David Michael Riva
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Kent approves $16.9M budget, increases mill rate by 2.78%
Aly Morrissey
Jun 03, 2026
Kent Town Hall
Leila Hawken
KENT – More than 40 Kent residents turned out for the annual town budget meeting Friday, May 29, approving the 2026-27 spending plan by a vote of 34-11.
The approved budget will set the mill rate at 17.34, an increase of 2.78% from the current rate of 16.87. For a home assessed at $350,000, the increase is expected to raise annual property taxes by about $200.
The total budget of $16,933,279 includes a Board of Selectman budget of $5,285,669, a Board of Education budget of $5,307,470, and Kent’s share of the Region One budget, $2,783,359, which voters approved districtwide May 5.
Residents unanimously elected resident Steve Pener to serve as the moderator. Penner guided attendees through a series of budget-related motions, including the creation of a new capital project for paving Judd Avenue and Elizabeth Street and several transfers between completed and ongoing capital projects. All were approved.
Much of the discussion centered on questions and criticisms raised by resident Matt Starr, who challenged several budget line items and capital expenditures. Starr questioned the need for a new paving project and unsuccessfully proposed eliminating funding for new highway equipment and a $200,000 town asphalt line item. Both motions were defeated by wide margins following paper-ballot votes.
During discussion of the paving project, town officials explained that work on Judd Avenue and Elizabeth Street would be completed in conjunction with a sidewalk and paving project at Kent Center School.
Members of Kent’s Board of Education attended the meeting, and said they were pleased with the outcome of the vote.
“We feel very confident with our budget,” said BOE member Kate Symonds, adding that it will fully cover the year ahead. “We’re very proud of it.”
First Selectman Eric Epstein, who took office in November 2025, said he was relieved to have his first budget season behind him.
Epstein said he looks forward to tackling outstanding and upcoming projects, like Streetscape and sidewalk projects, to name a few.
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Water main break shuts down Off the Trail Café for days, discolors local water
Alec Linden
Jun 03, 2026
Off the Trail Cafe reopened Friday, May 29, after an unexpected closure due to a water main break in Falls Village.
Aly Morrissey
FALLS VILLAGE – A broken water main caused Off the Trail Café to close early Tuesday, May 26, and remain shuttered through Friday morning, while some residents reported discolored water at their homes and were advised to boil it as a precaution.
According to a notice issued by Aquarion Water Company on Tuesday, residents and businesses between 33 and 84 Railroad St., 100 and 107 Main St,, and 35 Water St. and 12 Warren Turnpike, were advised to boil potentially contaminated water before drinking while repairs were underway.
The coffee shop and eatery remained closed until Friday morning, and residents continued to report murky water on social media before repairs to the water main were made later in the week. The eatery and coffee shop reopened Friday at 8 a.m.
An Off the Trail Cafe staff member said she noticed a loss of water pressure on Tuesday morning and contacted the owners, who decided to close the business out of an abundance of caution. Owner Liz Ives said she also notified the state Department of Public Health as an additional safety measure.
While acknowledging that emergencies happen, Ives said she was not provided with advance notice that service might be disrupted and estimated the closure cost the business between $400 and $500 in lost revenue.
On Wednesday morning, several residents in the Beebe Hill Road area reported discolored water in a post to the Falls Village Facebook Forum page, including one resident who posted an image of a bathtub filled with brownish water.
Falls Village First Selectman David Barger said Aquarion has been investigating a number of leaks within the system near the center of town, including one believed to be affecting the area around the post office.
“It’s coming down from somewhere on Beebe Hill and they’ve been working in the area to identify the leaks,” Barger said. He said he did not know if the water main break was related to this ongoing work.
According to an alert on Aquarion’s website, the break was repaired by 4:15 a.m. Wednesday. Customers experiencing discolored water were advised to run cold water until it poured clear.
Barger applauded Aquarion for working through the night to fix the problem, while acknowledging the challenges it created for businesses and residents.
“When you’re a business and all of a sudden there’s no water, that affects you negatively,” he said. However, Barger added that Aquarian is typically “very good about notifying customers” and providing a window of time when service may be disrupted.
