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Adding to last week’s ‘No Kings’ coverage
I’m writing to add to Ruth Epstein’s excellent account of the four spirited demonstrations that took place in the Northwest Corner on Saturday, Oct. 18.In her effort to cover the lively and often joyful demonstrations in Cornwall Bridge, Kent, North Canaan, and Salisbury, Ruth had to leave the crowded green in front of the White Hart Inn before “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” a rambunctious play, wonderfully adapted by Leslie Elias for the No Kings demonstration.
Who doesn’t remember the Hans Christian Anderson tale about the vain Emperor (played by Dick Terhune) who wants to be proclaimed “the handsomest, most important man in ALL the kingdoms of the Whole Wide world.”
Well, the Emperor can’t see the clothes that his tailors (Heidi Truax and Jane Wood) have put their great talent and effort into making just for him. But, since the tailors, along with everyone in his kingdom, are praising the clothes, the Emperor doesn’t want to seem stupid. Continuing the Big Lie as he struts around in his red long johns, the people chime in with their praise of the emperor’s new clothes!
Until — a child speaks the truth. Staged with the high spirits of a gorgeous fall day, the play even features a special song, written and sung by Joseph Sobol, with the obvious refrain, “the Emperor’s got no clothes!” Which the audience sang loudly, having received the play’s message!
Carol Ascher
Sharon
Importance of voting
First things first! Vote in November to follow up with the rallies and concerns for human rights, safety, the economy and keeping the U.S. Constitution and balance of powers in place!
Now for applause to 2,600 protests and millions joining in to represent peacefully what people want (and don’t want) with signs, talks, gatherings and some ‘extras’-- music, plays, drumming and independent before and follow up efforts such as on free forums like FB, clubhouse.com, online posts and other media.
Sharing signage rather than one’s identity may be the safest route to go (for so many things and using a team effort to network and stay the course in any effort or negotiation, personal, regional, national or worldwide.)
Thanks to all working along these lines with many from prior generations deserving much gratitude but also factoring in what may have been problematic with media and many leaders to right the wrongs while it can still make a difference now and in the future. The power in our collective voices and votes!
Catherine Palmer Paton
Falls Village
Autocrat in the White House
Trump’s Oval Office looks like a royal boudoir, his transformed Rose Garden like a suburban patio, and no one who has seen his Towers and Mahals would endorse him to direct any more building projects. But when it comes to the demolition of the East Wing and its replacement by a ballroom, the question is rather: Is this the process by which a significant historical building should be transformed?
No timely public input was sought into whether the project should go forward and what the end result should look like. A new event space may well be needed at the White House, but the East Wing—built and maintained by taxpayer money, and belonging for symbolic reasons to all Americans—should not be removed and replaced at the sole dictate of the president, without discussion in the public sphere. This is precisely the kind of behavior the recent No Kings marches objected to.
And Trump lied about it. The East Wing itself would not be touched, he said in announcing the project. Only when excavators were already poking holes in the building’s facade did it come out that plans had changed.
No one, not even the most fervent Trump loyalists, can think this is a good example for decision making going forward, a model for future administrations to follow.
Congress should pass a law preventing any building of national historical significance from being significantly altered with private money. It invites corruption, and it allows the process to evade the public scrutiny that would come with congressional approval.
Billionaires and oligarchs can’t be allowed to remake our public spaces in their own image just because they have the money.
Due process is cumbersome, but that’s the way democracy works. What Trump has shown, once again, is that he has no time for democracy.
Wiley Wood
Norfolk
Don’t ignore talent
It’s understandable in a time of political turmoil and controversy to be comfortable with the party you associate with and be wary of the other party. But that attitude can deny you the skills and talent of people available to serve you in town offices and commissions that may impact you directly.
In a year when the Town of Salisbury undergoes a property tax reevaluation who would you want on the Board of Assessment Appeals to judge your assessment dispute? Would you just choose a name from the party you associate with and hope for the best? Or would you take the time to consider the person with the experience, brains and talent to fairly judge the merits of your case? National politics have no place in judging your property tax assessment. Local expertise is what matters here.
