Editor’s note: As the effort to get Wild and Scenic River status for the Housatonic River continues (see “Long Push for Wild and Scenic status resurfaces with Congressional clout” ), it is worth taking a look at how a similar effort worked out on the Farmington River.
RIVERTON — In 1994, a 14-mile segment of the Farmington River was granted federal Wild and Scenic status, making it the first river in Connecticut, and one of only six in New England, to achieve the designation.
But river advocates didn’t stop there. To date, roughly 80 combined miles along the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook, and Upper Farmington, have been tapped into the national Wild and Scenic River System as a result of a network of partnerships determined to protect the river from environmental threats.
Eileen Fielding, who is the executive director of Sharon Audubon, was at the forefront of the Farmington’s efforts to achieve Wild and Scenic status. In her role as the former executive director of the Farmington River Watershed Association, she recalled working closely with major stakeholders.
Years later, she is still proud of the Farmington’s successful bid to become one of the first rivers to qualify for the designation of Partnership Wild and Scenic River, which is the same status that advocates for the Housatonic River are currently seeking. “It was a departure from how Wild and Scenic Rivers had been designated in the past,” Fielding recalled.
Once the Wild and Scenic movement started moving eastward, she said, it became evident that a lot of land along rivers was privately owned, as opposed to vast expanses of federal lands out West. “It required a great more consensus building.”
Ten towns involved in the process
As a result, a subcommittee of the Farmington River Watershed Association was formed and charged with coordinating communications between all the major stakeholders including Trout Unlimited, the National Park Service, representatives from each of the 10 towns involved in the process, representatives from the Farmington River Watershed Association, the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), the reservoirs and many others.
“There are some people on that committee who have been on there since day one,” said Fielding of the dedicated group. While not everyone was always in agreement, she noted, over time, “people got used to the idea. As the years went by, people figured out that if you have a Wild and Scenic designation it’s not like the federal government will be swooping in in black helicopters and forcing towns” to act against their will.
The path to success
Sally Reiger, who spearheaded a 12-year effort to get the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook federally designated, said she believes the path to success was paved with a partnerships, persistence, and divine intervention.
“I told Chris he was the patron saint of Wild and Scenic,” said Reiger during an early March interview, referring to the U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and his backing of the effort to achieve federal protection. “We were very fortunate that when we first started, Chris Murphy was first elected to Congress. As a freshman representative that was something he picked up on then and stuck with it to the very end.”
Murphy and U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-5) are currently preparing legislation seeking federal approval to have the Housatonic River achieve Wild and Scenic status.
“The designation and rather modest federal funding serves to bring people together to talk with each other about what would be good for the river, and what would be the best way to use the resources to help the river,” said Fielding. “Sometimes it’s not even the funding that’s important, it’s the conversations between the stakeholders.”
The trifecta for success
Social media is also responsible for heightened demand on the state’s rivers as the word gets out about beautiful places, and the challenge becomes how to manage increased demands on the rivers. “We need to make the river available and accessible, but still safe and protected.”
The quest for federal status, she noted, also sends the message that taking care of the river is an important community effort. “The river is also its own ecosystem, and you don’t want to use it to death with recreational use.”
Fielding’s advice to any community seeking to achieve Wild and Scenic status for its river is to aim for what she calls the trifecta for success: “Persistence, communication and inclusiveness.”
Reiger’s advice is for supporters to find a way to go to Washington, D.C., to advocate for their river. “You need to get the whole Connecticut delegation to support it and sign onto that bill.”
Lucia Iandolo
Alt folk duo Sweet Petunia to perform a benefit at Random Harvest on Saturday, July 25.
On Saturday, July 25, Americana/Alt Folk duo Sweet Petunia will perform at Random Harvest in Craryville, a worker-owned market, café and community space that supports farmers and brings people together through locally sourced food. The concert comes just months after the fatal two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Route 23 and County Route 7 that devastated the hamlet, disrupted local businesses and left a lasting emotional impact on the community.
After the crash, Random Harvest remained open and committed to connecting people through food and community. Simpson said the duo looks forward to contributing to a healing experience through their music.
“We are honored to be there and to share our music,” Simpson said. “We’re happy to be part of a celebration and hopefully raise some funds and just have a good time.”
Sweet Petunia is made up of Mairead Guy and Maddy Simpson, who met while studying at Berklee College of Music. Throughout their college years, Guy and Simpson’s voices blended so beautifully that classmates often mistook them for siblings. After discovering their collaborative sound, they formed Sweet Petunia and began performing at music festivals while writing their debut album, “Foggy Mountain Mental Breakdown,” released earlier this year on Ani DiFranco’s label, Righteous Babe Records. The record explores themes rooted in Appalachian traditions while drawing inspiration from Boston’s DIY punk scene.