“It’s just one of those things,” he said. “When you have an emergency, you have an emergency.”
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Salisbury Central Middle School Band performs at Hartford Yard Goats baseball game
Lakeville Journal
Jun 03, 2026
James H. Clark
HARTFORD — Salisbury Central School students performed at the May 29 baseball game between the Hartford Yard Goats and the Altoona Curve at Dunkin’ Park.
The school’s fifth- through eighth-grade band, led by Rob Nellson, performed excerpts from five military service songs — Army, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force — before the first pitch. The chorus, led by Jennifer Moros, performed “God Bless America” during the seventh-inning stretch.
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Region One to begin school study in September
Patrick L. Sullivan
Jun 03, 2026
File photo
FALLS VILLAGE – The Region One Board of Education voted Monday, June 1, to move forward with a broad organizational study that could shape the future of education in the Northwest Corner. The study will run from September 2026 to May 2027, with findings expected to be presented in June 2027.
The board also approved expanding the study from kindergarten through grade eight to include Housatonic Valley Regional High School, making it a K-12 review. Six member towns will decide this summer whether to participate. Communities that opt out will not be included in the study’s findings.
Region One Superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley emphasized that the goal of the study is to provide information, not to recommend a course of action.
Brady-Shanley said she and Region One Business Manager Sam Herrrick will run the study, drawing on state and local resources as needed, but do not intend to hire outside consultants.
“The purpose of this organizational study is to evaluate the Region’s K–8 structure to ensure long-term educational excellence, equity, and fiscal sustainability,” Brady-Shanley said.
The board highlighted the issue of declining enrollment in several smaller schools while operational costs continue to rise. The study will clearly outline the financial and educational realities of the Region’s current model so that each local board of education and community can make informed, data-driven decisions about their school, Brady-Shanley added.
Community identity will also be a focal point of the study and will examine the importance of local schools.
“We get a lot of questions, and we don’t always have the answers,” she said. “If nothing else happens at least we’ll be educated on the information.”
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Warren median price spikes above $900,000
Christine Bates
Jun 03, 2026
Situated on 29.5 acres, 100 Rabbit Hill Road in Warren sold for $750,000 in April with a market value of $435,700, according to the town assessor’s field card.
Christine Bates
WARREN — Warren, a rural community bordering Lake Waramaug, saw its 12-month trailing median price for a single-family home rise to $905,000 for the period ending April 30, 2026.
The figure represents a 35% increase from the $669,250 median recorded for the 12 months ending April 30, 2025, and a 76% increase from the $515,000 median recorded for the year ending April 30, 2024.
The 12-month rolling average of home sales through April 30 was 17, compared with 20 during the previous 12-month period. With only about 650 housing units, Warren’s small housing stock often results in months with little or no sales activity. For instance, during the first four months of 2026, just four properties changed hands, including vacant land.
Meanwhile, at the end of May, only five single-family homes were listed for sale, four of them priced above $1 million. Eight parcels of land were on the market, with asking prices ranging from $150,000 to $3.5 million for a one-acre lot on Arrow Point Road.
Seasonal rentals remained readily available at the end of May, with eight furnished summer homes still on the market. Since January, four furnished summer homes have been rented through local real estate agencies, with monthly rents ranging from $8,500 to $20,000, roughly in line with last year’s activity.
Warren Transfers from January through April 2026
57 Curtiss Road – 3 bedroom/1.5 main house with 1 bedroom/1 bath unit over the garage on .97 acres. It was sold by Caroline Farnsworth and George Smith, co-executors of the estate of Virginia Smith, on Feb. 9for $520,000.
Sacket Hill Road – 26.59 acres of vacant land. It was sold by Karen Miles Hambleton Executor Estate of David Miles to YWC Properties LLC on Feb. 9 for $175,000.
100 Rabbit Hill Road – 3 bedroom/1 bath home with acreage sold by Dorothy Yodkins Executor Estate of Minerva Smalley to 100 Rabbit Hill Farm LLC on April 1 for $750,000.
89 North Shore Road – 4 bedroom/4 bath home on 2.25 acres built in 1954. It was sold by Margaret Cabral Trustee of Marital Trust U/A Doar Stoll Blinn on April 20 for $3,300,000.
