Letters to the Editor - The Lakeville Journal - 3-16-23

Spring, please

OK I’ve had enough

Of this white stuff

Want the warmth of the sun

And a bit of beach fun

Today was spring’s first sign

Next to the post office there were nine

Little crocuses budding away

It certainly made my day

Michael Kahler

Lakeville

 

An ‘uninformed’ description

No Thanks, Mr. Godburn. For your mis-informed, insulting description (3/2/23) of our proud, historic neighbourhood, Lime Rock Station. You spout: “In fact, that area looks considerably run down, a hodgepodge of housing styles, scrubby land, old cement abutments and perhaps a logging operation”. How charming.

Perhaps what you see is our PTSD in the aftermath of an F2 (115-135 mph winds) tornado on August 2nd, 2020. It came through like a giant weedwacker, slicing 100+ foot towering pines like matchsticks, decimating Lime Rock Station and adjacent Arnott Drive, along the river. No one was hurt. Sadly, a neighbour lost their beloved cow, Bossy. Buddy, their donkey, survived. FYI.

Neighbors came together. The Falls Village Volunteer Fire Dept. and Town Crew worked all night and day to clear much of the mangled mess. Perhaps the “logging operation” you cite is our neighbor’s property, slowly tidying up. We started a GoFundMe for fuel for his borrowed excavator. Raised 1500 bucks in a week. Some paid privately to get deadfall cleared. Yes, more work to do.

“Hodgepodge of housing styles?” There are about 6 houses visible along Lime Rock Station (20 total), the 2 oldest gothic beauties from the mid 1800’s, plus the old Station House (moved and converted in the 1960’s), an authentic (1960’s) raised ranch and 4 welcome Habitat houses. A historical “hodgepodge” and typical New England.

Another aspect that went right over your head. History abounds here. Being on the Housatonic Railroad line (built 1842), Lime Rock Station was an important stop. The Barnum and Richardson Company (owned by William Henry Barnum, U.S. Senator) made railroad wheels and employed 1600 people here, in Lime Rock and North Canaan. Perhaps the “cement abutments” you disparage are the old granite walls B+R built to border the tracks. We were the site of the massive Borden Milk Plant for about 100 years, with RR sidings, an ice house and processing plant, providing needed fresh milk to NYC. “Considerably run down”, and the property my family has happily inhabited for 32 years with two homes adjacent. Unbeknownst to you, the new Western New England Greenway (WNEG) bike route and historic Mohawk Trail run right through here and, as of this year, the Housatonic River is now “Wild and Scenic”.

Referring to the proposed development, you weakly offer: “The new homes, as shown on the housing website, should be a big improvement.” You need a little assistance here, Pilgrim: that Disneyland-like photo is a “stock” shot cut and pasted, which does not depict the actual proposed development. If you look closely at the photo you might also  notice the cars in it. A Range Rover and 2 Porsche’s. Hardly affordable transportation.

Frankly, I wonder how your defamatory “letter” was ever published. And why we would offer your superfluous insults a response ? Pride, I guess. We love our neighborhood and its history. Would we insult your town, Norfolk? Never. Don’t insult ours!

Colter Rule

Falls Village

 

To Right a Book

“As it is an ancient truth that freedom cannot be legislated into existence, so it is no less obvious that freedom cannot be censored into existence.”

— Dwight David Eisenhower

 

In 1650, the first book was banned in Boston which was the epicenter of colony book banning under the sternly punitive Puritans. Surges of book banning have roiled in the U.S. — about religion in the colonial era.

Forward two hundred years and of course the banning/censoring of books spiked related to slavery —that life-time employment/incarceration of peoples for economic boom and the convenience of unpaid servants.

Following the Civil War, the United Daughters of the Confederacy actively led the banning of books to elevate the failed confederacy (along with erecting 850 confederate general statutes); they, the UDC, were activated for book banning again in the 1980’s — on race. The Comstock Act was passed in 1873 to outlaw books mailed, handled, possessed that were “lewd,” “indecent” which included any written materials on contraception and abortion. The Comstock Act was finally rescinded in 1936. Joe McCarthy in the 1950’s ignited book bonfires – literally.

Since the Romans, humans have been engaged in righting books – removing the bad ones, extolling the good ones – the ones that tell the “righters” view of truth and morality. In this broad sweep The Canterbury Tales have been banned as too sexy, Shakespeare has taken his hits as have Hemingway (really all of the Lost Generation writers), Morrison, Steinbeck, To Kill a Mocking Bird, Charlotte’s Web … the Bible was banned in its early days.

