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Housy students bring young group to local ‘No Kings’ protests
Mia Dirocco & Ibby Sadeh
Jun 10, 2026
On March 28, dozens of Housatonic students gathered to join the No Kings Protest at The White Hart in Salisbury. It was a windy and cold Saturday morning, but students joined together nonetheless. Months later, Housatonic is still feeling its lasting impact.
For participant Eliana Lang, Sophomore, this was her first No Kings Protest experience. “I decided to go because it was really local to me, and I think it’s really important for people, especially young people, to voice their opinions and beliefs and stand up for what they believe in,” she said. “I would definitely go again, I think it was really important for us all to show up, and show what people from different generations think about these issues, and how they respond in times of need,” said Lang.
The Housatonic students present were called on stage for recognition. The speaker that day acknowledged how grateful the organizers were to have young people in attendance. Throughout the morning, the students recall being approached by fellow protesters who were excited to see younger faces in the crowd.
“It is helpful to show that these problems are affecting everyone and everybody no matter what age cares about them. People want to help no matter what age they are,” said Lang. “In a small town area, a gathering like this is harder to come by, but that should not mean that people should not have access.” Youth participation in rural areas is dwindling, but the students in attendance believe in its necessity.
The median age of No Kings protesters is 48 years old, and polls indicate that people aged 18-29 make up approximately 8% of rallies nationwide. Youth participation since the first wave of protests has been a consistent struggle even in large cities, and in rural communities, some have no student participation at all. However the students who participated in Salisbury were active in promoting participation on social media and encouraging other students to join. “I hope it encourages other people to do things in the future,” said Paul Losh, Sophomore. The protest at the White Hart was his first protest as well, but he remarked that he plans to continue participating in the future.
“I think spreading the worry is really important, just inviting people to come and support the cause,” said Losh. While there are no immediate plans for the future, it’s likely that the next local No Kings Rally will have many familiar student faces present.
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Envirothon team celebrates 24 years at Housy
Shanaya Duprey
Jun 10, 2026
File photo
One of the many extracurricular offerings at Housatonic Valley Regional High School is Envirothon, a unique competition that challenges students to explore and learn about environmental conservation.
The team, which originally formed at HVRHS in 2002, is headed up by David Moran. “Envirothon is North America’s largest Environmental competition for high school students,” Moran said.
The competition consists of two parts — an in-the-field competition and a presentation — covering five key topics. Every year, students have to research and present on soils and land use, forestry, aquatics, wildlife biology and a changing “current issue.” This year’s current issue focuses “non-point source pollution,” Moran said, which means pollution that can’t be traced back to a single particular source such as rain runoff washing pollutants into a watershed.
On paper, it’s an annual competition and display of knowledge and teamwork, but for Owen Schnepf, an Envirothon team member, it’s much more. “To me, Envirothon is much more than that one day in May,” Schnepf said. “It is really the season, the entire year that leads up to the competition. This is when we really build teams and learn.”
Housy’s Envirothon team started in 2002, but the competition as a whole has been around for far longer. Moran explained the competition was founded in 1979 in Pennsylvania and originally known as the “Environmental Olympics.” “It was designed as a hands-on, outdoor competition for high school students to test their knowledge of natural resources,” Moran said.
Since its start 24 years ago, the HVRHS Envirothon team has seen consistent success. “In our 24 year history our teams have placed in the top three state teams consistently,” Moran said. “We have won the state event 10 different times, and so competed at North American’s those 10 times. We have won the North American competition against 50+ other teams in 2007, and been in the top 10 on several occasions.”
The Envirothon consists of the two separate parts — an in-the-field component and an indoor presentation. “The works of Emerson, Thoreau, Pinchot, Roosevelt, Leopold, and Carson are all threads in the fabric of our work,” Moran said.
Students work through the year to build an understanding of the five topics. A notable part of the competition, and what Schnepf finds to be the biggest challenge, is the “current issue.” “When we first find out about the current issue topic — usually in the wintertime — we begin with rigorous research,” Schnepf said. “Once we have developed a plan of action, we have to make the slideshow to present to judges. As a team, we prepare to present and answer questions. Every year, we present at FFA Open House, the week before we finally have to do it in front of the judges at the competition”
To prepare for such an event, the Envirothon team is immersed in the world of natural resources and conservation year round. “Teams of five students compete after a year of study in the environmental field, along with workshops led by biologists, technicians, and industry professionals,” Moran said. Schnepf elaborated, saying “This year, Mr. Moran began with what he called ‘inspiration meetings.’ This is when we drove around our area to talk to professionals in the environmental field. So far this year, we have met with professional foresters, environmental analysts, environmental photographers, and land board committee members.”
Schnepf continued with details of the team’s year-long journey. “In the winter time, we begin diving into the material for four of the categories: wildlife, forestry, soils, and aquatics. This is when we nerd out with water testing kits, soil testing kits, animal pelts, tree samples, GPS devices, and so many more gadgets … In the final couple of months of the season, we double down on the current issue.”
