Denise Butwill, president of the League of Women Voters of Litchfield County, right, and Jesse Hubbard, legislative director with the office of the Secretary of the State, presented a program on no-excuse absentee voting Oct. 16 at the Litchfield Community Center.
LITCHFIELD — Voters in November’s election will decide if the state constitution should be amended to allow no-excuse absentee voting, thereby removing restrictions and allowing any voter to request a mail-in ballot.
A program on the topic was presented by Denise Butwill, president of the League of Women Voters of Litchfield County and Jesse Hubbard, legislative director with the Office of the Secretary of the State, at the Litchfield Community Center on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
During the hour-long forum, Hubbard gave a run-down on the history of ballot measures and how constitutional amendments make it to the ballot and fielded questions and concerns from attendees.
“There are a lot of people who say we’re making a change to the state constitution, and it takes people aback a bit,” noted Hubbard.
On the top of the ballot, voters are being asked to indicate yes or no to the question: “Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to permit the General Assembly to allow each voter to vote by absentee ballot?”
Voting “yes” authorizes the Connecticut General Assembly to write the law. Voting “no,” he said, keeps current law in place, requiring one of the following six excuses: Active military service, absence from town of residence during voting hours, illness or physical disability, religious beliefs precluding secular activity on election day, or performance of duties as an election official at a different polling place during voting hours.
Hubbard explained that 29 states have adopted no-excuse absentee ballot voting and 14 states, including Connecticut, have excuse-required absentee ballot voting.
Several attendees questioned how town officials will be able to monitor the ballot boxes to ensure integrity of the votes, especially in light of a recent election fraud case in Bridgeport.
Hubbard noted that Public Act 24-148 signed by Gov. Ned Lamont on June 6, 2024, made several updates to current safeguards and enhances absentee ballot voting processes.
“We are now requiring security cameras on drop boxes,” Hubbard said of the new surveillance measure. All towns must comply by July 1, 2025.
In addition, towns must retain the footage of the surveillance recordings for 12 months and make them available to the public.
Either the voter or his or her designee, or an immediate family member (spouse, child, parent, sibling or dependent relative who resides in voter’s household), can return the ballot by mail or at a drop box, noted Hubbard.
Additional safeguards require that town clerks must record on the outer envelope of returned absentee ballot how it was returned. In addition, said Hubbard, each application is to be marked with the year for which it is valid, prohibiting town clerks from providing or accepting absentee ballot applications without the applicable year noted.
What supporters, opponents have to say
In favor of the amendment, State Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) said, “As we move forward, I wish we had ore collaboration of ideas, ideas that make our voting process better, more inclusive, more transparent, more engaged.
State Senator Robert C. Sampson (R-16), who voted against the amendment, said, “We have to be able to trust those votes without question. I have some concerns about trying to move our voting process away from the way it’s been traditionally done where people vote on one specific day in person.
“In the last election we saw all campaigns across this state mailing ballot applications like crazy to people, and also sending out companion mail to say, ‘Yes, you can check the box for sickness. You can vote by absentee.’ It was a mess.”
How widely are absentee ballots used?
During the 2024 Presidential Preference Primary, of the 111,791 votes cast, 6,740 voted by absentee ballot (6%), and 18,132 voted early (16%). During the 2023 Municipal Election, of the 741,831 votes cast, 48,366 voted by absentee ballot (7%).
For the 2022 State Election, of the 1,297,811 votes cast, 150,284 voted by absentee ballot (12%), and during the 2020 Presidential Election, which was a COVID year, out of 1,297,811 total votes, 659,370 people (35%) voted by absentee ballot.
“We saw a big boost” during COVID, said Hubbard. “People were told to stay in their homes and not to got to the polls that year.”
However, with no-excuse absentee voting, “the ballot will not be mailed without you requesting it. It will be mailed when you make that request,” the state official explained.
Advocating for passage
Hubbard recommended that town officials educate voters about where the question is located on the ballot.