Sweet Petunia’s music combines deep, thought-provoking lyrics with intricate banjo playing to tell stories of self-discovery and life’s many complexities. The banjo seems to be having a resurgence in mainstream music, a trend the duo believes is driven by younger audiences seeking an escape from modern life and a return to something more tangible.
“I think kids are basically just so fed up with the internet and want to go back,” Simpson said. “So it would make sense to me that they would be interested in more traditional music.”
Through the years they have spent collaborating, both musicians have continued to grow, learning new instruments that have expanded their sound. Along with the evolution of their music, their onstage chemistry has also developed.
“We’ve gotten really good at banter,” Guy said. “People tell us that we’re really funny a lot, which is really meaningful.”
Simpson noted that when they first started playing together, neither of them knew how to play the instrument they are now best known for.
“Neither of us played the banjo, so that was something we learned and developed,” Simpson said. “We both literally learned how to play an entirely new instrument and how to write songs on it and how to incorporate that into the music that we make.”
Random Harvest is located at 1785 Route 23 in Craryville. The performance begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at events.humanitix.com/sweet-
petunia-concert.
Natalia Zukerman
Falcon Ridge Folk Festival regulars The Slambovian Circus of Dreams performing at the 2025 summer festival.
One of the area’s most beloved summer music traditions returns July 24-26 as the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival fills the Goshen Fairgrounds with three days of music, workshops, dancing and community.
Now in its 38th year, Falcon Ridge has long been a launching pad for emerging singer-songwriters while welcoming acclaimed folk and Americana performers. This year’s lineup includes Susan Werner, Jim Lauderdale, Eileen Ivers and the Brigideens, Vance Gilbert, Joe Jencks, Nerissa and Katryna Nields, The Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Alice Howe and Freebo, Terrance Simien and The Zydeco Experience, and many more.
Susan Werner, who recently performed to a sold-out audience at The Grace Note at Stissing Center in Pine Plains, has appeared at the festival at least seven times at several of its locations.
“One of the great things about Falcon Ridge is the song swaps,” said Werner. These in-the-round performances feature three or four songwriters seated together onstage, taking turns sharing songs. “They can careen off into wild directions and in about 25 minutes, you’ve gone from tears of joy about this beautiful world to tears of rage from some brilliant and deeply moving protest song. You really should come see these song swaps for yourself. They’re awesome,” she said.
Beyond the main stage, festivalgoers can explore workshops, family programming, the popular Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase, late-night jams and an expanded Dance Barn featuring contra, swing, zydeco, line dancing and old-time barn dances. Camping, food vendors and a welcoming, community-centered atmosphere continue to make Falcon Ridge a summertime destination for folk music fans from across the region and beyond.
For the full lineup and tickets, visit falconridgefolk.com.
Lakeville Journal
“42nd Street,” based on the 1933 film of the same name, premiered on Broadway in 1980 and ran at the Sharon Playhouse for the first time 15 years ago. The show will be revived at the Playhouse when it opens July 25. Expect high-energy singing and dancing alongside classic tunes such as “We’re in the Money” and “Lullaby of Broadway.” The show runs through Aug. 9. Tickets are available at sharonplayhouse.org
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Lakeville Journal
STANFORDVILLE —Margaret Anita Layton passed away on April 30, 2026, after a recurring battle with cancer, surrounded by friends and loved ones. She was predeceased by her parents, Anita and Jack Egan, brother John P. Egan, III, and nephew Michael Egan. She leaves behind a brother, numerous nieces and a nephew, as well as a community of chosen sisters who loved her very much.
Margaret was born in the Bronx, New York, and moved to Clinton Corners as a small child. Margaret spent her adult life in Stanfordville, where she owned Margaret A. Layton, E.A. Tax and Business Consulting. Margaret was a lover of all animals and an avid horse enthusiast with an active presence in the draft horse community. Midge lived out loud. Her vibrancy left a mark that will never be forgotten and will be sorely missed.
A private burial will take place at Friends Upton Lake Cemetery in Clinton Corners, New York.
Memorial donations may be made to Dutchess County SPCA, 636 Violet Ave., Hyde Park, NY 12538.Arrangements have been entrusted to Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546.
To send an online condolence to the family or to plant a tree in Midge’s memory, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com
Patrick L. Sullivan
FALLS VILLAGE — A formal complaint filed by cemetery sexton Tracey Wilson against Town Clerk Johanna Mann was brought before the Board of Selectmen during its regular meeting Monday, July 13.
