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Time to audit Medicaid to strengthen program
The article on the front page of the August 21 edition of The Lakeville Journal on “Health advocates across the state brace for fallout from Medicaid cuts” concludes that “any reductions to Medicaid could be devastating to seniors, caregivers, and communities.” In other words, once again, “the sky is falling!”
The author notes that enrollment in Medicaid has increased 10% since the COVID Pandemic. In the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), Medicaid/CHIP cuts come to approximately $1 trillion over 10 years, compared to the current annual spending on these programs of just under $1 trillion per annum. This amounts to a cut of approximately 10%, which takes us back to pre-COVID levels. Surely, scaling back to pre-COVID levels, principally by removing illegal participants and other waste, fraud, and abuse, shouldn’t be “devastating!”
Furthermore, Ms. Aleksinas quotes Natashea Winters, director of programs and learning at the nonprofit Foundation for Community Health, as asserting that “Documenting 80 hours of work monthly can be difficult even for people who are working,” and “Most people [citing precedents in Arkansas, which introduced work requirements in 2018] didn’t lose coverage because they weren’t working. They lost it due to paperwork and reporting problems. A third hadn’t heard about the new rules, and nearly half weren’t sure if they applied to them.”
I’m not sure this is a sympathetic argument, particularly as Winters adds “The new requirement takes effect in December 2026, giving us two years to prepare,” noting further that “The Arkansas experience shows what we can expect, and what our residents, healthcare providers and local officials should plan for now.” With appropriate education, therefore, Connecticut can ensure that what caused most of the cuts in Medicaid in the Arkansas experience can be remediated.
I’m tired of fearmongering arguments based on innuendo and super-heated imaginations. It’s time the Medicaid roles are audited, ineligible participants removed, and able-bodied participants required to contribute back to the society that provides them the safety net they enjoy. Medicaid, as a result, will be strengthened for the American citizens for whom the program was designed — pregnant women, children, people with disabilities, low-income seniors, and other vulnerable low-income families, the official goal of the OBBBA.
Cameron O. Smith
Sharon
GOP Town Committee slams Journal cartoons
It was extremely rewarding to see Peter Steiner’s cartoon about The Wake Robin Mahal in last week’s paper. This is a cartoon that will undoubtedly elicit bipartisan laughter and praise from residents of Lakeville and Salisbury.
Alas, this cartoon stands in stark contrast to the years of cartoons mocking everything Republican: Republican politicians, Republican Supreme Court Justices, Republican voters and even Republican parents who dare to speak out at school board meetings. Week after week, month after month, and year after year these mocking cartoons have graced the pages of our local newspaper.
Salisbury currently has 419 registered Republicans.They cover the entire Republican spectrum: MAGA Republicans, traditional Republicans (think McCain, Romney and Haley) and even a few liberal Republicans (think Rockefeller and the late Senator Brooke).Moreover, 580 Salisbury voters cast their ballot for Donald Trump in the November election.
The Steiner cartoons continually depict Republicans as ignorant, dishonest, immoral and even violent.
The Salisbury Republican Town Committee does not begrudge Mr. Steiner the right to display his strong opinions nor do we begrudge Salisbury Democrats the right to take pleasure in anti-Republican cartoons. What we do object to is The Lakeville Journal — a nonprofit newspaper dedicated to carrying news of our local community and dependent on financial support from that community to stay in business — being a perpetual bulletin board for anti-Republican cartoons. These cartoons are a constant slap in the face to the town’s Republican minority and do nothing to foster a feeling of community in our beautiful town. It is long past time to send them to some other publication.
Tom Morrison, Chair, Salisbury Republican Town Committee
Lakeville
Urging P&Z to reject Wake Robin
At this time, 480 residents have signed a petition opposing the proposed redevelopment of the Wake Robin Inn.
By an overwhelming majority, residents attending P&Z meetings have voiced that the scale and scope of Aradev’s application are excessive, inappropriate and incompatible with our rural residential community.
