Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas came to Cornwall Thursday, Feb. 13, to present the town with the Democracy Cup for garnering the highest voter turnout in the November 2024 election at 90.46%. From left: Selectman Rocco Botto, Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas, Democratic Registrar of Voters Jayne Ridgway, Republican Registrar of Voters Brittany Mosimann, Selectman Jennifer Markow, State Sen. Stephen Harding, R-30, First Selectman Gordon M. Ridgway and State Rep. Maria Horn, D-64.
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Cardona urges more pathways from high school to rewarding careers
Ruth Epstein
Sep 22, 2026
Former U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks at Salisbury Forum Friday, Sept. 18, at Housatonic Valley Regional High School.
Ruth Epstein
FALLS VILLAGE — Former U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona called for better coordination among schools, colleges, employers and government agencies to give Connecticut students more options after high school.
Cardona, who also served as Connecticut’s education commissioner, spoke at the Salisbury Forum’s first program of the season Friday, Sept. 18, at Housatonic Valley Regional High School.
He began by describing how his paternal grandparents’ move from Puerto Rico to Connecticut decades ago helped put him on a path that eventually led to a seat in President Joe Biden’s Cabinet.
“When Domino Sugar Company took over the sugar fields in Puerto Rico, he lost his job,” Cardona said of his paternal grandfather. “He moved his family to Connecticut because of the tobacco fields. They lived in the projects.”
He noted that his mother’s family moved to Meriden, where his parents married young and raised their family.
Cardona, as a teenager, enrolled in a technical high school to study automotive mechanics. His path changed when a teacher noticed his interest in social justice and encouraged him to become an educator.
“I wouldn’t have bet on me to become an adviser to a president, but the teacher saw the assets, not the deficits in me,” he said. “She was someone who believed in me and saw something in me I didn’t see.”
Cardona went on to become a teacher, principal and district administrator before being appointed Connecticut’s education commissioner and later serving as U.S. education secretary under President Biden.
“What a blessing that was, to advise the president on dealing with millions of public school students in the country,” he said.
Cardona said his priorities as state commissioner included narrowing achievement gaps among students of different backgrounds.
As federal education secretary, he helped oversee the reopening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic and pursued changes intended to strengthen accountability in higher education and improve affordability.
Cardona currently chairs the Connecticut Career Pathways Commission, which is assessing the state’s education and workforce development systems and preparing recommendations for a five-year strategic plan.
Gov. Ned Lamont created the commission to help students navigate the choice between college and entering the workforce.
Cardona said Connecticut has many effective programs and agencies, but they do not always work together. Labor representatives, educators, elected officials and industry leaders need to communicate more closely, he said.
Cardona also described the issue as an economic imperative, citing the number of Americans struggling to repay student loans and Connecticut employers’ need for qualified workers.
“There are tens of thousands of careers in Connecticut that students don’t know about,” he said. “Some are making big salaries in the tech field without college debt. We owe it to our students to be able to meet the demands of today. If we don’t meet the demands of employers, they’ll go elsewhere.”
During a question-and-answer session, Cardona was asked about reductions at the U.S. Department of Education.
“It’s a bad idea,” he replied. “Investing in education is like investing in defense.”
He also criticized low teacher salaries, noting that educators can leave college with debt comparable to that of graduates entering substantially higher-paying professions. He pointed out that most teachers are women.
Asked about school shootings, Cardona grew somber as he recalled visiting communities where shootings had occurred.
“We’ve normalized them,” he said. “Gun violence is the number one cause of death of children. We have to do better. It’s not a red or blue issue, but an American issue.”
He warned that without action, more school shootings are inevitable.
“It’s going to happen — not if, but when,” Cardona said. “When are we going to wake up?”
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Kent home prices hit new high in August
Christine Bates
Sep 22, 2026
Built in 1914, the three-bedroom home at 46 Spooner Hill Road overlooks neighboring fields from its 5.5-acre property. With more than 2,500 square feet of living space and central air conditioning, it sold for $1,060,000 after 187 days on the market, below its original asking price of $1,295,000, according to Smart MLS.
