worn. No doubt, with the cold base having been developed, flags will flip and jigging sticks will get somewhat of a workout up in the northwest and northeast corners of the state. Along the shoreline, expect that activity to be less but better than last year. Trout will be caught in both soft water rivers and hard water lakes/ponds, bass will be able to be coaxed into being hooked, a few toothy critters will be caught, along with some catfish and plenty of panfish, including perch and crappie. Going out on a limb, here’s a gut call: figure on Madison/Guilford area to have below average temperatures and a cold month overall with the coldest periods early and late in the month. Precipitation will be less and snowfall below normal (a few nor’easters) for the season, but Jan-

Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

Rocky ‘The Legend’ once again returns (top), avoiding hazardous obstacles and bypassing troubling encounters on her journey north before settling in for the warm season. Fall reenergizes her for the migration back to a warmer, winter habitat (bottom) while navigating through as many threatening gauntlets.

uary could be potentially snowy early on. Expect more rain along the immediate shoreline during milder periods. Therefore, ponds and smaller inland bodies of water south of I-95 may form ice, but the proximity to warmer LIS makes ice less reliable and slower to form. From Captain Morgan and Crew, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas, hope you had a Happy Chanukah, and are having a happy and healthy holiday season.“May your best fish caught in 2025 be surpassed by your Personal Best in 2026.” I’ll catch you after Thursday, Jan. 1. Happy New Year! 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.

For 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 203-245-8665 for updated winter 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

SPORTS • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 25, 2025

Senior Lineman Torres Powers Valley Football’s Success

Sports Person Week

By Kellyn Kolber Special to the Courier

It’s no secret that Eli Torres stands out as the biggest and strongest player on the Valley Regional/Lyme-Old Lyme football team. As a freshman, his natural strength quickly caught the coaches’ attention, earning him significant varsity playing time. Despite this early success, Eli never stopped pushing himself to improve, ultimately becoming a three-year starter for the Warriors on both offense and defense. This season, even though he earned First Team All-Pequot honors, his passion for football isn’t driven by accolades. Instead, it comes from the deep bonds he’s forged with his teammates. “What I love about the sport is the family-like relationship you build with the team and the coaches over the years of playing,” he shares. Eli plays both offensive guard and defensive tackle for the Warriors, positions that demand significant size, strength, and skill. While playing on both sides of the ball is a considerable responsibility, Eli believes it has helped him elevate his performance. “Playing both ways makes me excel at each position,” he explains. “Playing against the other position you play will show you new moves and counters to things that you didn’t know before.” According to Valley football Head Coach Phil Cohen, Eli’s importance to the team’s success cannot be overstated, particularly because of his versatility. “The cool thing about having a guy like Eli is that we could run behind him, but we could also have him pull, and we could run away from him as well,” he says.

of the

“We had a lot of success on the ground this year, and I think a lot of it was because of him.” However, Eli’s ability to anchor both the offense and defense stems from more than just raw talent. Cohen describes him using Stan Lee’s famous Spider-Man line: “with great power comes great responsibility.” Even as a natural lineman, Eli never took his abilities for granted and was always striving to get better. “One of the biggest things that stands out about him was how committed he was,” Cohen says. “He was a 100% weight room guy for us this summer, and he was just super into it, and he brought a lot of his teammates along with him.” Eli recognized the importance of the offseason in setting up success for the fall. “The work I put into the offseason, like being in the weight room every day in the summer and getting work in on the field, directly correlates when the season comes around,” he says. Though he wasn’t an official captain, Eli’s work ethic enabled him to step into a natural leadership role for his team this fall. “I put in all my effort every day in practice and pushed my teammates to their full potential,” he says. Cohen also notes that Eli had a commanding presence on the field, which made his teammates gravitate towards him.

“He’s not super loud, but when he does say something, everybody listens,” he says. “He was respected as a senior leader on the team, and he really did a great job for us. If he needed to say something, his words definitely got across and resonated with the team.” Although the Warriors didn’t make the playoffs, they finished with an impressive 7-3 record. While the team showcased talent across the board, the offensive line, led by Eli, stood out as a particular strength. “I think the reason for our offensive line playing so well together is that we were a family, and we all knew we could trust each other,” Eli shares. “We had each other’s backs on every play, no matter what.” Now, looking ahead to graduation, Eli is hoping to further his football career at the collegiate level. He is currently undecided about a specific major or university, but he knows what he’s looking for in a school. “What I’m looking for in a college program has to be a family atmosphere with the team and good coaching,” he insists. “I think coaching can make or break the love you have for the game.” Cohen is confident that Eli can succeed at any collegiate level and expects him to attract significant interest. “I’m sure that once he pushes his film out there, he’s going to have the pick of the litter,” he says. “I genuinely think he’s a Division I player. I personally think he’s an all-state player as well, so I think any school that wants him is going to be lucky to have the opportunity to develop him.” Regardless of what he decides,

Schedules b

Boys’ Basketball Saturday, Dec. 27: vs. Kaynor Tech at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30: vs. North Branford at 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 30: at North Branford at noon

Monday, Dec. 29: at Hall at 7:20 p.m.

Boys’ Ice Hockey Saturday, Dec. 27: at Cheshire at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30: at Greenwich at 4:30 p.m.

Eli Torres has been the firepower behind the Valley football team's success as a senior lineman this fall.

Valley football has taught Eli valuable lessons that he’ll carry with him for the rest of his life. In just a few years with the Warriors, he has experienced both the highs of a state-championship caliber team and the lows of a 1-9 season, teaching him the importance of resilience and patience.

HIGH

Girls’ Basketball

Photo courtesy of Eli Torres

Girls’ Ice Hockey b

Wrestling Saturday., Dec. 27: at Morgan at 9 a.m.

Tides ESSEX

Dec. 25 to Dec. 31

“Not everything is going to go your way, but you have to keep going and never give up,” says Eli. “Even when we went 1-9 my sophomore year, no one gave up on the team or the coaches, and we got right back to work in the offseason.”

Day 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

A.M. 2:31 3:18 4:08 5:02 5:57 6:53 7:47

P.M. 2:24 3:10 4:04 5:06 6:11 7:12 8:07

DECEMBER 25, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • SPORTS

Valley Unified Basketball Competes in Fun-Filled Tournament By Gabby Maljanian Sports Editor

Unified Sports are a great way for a variety of different students to stay active and get involved with athletics. Valley Regional High School takes pride in the success of its Unified program and the community that has been built over the years. On Dec. 11, Valley’s Unified Basketball

team competed in the Shoreline Conference Unified Basketball Tournament. It was a lot of of fun for all, and many athletes, buddies, coaches, Athletic Directors (ADs), and supporters stepped up from all 10 schools that participated to make it a huge success. The tournament was hosted by Valley, and many Warriors athletes and coaches came out to show their support.

Photo courtesy of Valley Regional Athletics

Patrick Sirois takes over this winter as the new head coach of the Valley girls' basketball team, and he is joined by his father.

Sirois Named New Valley Girls’ Basketball Head Coach By Gabby Maljanian Sports Editor

This season, the Valley girls’ basketball program is celebrating a truly special moment. Patrick Sirois, a Shoreline Athletic Conference (SLC) Coach of the Year in baseball, takes over as the team’s new head coach. He is joined by his father, whose coaching experience spans middle school, high school, and the college level, and most importantly, taught him the passion and drive that it takes to be a successful athlete and coach. Seeing the two of

them side by side - supporting one another, sharing their love for the game, and investing in the athletes - perfectly captures the family spirit that defines The Warrior Way. It’s a reminder that in the school’s athletic programs, family is more than a theme - it’s a value they live every day. The Sirois family and all of the coaches at Valley work every day to build positive team cultures and show the athletes that connectedness, teamwork, and family are a core part of what sports are all about.

Photo courtesy of Valley Regional Athletics

The Valley Unified Basketball team had a lot of fun at the Shoreline Conference Unified Basketball Tournament on Dec. 11.

Scholarships for Connecticut Women

Need Help with Challenging Children?

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.

Struggling to understand your child's behavior? National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Shoreline and Guilford Youth and Family Services are offering free Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) classes. CPS is a non-punitive approach to helping adults care for challenging children of all ages, grounded in 50 years of neuroscientific research. The class runs for six weeks, starting Thursday, Jan. 8, through Thursday, Feb. 12. Sessions will take place on Thursdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom. Registration is required. To register, email DivinnaSchmitt@gmail.com. For more information, text Divinna Schmitt at 860-876-0236 or visit ThinkKids.org.

Legals

VALLEY COURIER • CLASSIFIEDS • 15

DECEMBER 25, 2025Employment Employment

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Employment Driver M&J BUS INC School van drivers & monitors needed in the Old Saybrook & Waterford areas. Call Marie: 860-388-6782

Employment Employment Services Services Employment Wanted

HOME HEALTH AIDE Looking for Live-In Job to take care of the elderly. I have 19yrs exp., Excellent Ref’s. 203-815-2690 —

Financial Financial

Legals

Coal/Wood/Fuels Firewood For Sale Seasoned, Split & Delivered. Stacking Available. 860-767-2811

WANTED TO BUY Old Records Purchased 12” LPs and 7” 45 rpm only. No 10” 78s. 203-710-9943

classifieds community

Rental

Storage/ Warehouse

AUTO STORAGE

Houses/ Unfurnished EAST HAVEN 1st floor / 2br & 1bath, Front Porch, LR/DR $2100 +Security Cats ok CALL 203-745-8626 Rent can be reduces if lawn/ snow maintained

classifieds community

has the

KEYS

to your new vehicle or home! WHERE

BUYERS & SELLERS CONNECT

800.582.8296 or visit

zip06.com assif ie

c AD r r e ato

GET NOTICED NOW!

1.800.582.8296

CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE where

BUYERS & SELLERS meet

Instructions

Marine/

—

Climate controlled auto storage located In Essex CT area. 3, 6, and 12 month rentals available. Call Eric 860-662-6151

PROMOTE YOUR SERVICE OR BUSINESS TO THE ENTIRE SHORELINE! Call (860) 701-4412

**WANTED** Firearms Single or Collections ______________________ Including military and related items. Federal firearms license. Appraisals. ______________________ Richard Pleines 860-663-2214

Rental

Announcements

&classified ads

place search

online at www.zip06.com

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keep the shoreline green by recycling this paper.

