
Photo courtesy of Melville House
In his new novel “Jamie MacGillivray: The Renegade’s Journey,” Academy Award-nominated screenwriter John Sayles (“Passion Fish,” “Lone Star”) takes fans of historical fiction on a bloody, decade-spanning romantic odyssey from the blockbuster-style Jacobite battle scenes of the Scottish Highlands to the 18th century colonies of The New World. Sayles spoke with me on the phone from California ahead of a talk he’ll give with WAMC’s Joe Donahue at The White Hart Inn in Salisbury, Conn., on Wednesday, March 15.
Alexander Wilburn: As someone who has written across all mediums, books, film, and television, what brings you back to the novel?
John Sayles: You don’t have to raise money to write a book. Certainly, as a filmmaker, I probably have 10 movies I’ve written that I’ve never been able to raise money for. As a matter of fact, “Jamie MacGillivray” started a screenplay over 20 years ago, at the suggestion of Robert Carlyle, a Scottish actor. I just felt like it was such a good story, I took it up and started thinking about it as a novel. Of course, things always grow when you turn something into a novel. Secondary characters get much bigger and you can do deeper research. When you’re writing for a movie you have to be so aware of time — are we 10 minutes or half an hour into the movie? Very few people sit down and read a novel straight through, so it has a very different rhythm.
AW: How much of the scope of the story changed then compared to the original script?
JS: It always began at The Battle of Culloden and ended with The Battle of Quebec, so it was an ambitious feature. But for instance, Jenny was a pretty minor character who showed up a few times in the screenplay, but when I was doing the research for the story as a book I came across ship logs that did take Jacobite prisoners over to various slave jobs. One of the ships that carried women was taken over by a French privateer before it was able to reach Jamaica, so the prisoners were liberated on the island of Martinique. I thought, first of all, that’s a great way to get Jenny overseas and I eventually wanted to get her to Canada. So if she’s on a French island she can hook up with a French officer and he can get transferred to Canada. As it turns out the research helped me make all of those moves. It’s a little bit like a board game.
AW: This novel is an epic, romantic, often violent saga. I’m always really curious about the prep work that goes into crafting a big novel like this. As an American writer what kind of research did you do to write a convincing narrative about characters from the Scottish Highlands?
JS: The good thing is that the time period is not so old that there’s nothing written about it. In fact, in the first part of the novel, some scenes are verbatim. The minutes of the trial of Lord Lovat were published. Everything that the various barristers said in front of the judge is recreated in the novel. There were records kept by the military of who was killed at Culloden and what clans they were from. There are shipping records of the prisoners who were sent to the New World, and those involved in slave trafficking, so you can look up a certain ship and see how long the voyage took, how much cargo was on it, and how much money they made. In the New World, the colonists were keeping documents — they weren’t necessarily living up to the letter when it came to Native tribes, but a lot of that is documented as well. I can read in French so for a lot of the stuff that happens in Martinique I was able to find books written at the time. I also did a certain amount of reading of the novelists of the time, Dickens and Henry Fielding who wrote “Tom Jones,” and artists like Hogarth who did these series like “The Rake's Progress,” which are full of details. My one rule when I’m working on a book is that I can do research for a week, but then I have to sit and write fiction for a week. Because you can get sucked down the rabbit hole.
AW: Is the pressure to be constantly period accurate to the 18th century something you strive for or do you take creative license for the sake of storytelling?
JS: I find I get much better ideas if I follow what actually happened. So I have a calendar of when things happened and I fit my characters into that calendar. I also get ideas from the technical research — what weapons were they using? How did they operate them? What was the penal code at the time? How did law work? There’s a chapter where there’s a guy who’s afraid of heights, and he gets the job of putting two beheaded prisoner’s heads up on the spikes on the gate and they’re going to sit there for years and years and years — somebody had to do that. So that kind of detail from research gives me ideas. It’s great to not have to make up a plot, the history is pretty rich in itself.
