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Falls Village exhibit honors life and work of Priscilla Belcher
Robin Roraback
Apr 22, 2026
Hunt Library in Falls Village will present a commemorative show of paintings and etchings by the late Priscilla Belcher of Falls Village.
Lydia Downs
Priscilla Belcher, a Canaan resident who was known for her community involvement and willingness to speak out, will be featured in a posthumous exhibition at the ArtWall at the Hunt Library from April 25 through May 15.
An opening reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on April 25. The show will commemorate her life and work and will include watercolors and etchings. Belcher died in November 2025 at the age of 95.
Christian Allyn, a close friend, said Belcher largely kept her creative work private. “Priscilla was a very private person. She kept her painting and writings to herself and only a few close family members,” he said, noting that she was self-taught.
After Belcher suffered a fall in 2024, Allyn and her neighbor, Gail Sinclair, prepared her home for her return. “During this process is when Gail and I began to uncover the volumes of art that Priscilla did throughout her life,” he said.
Belcher was born in 1930 in the Huntsville section of Canaan, the youngest of 10 children. Her family struggled during the Great Depression. “She could remember the entire family splitting one cabbage for dinner,” Allyn said. Her father died when she was nine.
She graduated from Lee H. Kellogg School, when it was still located at the Hunt Library building, and went on to graduate from Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS).She married John Belcher, foster son of local landowner Dorothy Haven, and moved in 1952 to a house in South Canaan that Haven gave them, near the South Canaan Meeting house, the “Little Red House.”
Years later, Belcher sold the home to help cover legal expenses for her neighbor, Peter Reilly, who was wrongly accused of killing his mother while a student at HVRHS in the 1970s.
Allyn described Belcher as part of a generation shaped by hardship. “Priscilla was one of the last living examples of the greatest generation,” he said. “Through that struggle, her tenacity and character were formed, which helped shape Canaan and the wider region into what it is today.”
He added that her advocacy ranged from pushing for pollution controls at the Falls Village landfill to calling for reforms in Region One schools. “Her willingness to put her house up to pay for Peter Reilly’s legal expenses, consistent advocacy of pollution controls … and reform to Region One in 2010 led this area into a far better place,” he said.
Belcher worked as a bookkeeper for the Lakeville Journal and Geer Nursing. After 1978, she devoted her time to gardening, documenting local history, refinishing furniture, attending town meetings, supporting people in recovery, and developing her painting and writing.
“She had a very hard life and often upset other people while she was intending to do good,” Allyn said. He recalled a conversation near the end of her life: “She said to me in her last days, ‘You know, I think I went a little too far with what I did in Falls Village,’” referring to her outspokenness. He added that after reflecting, “her entire outlook changed.”
The opening reception will be a celebration of Priscilla Belcher’s life, art, and legacy. All are welcome.
For more information visit www.huntlibrary.org/art-wall
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Crescendo’s 'Stepping Into Song' blends Jewish, Argentine traditions
Ruth Epstein
Apr 22, 2026
The sounds of Argentine tango and Jewish folk traditions will collide in a rare cross-cultural performance April 25 and 26, when Berkshire’s Crescendo presents the choral program “Stepping Into Song.”
Christine Gevert, Crescendo’s founding artistic director, described the concert as “a world-class, diverse cultural experience” pairing “A Jewish Cantata” with Martin Palmeri’s “Misa a Buenos Aires.”
For Gevert, who was raised in Chile, the program fulfills a passion for bringing Latin American music to the region.
Palmeri will travel to the Berkshires to conduct and accompany his own works in collaboration with Gevert. Born in Buenos Aires, he is not only a composer but also a conductor and pianist known for integrating tango rhythms into classical choral and orchestral forms.
Billed as the biggest concert of Crescendo’s season, “It is not your traditional choral concert,” Gevert said, describing it as monumental. “The two main works on the program are a fusion of sacred, traditional choral music and the dramatic, pulsating rhythms and lush harmonies of Argentine tango. ‘A Jewish Cantata’ is a unique new work that merges Yiddish and Hebrew folk songs with traditional choral writing and Piazzolla-style tango.”
The messages presented go beyond current political ideologies, she said, and are instead universal. She said she commissioned the work to honor her roots and connect to Jewish people.
The performances will feature the Crescendo Chorus, the Manchester Community College Chorus, and Mexican-born soloist Nadia Aguilar, a soprano, scholar and educator.
The two main instrumental soloists are Argentine bandoneon player Rodolfo Marcelo Zanetti and Alexander Kollias, principal clarinetist with the Hartford Independent Chamber Orchestra.
