Jack Torpey, 5, of Manchester, makes a fan as he stretches before participating in the FitKids Run during the Run for a Claus on Sunday, December 15, 2019 on Bank Street in New London. Around 500 runners and walkers participated in the 2.5 mile race organized by Hartford Marathon Foundation. A portion of the proceeds from the race will benefit the Covenant Shelter of New London. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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Katherine Searles, 12, jumps over a scarf held by friends Emma Braga, 13, left, and Camryn Sprague, 13, all of East Hampton, before running in the the Run for a Claus on Sunday, December 15, 2019 on Bank Street in New London. Around 500 runners and walkers participated in the 2.5 mile race organized by Hartford Marathon Foundation. A portion of the proceeds from the race will benefit the Covenant Shelter of New London. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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The Panamanian-registered bulk hauler Tai Honesty, foreground, unloads road salt, while the Antigua Barbuda-flagged cargo ship BBC Eagle, obscured, unloads manufactured steel at State Pier in New London Monday, December 16, 2019. DRVN Enterprises, which imports the road salt, has a contract to bring salt to the pair through this winter. Skanska Trevcon II JV, a contractor hired by General Dynamics Electric Boat to manage the delivery of cargo being used in the construction of a new building where the ballistic missile submarines is getting under way, is working with Gateway, the port management company, to use the pier for the staging of construction materials. The pier will be closed to cargo this spring when construction of the pier to accommodate wind power projects is expected to get under way. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad from Lillian's Cafe in Niantic Tuesday, December 17, 2019. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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Ice coats the branches of trees along the shore of the Niantic River Tuesday, December 17, 2019. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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Production manager Karen Cordon walks between rows while gathering poinsettias to fill several church orders Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019 at Hart's Greenhouse & Garden Center in Preston. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Sarah Jones, of Niantic, walks her 8 month old puppy Walle up the path as ice hangs on the trees and covers the grass at Connecticut College's Arboretum on Tuesday, December 17, 2019 in New London. "It's a little more treacherous out here than I expected, getting up that hill took a little work," Jones said of the ice covered ground. According to the National Weather Service Wednesday should see sunny skies with highs in the upper 30's. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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Inmate Tracy Shumaker hugs her son Alberton Hall, of Norwich, as he congratulates her before a graduation ceremony on Tuesday, December 17, 2019 at York Correctional Institution in East Lyme. Associates in Science Degrees were awarded to seven incarcerated women as part of the Department of Correction's partnership with Wesleyan University's Center for Prison Education and partner institution Middlesex Community College. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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Inmate Robin Ledbetter hugs fellow inmate Carrie Jones following a graduation ceremony on Tuesday, December 17, 2019 at York Correctional Institution in East Lyme. Associates in Science Degrees were awarded to seven incarcerated women as part of the Department of Correction's partnership with Wesleyan University's Center for Prison Education and partner institution Middlesex Community College. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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Sheri Backous, right, the local director for the Miss Clark County (WA) competition, takes a photo of Miss Clark County's (WA) Outstanding Teen AnnMarie Vickery, left, and Miss Clark County 2019 Anna Countryman, second from right, with Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan, second from right, during an autograph session with current and former Miss Americas during the Miss America 2020 competition week Tuesday, December 17, 2019 at Mohegan Sun. The annual competition, in its 99th year, moved from Atlantic to Mohegan Sun this year. The candidates are participating in preliminary competitions during this week culminating with the final competition on live TV Thursday. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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Owen Zyrlis, 8, of Mystic, jumps along rocks as he plays with his brother Caleb, 6, not pictured, at Eastern Point Beach in Groton on Wednesday, December 18, 2019. The rest of the family stayed in the car to watch. "We're not cold," Owen said, "it's way more fun to play outside." (Sarah Gordon/The Day) (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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New London Firefighter Gregory Stott, left, talks to Ryne Lee, a senior, as members of New London High School's Whaler Cafe begin their annual holiday food distribution on Thursday, December 19, 2019. The group has 120 meal packages to hand out to local families in need. (Sarah Gordon/The Day)