AW: I want to circle back to William Hogarth who appears in the novel. He’s one of the great painters who captured the frenzy and life and emotion of the 18th century. Were his works a source of visual inspiration?
JS: One of the things that he does in his series like “The Rake’s Progress” or “The Harlot’s Progress,” they’re like stories. Every detail, every background person — even if you look at the paintings on the wall they’re commenting on what’s going on. So they’re really rich and novel-like just looking at his pictures. Then there’s the fact that he met Lord Lovat, who had just been captured, to be tried. Eventually Lord Lovat was the last lord ever beheaded by the British, and Hogarth did this beautiful picture of him — he’s as wide as he is tall, and his head looks like a wicked Jack-o'-lantern. He was a notorious character in his day. That was important for my research, knowing there was satiric humor at the time.
AW: You’ll be having a live stream conversation with “Outlander” author Diana Gabaldon, who has become the modern archetypal author of Scottish fiction. This is sort of a “Tale of Jamie's.”
JS: It will be very interesting because I assume we’ve held a lot of the same research in our hands. She started as a researcher before becoming a novelist, so she’s very deft at that. I’m always interested when you start with the same core material what sends you off in these little directions, what strikes you. Years ago I adapted the first novel of “The Clan of The Cave Bear” by Jean M. Auel and I know a little about the research that she did. This was before people knew the Neanderthals and the Cro-Magnons had interbred. She was right about five or six things that hadn’t been proven yet. She said things came to her in a dream. That’s another way of getting your material.
Photo courtesy of Melville House
Detail of Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat by William Hogarth, 1746 Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Sarah Lazarus, 1891
FALLS VILLAGE — Housatonic Valley Regional High School track and field began the season with a home meet against Lakeview High School Tuesday, April 22.
The rivalry meet produced riveting races including a showdown between seniors Kyle McCarron and Ben Schildgen in the 1600-meter race. The star runners traded the lead several times but McCarron was in front when it counted, winning for HVRHS in a time of 4:29.4, a split second ahead of Ben Schildgen’s 4:29.8.
The boys 300m hurdles came down to the wire too, with Lakeview’s Max Guma defeating HVRHS’s Patrick Money by one-tenth of a second.
Lakeview won overall. The girls team score was LHS 100 - 37 HVRHS and the boys team score was LHS 82.5 - 61.5 HVRHS.
Kent School sent a number of runners to the meet as well. The Lions do not have a school team, but the athletes participated in the spirit of competition. They were not officially scored.
Medalists in each event listed below.
Amelia Dodge, center, hustled her way to first place in the 100m hurdles.Photo by Riley Klein
1. Olivia Myrie (LHS) 13.2 seconds
2. Camila Salinas (LHS) 13.3 seconds
3. Jemima Shanks (LHS) 13.6 seconds
1. Ryan Segalla (HVRHS) 11.4 seconds
2. Daevion Ballard (LHS) 11.5 seconds