The complaint alleges that Mann ignored Wilson while she attempted to complete required state business at Town Hall.
According to the complaint, Wilson went to Town Hall on July 9 to file a “required monthly state section report which requires the town clerk’s signature.”
“Despite waiting respectfully, I was ignored,” Wilson wrote. “The town treasurer [Michelle Hansen] realized what was happening and stepped in to help.”
“Professionalism, respect and timely communication are essential in local government,” Wilson wrote. “Being disregarded while attempting to carry out state required section duties is unacceptable.”
However, Mann told The Lakeville Journal Monday that Wilson’s account is not accurate. She said she sent an email to the Board of Selectmen stating the complaint “stems directly from an incident on July 8, when Tracey Wilson verbally attacked me as I was leaving work.”
According to Mann, Wilson entered Town Hall the following day at 10:47 a.m. while Mann was on the phone with technical support.
“I acknowledged her and let her know I would be with her as soon as possible,” Mann wrote.
Mann said Town Treasurer Michelle Hansen “came out and facilitated the paperwork signing, for which I thanked her.”
“The total time between Tracey Wilson entering the Town Hall and receiving assistance was 22 seconds,” Mann wrote.
First Selectman Dave Barger said the board is aware of the conflicting accounts and is seeking legal advice before determining how to proceed.
Patrick L. Sullivan
The Holley Place affordable housing development in Lakeville is on hold until the extent of soil contamination can be determined.
SALISBURY — Shortly after construction crews dug the foundation for Holley Place, an affordable housing development in Lakeville, crews noticed the smell of fuel oil and brought concerns to the Salisbury Housing Committee (SHC), the developers of the project.
The Salisbury Board of Selectmen discussed the matter during a special meeting on Monday, July 20, confirming that the findings will impact the overall cost and construction timeline for the proposed 14-unit housing project. The discovery of contaminated soil, which occurred in mid-June, forced the project to pause with environmental testing expected to last for at least an additional month.
Holley Place, located at 11 Holley St. in Salisbury, is a project developed by the SHC as a 15,000-square-foot complex with three stories. Officials broke ground on March 24, 2026 after a five-year application and planning process and the building was expected to be ready for occupancy in spring 2027, although that timeline may shift. When complete, the building will feature 10 one-bedroom and four two-bedroom apartments — and a garage beneath the structure with 22 parking spaces.
The SHC, a private non-profit organization, currently owns and operates 50 units of affordable rental housing in Salisbury. Jocelyn Ayer, a consultant for the SHC, shared a written statement to the Board of Selectmen during the meeting addressing the environmental concerns.
Ayer recounted the events after workers from LaRosa Construction discovered the soil that smelled of fuel oil, noting they immediately contacted an environmental consultant to test the soil. Testing confirmed that fuel-impacted soil was present on site, and crews shared the results with the SHC and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
Ayer said the SHC then immediately hired its own environmental consultant to do further testing to determine the extent of the contaminated soil and notified the town.
Salisbury’s environmental consultant, Russell Dirienzo of Arcadis, said the contaminated soil is not hazardous and that it is not unusual to discover contamination when digging up a historic site.
The 0.31-acre Holley Street property was donated to the town in 1967 by the Belcher family, with the condition that the town demolish the structure originally known as the Holley Block, which dated to the 1890s. The building was subsequently torn down, and the site was later transformed into Bicentennial Park before being identified as a location for affordable housing.
The SHC did conduct a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment before it closed on the funding for the project and said no environmental concerns were identified at that time.
“We are now awaiting a proposal from our environmental consultant with a cost and timeline for the additional testing,” the timeline stated. While the exact timeline remains unclear, officials said it will lead to increased costs and construction delays.
SHC also engaged an environmental consultant, Steve DiNapoli of Big East Environmental in Norwalk, who will continue to work with Dirienzo.
First Selectman Curtis Rand provided little comment on the matter during the July 20 meeting, but said the SHC has been “very cooperative” throughout the process.
Asked about the party responsible to fund and manage potential soil remediation, Selectman Barrett Prinz said, “let’s find out what the problem is first. There might not be a problem.”
Other business
During the July 20 meeting, additional business was discussed, including the recommendation to town meetingto accept a $611,000 bid from Burlington Construction of Torrington to update the historic railroad station on Ethan Allen Street. Updates would include raising the building, adding a new foundation, and moving it back several feet.
The recommendation comes after box trucks continued to hit the roof of the building.
Rand invited additional ideas and comments before an August town meeting.
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