Christine Bates
KENT — The median sale price for a single-family home in Kent reached a record $760,750 for the 12 months ending Aug. 31, 2026.
The median was 57% above the $484,000 recorded a year earlier and 1% higher than the previous record of $753,000 set in the 12 months ending in August 2024. The figures exclude condominiums.
Sales volume remained stable, with 28 single-family homes sold during the latest 12-month period, averaging roughly two to three a month. The total compares with 27 sales in the 12 months ending in August 2025 and 30 in the corresponding period in 2024.
Sales peaked at 81 during the 12 months ending in May 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inventory has increased in recent weeks, with 19 single-family homes and three condominiums listed for sale. Twelve of the houses have asking prices above $1 million, while four are listed below the current median sale price. Homes in Kent typically sell for 98% to 100% of their asking price.
The five August transactions detailed below reflect the busy summer closing season, when homes listed in May and June go under contract and complete their sales.
August Kent Transfers
66 Muller Road – 2 bedroom/2 bath home on 5 acres transferred by Peter and Lisa Crockett to Clinton Kelly and Damon Bayles for $565,000
100 Main Street North – 4 bedroom/4 full bath/2 half bath home built in 1800 on 11.01 acres transferred by Jeffrey Kane Weiser Trustee of Jeffrey Kane Weiser Revocable Trust and Soo Zin Hugh Trustee of Soo Sin Hugh Revocable Trust to Greenway Holdings LLC for $2,400,000
262 Kent Cornwall Road – 3 bedroom/2 bath home on 29.8 acres transferred by Carl Posse III and Constance Flanigan to Syed Khalid Wasti and Joanne Lee Wasti for $950,000
46 Spooner Hill Road – 3 bedroom/2.5 bath home on 5.45 acres transferred by Maria and David Kopstein to Andrew and Mary Ann Carman for $1,060,000
433 Kent Cornwall Road, Unit #22 – 3 bedroom/2 bath condo transferred by Holly Ceane and William Strebel to Nadine Kellar for $370,000.
* Town of Kent real estate transfers recorded between August 1, 2026, and August 31, 2026, provided by Kent Town Clerk. Transfers without consideration are not included. Current market listings from Smart MLS and market data from Info Sparks. Note that recorded transfers frequently lag sales by a number of days. Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Salesperson with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in CT and NY.
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Police Blotter: Troop B
Lakeville Journal
Sep 22, 2026
Police Blotter: Troop B
Police Blotter: Troop B
The following information was provided by the Connecticut State Police at Troop B. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Avoiding a deer
On Saturday, Sept. 19 at approximately 3 a.m Giovanni Rojas of Kent was traveling southbound on Rt. 7 in Cornwall when he lost control of his 2026 Dodge Durango while avoiding a deer on the roadway. The vehicle traveled off the right side of the road, striking a residential mailbox at 146 Kent Road. Rojas was found at fault for the crash and was issued a written warning for failure to maintain lane.
Breach of peace, firearm charge
Troop B troopers responded to an active disturbance possibly involving a firearm at approximately 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11 at White Plains Campground in Barkhamsted. An investigation led to the arrest of Frank Schulze, 61, of Bristol on misdemeanor charges of breach of peace in the second degree and carrying a firearm while under the influence of alcohol and he was released on a $2,500 non-surety bond for a scheduled appearance in Torrington Superior Court.
Motorcycle accident
Michalle Dileo, 37, of Barkhamsted, was merging onto 318 westbound from Goose Green Road in Barkhamsted at approximately 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, when her 2013 Jeep Patriot was struck by a motorcycle traveling at a high rate of speed without headlights on.
