In awe of autumn’s amazement at Salisbury Fall Festival

Pumpkin painting was a hit among youngsters at the Salisbury Fall Festival Oct. 11 to 13.
Patrick L. Sullivan

Pumpkin painting was a hit among youngsters at the Salisbury Fall Festival Oct. 11 to 13.
SALISBURY — There was something for everyone at the Salisbury Fall Festival, which enjoyed two days of excellent weather Friday and Saturday, Oct. 11 and 12, before succumbing to a chilly, rainy Sunday, Oct. 13.
Ambling along Main Street Saturday, from the White Hart to the Scoville Memorial Library, a reporter began by renewing the acquaintance of Jocelyn Krodman, proprietor of PetitFelts and a regular at the Salisbury Handmade artisan shows hosted on the lawn of the White Hart.
Krodman has added ceramics to her repertoire and directed attention to smallish needle felted animal heads mounted on ceramic dishes.
They come with brief whimsical stories. A rooster head named Glen was accompanied by a brief recap of his career as an internet influencer.
Jayme Walsh of Lakeville and Olivia Robson of Salisbury are J&O Flowers. The two students at Housatonic Valley Regional High School have developed their flower business as their senior “Capstone” project, and they were busy near the war memorial on the Green.
This was also the venue for a dance show by young dancers from Lakeville’s Blue Studio, and for the Joint Chiefs, who started a set around 2 p.m.
The world epicenter of jigsaw puzzles was the entrance to St. John’s Episcopal Church, where Mina Wood presided over two tables covered with puzzles.
She said her family is puzzle mad, particularly her husband Greg. “He does one or two puzzles per week!”
Moving along Main Street, the visitor could stop and chat with authors Peter Fitting and Tom Morrison, both selling their latest efforts.
A quick detour toward LaBonne’s resulted in a few moments listening to jazz guitarist Eric Loffswold, playing in the courtyard opposite J.T. Murphy’s barber shop.
The tents along Main Street housed a variety of organizations and commercial operations. An arbitrary sample: Jewelry and quilts for education of women in Guatemala; the Salisbury Forum sharing space with the Salisbury Dog Park; Peter Sadlon’s honey products; Project SAGE; and any number of opportunities to assist the Salisbury Central School eighth grade class trip to Washington, D.C.
Peter James, magician, did a couple of shows along Library Street by the Congregational Church. Inside the church was a tag and bake sale in the parish hall.
In the church proper was the annual quilt show, with some 47 entries this year. Janet Kaufman said the call for quilts was extended wider this year.
The Scoville Memorial Library lawn was a mass of (mostly) children, who were decorating pumpkins, or making their own sinister potions (“I got an eyeball!” yelled one experimental chemist), or playing the always popular “Heave the Wet Sponge” game.
The Salisbury Band Senior Hotshots played, and there were performances of Martha Graham dances.
And, of course, books for sale, at the library, at St. John’s Episcopal Church and at Johnnycake Books.
All this activity whets the appetite. Festivalgoers could get soft ice cream or a lobster roll from the food trucks or drop by the Lakeville Hose Company Ladies Auxiliary tents for a hot dog or something more adventurous, such as chili-mac.
The latter is just what it sounds like: A bowl of macaroni and cheese with chili on top. (Plus, a side of corn bread.)
It was the exact right combination for a brisk day that featured a lot of walking. This reporter ate it quite happily, his sense of wellbeing compounded by the fact he didn’t get any of it on his shirt.
Kent town workers install a “no parking” sign Monday, Oct. 27.
KENT — After two years of complaints from neighbors, the Kent Planning and Zoning Commission has issued a cease-and-desist order directing Motoriot, an auto business located at 21 Bridge St., to stop its employees from parking their vehicles on public streets such as Elizabeth Street.
The order stems from repeated violations of the company’s zoning permit, which requires employees and customer vehicles to be parked on the business property. Residents living nearby say the overflow of vehicles has made their street unsafe and created traffic hazards.
The decision came during a special meeting on Oct. 28, when P&Z members voted by consensus to authorize the enforcement action. The members said Motoriot’s continued street parking left the business out of compliance with its previously approved permit.
