Falls Village celebrated heritage in 2024

FALLS VILLAGE — The Falls Village Volunteer Fire Department kicked off its 100th anniversary year with an open house at the Emergency Services Center Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.

The fire department continued with events throughout the year, including an assembly of fire trucks and apparatus from all over the state at Housatonic Valley Regional High School and a informative lecture on arson investigation.

Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas visited Town Hall on Jan. 30, to award the Municipal Democracy Challenge Cup for the best voter turnout (68.7%) in the small town category in the 2023 election.

First Selectman Dave Barger thanked Thomas for the recognition and the town’s election officials and volunteers for their efforts.

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to adopt the 2024 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) after a public hearing Thursday, Jan 25. Both the hearing and subsequent meeting were held online only.

The David M. Hunt Library sponsored a wide range of programs for all ages during 2024. A highlight was a unique exhibition of photographs that opened March 16.

The show, “From the Great Falls to the Hilltops: The Mabel Hallaway Collection of Early 20th Century Photography,”

The images came from a photo album and a box of glass slide and film negatives from the Falls Village-Canaan Historical Society.

The images were printed out using modern technology by Rika Laser, assisted by Sara Laser, Sergei and Zoe Fedorjaczenko, and Garth Kobal.

The exhibition opening was preceded by a presentation on glass slide photography with Daniel Karp of Bard College at Simon’s Rock.

In December, after three years of operation, the Falls Village Cafe closed at the town-owned 107 Main Street. The Board of Selectmen quickly found a new tenant, Liz Ives of Salisbury, who also plans to run a cafe. A public hearing is necessary but the selectmen did not set a date at their December meeting.

The Center on Main, under the leadership of Rebecca Bloomfield, expanded the offerings and activities at the venerable space, including the monthly “Big Talk” (as opposed to small talk), a singing circle, drop-in art making, ongoing music lessons with Brook Martinez, the recent Holiday Extravaganza and hosting Taekwando three times per week.

And, of course, the Center hosted the productions of the Falls Village Children’s Theater, whose “Jungle Book” was a major success in 2024.

Latest News

Cornwall board approves purchase of two new fire trucks following CVFD recommendation
CVFD reaches fundraising goal for new fire trucks
Provided

CORNWALL — At the recommendation of the Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department, on Jan. 20 the Board of Selectmen voted to move forward with the purchase of two new trucks.

Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, located in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, was chosen as the manufacturer. Of the three bids received, Greenwood was the lowest bidder on the desired mini pumper and a rescue pumper.

Keep ReadingShow less
Robin Lee Roy

FALLS VILLAGE — Robin Lee Roy, 62, of Zephyrhills, Florida, passed away Jan. 14, 2026.

She was a longtime CNA, serving others with compassion for more than 20 years before retiring from Heartland in Florida.

Keep ReadingShow less
Marjorie A. Vreeland

SALISBURY — Marjorie A. Vreeland, 98, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizons, on Jan. 10, 2026.She was surrounded by her two loving children, Richard and Nancy.She was born in Bronxville, New York,on Aug. 9, 1927, to Alice (Meyer) and Joseph Casey, both of whom were deceased by the time she was 14. She attended public schools in the area and graduated from Eastchester High School in Tuckahoe and, in 1946 she graduated from The Wood School of Business in New York City.

At 19 years old, she married Everett W. Vreeland of White Plains, New York and for a few years they lived in Ithaca, New York, where Everett was studying to become a veterinarian at Cornell. After a short stint in Coos Bay, Oregon (Mike couldn’t stand the cloudy, rainy weather!) they moved back east to Middletown, Connecticut for three years where Dr. Vreeland worked for Dr. Pieper’s veterinary practice.In Aug. of 1955, Dr. and Mrs. Vreeland moved to North Kent, Connecticut with their children and started Dr. Vreeland’s Veterinary practice. In Sept. of 1968 Marjorie, or “Mike” as she wished to be called, took a “part-time job” at the South Kent School.She retired from South Kent 23 years later on Sept. 1, 1991.Aside from office help and bookkeeping she was secretary to the Headmaster and also taught Public Speaking and Typing.In other times she worked as an assistant to the Town Clerk in Kent, an office worker and receptionist at Ewald Instruments Corp. and as a volunteer at the Kent Library.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rafael A. Porro

SALISBURY -— Rafael A. Porro, 88, of 4 Undermountain Road, passed away Jan. 6, 2026, at Sharon Hospital. Rafael was born on April 19, 1937 in Camaguey, Cuba the son of Jose Rafael Porro and Clemencia Molina de Porro. He graduated from the Englewood School for Boys in Englewood, New Jersey and attended Columbia University School of General Studies. Rafael retired as a law library clerk from the law firm of Curtis, Mallet Prevost in 2002 and came to live in Salisbury to be nearer to his sister, Chany Wells.

Rafael is survived by his sister, Chany Wells, his nephew Conrad Wells (Gillian), and by numerous cousins in North Carolina, Florida, Wyoming, Arizona, Cuba and Canada. He was the eldest of the cousins and acknowledged family historian. He will be greatly missed.

Keep ReadingShow less