16 • CLASSIFIEDS • VALLEY COURIER

DECEMBER 25, 2025 BUILDING & REMODELING

BASEMENT WATERPROOFING

Brilliant Basement Basement Waterproofing Services 50 Years combined experience. Egress Windows, Foundation Repair, Sump Pumps, Pumps Eliminated in most homes. Crawl Spaces, Gravity Drains, Landscaping Drainage, Gutter Downspout Drains • Mold Remediation

REE

F Estimates

Casanova Builders, LLC

HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTING

d239532

Waterproofing, LLC

MR. FIX IT

Since 1956

Kitchens • Bathrooms Basement Plumbing • Electrical I Will Call Back!

203-245-2592 203-458-8222

www.mrfixitllc.com

Addition • Decks • Flooring • Attic/Basement Remodeling • Finish Carpentry • Custom Ceramic, Marble & • Siding Granite Tile Work & Counter Tops • Total Custom Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling • Interior & Exterior Painting • Windows Lic. #561417 ~ Insured ~ Work Guaranteed 203-444-6297 Joseph Casanova Jr. • • • Gutters • Siding • Repairs • Siding • Windows • Windows24MO 0% OR 860-230-0853ROOFING RI SIDING • Gutters • Gutters $500 OFF WINDOWS • Repairs • Repairs DOORS GUTTERS 860-230-0853 860-230-0853 24MO24MO 0% OR 0% OR RI RI FAMILY TRADITION SINCE 1955 DECKS $500 OFF $500 OFF 860.230.0853

Stephen S. Simonetti Licensed & Insured Lic. #578530

Don't just be smart, be brilliant!

Reg #43858

Reg #0654527

*credit terms apply 24 mo 0%

www.brilliantbasementwaterproofing.com

Reg #0654527

HIC. 0653192 • CALL US

860-598-8091

Reg #0654527

www.jfkroofing.com * credit terms apply

Reg #0654527

860-552-6027 Reg #43858

Reg #43858

*credit terms apply 24 mo 0% 24 mo 0% *credit terms apply

Reg #43858

BUILDING & REMODELING

Shoreline Deck Company, LLC Making Ideas Happen

Additions • Dormers • Decks Basements • Roofs • Rip Jobs Build Up or Build Out We Do It All!

Since 1981 38 Years Exp.

T. Robert’s Construction, LLC

Additions, Bathrooms, Pergolas, Pool Houses, Pavilions, Outdoor Kitchens

J&P RESTORATION General Contractor J.A. Petrillo - Owner

From Design To Completion

Fully Insured

Lic #563264

(203) 507-6902 • Branford, CT

Repairs • Remodeling ALL TYPES OF BUILDING REPAIRS $50.00 per hour

Roofing Remodeling Additions Kitchens Garages Masonry Decks Gutters

Siding Sheet Rock Bathrooms Paper Hanging Painting Plumbing Electrical Windows

Please call for a free design consultation & estimate

Carpentry • Doors • Locks Windows • Stairs • Closets Decks • Drywall • Painting

www.shorelinedeck.com | chris@shorelinedeck.com

Jim 203-530-2670

203-982-5436

DECKS

DRYWALL

203-453-2333

Small jobs are fine

HIC.0547261

CLEANING SERVICES

DECK RESTORE

Home & Business Cleaning info@geniemaids.com

WINDOWS DOORS SIDING GUTTERS ROOFING

(203) 392-4516

Guilford, CT. Licensed & Insured

Free Estimates HIC # 0646127

Decks/Hardwood Floors Decks Cleaned/Repaired/Sanded &Power Stained • Hardwood Floors Washing of Homes Patios & Walkways Power Washed Protect your investment, Free Estimates beautify your home.

203-996-4981 Brian

ELECTRICAL

HOME IMPROVEMENT, LLC DECKS KITCHENS BATHROOMS ADDITIONS CARPENTRY PAINTING

Sanding/Refinishing Softwash House Cleaning

licensed /insured HIC #0678344

SKY CITY

Marc Geoghegan License #ELC.0203098-E1 Fully Insured

Remodeling/Additions Kitchens, Baths, Finished Basements Generators and Service upgrades Troubleshooting • Free Estimates

860.331.9901

4gelectricct@gmail.com • fb.me/4GElectric

HIC.0560655

LIC. #0663008 LIC.#0570590

Daniel Brown Electric LLC • New Construction • Generators Chargers • Remodeling/ • Car Landscape Lighting Additions • Pools • Service Upgrades • Troubleshooting • Kitchens • Baths • Finished Basements

860-399-4444

CT License #199056-E1 Licensed & Fully Insured P.O. Box 221, Westbrook, CT 06498

Seasons Greetings from

VALLEY COURIER • CLASSIFIEDS • 17

DECEMBER 25, 2025 EXCAVATING

GUTTER CLEANING

CLUTTER IN THE GUTTER

EXCAVATION DEMOLITION & SITE PACKAGES Building Lots Cleared and Developed Site Excavation for New Homes, Additions & Garages Septic Systems, Utilities Trenching

The Original

FOUNDATIONS & CONCRETE WORK

Complete Site Work - Paving - Driveways Mulch, Stone, Screened Topsoil,

Foundations & Concrete Work Additions, Garage Foundations Barns, Slabs & Structural Piers Retaining Walls

Owner/ Operator Scott Behler

SEAWALL & DOCK CONSTRUCTION

Sand & Gravel House Sites, Septic Systems, Demolition

Seawall Masonry Repointing Boulder and Revetment Stone Dock Repairs & Pile Installations.

HIC #0634550

Why Hire 3 Contractors When K.E.Braza Construction Handles The Entire Site Process?

Water Mains, Sewers 756 Middlesex Turnpike, Old Saybrook, CT

• We Demo We Dig and We Pour your Foundation 1 Contractor 1 Price • Make The Call This Fall, Get it Done Before Next Season Direct: 860-662-0124 | Office: 860-399-5290

www.blexcavating.com - 860-388-9665

25 Year Family Business Proudly Serving Connecticut Shoreline

www.KEBrazaConstruction.com GUTTERS

Green Gloves L Gutters, LC

SEAMLESS GUTTERS • Installation • Repair • Cleaning • Roofing • Window Replacement • Remodeling • Gutter Gaurds • Siding

Scott’s Gutter Fully Insured Cleaning

No Job Too Small • No Job Too Large Complete Cleaning, Installation and Repairs for Gutters Roof Repairs • Handyman Services Power Washing • Roof Washing Black Stains & Algae Removal Prompt Courteous Service, Done on Time

203-466-0520

JUNK REMOVAL

LANDSCAPING

203-530-7191

SEAMLESS GUTTERS PLUS

Gutter Installation • Gutter Guards Gutter Cleaning • Maintenance Program abguttersplus.com We do half-round, seamless gutters

Joe Scala

Fully Insured | HIC. 061885 References upon request

LANDSCAPING

203-245-9448

Commercial & Residential

JUNK REMOVAL SERVICES

Locally Owned and Operated Family Business

• General Waste Removal • Construction Debris • Sheetrock Demo • Shed and Deck Demo & Removal • Oil Tanks and Drums • Garage Cleanouts

We Donate & Recycle!

SERVING MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NEW HAVEN COUNTY & FAIRFIELD COUNTY

860-415-3313

GREENGLOVESGUTTERS.COM

www.thecleanoutcompanyllc.com

LANDSCAPING

HIRE A VETERAN

Lic. # 0653900

203.727.6405

Ivan.acevedo6475@gmail.com ivan.acevedo6475@gmail.com

• Landscaping • Painting • Mowing • Trimming • Masonry Service • Mulching • Gutter Cleaning • Powerwashing • Small Tree Removal • Fall & Spring Clean-Ups

LANDSCAPING

COUNTRY HILL LANDSCAPING Eric Werle • Guilford, CT 06437

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

203-457-0483

Fall Leaf Removal Full Lawn Service Walls & Walkways Spring Cleanup Mulch Work

Tree Work Snow Plowing Planting Tractor Work Pruning

SERVICING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1988

Landscape Design & Build Hand Drawn Renderings Full Estate Plans RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • CONDO

Weekly Mowing Spring/Fall Clean Ups Aerating & Overseeding Pruning Mulching

Landscape Design & Installation Paver Patios & Walkways Retaining Walls Cobblestone Poolscapes Fire Pits Outdoor Kitchens Concrete Fencing CONTACT US TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE

www.violalandscaping.com

Fully licensed HIC #0561037 & Insured

NOW SERVICING THE SHORELINE AREA FOR LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE

• Irrigation Systems Installs/Maintenance • Lawn & Landscape Maintenance • Fertilizing & Tick Control • Retaining Walls • Architectural Pavers: Poolside & Patios • New Lawn Installations: Sod Installs/Hydroseed • Excavations & Drainage • Landclearing/Foundation: Dozer Site Work • Dumpster Services Serving the Shoreline Area Since 1996

CELEBRATING OVER 41 YEARS IN BUSINESS!

860-635-1030 office@violalandscapingllc.com

Call today for consultation (860) 767-2811 www.sullivanlawnservices.com FERT #B2547

CT HIC #0606162 CT Lic# P1-0204385

18 • CLASSIFIEDS • VALLEY COURIER

DECEMBER 25, 2025

LANDSCAPING

MASONRY

CHAMPLIN’S LANDSCAPING & EXCAVATION • Fall Clean Up • Snow Plowing • Shrub Pruning • Tree Removal • Stump Grinding SENIOR DISCOUNT

OLD WORLD CRAFTSMANSHIP

860-510-3509

Father & Son Masonry

SOSOLI’S

• Fence Repair • Gravel Driveways • Excavator Work • Shed Demolition • Junk Removal

MOVING & HAULING

Over 30 years experience Specializing In:

M AS O N RY, L LC

Stonewalls, Seawalls, Special Steps, Patios, Sidewalks, Swimming Pools, Chimneys, Fireplaces, Belgium Block, Blue Stone Pavers, Stucco, Big & Small Jobs Welcomed We do it all!