3. Jaden Blasi (LHS) 12.0 seconds
1. Greyson Thomas (LHS) 27.8 seconds
2. Camila Salinas (LHS) 29.1 seconds
3. Sara Huber (HVRHS) 29.2 seconds
1. Ryan Segalla (HVRHS) 23.2 seconds
2. Jaden Blasi (LHS) 24.8 seconds
3. Ben Southard (LHS) 25.5 seconds
1. Harper Howe (HVRHS) 1:02.9 minutes
2. Allie Pape (LHS) 1:03.1 minutes
3. Ella Curi (LHS) 1:08.2 minutes
Ryan Segalla, second from right, took first place in the boys 100m, 200m and 400m.Photo by Riley Klein
1. Ryan Segalla (HVRHS) 51.9 seconds
2. Anthony Labbadia (HVRHS) 52.9 seconds
3. Kyle McCarron (HVRHS) 55.2 seconds
1. Lilyana Markavich (LHS) 2:42.8 minutes
2. Olivia Brooks (HVRHS) 2:55.1 minutes
3. Addie Foss (LHS) 2:55.2 minutes
1. Silas Tripp (HVRHS) 2:12.0 minutes
2. Luke O’Mara (LHS) 2:16.2 minutes
3. Reide Augustyn (LHS) 2:18.1 minutes
1. Lilyana Markavich (LHS) 6:00.0 minutes
2. Olivia Brooks (HVRHS) 6:18.1 minutes
3. Addie Foss (LHS) 6:31.5 minutes
Runners representing HVRHS, Kent School and Lakeview compete in the 1600m.Photo by Riley Klein
1. Kyle McCarron (HVRHS) 4:29.4 minutes
2. Ben Schildgen (LHS) 4:29.8 minutes
3. Reide Augustyn (LHS) 5:02.1 minutes
1. Lilyana Markavich (LHS) 13:23.0 minutes
1. Ben Schildgen (LHS) 10:08.0 minutes
2. Bailey Williams (HVRHS) 13:20.0 minutes
1. Amelia Dodge (HVRHS) 17.6 seconds
2. Allie Pape (LHS) 19.2 seconds
3. Anisa Nefic (LHS) 20.3 seconds
1. Patrick Money (HVRHS) 17.3 seconds
2. Max Guma (LHS) 18.4 seconds
1. Amelia Dodge (HVRHS) 48.2 seconds
2. Greysen Thomas (LHS) 49.7 seconds
Max Guma, left, and Patrick Money's race in the 300m hurdles was decided by one-tenth of a second.Photo by Riley Klein
1. Max Guma (LHS) 44.1 seconds
2. Patrick Money (HVRHS) 44.2 seconds
3. James Lundt (LHS) 53.4 seconds
1. LHS (Jemima Shanks, Matilda Barnes, Olivia Myrie, Camila Salinas) 54.0 seconds
2. HVRHS (Amelia Dodge, Harper Howe, Madelyn Johnson, McKenzie Lotz) 57.3 seconds
1. LHS (Noah Jenkins, Hunter Pinho, James Shaughnessy, Jaden Blasi) 48.6 seconds
2. HVRHS (Cole Simonds, Matthew McGuire, Nico Bochnovich, Owen Schnepf) 52.8 seconds
3. HVRHS (Brayan Lopez Gonzalez, Federico Vargas Tobon, Luca Floridis, Samuel Berry) 54.2 seconds
1. HVRHS (Amelia Dodge, Harper Howe, Adelyn Diorio, McKenzie Lotz) 4:29.3 minutes
2. LHS (Allie Pape, Olivia Myrie, Jemima Shanks, Aly Schmitz) 4:31.2 minutes
1. HVRHS (Anthony Labbadia, Ryan Segalla, Patrick Money, Kyle McCarron) 3:39.6 minutes
2. LHS (Max Guma, Nathaniel Stull, Ben Southard, Reide Augustyn) 4:00.4 minutes
3. HVRHS (Silas Tripp, Peter Austin, Owen Schnepf, Luca Floridis) 4:05.9 minutes
1. HVRHS (Olivia Brooks, Hannah Johnson, Adelyn Diorio, Meadow Moerschell) 11:50.0 minutes
1. LHS (Tucker Marchand, James Campbell, Luke O’Mara, Joey Nypert) 9:50.0 minutes
Anthony Labbadia placed first in the high jump after successfully clearing 5-feet 8-inches.Photo by Riley Klein
1. Olivia Lauretano (LHS) 24’ 3.5”
2. Eleanor Klug (LHS) 20’ 8”
3. Sarah Storm (LHS) 18’ 2.5”
1. Jaxx Willey (LHS) 42’ 5.25”
2. Monty Sabolcik (LHS) 20’ 3.5”
3. Matt Festa (LHS) 29’ 4”
1. Sarah Storm (LHS) 62’ 3”
2. Olivia Lauretano (LHS) 60’ 8”
3. Eleanor Klug (LHS) 58’ 5”
1. Noah Schildgen (LHS) 91’ 10”
2. Monty Sabolcik (LHS) 86’ 9”
3. Joe VanOrmer (LHS) 81’ 6”
