Housatonic Valley Regional High School was well represented at the Berkshire League indoor track championship in Bethel Feb. 7. As a unit, the girls and boys teams both finished in fourth place. Individually, several runners won first place in their disciplines. Kyle McCarron placed first in the 1000-meter run, the 1600-meter run and the 3200-meter run. Patrick Money placed first in the 55-meter hurdles and the long jump. Mia Dodge (pictured above) placed first in the 55-meter hurdles. The boys sprint medley relay team — Peter Austin, Silar Tripp, Patrick Money and Kyle McCarron — placed first overall.
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Freund family strengthens protections on 199 acres of farmland
Ruth Epstein
Nov 04, 2026
Matthew and Theresa Freund have signed an agreement adding another layer of farmland preservation protection to this 199-acre parcel in East Canaan.
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NORTH CANAAN — Ensuring the legacy left to them by their parents, Benjamin and Matthew Freund, along with Matthew’s wife, Theresa, have signed an agreement for continued and strengthened farmland preservation.
The move adds an additional layer of protection on 199 acres in East Canaan that stretches between Elm Knoll and Freund’s farms along both sides of Route 44.
The Freunds purchased the acreage in 1986 upon which they placed a Department of Agriculture easement to maintain its agricultural use. But they have seen examples on other properties that have skirted such easements to allow for the construction of large estates and other amenities.
“These easements are not sufficient to prevent large homes on these sites,” said Ben Freund. “To honor our original intent of the easement, we donated the land to what is called Option to Purchase at Agricultural Value, or OPAV, to Connecticut Farmland Trust.”
While the fields were already protected from development, this additional agreement helps keep them affordable and available to farmers for generations to come, as well as imposing certain restrictions.
The agreement stipulates that whoever buys the property in the future must make half of his or her income from agricultural production. It further designates where and what size house can be placed on the parcel.
Ben Freund has been working for a few years to accomplish the agreement. “This serves as a legacy to my parents.” Esther and Eugene Freund farmed for decades and were strong advocates for farmland preservation. The two sons came back after college to work the farm with their father and continued after his retirement.
“I hope this sets an example for how some easements can be protected,” he said.
Theirs is the first of 45 farms in Connecticut that have easements which can seek further protection. “Besides preserving agricultural opportunities, this sets an example to others across the state to emulate.”
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Kent wetlands hearing set for 80-unit housing proposal
Alec Linden
Nov 04, 2026
A rendering of the proposed 80-unit housing development south of Kent Town Hall. The Inland Wetlands Commission will hold a public hearing on the project Monday, Nov. 16.
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KENT — The public will get another chance to comment on a proposed 80-unit downtown housing development when the Inland Wetlands Commission hosts a public hearing on Monday, Nov. 16.
At its regular meeting in late October, the IWC scheduled the hearing in response to a petition signed by 31 residents and organized by local real estate agent Bonnie Bevans, who opposes the project.
Bevans has said the development is too large, and a consultant speaking on her behalf has questioned whether the town’s sewer system can handle the additional wastewater.
Jim Millstein, managing partner of Kent Housing Development Associates, the developer proposing the project, has said the Sewer Commission indicated the system has sufficient capacity for the development.
Connecticut law allows an inland wetlands agency to hold a public hearing if a proposal may significantly affect wetlands or watercourses, if it receives a qualifying petition, or if it determines a hearing would be in the public interest.
The hearing, which will take place online via Zoom at 7 p.m., will focus on the proposal’s potential effects on wetlands and watercourses.
It will be the first public hearing on the project since the Planning and Zoning Commission’s hearings this spring.
Those hearings drew mixed reactions, with residents praising the prospect of more housing options in Kent while raising concerns about the project’s size, traffic and effects on town services.
That process eventually led to the establishment of a Planned Development District, or PDD, on a 12.5-acre parcel of meadowland south of Town Hall, meaning the land is now restricted to the uses described in the application.
P&Z approved the district April 9, allowing 80 mixed-income housing units in townhouse and apartment-style buildings, including 16 designated as affordable. Five acres at the southern end of the property will be preserved as open space.
Introducing the project during the spring hearings, Millstein described the vision as “a village-scale residential neighborhood that fits naturally in Kent while addressing the town’s documented housing needs.”
The PDD approval was not a go-ahead for the project itself, but rather an initial permitting step. The site plan for the development is now under review by P&Z; however, that process will not feature additional public hearings.
The primary concern for the IWC is a drainage ditch that runs the length of the property from north to south. The development team has stated it will utilize the channel as a feature of the property and “beautify” it with native plants.
The IWC has also questioned a section of the southern meadow that collects standing water intermittently. The applicant’s engineer has said soil testing showed generally well-drained soils across the property. These findings and others are currently under review by the IWC’s consulting engineer.
Alongside information from Millstein and his development team, the Nov. 16 hearing will also feature input from Bevans and her consultants. Bevans has formally intervened in the application process to raise environmental concerns.