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Melissa Perkins-Banas, of Brooklyn, runs along a road with ice covered trees in Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019 during her speed workout. Melissa's husband, Joe Banas, not shown, who is also her coach, marked off 400 meters on the road and she ran 400 meters twelve times with only a 200 meter recovery. She is training, after recovering from injuries, for races in the spring and a marathon in the fall. The couple said they come to the park once a week to run because its low traffic and flat compared to the area where they live.(Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Kit Hoover, left, and Mario Lopez, hosts of NBCís production of ìMiss America 2.0î Thursday in the Mohegan Sun Arena, stopped during the eventís red carpet procession to pose with two young fans. (Rick Koster/The Day)
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The NFA Ambassadors chorus, under the direction of Tonya Laymon, performs Christmas Carols for students in the Cranston House building at NFA Friday, December 20, 2019. The Ambassadors is the most exclusive of the choral groups at the academy and traditionally roams the campus on the final day before the winter break singing carols to the faculty, staff and students. Cranston House is home to the first year students at the academy. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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The Grinch receives a hug from Avery Simmons, 7, left, and her friend, Charlize Carver, 7, both of Groton, when he arrives Thursday, Dec. 19, 2 019 for the Cocoa with the Grinch event at the Groton Public Library. After having their picture taken with Grinch people could have cocoa and create craft projects. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Heather Brisson, top, and Dustin Harrison, right, of Veteran's Rally Point, are joined by state senator Cathy Osten, left, unloading a truck from the Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation as volunteers with Easter Seals Capital Region and Eastern Connecticut and Veteran's Rally Point unload boxes of winter coats for distribution to organizations that will distribute the coats to veterans throughout the state Friday, December 20, 2019 in Norwich. The coats were donated by the Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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Lt. Robert Schroer gets a kiss from his wife Auston, as the USS Minnesota (SSN 783) returns to the U.S. Navy submarine base in Groton, Conn., Friday, December 20, 2019 following a six-month deployment to the norther European theater of operations. The Minnesota, the 10th vessel in the Virginia-class of nuclear-powered attack submarines, made port calls in Rota, Spain, Faslane, Scotland, and Haaksnservn, Norway during the deployment. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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Mackenzie Burton, 5, dances on the pier as her father, Petty Office 1st class Miles Burton holds her sister Amelia, 3, and her mother, Sara Burton, right, and Mile's girlfriend, Jaii Colon, back center, join the celebration as the USS Minnesota (SSN 783) returns to the U.S. Navy submarine base in Groton, Conn., Friday, December 20, 2019 following a six-month deployment to the norther European theater of operations. The Minnesota, the 10th vessel in the Virginia-class of nuclear-powered attack submarines, made port calls in Rota, Spain, Faslane, Scotland, and Haaksnservn, Norway during the deployment. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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Rabbi Aizik Schwei, of Chabad of Norwich, and Tal Prottas affix strings of LED lights to the arms of the nine-foot Menorah at Chelsea Parade Friday, December 20, 2019. Schwei will be joined by Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom and other community leaders for a lighting ceremony Monday evening at 5:30 p.m. Sunday night is the first night of Hanukah and a menorah on Parade Plaza in New London will be lit to mark the first night. Norwich's event will feature live music, latkes and the Yantic Fire Department will drop chocolate gelt. Aizik says it will be his responsibility to light each of the individual lights for the eight nights of Hanukah. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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Shelly Egner, left, Josephine Bright, second from left, both of Groton, Sherri Facas, second from right, and Charlie Choi, right, work together putting together rice-soy fortified meals in bags during the Rise Against Hunger meal packaging event hosted by of the Fitch High School robotics team Aluminum Falcons Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019 at the high school.(Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Members of the Fitch High School robotics team Aluminum Falcons work together making rice-soy fortified meals in bags while hosting a Rise Against Hunger meal packaging event Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019 at the high school.(Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals , of First Congregational Church in New London, talks about the homeless and the history of the Homeless Memorial Service, in honor and in remembrance of the homeless of New London County that have died, while outside the Church of Our City Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019 in New London. The service started out side where those that gathered listened to the names of the homeless that died this year and then continued the service indoors. The service was sponsored by St. Francis House and the New London Homeless Hospitality Center. ( Dana Jensen/The Day)
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