An ensemble of strings led by New York City-based Brazilian violinist Edson Scheid, along with piano performed by both Palmeri and Gevert, will provide the instrumental accompaniment. Palmeri and Gevert will share the conductor’s podium.
Gevert formed Crescendo in 2003 to bring high-level choral music to a region that lacked the offerings found in larger urban areas. The group combines 20 to 30 chamber chorus members with a strong pool of paid professional musicians.
“Stepping Into Song” will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 25, at Trinity Church, 484 Lime Rock Road, Lakeville, and at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 26, at Saint James Place, 352 Main St., Great Barrington. Tickets and workshop registration are available at crescendomusic.org.
Crescendo’s concerts are partially funded by support from the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development, WMNR Fine Arts Radio and NBT Bank.
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Salisbury Rotary brings Derby race-day flair to Noble Horizons for community fundraiser
Debra A. Aleksinas
Apr 22, 2026
Salisbury Rotary Club President Bill Pond and his wife, Beth, dressed for the occasion during last year’s Kentucky Derby Social.
Provided
SALISBURY — As millions tune in to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2, a spirited local tradition unfolds in Salisbury, where the pageantry, fashion and excitement of race day are recreated — with a community purpose.
For the past six years in the Community Room at Noble Horizons, all eyes turn to the big screen as the crowd settles in, drinks in hand and anticipation building. Women in elaborate Derby hats — bursting with oversized silk flowers, feathers and playful cutouts — mingle with men dressed for the occasion in crisp jackets and bow ties, fedoras and the occasional red rose on a lapel.
As post time nears, the room quiets, then hums with nervous energy. When the horn finally sounds, the crowd erupts. The next two minutes determine which thoroughbred will be ceremoniously draped in a blanket of roses.
“They definitely take it to heart,” said Salisbury Rotary Club President Bill Pond of the local revelers. “It’s just tile and bricks here, but when they’re waiting for that horn to go off, it feels like the real thing in Kentucky.”
The club’s annual Kentucky Derby Social has become the Rotary Club’s signature fundraiser, blending high-spirited fun with a deeper purpose: supporting neighbors across the Northwest Corner.
Proceeds from the event support local food banks, student scholarships, backpacks and clothing for back-to-school programs, as well as nonprofit groups serving residents in need.
Between sponsorships, a silent and live auction, ticket sales and monetary donations, the organization is hoping to raise about $6,000 this year.
“Rotary members volunteer their time, and all the money raised goes back to the community,” said Pond, who is also the administrator at Noble Horizons Senior Community, whichprovides the event space, food and refreshments.
Over the past several years, said Rotary treasurer Susan Dickinson, the organization has donated more than $50,000 locally — helping stock food pantry shelves, support families preparing for the school year and provide scholarships to area students.
“All the money raised comes from local people, so it goes back into the community. We try to help those that are most in need,” said Pond. “Everybody’s hurting.”
Planning for the event starts many months in advance.
“A lot of time and effort goes into it,” Dickinson said of the volunteers who take care of the many details, from soliciting donations and sponsorships, to planning the menu, selling tickets, creating the gift baskets and transforming the community room into a festive, Derby-worthy space.
On a recent weekday in April, while planning was in full swing, Dickinson noted that Fran Chapell, the club’s secretary, was busy assembling donated items into themed gift baskets for the silent auction, a highlight of the evening’s fundraising efforts.
There is one element to the Salisbury social, however, that consistently steals the show.
“It’s all about the hats,” said Pond. “Women show up in hats with gigantic pink or red flowers and all kinds of decorations on them.”
Gentlemen, too, often dress to the nines. “There’s a gentleman who wears an authentic suit that somebody at the track would wear. It’s a lot of fun.”
Organizers are optimistic this year’s Derby social will draw a minimum of 100 attendees. “Last year’s turnout was closer to 75,” Dickinson said, citing competition from other local events on that same day.
But if the energy inside Noble Horizons is any indication, the crowd will once again rise to its feet when the starting horn sounds — proving that even miles from Churchill Downs, the spirit of the Derby, and the generosity behind it, runs just as strong.
For details and tickets, email salisburyctrotary@gmail.com or call 860-671-1676 or 860-671-1415
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Treats, tricks and training that sticks: 6 smart tips for training a new puppy or dog
Gary Richter, Ms, Dvm
Apr 22, 2026
Dr. Gary Richter, America’s Favorite Vet, blends conventional and holistic care.
Provided
Bringing home a new puppy or newly adopted dog is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming once the training begins.
