Turning Back the Pages

100 years ago — May 1923

Roy Van Deusen was summoned to appear before Justice Tuttle on Tuesday by Officer Preston on charge of driving without an operator’s license. The fines and cost amounted to $20.27. Roy had expected to take out a license the following morning, but made the mistake of taking his car out a few hours too soon.

 

A.S. Martin is having a new brick chimney and fireplace added to the north side of his house on Main Street.

 

The mountains were white with snow this morning and overcoats were once more in evidence. Chicago may have some funny weather but it has nothing on us at present.

 

50 years ago — May 1973

The State of Connecticut, pledged to preserve the Berkshire Division tracks of the Penn Central from New Milford to Canaan, apparently has plans to build a half million dollar railroad bridge in Kent.

 

Author James Thomas Flexner of West Cornwall and New York City was awarded a special Pulitzer Prize citation this week for his four-volume biography of George Washington. The final work, “George Washington: Anguish and Farewell (1793-1799),” was published by Little, Brown and Co. last November. It received the National Book Award in April.

 

Mark Dickinson of The Hotchkiss School and Kim Fracaro of Housatonic Valley Regional High School have won first and second places, respectively, in the fourth annual Mark Van Doren Poetry Contest. The contest is open to students in area private and public secondary schools.

 

Judson Philips of Canaan, who has just celebrated his golden anniversary as a writer of mystery novels, was presented the Grand Master award last week by the Mystery Writers of America. The presentation was made Friday during the annual dinner at the Essex House in New York City.

 

Over 70 bags of litter were cleared from Canaan’s streets and parking lots Saturday by 25 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts who took part in the Keep America Beautiful program.

 

25 years ago — May 1998

In almost every one of the last 500 issues of The Lakeville Journal, Tim Fitzmaurice’s by-line has been over at least one front page article. Most recently he has also been a weekly presence in Compass with his sharply written movie reviews. Now Tim is leaving the Journal to write screenplays for Miramax and to help manage The Moviehouse in Millerton. He will continue to live on Main Street in Lakeville.

 

Dr. Malcolm M. Brown of Sharon has spent 17 years on the town’s Sewer and Water Commission and is about to step down. To honor him for that long record of service, the town and commission will dedicate the new water filtration plant  to the longtime volunteer on May 30 at 2 p.m. at Town Hall.

 

Will the person who took four doll heads from the doorway of a Falls Village home please return them. No questions will be asked. The owner had them ready to give to a youngster when they disappeared from in front of her door.

 

These items were taken from The Lakeville Journal archives at Salisbury’s Scoville Memorial Library, keeping the original wording intact as possible.

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

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Thanks To You, Our Recent Donors

Thanks To You, Our Recent Donors

Your contributions over the last year have made delivering trusted, local news possible.

Listed are donors who generously made a gift to The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News between January 1, 2025 through January 31, 2026*

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Swift House in Kent.

By Ruth Epstein

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At the meeting’s outset, committee member Marge Smith said local attorney Anthony Palumbo has expressed interest in purchasing the building. “He loves it and said he’d be honored to buy it and maybe lease part of it back to the town. He would be OK with a conservation easement.” She said he supports several previously proposed uses, including a welcome center and exhibition space.

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Photo by Christine Bates

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Kent's towering snowman honors Robbie Kennedy

Kent's towering snowman honors Robbie Kennedy

Jeff Kennedy visits the 20-foot-high snowman located in the Golden Falcon lot in Kent that was created in honor of his late brother Robbie Kennedy.

Note: An earlier version of this article included a different photo.

Photo by Ruth Epstein

KENT – Snowman Robbie stands prominently in the center of town, just as its namesake — longtime Kent resident Robbie Kennedy — did for so many years.

The 20-foot-high frozen sculpture pays tribute to Kennedy, who died Feb. 9, at the age of 71. A beloved member of the community, he was a familiar sight riding his bicycle along town roads waving to all he passed. Many people knew him from his days working at Davis IGA, the local supermarket. He was embraced by the Kent Fire Department, where he was named an active emergency member and whose members chipped in to buy him a new bike, and by the Kent School football team where coach Ben Martin made him his assistant. At Templeton Farms senior apartments, he was the helpful tenant, always eager to assist his neighbors.

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Classifieds - February 26, 2026

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The Salisbury Association’s Land Trust seeks part-time Land Steward: Responsibilities include monitoring easements and preserves, filing monitoring reports, documenting and reporting violations or encroachments, and recruiting and supervising volunteer monitors. The Steward will also execute preserve and trail stewardship according to Management Plans and manage contractor activity. Up to 10 hours per week, compensation commensurate with experience. Further details and requirements are available on request. To apply: Send cover letter, resume, and references to info@salisburyassociation.org. The Salisbury Association is an equal opportunity employer.

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Fireweed attracts the fabulous hummingbird sphinx moth.

Photo provided by Wild Seed Project

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These birds will soon enough be nesting, and their babies will require a nonstop diet of caterpillars. This source of soft-bodied protein makes up more than 90 percent of native bird chicks’ diets, with each clutch consuming between 6,000 and 9,000 caterpillars before they fledge. That means we need a lot of caterpillars if we want our bird population to survive.

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