AA Learn more about in-home care options for your loved ones

Chester is among the Connecticut municipalities to be recognized this year for achieving Sustainable CT certification. Sustainable CT is a statewide initiative that inspires and supports communities to become more efficient, resilient, and inclusive. Chester met high standards in a broad range of sustainability accomplishments to qualify for the prestigious Silver-level certification.

The Chester Museum at the Mill. This property, situated along Pattaconk Brook near the center of Chester, was used for manufacturing for almost 100 years, beginning around 1825. Purchased in 2001 by the Chester Historical Society, the building officially opened as the Chester Museum at The Mill in 2010.

“Hats off to Cindy Lignar and the Sustainable Chester Team for achieving this prestigious milestone for our small but mighty town! The certification recognizes the inclusive, resilient, and vibrant community of Chester and provides more opportunities for current and future grant funding,” said Pat Bandzes, Chester’s Economic Development Commission Chairwoman.

In its application, Chester demonstrated achievement in 12 sustainable impact areas ranging from inclusive community building and thriving local economies to vibrant arts and culture and well-stewarded lands. Chester was able to successfully document actions related to its historical, cultural, natural, and business assets with the assistance of many organizations and their efforts, including Chester Historical Society events; Chester Merchants and Tourism Liaison collaboration; Chester Public Library programs; Chester Land Trust and Conservation Commission invasive species education and mitigation; Cedar Lake benthic barriers to control aquatic weeds; Town pollinator gardens and education; and Chester Rotary’s activities and financial support of efforts. Additionally, Chester documented fifteen sustainability events, including the first town-wide Earth Month & Day celebration; new opportunities for residents to recycle; initiation of the Region 4 Food Scraps program; Chester Land Trust town-wide clean up, Chester Fair’s Zero Waste Efforts, and the Sunday Farmers’ Market.

“The silver certification process was extensive and extremely detailed, but it was well worth the effort! It required collaboration between town officials, departments, boards and commissions, and the Chester community. We came together to demonstrate Chester’s “can do” attitude and to showcase the many accomplishments that make Chester a healthy and forward-looking community,” said Cindy Lignar, Chester’s Sustainability Team Lead.

“Congratulations to our certified communities,” said Lynn Stoddard, executive director of Sustainable CT. “We are inspired by the leadership and commitment of these communities. From elected officials and town staff to resident volunteers, these certified towns are improving opportunities and the quality of life for all.”

The Sustainable CT program includes actions that help municipalities build community connection, social equity, and long-term resilience. It includes an action roadmap and support tools that are especially relevant as towns seek practices and resources to promote social justice and respond to the ongoing challenges of climate change and economic uncertainty. Sustainable CT is independently funded, with strong multi-year support from the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, Hampshire Foundation, Connecticut Green Bank, Common Sense Fund, and the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut.

Chester and all of this year’s certified communities will be recognized at the Sustainable CT’s Awards Celebration. For more information about this event and to register to attend, visit sustainablect.org/celebration.

CHESTER, Conn. (WTNH) — It was a beloved piece of local charm in one Connecticut town. A wishing booth – where neighbors and visitors alike could take a moment to dream big. But now – their wish is that it would come back – after the booth was suddenly taken down.

The wishing booth once stood on Main Street towering over downtown Chester.

The artists who made it say it had a direct line to the universe, but the booth has been taken down this week leaving the folks here without a place to manifest.

“We made our wish in December it was very magical and scenic and it just seemed for the holiday season but we would like to have it continue to be here,” said Sarah Riggles, Chester resident.

Chester residents Sarah and John Riggles want the wishing booth back.

It opened on Dec. 2, 2022, and was filled with good memories.

“It’s part of the town charm the thing we like about Chester, in general, is that it’s a small town but there’s really tight-knit community there are things to do,” said John Riggles.

Caryn Paradis and Christopher Owens created the booth – to look like the ones you’d see in London.

The state owns the bridge the booth was standing on and Paradis said she hadn’t pulled a permit for the booth so because of that this week it was taken down.

The stars are coming down on March 1st.

Paradis is determined to bring this booth back at a place in this village the state will approve of.

“We’re very open to somewhere else on main street or applying for a permit properly and getting it back in this location,” Paradis said.

