Politics? It's For The Birds!

1. Meet a celebrity author! William Landay, author of Defending Jacob, will be at the East Lyme Community Center today from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a reading, talk and lunch sponsored by East Lyme Child and Family Auxiliary. Tickets are $30 at the door.

This is the first in a series of celebrity author talks. The next will feature Dawn Tripp, author of Game of Secrets. For more information call (860) 460-2304 or email celebrityauthors@comcast.net. 

2. Let your voice be heard! The Connecticut state legislature is considering (GMOs). Monsanto, which operates DEKALB® Genetics Corp., 62 Maritime Dr., in Mystic, is a pioneer in the GMO industry.

Today, there will be a protest at 55 Coogan Blvd., (opposite the Mystic Aquarium) at 1 p.m. If this is an issue that you feel strongly about, now would be a good opportunity to let legislators know that.   

3. Tour a historic home. Discussions about and turn it into a museum have been going on for months now. To give people an idea of what the property looks like, the nonprofit group that is pushing to preserve the house is offering "walkabouts" of the house and grounds at 82 Plants Dam Road from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 16, Wednesday, Sept. 19, and Sunday, Sept. 23.

The issue is on the East Lyme Board of Selectmen's agenda again on September 19. There will be an informational meeting about the Samuel Smith House prior to the meeting at East Lyme Town Hall at 6:15 p.m.

4. Register to vote! National Voter Registration Day is on Sept. 25, but the League of Women Voters of Southeastern Connecticut wants to get ahead of the game. It will be holding a special voter registration session today from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at New London’s Riverside Park's “Down by the Riverside” festival, in conjunction with New London Landmarks, Riverside Park Conservancy and Northeast New London Neighborhood Association.

5. Follow the Swallows! RiverQuest Connecticut River Expeditions of Haddam is offering a number of cruises this weekend including a 1:30 p.m. Gillette Castle viewing cruise today and an 11:30 a.m. cruise tomorrow. The Connecticut River's resident bald eagles can often be counted on to put in an appearance too. 

By far the most popular cruises at this time of year, however, are the swallows by sunset viewing tours. These cruises are selling out fast, although there is some space available on September 18 and 25 at 5 p.m.

On September 28, the Old Lyme Land Trust is hosting a sunset swallow cruise. The cruise is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and costs $40. For more information, call (860) 434-5674 or (860) 434-9094.