Times change, locales shift with Florida now the epicenter of book banning – Boston has long since lost that infamy. Righting books has now emerged as a prime campaign lever for Republicans in many states – in Texas 800 books are on one Representative’s list to ban. In 32 states, 138 school districts books have been banned in 2022, impacting 4 million students – a group a bit larger than Tucker Carlson’s nightly audience.

Ironically, Ron DeSantis, Mr. Right, is touring the States on a book tour. His book – ought it be banned? Is misinformation, bigotry, power mongering obscene? Not listed here is the book title, its focus, his scam – assume it is DeSantis seeking more power, executive privilege unhampered. DeSantis says his war on books is a hoax – one Florida parent, substitute teacher disagrees “If I weren’t living through it, I wouldn’t believe it’s happening.”

Thus far no one has devised a muck boot to aid sane maneuvering our times when Fox lies – big lies – for profits, when political attacks on books, schools, students and teachers soar.

“There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches.”

— Ray Bradbury

“Books and ideas are the most effective weapons against intolerance and ignorance.”

—  Lyndon B. Johnson

Kathy Herald-Marlowe Sharon

 

Thanking Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance

Saying thanks and giving recognition to the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service.

We can’t say thank you enough!

We can’t say how much we appreciate you enough!

This community relies on YOU!

YOU, who are volunteers!

YOU, who do not get paid to be “on the ready” 24/7 to respond to an emergency call

YOU, who arrive to our homes as fast as you can to get to our loved ones in need

YOU, who walk through our doors prepared, organized and trained to care for our loved ones

YOU, who show up to our doors wanting to care for ours as if they are yours

We are lucky, blessed and grateful!

THANK YOU for always helping Mom

Salty Swanson’s Family

Kim Miles

Salisbury

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Lakeville Journal and The Journal does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Latest News

Club baseball at Fuessenich Park

Travel league baseball came to Torrington Thursday, June 26, when the Berkshire Bears Select Team played the Connecticut Moose 18U squad. The Moose won 6-4 in a back-and-forth game. Two players on the Bears play varsity ball at Housatonic Valley Regional High School: shortstop Anthony Foley and first baseman Wes Allyn. Foley went 1-for-3 at bat with an RBI in the game at Fuessenich Park.

 

  Anthony Foley, rising senior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, went 1-for-3 at bat for the Bears June 26.Photo by Riley Klein 

 
Siglio Press: Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature

Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.

Richard Kraft

Siglio Press is a small, independent publishing house based in Egremont, Massachusetts, known for producing “uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.” Founded and run by editor and publisher Lisa Pearson, Siglio has, since 2008, designed books that challenge conventions of both form and content.

A visit to Pearson’s airy studio suggests uncommon work, to be sure. Each of four very large tables were covered with what looked to be thousands of miniature squares of inkjet-printed, kaleidoscopically colored pieces of paper. Another table was covered with dozens of book/illustration-size, abstracted images of deer, made up of colored dots. For the enchanted and the mystified, Pearson kindly explained that these pieces were to be collaged together as artworks by the artist Richard Kraft (a frequent contributor to the Siglio Press and Pearson’s husband). The works would be accompanied by writings by two poets, Elizabeth Zuba and Monica Torre, in an as-yet-to-be-named book, inspired by a found copy of a worn French children’s book from the 1930s called “Robin de Bois” (Robin Hood).

Keep ReadingShow less
Cycling season: A roundup of our region’s rentals and where to ride them

Cyclists head south on the rail trail from Copake Falls.

Alec Linden

After a shaky start, summer has well and truly descended upon the Litchfield, Berkshire and Taconic hills, and there is no better way to get out and enjoy long-awaited good weather than on two wheels. Below, find a brief guide for those who feel the pull of the rail trail, but have yet to purchase their own ten-speed. Temporary rides are available in the tri-corner region, and their purveyors are eager to get residents of all ages, abilities and inclinations out into the open road (or bike path).

For those lucky enough to already possess their own bike, perhaps the routes described will inspire a new way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For more, visit lakevillejournal.com/tag/bike-route to check out two ride-guides from local cyclists that will appeal to enthusiasts of many levels looking for a varied trip through the region’s stunning summer scenery.

Keep ReadingShow less