HIC.0618942

Stone Walls • New Fireplaces Special Steps • Stone Design Swimming Pools • Sidewalks • Stucco Chimneys • Patio Bricks & Blocks Small & Large Jobs

FULLY INSURED

PAINTING

10% OFF WITH THIS AD Commercial & Residential Interior/Exterior Painting • Power Washing - Staining Free Estimate/Fully Insured/Licensed CT HIC.0578520

203-483-5590 203-645-8717 Valentinopaintingllc@yahoo.com

Specialized Masonry Work Owner on Every Job 30 Years Experience Free Estimates

“No Job Too Small”

Will do Dump Runs also. Call Luke at

203-464-0444 PAINTING Quality Work Since 1987

M.A. PAINTING

MARTIN ARDOLINO CTHIC#0638601

Serving the Shoreline with Pride Great Prices Italian Craftsmanship All Work Guaranteed

(exp. 4.30.25)

NEED SOMETHING MOVED?

Interior/Exterior • Minor Carpentry Popcorn Ceiling Removal Wallpaper Removal

RogeR CRampton RogeR CRampton Cell (203) 598-2524

Cell: 203-510-9162 - Jeff Office: 203-565-9079 - Jimmy

www.greatmason.com

HIC.0571018 Fully Insured Free Estimates

PLUMBING SERVICES

c: 203.430.4194 • martinardolino@gmail.com

POWERWASHING

PLUMBING l HEATING l AIR CONDITIONING

PLUMBING l HEATING l AIR CONDITIONING RogeR Rampton RogeR C ogeRC CRampton Rampton Gold Star Painting Specialists N E W I NPLUMBING S TA Ll LHEATING AT I Ol AIR N SCONDITIONING O R R E PA I R S

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Connecticut Shoreline

INSTALLATIONS N NEW EW SSTA OORRREPAIRS RREEPA W IIN N TALLLLAT ATIIO ONNSSOR PAI IRRSS

Dominic Bosco

Boilers, Water Well pumps, Water Heaters •Water Well Pumps Boilers, Water•Heaters, Heaters, Well pumps, ••Boilers filtration Well Tanks, Water filtration, Faucets, Well Tanks, Water filtration, Faucets, Faucets, • Leaking Pipes • Water Filtration Well Tanks, Water filtration, •Boilers, Water Heaters •Rampton Faucets ogeR Water Heaters, Well pumps,PRESSURE WASHING Leaking pipes, Gas piping Leaking pipes, Gas piping N E W IogeR S TA L L AT I N S O R R E PA• ICement R S & Patios n o Rampton t p m a R R e g o •PLUMBING Faucets •lO Well Tanks •N Well pumps • Leaking pipes l HEATING AIR CONDITIONING pipes, Gas piping WellLeaking Tanks, Water filtration, Faucets, Tanks Gas PLUMBING•NWell lESERVING G HEATING NII N IT860-434-2200 I860-434-2200 DLlLNTHE AIR OCI •ORCONDITIONING IN AS lOPiping GRNRITEAPA EHI RlS GNIBMU•LPTennis Courts W NO S TA AT SHORELINE

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office: 203-245-7144 cell: 203-444-3465 dominic@GoldStarPaintingSpecialists.com www.GoldStarPaintingSpecialists.com

Fully insured CT liclic# #P1-204812 Fully insured PLUMBING ll HEATING INOOCONDITIONING IDNNOOCCRRIIAA ll GGNNIITTAAEEHH lCT l GGNNIIBBP1-204812 MULP PLUMBING HEATINGGGlN l NAIR IAIR N ICONDITIONING TITID M

Leaking pipes, Gas piping

860-434-2200

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860-434-2200 0022-434-06860-434-2200 8 860-701-4200 0022-434-068 Call 203-318-0308 • whitegloveservicesct.com 218402-1P # cil TC derusni ylluF www.RogerCramptonLLC.com moc.CLLnotpmaCT rClicre#gP1-204812 oR.www 22-434-068 dewww.RogerCramptonLLC.com rusni ylluF 00ROOFING

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HARRISON

www.RogerCramptonLLC.com

Roofing Specialists 24-Hour Emergency Service Available

860-526-2127

Roofing Gutter Cleaning EPDM Roofing Flat Roofs COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL COVONERESTORATION.COM

2 V_70 9718 D CT lic # P1-204812

D817907_V2 218402-1P # cil TC

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A AboveThe TheRest Rest A Roof Roof Above

ROOFING

Celebrating 30 yrs. of service with 15% Off All Year! New Roofs & Roof Repairs

PAYMENTS AVAILABLE!

RESTORATION,LLC

BBB

203-668-0833 office-203-468-9889 cell-

East Haven, CT 06512

Family Owned & Lic. #613241 Insured Financing Available Family/ Fully Owned & /Operated Operated

ROOFING

Lic.#538272 • Fully Insured

A+ Rated

203-453-5571 203-453-5571 Family Owned & Operated

www.ENHRestoration.com www.ENHRestoration.com

ROOFING • SIDING • GUTTERS Lic. #613241 / Fully Insured / Financing Available

CT Reg No. 00509027

Fully insured

CT Reg No. 00509027

Fully insured

218402-1P # cil TC

INC.

“Quality Roofing Since 1928” “Quality Roofing • Shingle RoofsSince 1928” Shingle Roofs• Leaders • Flat Roofs • Seamless Gutters Flat Roofs •••Shingle Roofs • Leaders • Repairs • Skylights • Slate Repairs ••Flat Roofs Gutters • Repairs Seamless ••Seamless • Skylights Leaders Residential • Commercial • Free Estimates SlateInsured Repairs• Licensed •Gutters Repairs ••Fully • Skylights

www.russoroofing.com Residential • Commercial • Free Estimates (203) 562-8077 • Slate www.russoroofing.com Repairs CT Reg No. 00509027 • Fully Insured • Licensed

Residential • Commercial (203) 562-8077 (203) 624-ROOF Free Estimates www.russoroofing.com • Fully Insured • Licensed

(203) 624-ROOF

VALLEY COURIER • CLASSIFIEDS • 19

DECEMBER 25, 2025 ROOFING

SKYWAY

Residential

ROOFING • SIDING • WINDOWS

Restoration LLC

$500 Off

ROOFINGProfessionals

Complete Roofing, Siding or Window Estimate

Complete job with coupon. Expires day time of estimate.

FINANCING Roofing / Siding / Gutters / Skylights / Windows / Doors AVAILABLE 0% Interest 1000’S OF SATISFIED HOMEOWNERS! 18 Months Have your project done the RIGHT way, 60 Months Low Interest with SKYWAY. FATHER & SONS OWNED & OPERATED

CALL TODAY 203-623-9503 ShorelineRoofing.com TREE SERVICES

BENNY’S ROOFING & REMODELING, LLC

CT License #603258

CT Lic #06032512 Residential/CommercialCT•License New Roofs • Re-Roofs(All Types) #603258

Residential/Commercial • New Roofs • Re-Roofs(All Types) All Types of Chimney Flashing All Types of Flashing Work Seamless Gutters Demolition CT License #603258

203-234-1906 | 203-671-1368

All Types ofResidential/Commercial Chimney Flashing • All Types of Flashing Work • New Roofs Residential/Commercial • New Roofs • Re-Roofs(All Types)• Re-Roofs(All Types) •Demolition Seamless Gutters •Flashing Types of Chimney Flashing • All Types of Flashing Work All Types of ChimneyAll Flashing • All Types of Work • • Demolition Insured • All Work Warranteed Seamless Gutters Seamless Fully Gutters • Demolition Prices ••Free Estimates Fully Insured •Reasonable All Work Warranteed Reasonable Prices • Free Etstimates Fully Insured • All Work Warranteed

www.skyway-roofing.com

Fully Insured • All Work Warranteed Reasonable Reasonable Prices • 203-640-9820 Free Estimates Prices • Free Estimates

203-640-9820 manolyroofing@aol.com 203-640-9820 203-640-9820 bennysroofingremodeling@gmail.com A+ Rating CT License #603258 manolyroofing@aol.commanolyroofing@aol.com

Senior & Veteran Discounts CT License #603258 CT License #603258 CT Lic #06032512

Licensed & Insured Lic. #0573204

A+ Rating

TOP NOTCH TREE, LLC • Full Service Tree Removal • Land/Lots Cleared • Brush Piles Chipped • 60’ Aerial Truck/Climbers • Stump Grinding OWNER ON EVERY JOB

860-552-9376

We Make Tree Work Affordable

Rating A+A+Rating

TREE SERVICES &

Over 20 Years Experience Clinton, CT

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Fun By The Numbers

Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test!

Last Week’s Answers

Here’s How It Works:

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

DECEMBER 25, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • LIVING

Photo by Debbie Boone Bermel

The author's brother, Paul Bermel (second from left), and mother, Virginia Bermel (second from right), with Paul's children (from left), Colby, Lily, and Nathan.

Photo courtesy of Liz Egan

The author with her siblings and Christmas stockings

The Christmas Stocking By Liz Egan Special to Living

My family of origin has a beautiful Christmas tradition. Each of my siblings, their spouses, their children, and now their children’s children, possesses an heirloom Christmas stocking. Each one is hand-knit, 26 inches long, embellished with beads and bows, and has the given name knitted into the top of the stocking. Hearing the story of how this tradition began was one of my favorite moments with my mother. In 1954, my mother, Virginia Bermel, belonged to a then-popular Home Extension Group of community women who got together weekly, swapped recipes, knitted and did crafts, exchanged household tips, and shared their lives as women and homemakers. She was the mother of eight children with another on the way. My mother saw her friend Vi O’Connor knitting a Christmas stocking for her child during one meeting of the group. Upon seeing the Christmas stocking, she expressed her desire to make them for her own children. She ordered the yarn and pattern from Bernat, a yarn Hand-knit stockings hang above the fireplace.

