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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Austin Lesch and the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar. Photo by Diane Sobolewski By Peter Marteka Before finding my seat at The Goodspeed, I found myself recollecting all I knew about Jesus Christ Superstar. It wasn’t much – the chorus from the main title song sometimes pops in my head over the years and I’ve always loved the Helen Reddy version of the ballad “I Don’t Know How To Love Him.” After the show? I felt like I had participated in a religious awakening disguised as a m

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EHFD Drill In Action Submitted by EMS Captain Melanie Kolek Captain Nathan Botting and Engineer Spencer Laddy-Locks led the East Haddam Fire Department in its monthly drill for April, surprising personnel with an unannounced scenario. Captain Botting organized a mock two-car motor vehicle accident involving fire and two trapped patients. Personnel were instructed to report to the fire house without prior knowledge of the drill details. The simulated call was dispatched via ra

By Peter Marteka In an effort to “strengthen mobility, accessibility, and recreation” and showcase “key public and cultural destinations,” the town is hoping to construct a 2.2-mile off-street, shared-use trail along Town Street/Route 82. The proposed project corridor would begin at the intersection of Town Street and Maple Avenue run south along Town Street to the Rose Farm Homestead Preserve and Hemlock Valley Brook. The plan would address infrastructure gaps identified in

Submitted by VFW Post 3336 Emmett Lyman III receives his quilt. (Photo by Noreen Favreau) On March 17, the Quilts of Valor Foundation returned to town to honor six veterans of VFW Post 3336 with beautifully crafted quilts of comfort, a gesture imbued with deep appreciation for their service. The QOVF embodies a powerful motto: “to cover service members and veterans touched by war, with comfort and healing.” Each quilt is meticulously designed for a specific individual, reflec

It's Springtime in East Haddam Submitted by Sustainability Team and Evelyn Morgen, Director East Haddam Library System Earth Day - April 22 - is a yearly reminder for us to celebrate this wonderful planet we have the privilege to inhabit from all the billions of planets in the universe, with our hospital sun and water that engender life. As a rural community, we in East Haddam are closer than some in our ability to appreciate this wonder of the bounty of our earth as we come

Actor Taku Hirai embodies Yukitaka Osaki, the right-hand man of William Gillette. Submitted by the Friends of Gillette Castle State Park In the 1900s, a striking castle perched above the Connecticut River was the retirement home of one of American theater’s early giants William Gillette. On the lush riverfront just below the castle was the home of Yukitaka Osaki, the right-hand man and trusted companion to the theatrical icon. This month, the poignant true story of Yukitaka O

Senior guard scores 1,000 career point in final game By Nicole Gamberale, Nathan Hale Ray High School Mia Pisciotti, a senior at Nathan Hale-Ray High School, has made history for the school as her name is added to the 1,000-point club. Pisciotti scored 1,001 points in just a short two and half years of playing time for the Noises girls basketball team. The 5’ 8” guard had an incredible basketball season, being named first team all-conference. Twenty-four years have come and g

Submitted by East Haddam schools Agriculture students who earned their “Fear Free Pet Sitter” certification. Payton Balducci, Future Farmers of America president with Faith Kalisz, Future Farmers of America secretary. The scent of fresh flowers and a sense of pride filled the room at a recent board of education meeting as the Nathan Hale-Ray High School agriscience program took center stage. The evening served as a vibrant celebration of student achievement and a bold new vis

With the cutting of the ribbon, The Moody Home Story takes flight - by David DeLicia The inauguration of the Moody Home Store on 2 Norwich Rd. in East Haddam is the culmination of Jasmine Carnell's efforts to open a back-to-basics home store with the theme "zero waste." The ribbon cutting soft opening took place on March 5 with the official opening occurring two days later.