The Daily Five: Young Conservationists, Old Lyme History, The Story of the Nutcracker, and Niantic's Storm-torn Boardwalk

1. Today will bring a mix of sunshine and clouds, with a high temperature of 42 degrees and an overnight low of a frigid 28 degrees, according to weather.com. There's just a 20 percent chance of rain during the day but tonight should be clear. Cold, yes, but compared to yesterday, I'll take it!

2. Have you seen the boardwalk in Niantic recently? If you haven't, you're not the only one. Since Sandy's Storm surge, whole stretches of the Niantic portion of the boardwalk no longer exist. The good news is that the Amtrak section of the boardwalk is in fine shape. To ensure the integrity of the railroad tracks, it was constructed to withstand a 100 year storm (think the hurricane of 1938). The town's graveled section, not so much.

Ironically, the town just received word—and a dollar amount—from FEMA to repair the damage done by Tropical Storm Irene last year. A 12-month turnaround for such a claim is pretty quick for the federal goverment but now there's a claim upon a claim, so who knows what will happen next.

East Lyme First Selectman Paul Formica said he thought this might actually turn out for the best, however, as the full repair of the town's section of the boardwalk (currently planned to withstand a 75 year storm) will probably be redesigned so that it survive a 100 year storm. Either way, there will be federal funds to restore the boardwalk, hopefully by next spring.

3. A lot of people like to give and receive calendars for the holidays. If you're looking for something locally-inspired, the Old Lyme Historical Society's 2013 Now & Then, Old Lyme Community Calendar is a great choice. The calendar juxtaposes historical photographs from the archives with contemporary images taken at the same location.

History buffs on your list this year might also appreciate the Historical Society's latest book, The Charm of the Place: Old Lyme in the 1920s, inspired by a 1929 advertising mural found in the Old Lyme Grange Hall in 2007 and written by journalist and Old Lyme native Carolyn Wakeman. 

All of the Old Lyme Historical Society’s publications are available online at www.oldlymehistoricalsociety.org, at the Florence Griswold Museum Shop, the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, Bowerbird, Cooley Gallery, and the Lemon ‘N Lyme.

4. The Connecticut Audubon Society, Lyme Land Conservation Trust and Old Lyme Land Trust are sponsoring a community forum on Nov. 29 to discuss the role future generations will play in the preservation of the nation’s natural resources.

The forum, entitled "Where is the Next Generation of Conservationists Coming From?", was postponed due to Storm Sandy but is happening this Thursday at First Congregational Church in Old Lyme at 7 p.m. 

The forum was prompted by concerns raised by conservationists, environmentalists, and public health experts who feel that kids today are spending more time inside with electronic entertainment than they are exploring and appreciating the great outdoors.  

5. For many people, the holiday season isn't the same unless it includes a performance of The Nutcracker. But how many people know the story behind it? Today at 4:30p.m., the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library will host a special storytelling of The Nutcracker with appearances by Nutcracker characters from the Eastern Connecticut Ballet. You'll also have a chance to meet the Nutcracker characters. For more information, call the library (860) 434-1684.