In appreciation: Sterling J. Sterling

Sterling and Jasper

Photo provided

In appreciation: Sterling J. Sterling

The dog park feels a little quieter this week as we mourn the passing of our dear friend Sterling. Known for his wit, warmth, dark humor and unforgettable stories, Sterling was a cherished member of our community. His loyal dog Jasper, the most noble of canines, continues to grace the picnic table, where he often posed like a regal model—a fitting tribute to his remarkable owner.

The dog park on Long Pond Road in Lakeville is a vibrant hub of diversity, both in its dogs and their owners. Among its most memorable regulars was Sterling, an artist and storyteller with a personality as colorful as his life. He spent many years in Belize, Central America, where he brought joy to his village—including the unforgettable tale, always shared with a mischievous grin, of how he introduced the first toilet to town, sparking a spirited community celebration.

Sterling’s presence at the park was unmistakable. He would arrive draped in a flowing black cape and crowned with a black Stetson hat, his look completed by a silver belt buckle. Last summer, he proudly added a touch of whimsy to his signature style with a pair of bright orange sneakers he had rediscovered in the back of a closet.

To know Sterling was to share in his laughter, his creativity, and his deep love for life. His presence will be deeply missed, but his stories, his art, and the sight of Jasper watching over the dog park will keep his memory alive in our hearts.

As Jasper adjusts to life without Sterling, we are looking for a new home for this noble companion. If you or someone you know would like to provide Jasper with a loving home, please reach out. Let us honor Sterling by ensuring Jasper finds the care and companionship he so richly deserves.

Cristóbal López-Henríquez A.
on behalf of the Friends of the Salisbury Dog Park

Latest News

Employment Opportunities

LJMN Media, publisher of The Lakeville Journal (first published in 1897) and The Millerton News (first published in 1932), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization.

We seek to help readers make more informed decisions through comprehensive news coverage of communities in Northwest Connecticut and Eastern Dutchess County in New York.

Keep ReadingShow less
Selectmen suspend town clerk’s salary during absence

North Canaan Town Hall

Photo by Riley Klein

NORTH CANAAN — “If you’re not coming to work, why would you get paid?”

Selectman Craig Whiting asked his fellow selectmen this pointed question during a special meeting of the Board on March 12 discussing Town Clerk Jean Jacquier, who has been absent from work for more than a month. She was not present at the meeting.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dan Howe’s time machine
Dan Howe at the Kearcher-Monsell Gallery at Housatonic Valley Regional High School.
Natalia Zukerman

“Every picture begins with just a collection of good shapes,” said painter and illustrator Dan Howe, standing amid his paintings and drawings at the Kearcher-Monsell Gallery at Housatonic Valley Regional High School. The exhibit, which opened on Friday, March 7, and runs through April 10, spans decades and influences, from magazine illustration to portrait commissions to imagined worlds pulled from childhood nostalgia. The works — some luminous and grand, others intimate and quiet — show an artist whose technique is steeped in history, but whose sensibility is wholly his own.

Born in Madison, Wisconsin, and trained at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, Howe’s artistic foundation was built on rigorous, old-school principles. “Back then, art school was like boot camp,” he recalled. “You took figure drawing five days a week, three hours a day. They tried to weed people out, but it was good training.” That discipline led him to study under Tom Lovell, a renowned illustrator from the golden age of magazine art. “Lovell always said, ‘No amount of detail can save a picture that’s commonplace in design.’”

Keep ReadingShow less