Kent Center School eighth graders prepare for next chapter
Kent Center School eighth grader Lyra Wilder receives her diploma with a smile on June 16.
Aly Morrissey
Aly Morrissey
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Drivers battle for position during the LiUNA 150 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Lime Rock Park on Saturday, July 11.
Madi Long
When racing resumed, Grant Enfinger in the No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet held off Landen Lewis by 0.483 seconds to take the victory. The field also featured several notable drivers, including NTT IndyCar Series driver Louis Foster.
Thousands of fans attended the event, which featured multiple lead changes throughout the race. Madi Long
Fans had the opportunity to get up close to the trucks during Lime Rock Park’s open paddock on Friday, July 10, one of the track’s signature attractions. The Coca-Cola Fan Zone also offered racing simulators, giveaways, food trucks and other family-friendly activities.
The weekend also hosted the ARCA Menards Series, a feeder series for the national touring series of NASCAR, and the USF Juniors presented by Continental Tire, an open-wheel series that prepares young drivers for eventual entry into the NTT IndyCar series.
Lime Rock Park CEO Dicky Riegel said discussions with NASCAR are underway about bringing the Truck Series back to the track in 2027.
Bill Packer of Sheffield demonstrates the grain tailgateon his 1955 Ford F250 truck at the Falls Village Car and Motorcycle Show on Sunday, July 12.
Patrick L. Sullivan
Judy and Denny Jacobs, owners of Jacobs Garage, have organized the event since its inception in 2010, when it served as a celebration of the business’ 80th anniversary. The event was so popular they decided to make it a tradition.
Standing among a huge crowd of onlookers strolling down Main Street to the music of the Last Good Bender band from Millerton, N.Y., Denny Jacobs quipped, “It’s a perfect day. So far, it’s controlled chaos.”
The event raises money through vehicle entry fees, merchandise sales and other activities. About a half-dozen food trucks were also on hand.
Jacobs expressed appreciation to the Housatonic Valley Regional High School chapter of FFA and the Falls Village Fire Department, whose volunteers provided assistance with parking and shuttle rides. The two organizations receive proceeds from the event. This year, for the first time, a professional safety company was hired to help with traffic at the Route 7 intersections.
Carl Van Deusen of nearby Sheffield came with his 1969 Camaro. He bought it 25 years ago and it needed a lot of work, but it reminded him of his ’68 Camaro he got right out of high school. “It’s like my second childhood,” he laughed.
He fixed it up enough to drive it on the road, as well as participate in some races. When he was done racing, he restored it. The condition was worthy of a mention in Muscle Machine magazine 20 years ago. “I’m not famous, but the car is,” Van Deusen said.
He gave a top review to the car show, saying, “It’s one of the best; definitely one of the best, if not the best.”
Daryl Robinovitz’s 1940 Model Business coupe, which he has dubbed “Fat Forty,” has also appeared in magazines: Rod & Custom and Street Rodder. He was quick to point out the frosted artwork etched into the car’s windows — a scenic design on the rear window and a rose on the side window. “At night, when the brake lights go on, the etching turns red,” said the Ludlow, Mass., resident.
He and his wife were attending the show for the first time and were impressed. “We’re loving it. I can’t stop oohing and aahing,” he said.
An attention getter was Bill Packer’s 1955 Ford F250 long bed truck that came from a Kansas farm. The Sheffield resident bought it for his 55th birthday seven years ago. He saw an ad and asked a friend in Kansas to check it out. “The advice was: ‘Grab it.’” Much of it is original, other than the seats, brakes, suspension and headliner, he said, adding, “It’s basically how it came, including the dents.”
Packer was anxious to show off several features, including the grain door on the rear of the truck.
Beyond the rows of classic vehicles, the event also featured local vendors.
Eli Sher, 11, showing his entrepreneurial talents, had a stand at which he sold homemade dog treats consisting of bananas, oats and peanut butter. He sold bags for $5 that contained 30 treats. The money earned will supplement his income from dog walking.
“I love that this showcases our town,” said Jacobs. “People are always saying what a beautiful town this is. Sometimes we take it for granted.”