Barry Enis of Elizabeth Street, who testified at the meeting, has been vocal about the problem of cars parked in front of his and his neighbors’ properties, and notes that the vehicles leave large puddles of oil and block mailboxes. At one point, tensions between Enis and Motoriot owner Jason Doornick escalated, he said, leading state troopers to intervene at his property.
Alessa Helm, the president of the Homeowners Association at Riverview condominiums on Elizabeth Street, also testified and spoke about the problems she and her fellow condo residents have allegedly had with Doornick. She labeled him “rude and aggressive” when she and others approached and asked to have the vehicles moved.
Helm said cars have blocked a space where a woman parks for easy access to her vehicle for her handicapped husband. Helm also described how on Oct. 28, Motoriot’s employees parked on the southeastern side of Elizabeth Street, causing a traffic jam when the Kent Center School buses were trying to get through.
Darlene Brady, the town clerk who also lives on Elizabeth Street, asked commissioners to review the application and conditions imposed, saying “We need long-term solutions.”
Tai Kern, the town’s land use official, agreed that the commission needed to take action. “I’ve tried for two years to bring him into compliance. The intensity of this business has been misrepresented to the commission.”
Kern pointed out the regulations require all businesses to keep their employees’ and clients’ vehicles parked on their premises, which is being violated. Additionally, on-site car shows were not approved and at least one has been held with notices about others.
“The Planning and Zoning Commission wanted to support a business, but the public seems to be suffering,” said Kern.
Doornick, who said he was unaware of the meeting and did not attend, told The Lakeville Journal on Oct. 28 that he intends to work with the town to resolve the parking issue.
P&Z issued a modified permit in August that was meant to address the parking issue, but during discussions with the Commission that month, Doornick said that since parking on Elizabeth Street was (at that time) unrestricted, his employees had every right to park on the residential street.
The town’s regulations, however, state otherwise, leading First Selectman Marty Lindenmayer to advocate for P&Z as the most effective town body to deal with the issue in an Oct. 21 email to town officials: “Utilizing the enforcement arm of P&Z to address any violations of zoning regulations is a direct approach, but one that has yet to be put in place.”
While the P&Z works to resolve the matter, Lindenmayer has taken action in the short term.On Monday, Oct. 27, the town installed parking ban signs along the northwestern side of Elizabeth Street, from Lane to Bridge streets.
In terms of P&Z, Doornick has 30 days from last Wednesday to appeal to the Zoning Board of Appeals. If the violations continue, it can become a court matter providing the town with greater ability to impose fines.
Lindenmayer talked about the parking ban he instituted, saying Doornick has been discourteous to the neighbors. He said he’ll see to the ban enforcement.
Commissioners agreed with the idea of a cease-and-desist order.
Larry Dumoff said, “He’s out of accordance with the regulations and the town needs to be made aware of it.”
Sarah Chase said, “We’ve given him plenty of time. We need to use the enforcement process,” while Anne McAndrew said he’s acting willfully and unfairly: “They [Motoriot] continue to overstep”.
“It’s time to take action,” Shelby Green said, “The violations are flagrant. We need to address them.”
Doornick said he loved Kent and was raised in the town. He said he understood the cease-and-desist order had to happen.
“It’s a real issue and we take full responsibility for that. What was difficult to hear, however, are the personal comments made about my character and our team.”
He said some of the comments were misleading and that “we always complied when asked to move cars or adjust our operations, even when it required repeated changes. While that’s been challenging, we’ve worked hard to follow every request made of us...Mistakes have been made and we’re committed to correcting every one of them.”
He said the rear of his property is being reevaluated to free up some parking spaces. “This will give us the proper space for our team to ease the strain on the neighborhood.”
Kent Town Hall saw a steady stream of voters on Election Day Nov. 4, 2025.
Residents across the Northwest Corner cast their ballots Nov. 4, if not earlier, in the 2025 municipal election.
While most towns reported expected outcomes, the race for first selectman in North Canaan was so close that a recount will be required. Final tallies were separated by just a handful of votes, and officials said the official result will not be certified until the recount is completed. This is anticipated to be this week.
In contrast, none of the other towns in the region reported any surprises, with incumbents or heavily favored candidates maintaining their expected positions.