For Paradis it’s more than just a place to share hopes and dreams.

“I mean it’s a piece of art so it’s an art installation.”

Owner Nora Murphy’s shop is right across from where the wishing booth used to be.

Murphy told us her customers really miss being able to pick up the phone and make their wishes.

“It’s fantastic though people loved it it’s very joyful and happy. I love everything they do here in Chester for the holidays.”

Paradis has all the recordings of the wishes, and they speak to what this little town is all about.

“They are beautiful they are about hope they are about family and love and people’s heartfelt desires,” said Paradis.

I reached out to the state for a comment but haven’t heard back.

But for now, the only wish the folks in this village have is to find a new home for the booth.

Vacationing in small towns has become increasingly popular in recent years – it can be a refreshing change of pace from traditional destinations, offering a more relaxed and authentic experience. Small towns often have a strong sense of community and a slower pace of life, allowing visitors to slow down and truly connect with the local culture.

But where are the small towns we would most like to visit in 2023? FamilyDestinationsGuide.com, which offers kid-friendly vacation ideas, surveyed 3,000 families to find the top 150 across the country they’d love to spend time in this year.

In 74th place came the town of Chester, Connecticut. Families can enjoy a peaceful stroll through the historic downtown area, explore the nearby hiking trails, and visit the nearby museums and galleries. With its picturesque scenery, friendly locals, and plenty of things to do, Chester is the perfect place for a family getaway.

Other Connecticut towns included in the top 150 were Cornwall (100th), where families can enjoy hiking, biking, fishing, and swimming in the nearby Housatonic River, as well as exploring the town’s historic sites, shops, and restaurants. The other town on the list was Chaplin (115th) – its close proximity to New York City, makes it the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy some quality family time.

At number one is the tiny village of Holualoa, in Hawaii. No surprise there really, as Hawaii is so utterly beautiful, and this laid back ‘burg, on the western coast of the Big Island, has charm by the bucket-load. It’s located on the slopes of the Hualalai volcano, and derives its name from the traditional – if somewhat terrifying – local practice of sledding down the mountain on long, wooden sleds. If you enjoy a caffeine fix, you’ve come to the right place; Holualoa sits between the towns of Kailua-Kona and Keauhou, in the heart of Kona coffee country. 600 coffee farms surround it, and every November they hold the Kona Coffee Festival.

In at number two was Ely, in Nevada. This remote former mining mountain town, which sits at the base of the Great Basin National Park, was originally founded as a stagecoach station along the Pony Express and Central Overland route. You can still visit the nearby Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park, where six, giant beehive-shaped ovens were used to process silver ore. Elsewhere, you can take a guided tour of the Lehman Caves, a massive cavern over 500 million years old in the Great Basin National Park, or do scenic hikes such as the Island Forest Trail or Bristlecone Pine Trail.

Not far behind at number three is beautiful Anna Maria Island on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Seemingly preserved in time, it showcases how ‘Old Florida’ used to be, with its pastel-coloured clapboard houses and old-timey storefronts.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, due to their stunning natural sceneries, both Hawaii and Alaska each had two towns (Holualoa; Old Koloa Town and Sitka; Ketchikan) in the top 10.

“Visiting small towns has become increasingly popular as travelers seek authentic and personalized experiences that provide a break from the fast-paced, commercialized world. These hidden gems offer a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the local culture, connect with friendly communities, and escape the stress of everyday life.” says Rose Ackermann of FamilyDestinationsGuide.com.

Two years of cross-municipality organization and higher support for greater bicycling and pedestrian infrastructure in Chester are set for work as outlined in the “Lower Connecticut River Valley Heritage Trail Action Plan 2023,” released by the town’s Sustainability CT Team last month.

The plan, which spells out the organizational components that would go into the creation of an 18-mile trail stretching from the Chester Historical Society to the Amasa Day House in Moodus, is the culmination of a collaboration between Chester, Haddam, East Haddam, and state and regional bodies including the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments (RiverCOG).

Heritage Trail originated from a community desire for more infrastructure to support walkability along a one-mile corridor that would “safely connect agritourism and historic sites along Town Street” in East Haddam, reads the plan. After considering similar data related to biking and town assets in Chester, the project was extended, and the proposed path now reaches the heart of the town in the downtown village area.