Patrick L. Sullivan
The crowd on Main Street at 12:30 p.m. during the Falls Village Car and Motorcycle Show Sunday, July 12. Organizer Judy Jacobs said there were over 700 vehicles registered,and“thousands of spectators.”
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Crews working on Factory/Washinee Street by Salisbury Town Hall Tuesday afternoon, July 7.
Patrick L. Sullivan
Crews, however, were still working on Cobble Road and Route 41, and Cobble Road was only accessible from Route 44.
Factory/Washinee Street at Town Hall also remained closed as of 11:30 a.m. Friday. A car was still beneath a tangle of downed trees in the Town Hall parking lot. Town Hall itself, however, had reopened.
The large tree that fell on the White Hart lawn had been removed by Wednesday, July 8, and Salmon Kill Road had reopened.
The improvements marked a dramatic change from earlier in the week, when much of Salisbury remained clogged with fallen trees and downed power lines.
Salisbury clean-up efforts
On Tuesday, July 7, under cloudy and rainy skies, crews lined Route 44 through Salisbury and Lakeville, replacing poles, clearing fallen trees and restoring power lines.
Among the workers on Brook Street were Eversource crews from Quebec who came to the U.S. as emergency backup. Additional crews worked just east of the Lakeville Hose Company firehouse, west of the Scoville Memorial Library at Conklin Street, and east of the entrance to the Lion’s Head condominium complex.
Work continued on hard-hit Salmon Kill Road as far as the eye could see from Route 44. The road was closed from both the Route 44 entrance and the Farnam Road entrance.
A crew working on a downed tree and utility pole in the westbound lane of Route 44 east of Cobble Road on Tuesday, July 7.Patrick L. Sullivan
Other crews worked on Factory/Washinee Street by Town Hall.
After debris was cleared from the library lawn, it became clear that several large trees had fallen across Wachnocastinook Brook.
Route 41/Undermountain Road was also closed Tuesday from the intersection with Route 44, by the town Green and the White Hart. Undermountain Road was particularly hard hit in the storm.
Crews were also deployed along Dugway, Brinton Hill Road and Farnam Road.
Falls Villageclean-up efforts
Falls Village also continued its recovery from extensive storm damage.
At Town Hall on Tuesday afternoon, July 7, Emergency Management Director Michelle Hansen, who also serves as town treasurer, provided a timeline of the town’s response to the July 4 storm.
On July 4, around 7:30 p.m., right after the storm hit, Hansen said she made it to the Emergency Services Center on Route 7 with difficulty.
“It took an hour to get an eighth of a mile,” Hansen said.
She said she deployed town crews to cut up whatever trees they could – which excluded anything touching a wire. Responders worked until midnight, before returning six hours later.
The hardest hit roads were Warren Turnpike, Route 7 from Beebe Hill to Route 112, and Johnson Road.
No injuries were reported. “We were very lucky,” she said.
Initially there were 714 Falls Village households without power. By Tuesday afternoon, that number was down to eight and by Wednesday the power was fully restored.
The EMC was open Sunday and Monday for people to charge devices, get water, and use the showers. Housatonic Valley Regional High School opened temporarily offering similar services following the storm.
On the night of the storm, the EMC briefly hosted stranded travelers, who were trying to get to Salisbury, New Milford and points beyond. Hansen said the motorists stayed long enough to get directions on which roads were passable or to call friends and arrange to spend the remainder of the night.
Eversource started working in town Sunday afternoon. Earlier on Sunday, as the fire department volunteers and town crew employees made their way around town, they reported the locations of downed trees and wires to Hansen, who entered the information in Eversource’s municipal database, so the Eversource crew were properly briefed when they arrived.
Hansen declared a local state of emergency Sunday afternoon, which was lifted on Wednesday, July 8.
First Selectman Dave Barger said he had received offers of help from other towns, beginning with Kent First Selectman Eric Epstein, who offered the fire department or town crew help as early as 6 a.m. Sunday.
First Selectman Jesse Bunce of North Canaan followed with a similar offer a few minutes later, as did First Selectman Gordon Ridgway of Cornwall and First Selectman Henry Tirrell of Norfolk.
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