In Falls Village, poll workers described the turnout as "steady." Within the first few hours of Election Day, there were reportedly more voters than there were throughout the two-week early voting period.
There was some question about the new tabulators, which were distributed by the Secretary of the State ahead of the election. While it helped with alerting voters of improperly completed ballots, it was limited to reading a single type of ballot, meaning absentee ballots had to be fed through a different machine. Registrars were unsure if this would delay the tally after the polls closed.
At about 1:30 p.m. in Salisbury, there was a detour for voters heading for Town Hall from Lakeville. A tree blew over on the utility lines on Main Street (Route 44), and the road was closed between Brook Street and Salmon Kill Road. But inside Town Hall, poll workers said there had been a consistent stream of voters thus far.
In Kent, Ed Matson, a petitioning candidate for selectman, was outside Town Hall. He said he was surprised by the high turnout, especially considering his town saw more than 300 early voters.
Voters in Sharon were asked what brought them out to vote Nov. 4. Suzanne Oliver put it simply: "Participation." Another voter who identified herself as Jane said, "Everything that has a vote, you should vote for... it's the only power we have."
Results by town below. Winners are in bold.

First Selectman:
Gordon Ridgway (D) 402
Selectman:
Rocco Botto (D) 332
John Brown (R) 123
Town Clerk:
Kathryn Lee (D/R) 469
Town Treasurer:
Richard Bramley (D) 434
Board of Finance:
Gary Steinkohl (D) 392
Carl Hermann (R) 201
Board of Finance (2 year):
Kate Sandmeyer Ward (D) 439
Board of Finance (Alternate):
Richard Wolkowitz (D) 389
Cody Gillotti (R) 134
Board of Education:
Martha Buehl (D) 392
Anna Kallman (D) 366
Katherine Scoville (R) 200
Kathleen Bodwell (R) 134
Board of Assessment Appeals:
Richard Wolkowitz (D) 344
David Cavalier (R) 124
Planning and Zoning Commission:
Phillip West (D) 346
Stephen Saccardi (R) 313
Zoning Board of Appeals:
Lynn Scoville (R) 316
Christi Bodwell (R) 234

First Selectman:
Dave Barger (D/R) 300
Selectman:
Chris Kinsella (D) 202
Judy Jacobs (R) 112
Board of Finance:
Ginger Betti (D) 215
Andrea Downs (R) 146
Richard Berzine (D) 154
Karl Munson (R) 111
Board of Finance (2 year):
Martin Deeg (D) 210
Marisa Ohler (R) 102
Board of Finance (Alternate):
Vanessa Pereira (D) 177
Henry Todd (R) 129
Board of Finance (Alternate - 2 year vacancy):
Hazel McGuire (R) 239
Board of Education:
Adam Sher (D/R) 281
Patricia Allyn Mechare (D) 222
Scott Miller (R)
Board of Assessment Appeals:
Hazel McGuire (D/R) 297
Tami Reid (D/R) 274
Zoning Board of Appeals:
Louis Timolat (R) 232
Stephen Dean (R) 232
Zoning Board of Appeals (Alternate):
Vance Cannon (D) 237
Lee Baldwin (R) 77
Constables:
Timothy Downs (R) 199
Thom Wilson (D) 181
Dennis Jacobs (R) 168
Donna Heinz (D) 159
Louis Timolat (R) 152
Elizabeth Pierce (D) 140
Matthew Hansen (R) 128
Regional Board of Education:
Patricia Allyn Mechare (D/R) 371

First Selectman:
Eric Epstein (D) 844
Selectman:
Lynn Mellis Worthington (D) 657
Lynn Harrington (R) 208
Edward Matson (U) 116
Town Clerk:
Darlene Brady (U) 622
Tax Collector:
Deborah Devaux (D) 843
Board of Finance:
Glenn Sanchez (D) 769
Nancy O'Dea Wyrick (R) 442
Board of Education:
Heather Brand (D) 686
Anthony DiPentima (R) 291
Board of Education (2 year):
Cinda Clark (D) 794
