On Feb. 17 the lights went out on River Road, Mystic. I thought it was a power outage but after three days I realized something was up. I could see three blue-white puddles of light on the snow. Everything else was still a blackout. That's when I realized LED lights had been installed.

The river, the road, the Peace Sanctuary, the cemetery; all black. The feeling of the river and town has changed. No more golden glow reflecting on the river. No scenic views of the river by night. Just black.

Thousands of people a year come to Mystic to enjoy its beauty and charm. Without lights on the river at night it feels joyless and sad.

What used to look like a beautiful harbor, a necklace of lights, now looks like a black abyss.

If I were a tourist returning to Mystic I may not realize what had changed but I would ask, "Where's the charm?"

In order to save a few dollars, the nighttime beauty, charm and sparkle has been replaced with total darkness. Bring back the lights on the Mystic River. Call your Town Hall.

Marilyn Dalton

Mystic