Submitted by the East Haddam Land Trust Small curiosities have always had a hold on Faith Kalisz. The 18-year-old, who was awarded this year’s $2,000 scholarship from East Haddam Land Trust, will begin her freshman year in September at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. She plans to major in environmental science and hopes to work one day with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, maybe as an analyst. She thinks her focus will be on the protection a

Submitted By Craig Mansfield, Chairman East Haddam Company #2 Firehouse Building Committee Every time someone in East Haddam calls 911 for a fire, medical emergency, or rescue, they expect firefighters and EMS personnel to respond immediately with the equipment, training, and facilities needed to do the job safely. Most people never think about the building those emergency responders operate from — until that building itself becomes part of the problem and that is exactly whe

Submitted by Mike Toomey The July 4 Moodus Reservoir Preservation Group’s third annual boat parade had a patriotic theme with boats ranging in size from a repurposed sand box to ski boats to full-sized pontoon boats, all with flags aplenty. Judging was headed by Melisssa Ziobron, currently running to fill Ireine Haines position as our Representative in the Connecticut House. The winners receiving gift certificates were: First Prize, $100: Ira and Carol MacCollum with a pontoo

Guests watched the program in the pews of the historic First Church Meeting House. By Susan R. Waide About 350 East Haddam residents and visitors celebrated America’s 250th Anniversary during East Haddam’s signature day-long Semiquincentennial Celebration on July 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This memorable event began at the historic First Church Meeting House at 499 Town St. with live music performed by the Moodus Drum & Fife Corps and the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard B

Alison Guinness, a.k.a. Major General Joseph Spencer at the East Haddam Historical Society Museum. By David DeLucia The East Haddam Historical Society Museum is planning a series of summer presentations on local historical figures. On June 28, speaker Alison Guinness expertly recreated the long life of Joseph Spencer (1714-1789) to an appreciative audience. Guinness, who wrote her master's thesis on the Moodus Noises, portrayed herself as Spencer and was both convincing and i

Will Burton and the cast of Goodspeed's Crazy For You. Photo by Diane Sobolewski With the celebration of the United States’ semiquincentennial on July 4 marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, there has been a renewed sense of American history. In the lobby of the Goodspeed Opera House, a display marks “150 Years on the River.” “William Goodspeed builds an ornate Victorian opera house for East Haddam,” reads the first entry from 1876, “envision

The modern acoustic band On The Trail opens the 2026 Music on the River Concert Series July 13. Submitted by the Parks and Recreation and Music on the River Committee The parks and recreation department and the Music on the River committee warmly invite you to our 19th annual Music on the River Concert Series. Featuring evenings filled with the incredible sounds of award-winning artists, MOTR is one of East Haddam’s most cherished traditions. These FREE concerts take place on

Submitted by the town of East Haddam Residents and visitors are invited to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary during East Haddam’s signature day-long Semiquincentennial Celebration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free, and all are welcome to attend. You’re welcome to come dressed as your favorite revolutionary hero/heroine or wear red, white, and blue. This memorable event begins at the Historic First Church Meeting House, 499 Town St. or Route 151, with live music per

Students Isabella Laban, Jayden Posas, and Connor Kittelmann pose with their senior projects during the Hale-Ray Senior Expo. By Anthony Stone Nathan Hale-Ray High School recently welcomed families, staff, and community members to its annual Senior Capstone Expo where seniors proudly presented the culmination of months of research, job exploration, creativity, and hands-on learning. The event highlighted the wide variety of interests and future career paths being explored by

Emmett J.Lyman III, an avid student of American History, has dedicated 30 years of service to the town on its planning and zoning commission (18 years), the board of selectmen (eight years), and as the town’s First Selectman from Dec. 2016 to November 2019. (Photo credit: Susan R. Waide) By Emmett J. Lyman, III As Americans prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it is worth asking a simple but profound question: How did it all begin? Th

Sarah Evans was awarded the $7,500 East Haddam Scholarship by Patti Stricker. Nathan Hale-Ray High School has officially released the complete list of recipients for its 2026 scholarship and senior awards. The annual honors celebrate the exceptional academic achievements, artistic talents, athletic excellence, and civic leadership of this year's graduating class. School administration and faculty extend their deepest gratitude to the local civic organizations, legacy foundati