Board of Assessment Appeals:
Gary Ford (D) 679
David Yewer (R) 252
Planning and Zoning Commission:
Darrell Cherniske (D) 740
Karen Casey (R) 466
Donna Hayes (R) 461
Zoning Board of Appeals:
Stephen Pener (D) 722
Justin Potter (D) 707
John Johnson (D) 637
Nick Downes (R) 331
Mark Cowan (R) 221
Zoning Board of Appeals (Alternate):
Adam Manes (D) 756
Sewer Commission:
Elissa Potts (D) 764
Catherine Mazza (D) 718
Carmel Karina O'Meara (R) 266
Cannabis Regulation:
Yes 243
No 201

First Selectman: (Recount required)
Jesse Bunce (D) 572
Brian Ohler (R) 569 - will become Selectman
Selectman:
Melissa Pinardi (R) 559
Joe Sebben (U) 374
Town Clerk:
Krysti Segalla (R) 750
Town Treasurer:
Melanie Neely (D) 632
Emily Minacci (R) 487
Tax Collector:
Rebecca Mochak (R) 707
Board of Finance:
John Jacquier (R) 633
Emily Bottum (D) 518
Christian Allyn (U) 352
Brian Allyn (WI) 159
Board of Education:
Christopher Jacques (D) 541
Gina Terwilliger (D) 628
Amy Dodge (R) 698
Caitlin Tomko (R) 541
Amy Helminiak (D) 536
Board of Assessment Appeals:
David Jacquier (R) 754
Planning and Zoning Commission:
Cooper Brown (D) 679
Dalton Jacquier (R) 710
Walter Schneider (R) 595
Planning and Zoning Commission (Alternate):
Brian Allyn Jr. (R) 738
Tucker Whiting (R) 660
Zoning Board of Appeals:
Brian Allyn (D) 702
Matthew Freund (D) 709
Scott Zinke (R) 676
Zoning Board of Appeals (Alternate):
Joe Cieslowski (D) 690
Regional Board of Education:
Craig Whiting (R) 765
Shall Treasurer be appointed?
Yes 355
No 743
Shall Town Clerk be appointed?
Yes 350
No 743
Shall Tax Collector be appointed?
Yes 349
No 741

First Selectman:
Curtis Rand (D) 1,071
Selectman:
Barrett Prinz (D) 935
Kitty Kiefer (U) 516
Don Mayland (R) 457
Board of Finance:
Emily Vail (D) 1,064
Board of Education:
Lauren Brown (D) 999
Elizabeth Dittmer (D) 979
Natalia Smirnova (WI) 36
Board of Assessment Appeals:
William Tedder (D) 962
Peter Becket (R) 244
Planning and Zoning Commission:
Cathy Shyer (D) 994
Allen Cockerline (D) 930
Danella Schiffer (D) 926
Planning and Zoning Commission (Alternate):
Beth Wells (D) 984
Jen Ventimilia (D) 925
Zoning Board of Appeals:
Roxanne Belter Lee (D) 1,020
M.E. Freeman (D) 925
Zoning Board of Appeals (Alternate):
Cori Daggett (D) 1,001
Regional Board of Education:
Flora Lazar (D) 1,021

First Selectman:
Casey Flanagan (D) 647
Selectman:
Lynn Kearcher (D) 606
John Brett (U) 344
Town Clerk:
Biance DelTufo (D) 643
Town Treasurer:
Tina Pitcher (D/R) 686
Tax Collector:
Donna Christensen (D/R) 692
Board of Finance:
John Hecht (D) 593
Mary Robertson (D) 312
Board of Finance (4 year vacancy):
Mary Anne Toppan (R) 388
Board of Finance (2 year vacancy):
Michele Pastre (R) 402
Board of Education:
Terry Vance (D) 496
Pam Jarvis (D) 484
Cathy Winburn (R) 191
Chip Kruger (R) 168
Board of Education (2 year vacancy):
Peter Birnbaum (D) 612
Board of Assessment Appeals:
Debbie Hanlon (D) 628
Planning and Zoning Commission:
Stanley MacMillan Jr. (D/R) 668
Susan Lynn (D) 590
Planning and Zoning Commission (Alternate):
Andrus Nichols (D) 622
Zoning Board of Appeals:
James Wexler (D) 593
Scott Pastre (R) 296
Zoning Board of Appeals (2 year vacancy):
Theodore Coulombe (D) 613
Zoning Board of Appeals (Alternate):
Pauline Moore (D) 620
Regional Board of Education:
Sara Cousins (D) 618
D: Democrat
R: Republican
D/R: Cross endorsed
U: Unaffiliated/Petitioning
WI: Write In
Results compiled from town halls and the Secretary of the State's website.
