BOE officially files lawsuit against town

WINSTED — Two weeks after the Board of Education voted to sue the Board of Selectmen and the town for cutting $2,820,561 from the school budget, a lawsuit was officially filed on Monday, May 2, in Litchfield Judicial District Superior Court.The lawsuit was filed by the law offices of Sullivan, Schoen, Campane and Connon of Hartford, the attorneys representing the Board of Education.According to the state’s judicial website, the defendants listed in the court case are the town of Winchester, the Board of Selectmen and individual Selectmen Lisa Smith, Glenn Albanesius, Ken Fracasso and Karen Beadle, the four selectmen who voted to approve the cut at a meeting in April. Not listed individually as defendants in the lawsuit are the three selectmen who did not vote for the budget cut: Mayor Candy Perez and Selectmen Michael Renzullo and George Closson.According to Superintendent of Schools Blaise Salerno, the next steps in the legal action will be two hearings at which the Board of Education will present evidence to support its claims.Salerno said the hearings are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, May 31, and Monday, June 13, at the Litchfield court house.

Latest News

A scenic 32-mile loop through Litchfield County

Whenever I need to get a quick but scenic bicycle ride but don’t have time to organize a group ride that involves driving to a meeting point, I just turn right out of my driveway. That begins a 32-mile loop through some of the prettiest scenery in northern Litchfield County.

I ride south on Undermountain Road (Route 41 South) into Salisbury and turn right on Main Street (Route 44 West). If I’m meeting friends, we gather at the parking area on the west side of Salisbury Town Hall where parking is never a problem.

Keep ReadingShow less
Biking Ancramdale to Copake

This is a lovely ride that loops from Ancramdale north to Copake and back. At just over 23 miles and about 1,300 feet of elevation gain, it’s a perfect route for intermediate recreational riders and takes about two hours to complete. It’s entirely on quiet roads with little traffic, winding through rolling hills, open countryside, picturesque farms and several lakes.

Along the way, you’ll pass a couple of farmstands that are worth a quick visit. There is only one hill that might be described as steep, but it is quite short — probably less than a quarter-mile.

Keep ReadingShow less
Taking on Tanglewood

Aerial view of The Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass.

Provided

Now is the perfect time to plan ahead for symphonic music this summer at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts. Here are a few highlights from the classical programming.

Saturday, July 5: Shed Opening Night at 8 p.m. Andris Nelsons conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Daniil Trifonov plays piano in an All-Rachmaninoff program. The Piano Concerto No. 3 was completed in 1909 and was written specifically to be debuted in the composer’s American tour, at another time of unrest and upheaval in Russia. Trifonev is well-equipped to take on what is considered among the most technically difficult piano pieces. This program also includes Symphonic Dances, a work encapsulating many ideas and much nostalgia.

Keep ReadingShow less
James H. Fox

SHARON — James H. Fox, resident of Sharon, passed away on May 30, 2025, at Vassar Brothers Hospital.

Born in New York, New York, to Herbert Fox and Margaret Moser, James grew up in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. He spent his summers in Gaylordsville, Connecticut, where he developed a deep connection to the community.

Keep ReadingShow less