During the late-October IWC meeting, Bevans requested that the hearing be hosted either fully in person at Town Hall or in a hybrid format allowing residents to participate from Town Hall via Zoom. She stated that she and others were uncomfortable and felt underrepresented with the online format of P&Z and IWC hearings, which has been standard practice for years in Kent.
IWC Chair Lynn Werner said that she was uneasy breaking that precedent for the sake of one application, and that she preferred the online format to ensure presentations and testimony are captured in the meeting record.
“I think participating via Zoom is the fairest way to do it as long as we’re enabling people who are uncomfortable with Zoom to participate,” she said, “because it captures everything, online, for the record.”
Land Use Administrator Tai Kern said that residents who have difficulty accessing the meetings via Zoom should contact her office before the hearing to arrange access to a laptop and instructions on how to participate. She also welcomed those with materials to share, such as maps, to submit them to her office before the hearing so she can help present them.
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Salisbury chorus prepares for Radio City performance
Patrick Stachniak
Nov 04, 2026
SALISBURY — Salisbury Central School’s chorus will perform at Radio City Music Hall Nov. 12, with preparations continuing despite the recent departure of music teacher and chorus director Jennifer Moros.
The chorus will perform a medley of holiday favorites before the Christmas Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes. Students announced the trip during their Fall Festival performance.
Principal Stephanie Magyarinformed families that Moros was no longer at the school in an email sent Oct. 28. Neither Magyar nor Moros commented on the reasons.
Magyar said the Nov. 12 performance will proceed and tickets remain available. She will oversee trip logistics, and Salisbury Band member Lee Sohl will direct the chorus.
Moros joined Salisbury Central in 2024 after nearly two decades as an educator. Working with Magyar, she expanded music opportunities for younger students and introduced a musical for fourth and fifth graders. The chorus grew to 38 students.
“I love what I do, I love making music and I love working with kids,” Moros said in an Oct. 23 interview with The Lakeville Journal.
“The program is growing really fast. The kids are training, and they’re pretty amazing,” she said.
Preparing for Radio City also brought support from the wider community. Michael Baldwin and Sarah Cuoco of Sharon Playhouse volunteered to help students develop their stage presence.
Students and community members helped raise money for the trip, selling $1,000 worth of popcorn at concerts with a machine borrowed from the local fire department.
Magyar said the program’s growth has given students more opportunities to perform and made the chorus more visible in the community.
“It’s been great. Our numbers are up, and not just the kids are responding well, but the community is getting to see us far more than they did before,” Magyar said.
The chorus is also scheduled to perform its holiday medley Dec. 6 at Salisbury’s tree lighting at the White Hart Inn.
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Cornwall Library welcomes new executive director
Ruth Epstein
Nov 04, 2026
Cara Johnson is the new executive director of the Cornwall Library.
Ruth Epstein
CORNWALL — Cara Johnson has been named the new executive director of the Cornwall Library. She replaces Margaret Haske, who chose to take on the position of director of circulation.
Johnson, 52, brings a wide range of experience to her new role. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as a PhD in archeology from the University of Connecticut. She taught at the college level and was head of school at Litchfield Montessori School and most recently education lead for Art Education Initiative, a global education foundation.
“But I’ve always been interested in libraries,” she said during a recent interview, as the sound of excited young children attending the weekly story hour could be heard. “This is more than just a library. Cornwall comes across as an arts and literary community and what is wanted here echoes my job as head of school.”
While she has no plans to make any immediate changes as she gets to know the community, Johnson said she has some ideas about expanding programs using her educational background. She really enjoys middle school-age children and hopes to be able to provide offerings to attract them to the library. “They’re old enough to have strong reasoning skills yet have not lost that sense of awe. It’s an important period.”
Johnson envisions planning events that let them express their creativity, thinking about such activities as a maker space, problem solving, exploring different media and outdoor programs. She would also like to see them involved in volunteerism.
Johnson sees the role of the library as being a community hub. With art shows, lectures, programs for all ages, as well as a repository for books, videos and other materials, the library connects people, she said.
She has already seen how it serves as an outlet for artists to showcase their talents. The walls are currently filled with a photography exhibit. “It’s lovely that people give of their time to share their work.”
She marveled at the recent Lena Dunham talk that brought out an audience of 300.
Raised in Pomfret and now a resident of Bantam, Johnson greatly enjoys hiking and kayaking. “I love being outdoors,” she said.
And, of course, she is a reader, attracted to mystery novels and what she termed “nerdy science non-fiction.” Among her favorite authors are Ann Cleeves and Sam Keen.
Johnson served as a trustee of the Connecticut Board of Independent Schools and board member of the Rotary Club of Thomaston and the Junior Women’s Club of Litchfield Hills. She’s been a wilderness guide and mentor and continues to serve as a research scientist in the University of Connecticut’s department of anthropology.