Despite the volumes of data presented by Aradev’s consultants, residents’ concerns remain clear. This mega resort is still far too intense for the site. Even after several revisions of the original application,Aradev’s proposal only leads to a minor reduction in size. The project if approved will bring lasting nuisances — noise, traffic congestion, water runoff into our lake, and sewage concerns- that threaten Lakeville/Salisbury and the quality of life we value.
Chairman Michael Klemens implied, at the August 26 P&Z zoom meeting, that residents’ concerns about noise are merely “speculation.”But for those of us who live here, the reality is that Lakeville/Salisbury is a quiet residential community — which would be fundamentally altered by an overscaled resort. P& Z has the authority to recognize when a project constitutes a nuisance, and lived experience must matter alongside data.
A project of this scale does not belong in Lakeville/Salisbury.We urge P&Z to deny this application and protect the integrity and nature of our community.
Kathy Plesser MD
Freya Block
Lakeville
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125 years ago — September 1900
The Lakeville base ball team went to Canaan Tuesday and played the team of that place. The game resulted in a sweeping victory for Canaan, the score being 20 to 6. The Canaan team now has the Guernsey brothers, Christie and Downing, making it a strong aggregation. The Lakeville boys were weakened by the absence of several of their best players, but they speak in high terms of the treatment they received at the hands of the Canaan players, people and umpire.
On Thursday evening a musicale was given for the benefit of James Estis who is working his way though a southern college, preparing to be a teacher.
100 years ago — September 1925
SALISBURY — William Dempsey has started the foundation for his new house.
The N.A. McNeil Co. this week have been moving their office fitting from Lime Rock to their new rooms over the Bank. The large 1800 pound safe was moved up into the second story of the building by John H. Garrity and his men on Monday. It was a considerable task but was accomplished without a hitch.
The supper given for the benefit of the Dr. Wm. Bissell Hospital Fund at Roberts Hall last Thursday evening was a great success. Mrs. Orson Hartford and her friends were responsible for the enterprise which was carried out to a successful conclusion, about $190 being cleared.
FOR SALE — Milch Cow, Jersey giving 22 lbs. a day, easy milker, good health and condition. $75. Also Black Jersey Giant Cockerels. Prize stock — Tel 13-3.
Willis Jefferis is building a small store and refreshment stand on his property near the lake shore.
The auction sale of the property of the Salisbury Iron Corp. took place last week. As the prices bid in most instances were too low most of the places failed to go.
ORE HILL — Mrs. J.E. Scott has returned to her home in Norfolk after spending the summer with her nephew Arthur M. Everts.
50 years ago — September 1975
Edward E. Kleinschmidt, a lively little man who enjoys dining out as many as four times a week, will celebrate his 100th birthday next Tuesday, ending a century in which he contributed dramatically to the field of long-distance communications. Dr. Kleinschmidt, who now makes his home in Twin Lakes during the summer, was responsible for much of the development ofthe telegraph printer, the high speed stock exchange ticker tape machine, railroad signalling devices and many other inventions. He has a total of 118 patents.
Mrs. Mario DiGiacomoof East Main Street, Canaan, has reported the theft from her front porch of a peperomia plant and the antique cider barrel on which it was standing. They disappeared some time between late evening on Sept. 2 and 7 a.m. the next morning. Mrs. DiGiacomo says her eight-year-old son, who has lovingly raised the plant, is desolate. Mrs. DiGiacomo would like also to get her antique cider barrel back.
The old bandstand at Community Field disappeared on Wednesday. The Fire District decided on the move after the little landmark had suffered some vandalism. The first plan was to repair it, but when inspection uncovered rotting roof and floor boards, the cost of the repair work became prohibitive. So another vestige of the town’s past was knocked down and trucked away.
NORTHCANAAN — With construction well ahead of schedule and a host of applicants for the 40 apartments at Wangum Village, the North Canaan Housing Authority moved closer this week to its hour of decision. The authority must decide within the next month or so who may live in the senior citizen housing and what rents tenants must pay.