“If you are working at the polls, do remind them it’s on the top,” said Hubbard. “There were times where people hadn’t known there was a question on the back, or didn’t bother to read the text on top.”
Early voting and confusing language leads to defeat, the state official noted.
“Without understanding in full the question will often be ignored,” particularly if it has to do with taking an item out of the state constitution,” Hubbard explained.
One attendee asked why not just extend early voting to an entire month.
“The main reason is cost. It requires the town clerks to be there” during extended hours, said Hubbard. “It’s the legislature that chooses. We asked for less days, and we didn’t win that. We have election handlers in small towns who hadn’t heard from anyone for a couple of days,” during previous early voting sessions.
At the conclusion of the forum, Meredith Penfield, a member of the League of Women Voters of Litchfield County and long-time poll worker, expressed skepticism about no-excuse absentee ballot voting.
“Basically, I think you should show up in person to vote, and our economy should always allow workers the time off to vote,” said Penfield.
The Paul Winter Consort will perform at St. James Cathedral in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Saturday, Dec. 21.
Seven-time Grammy winning saxophonist Paul Winter, with the Paul Winter Consort, will return to celebrate the Winter Solstice on Saturday, Dec. 21, with sold out shows at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Saint James Place, 352 Main St., Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
A uniquely intimate solstice celebration, in contrast to the large-scale productions done for many years in the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York, it promises to deliver everything audiences have come to love and expect.
“While we will not have all the dancers and theatrical effects that were possible in the world’s largest Cathedral, we will have all the essence of our solstice music, and we will feature, as always, the beloved voice of Theresa Thomason, who has been the ‘star’ of our solstice celebrations for over 25 years,” Winter said.
The concert will feature vocalist Theresa Thomason, Eugene Friesen on cello, Bulgarian bassist Peter Slavov, Brazilian pianist Henrique Eisenmann, Brazilian drummer Rogério Boccat and Paul Winter on soprano sax.
“I was captivated by Saint James Place," Winter said. "The acoustics are heavenly, and the architecture is stunning. With seating for [250], it is possibly the most exquisite small concert hall I’ve ever seen."
Winter’s work chronicles his wide-ranging experiences in the musical traditions and natural environments of the Earth. The saxophonist, composer and bandleader founded Living Music as the recording context for his ensemble, the Paul Winter Consort, and his community of colleagues, which includes some of the world’s finest jazz, world and classical musicians, along with notable voices from the great symphony of wildlife.
He is also highly regarded for mentoring young musicians over the years, including the late Collin Walcott, a resident of Norfolk, Connecticut who was a member of the group Oregon and a member of the Paul Winter Consort in the late 1970s.
With compositions and improvisations that connect with the natural world, Winter’s music rewards exploration and opens ears to new ways of hearing. Winter has also supported Wellspring Commons, a non-profit, focusing on environmental issues, bioregionalism, and building local community.
The Paul Winter Consort, will bring their legendary Winter Solstice Celebration across New England this December, with performances in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut.
The Winter Solstice Celebration is a contemporary take on ancient solstice rituals, when people felt a calling to come together on the longest night of the year, to welcome the return of the Sun and birth of the new year.
“Central to all the traditions of solstice is the renewal of spirit symbolized by the rebirth of the sun,” Winter said. “Winter solstice is a time for healing and hope; it is a time to celebrate community and relatedness; and a time to honor the diversity and the unity of the great cornucopia of life on Earth. Remembering the solstice, we resonate once again with the rhythm of the cosmos and allow our hearts to embrace the optimism of our ancient knowledge that the light will overcome the darkness.”
Wake Robin Inn is located on Sharon Road in Lakeville.
LAKEVILLE — Aradev LLC has withdrawn its application to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a special permit to redevelop the Wake Robin Inn.
In a letter submitted to P&Z Chair Michael Klemens on the afternoon of Tuesday, Dec. 17, law outfit Mackey, Butts & Whalen LLP announced its client’s withdrawal.
