The Daily Five: Gas Leak in East Lyme, a Solar Farm, and Festivals of Light

1. There will be a few showers early this morning but the rest of the day should be mostly sunny with a high temperature of 55 degrees, according to Weather.com. Tonight will be cold and clear, with a low temperature of 28 degrees. 

2. The smell of gas coming from outside a building at Midway Plaza at 170 Flanders Road in East Lyme brought East Lyme Fire Department out to investigate last night at around 8:30 p.m. Fire fighters were able to trace the leak to a break in the gas pipe at the ground level and cordoned off the area until Osterman, the company that provides the gas that heats the building was able to deal with the problem. 

Most of the businesses at Midway Plaza were closed by that point but the building also includes a number of apartments. As the leak was outside the building, there was no need to evacuate any of the building's occupants. East Lyme Fire Department said the gas would have to be turned off for at least as long as it takes to fix the problem.

3. East Lyme Board of Selectmen meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at East Lyme Town Hall. There are a variety of items on the agenda including a special presentation from Greenskies on a solar farm near Walnut Hill Road. 

4. Lyme-Old Lyme Board of Education meets at 6:30 p.m. at the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School Cafeteria. New business on the agenda tonight includes an overview of changes to the school cafeteria menu and new technology initiatives. The board will also take action on proposals regarding the visitor access control system and window replacements at Mile Creek School.

The board wil also hear a presentation of the teacher evaluation plan. A new system for evaluating teachers and principals on an annual basis is being required by the state and must be in place by January. 

5. East Lyme and Old Lyme will be aglow with lights this weekend, with three illuminating events scheduled to take place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. At 5 p.m. on Friday, Old Lyme will hold its official tree lighting ceremony at Old Lyme Memorial Town Hall. This is the first time this event has been held on Lyme Street and will feature music by the 60-piece Middle School Band and the High School's Select Singers.

On Saturday, the Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber of Commerce will hold its second annual Light Up Old Lyme event on Lyme Street and Halls Road, with scores of stores offering holiday specials and photos with Santa.

On Sunday, East Lyme's 24th annual Light Parade will illuminate Main Street with floats and vehicles all decked out for the holidays. The event kicks off at noon with a winter festival featuring a chili and chowder cookoff, ice sculptures, and horse-drawn carriage rides. The light parade and fireworks begin at 5 p.m.

For further information about the 2012 Light Parade, call (860) 303-2264.
For information about WinterFest regarding the Chowder & Chilli Cook-off, or vendors, please contact Mike at eastlymeparks@gmail.com