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Stormy weather — for now
Mac Gordon
Jul 22, 2026
I have lived in the Northwest Corner since 1986 and during that time have come to realize how relatively benign our local climate is. For the most part we have been spared the hurricanes that bedevil the eastern coastline, the droughts common in the middle of the country and the floods that imperil so many areas. In my 40 years here there have been only two tornados, one in Cornwall, the other in Great Barrington; most states in the middle of the country have at least two every year. The storm that hit our area this Fourth of July fell just short of being a tornado but did considerable damage especially to our landscape.We should consider this recent storm a harbinger of more frequent and intense severe weather made much worse by climate change greatly exacerbated by the burning of fossil fuels.
For the past 150 years the world has industrialized through the burning of fossil fuels:wood, coal, oil, and gas. Just a small portion of our energy came from clean sources such as moving water, windmills, animals. It wasn’t until we realizedthat global warming was beginning to threaten life on the planet that we understood that we needed to start shifting to cleaner energy to survive.
The current administration is in no rush to shift to cleaner fuels. President Trump himself refers to climate change as a “hoax” and calls coal, our dirtiest burning fuel, “clean coal”. He has frequently tried to debunk the science of climate change and perhaps he actually believes some of what he has been claiming.
Several months ago the Interior department issued stop work orders on five large wind farms well under construction off the Atlantic coast, citing unexplained “national security” reasons. This June 15th, after several months of delay (with the government losing the case and subsequentlyappealing), a Massachusetts court threw out the appeal.Work has finally restarted on each of these multi-billion dollar projects including Revolution Wind off New London, Connecticut.
However, in an unprecedented recent case in federal court, the Trump administration agreed to pay several companies a total of$1.8 billion to abandon their leases for not yet developed offshore windfarms. Like many other Trump executive orders this one is being challenged by several groups in a federal lawsuit.
One of the first moves a prospective wind farm developer makes is to apply for clearances from the Federal Aviation Agency who refers the application to the Pentagon to see if the project interferes with any existing radar or nearby military bases, with any needed mitigation usually beingminor and routine. But starting last fall reviews of all prospective wind farms slowed and a few months ago came to a halt, again for unspecified ‘“national security” reasons. Now more than 100 planned wind farms in 21 states are indefinitely stalled by the Pentagon’s unjustified delay; this represents at least $47 billion in potential wind power investment. A lawsuit by several environmental organizations awaits judgment.
Nearly half of the projects affected by the freeze are in Texas which now produces more wind power than any other state. Currently, wind power provides just over 10% of the nation’s electricity.
After natural gas and nuclear power, solar power is now the third largest source of electricity in the United States. This May, for the first time, solar supplied more of the nation’s electricity than coal, or 12.8%.
Solar is currently the fastest growing power source in the country, accounting for more than half the new power added to the grid this year; and throughout the world solar is the largest new electricity source by far. According to the environmental non-profit Climate Central, U.S. solar power will more than double by 2030.Generally speaking, it is also the least expensive power source.
The unusually violent, destructive storm over the July 4th holiday was made much more severe because of global warming. We need to get our politicians to take climate change seriously. Now.
Architect G. Mackenzie Gordon, A.I.A., lives in Lakeville.
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Hunt Library opens community produce stand
Patrick L. Sullivan
Jul 22, 2026
The produce stand opened July 16 and library officials invite people to drop off or pick up fresh goods.
Patrick L. Sullivan
FALLS VILLAGE — Visitors to the David M. Hunt Library can now pick up or drop off fresh produce at a stand near the library entrance.
Library director Meg Sher said the stand opened for business Thursday, July 16.
John Holland, a library board member and carpenter, built the stand, which is being run as a collaboration with the Center on Main.
Sher said anyone can drop off or pick up produce. It is not necessary to drop something off in order to take something home. The stand is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
So far, the stand is stocked with squash, zucchini and kale from the garden between the library and the Lee H. Kellogg School and from Adamah Farm.
“We’re excited,” said Sher. “Our neighbors can share their abundance with the whole community.
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Food truck ban, bus restriction among six ordinances before Kent voters
Alec Linden
Jul 22, 2026
A proposed ban on food trucks across Kent sparked the most debate of the six ordinances under review during a public hearing on Friday, July 10.
Alec Linden
KENT — Residents will vote on six proposed ordinances at a town meeting on Friday, July 24, following a public hearing on July 10 where a small group of residents commented on proposals ranging from a food truck ban to restrictions on commercial buses using South Kent Road.
Food truck proposal draws most discussion
The proposal that generated the most public comment would prohibit the regular commercial operation of food trucks anywhere in town.
The Board of Selectmen and Planning and Zoning Commission have debated the issue for years, but neither board previously took formal action. The current proposal grew out of a request earlier this year from local crepe maker Grégoire Pye, who sought permission to establish a semi-permanent location for his business, Crepe Royal.