25 years ago — September 2000
SALISBURY — Sharon Hospital is seeking to sell its facility to Essent Healthcare for more than $16 million plus the net of working capital, the hospital’s CFO told an audience Saturday morning. Rob Wright, speaking at the third meeting of the “Citizens for the Hospital,” gave out those figures, adding that officials view the $8 million being planned for renovations as an investment in the hospital. About 70 people attended the session in the community room of the Salisbury Congregational Church, where apologies were sought and offered, where tempers sometimes flared and where there was no lack of questions, opinions and comments.
SALISBURY — A new transportation service is being offered by volunteer drivers for any Salisbuy senior in need of a ride for local errands and appointments. “Happy Trails” is a current project fo the Committee on Senior Services to help resolve the continuing transportation needs in the rural Northwest Corner.
KENT — High Watch Farm celebrated its 60th birthday this past weekend, drawing a crowd of hundreds of supporters, past residents and those whose lives have been impacted by drug and alcohol rehabilitation. “High Watch Farm is the granddaddy of all treatment centers,” Joyce Steel, director of development for the center said, noting that the treatment center has been visited by thousands of recovering alcoholics over the six decades. Located on Carter Road in North Kent, the 200-acre High Watch Farm was donated to Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson in 1939 by Ethelred Folsom, known by her friends as Sister Francis.
Eileen Peterson, former postmaster of Lakeville, was honored by the U.S. Postal Service in a retirement ceremony Aug. 3 in New Haven. Ms. Peterson retired in December with 30 years of service. She began her postal career in 1969 in Sharon and later worked as a clerk in Falls Village, Officer in Charge in Canaan, and postmaster in Salisbury. She became postmaster in Lakeville in 1989.
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The Northern Dutchess Paramedics station on Route 22 south of the Village of Millerton.
Aly Morrissey
MILLERTON — Northern Dutchess Paramedics, the private emergency medical service provider contracted by North East, Amenia and Dover, is set to be acquired by Empress EMS, Town Supervisor Chris Kennan said at a special workshop meeting of the town board on Tuesday evening, Aug. 26.
Kennan shared what he called “breaking news” shortly after calling the meeting to order.
“We just learned that Northern Dutchess Paramedics has entered into a sales agreement with Empress, which serves most of Dutchess County,” he announced at the start of the meeting, which was originally scheduled to fine-tune zoning language for the town’s commercial district.
Empress EMS is part of PatientCare EMS Solutions, a provider of emergency medical services that operates throughout the country under several brands, including Sunstar Paramedics, Med Fleet Ambulance, FleetPlus and School of EMS. PatientCare is owned by A+M Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Greenwich, Connecticut, which provides the company with financial backing and corporate oversight.
Kennan said he received a call from NDP owner Ed Murray with the news on Friday.
In a phone call with The News on Wednesday morning, Aug. 27, NDP Chief Operating Officer Mark Browne confirmed that while the acquisition “is on-schedule to happen,” the paperwork is not yet final.
While a potential shift in ownership could bring a variety of changes to North East and Millerton, including EMS response time, cost and the health and safety of the community, Supervisor Kennan said he received a verbal indication that Empress would honor the town’s existing contract with NDP, which was renewed for three years in December.
In 2025, the town is paying $511,558 for contracted services with NDP and the cost is expected to increase to $746,345 by 2027.
“In the short term, we should not be impacted by this change,” Kennan said. He added that the current contract with NDP has a stipulation that any new owner must honor the existing contract.
The news comes after Kennan and other towns have criticized the high costs of emergency medical services, which makes up a sizable chunk of the town’s budget and burdens taxpayers. Along with the Association of Towns, Kennan has urged New York Governor Kathy Hochul to sign a bill that has passed in the Senate and the Assembly and would exempt EMS services from the state’s property tax cap, giving local governments more flexibility to manage costs and sustain their EMS programs.