* Town of Warren real estate transfers recorded between January 1, 2026, and April 30, 2026, provided by Warren Town Clerk. Transfers without consideration are not included. Current market listings from Smart MLS and market statistics from InfoSparks. Note that recorded transfers may 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
Jun 03, 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.
Vehicle hits tree after sliding on gravel
On the evening of May 21, Mira Trezza-Leven, 51, of New York City was driving west on Lovers Lane in Sharon when she drove over a gravel patch going downhill and lost control, running off the roadway and striking a tree. Trezza-Leven reported minor injuries and was evaluated by Sharon EMS responders. Her Tesla T3 was towed from the scene. She was ultimately issued a written warning for failure to maintain lane.
Disorderly conduct and resisting arrest
Just after 1 p.m. on May 25, troopers responded to an address on Moses Mead Road in East Canaan on the report of an active disturbance. After investigating, troopers arrested Christopher Fasolo, 37, of East Canaan for disorderly conduct and interfering with officers. Two victims aged 69 and 75 were listed and stated to be uninjured in the incident. He was held on a $10,000 cash bond, and was scheduled to appear at Torrington Superior Court the next day.
Car strikes utility pole
Monica Garay, 44, of Sharon, was driving north of Jewett Hill Road just north of the intersection with Calkinstown Road on the evening of May 27 when her vehicle veered across the southbound lane and struck a utility pole. Garay’s Toyota Camry was disabled by the incident, and she left the scene via a pickup from a friend with suspected minor injuries. Garay was issued a misdemeanor summons for evading responsibility and failure to maintain lane.
Disorderly conduct arrest in Salisbury
At around 1 p.m. on May 27, Victoria Deluca, 44, of Salisbury was taken into custody on an outstanding arrest warrant for an incident that occurred on May 21. Deluca was processed for disorderly conduct and subsequently released on a $500 non-surety bond. She was scheduled to appear at Torrington Superior Court on May 28.
Disorderly conduct arrest in Salisbury
At approximately 6 a.m. on May 28, troopers placed Tyler Kilventon, 35, of Salisbury, under custody on an active warrant dating to an incident two days before. Kilventon was processed for disorderly conduct and was scheduled to appear at Torrington Superior Court the next day.
Two car collision on Route 7
On the afternoon of May 28, Russell Lowell, 66, of East Canaan was traveling north on Route 7 in North Canaan just south of the intersection with Sand Road when a Subaru Forester pulled out of a driveway without granting right of way, causing Lowell to collide with the driver’s side of the vehicle. Lisa Spadaccini, 71, of Falls Village was found to be at fault for the incident, and enforcement action is pending. Both her vehicle and Lowell’s Ford Explorer were towed, and both drivers were transported by North Canaan EMS to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital with suspected minor injuries.
Single car accident on Route 4
Just after 6 a.m. on May 29, troopers responded to Route 4 in Sharon near Hidden Lane on the report of a single vehicle accident. Upon investigating, troopers gathered that Alexander Paparazzo, 32, of Woodbury, Connecticut, lost control of his Saab 9-2X Aero and drove off the roadway, striking a wire rope guardrail. Paparazzo was uninjured, but his vehicle was towed from the scene. He was issued an infraction for failure to maintain lane.
Tree limb collision
Shortly after 9 p.m. on May 29, John Miller, 41, of Washington, D.C., was traveling north on Route 41 near the intersection with Cobble Road in Salisbury when he struck a large tree branch in the roadway. Witnesses stated the branch fell approximately 30 seconds before the collision. The branch also brought down several power lines. The Mercedes-Benz M35 Miller drove was disabled, but he was uninjured in the incident.
Car strikes CT welcome sign
Riley Clark, 25, of Ancram, New York was across the New York/Connecticut state line on Route 44 early on May 29 his Toyota Camry ran off the roadway. The vehicle struck approximately 20 feet of guardrail rope and the Connecticut welcome sign before coming to a rest. The Camry was disabled, but Clark was uninjured in the incident. Clark was issued a written warning for failure to maintain lane.
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@lakeville
journal.com.
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