Bach and beyond
The Berkshire Bach Society (BBS) of Stockbridge will present a concert by cellist Dane Johansen on June 28 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
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Looking north at the Colebrook River Lake dam.
Photo courtesy of NCLC/Jerry Monkman
KENT — The Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy announced in October that it has been approved for the final batch of funding necessary to finalize a multi-year purchasing process to acquire a conservation easement that will protect Colebrook River Lake, the state’s largest untapped drinking water reservoir.
The Connecticut State Bond Commission has allotted up to $725,000 towards the project, enabling the NCLC and its partners to reach the $1 million price tag on the easement. The NCLC expects the deal to close by the year’s end, after which 5,200 acres of water resource and diverse wildlife and plant habitat will be protected across the lake and adjacent land’s four-town expanse in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
The lake, which is located on the West Branch of the Farmington River and is buttressed by a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-operated dam, is cherished for its recreational capacities, such as boating and fishing. The reservoir is stocked yearly with brook, brown and rainbow trout, and hosts robust populations of largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, chain pickerel, catfish, sunfish and other species. The breadth of Connecticut’s mammalian, reptilian, and avian species have been spotted in its waters and among the dense forest that flanks it, including New England’s largest land animal, the moose.
NCLC has collaborated with a number of other regional and national nonprofits in pursuing the protective easement, including The Metropolitan District Landowners and Partners, Save the Sound, Rivers Alliance of Connecticut, Farmington River Watershed Association, Connecticut Land Conservation Council and Connecticut’s chapter of the Nature Conservancy.
In the Oct. 10 press release, NCLC Executive Director Catherine Rawson expressed her gratitude to the partners in their role in the achievement: “This is one of the largest land protection projects in our state’s history and safeguards our state’s clean water, environmental health, and continued public access to nature.”
State lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressed their support for the project in the Oct. 10 press release, including Governor Ned Lamont (D), State Sen. Paul Honig (D-8) and State Rep. Jay Case (R-63).
State Rep. Maria Horn (D-64), who also serves on the State Bond Commission, described the purchase as “an investment in our communities, our health and our future”: “By permanently protecting more than 3,800 acres around the Colebrook Reservoir, we are safeguarding clean drinking water, preserving an ecologically rich and climate-resilient landscape, and ensuring public access to open space at a time when protecting our environment has never been more important.”
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From left, journalists Joel Simon, Charlotte Howard and Kurt Andersen speak about the news industry at a program sponsored by the Cornwall Library on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Ruth Epstein
CORNWALL — Three prominent journalists shared their outlook on the state of the news industry on Saturday, Oct. 25, at a talk sponsored by the Cornwall Library, offering a mix of pessimism and hope about journalism’s future.
The three panelists included Kurt Andersen, a bestselling author and regular contributor to The New York Times and The Atlantic, who also co-founded Spy magazine; Charlotte Howard, executive editor and New York bureau chief of The Economist, who also co-hosts the magazine’s Checks and Balances podcast; and Joel Simon, founding director of the Journalism Protection Initiative at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at City University of New York, who is the author of four books and writes frequently about media issues for a range of publications.
When Andersen asked the other panelists what they were reading, Simon began by urging the country to take back control and not be passive consumers of information. “We have to have news sources,” he said. “And for me, it’s The New York Times. I find some criticism with it, but I still read it first. But once grounded, it can be fun to be on social media.”
Howard recalled a time when she was responsible for covering a region stretching from North Dakota to Ohio, noting the stark contrasts in how liberal and conservative outlets approached the news. “You have to pay attention not just to mainstream media, but other outlets as well,” she said.
Andersen added, “Opinion without fact is a big mistake.”
Simon noted that his generation could decipher opinion from fact, while Howard said different generations consume their news from different sources. She said at The Economist, they source plain, spoken accurate information. Andersen said he’s not sure he buys the theory that young people are not at all interested in news.
Turning to the topic of podcasts, the trio agreed they are popular. Andersen said they are basically comprised of long conversations that young people enjoy listening to. “I see great hope in them.”
Howard said she finds a wealth of podcasts to be wonderful, but cautioned they have a potential for problems if they are made up of commentary and not factual reporting.
Asked about the emotional benefit of seeking out news, Howard said people are looking for some comfort in chaos, while others want to know where the world is heading.
Simon said people base their news assumptions based on the community from which they come. “Part of it is the social community that we want to be part of and be accepted in,” he said. “Also there is a resurgence of news avoidance; a high level among young people.”
Howard broached the subject of click bait, noting that papers know if they write it one way, they’ll get people to come back. “We need to be level-headed; sensationalizing news is a downer. That’s our strategy at The Economist. Not tugs.”
Andersen chided the Republican party, saying many of its members pay such little attention to facts, pointing out such fallacies as Portland is burning down, he asked what does the media do?
Howard responded, noting that “During Trump’s first term, his lies were the news. This term his actions are the news. It’s about how open he is; not pretending. It’s an expansion of presidential power. He’s moved beyond truth and is redefining his power.”
Simon said he finds the blowing up of boats to be terrifying and what that can lead to. He urged the media to rally their communities. “Do your job. Defend your right as an institution. Journalists have the same rights all citizens have. They are under assault.”
During the comment period, one woman said she wanted to know what is not being reported. Howard said investigative reporting is very expensive. “I think most things are being covered, but there is so much out there.” Simon said such reporting is demanding, rigorous and time-consuming. “But we need more.”