The bill would allow municipalities to better respond to EMS price hikes in their budgets, but it otherwise does not address those rising costs or poorer-than-typical service in rural communities like North East, Amenia and Dover.
Based in Yonkers, Empress EMS has a hub in Poughkeepsie and operates in Dutchess, Westchester, Rockland, Ulster, Putnam, Sullivan and Orange counties, as well as the Bronx. The company’s acquisition of NDP marks its continued expansion north – in 2021 Empress purchased EMStar and Mobile Life, pushing its way deeper into the Hudson Valley.
In January, Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino announced that Empress won the bid to become the primary provider of supplemental EMS services, a move made by the county in an effort to address long wait times for 911 calls. While successful in more densely populated areas, rural areas like North East, Amenia and Dover saw no visits from the supplemental services in quarter two of 2025.
According to the 2025 second quarter EMS report published by Dutchess County, all but one town in the county is serviced by either NDP or Empress. The merger would make Empress the sole EMS provider in the county except for the City of Beacon.
While there is no confirmed timeframe for the transition, Kennan said NDP owner Ed Murray indicated it was “moving quickly.”
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The Meller’s duck is an endangered species endemic to Madascar.
Provided
LITCHFIELD — The Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy (RWC) is quietly saving some of the world’s rarest birds — right here in Litchfield.
Tucked away on Duck Pond Road, the Conservancy protects 100 species and more than 500 birds. It is one of the few bird-specific conservation centers in the United States, and the only one operating in a northern climate.
The conservancy’s namesake, Dr. S. Dillon Ripley, led an exemplary life. In the 1920s, Ripley started collecting waterfowl in his backyard as a teenager.
He was a professor of ornithology at Yale University before becoming secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in 1964. Twenty years later, he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Upon retirement, he established his land as a nonprofit dedicated to waterfowl conservation and research, where the RWC operates today.
As humanity’s footprint tramples habitats worldwide, RWC’s local efforts have global effects. For example, Emperor geese from Alaska, which RWC protects, could lose 50% of their breeding habitat by 2070.
“You have to think about bird conservation as two pieces of a puzzle,” said Executive Director Ashleigh Fernandez. “You have to work to save the habitat, but you also have to work to save the genetic diversity of the species itself.”
RWC’s mission is to preserve genetic diversity through conservation breeding of these species. But caring for the birds is difficult, like running a hotel for fussy guests who can’t speak.
Some birds are particular about the size of their nesting boxes. “If the size of the hole is half an inch too big or half an inch too small, they’re like, forget it. We’re not using it,” said Fernandez.
Other species require special attention. Spectacled Elders, large sea ducks native to the Arctic, are clumsy parents who might step on their eggs or roll them out of their nest.
“Getting them to lay an egg is the ultimate sign that all their needs are met. It’s kind of a bonus thing birds will do,” said Breanne Ellis, an aviculturist at RWC.
Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy is located in Litchfield.Provided
Beyond caring for birds, RWC’s staff, numbering fewer than ten people, work with every major zoo in the country and universities worldwide. A few years ago, the endangered White-headed duck was not being successfully bred in captivity in the United States; they would lay eggs, but the ducklings would hatch and then not survive.
RWC Director of Aviculture Logan Connor worked to find a counterintuitive feeding protocol after hatching. After the adjustment, RWC went from raising one or two ducklings per year to more than twenty.
Another success story is the Trumpeter Swan, a species that RWC is actively breeding to release into the Pacific Flyway. After being hunted close to extinction, the population has rebounded, and work is underway to re-establish their numbers in their historic ranges around the country.
For humans, RWC provides a chance to see conservation in action. It is open to the public on weekends from May to November, running tours, summer camps, and internship programs.
“People can come here and see birds that you cannot always see in the wild, or when you go to zoos. You get distracted by the lions and the tigers, which might be bigger attractions,” said Ellis. “Here you get to see the birds.”
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