1. Olivia Lauretano (LHS) 74’ 2”
2. Eleanor Klug (LHS) 60’5”
3. Aly Schmitz (LHS) 59’ 7”
Simon Markow competed in the javelin event for HVRHS.Photo by Riley Klein
1. Luke Gordon (LHS) 108’ 0”
2. Jaxx Willey (LHS) 104’ 5”
3. Noah Schildgen (LHS) 94’ 9”
1. Greysen Thomas (LHS) 5’ 0”
2. Kaylee Wheeler (LHS) 4’ 4”
3. Ella Curi (LHS) 4’ 2”
1. Anthony Labbadia (HVRHS) 5’ 8”
2. Max Guma (LHS) 5’ 6”
3. Daevion Ballard (LHS) 5’ 6”
1. Allie Paper (LHS) 8’ 0”
1. Reide Augustyn (LHS) 8’ 0”
1. Olivia Myrie (LHS) 15’ 6.25”
2. Jemima Shanks (LHS) 13’ 11”
3. Kaylee Wheeler (LHS) 12’ 6”
Patrick Money soars to 19-feet 7-inches in the long jump.Photo by Riley Klein
1. Patrick Money (HVRHS) 19’ 7”
2. Jaden Blasi (LHS) 16’ 11”
3. Noah Jenkins (LHS) 16’ 10.5”
1. Harper Howe (HVRHS) 30’ 0.5”
1. Anthony Labbadia (HVRHS) 39’ 11”
2. Noah Jenkins (LHS) 34’ 4.5”
3. Cole Simonds (LHS) 33’ 2”
HVRHS girls lacrosse watches after practice as classmates compete in the track meet April 22.Photo by Riley Klein
Cornwall Consolidated School seventh graders Skylar Brown, Izabella Coppola, Halley Villa, Willow Berry, Claire Barbosa, Willa Lesch, Vivianne DiRocco and Franco Aburto presented a group research project on the life of Naomi Freeman Wednesday, April 23. In attendance were U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., John Mills, president of Alex Breanne Corporation, Cornwall First Selectman Gordon Ridgway, Cornwall Selectman Jennifer Markow and CCS social studies teacher Will Vincent.
CORNWALL — “In Cornwall you have made the decision that everyone here matters and everyone’s story is important,” said U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Waterbury, to the seventh grade class at Cornwall Consolidated School April 23.
Hayes was in attendance to celebrate history on Wednesday as the CCS students presented their group research project on the life of Naomi Cain Freeman, the first Black female landowner in Cornwall.
To memorialize Freeman, the seventh graders petitioned the town selectmen to rename Great Hollow Road where the Freemans once lived. New street signs for Naomi Freeman Historic Road were created with some help from the town highway department.
“No one in this community, or the state for that matter, will ever forget that this happened here,” said Hayes.
Cornwall Highway Department helped the students create new signs to install on Great Hollow Road.Photo by Riley Klein
Per Cornwall Historical Society records, Freeman’s story began in 1794 when she was born in Vermont. John Sedgwick and his wife Abigail, of Cornwall, adopted her in 1801: an act that protected her from slavery, which was still legal in Connecticut at the time.
Sedgwick included Naomi in his will and she received a dowry after his death in 1820.
Naomi later married Obadiah “Obed” Freeman, a man who had been enslaved in Cornwall. She purchased an acre in Cornwall, becoming the town’s first African American woman to own land, and the two settled on Great Hollow Road in 1828.
Nearly 200 years later, the street itself bears her name.
“We are really proud of the work we’ve done and that Naomi Freeman will continue to be an impactful presence in our town,” said CCS student Vivianne DiRocco.