The request drew opposition from restaurant and business owners, who argued that allowing food trucks would create an unfair advantage over brick-and-mortar businesses that pay higher taxes, comply with additional regulations and have greater overhead costs.
If voters approve the ordinance, commercial food trucks will be banned, with the exception of one-off town events or private parties.
During the hearing, resident Matt Starr urged the selectmen to reject the proposal.
“I think you’re overstepping,” he said. “You’re taking away a small business opportunity.”
Other residents who opposed the ban said they would welcome additional dining options in town, particularly quick and affordable lunch choices.
Supporters of the ban argued that food trucks would negatively affect existing businesses.
Anne McAndrew, a longtime Kent business owner, said she supports the ordinance.
“I think they hurt the local economy,” she said, adding that she is also concerned about parking and litter.
Donna Hayes, the town’s former land use administrator, described the proposal as the culmination of years of discussions between the Board of Selectmen and Planning and Zoning.
Five other proposed
ordinances up for vote
In addition to the food truck proposal, voters will decide five other ordinance proposals at the July 24 town meeting.
One would amend the town’s Inland Wetlands Commission ordinance to allow municipal employees to serve on the commission. State law generally prohibits municipal employees from serving unless a town adopts an ordinance allowing it.
Inland Wetlands Commission Chair Lynn Werner said the change would expand opportunities for residents to volunteer in protecting the town’s natural resources.
Two proposals were first introduced by the Board of Selectmen last year. One would prohibit commercial buses from using South Kent Road. The ordinance, first pursued jointly by Kent and New Milford after residents complained about bus traffic, has been revised to exempt school-related vehicles.
Another would expand the town’s existing ordinance prohibiting snow from being deposited on roadways by adding grass clippings, leaves and brush to the list of prohibited materials.
The remaining proposals would align the town’s veterans property tax exemption with state law by extending benefits to veterans with service-connected disabilities and place two small cemeteries under the management of the Cemetery Committee.
Residents will vote on the proposed ordinances at the town meeting beginning at 7 p.m. Friday, July 24, at Town Hall.
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Jane Lloyd Fund Clambake returns July 25 in Salisbury, marking 19th year
Phoebe Tobin
Jul 22, 2026
The Jane Lloyd Fund will host its annual clambake July 25, marking its 19th year.
Provided
SALISBURY — The 19th annual Jane Lloyd Clambake will return to SWSA’s Satre Hill in Salisbury on July 25, bringing together volunteers, musicians and diners to raise money for a fund that has provided $1.3 million in assistance to families throughout the Region One area.
The fundraiser supports the Jane Lloyd Fund, which was created after the death of Lakeville and Salisbury native Jane Lloyd in 2005 and continues to help local residents facing financial hardship. Supported and administered through the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, the fund has assisted hundreds of families over nearly two decades.
At 2:30 p.m., volunteers will light a fire inside a pit of rocks and wood. The fire will burn for almost an hour until the stones beneath absorb the heat and glow red. The crew will then pile on seaweed, followed by corn husks, clams, lobsters and corn before covering everything with a tarp to steam the meal.
“It’s really fun,” said Donna Stoetzner, who co-chairs the event with Tanya Tedder. And the guests aren’t just spectators. “They can actually partake in putting the seaweed on, the corn husks on.”
That sense of participation reflects the spirit of the event. A core group organizes the clambake alongside what Stoetzner calls the regulars — volunteers who come “year after year after year” to serve beer, cook burgers, plate food and “step up and ask if there’s anything that they can do to help.”
Stoetzner’s own family spends the morning at the firehouse washing clams sourced that same day from family friends in Massachusetts. This year’s music, provided by Elliot Osborne and friends, is what Stoetzner calls a “loosey goosey organic music circle.” Whoever is around and wants to play simply joins in.
The fund itself grew out of a similar sense of community.
Stoetzner’s sister, Jane Lloyd, owned a gardening business. When she became ill with cancer, she had no insurance or employer to help cover mounting medical bills and everyday living expenses. In response, Salisbury Bank and Trust, now known as NBT Bank, opened an account in her name, and community members donated money to help pay not only her medical bills but also her mortgage and car payment.
“The community just stepped up,” Stoetzner said.
After Lloyd died, her family decided to continue that support for others. Today, applicants are typically referred through local social service agencies, which present their stories anonymously to the fund’s advisory board. Each year, the board allocates assistance to roughly 15 to 20 people, with some recipients receiving help for multiple years.
“We just automatically say yes,” Stoetzner said. “We’ve never turned anyone away.”
The clambake typically sells about 350 meal tickets, but attendance usually reaches 400 to 500. The event has become enough of a tradition that some families schedule reunions around it.
Beyond the clambake, the fund also holds an annual dance and appeal, and area schools frequently organize fundraisers on its behalf, donating proceeds without being asked. Such events include the annual Hotchkiss School Polar Plunge.