Photo by Debbie Boone Bermel

company in Canada still operating today. She also purchased the Christmas tree pattern. Vi helped my mother by walking her through the knitting of her first stocking. Members of the group helped by starting, finishing, or making whole stockings. That first year, Christmas 1954, she completed nine stockings. She did not have time to make one for herself and my father. Our family’s tradition was to hang my father’s work socks from the banister leading upstairs, with each stocking pinned with a child’s name. With limited means, my mother stuffed a simple coloring book, crayons, and an orange which were found on Christmas Day by her excited children. On Christmas Eve 1954, each child put up the socks. After the children went to bed, my mother took down the work socks and hung the newly knitted Christmas stockings, each embedded with a child’s name. She filled them with the coloring books and went to bed. As my mother recounted, the squeals and looks of surprise that Christmas morning were See page 21

LIVING • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 25, 2025

Calendar for the Week of December 25, 2025

For more Life & Style stories, visit our website, www.zip06.com. To submit events for the calendar, email news@shorepublishing.com.

FRIDAY, DEC. 26 Red Cross Blood Drive: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Water’s Edge Resort & Spa, 1525 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. For info or an appointment, call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-7332767) or visit redcrossblood.org. The Magic of the Honmoon: K-Pop Demon Hunters Music and Craft Event: 3 to 5 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features themed craft stations for children ages 5 to 12 with music from K-pop Demon Hunters. Free. No registration required. For info, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.

SATURDAY, DEC. 27 Fancy the Flamingo’s Christmas Adventure Story Time: 10:30 a.m. Chester Public Library, 21 W. Main St. Features a reading by Connecticut author Tara Cantore from her book, Fancy the Flamingo’s Christmas Adventure, followed by a related craft activity. For info or to register (required), call 860-526-0018 or email library@chesterct.org. Professor Sepoc’s Wizard School: 11 a.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features a science program for children ages 5 to 12 exploring chemistry through hands-on activities. Free. Registration is required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org. Holiday Vacation Sing-along: 1 p.m. Chester Public Library, 21 W. Main St. For children in elementary school or younger. For info or to register, call 860-526-0018 or visit ChesterCTlibrary.com/childrensprograms.

Frames in Film Encore: Van Gogh of Wheat Fields and Clouded Skies: 1 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. Shown on The Kate’s big screen, in collaboration with the Florence Griswold Museum. Running time: 90 minutes. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org. Comedy at the Edge: 7:30 p.m. Water's Edge Resort & Spa, 1525 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. Performed by a trio of comedians from Comedy Craft Beer. For attendees 21 and older. Tickets: $25 per person. Cash bar available. For info, visit watersedgeresortandspa.com/events. Concert by Unforgettable Fire (Tribute to U2): 8 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.

See page 23

The Christmas Stocking Continued from page 20 priceless. No picture exists of that moment. The memory in her heart lasted a lifetime. The following year, she knitted stockings for my father, herself, and a son who was born in March 1955. From that point, every time a child was born (she was to have 15 children), she knitted a stocking. Later, the company published a Santa pattern which she knitted for many of the spouses and grandchildren. She switched to acrylic yarn. As her children grew, she developed “guidelines.” A child had to be married, not engaged or living together. The spouse received a stocking the first Christmas after they were married. Subsequently, when a grandchild was born, a stocking would be knitted, and the family received a stocking for their child at the baby’s first Christmas. My mother taught all of her children to knit. Christmas gifts were few in our large family, but there was an annual gift that would often be a pair of hand-knit mittens. My mother was constantly knitting. This was often her relaxation after a long day. She would sit in her chair in the living room and teach us how to cast on, how to knit, how to purl, how to change colors, and how to cast off. We all learned by

making a headband with her leftover yarn for our first project—12 stitches across and knit, knit, knit, until it was done. Most of my siblings never did much more than knit that headband or a scarf if they were really interested (and wanted and needed a scarf!) I enjoyed knitting and, on and off, I kept it up over the years. In 2003, after 43 stockings, my mother developed macular degeneration in the midst of knitting a stocking for her great-grandson Matthew. I remember the day in the car, when she was knitting in the back seat and struggling with mistakes that were happening because she could not see clearly, even though she had the pattern memorized. Right then, I offered to finish Matty’s stocking, and I did. I have been making the stockings ever since. My mother died in 2010. I just finished my 33rd stocking just in time for a Christmas wedding. There are others already planned for 2026. I have switched back to the original Christmas tree pattern and use fine wool yarn. I purchased an entire dye lot of red, green, and white to last me until I pass this mantle on. My guidelines changed and I did make stockings for “significant others,” though I admit, I have made a few for folks whose engagements were broken, and I now see the wisdom of her guidelines. I have

worked my way through the dye lot of yarn and have purchased a second. With the exception of one stocking, I make them only for my immediate family who continue to grow and multiply. My mother’s grandchildren are still having children, and several are married. I have already made several for greatgrandchildren and I continue to knit about one to two Christmas stockings a year depending on who gets married and who is having a child. This year was a record year—I knitted four. During the COVID-19 crisis, I had to rethink many things in my life. One thing was my rule about who gets a Christmas stocking. I had a fixed rule for many years that there would be no “do-overs” as siblings asked for replacements when theirs shrank or were damaged. I think about this now and how silly it is. My mother made me a second stocking when mine was discarded by an ex during a divorce. When I got married, she made stockings for my husband and me as a surprise. They were the last two complete stockings she made, filled with mistakes, and inconsistencies, and my husband Paul and I cherished them. My sister Sheila had been begging me for years for a new Christmas stocking to replace the small, felted wool stocking that shrank to a stock when she washed it

years ago. She wanted the Santa pattern that matches the ones for her husband and children, a pattern I have not made in over 15 years. I sent it to her the Christmas of her 60th birthday. I have been meaning to type the story and the pattern for many years. I had drafted the story years ago when my mother was still alive and she could recount it orally. We mailed her story to Bernat in the hopes that we would get a fresh copy of the patterns. They did receive it, but the patterns are out of print, and they do not even have a sample in their archives. They published the story in their employee newsletter and sent me a box of their current Christmas yarns, which I never used, but still have. Traditions are the stories of our lives. The Christmas stocking means so much to each of my siblings. It has become a symbol of simpler, happier times. It means a great deal to them when I make one for their children and grandchildren. Life happens and sometimes it is a bitter pill to swallow. There are still many things that remain constant. Like the song from my parents’ favorite musical, Fiddler on the Roof, “Tradition.” Family. Love. Traditions. May you be blessed with them all.

DECEMBER 25, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • LIVING

Page Turners As Many Souls as Stars By Natasha Siegel A woman makes a Faustian bargain with a creature of shadow in this dark, historical fantasy. In short: Two toxic lesbians, who love and hate each other, chase each other through the centuries. It has complex characters, witchcraft, and a great ending. If you liked Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab, you’ll love this book. — Marisa R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison

Enshittification By Cory Doctorow This is a book for everyone who has noticed big changes to their internet platforms and services over the years. Beginning with case studies, including Facebook and Amazon, Cory Doctorow explains in nontechnical terms why these changes occurred and offers positive solutions for improvements. — Marilyn R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison

very other week, we invite local booksellers to submit suggestions for the best books on shelves now—it’s all part of our mission to keep our readers informed, up-to-date, and entertained. View previous Page Turners at www.zip06.com/pageturners.

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny By Kiran Desai This big book is worth the time to read. There is so much in it—family, love, loss, honesty, humor... I loved how it would break off into different “branches” and then find a way to circle back. Very similar to life. The writing is also just wonderful! — Lori R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison

Flurry, Float, and Fly!: The Story of a Snowstorm By Laura Purdie Salas and Chiara Fedele Gorgeous illustrations accompany spare text as the first snowflakes start to form. Overnight, the patient siblings are rewarded with a sledding hill covered in snow. Back matter on the science of snow makes this the perfect picture book. — Jamie R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison

See page 23

LIVING • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 25, 2025

Page Turners Continued from page 22

Canticle By Janet Rich Edwards Canticle is a stunning, mesmerizing novel taking place in Belgium in 1295. Aleys is about to enter a forced marriage, but she has a higher calling. Is she an ordinary girl, a saint, a martyr? This is a look into Medieval religious orders and how women survived in strict insular communities with few rights. Incredible character development and hands-down my favorite historical fiction of 2025! — Julie A. R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison

Continued from page 21

SUNDAY, DEC. 28 First Sunday Service After Christmas: 10 a.m. St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 232 Durham Road (Rte. 79), Madison. Features a service of Lessons and Carols and communion. For info, contact 203-928-7483 or beecher.lou@gmail.com. Concert by Lez Zeppelin: 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.

MONDAY, DEC. 29 Red Cross Blood Drive: 12:45 to 6 p.m. First Congregational Church, 26 Meetinghouse Ln., Madison. For info or an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org. Concert by Dar Williams: 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.

TUESDAY, DEC. 30 Creation Lab: 10 am to noon. Westbrook Public Library, 61 Goodspeed Dr., Westbrook. Children will use their imagination, creativity, and a variety of art supplies, to

59 Minutes By Holly Seddon If you had just under an hour before a nuclear strike, are you going to listen to the instructions to shelter in place immediately or get the lead out to go home to your loved ones? Look no further for a blood-pumping thriller that’s sure to get you racing through these bite-size chapters just as quickly as the characters within are searching for safety. Reminiscent of the TV show 24 or the film Nick of Time, the book warns there’s really no time to waste wondering if the alert for South England could be false. Just prepare whatever you can for a wild ride. — Mel R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison

create something of their own. Drop-ins welcome. Registration is not required. For info, call 860-399-6422. Ms. Rae’s School of Faeries: 5 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features a program for ages 5 to 12 led by Ms. Rae, introducing participants to different types of fairies and their folklore. Children will make small offerings to place outdoors. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org. Pickin’ Party: 6 to 8 p.m. Nightingale’s Acoustic Cafe, 68 Lyme St., Old Lyme. Features a performance by blues musician Ramblin’ Dan Stevens. Tickets: $5 at the door, free for first-time guests. For info, visit musicnowfoundation.org.