Peter Becket is the best qualified candidate for the Board of Assessment Appeals not because of his political affiliation but because of his expertise. He has a BA from Yale and an MBA from Columbia. In his long business career he was a bank officer in New York City, a real estate salesman and a business appraiser. He still does business appraisals and operates a home renovation business in Salisbury. He not only has the specific background for this office, but he knows the job. He served on the Board of Assessment Appeals from 2011 to 2016.
Peter Becket has deep ties to Salisbury. He is a past president of Salisbury Youth Hockey and served on the Board of Education, the Fire House Building Committee and the Transfer Station Recycling Committee.
Take the time this year to consider who is the best person to judge your new property tax assessment in the Town of Salisbury. Thatperson is Peter Becket.
Bill Littauer
Lakeville
Supporting Kitty Kiefer
This letter is in support of Kitty Kiefer for a new term as second selectman.A lifelong resident, she has devoted countless hours to public service at many levels, and is also an accomplished lawyer and quite familiar with taxation matters. She is running as an unaffiliated candidate, and in this era of terrible inroads being made into our democracy, that is important. Connecticut state laws require each board of three selectmen to have one member not from the political party that holds the other two seats. In our area, Republicans put themselves forth as necessary counterbalance to Democrats – but now is not the time to trust any local Republican, no matter how qualified a candidate, with public office. Every vote for a local Republican is an affirmation of the national Republican Party’s undermining of our democracy and way of life.Vote for an unaffiliated local candidate of fierce integrity, Kitty Kiefer.
Tom Shachtman
Salisbury
Filter out national politics on November 4th
In a recent letter (Oct. 2), Joey Brennan of North Canaan concludes that “It is about the party, not just the candidate — especially in local politics.”This is an approach to local elections that would bring the overheated rhetoric of national politics to our wonderful small towns in the Northwest Corner.
This approach is in stark contrast to the approach taken by our neighbors in Sharon.
Ruth Epstein wrote favorably (Oct. 16) about a recent political event in Sharon, jointly sponsored by the two Town Committees, where all the local candidates appeared together and were introduced to the town’s voters. As Epstein states, “The residents of Sharon eschew the divisiveness and polarization of today’s politics.” She added that “the meeting room was filled in an atmosphere of camaraderie and good will.” One can only hope that Salisbury residents yearn for such unity.
My counterpart Al Ginouves (Oct. 16) points out that Democrats have served the town of Salisbury well.Mr. Ginouves is correct; there are numerous Democrats who have served the town well by their service in elected offices and on our town boards and commissions.But that scarcely means that only Democrats should be selected to participate in our town government.Does anyone really believe that Republicans should be shut out of participation in local government because our Democratic residents despise the current national administration — and probably most of the Republican administrations of the past twenty-five years?
We have two excellent Republican candidates this year.Don Mayland is running to regain his position as a member of the Board of Selectmen that he lost (by two votes) in 2023.
Don’s record of service to our town has been detailed in numerous letters to this paper and is unsurpassed. He proved to be a vital member of the Board of Selectmen during his three terms and worked closely and well with his two Democratic colleagues.
Peter Becket has a career and a business background — detailed in prior letters in this paper — that render him uniquely qualified to serve on the Board of Assessment Appeals. This Board’s sole function is to resolve challenges to property tax assessments; given his current business as a business and property appraiser, nobody could be better qualified for this work.
Instead of harping about national politics, I urge the Democratic and Unaffiliated voters of Salisbury to consider the merits of these two candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot. Salisbury would be well-served by having them participate in the town’s governance.
Tom Morrison
Chair, Salisbury Republican Town Committee
Salisbury
Why we should vote for Brian Ohler in North Canaan
As chair of the North Canaan RTC, I couldn’t be more proud of the slate of candidates on the ballot this year. Young, knowledgeable, excited members of our community willing to bring North Canaan to the next level. This all starts with a capable leader. Being second selectman for 8 years, I served 6 under Charlie Perotti and 2 under Brian. It has been an honor to serve my community with both of these leaders.