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Housy boys fall 4-0 to Shepaug
Riley Klein
Nov 04, 2026
Housatonic’s Jackson McAvoy during the 4-0 loss at Shepaug Valley Oct. 28.
Riley Klein
WASHINGTON — Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s boys varsity soccer team concluded the regular season with a tough road loss at Shepaug Valley High School Wednesday, Oct. 28.
After taking an early lead, Shepaug held on to a 1-0 margin at halftime despite a relentless attack by the HVRHS offense for most of the first half. Shepaug’s perseverance paid off in the second half as the Spartans scored three goals in quick succession to secure a 4-0 win.
The game marked the end of the regular season for both Berkshire League teams. It was played in Washington, with the temperature about 55 degrees.
In the opening minutes, Shepaug’s Grady Hughes put his team ahead with an early goal.
HVRHS played with unwavering effort and created offensive opportunities by winning most 50/50 balls.
Senior striker Jackson McAvoy faced swarms of Spartan defenders whenever he got the ball but came close to scoring several times as the first half progressed.
The second half started with more pressure from the HVRHS offense and another shot by McAvoy that was saved.
In the 65th minute, Shepaug’s Jonathan Croft launched a free kick from the left side into the box. The ball soared over the players who were leaping to head it and landed in the right side of the net.
Just two minutes later, Hughes got his second goal of the day, weaving inside in a solo effort before scoring with a low shot to the right.
In the 74th minute, Shepaug scored on a follow-up effort after a corner kick. Shepaug’s Elijah Tendler collected the ball at the top of the box and fired a hard strike into the top left of the net.
HVRHS had several scoring chances down the stretch, the closest of which came from captain Angel Gonzalez, whose late-game shot was saved.
Heading into the postseason, Shepaug sat in fourth place in the BL with a record of 10-5-1, while HVRHS was in fifth place with a record of 7-9. At the top of the league were Northwestern (14-1-1), Nonnewaug (14-2) and Lakeview (11-4-1).
All five teams earned bids to compete in Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference tournaments. Nonnewaug and Lakeview will represent the BL in the Class M tournament as the fourth and 13th seeds, respectively. In Class S, Northwestern is seeded first, Shepaug eighth and HVRHS 15th.
The first round of boys soccer tournaments is scheduled to begin Friday, Nov. 6, with higher seeds hosting home games.
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Kent weighs park upgrades, with pond a priority
Alec Linden
Nov 04, 2026
Reopening Emery Park’s swimming pond remains the top priority as Kent considers broader improvements to the park.
Alec Linden
KENT — Kent’s selectmen want the town to focus on reopening Emery Park’s swimming pond as it weighs a $5.75 million plan to renovate the park.
The Board of Selectmen reviewed the master plan at its Oct. 20 meeting. Reopening the swimming area remains the priority, with broader park improvements planned in phases over the following years. The board did not provide a timeline for reopening the pond.
Prepared by Meriden-based Cardinal Engineering, the plan outlines upgrades to the park, including its 80-year-old, stream-fed swimming pond, which has been closed since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parks and Recreation Director Matt Frasher said planning for the pond’s rehabilitation revealed the need for broader infrastructure improvements and accessibility upgrades under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“We started to cut the onion and we had to really take apart so many more layers deeper in,” he said. “It was like a domino effect.”
Frasher said reopening the swimming pond remains the commission’s top priority, although completing the broader park rehabilitation could take a decade or more.
“We are under the understanding that this could be a 10, 15 year project,” he said. “It’s not something that’s going to happen instantaneously.”
Cardinal’s estimates include approximately $4.2 million for general park improvements, $550,000 for pond dredging and utilities, and roughly $1 million to rehabilitate the swimming area — a combined cost of up to $5.75 million.
The general improvements include a Parks and Recreation Department office, bathing and changing facilities, a 50-person pavilion, landscaping and a new playground.
The town has $550,000 in capital funds allocated to various aspects of the project, covering approximately 10% of the estimated total, Frasher said.
Selectman Lynn Harrington expressed concern that the broader rehabilitation could distract from or impede efforts to reopen the swimming pond.
First Selectman Eric Epstein said his conversations with engineers supported addressing regulatory compliance throughout the park alongside the swimming-area work. But a project of this scale should involve public input, he said.
“My concern is we need to take this to the taxpayers,” Epstein said.
Frasher said his office and the commission intend to hold public forums in November and December to discuss the plans with residents.
Selectman Lynn Worthington asked whether the commission had considered replacing the pond with a swimming pool.
Frasher said “going the pond route is a significantly less expensive option, and one that we don’t have to fall under a significant amount of regulation.”
Maintaining it as a pond would also give the town more flexibility in its use, he said. The commission has discussed the possibility of winter skating when conditions allow.
Frasher said restoring accessible public swimming would provide residents with a place to cool off and opportunities to learn lifesaving swimming skills.
“The commission and I are beyond ecstatic to get behind it,” he said.
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