TUESDAY, DEC. 30 AND WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31

New Year’s Eve Storytime: 10:30 a.m. Deep River Library, 150 Main St. Features stories, music, and movement celebrating New Year’s Eve. No registration necessary. For info, call 860-526-6039 or visit deepriverlibrary.libcal.com. Noon Year’s Eve Party: 10:30 a.m. to noon. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd. Features a "Noon Year’s Party" with crafts, snacks, and a bubble dance, all leading up to the balloon drop at noon. Free and open to all. No registration. For info, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org. A Magical Noon Year’s Eve: 10:30 a.m. to noon. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features a family celebration with a New Year’s craft, themed games, and a photo booth. The event concludes with a sparkling cider toast at noon. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.

Best of Boston Comedy Festival: 7:30 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old THURSDAY, JAN. 1 Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit Sixth Annual New Day Hike: 11 a.m. Chatfield Hollow thekate.org. State Park, meet at the toll booth. Hosted by the Friends of Chatfield Hollow State Park. Features a pine-cone birdfeeder activity for children at the Oak Lodge Museum led WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31 by naturalist Wray Williams. For info, call Cheryl Buckley Red Cross Blood Drive: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Essex Town Hall, at 860-391-1919. 29 West Ave. For info or an appointment, call 1-800-RED See page 25 CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org.

DECEMBER 25, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • LIVING

The Christmas Telescope By The Rev. Bill Keane Special to Living

The stars have always held a great fascination for me. Space has never meant emptiness, but a realm of wonder and mystery. I may have only been 5 years of age when John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth, but I still remember studying the small 9-inch globe that had his three-fold circumnavigation proudly imprinted on its surface complete with a tiny Mercury capsule marking the route. Watching the astronauts risking their lives riding tails of flame beyond the atmosphere was a distinct thrill all on its own, but it was never quite enough because, like probably millions of others of impressionable children, I wanted to go with them. Even years later following the Challenger disaster, if by some wild happenstance I had been asked to ride on the very next shuttle launch, I’d have enthusiastically accepted. So it was in 1965 at age 10, with exultant joy I opened up a long and weighty Christmas present that turned out to be an astronomical telescope. It was white with black trim—a 60 mm Tasco refractor, mounted on a heavy, pebble-finish tripod with adjustable legs. While the scope was only two-tone, the photographs on the box were full-color renditions of the places I wanted to be: nearby planets and distant galaxies—all incredibly attractive because they were not the Earth. This beloved instrument that I assembled as carefully as a nuclear device was not simply a steel tube with glass lenses. It was my personal spaceship and time machine. It was my very own vehicle of ascent, my Atlas, my Apollo, a special means to go beyond the clouds and back in time. Not bad for the contents of just one box under a green tree! For some reason, mid-60s New Jersey winters seemed a lot colder than they are now. With a boatload of desire, but precious little experience, I took my unwieldy optical assembly and ventured enthusiastically forth into the arctic December air on top of snow that had a polished, thick crust supporting my weight. Temperatures hovered in the high single digits, but I had forgone the use of gloves, because wasting precious seconds finding them meant the risk of missing the discovery of a new comet or some other once-in-a-lifetime celestial phenomena. Sure it was freezing, but who could be cold on a sparkling crisp night with destiny beckoning from above? Certainly not I! Now what some newcomers to astronomy don’t realize is that pointing a telescope at a specific object in the sky with any success is as much art as sci-

ence—almost intuitive more than intellectual. My finder-scope, though firmly attached, was not properly aligned. The moon was nowhere in sight, and so selecting the smallest number eyepiece—not realizing it would also render the highest power and tiniest expanse—I vainly attempted to snag a star in my increasingly bleak field of view. Playing the optical tube back and forth manually on its alt-azimuth mount, I experienced not even the faintest glint of accomplishment. Twenty or so bone-chilling minutes passed as fascination gave way to increasing frustration. I was all set to give up, feeling ignorant and inept, as my high hopes in trolling the heavens were yielding no positive results when all of a sudden, there it was! A glimmer, a streak of light as I almost off-handedly pushed the scope to the left. With the field resuming its customary jet-black appearance, I carefully reversed my course and found it again! Actually, “it” was “them.” Glistening like jewels on dark velvet were my pearls of cherished wisdom, sparkling brighter than I could have imagined and bigger than I would have thought possible. Perhaps I had just discovered a new constellation, or maybe it was an old one, but it didn’t matter. My bare hands were sticking to the barrel and attachments of the scope, but I didn’t care. There I was atop the frozen tundra, standing with the greats: Isaac Newton, Galileo Galilei, and now little Billy Keane, masters of the cosmos! Maybe it was the incredibly high expectation or the increasingly low temperature, but I went over the deep end to such an extent that it took quite a while before it dawned on me that what I thought I was seeing, I couldn’t possibly be seeing. Something was strangely wrong with this marvelously beguiling vision. My first inkling that “all that glitters…” came when with a short gust of wind, the “stars” moved, or rather bounced. Carefully, I tightened the relevant bearings and continued my endeavor. Yet as the wind returned so too did the dance of the sparkling gems—too much to be accounted for by the flimsy mount. Perhaps it was the 90-degree eyepiece holder that forced one to look down to see up. More probably it was that my heart was so thrilled I had shut off my mind. While I am still tempted to blame the equipment, I am now totally sure that my desire to see a star set me up to concentrate on something that might not actually be a star. I was so hopeful of finding something that I was willing to fixate on anything. And so it was that observing what I dreamed was some distant cluster containing the secrets of the universe I had in fact honed in on a telephone wire holding

Photo by Rev. Bill Keane

Moon Over La Jolla

shiny droplets of ice! My yearning to see the light across a galaxy had become my delusional study of frost across the street! I was heartbroken. With the sour taste of complete failure rising in my throat, tears welled up in my eyes and froze on my face as I angrily snatched the mechanism that had magnified my stupidity and retreated inside. Leaving the vehicle of my galactic humiliation on the outer porch I went to bed thinking I would never search the evening sky again. Call it extreme tenacity or raw stubbornness, in time—once the ashes of my simmering anger and embarrassment cooled—I found myself once again out among the stars, noticing one particularly high in the sky. This could be no icy pretender! Removing the eyepiece altogether and using the diagonal as a finder, in relatively short order I managed to place a gleaming speck within view. Carefully placing the lowest ocular in the receptacle, I focused in and resolved an image still vividly etched in my brain almost 35 years hence. There, in crisp detail was not a bluish or white pinpoint of fire, but a disk. Looking more closely, or rather more patiently and carefully, I noticed this disk was loaded with detail—stripes running across its body, a spot not far from the equator, and four tiny dots unevenly spaced along a line extending out from the edge! As accidentally as I had stumbled upon frozen water stuck on a wire, I had now found the cloud-belts, Great Red Spot, and major moons of Jupiter. Not as big as in

the pictures, but so much better! Years away from attaining a driver’s license, I had covered the distance from a New Jersey backyard to the visual glide path approaching our largest planet. At age 10, peering through a budget refractor, I experienced what remains to be one of the greatest spiritual charges of my life. Years later when I would read the psalmist proclaim that “the heavens are declaring the glory of God,” I knew precisely what he meant. On a cold winter’s night, a small boy heard a message that still echoes in his soul. Consider that in physical essence if we are made of stardust, then astronomy is the universe awakening and looking back upon itself. For more than three decades, both with and without equipment, even in the daytime, I have practiced the ancient art of cosmic self-awareness. I have been transported and transformed, traveling as far as any astronaut and expanding my mind with what I have beheld in my eyes. That is what astronomy, ineptly begun with an awkward apparatus, has meant to me. Almost always in looking heavenward toward the sky and the grandeur that is our past, I have come away feeling better about our future and about myself. For if what has gone before us is so beautiful and marvelous, how can what follows be any less magnificent? The Rev. Bill Keane is the chaplain of the Branford Police and Fire departments and a disaster spiritual care responder for the Red Cross.

LIVING • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 25, 2025

2025’s Big News and Best Productions in New York and Connecticut Inside notes and comments about Connecticut and New York Professional Theater By Karen Isaacs Columnist

Aisle ON THE

Happy Holidays! This week’s column will highlight the most important Connecticut theater news AND the most memorable shows I saw in Connecticut and NYC. (My NYC theatergoing was very limited in the first five months of the year.) Two Upcoming Departures: New Haven theater will have two new leaders by this time next year. James Bundy, longtime artistic director of Yale Rep and dean of the Geffen School of Drama at Yale University, will retire in June. Long Wharf’s artistic director, Jacob Padrón, also announced his departure. Rebounding: One artistic director told me during COVID that it would take five years for theater to come back. It may not have made it totally, but Connecticut theaters have reported their best attendance since the pandemic. Goodspeed, in particular, had high attendance for its shows. Money Issues: The sudden loss of federal funding caused sleepless nights for most theaters, as already awarded grants were rescinded. The funding uncertainty offset the good news of attendance rises.

rific production; this fall, Lincoln Center offered an even better production, which did not seem possible. Small Musicals: When people ask me for shows to see on Broadway, I mention two shows that aren’t typical, glitzy Broadway shows. Maybe Happy Ending by Guilford native Will Aronson (and collaborator Hue Park) and Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York are quirky, small musicals that utterly delighted me and everyone I know who has seen them. The acting, the directing, the stories, and the music enchant. Maybe Happy Ending won multiple Tony awards. Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends: Even though it wasn’t great, this review of Sondheim’s music originated as a onenight-only London concert following Sondheim’s death. The Broadway version, starring Bernadette Peters, Lea Salonga, Gavin Lee, Beth Leavel, and others, was a delight. All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914: Whether you classify it as a concert or a musical, this Playhouse on Park prob duction was exquisite, with incredible a My Best of 2025: The Musicals cappella harmonies and fine direction, as Ragtime: Two productions of this musi- well as being thoughtful and moving. cal, one of my favorites, made the list. My Fair Lady: Ivoryton Playhouse Goodspeed opened its season with a ter- mounted a delightful production of this big

musical. Inventive staging and fine performances captured the show almost perfectly. Waitress: Ridgefield’s ACT-CT theater offered an excellent production of Waitress. Goodspeed: The best musical production of 2025, the Rob Ruggiero-directed anniversary production of A Chorus Line was the best musical I saw. But Goodspeed didn’t stop there, with a terrific production of All Shook Up and, at the Terris Theater in Chester, the delightful The Great Emu War. Camelot: Barrington Stage Company’s revival of this musical—which has always had some book issues—was excellent with a terrific singing and acting cast. I’m glad I made the trek to Pittsfield. b

My Best of 2025: The Plays New York: George Clooney made his Broadway debut in a stage adaptation of Good Night, and Good Luck. The production made effective and appropriate use of projections and videos. Clooney surrounded himself with an outstanding cast, but he more than held his own as Edward R. Murrow. Off-Broadway, Lunar Eclipse was a tender exploration of senior relationships featuring a stunning performance by Reed Birney. But the best production I saw this year was Oedipus. The British import, with an adaptation set in contemporary times, made me truly understand the catharsis that ancient Greek audiences would have felt upon seeing this play. Connecticut: Six productions stood out to me—I would happily see any of them again.