Kelly Henkins and her husband Jim run Marche.
FALLS VILLAGE— If you need an absinthe spoon, Marche in Falls Village has got you covered.
Kelly and Jim Henkins, who live in Falls Village, run Marche, located in the old bank building at 105 Main St.
Kelly Henkins was fiddling around with a store flag and porch decorations Saturday morning, Nov. 1, just before the start of the Cannonball Run road race.
Henkins said the main business of Marche is antiques sourced in Europe. The Henkins go three times a year, she continued, in search of items to bring back.
“Belgium has been very good,” she said.
Most of the inventory falls under the “housewares” category: china, silverware, and of course the absinthe spoons ($28).
“I think it’s great you know what it is,” Kelly Henkins said. “Most people have no idea. They ask if it’s for cutting cheese.”
Marche is open Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., or when the flag is out in front, with the last weekend before Christmas (Dec. 20 and 21) marking the end of the selling season.
The store will reopen for the summer May 2026.
Beside the railroad tracks in North Canaan, the building at 51 Main Street—home to Roma Pizza—sold for $265,000 in August.
NORTH CANAAN — Despite a record median sale price of $330,000 in September, homes in North Canaan remain relatively affordable. Six of the 11 properties sold went for less than $300,000.
As of late October, seven homes were on the market in North Canaan, with listing prices ranging from $289,000 to $699,000.
Transactions
28 Greene Avenue — 3 bedroom/1.5 bath home on 2.17 acres sold by Estate of Jeremiah T. Fallon Jr. to Leverton Greene for $350,500.
36 Old Turnpike Road North — 3 bedroom/4 bath home on 8.34 acres sold by CJMD2LLC to Jane O. and Daniel I. Glazer for $1,115,000.
43 Greene Avenue — 2 bedroom/1.5 bath home on 0.96 acres sold by Candice Roberts to Deann Hemmerich for $412,000.
14 Cedar Lane — 3 bedroom/1 bath home on 0.94 acres sold by Jo-Ann Cascardi and Judie Provercher to Gregory Hedus for $250,000.
6 Browns Lane — 2 bedroom/1 bath home on one acre sold by Domenic J Sebben Jr. to Tyler Sebben for $312,500.
5 Mountain View Lane — 1.66 vacant lot sold by Deborah C. Bourbeau to 5 Mountain View LLC for $84,000.
151 Sand Road — 3 lots on 2.1 acres sold by Mark D. Palmer Executor to Daniel Tomaino for $89,250.
81 Main Street — 1 bedroom/1 bath mixed used building sold by Arjo Properties LLC to DH GRD Realty LLC for $255,000.
58 Barlow Street — 3 bedroom/1.5 bath home sold by Heidi L Reineke to Joshua B. Jeremiah and Dara M. Dominick for $287,500.
101-7 Sand Road — 3 bedroom/2 bath ranch sold by Lisa M. Bousquet and Phyllis G. Robinson to Nicholas Amato and Ethan M. Arseraut for $280,000.
367 Norfolk Road — 2 bedroom/1 bath home sold by Pauline K. Garfield to Timothy R. Graves and Magdalen M Sebastian for $280,000.
7 Lawrence Avenue — 3 bedroom/1.5 bath home sold by Sarah E. Divine to Jessie and Dustin Lawrence for $297,000.
27 Tobey Hill Road — 5 bedroom/1.5 bath home on 3.88 acres built in 1790 sold by J. Keith Nolan Trust to Taylor Miles Wilson and Mileen Zarin Wilson for $630,000.
* North Canaan real estate transfers recorded as sold between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30, 2025, provided by North Canaan Assistant Town Clerk. Transfers without consideration are not included. Current market listings from Smart MLS. Note recorded transfers may lag sales by a number of days. Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Salesperson with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, licensed in CT and NY.