The trail’s snaking into Cheser could mean multiple benefits in the areas of sustainability and environmentalism, economic development, and health and wellness for Chester residents, according to Cindy Lignar of the Sustainability CT Team.

“The Loop Trail will be a unique and excellent option for outdoor recreation, allowing all to enjoy the magnificent beauty of our area, including our many shared natural resources, as well as the historic and art destinations, shops, and restaurants along the route,” she said. “The trail will provide improved cyclists and pedestrian safety and provide for equitable access for all ages and diverse backgrounds.”

These opportunities could lead to “an overall healthier community…because of expanded safe exercise opportunities, [a] healthier environment with increased walking and cycling versus driving…increased economic development by attracting visitors to our area,” said Lignar.

Results from a Sustainability CT Team survey active from May to June 2022 saw numbers that supported that extension. Around 83% of respondents said they would “possibly” to “definitely,” “walk/jog/run more frequently if sidewalks or pathways in Chester were interconnected,” with more than 62%, or 249 respondents, answering the latter choice. The same number of respondents answered yes to the question, “Do you think the addition of crosswalks that provide marked areas for pedestrians to cross streets should be a high priority for the town?”

With promising results, the team moved ahead collaborating with the two towns, members of the National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, and RiverCOG, the latter of whom met with Chester on June 2, 2022, and the trail’s planning team to walk the route southward to the downtown area.

A year later, the Heritage Trail plan was released, and now the Sustainability CT Team has identified its next steps and the short- and long-term goals to realize this multi-town project.

One of the steps has already been taken with the creation of an advisory committee to oversee the implementation of the necessary infrastructure to support the 18-mile route. The committee consists of multiple town stakeholders in the Chester portion of the project. Along with the Sustainability CT Team, it includes members of the selectmen and finance boards, commissions of planning and zoning and inland wetlands, and public works, among others. These stakeholders and their representatives would formulate short-term and long-term plans to create a well-equipped and functional bike and pedestrian path, from identifying proper locations for waste disposal and bathrooms, signage, and water stations.

According to the plan, the identified short-term goals are to be completed within two years, with long-term goals taking place beyond that timeframe.

As an example of a short-term goal, Lignar said, “The Economic Development Commission [EDC] is working on water stations, and we have been in contact with the public works foreman…the Board of Selectman and others in town seeking guidance as to the best locations and all of the works that would go into installing water stations and maintaining them as well,” said Lignar.

Lignar said the results of an approved road safety audit by the Department of Transportation’s Community Connectivity Program found that “their recommendations also overlap with roads that are on the Heritage Trail loop,” which include state Routes 148 and 154. To improve connectivity, the audit lists several transportation and infrastructure shifts that can be made to link adjacent local roads to those two highways.

Along with meetings with the advisory committee, a second step has already been taken to bring plans to a higher level of planning.

“Our next steps are working with RiverCOG, the senior transportation planner [Robert Haramut]. We have already initiated conversations with him,” said Lignar.

In the short term, the Sustainability CT Team will continue to apply for state grants to financially support the creation of the trail and focus on communications. The plan lists methods of communication as creating a trail logo and marketing package and organizing a website. Lignar said the team is also interested in hosting public information sessions on the topic in collaboration with the EDC.

The action plan can be found on the town’s website at www.chesterct.org.

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Arts & Entertainment

Just about guaranteed to make audiences smile, whether they are fans of Dolly or not.

|Updated Thu, Aug 10, 2023 at 7:30 am ET

By Nancy Sasso Janis

The title of the new jukebox musical that is running at The Terris Theatre pretty much says it all: “Here You Come Again How Dolly Saved My Life in 12 Easy Songs." The new work is part of the 2023 season at Goodspeed Musicals and is presented on their second stage in Chester, which has reopened after a three-year closure.

Tricia Paoluccio and Matthew Risch Photos by ©2023 Diane Sobolewski

This is a rollicking yet touching new musical that tells the story of a diehard fan whose imaginary version of Dolly gets him through the very trying time of the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic. With her down-home wit, humor and charm, Dolly teaches Kevin a whole lot about life, love and how to pull yourself up by your bootstraps…even if they don’t have rhinestones.