P&Z was expected to vote on the application before the new year, but the developers withdrew before a vote took place. The decision comes after six public hearings in which Lakeville residents — particularly neighbors of the Inn on Wells Hill Rd. — aired grievances with the project.
The public cited concerns regarding environmental impacts, sewer capacity, increased traffic, noise pollution, and general incongruity with the village’s character as reasons to halt the proposed expansion.
“It feels like we’re trying to fit a square peg in a round hole,” said Sharon Road resident John Franchini at the Tuesday, Dec. 10 session of the public hearing.
The public hearing was finally closed at the Dec. 10 meeting, after which P&Z began their deliberation process on the evening of Dec. 12.
Klemens surveyed each member of the commission whether they would accept or deny the application at a vote that was scheduled for Wednesday, Dec 18. Four of the five members present said that would likely deny the application, including Klemens.
“There comes a time when you can only condition so many things before it becomes unreasonable,” said Klemens at the Dec. 12 meeting.
The commission thanked the applicant for its cooperation throughout the process, which included many revisions of its site plans as it responded to criticism from the commission and members of the public.
“They put a great effort, and they were very understanding and cordial,” said commissioner Robert Riva.
P&Z Vice Chair Cathy Shyer agreed: “Their communication with the neighbors was obviously terrific,” she said. “They were aiming for a quality product.”
During the meeting, both Klemens and commissioner Allen Cockerline suggested that it would be wise for the applicant to withdraw before any vote occurs so that they have the opportunity to reapply.
Representatives of Aradev have not yet replied for comment or announced any plans for the group moving forward.
The 403 Group is located at 403 Ashley Falls Road, where the old This N’ That for Habitat used to be.
NORTH CANAAN — The 403 Group Antique Market is “A hidden secret, a little off the beaten path, but worth the drive,” said Carey Field, who has a booth called “Wild Turkey” there.
“It’s a really fun group of dealers,” Field said. “A really eclectic group of antiques and the prices are reasonable.”
The 403 Group has over forty vendors on two floors. The booths are filled with anything from cement penguins to vintage jewelry, paintings, rugs, glassware, lamps, antiques, furniture of all kinds, clothing, small garden sheds and much more. It is located at 403 Ashley Falls Road in North Canaan, across from Decker and Beebe where This N’ That for Habitat used to be. It fills a void left by the Habitat shop which was a favorite place for many locals to browse. The 403 opened last spring in the building on the left side of the property.
“There is something for everybody,” Field said. She likes that there are “more one-of-a-kind gifts. You are buying something nobody else has” and “It is fun to search.”
Cement penguins greet customers entering The 403 Group Antique Market.Photo by Robin Roraback
Scott Price, who has been in the antique business for over thirty years, chimed in, “The hunt is a big part of the fun.” Price also has a booth and sometimes sits at the front desk of 403. He had his own shops in Torrington, Burlington and Harwinton and ran Stewart’s Treasures in Canaan before moving on to the 403. He said of 403, “It’s a nice place to go to. Interesting things inside and out. People just love it.”
“You never know what you will find,” Field said. “The vendors are always bringing in new merchandise.” She said the vendors “love to go out and find things and bring them to the shop.”
In warm weather, vendors can rent a space outside in front of 403. This past summer there were booths with furniture, tied dyed t-shirts, fruit and vegetables, and antiques. To the side and back of the building there are garden furnishings and sculptures.
Sonja Zinke of Canaan said she visits the 403 often. “I think it is fantastic,” she said. “I love coming.” She said that when she finishes a photography job, she gives herself the treat of coming to browse at 403.
Sarah Dreyer, of Norfolk, has had a booth at 403 since September. She says “A love of vintage items and a love of thrifting” were her inspirations for becoming a vendor. She shares the booth with a friend. Dreyer owns Wildwood 1880, an inn in Norfolk.
