
Brian Ross, board member of The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News presents Elyse Harney and the Harney family with the inaugural Estabrook Community Leadership Award Oct. 6.
Anne Day
Brian Ross, board member of The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News presents Elyse Harney and the Harney family with the inaugural Estabrook Community Leadership Award Oct. 6.
SALISBURY — The inaugural Estabrook Community Leadership Award was presented to the Harney family by The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News on Oct. 6.
The Harneys earned the award for their tireless commitment to improving and serving the community. The award, named for the longstanding Lakeville Journal owners Robert and Mary Lou Estabrook, was created to recognize individuals who embody the community spirit and leadership in the same way the Estabrooks did.
“We are thrilled to present this award for the first time to the Harney family. A family that has given so much to our local community,” said James Clark, CEO and Publisher, at the Jubilee Luncheon.
Board member, Brian Ross, presented the honor to the family and Elyse Harney addressed the crowd of more than 200 people at the Town Grove lawn overlooking Lake Wononscopomuc.
Harney spoke of the dedicated volunteers and organizations that keep the community alive such as the Jane Lloyd Fund, the Housatonic Youth Service Bureau, Salisbury Winter Sports Association and local emergency responders. John Harney Sr. was a founding member of the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service, which today is one of the few all-volunteer corps left in the state.
Harney urged the audience, “From the bottom of my heart I would ask you to join this wonderful family of volunteers that made this community such a blessed oasis in this very turbulent world. Keep Salisbury a strong, caring community.”
Applause carried over the lake as leaves rustled and cascaded through the air. Guests then enjoyed Harney Tea and a buffet lunch on the Grove lawn as the Salisbury Band Senior Quickstep Hot Shots played.
Adding to the festive occasion, Sharon Playhouse’s Youthstage put on a charming rendition of “Consider Yourself” from the show “Oliver” with customized lines referencing the Harneys.
“Nobody tries to be lah-de-dah or uppity. There’s a cup of ‘Harney Tea’ for all.”
Ted Perotti edits a project at his North Canaan-based studio, Pig Iron Films.
NORTH CANAAN — Filmmaker Ted Perotti’s cinematography captures the Northwest Corner with pride.
Perotti, who graduated from Housatonic Valley Regional High School in 2016 and Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, in 2020, has a video production company, Pig Iron Films, and a look at the projects listed on the website underscores Perotti’s commitment to his hometown and the Northwest Corner.
He has made his presence known.
Recently Perotti was there, camera in hand, when two new affordable housing units were being delivered to the building site on Perry Street in Lakeville.
Visitors to any of the Region One school websites will find videos about the schools created by Perotti.
Other local clients include the American Mural Foundation, Great Mountain Forest and Freund’s Farm’s CowPots.
Going further afield, Perotti has made videos for the Connecticut Children’s Hospital.
Affable and chatty, Perotti speaks with knowledge of the technical aspects of his craftand with real enthusiasm for cinema history and for North Canaan and environs.
With a poster for “Citizen Kane” in the background, Perotti showed a visitor raw footage he had just shot at his family’s plumbing business, and demonstrated how to sync the image and sound.
He segued effortlessly from obscure horror movies to the plans he has for a YouTube channel dedicated to North Canaan.
One project in the works is for the Friends of Beckley Furnace group.
“It’s going to be in a Ken Burns style,” he said. “And there will be QR codes at different parts of the furnace” so visitors can watch video segments on their phones while standing in front of the artifacts.
He said he has no plans to relocate to a big city, because he has plenty of subject matter here.
“Our town is so cool,” he said. “And so unique.”
A landscaping truck got stuck in West Cornwall’s covered bridge Thursday, April 3.
CORNWALL — Another truck got stuck in West Cornwall’s covered bridge this month, prompting the town selectmen to discuss solutions at a meeting of the Board April 15.
The bridge, located over the Housatonic River on Route 128, is maintained by Connecticut Department of Transportation.
“Luckily, it was not damaged heavily,” said First Selectman Gordon Ridgway. “I have contacted our liaison with the state about trying to get something better, or different anyway, warning motorists.”
He explained the bridge is tallest at the entrances and structural supports in the middle can snag trucks halfway through.
Suggestions to the state included better signage, laser beam height detectors, flashing lights, sound triggers and metal beam rails.
Ridgway said solutions may be somewhat restricted because the bridge is listed on the state’s historic registry.
Selectman Rocco Botto proposed a sensor prior to the bridge that can warn and redirect drivers of vehicles exceeding the height limit.
“They call it an ‘over height warning system,’” said Botto.
Selectman Jennifer Markow encouraged residents to submit letters of support or suggestion to Town Hall.
SHARON — At a town meeting that lasted about five minutes Thursday, voters approved renewing the lease for town-owned 67 Main St., the building adjacent to Town Hall that houses Robin Hood Radio.
The rate will increase from $1,975 to $2,250 per month.
First Selectman Casey Flanagan said the selectmen felt this was a reasonable amount, given that the rent had remained at the same level for a few years.
The radio station subleases office space to other entities.
The meeting also accepted the town’s financial report ending June 30, 2024.
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.
Assault arrest
On April 13, troopers arrested Mark Greenier, 63, at his home in Colebrook for an active arrest warrant for Disorderly conduct and Assault in the third degree. Greenier was released on a $1,500 non-surety bond the same evening, and was scheduled to appear for an arraignment at Torrington Superior Court on April 14.
Main Street utility pole crash
Serena Granbery, 76, of Lakeville was stopped at a T-intersection on Main Street in Salisbury in a Honda Element on April 16. Upon moving from the intersection, the vehicle veered off the roadway and struck a utility pole. Her vehicle sustained functional damage and was towed, while Granbery was transported by Salisbury EMS to Sharon Hospital for evaluation of potential injuries. Granbery was issued a written warning for Failure to maintain lane.
Accident leads to multiple charges
On the afternoon of April 17, troopers responded to a report of a potentially disabled vehicle on Canaan Valley Road in North Canaan. Upon arriving, they determined that an accident had taken place. Edyta Krystyna Smejlik, 40, of Southfield, Massachusetts, was then taken into custody after officers determined she had lied about her involvement in the accident. Troopers ultimately charged Smejlik on five violations: Failure to keep right at curve; Illegal operation of a motor vehicle without a license; Evading responsibility resulting in property damage; Interfering with an officer/resisting; Use of drug paraphernalia; Breach of the peace in second degree. Smejlik was released on a $5,000 cash bond, and is scheduled to appear at Torrington Superior Court on April 30.
The Lakeville Journal will publish the outcome of police charges. Contact us by mail at P.O. Box 1688, Lakeville, CT 06039, Attn: Police Blotter, or send an email, with “police blotter” in the subject line, to johnc@lakevillejournal.com