A year of progress, cultural growth in Kent

KENT — Bellies are full, the air is brisk and the sun sits low and cold in the southern sky — it’s January in Kent, marking the close of a progressive year for the riverside town.

The Board of Selectmen reformed several subcommittees during the year, including the Broadband and Communication Working Group that has been busy trying to modernize and expand the town’s broadband connection. While internet service providers have been hard to reach and state-funding opportunities difficult to get a hold of, fiber optic cable is being laid in town, and the group is working hard to every residence in town wired with “future proof” broadband connection.

The creation of the Cemetery Committee bolstered the town’s volunteer roster. The management of the six town-owned cemeteries were transferred to the control of the newly-formed committee, which is overseen by the BOS.

The Cannabis Regulations Subcommittee formed within Planning and Zoning to help the town decide how to best update its regulation of recreational cannabis.

The Kent Sustainability Team was also reformed.

Aside from town governance, Kent’s cultural institutions saw growth and activity throughout the year. The Kent Memorial Library received two million dollars in funds at the October meeting of the Connecticut Bond Commission which will be put towards a large scale expansion project connecting the existing library to the adjacent old firehouse building. The idea is “more space for more people,” according to Library Director Sarah Marshall.

The Eric Sloane Museum and adjacent Connecticut Antique Machinery Association’s museum brought visitors from near and far to their tranquil grounds throughout the year. Their busy programming schedules ranged from CAMA’s Spring Startup locomotive ride in April to Kent-based non-profit TradesUP’s third annual SPARK event in October introducing children to the many worlds of the trades industries.

Alterations to municipal life have had mixed popularity with the public over the past year. The “orange bag” municipal waste program saw the completion of a successful trial period, reducing waste levels in the town while offering a unit-based pricing system for residents.

A push to install traffic safety cameras along Route 7 in downtown Kent was met with controversy, with some deeming them intrusive or unnecessary while others said such a move is long overdue. Originally scheduled for Dec. 6, the town vote on traffic cameras has been pushed to Jan. 7.

Latest News

Rhys V. Bowen

LAKEVILLE — Rhys V. Bowen, 65, of Foxboro, Massachusetts, died unexpectedly in his sleep on Sept. 15, 2025. Rhys was born in Sharon, Connecticut, on April 9, 1960 to Anne H. Bowen and the late John G. Bowen. His brother, David, died in 1979.

Rhys grew up at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, where his father taught English. Attending Hotchkiss, Rhys excelled in academics and played soccer, basketball, and baseball. During these years, he also learned the challenges and joys of running, and continued to run at least 50 miles a week, until the day he died.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kelsey K. Horton

LAKEVILLE — Kelsey K. Horton, 43, a lifelong area resident, died peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut, following a courageous battle with cancer. Kelsey worked as a certified nursing assistant and administrative assistant at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, from 1999 until 2024, where she was a very respected and loved member of their nursing and administrative staff.

Born Oct. 4, 1981, in Sharon, she was the daughter of W. Craig Kellogg of Southern Pines, North Carolina, and JoAnne (Lukens) Tuncy and her husband Donald of Millerton, New York. Kelsey graduated with the class of 1999 from Webutuck High School in Amenia and from BOCES in 1999 with a certificate from the CNA program as well. She was a longtime member of the Lakeville United Methodist Church in Lakeville. On Oct. 11, 2003, in Poughkeepsie, New York, she married James Horton. Jimmy survives at home in Lakeville. Kelsey loved camping every summer at Waubeeka Family Campground in Copake, and she volunteered as a cheer coach for A.R.C. Cheerleading for many years. Kelsey also enjoyed hiking and gardening in her spare time and spending time with her loving family and many dear friends.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eliot Warren Brown

SHARON — On Sept. 27, Eliot Warren Brown was shot and killed at age 47 at his home in New Orleans, Louisiana, in a random act of violence by a young man in need of mental health services. Eliot was born and raised in Sharon, Connecticut, and attended Indian Mountain School and Concord Academy in Massachusetts. He graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He and his wife Brooke moved to New Orleans to answer the call for help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and fell in love with the city.

In addition to his wife Brooke, Eliot leaves behind his parents Malcolm and Louise Brown, his sisters Lucia (Thaddeus) and Carla (Ruairi), three nephews, and extended family and friends spread far and wide.

Keep ReadingShow less
Randall Osolin

SHARON — Randall “Randy” Osolin passed away on Sept. 25, 2025, at the age of 74. He was born on Feb. 6, 1951, in Sharon, Connecticut to the late Ramon (Sonny) and Barbara (Sandmeyer) Osolin.

He was a dedicated social worker, a natural athlete, a gentle friend of animals, an abiding parish verger, an inveterate reader, and an estimable friend and neighbor. He was a kind-hearted person whose greatest joy was in helping someone in need and sharing his time with his family and good friends.

Keep ReadingShow less