Aikido New London County is holding a grand opening at 3 p.m. Aug. 17 in its Waterford headquarters at 316 Boston Post Road. The martial arts school will offer classes in traditional Aikido, a Japanese martial art effective for self-defense, balance, flexibility, and cardio. The school strives to make martial arts accessible for all.

Classes, led by Crystal Aldrich Sensei, will serve practitioners of all ages and capabilities. Aldrich Sensei has 15 years of Aikido training, including apprenticing across the United States and internationally for six years. Aldrich Sensei specializes in training beginners and children.

An open house will be held Sept. 2. Visit www.Aikidonlc.com for more information.

Union news

The Connecticut Education Association has unveiled a new logo that it says was meant to invigorate the visual identity of the 175-year-old organization.

The new logo and branding were officially unveiled at CEA’s 2023 Summer Conference at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Aug. 1. CEA’s new logo features the outline of an apple, a longstanding icon associated with education. It is accented by a heart — a callout to the connections between Connecticut’s teachers and the students they serve.

“As we reach 175 years of representing the great teachers of Connecticut and advocating for our state’s students and public schools, we are proud to launch a refreshed brand that is bold and modern but also embraces iconic imagery associated with education, learning, care, and support,” said CEA President Kate Dias in a release.

The CEA also unveil a refreshed positioning statement that it says better expresses the union’s mission: “We empower teachers so that they can excel at educating students. CEA champions competitive salaries and benefits, well-resourced classrooms, and safe, healthy schools to attract and retain the best teachers. We support our members with expert representation and legal counsel.”

CEA will continue celebrating the association’s 175th anniversary with a fundraising gala on Friday, Sept. 29.

Milestones

Essex-based Highclere Castle Gin has won the Holy Grail of the spirits industry by becoming the first gin in the world to receive a perfect 100-point score by the Major League Spirits Association.

The gin brand made from botanicals sourced from the famous Highclere Castle in England, known as the “Real Downton Abbey,” was called “a paragon of perfection” by leaders of MLSA.

Launched in 2019 by American spirits entrepreneur Adam von Gootkin and the Earl & Countess of Carnarvon, Highclere Castle Gin is on track to be the most-awarded gin in the world with over 130 platinum and gold awards to date.

For more information on Highclere Castle Gin, visit www.HighclereCastleGin.com or follow on social media @HighclereCastleGin.

A Waterford man’s dream of connecting military veterans to manufacturing jobs took a leap forward Aug. 10 as the first group of students gave their project presentations followed by graduation at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, Wisc.

Bill Leahy, founder and CEO of Renaissance Reliability LLC, is leading the push to match veterans with unfilled skilled manufacturing jobs thanks to a new reliability engineering certification program first deployed in Wisconsin. The Quaker Hill man believes the manufacturing sector “sorely needs veterans who are healthy, trained, supported and ready to fill positions in manufacturing,” according to a release.

A forthcoming documentary film, “Unturning Steel,” will explain the project in depth and take viewers inside the Medalcraft Mint factory in Green Bay where the project had its launch.

Mystic Woman’s Club’s Thrift Shop is hosting an end-of-summer clearance sale, to prepare for the fall season. The shop is at 165 South Broad St. in Pawcatuck (next to the Stonington Police Department).

Clothing in particular is marked down, including pants, shorts, capris, tops, skirts, and pajamas; dresses, jackets, bags, and shoes, as well as tank tops and flip flops. The shop also includes a large selection of housewares, linens and books. And there is a men’s section as well.

All proceeds from the shop are distributed to the community in grants and scholarships every year.

Visit the club’s website at www.mysticwomansclub.org. The club also maintains a presence on eBay, at https://www.ebay.com/str/themysticwomansclub.

Chamber news

Seabird Enterprises’ Riverview Farm at 129 Massapeag Side Road in Uncasville will be the site of a Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours program from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17.

This is the farm’s 40th anniversary. Riverview Farm is a working horse farm in Uncasville where individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities can learn the responsibility of caring for horses and other animals while gaining a sense of accomplishment. There is also a greenhouse on site with a variety of plants where individuals can enjoy horticultural activities, arts and crafts, yoga and music.

Cost is $15 for GNACC members; $25 for nonmembers. Call 860-887-1647 for information.

Clean Energy

Rewiring America, a nonprofit focused on electrifying homes, businesses and communities, has the task of developing and disseminate energy-saving resources, and now Eversource and Connecticut Natural Gas are among the businesses joining to educate consumers.

Newly created materials will inform customers on how to take advantage of federal electrification and energy efficiency rebate programs as well as the Inflation Reduction Act and its energy efficiency-related tax credits.

In January, the IRA implemented two new tax credits – the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit and the Residential Clean Energy Property Credit, which incentivizes household electrification and efficiency upgrades.

The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit covers the purchase and installation costs for heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and electric panel upgrades. Homeowners and renters who take advantage of this program can receive up to $3,200 in tax credits. The Residential Clean Energy Property Credit offers a 30 percent uncapped tax credit for rooftop solar, battery storage and geothermal heating, and covers purchase and installation costs.

Rewiring America’s purpose is to make electrification simple, measurable and inevitable. For more information about Energize Connecticut and the Inflation Reduction Act, visit https://energizect.com/IRA-Tax-Credit.