Continued from page 23

FRIDAY, JAN. 2

Annual Frosty 5K Road Race: Race day check-in and bib collection from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Nathanael B. Greene Community Center, 32 Church St., Guilford. Features a 5K race, a kids fun run, and a 2M walk. All events begin at the Guilford Green. Kids fun run starts 10:30 a.m.; 5K race and 2M walk start 11 a.m. Post-race celebration at 11:45 a.m. Cost: 5K run and 2M walk, $35; kids fun run, $10 through race day. Proceeds benefit local community programs. Hosted by the Guilford Rotary Club. For info or tickets, visit guilfordrotaryclubct.com or runsignup.com/Race/CT/Guilford/GuilfordFrosty5K.

Prehistoric Games with Janet Lawler: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Deep River Public Library, 150 Main St. For ages 3 to 7. For info or to register (required), call 860-5266039 or visit deepriverlibrary.accountsupport.com.

First Friday Stroll: 5 to 8 p.m. Main Street, Chester. Hosted by the merchants of Chester. Features a stroll on Main Street that showcases new art exhibitions at galleries, seasonal menus at restaurants, and shopping specials. Includes anecdotal tales behind the paintings at Leif Nilsson Spring Street Studio and Gallery, 1 Spring St. For info, visit nilssonstudio.com.

Primary Trust won the Pulitzer Prize, and the TheaterWorks production showed you why. In 2026, at least one other theater will be producing this play; it will be tough to exceed the Hartford production. Jeffrey Archer’s adaptation of Rope, the “how-do-they-get-caught” thriller, based on the original play and the Hitchcock film, was elegant, stylish, and absorbing, even if you were familiar with the plot. The acting, set, lighting, and direction by Hartford Stage Artistic Director Melia Bensussen were terrific. Connecticut playwright Jacques Lamarre’s The Baroness—a look at The Sound of Music from the point of view of the scorned fiancée—was great fun. It may need work, but it was still a delightful evening at Playhouse on Park. Westport Country Playhouse’s production of Theatre People was an old-fashioned drawing room comedy/farce, well directed and performed. Connecticut was lucky enough to be the first stop on the tour of Mark Twain Tonight! starring Richard Thomas. The space at TheaterWorks was perfect for the piece; Thomas, as usual, was terrific. I can’t omit Hartford Stage’s A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas, which gets better every year. Karen Isaacs is an East Haven resident. 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.

12. Includes character creation and gameplay concepts. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.

SATURDAY, JAN. 3

Friday Movie Matinee: 2 to 4 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Features an afternoon film screening. Popcorn and soda provided. Registration preferred. For info, visit scrantonlibrary.org/events.

Magic Wand Workshop: 10:30 a.m. to noon. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features a craft program for children ages 6 to 12 led by polymer clay artist Deb Jaffe. Free. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.

Cupcake Celebration: 2:15 to 4 p.m. Westbrook Public Library, Community Room, 61 Goodspeed Dr. Children will frost and decorate cupcakes to mark the arrival of 2026. For ages 4 and older. Drop-ins welcome. No registration required. For info, call 860-399-6422.

Curator Tour: 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, Invitation to Engage: 60 Years of Long Wharf Theatre & Beyond. Other tours are scheduled through Saturday, Feb. 7. For info, visit newhavenmuseum.org.

Tween Time: Intro to Dungeons & Dragons: 3:30 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Features an introductory session on the basics of Dungeons & Dragons for ages 8 to

See page 26

26 Continued from page 25

SUNDAY, JAN. 4 Weiss-Kaplan-Stumpf Trio Concert: 2 to 3:30 p.m. James Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Features a performance of violin, cello, and piano. Free. Hosted by the Musical Arts Society of Branford. For info or to register (required), call 203-488-1441 x 318 or visit events.blackstonelibrary.org. Winter Lecture Series: The Powder Alarm of 1774: 3:30 p.m. Hamilton Hall, Essex Meadows, 30 Bokum Rd. First in the Essex Historical Society’s Winter Lecture Series, highlighting the American Revolution. Features a talk by J. L. Bell, author of The Road to Concord: How Four Stolen Cannon Ignited the Revolutionary War. Doors open at 3 p.m. Seating is first-come, first-served. Registration is requested for non-Essex Meadows residents. For info, visit essexhistory.org/events.

MONDAY, JAN. 5

DECEMBER 25, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • LIVING SECWAC Book Group: 6 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Book: When the Clock Broke by John Ganz. Co-hosted by the Southeast Connecticut World Affairs Council (SECWAC) and the Essex Library. For info or to register, visit youressexlibrary.org/adult-services/book-groups. Creative Craft Night: 6 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Offers drop-in crafting time with access to library supplies and equipment. Staff available for assistance. No registration required. For info, visit scrantonlibrary.org/events.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 7 Candidly Chris: Composing the Photograph: 6 to 7:30 p.m. E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Photographer Peter Glass presents a program on photographic composition techniques. Registration required. For info or to register, visit scrantonlibrary.org/events.

a piece to share at the next meeting. Participant sharing of written work is not mandatory. For info or to register (required), call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthlibrary.org. One Night in Memphis (Tribute to Sun Record Artists: Presley, Perkins, Lewis, and Cash): 8 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org.

SATURDAY, JAN. 10 Who’s Been Walking in These Woods? A Family Nature Hike: 10 a.m. Falls River Preserve, Falls River Drive, Ivoryton. Features a one-hour hike led by local naturalist Phil Miller. No dogs. Hosted by Essex Library, Essex Land Trust, and the Appalachian Mountain Club. For trail maps, visit essexlandtrust.org. For weather-related updates, visit facebook.com/EssexLibrary. For info or to register (required), call 860-767-1560 or visit youressexlibrary.org.

Tabletop RPG Game Night: 6 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Free and open to Auditions for Con Brio Choral Society: 5 to 6:30 p.m. all. For info or to register, call 860-395-3184 or visit acton- Met in HD Live: I Puritani: 1 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Grace Episcopal Church, 336 Main St., Old Saybrook. library.org. Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. Shown Open to auditionees for all voice parts. Con Brio on The Kate’s big screen. Running time: 225 minutes. For rehearses on Tuesdays from 7 to 9:30 p.m. To book a time Adult Movie Night: 6 to 8 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 info or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org. slot, call Larry Hamre 860-575-1533. For info, visit conRte. 81. Bring snacks and a beverage (covered, nonalcobrio.org/audition. holic). For info, including the movie title, or to register Sashiko Mending Workshop for Beginners: 1 p.m. (required), call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthliEssex Library, 33 West Ave. Features a hands-on workbrary.org. shop for adults nineteen and older. Materials provided; TUESDAY, JAN. 6 participants may bring an item to mend. Registration required. For info or to register, call 860-767-1560 or visit Hammonasset Beach Walk: 1 p.m. Meet at the Gateway youressexlibrary.org. Eastern trail head parking lot adjacent to the entrance of THURSDAY, JAN. 8 the Hammonasset State Park, 1280 Boston Post Rd., Peace Crane Folding: 1 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Auditions for Annie Jr.: 1 to 3:30 p.m. Nathanael B. Madison. Features a one-mile walk with members of Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Features an inaugural Greene Community Center, 32 Church St., Guilford. AudiShoreline Village CT (SVCT) through Hammonasset Beach event that continues every Thursday to fold and comtions are for grades 4 to 8. Free to audition but registraPark to Webster Point. For info or to register, contact plete 1,000 origami peace cranes. The purpose is to bring tion is required. Hosted by the Guilford Youth & Family 203-747-5939 or info@ShorelineVillageCT.org. For info, people together and find inner peace while folding the Services (GY&FS) Family Theatre. Performances will be visit ShorelineVillageCT.org. cranes. Once 1,000 cranes are reached, they will be held at the Guilford High School Performing Arts Center donated to a charity of the group's choosing. No experion Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28. To register, Qìgōng for the Aging: 2 to 3 p.m. Killingworth Library, ence needed. Directions and materials provided. For info call 203-453-8047. For info, visit guilfordyouthandfamily301 Rte. 81. Features a program that emphasizes stretch- or to register, call 860-395-3184 or visit actonlibrary.org. services.org. ing, strength, stability, and stamina. Presented by martial arts instructor Stephen Watson. All levels welcome. For Whales, Whaling, and Whalemen: A History of 19thConcert by Alison Brown: 8 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn info or to register (required), call 860-663-2000 or visit Century Whaling: 6 p.m. Essex Library, 33 West Ave. Pre- Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook. For info killingworthlibrary.org. sented by Mystic Seaport Museum. For info or to register or tickets, call 860-510-0453 or visit thekate.org. (required), call the library at 860-767-1560 or visit the YA Library Advisory Board Planning Meeting: events calendar link at youressexlibrary.org. 3:30 p.m. Acton Public Library, 60 Old Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Participants ages 12 to 18 are invited to SATURDAY, JAN. 10 AND National Theatre Live in HD Encore: The Fifth Step: help plan games, displays, programs, and collections. 7 p.m. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 SUNDAY, JAN. 11 Service credit available for active participation. Free and Main St., Old Saybrook. Shown on The Kate’s big screen. VIBE Cabaret: Murder on the Orient Express: Friday, open to all. Registration suggested. For info, call 860-395- Running time: 100 minutes. For info or tickets, call 8607 p.m.; Saturday, noon and 3 p.m. Daniel Hand High 3184 or visit actonlibrary.org. 510-0453 or visit thekate.org. School, 286 Green Hill Rd., Madison. For info, visit dhhsvibe.com. Tinker and Take it Apart: 4 to 5 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 Rte. 81. For ages 5 to 11. Bring safety gogFRIDAY, JAN. 9 gles. Space and supplies are limited. For info or to regisTweens Writing: 4 to 5:15 p.m. Killingworth Library, 301 ter (required), call 860-663-2000 or visit killingworthliRte. 81. Features a program for ages 9 to 12 to write and To submit an event to the Living Calendar, send an email brary.org. share their stories with others. Participants explore differ- to news@shorepublishing.com. For more events, both ent kinds of narratives, including fantasy, family stories, local and farther afield, or to enter your event online, visit essays, and research. This group is based on a workshop our website zip06.com. The deadline for submissions is model. A writing prompt is completed and shared at noon, eight days prior to the publication date. each meet-up. The shared prompt is then developed into