In order to learn such a vast amount of material, many may assume that team members are delegated to specific positions. But Schnepf said there is no division of labor.
“There are no formal roles in Envirothon, such as a team captain,” Schnepf said. “People naturally take on responsibilities. Within the first few meetings, you can usually see someone who is leading the group in the right direction. For example, someone who is very good at identifying birds will take charge of the wildlife portion, while someone else who works in a logging business will focus on the forestry.” For such a group dynamic to work, teamwork is an integral part of Envirothon. Schnepf emphasized the necessity of cooperation. “Envirothon is very much comparable to a team sport like volleyball or soccer, where everything depends on how we work together,” he said. “On the competition day, the only way to win is to put our heads together.”
The teamwork building skills are not the only valuable aspect of being a part of the HVRHS Envirothon team, Moran said. “The importance of Envirothon is in developing a life-long land ethic and to develop stewardship practices. In the short term, teamwork, knowledge, fun, scholarships, resume builders,” he said. This is shared by the student team members as well.
Becoming a part of Envirothon does not require much more than a desire to participate. Despite its similar philosophy to Housy’s FFA program, involvement in the FFA program is not necessary to join Envirothon. “There have been many successful Envirothon team members over the past 24 years that were not FFA Members,” Moran said. “The two are not always tied together, but sometimes they are.”
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Sharon BOE opts into Region One survey, releases new favorability data
Aly Morrissey
Jun 10, 2026
Sharon Center School
File photo
SHARON – The Sharon Board of Education voted unanimously June 8 to participate in Region One’s organizational study, a year-long effort aimed at evaluating the district’s K-8 structure and exploring options to ensure long-term educational quality, equity and fiscal sustainability.
To date, Cornwall, Falls Village, Sharon and Housatonic Valley Regional High School have agreed to participate, and no schools have opted out.
Region One superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley said the district has not conducted a comprehensive organizational study in roughly a decade and described the effort as an information-gathering process rather than a plan for immediate change. The study will take place during the 2026-27 school year, with progress reports scheduled for October, February and May before the final findings are presented in June.
The study will examine a broad range of topics, including enrollment and demographic trends, educational programming, staffing, transportation, finances, facilities, governance structures and community impacts.
Brady-Shanley faced questions from the board about why she and Region One Business Manager Sam Herrick plan to conduct the study in-house, rather than hiring outside consultants.
“We are a very unique district,” she said, adding that the learning curve an outside consultant would face would waste time and money when she believes they have well-qualified resources in-house. She added the pair will rely on existing district data and draw from outside expertise when needed.
Board member Pam Carlson questioned whether the project was realistic given the administrators’ existing responsibilities, saying it “does not seem doable.”
Brady-Shanley said the study will be one of her primary goals for the coming year and she is confident the district has the expertise to complete it internally.
Favorability rises among parents, students
The board also reviewed preliminary results from Sharon Center School’s latest “School Culture and Climate Survey.”
The initial data – which is still being analyzed – measured general favorability among parents, teachers, and students. Overall parent favorability rose from 68% to 77% over the past two years. Student favorability among grades 3-5 increased from 63% to 85%, while grades 6-8 climbed from 44% to 73%. Staff favorability declined from 71% to 64%.
Principal Carol Tomkalski said the data will be reviewed more extensively to draw conclusions, but noted that this year’s action plan focused heavily on strengthening students’ sense of belonging, which could have contributed to the positive results.
“To actually see that our results have jumped to that extent is just indicative of the efforts that our school culture and climate team and all the staff have been working on,” Tomkalski said.
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SCS graduates leave lasting legacy with handmade chess tables
Aly Morrissey
Jun 10, 2026
Layne Beman (left), Gunnar Begley (middle) and Nathan MacMillan are recognized for building chess tables that will serve future students.
Aly Morrissey
SHARON – Three Sharon Center School eighth graders were recognized by the Board of Education June 8 for creating a new class legacy project.
The students built three wooden chess tables that have been placed in the school’s new Leadership Lounge, where students from different grade levels can gather and play.
Principal Carol Tomkalski praised the trio for launching what she hopes will become a tradition for future graduating classes.
"You're paving the way for a new tradition for other classes to follow, so thank you," Tomkalski said.
The students signed their names to the tables, ensuring they will be remembered by generations of Sharon Center School students to come. Tomkalski said she hopes to put the tables to use with a future chess tournament, tapping into a student body that includes enthusiastic players as young as second grade.
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New Sharon Land Use Director to begin July 1
Alec Linden
Jun 10, 2026
In July, Nikki Blass, right, will take over as Sharon’s Land Use Administrator when Jamie Casey retires after more than three decades in Town Hall.