Dileo had a 10-year old female passenger in the Jeep. Neysha Detrez, 32, of Torrington, a passenger on the motorcycle, was reportedly ejected from the motorcycle, while the unknown driver of the motorcycle fled the scene. Detrez sustained minor injuries and was transported to Waterbury Hospital. Troop B requests that any witnesses contact Trooper Moriarity at 860-626-1820.
The Lakeville Journal will publish the outcome of police charges. Send mail to P.O. Box 1688, Lakeville, CT 06039, Attn: Police Blotter, or send to editor@lakevillejournal.com.
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Car show supports NCES eighth graders
John Coston
Sep 22, 2026
Eighth graders at North Canaan Elementary School pitched in on Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Classic Car Show fundraiser to support their class trip in May.
John Coston
NORTH CANAAN — A vintage car show with an assortment of vendors enjoyed perfect fall weather Saturday, Sept. 19, while raising money for North Canaan Elementary School’s eighth-grade class trip to Washington, D.C.
The entire eighth-grade class was on hand for the fundraiser that will help defray the $1,600 cost per student for the class trip next May. The annual trip for the graduating class spans four days and three nights and focuses on civics and history, and they often take in a ball game.
Eve Davis, a seventh-grade teacher of language arts who is a main organizer of the fundraiser, said, “It’s a coming of age experience for the students. For many of them, it’s the first time that they’re away from their parents.”
The car show drew car buffs who strolled through lineups of sixties muscle cars and more modern high-horsepower cars, as well as strollers who enjoyed the fried dough truck.
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$13 million boost for Sharon Hospital
Ruth Epstein
Sep 22, 2026
Sharon Hospital will receive $13.1 million in federal funding to expand services.
Provided
SHARON — Sharon Hospital will receive $13.1 million in federal funding to expand care for older residents, improve access to specialists and establish an outpatient rehabilitation facility outside its campus.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced Sept. 16 that the award is part of $50 million in first-year agreements finalized by the Connecticut Department of Social Services under the Rural Health Transformation Program.
The statewide funding package includes $46 million for four rural hospital systems and nearly $4 million for technical assistance.
Sharon Hospital, part of Northwell Health, plans to combine its $13.1 million award with investments from the health system to support three initiatives: a healthy aging program, a staffed virtual health office and an off campus rehabilitation facility.
The healthy aging program will bring blood pressure checks, glucose monitoring and cholesterol screening to community settings where older residents already gather. Hospital officials said the gatherings will also provide opportunities for social interaction.
The virtual health office will provide a dedicated space at Sharon Hospital where patients can consult remotely with specialists, with clinical staff available to assist. The service is intended to help older residents, working families and patients whose medical conditions make travel difficult.
The planned rehabilitation facility will provide an additional location for physical therapy and rehabilitation, which hospital officials described as among the area’s most sought-after services. Existing rehabilitation services on the hospital campus will continue.
“These resources will help us strengthen access to care, invest in services that meet the unique needs of our rural community and continue building a healthier future for the patients and families we are privileged to serve,” Sharon Hospital President Christina McCulloch said in a statement.
Other first-year awards include $20.2 million for Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam and a combined $12.7 million for Hartford HealthCare’s Windham Hospital and Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington.
The grants are intended to help rural hospitals address challenges that include staffing shortages, aging facilities, low patient volumes and a heavy reliance on public insurance programs. Projects statewide will include equipment upgrades, building renovations, expanded telehealth capacity and efforts to stabilize the health care workforce.
“Connecticut’s rural hospitals are essential to their communities, and they have unique challenges in ensuring that people who live in these areas can access the healthcare they need,” Lamont said.
The announcement follows other investments since Sharon Hospital became part of Northwell Health in May 2025, when Northwell merged with Nuvance Health, the hospital’s former parent organization.
Earlier this year, McCulloch described upgrades to the hospital’s radiology department, including a replacement CT scanner, and an expanded training program that brings family medicine residents to Sharon for experience in rural health care.
The hospital also is seeking to expand and renovate the Medical Arts Building at 29 Hospital Hill Road to accommodate a larger primary care practice and improve accessibility.