LIVING • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 25, 2025

It’s Better than Ever: Hartford Stage’s A Christmas Carol Will Delight You. Thank You, Michael Wilson

Review THEATER

By Karen Isaacs Columnist

There’s a new Scrooge in town. Guiesseppe Jones has taken over the role of the mean-spirited Scrooge in Hartford Stage’s spectral adaptation of A Christmas Carol, which they subtitle A Ghost Story of Christmas. Once again, adapter Michael Wilson has returned to Hartford to direct this year’s production. Though I have seen the show at least 20 times, this year was one of the best. The changes Wilson has made added to the ghostly influences of the story, and Jones allows Scrooge to be just as miserable as he should be. In the early scenes, he never conveys that this isn’t his true nature. Too many actors playing Scrooge act the lines, but with a wink, imply, “This isn’t really Scrooge, he’s a good guy underneath it all.” It lessens the impact of his transformation. For 25 years, this has become a Connecticut tradition, selling out to appreciative audiences. (Two years during COVID, the show did not perform.) It has become an annual event for many families. Wilson, who brought his adap-

The Fezziwigs played by Kenneth DeAbrew and Natalie Brown Photo by T Charles Erickson

Photo by T Charles Erickson

Rebecka Jones as the Ghost of Christmas Past

tation to Hartford when he was artistic director of Hartford Stage, doesn’t go for the obvious; there’s humor, but this Scrooge is not funny. Instead, he emphasizes the eerie nature, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t laughs in the production; the humor is from other characters or totally appro-

priate for the moment. A side note: This Christmas Carol will not be appropriate for young children. I took my granddaughters to the show when they were 6 or 7, but some children that young may find the production overly scary. Each year, a few cast members

return to the annual show. Noble Shropshire has played Marley, and Rebecka Jones has played the Ghost of Christmas Past in each production. Besides Guiesseppe Jones, the new cast members are Emily Bosco as a warm, motherly Mrs. Cratchit; Daniel Madigan as Mr. Marvel;

and Stuart Rider as the Spirit of Christmas Present. Two cast members—Madigan and Erik Bloomquist (Fred/Scrooge at 30)—performed in the show as children. The show again includes students from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford as well as a large, rotating cast of local children. My memories of past productions may be mistaken. Still, in this production, Wilson seems to include the ghosts more, feature more choreography (originally by Hope Clarke, reproduced by Derric Harris), and add additional scary lighting effects by Robert Wierzel. Again, Marley rises from the grave and, at one point, lands in the rafters created by ZFX,Inc. One constant in this production is Nobel Shropshire as Marley (and another role I won’t mention). Year after year, his performance is a marvel. Hartford Stage also has school/student matinees that allow over 5,000 area students to experience live theater. Please go and see this wonderful show; it runs through Sunday, Dec. 28. Tickets are available at HartfordStage.org. I look forward to many more years of seeing this annual play; I can’t wait until my great-grandchildren are old enough to be introduced to this inventive and ultimate theatrical production. Thank you, Michael Wilson.

Giuesseppe Jones as Scrooge Photo by T Charles Erickson

Beyoncé

DECEMBER 25, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • LIVING

Horoscopes

For the week of December 25 - December 31 ARIES • Mar 21/Apr 20

LIBRA • Sept 23/Oct 23

Strange things are happening, Aries. It may be better to go with the flow right now. You might like the change that ensues, and the change in pace could be a positive.

When one door closes, another door opens, Libra. Look at all of the positive things in your life and embrace the great changes that are coming your way. This is an exciting time for you.

TAURUS • Apr 21/May 21

SCORPIO • Oct 24/Nov 22

Better days are ahead, Taurus. It’s just a matter of having a little patience and waiting a little longer for things to settle down. Start a new project to take your mind off things.

Scorpio, there are so many things going on right now but you can still function effectively. The pace might be hectic right now, but things will calm down soon enough.

GEMINI • May 22/Jun 21

SAGITTARIUS • Nov 23/Dec 21

Make the most of time spent with friends and family this week, Gemini. You may need to step away for a little while, so cherish this time you get to spend with those you love.

A relationship is blooming, Sagittarius, and you’re not sure how you feel about it just yet. Take a few more weeks to work through all of your feelings..

CANCER • Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, someone special is able to take a peek into your inner thoughts this week. Their ability to see you so personally could reinforce your outlook. LEO • Jul 23/Aug 23 You might feel a bit melancholic as the holiday season nears its end, Leo. It’s understandable based on how much has been going on. Maintain a strong social calendar. VIRGO • Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, generosity is an admirable trait, and now is a good time to indulge your love of helping others. Make a concerted effort to pitch in where your assistance is necessary.

CAPRICORN • Dec 22/Jan 20 You have an eye for deals, Capricorn. Even though you have been spending a lot this past month, you can’t resist a discount on some post-holiday sales. AQUARIUS • Jan 21/Feb 18 Take a firm hold of your finances for the next few weeks, Aquarius. Overspending could complicate an important relationship if you’re not careful. Curb any purchases for a few days.

CLUES ACROSS 1. Light cavalry You are not sure how to harness your artistic 5. Coconut palms energy this week, Pisces. You might take a class or 10. Rounded knob engage in a hobby that interests you. Redesigning 14. Central Japan city a room in a home also might be an idea. 15. Sandwiches 16. Shape produced by a curve 17. Ancient region in modern-day Syria 18. French modernist painter 19. Grandmother DECEMBER 29 20. Mammary gland of cattle 22. Rocky peak Jude Law, Actor (53) 23. Secret plan DECEMBER 30 24. Songs to one’s lover Kristin Kreuk, Actress (43) 27. More (Spanish) 30. Father DECEMBER 31 31. Chinese principle underlying the universe Evie Templeton, Actress (17) 32. Ballplayer’s accessory 35. Together 37. A person’s brother or sister 38. Evil spirit 39. Monetary units 40. Partner to cheese 41. About Sun 42. Group of like-minded people 43. After B 44. Seaside room 45. Recipe measurement 46. Partly digested food 47. Flat-faced dog 48. People of southern Africa 49. Salts 52. Beard lichens 55. Sanders is one 56. Fencing sword 60. Ethnic group of Albania 61. Metric weight unit 63. Italian seaport 64. Longtime late night host 65. Extremely angry 66. Miami mascot 67. Mid-month day 68. Marked for omission 69. Body part PISCES • Feb 19/Mar 20

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS

Crossword solution for December 18, 2025

DECEMBER 25 Annie Lennox, Singer (71) DECEMBER 26 Jared Leto, Actor (54) DECEMBER 27 Timothée Chalamet, Actor (30) DECEMBER 28 John Legend, Singer (47)

Crossword

CLUES DOWN 1. Two-toed sloth 2. Fat from a pig’s abdomen 3. Romanian city 4. Specifies 5. Rounded, glaciated valley 6. Spoke 7. Collection of sacred books 8. Extravagantly theatrical 9. Very fast airplane 10. Forearm bones 11. Ancient kingdom 12. Legitimate: __ fide 13. Semitransparent gemstone 21. Counsels 23. Head honcho 25. Cool! 26. Touch lightly 27. Extract money via taxation 28. Dyes 29. Cloying sweetness 32. Sodas 33. Coastal village in Guam 34. Chemical ring 36. The bill in a restaurant 37. Car mechanics group 38. One-time presidential candidate Dole 40. Health care for the aged 41. Wise persons 43. Passage with access at one end 44. Make a wound 46. America’s spies 47. Roof of the mouth 49. Plants of the lily family 50. Pinkish-red color 51. Vaccine developer 52. Mottled citrus fruit 53. A place to store garden tools 54. Rare goose native to Hawaii 57. Popular Hollywood pig 58. Musician Clapton 59. A move exposing one to danger 61. Historic Spanish soldier 62. CNN’s founder

Word Search

LIVING • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 25, 2025

Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, and diagonally throughout the puzzle.