Stoetzner, who also works as an advancement associate and events coordinator at Indian Mountain School, said the fund would like to expand beyond the Region One area but is limited by the size of its volunteer operation and available resources.
For now, it remains focused on the community where it began.
Clambake meal tickets are available through the Jane Lloyd Fund website, but anyone is welcome to stop by for a burger, a beer or the music. Tickets cost $70.
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Wildfire smoke may not be gone for good
Alec Linden
Jul 22, 2026
Smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted into the Northeast on Tuesday, July 14, darkening skies and spiking air quality index levels.
Alec Linden
The worst of last week’s wildfire smoke cleared by the late weekend, though meteorologists say residents shouldn’t assume it’s gone for good as shifting weather patterns could carry smoke back into the region as powerful wildfires continue to burn in Canada and the northern Great Lakes region.
Air Quality Index readings across much of the state consistently reached unhealthy to very unhealthy levels between Tuesday and Saturday, with the worst conditions affecting southern parts of the state.
According to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, air quality across the state on Sunday returned to “Good to Moderate” levels, meaning prolonged outdoor exertion was safe for all but especially sensitive individuals.
Residents should enjoy the break from the haze, Bethel-based meteorologist Jack Drake said, but he cautioned that smoke could return if shifting winds carry it back into the region while the wildfires continue to burn.
“The position of these fires is a little unfortunate,” he said, “since a prevailing wind direction [for the region] is west-northwest.”
Because of the jet stream, a high-altitude ribbon of wind that steers weather systems across North America, smoke from summer fires in the Upper Midwest and western Ontario can be carried into the Mid-Atlantic and New England.
“It’s kind of right upstream,” he said.
Despite recent rain in Ontario and predicted storms later in the week, the Canadian Broadcast Company reported on Sunday that 139 fires, 66 of which are uncontrolled, were burning across the province. Drake said that due to the remote location of the blazes and their strength, New Englanders should not be surprised to see more smoke pass through the region in the coming weeks.
A cold front responsible for thunderstorms across New England on Saturday – the severe potential of which was actually reduced by the presence of wildfire smoke – was responsible for Sunday’s clear air, Drake explained – “it actually kicked all the smoke out to sea.”
Some wildfire smoke that passes over the Northeastern U.S. is carried “aloft,” or high overhead in the atmosphere, and only causes a high haze that makes for pretty sunsets but little on the ground impacts, Drake said.
Dominant high pressure last week, which would have caused otherwise clear weather, caused air to “sink” as it traveled southeast with the prevailing winds, he explained, bringing the smoke down to ground level and causing the skyrocketing AQI levels that made eyes itch and throats sore.
“If we get a similar setup,” he said, “we could see some smoke come back in.”
Drake recommended that residents should stay tuned into local and national weather forecasts as smoke remains a risk, since it’s difficult to model further than 48 hours in the future – “Smoke can be difficult.”
Drake said smoke forecasting has really only been a focus of his near-ten year career in weather since an event in 2023 brought thick smoke to much of the Northeast – “That was really the first week where I was like, this is the main weather story.”
“Definitely for the past three years it has been on the mind.”
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Hayes breaks with Connecticut Congressional Democrats on Israel aid vote
Christian Murray
Jul 22, 2026
U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-5th District, pictured above in Cornwall on Saturday, May 9, was the only member of Connecticut’s congressional delegation to vote in favor of an amendment that would have halted additional U.S. aid to Israel.
Ruth Epstein
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes split from the rest of Connecticut’s congressional delegation last week, casting the state’s lone vote in favor of an amendment that would have halted additional U.S. aid to Israel.
Hayes, a Democrat who represents much of northwest Connecticut, voted for an amendment by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., that would have eliminated $3.3 billion in U.S. military aid to Israel.The amendment ultimately failed, 314-104.
Connecticut’s four other House members — Reps. John Larson, Joe Courtney, Rosa DeLauro and Jim Himes — voted against the proposal. All are Democrats.
In a statement after the vote, Hayes reaffirmed her longstanding support for Israel while expressing concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“I support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and homeland for the Jewish people,” Hayes said, noting her record of supporting defense funding for Israel. She also said she was “horrified” by reports of children in Gaza being killed, injured and displaced during the war.
Hayes criticized the amendment as “poorly written and extremely broad,” saying it failed to account for humanitarian assistance, embassy operations, educational exchanges and support for Palestinian security forces.
“While I do not agree with the entirety of the amendment, I do believe it opens the door to long overdue, hard conversations on U.S. military aid,” Hayes said.
She added that she applies the same scrutiny to foreign aid as domestic spending.
“I cannot vote to send American taxpayer dollars anywhere in the world without that same level of scrutiny,” Hayes said, adding that constituents in Connecticut’s 5th District are calling for “more thoughtful and deliberate consideration of the path forward for the Israeli and Palestinian people.”
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