Connecticut is expected to receive approximately $154.2 million during the first year of the five-year federal program. The $50 million announced Sept. 16 represents the first group of finalized agreements with hospitals and a technical-assistance provider.
Sharon Hospital has not specified when its three initiatives will begin, where the offsite rehabilitation facility will be located or how the $13.1 million will be divided among them.
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Voters approve $650K move of historic Lakeville train station
Patrick L. Sullivan
Sep 22, 2026
A delivery truck strikes the overhanging roof of Lakeville’s historic railroad station on Ethan Allen Street on Monday, Sept. 21. The collision came five days after voters approved spending up to $650,000 to move the building back 19 feet from the roadway.
Madi Long
SALISBURY — Voters overwhelmingly approved spending up to $650,000 to move Lakeville’s historic train station and construct a new foundation during a well-attended town meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
The proposal passed 111-37, with 105 residents voting in person and another 43 online.
The project calls for raising the Ethan Allen Street building, moving it back 19 feet and constructing a new foundation. Longer-term plans include restoring the interior and installing new heating and cooling systems.
The Board of Selectmen selected Burlington Construction’s $611,111 bid to complete the work, subject to voter approval of the funding. Voters authorized spending up to $650,000, with the balance available for engineering expenses and contingencies.
First Selectman Curtis Rand has argued for months that the project is necessary to preserve the building and improve safety at the congested intersection. Delivery trucks have struck the station’s overhanging roof multiple times in recent years.
Concrete barriers placed in front of the building have helped prevent trucks from striking it but have narrowed the busy roadway.
The intersection is especially congested in summer, when children bike to and from the town Grove and Lake Wononscopomuc.
After approving three other measures at the meeting, voters turned to the station proposal, the main item on the agenda.
“And now what we’ve all been waiting for,” Rand said.
Bill Littauer supported the project, citing his 20 years with the Lake Wononscopomuc Association and more recent involvement with the Lakeville Community Conservancy. He said both organizations have expressed interest in using the station.
Salisbury resident Victor Jermack described watching a tractor-trailer make a delivery on Ethan Allen Street, where restaurants line one side and the station extends toward the roadway on the other.
He urged the town to consider asking restaurant suppliers to use smaller trucks while the selectmen develop a complete plan for the station and determine the project’s full cost.
Tom Morrison, speaking as chairman of the Republican Town Committee, called the proposal “a no-brainer.”
“The status quo is untenable,” he said.
Margie Vail, a Salisbury resident, asked whether the town would continue to own the building. Rand said he did not know, but three nonprofit organizations had approached him about the property.
Phillip Oppenheimer of Salisbury warned that the $650,000 would cover only the move and foundation, while restoring the station would require additional spending. He said any future state grant would likely require matching funds from the town.
Oppenheimer questioned the wisdom of investing so much in a building with “no economic viability” and using money from the town’s debt service budget to pay for the project.
Cathy Shyer, who lives near the station, said she was speaking for herself and not as chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission. She described the intersection as hazardous because of the combination of trucks, cars and children riding bicycles.
“It’s a miracle we haven’t had a disaster there,” Shyer said. “I don’t care how much it costs.”
Mary Oppenheimer said moving the building back would not create additional parking along Ethan Allen Street. She suggested relocating it to another site instead.
Other residents raised concerns about the cost and its eventual use. Supporters described the project as overdue and said it would improve downtown Lakeville.
Rand said the Board of Finance could pay for the work using money from either the debt service budget line or the Bauer Fund, which is overseen by the finance board.
Voters also approved three other measures during the meeting with little discussion.
An ordinance providing a property tax abatement of up to $2,000 for eligible members of the Lakeville Hose Company and Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service passed 142-1.
An amendment to an existing ordinance waiving personal property tax bills of less than $5 passed 134-6. The waiver will not apply to vehicles at least 20 years old.
The town’s five-year Local Capital Improvement Plan, known as LOCIP, passed 142-3.
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