COLD & FLU WORD SEARCH

Word Scramble

Word Scramble solution for December 18, 2025: CREDIT

ACHES ANTIBIOTICS CHILLS CONGESTION CONTAGIOUS COUGH FATIGUE FEVER GERMS HEADACHE HYDRATION IMMUNITY INFECTION MEDICINE MUCUS PREVENTION REST RUNNY SNEEZE STUFFY THROAT TISSUES VACCINE VIRUS Word Search solution for December 18, 2025

DECEMBER 25, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Transactions BRANFORD 3 Ashman Ct: Cynthia A. Connor of Branford to Kristine S. and Sarah L. Flecke, $635,000 on 12/02/2025 18 Court St: Janice M. Schuler and Thomas W. Prentice of Branford to Michael C. Murphy, $340,000 on 12/01/2025 21 Featherbed Ln: Kathleen T. Moniello and Scott Cretella of Branford to Jennifer Mcculloch and Daniel E. Heenan, $749,000 on 12/03/2025

52 Brown Rd: Karen E. Tucker of East Haven to Brian Prinz, $425,000 on 12/01/2025 7 Brown Rd: Karen E. Tucker of East Haven to Brian Prinz, $425,000 on 12/01/2025 385 Coe Ave Unit 1: Agatha Diana of East Haven to Cynthia L. Bergman, $280,000 on 12/03/2025 12 Glenmoor Dr: Ivan Aponte of East Haven to David M. Melillo and Anita Porto, $405,000 on 12/01/2025

GUILFORD

OLD SAYBROOK

35 Bayberry Ln: C&r Property Svcs LLC of Guilford to Benjamin Y. Lu and Mina Kojima, $1,025,000 on 12/04/2025

1 Clark Ave: Anthony J. and Juliann Bacewicz of Old Saybrook to Lee and Kelly A. Hartshorn, $875,000 on 12/03/2025

194 Chaffinch Island Rd: Mary G. Barnes of Guilford to Gary Markowski and Melinda Papowitz, $1,330,000 on 12/03/2025 274 Church St Unit 1A: Julia Mcdermott of Guilford to Elizabeth C. and George J. Houlihan, $297,000 on 12/04/2025

18 Cottage Pl: Lee and Kelly Hartshorn of Old Saybrook to Steven and Jordan Farrelly, $995,000 on 12/03/2025 21 Cottage Pl: William A. Peterson of Old Saybrook to Daniel L. and Patricia M. Carey, $650,000 on 12/04/2025

5 Maltby St: Brendan and Claudia M. Oconnell of Branford to Jacqueline A. Gowe, $750,000 on 12/03/2025

13 Rabbit Rock Rd: Sean M. Howard of East Haven to Dylan P. Maturo, $450,000 on 12/05/2025

9 Mirage Dr: Eleanor Iannuzzi of Branford to Charles A. Opsahl and Jessica S. Coviello, $1,040,000 on 12/03/2025

315 Durham Rd: Jeffrey D. Heinzman of Guilford to Joseph Tiden and Marjorie D. Escala, $530,000 on 12/02/2025

173 Russo Ave Unit 610: Ryan M. and Kacey Durbin of East Haven to Mary Daniels-Manning, $180,000 on 12/03/2025

66 High St Unit 36: Johnson Option 66 LLC of Guilford to Terrence Yanni, $1,675,000 on 12/01/2025

367 Main St Unit 31: Forbes Ft and Bette G. Forbes of Old Saybrook to Marlene Dolan, $705,000 on 12/05/2025

93 Montoya Dr Unit 93: Jeannine Butler of Branford to Play Action Prop LLC, $178,000 on 12/04/2025

560 Silver Sands Rd Unit 2502: Colleen A. Bertrand of East Haven to Cynthia Puccino, $360,000 on 12/03/2025

201 Mulberry Point Rd: Kunesh T and Robert F. Kunesh of Guilford to Anna Wolek and Austin J. Poucher, $760,000 on 12/02/2025

46 Maple Ave: Ricardo and Marion Mazzella of Old Saybrook to 46 Maple Os LLC, $530,000 on 12/05/2025

CHESTER

140 Thompson St Unit 5B: Mary S. King of East Haven to Julian Leite, 13 Cross Rd: Andrew J. Hinckley of Chester to Kenneth E. Just, $610,000 on $284,900 on 12/01/2025 12/02/2025

CLINTON 47 Brickyard Rd: Ardent Ventures LLC of Clinton to Danielle Thompson, $440,000 on 12/01/2025

ESSEX

MADISON

Contact me to learn more about the current market and the value of your home.

SUSAN A. MALAN Broker Associate CT & & Licensed in RI

3 Circle Dr: Jeffrey S. Tanner of Clinton to Juan I. Guzman, $230,000 on 12/04/2025

o. 860-767-5011 e. smalan@wpsir.com

242 E Main St Unit 6A: Singh T and 7 Earl St: Linda C. Wilkinson and Amandeep Singh of Clinton to Bcek Mary C. Donlan of Essex to Jon A. Management LLC, $600,000 on Manafort, $185,000 on 12/02/2025 12/01/2025 7 Fordham Rd: Selina F Black RET 14 Nutmeg Dr: Yu Q. Zhang of and Linda B. Lindsey of Essex to Clinton to Jiu W. Pan and Jin Y. Zeng, Michael K. Bowers, $475,000 on $370,000 on 12/02/2025 12/05/2025

EAST HAVEN 48 Bishop St: Cox Joan M Est and Patricia A. Cox of East Haven to Manika LLC, $340,000 on 12/05/2025

249 Wilderwood Dr: Robert D. and Patricia L. Warner of Guilford to Matthew and Kaitlyn Cunningham, $625,000 on 12/03/2025

126 Main St: Justin M. and John Hardy of Essex to Richard M. Guidotti and Herbert E. Thelosen, $850,000 on 12/03/2025

55 Cypress Rd: Mary J. Sullivan of Old Saybrook to Paul and Bonnie Tymniak, $893,500 on 12/05/2025

66 Pennywise Ln: John C. Natale of Old Saybrook to Michael and Kerry Mcgowan, $1,495,000 on 12/02/2025 Sharon Ln: William E Pollock Sr RET and William E. Pollock Jr of Old Saybrook to John and Margaret Ronna, $435,000 on 12/01/2025

129 Acorn Rd: Betsy Bryan of Madison to Bradley O. and Laura K. Simonsen, $725,000 on 12/04/2025

7 Sharon Ln: Joan M. Pollock of Old Saybrook to John and Margaret Ronna, $435,000 on 12/01/2025

148 Country Way: Anthony L. and Diane M. Colozzi of Madison to Jack Belmont and Haleigh Cronin, $1,077,000 on 12/05/2025

30 Watrous Point Rd: Carlin Ft and Amy B. Carlin of Old Saybrook to Elaine and Paul Watson, $1,450,000 on 12/05/2025

17 Eagle Meadow Rd: Halliwell Herta M Est and Alfred Halliwell of Madison to Eduardo F. Juca, $326,000 on 12/04/2025

WESTBROOK

37 Pine Dr: Elizabeth L Hackbarth Ft and William C. Hackbarth of Madison to Adam and Emma Durand, $730,000 on 12/03/2025 58 Railroad Ave: Candice J. Guerette of Madison to 58 Railroad LLC, $420,000 on 12/03/2025

257 Pond Meadow Rd: Epic Re Group LLC of Westbrook to Christina Brangi, $490,000 on 12/04/2025 140 Salt Island Rd: Anthony N. and Jennifer G. Degrandi of Westbrook to Orlando and Laura Rivera, $460,000 on 12/04/2025 Copyright material of Banker and Tradesman / the Commercial Record and The Warren Group. For past transactions, visit zip06.com/ realestate.

REAL ESTATE • VALLEY COURIER • DECEMBER 25, 2025

FENWOOD BEACH ASSOCIATION! 33 Fenwood Road, Old Saybrook $799,000 This beautifully renovated home is ready for you to move right into. The light-filled interior offers an open flow between the kitchen, dining, and living areas, perfect for relaxed coastal living. The primary suite features a gorgeous new full bath, while the finished lower level adds 700 sq ft of flexible space currently used as a family room and third bedroom.

#1 Coldwell Banker Agent in Middlesex County

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JOEL LUCAS, REALTOR®

Serving the CT Shoreline from Branford to Stonington for over 20 years

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Madison Office 752 Boston Post Road | Madison, CT 06443

ESSEX BROKERAGE | |13 STREET ESSEX BROKERAGE 13MAIN MAIN STREET| |860.767.7488 860.767.7488 ESSEX BROKERAGE | 13 MAIN STREET | 860.767.7488 Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2025 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the OLD LYME BROKERAGE | 103 HALLS ROAD | 860.434.2400 OLD LYME BROKERAGE | |103 HALLS ROAD OLD LYME BROKERAGE 103 HALLS ROAD| |860.434.2400 860.434.2400 MORTGAGE FINANCING AVAILABLE 1.855.298.5650 MORTGAGE FINANCING MORTGAGE FINANCINGAVAILABLE AVAILABLE1.855.298.5650 1.855.298.5650 Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated

RW 18 Benson Lane.indd 1

Coldwell Banker logo are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker Realty is a company owned office which is owned by a subsidiary ©©2013 Citibank, N.N. A.A. equal housing lender, member FDIC. Citi, Citibank, Arc Design and Citi with Arc Design are registered marks Citigroup Inc. of Anywhere Advisors LLC. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports theservice principles of of the Fair Housing 2013 Citibank, equal housing lender, member FDIC. Citi, Citibank, Arc Design and Citi with Arc Design are registered service marks of Citigroup Inc.Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

Each EachOffice OfficeisisIndependently IndependentlyOwned Ownedand andOperated Operated

12/15/25 5:26 PM

Virtually Staged

J u s t L i s t e d • 3 5 P r o s p e c t S t r e e t , E s s e x C T • L i s t e d a t : $ 1 ,1 5 0 , 0 0 0 SUSAN A. MALAN Broker Associate CT & Licensed in RI o. 860.767.5011 • c. 617.645.4392 smalan@wpsir.com susanmalan.williampitt.com Essex Brokerage: 13 Main Street, Essex

#1 DOLLAR VOLUME IN ESSEX 2024-2025(YTD)*** #1 TOTAL TRANSACTIONS IN ESSEX 2019-2025(YTD)* #1 TOTAL TRANSACTIONS IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY 2023 & 2024** #1 IN DOLLAR VOLUME IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY 2025(YTD)** DIAMOND AWARD WINNER 2020-2025****

*Sou rce: Sm art MLS, 1/ 1 /1 9 -1 2 /1 5 /2 5, to tal t ransa ctions by a gen t, Essex; a l l pro pe rt ies listed o r sold by a ge nt . ** Source: Sm a rt MLS, 1/1/ 23-12/ 15/ 25, tota l t ra nsa ctions by a gent, Midd lesex County; a ll pro p erties listed or sold by agent . * **Source: Sm a rtM LS, 1/1/ 24-12/ 1 5/ 25, total t ra nsa ct ions by age nt, Essex; a l l prop erties listed or so l d by agent. * ** *Sou rce: Wi l l i am P it t Sot heby’s Inte rna t ion al Rea lty 2020 2025 Awa rd s Re cog nition, Essex Broke rage. Ea ch Of f i ce is Inde pen dent ly Ow ned and Op era ted .

DECEMBER 25, 2025 • VALLEY COURIER • COMMUNITY NEWS

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