The good news is that training does not have to be complicated. Here are six of the best techniques to keep in mind when training a new puppy or dog:
1. Be consistent from day one.
Dogs learn best when the rules stay the same. If one person allows jumping on the couch and another corrects it, your dog will get mixed messages. The same goes for feeding routines, potty breaks and commands. Keep your language simple and consistent.
2. Reward the behavior you want right away.
Timing is everything in dog training. If your puppy sits when asked, comes when called or goes to the bathroom outside, reward that behavior immediately so they can connect the action with the outcome.
3. Keep training sessions short and manageable.
With puppies, attention spans are limited. Training for too long can lead to frustration for both the dog and the owner. Instead of one long session, aim for a few short sessions throughout the day.
4. Focus on routines before perfection.
One of the biggest mistakes new dog owners make is expecting too much too soon. Before worrying about perfect obedience, focus on building a strong routine. Regular mealtimes, walks, potty breaks, playtime and rest all help create structure. That structure lays the groundwork for better behavior because dogs feel more secure when they know what to expect.
5. Correct gently and redirect quickly.
Training is not about punishing mistakes; it is about helping your dog make better choices. If your puppy starts chewing on a shoe, redirect them to an appropriate chew toy. If they start jumping, ask for a different behavior, like sitting. Calm redirection teaches much more effectively than harsh reactions.
Training a new puppy or dog takes patience, but it is also one of the best investments you can make in your pet’s long-term well-being. With consistency, positive reinforcement and realistic expectations, families can make training feel less stressful and more rewarding.
6. When in doubt, seek expert help.
All dogs are trainable given the right technique. If you are unclear how to proceed or are not getting the results you want, consult a qualified trainer or behaviorist.
When looking for the right trainer or veterinary behaviorist, ask whether they follow LIMA (least invasive, minimally aversive) principles. Resources for positive reinforcement trainers include the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IABC), the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), the Academy for Dog Trainers and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB).
Dr. Gary Richter, named America’s Favorite Vet by the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, is a veterinary acupuncturist, chiropractor and founder of Ultimate Pet Nutrition. He is the owner and medical director of Montclair Veterinary Hospital.
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Independent Bookstore Day
Lakeville Journal
Apr 22, 2026
Provided
Oblong Books in Millerton will mark Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 25, joining more than 1,600 stores nationwide. The all-day event features signed books, exclusive merchandise and a drop-in, browse-at-your-leisure atmosphere. Free; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m
Foley hits two homers in Housy’s comeback win over O’Brien Tech
Riley Klein
Apr 22, 2026
Riley Klein
FALLS VILLAGE – Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s varsity baseball team battled back to win 6-4 over O’Brien Technical High School Wednesday, April 15.
It was the home opener for HVRHS. Anthony Foley sent a pair of home runs over the fence, one in the third inning and one in the fourth, to help the Mountaineers claim the lead. Before the game, HVRHS Coach Bobby Chatfield encouraged his team to “play with an immense amount of energy.”
The weather was muggy at Ed Kirby Field in Falls Village – about 79 degrees and sunny when the umpire yelled “play ball.”
Carson Riva got the start for HVRHS. The junior pitched four innings with five strikeouts and five walks. He gave up four hits and four runs.
O’Brien went ahead early, courtesy of a solo home run by first baseman Bruno Lombardo in the first inning. HVRHS responded in the bottom of the second with a groundout by Abram Kirshner that brought in Wyatt Bayer.
O’Brien got back on top with a big third inning in which the Condors scored three runs: Bruno Lombardo hit an RBI double, Brody Lombardo brought him home with a sacrifice fly and then O’Brien scored on an error, bringing the game to 4-1.
During the bottom of the third, Foley hit a two-run home run. Then Riva got on base and was sent home by Bayer to tie it up at 4-4.
Foley put the Mountaineers ahead in the fourth inning with another two-run home run -- a deep shot to left field. The O’Brien dugout remarked, “this field is too small for him.”
Housy celebrates Foley's HR. Riley Klein
Owen Riemer took over for Riva on the mound and pitched the final three innings. He threw three strikeouts and gave up no runs to end the game 6-4.
O’Brien’s Emil Smith pitched the full game for the Condors. He struck out two batters and walked one while surrendering 11 hits. On offense, Bruno Lombardo had a big game hitting 4-for-4 with a home run and three doubles.
HVRHS collected 11 hits as a team. In addition to Foley’s home runs, Riemer hit 3-for-4. Chris Race hit 3-for-4 and Bayer, Riva and Wes Allyn each got one hit for the Mountaineers.
The result improved HVRHS’s season record to 2-2 and O’Brien fell to 0-4.
Owen Riemer pitching. Riley Klein
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