When talking of Trump, Simon said, “I’ve never seen anyone more hungry for publicity. He has that strange, unending desire to be the star of the show.”
Howard said she both agrees and doesn’t agree with that. “Trump makes people feel they’re understood. But he couples it with animus. All his policies are horrible and don’t help him. His popularity is very low. But he is successful in driving the news and causing reactions.”
Simon said there’s a belief that if people knew the truth, they’d change their perspective. “I don’t think so.”
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The Salisbury-Sharon transfer station.
Patrick L. Sullivan
The application estimates a UBP (unit-based pricing) model at the Salisbury/Sharon Transfer Station will lower waste yields by 25-40% in the two towns
SALISBURY/SHARON — The governor’s office announced on Oct. 29 that the Salisbury/Sharon Transfer Station will receive a state grant to implement a unit-based pricing system —known as UBP or “pay as you throw” — and expand its composting operations.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) awarded the transfer station $266,692 through its Sustainable Materials Management grant program. The funds will support a gradual, three-phase transition to a pay-per-bag model to replace the current $150 flat fee paid by households. Both the Salisbury and Sharon selectboards endorsed the application when it was submitted in June.
Under the new system, residents would pay based on the amount of trash they generate rather than a single flat rate. Smaller households, such as retirees or couples, would pay less, while larger families that produce more garbage would pay more.
Per the application, “the goal of the three-phase process is to gain as much support as possible for the program.”
On Oct. 30, Brian Bartram, manager of the transfer station, said efforts to switch to a UBP system began in 2000 when the proposition was met with community backlash. Another attempt to look into UBP was initiated in the early 2010s, but it didn’t go anywhere, said Bartram.
UBP is controversial because while it brings costs down for some, it will not benefit the larger households who have grown used to the flat rate. There is evidence, though, especially from nearby Massachusetts, that the system lowers overall residential and commercial waste production.
The application estimates a UBP model at the Salisbury/Sharon Transfer Station will lower waste yields by 25-40% in the two towns, as it has in other Connecticut towns like Woodbury and Guilford/Madison.
Part of the waste reduction comes from diverting food scraps out of the trash. The savings to the town with the program will help further develop the transfer station’s growing composting initiative. Cornwall was also awarded an SMM grant on Oct. 29 in the sum of $15,000 to build its own composting program.
Bartram said the purpose of the phased strategy is to allow for “parachutes” or “fire extinguishers” in case the system proves to be inappropriate for the towns or widely unpopular. In the immediate term, the selectmen have the right to decline the grant money, even though they signed on to the application in the early summer.
Bartram said if the two selectboards choose to accept, the first step will be to compile an advisory committee for the project with members on both sides of the UBP issue.
Once that team is assembled, the first phase will be “groundwork” and will begin with deliberating implementation specifics about pricing, bag distribution andpublic outreach efforts.
As of Monday, both first selectmen expressed enthusiasm at the transfer station’s success with its application and for beginning the initial process.
Following the groundwork stage is the “launch”phase in which the Committee will initiate widespread community engagement as the program kicks off for a mandatory 1-year run, which will have to be approved by both selectboards. The final phase outlined in the application is the “monitoring” phase where feedback and program results are reviewed and the system is streamlined for long term success.
Bartram said he was confident in the plan, but that he understands the difficulty in bringing an unfamiliar program to the transfer station. “I think it’s a good idea but there are so many nuances,” he said. He stated it will be the job of the committee to discern the best way to move forward with a program that could help the state mitigate its waste crisis.
Since the closure of the Materials Innovation and Recycling facility in Hartford in 2022, Connecticut has shipped more than 40% of its municipal and commercial waste to landfills across state borders, which is expensive to the state, towns and ultimately residents.
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Emily Peterson, left, and her father, Thom Wilson, are on a mission to rescue secondhand books and match them with new readers — turning old pages into new adventures.
lauren killawee
NORTH CANAAN — Father and daughter team Thom Wilson and Emily Peterson were excited to open their new business, “Whistle Pig Books,” at 62 Main St. in North Canaan on Oct. 11.
The duo shares a lifelong love of books. “For years I’ve dreamed of creating a space to share my love of literature, after retirement,” Wilson said. “The opportunity presented itself earlier than we imagined and we took the leap together.”
A writer himself, Wilson said the project has been a long-time dream.
They chose the name Whistle Pig Books because, “‘Whistle Pig’ is another name for a groundhog or woodchuck. It felt like the perfect mascot for a bookstore because they are such curious creatures. Plus, it is a bit whimsical and a name that makes people smile, and we love that,” Wilson explained.
Almost everything in the store is second-hand, even the books.
“We want books to find new readers and keep circulating, rather than going into a landfill. We find our books everywhere,” Wilson said. They also have a continuous stream of donated books and plenty in storage for the future.
“The front counter was converted from an old bar and is covered in wallpaper that looks like shelves of old books,” Wilson said. “One of our favorite pieces is a table we built out of old dictionaries and encyclopedias.” This table rests beside a cozy armchair, a perfect spot for browsing through books.
At the back of the store there is a carpeted spot with low shelving and books for children.
Wilson and Peterson “hope to host community events and partner with local businesses.” They plan to have author readings and signings and will participate in Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30, which celebrates and supports local businesses.
“The overwhelming response since opening has been positive and quite frankly heartwarming,” the pair said. “People have come in with stories about their favorite books and authors. Seeing readers of all ages smile as they discover something on our shelves has made every bit of work worthwhile!”
Whistle Pig Books is open Thursday and Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information visit whistlepigbooks.com
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