Lt. Michelle Walker conducts child passenger safety clinic with Lt. Eric Walker assisting. Submitted by EMS Captain Melanie Kolek The East Haddam Fire Department is proud to announce that Lt. Michelle Walker has secured more than $10,000 in grant funding and equipment to expand child passenger safety resources for families throughout the community. Lt. Walker became a certified child passenger safety technician through “Safe Kids Worldwide” after completing an intensive 40-ho

Submitted by Kirstin Stewart, Shagbark Lumber & Farm Supplies Store Manager For 40 years, Shagbark Lumber & Farm Supplies has been more than just a local business. Since serving its first customer in 1986, Shagbark has been a place where relationships are built, neighbors can gather, and community has always come first. What started out as Uncle Bud’s small dairy farm turned farm supply business by Fred Hunt and his sister Joanna Hunt, has now grown into a cornerstone of Eas

American bullfrog by Tess Jette. Submitted by East Haddam Land Trust It’s all about capturing the magic of the moment. That’s the way one East Haddam amateur photographer describes the appeal of taking pictures of nature. Tess Jette, 65, lives on Upper Moodus Reservoir and is co-owner of the business Netting Now, which makes custom nets for debris containment and safety purposes. Jette is one of dozens of people who have emailed their photographs to East Haddam Land Trust to

Ribbon cutting from left to right: Mike Robidoux, East Haddam economic development commissioner, Bob Casner, Chairman of East Haddam economic development commission, Gretchen Teran, I-Park board of director, Ralph Crispino, Jr. I-Park board president and co-founder, Tamara Dimitri, Connecticut Office of the Arts. Photo by Frank DiNardi. Submitted by I-Park The nearly completed “Comfort Station” was unveiled during the Friends & Supporters Gathering and ribbon cutting ceremony

By Peter Marteka A $15 million proposal to build a new East Haddam Fire Company 2 building is in its final planning stages with a referendum scheduled for Sept. 15. The Moodus Firehouse building committee recently held a public hearing on the proposal to demolish the current firehouse on William F. Palmer Road and replace it with a 14,500-square-foot facility bringing it up to 21st century firefighting standards. The proposed facility would include five drive-through apparatu

Under the solemn serenade of Taps played by bugler Aaron Bochman (U.S. Marine Corps veteran), First Selectman Todd Gelston cast a wreath into the Connecticut River in memory of those who died at sea, and the rifle team of the American Legion Post 156, led by Jaron Sweet Post 156 Commander, performed the three-volley salute. (Photo by Noreen Blaschik.) Submitted by Susan R. Waide East Haddam residents and friends gathered on a rainy Memorial Day even though the parade was canc

For more information or to place an order, call 860-891-8024 or visit www.thenapitabar.com By David DeLucia There's a new restaurant in town that fills a long-standing absence - authentic Greek cuisine made from scratch and lovingly prepared. Thena Pita Bar on 25 Falls Rd. in Moodus is the brainchild of Niko Papathanasiou and Sarah Turker. They were married in 2019 in Greece and have a two-year-old girl, Penelope. Since 2016, their award-winning food truck, Greekin' Out, has

Submitted by I-Park I-Park, an international, multi-disciplinary artists’ colony set within a 450-acre nature preserve in East Haddam, will be participating in Connecticut Trails Day on June 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at 428 Hopyard Rd. This will mark I-Park’s first Open Trails Day of our 25th anniversary season, featuring live music, a guided hike, crafting and a garden educational session. This is a free, family‑friendly event. Walk-in registration will be allowed, but

Fred Frese with his former Old Saybrook High School students who designed and raced human-powered submarines. By David DeLucia A packed audience was enthralled by a fascinating May 17 presentation at the East Haddam Historical Society & Museum by Fred Frese and Roy Manstan. Their talk covered the first known submarine - a submersible christened the “Turtle.” To fully appreciate the history of the Turtle it is necessary to go back to the Revolutionary War. The British Navy wa