DiRocco and her classmates Skylar Brown, Izabella Coppola, Halley Villa, Willa Lesch, Willow Berry, and Claire Barbosa discovered Freeman’s story earlier this year while conducting research into important women in Cornwall’s history. The full project will be presented at Troutbeck Symposium May 1.
“One of the archaeologists who excavated the Freemans’ home told us about a gap in Connecticut’s history concerning the everyday life for free African Americans. We hope that we filled that gap a little bit,” said Lesch.
There are no known photographs or portraits of Freeman. The students utilized artificial intelligence to create images of what she might have looked like during her life in Cornwall.
The students created artwork to show what Naomi Freeman, her husband Obed and daughter Sarah might have looked like living in Cornwall.Photo by Riley Klein
“What an incredible example of what happens when young people are given the tools, the encouragement and the space to lead,” said CCS Principal Leanne Maguire. “Thank you for showing us what is possible when curiosity meets courage.”
John Mills, president of the Alex Breanne Corporation in West Hartford, was consulted by the students to help unearth census data and track down living descendants of Freeman. His company researches formerly enslaved people and brings their stories to light.
Mills said he was surprised to see the extensive research that was conducted by the students by the time he was contacted. His company sometimes helps render images for individuals lost to history, but the students had even taken that on themselves.
“I’m incredibly impressed with what you’ve done here,” said Mills to the students. “Now you’re a part of the celebration and civic engagement.”
Town of Salisbury
Board of Finance
Notice of Public Hearing Hybrid Meeting
Wednesday,
April 30th, 2025
7:30pm
A public hearing called by the Board of Finance will be held in-person and via Zoom at 7:30pm on Wednesday, April 30th, 2025 at Salisbury Town Hall, 27 Main Street, Salisbury, CT 06068 with the following agenda:
1. To receive public comment on the proposed Board of Education budget as presented.
2. To receive public comment on the proposed Board of Selectmen, town government budget as presented.
Note: Copies of the proposed budgets are available at Town Hall.
Board of Finance Meeting Immediately following the Public Hearing
1. Final Budget Review; Discussion and possible vote to present the Board of Education and Board of Selectmen, Town Government Budget to the Annual Town Budget meeting, which will take place on Wednesday, May 14th, 2025 at 7:30pm
Please Note: The Annual Town Budget Meeting date has been changed to Wednesday, May 14th, 2025 at 7:30pm.
Topic: Public Hearing on Budgets immediately followed by Board of Finance
Time: Apr 30, 2025 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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04-24-25
Legal Notice
The Planning & Zoning Commission of the Town of Salisbury will hold a Public Hearing on Special Permit Application #2025-0280 by owner Richard Cantele for Structures Located less than Fifty (50) feet from a Waterbody or Watercourse at 204 Between the Lakes Road, Salisbury, Map 58, Lot 03 per Section 404 of the Salisbury Zoning Regulations. The hearing will be held on Monday, May 5, 2025 at 6:45 PM. There is no physical location for this meeting. This meeting will be held virtually via Zoom where interested persons can listen to & speak on the matter. The application, agenda and meeting instructions will be listed at www.salisburyct.us/agendas/. Written comments may be submitted to the Land Use Office, Salisbury Town Hall, 27 Main Street, P.O. Box 548, Salisbury, CT or via email to landuse@salisburyct.us. Paper copies may be reviewed Monday through Thursday between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:30 PM.
Salisbury Planning & Zoning Commission
Martin Whalen, Secretary
04-24-25
05-01-25
Notice of Decision
Town of Salisbury
Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission
Notice is hereby given that the following action was taken by the Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Commission of the Town of Salisbury, Connecticut on April 14, 2025:
Approved - Application 2025-IW-050 by Engineer Pat Hackett to install a new septic system. The property is shown on Salisbury Assessor’s map 59 as lot 09 and is known as 36 South Shore Road, Salisbury. The owner of the property is Noelle G Becker, Trustee.