The 403 Group Antiques Market is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They can be found on Facebook at The 403 North Canaan.
Martin Tandler
"What I really feel lucky about is having had the chance to meet and photograph so many people who had a real impact on our lives,” said Christopher Little whose new memoir, “Shooting the Breeze: Memories of a Photojournalist” was just released. The book is as eclectic and colorful as the man himself and offers an intimate look into Little’s globe-trotting career spent behind the lens, capturing some of the most iconic figures, events, and human stories of the past half-century.
In 2021, the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at The University of Texas acquired Little’s photographic archive.
“I had two young women who spent three months in my basement cataloging this stuff,” said Little. “So, while they were working, I was scanning as much as I could for this book.” After the three months, Little described that a “big blue truck” came to take away his 371,574 images which are now a permanent addition to the Briscoe Center’s internationally significant photojournalism collection. “It’s very bittersweet,” shared Little. “It was literally a life’s work driving away, but I’m so glad to have it there. And I’m in good company.”
Little has always kept good company; his career is a testament to a charmed life and relentless curiosity. Born and raised in Manhattan, Little’s father was a journalist with The New York Herald Tribune writing a five-day-a-week column covering the theater. His mother was a playwright, and the couple often had famous people to their apartment.
Little’s father was beloved and dropping his name not only helped open doors early on but put his subjects at ease. “He taught me a lot about journalism and the basic idea that I should look for another angle.”
This “other angle” is what makes Little’s photographs so evocative—he’s able to capture an entire story in a static image. “There’s a picture by Nat Fein, a really famous picture,” said Little about one of his early influences. “It was the first sports photograph to ever win the Pulitzer Prize. It’s a picture of Babe Ruth on his last day at Yankee Stadium and it’s shot from behind. It’s always stayed with me.”
Little studied psychology at Yale, another element that seems to have guided him to a deeper understand of his subjects. It was while he was still a student at Yale that Little began working for Newsweek. “I was at Yale from ’67 to ’71 and the campus was one news story after another with the student movement, the Bobby Seale (co-founder of the Black Panter Party) trial, and all that. So, I’d photograph stuff and then I’d get on my motorcycle and drive to New York. I had a loose relationship with Newsweek and I would give them my film, they’d process it, and if they liked something, they’d buy it. And then they started giving me assignments.” After college, he worked for Time Magazine and by 25, he was working with People magazine, beginning a 21-year stint during which he shot more than 350 assignments.
“The early days were incredible,” Little recalled. “I couldn’t have been a freelance journalist now. It almost doesn’t exist.” From covering the Watergate hearings for Time magazine to serving as official photographer for the Aga Khan and working with William F. Buckley Jr. on bestselling sailing memoirs, Little’s assignments brought him into the orbit of world leaders, celebrities, and everyday heroes. His work has been published in Life, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Esquire, GQ, and Architectural Digest, to name a few. Little’s work also went beyond famous faces. Some of his favorite assignments were stories about “ordinary people doing extraordinary things,” such as the first million-dollar lottery winner whose life fell apart under the weight of sudden wealth. “It was heartbreaking to witness,” he said.
The self-designed book, laid out in Adobe InDesign, gave Little the creative freedom he craved. “Nobody told me what to do,” he said. The cover, a playful collage, mirrors the book’s non-linear structure and personal touch.
Beyond photography, Little has led a vibrant life. A father and grandfather, he recently retired from serving as an EMT in Norfolk, Connecticut, after tearing his rotator cuff. “It seemed like a good time to retire,” he said. He spends his time now with his wife Betsy and takes digital photographs in the woods with his dog, Ruby.
Reflecting on his multifaceted career, Little shared, “I have no regrets and no bitterness. It’s a great luxury to look at it all from afar.”
With “Shooting the Breeze,” Little has ensured future generations can explore the remarkable life and work of a photojournalist who truly captured the world.
To purchase a copy of “Shooting the Breeze” visit: www.christopherlittle.com
