Governor and Legislature operating on all cylinders

Whether you like his policies or not, Connecticut residents have to acknowledge Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s political skill, which he has deftly employed in the spring legislative session.Malloy’s ability to seize the advantage of his party’s combined legislative and executive power in Connecticut has resulted in an impressive number of landmark bills coming out of the General Assembly, including common-sense marijuana decriminalization, required paid sick leave for service employees, anti-discrimination legislation, a comprehensive energy bill and a new bioscience bill that promises 3,000 new jobs in the state.Combining all of the the legislative successes together, it is clear that the governor and Legislature are working well together and operating on all cylinders — something one can only fondly imagine happening at the national level. One might even point to Gov. Malloy’s playbook when instructing President Barack Obama on how he could have been more productive during his first two years in office.This is not to say that everyone is happy. Some in the business community say Malloy’s “tax and spend” mentality will be bad for business in Connecticut and that a number of his proposed consolidations of state departments simply amount to a game of musical chairs. No one seems to know exactly how the governor is going to erase billions of dollars in state debt while spending money on a litany of new initiatives, and if his grand plan doesn’t work, he may land himself in the political doghouse by this time next year. For now, though, it is clear that Malloy is working hard and fast to make historic changes at a time when historic changes are sorely needed. He certainly gets an A for effort, with high marks for public relations, problem solving and sticking to important issues for Connecticut residents. Call it beginner’s luck if you want. We’ll take it. The excitement of change is here and it feels good.

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Father Joseph Kurnath

LAKEVILLE — Father Joseph G. M. Kurnath, retired priest of the Archdiocese of Hartford, passed away peacefully, at the age of 71, on Sunday, June 29, 2025.

Father Joe was born on May 21, 1954, in Waterbury, Connecticut. He attended kindergarten through high school in Bristol.

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Club baseball at Fuessenich Park

Travel league baseball came to Torrington Thursday, June 26, when the Berkshire Bears Select Team played the Connecticut Moose 18U squad. The Moose won 6-4 in a back-and-forth game. Two players on the Bears play varsity ball at Housatonic Valley Regional High School: shortstop Anthony Foley and first baseman Wes Allyn. Foley went 1-for-3 at bat with an RBI in the game at Fuessenich Park.

 

  Anthony Foley, rising senior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, went 1-for-3 at bat for the Bears June 26.Photo by Riley Klein 

 
Siglio Press: Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature

Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.

Richard Kraft

Siglio Press is a small, independent publishing house based in Egremont, Massachusetts, known for producing “uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.” Founded and run by editor and publisher Lisa Pearson, Siglio has, since 2008, designed books that challenge conventions of both form and content.

A visit to Pearson’s airy studio suggests uncommon work, to be sure. Each of four very large tables were covered with what looked to be thousands of miniature squares of inkjet-printed, kaleidoscopically colored pieces of paper. Another table was covered with dozens of book/illustration-size, abstracted images of deer, made up of colored dots. For the enchanted and the mystified, Pearson kindly explained that these pieces were to be collaged together as artworks by the artist Richard Kraft (a frequent contributor to the Siglio Press and Pearson’s husband). The works would be accompanied by writings by two poets, Elizabeth Zuba and Monica Torre, in an as-yet-to-be-named book, inspired by a found copy of a worn French children’s book from the 1930s called “Robin de Bois” (Robin Hood).

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Cycling season: A roundup of our region’s rentals and where to ride them

Cyclists head south on the rail trail from Copake Falls.

Alec Linden

After a shaky start, summer has well and truly descended upon the Litchfield, Berkshire and Taconic hills, and there is no better way to get out and enjoy long-awaited good weather than on two wheels. Below, find a brief guide for those who feel the pull of the rail trail, but have yet to purchase their own ten-speed. Temporary rides are available in the tri-corner region, and their purveyors are eager to get residents of all ages, abilities and inclinations out into the open road (or bike path).

For those lucky enough to already possess their own bike, perhaps the routes described will inspire a new way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For more, visit lakevillejournal.com/tag/bike-route to check out two ride-guides from local cyclists that will appeal to enthusiasts of many levels looking for a varied trip through the region’s stunning summer scenery.

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