Alec Linden
SHARON – Nichole “Nikki” Blass of Sharon will take over as Land Use Administrator on July 1, following the retirement of longtime town employee Jamie Casey. Blass is a seven-year veteran of the Land Use Office and also serves as the second lieutenant and secretary for Sharon Ambulance.
Casey said Blass’ experience working as the Office’s assistant has set her up well to succeed in the role.
The Land Use Administrator is the town’s zoning enforcement officer, responsible for handling all applications related to construction, development and landscape alterations and issuing citations when zoning code is broken. It is a paid role that is appointed by the First Selectman.
“To me, she was the only choice for the job,” Casey said. “She knows the town inside and out, and she grew up here. That’s important, too.”
Blass’s appointment was announced during the Board of Selectmen’s May 26 meeting. In previous weeks, selectmen interviewed Blass and another candidate for the position.
Blass said she was first introduced to Casey and the Land Use Office through her involvement with Sharon Ambulance. She was initially hired to handle filing duties but quickly took on additional responsibilities as the workload increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When Covid hit, we were so inundated with projects and work that I just jumped in,” Blass said, saying that she and Casey worked naturally together. “It was sink or swim.”
Blass said when she takes office in July, she plans to focus on organization to support several large-scale projects that are ongoing or pending review. Those include the development of an office facility for Jasper Johns-affiliated nonprofit Low Road Foundation and a controversial housing development on Hospital Hill Road which is currently facing litigation from neighbors.
She said replacing Casey will be a challenge. Still, she said her time working in the office with Casey has prepared her well for the flexibility and depth of knowledge the position requires.
“Every situation that comes through the door is not the same as the one that was before it,” Blass said. “Being able to handle that kind of thing is the most valuable lesson she could have taught me.”
Blass is stepping into a complex role, Casey said, “but I know she’s more than capable of doing it.”
Plus, “she’s a Sharon girl,” Casey said.
Meanwhile the Selectmen have been conducting interviews to replace Stanley MacMillan Jr., the town’s building inspector and fire marshal of three decades, who is also retiring at the end of the month.No hire had been announced as of June 4. Town Hall is also seeking to hire a replacement for Blass’ current position to assist both the Land Use Administrator and Building Inspector, and will be soliciting candidates this month.
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Falls Village rejects folk dancers, considers natural burials
Christian Murray
Jun 10, 2026
File photo
FALLS VILLAGE — The Board of Selectmen voted June 8 to deny a request to allow a group of folk dancers to perform in town this summer, citing concerns over disruptive behavior at previous gatherings. The board also discussed a proposal that could allow natural burials — in which bodies are buried without vaults or standard caskets — in Falls Village cemeteries.
The request by the dance group sought to revive a longstanding tradition that brought Morris dancers, performers of a traditional English folk dance, back to the center of town each year.
Robin Cockerline, a Salisbury resident who wrote a letter advocating for the dance group, said Morris dancers had visited Falls Village for at least 40 years before the tradition ended following the COVID-19 pandemic, the death of longtime organizer John Dexter and what she described as rowdy behavior at a previous performance.
In the letter, Cockerline asked the town to permit a small group of dancers to perform in Falls Village in August. Historically as many as two dozen dancers participated.
Cockerline wrote that the visiting group would be smaller than in years past and had assured organizers that previous problems would not be repeated.
First Selectman Dave Barger said he had spoken with several residents who live in the center of town and found strong opposition to allowing the dancers back.
“Based on what happened in the past, they are not happy with it, and they do have a real legitimate fear that it will happen again,” Barger said.
Selectman Judy Jacobs agreed, saying there had been issues on more than one occasion. The board unanimously denied the request.
Barger, after the meeting, said that participants at past Morris events had been seen urinating and defecating on private property, leaving trash behind and disrupting residents.
“There was one family having a cookout with friends, and there was screaming and yelling [in the street],” Barger said, noting one of many disruptions.
Town reviews natural burial policy
In other business, the board discussed whether to allow natural burials in Falls Village’s cemeteries. They are currently not permitted.
The discussion was prompted by a recent inquiry from a resident interested in purchasing a cemetery plot for a natural burial, according to Town Sexton Tracey Wilson.
Wilson told the board that Connecticut law allows municipalities to decide whether natural, or “green,” burials may take place in cemeteries they own. Unlike traditional burials, natural burials do not use embalming fluids or burial vaults and instead rely on biodegradable caskets, such as pine or cardboard, or burial shrouds.
“They’re becoming more and more common, and people are seeking cemeteries that allow natural burials,” Wilson said.
Wilson said Falls Village could operate as a hybrid cemetery system, allowing traditional burials, cremation burials and natural burials within the same cemetery. Such an arrangement would allow family members who choose different burial methods to remain buried together while also giving residents another burial option.
The board initially considered approving such burials but instead voted to have Wilson develop guidelines outlining how the practice would be implemented before taking formal action.
The policy would establish what qualifies as a natural burial and set standards for burials conducted in town cemeteries.
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