Any aggrieved person may appeal this decision to the Connecticut Superior Court in accordance with the provisions of Connecticut General Statutes §22a-43(a) & §8-8.
04-24-25
TAX COLLECTOR TOWN OF
SALISBURY CT
LEGAL NOTICE
Pursuant to Sec. 12-145 of the Connecticut State Statutes, the taxpayers of the Town of Salisbury are hereby notified that the fourth installment on the Grand List of October 1, 2023 is due and payable on April l, 2025. Payments must be received or postmarked by May 1, 2025. If said Real Estate and Personal Property taxes are not paid on or before May 1, 2025, interest at the rate of one and one half percent (18% per year) will be added for each month or a fraction thereof which elapses from the time when such tax becomes due and payable until the same is paid. Minimum interest charge is $2.00.
Pursuant to Section 12-173 of the Connecticut State Statutes, unpaid Real Estate tax on the Grand List of October 1, 2023 will be LIENED on JUNE 6, 2025. Payment must be received by 12:00 p.m. on June 6, 2025 to avoid a Lien. Tax Office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9am- 4pm. Closed 12:30pm- 1 :30 pm.
Taxes can be paid by mail addressed to: Tax Collector, P.O. Box 338, 27 Main Street, Salisbury, CT 06068, There is a drop box in the vestibule of the Town Hall which is available 9am-4pm, Monday-Friday as well as a 24-hour drop slot at the rear of the building adjacent to the parking area. The Town is urging taxpayers to mail checks or use the option of paying by credit card or E-Check. Please see the Town website salisburyct.us for additional information. Dated at Town of Salisbury, CT this 15TH day of March 2025.
Jean F. Bell, CCMC
Tax Collector
Salisbury CT 06068
03-20-25
04-03-25
04-24-25
Experienced horse equestrian: to train three-year-old white Persian Mare for trail riding. 860-67-0499.
Help wanted: Small Angus Farm seeks reliable help for cattle and horses. Duties include feeding, fence repair, machine repair. Will train the right person. 860-671-0499.
The Town of Cornwall has several job openings for the Town Beach: Beach Director, Water Safety Instructor, and Certified Lifeguards. For more details and to apply, contact First Selectman’s office 860-672-4959.
Hector Pacay Service: House Remodeling, Landscaping, Lawn mowing, Garden mulch, Painting, Gutters, Pruning, Stump Grinding, Chipping, Tree work, Brush removal, Fence, Patio, Carpenter/decks, Masonry. Spring and Fall Cleanup. Commercial & Residential. Fully insured. 845-636-3212.
Hay For Sale: Round Bales. First Cutting covered hay, round bales. First cut hay covered with plastic. $25 for bale loaded. 860-671-0499.
PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Equal Housing Opportunity. All real estate advertised in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1966 revised March 12, 1989 which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color religion, sex, handicap or familial status or national origin or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All residential property advertised in the State of Connecticut General Statutes 46a-64c which prohibit the making, printing or publishing or causing to be made, printed or published any notice, statement or advertisement with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, age, lawful source of income, familial status, physical or mental disability or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.
3b/3b home in Sharon:fully furnished, lake access, 3.84 acres. $5000 per month. 860-309-4482.
MT RIGA Two Bedroom LAKEFRONT: Log cabin. Private beach, canoes and kayaks. $1350/Week. 585-355-5245.
Seasonal rental: Very private and comfortable 4B/3B home set back from the road. 6/15-9/15. sun rm/dr, upper and lower decks, ping pong and knock hockey, den, FP, W/D, fully equipped. 15K seas. 917-887-8885.
Sharon Rentals: 1b/1b home on a private lake. Avail 4/1/25. Yearly. $2750/Furnished, weekly house--keeping, garbage, water, ground maint. included. utilities addtl. 860-309-4482.