The script written by Bruce Vilanch, Gabriel Barre (“Billy Elliot,” “Amazing Grace” at Goodspeed) and Tricia Paoluccio cleverly finds the humor in the weeks when everyone was in quarantine. You may remember Emmy winner Vilanch as a Hollywood Square and he was the writer of “A Sign of the Times” at the Terris Theatre.

Find out what's happening in The Haddams-Killingworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The action is set in May of 2020 in Longview, Texas. Kevin climbs a ladder in order to enter his attic “treehouse” room without any physical contact with his parents. The 40+ son uses a fishing pole to bring up the basket of food and mail via a dumbwaiter.

Although I wore a mask to the press night performance, I felt that enough time has passed since the scariest days at the beginning of COVID that I was able to fully enjoy the comedy that runs throughout the story that holds together the selected songs. There are references to endless hand washing, Lysol, banging on pots, and finding toilet paper.

The show features songs written or recorded by Dolly Parton and a few others. There are some that are very familiar, like “Two Doors Down,” “9 to 5,” Jolene,” “Islands in the Stream,” the title song and Parton’s composition “I Will Always Love You.” Numbers that were new for me included “Light of A Clear Blue Morning,” “God’s Coloring Book,” “The Seeker,” and “Hush-A-Bye Hard Times.” The song “Coat of Many Colors” was cut from the performance I attended.

Tricia Paoluccio plays Dolly Parton. Her Broadway credits include “Fiddler on the Roof,” her television credits include a recurring role on “Saint X,” and she will appear in the upcoming film “Portrait of a Young Man.” The Equity actress always had dreams of following in the musical footsteps of her lifelong inspiration and now she is literally wearing her big shoes.

Equity member Matthew Risch is perfectly cast as Kevin Risch was most recently seen in Hulu’s “Saint X,” and also played Carlos in the original company of “Legally Blonde” on Broadway. He does so well with the comedy in his character a

The first production of this show was both directed and choreographed by Barre with a clear understanding of what goes where. Eugene Gwozdz is in charge of music direction of the (slightly more than) a dozen Dolly songs. He plays keyboard as he conducts the other three musicians, with Marty Wirt on percussion, Jeff Carlson on guitar and Sean Rubin on bass. The last two musicians come onstage with the actors for the final number, watching Gwozd on the monitors for the cutoff.

The scenic design by Anna Louizos is so much fun to experience. It takes almost the entire time that patrons are in the theater to catch all of the details that are evident in the set decoration that Dolly describes as “early American clutter.” Louizos has brought Kevin’s attic room to the stage so effectively that the audience feels like they are in the room with the two characters.

Photos by ©2023 Diane Sobolewski Tricia Paoluccio and Matthew Risch

The costumes designed by Bobby Pearce are spot on for the two performers. The four changes for Dolly are perfect for the iconic singer. The first act opens with Dolly in a sparkly butterfly dress that shines for the first act closer “Love Is Like A Butterfly.” The second change is a “Nine to Five” suit, followed by a sparkly blue dress and a silver gown for the finale. The big Dolly wig stays in place perfectly, as I am sure is true wherever she appears in public.

Kevin is dressed in stay at home outfits, except when he channels his idol in one scene.

Michael Misko served as the magic consultant, but I won’t spill the beans about the reason that he was needed. There is some magical lighting, including a disco ball, designed by Alyssandra Docherty, that adds to the charm.

As a reviewer, I had fun noticing all of the lines pulled from Broadway shows. Audience members are invited to use the flashlights on their cellphones for a song late in the second act, and are given permission to video some of the final musical number, so have your phone ready.

The show has a PG age rating and is just about guaranteed to make audiences smile, whether they are fans of Dolly or not, for even she acknowledges that there may be a few who are not.

Nancy Sasso Janis is the membership chair of the Connecticut Critics Circle. For the first time in the history of the Terris Theatre, critics have been invited to review the productions.

Patch Mayors are trusted local users who help moderate the Patch platform by promoting good local stories and flagging unwanted content. To learn more, click here.

More from The Haddams-Killingworth