Brian took over at a time where tensions were already very high but always kept a level head and would only ever react with facts and a calm demeaner. He is a master at keeping us informed as a community on everything from incoming weather, road detours, community events and meetings. He worked tirelessly to finish the union contracts with the highway department making it beneficial to the town as well as the employees. He has worked to improve efficiencies and aesthetics at the transfer station making it more welcoming and also adding the swap shop.
The Bunny McGuire Park idea was brought to Brian by some members of the community and he was able to help bring that to be a great centerpiece of our community in honor of a person that has worked for many years in many capacities to help our community. This was done with private donations and grants using no taxpayer dollars.
As a veteran he has a great connection with our thriving VFW post and helped with the erecting of the Agent Orange and Purple Heart Memorials as well as the new flags around the Dough Boy Memorial.
There are many other accomplishments but his biggest asset is his love for his hometown community. He makes himself available always including the “Make it Happen Monday” where he is in his office at 5 a.m., has agencies that are needed for approval of permits like TAH there on Mondays as well to help our contractors and homeowners get the week started off right.
I wouldn’t be doing justice to this letter if I didn’t address some of the controversy that has headlined our town over the last couple of years. In regards to personnel issues, these were prevalent well before Brian was elected, in fact most of the investigations were based on actions well before. He was acting in the interest of the town, not individuals as a true leader should. It is true that over the last 5 years our general fund has increased but this is due to running a very efficient budget and puts us in a good position to buy some necessary equipment as well as potentially funding some of our non reoccurring accounts such as the ambulance and fire company.
Please take all of this into consideration when checking the boxes on your ballot in North Canaan.
Craig Whiting
2nd Selectman, Chair
of the Republican
Town Committee
East Canaan
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And now, Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Ballroom’
Oct 29, 2025
Even as a child Donald Trump liked things big, his favorite monument being The Great Wall of China, the 3,700 mile long structure which became the inspiration for his unbuilt wall between the United States and Mexico. His Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan rises well above its neighbors to 58 stories although Trump tells everyone that it is 10 floors higher than it actually is.Back in the 1980she commissioned a design for a skyscraper along the edge of New York Harbor (never approved by NYC) that would have been the tallest in the world---even without imaginary floors. His obsession with wanting to take Greenland as his own surely had something to do with it being the world’s largest island. Trump’s guiding principle continues to be, “Bigger is Better!”
Growing up in a New York City real estate family, it was only natural for Trump to imagine how he might develop all sorts of properties. Back in 2010, Trump cornered David Axelrod, then an assistant to President Obama with a proposal for an addition to the White House of a huge ballroom. Axelrod passed the idea on to another Obama aide but nothing came of it.But by the time Trump was elected president, the idea had gestated.
Built in 1792 to the designs of architect James Hoban, the White House has undergone many additions and alterations over the years; originally not much more than a house, the White House has become a sprawling multi-building complex centered about the original structure.
This past summer, Trump decided to proceed with his idea to construct a very large new ballroom next to the East Wing of the White House. He hired an architect, James McCrery II, a designer of traditional Catholic churches, engineers ACECO and a contractor, Clark Construction.
Schematic drawings were made although very few, mostly perspective renderings showing the interior of the ballroom. Any drawings showing exteriors or how the construction fitted together on the site were not made public.Trump announced that the ballroom would be 90,000 sq. ft. and could hold 999 people, an enormous size if true; it was not. The 90,000 s.f. figure was for the entire new construction and the ballroom itself will be much smaller.Projected costs were originally said to be 200 million dollars then 250 million; and as of Oct. 23rd, they’re 300 million.My guess at this point is that the whole project will cost somewhere between half a billion and a billion dollars. Thus far, private funding is by some of the nation’s richest corporations and individuals and all these donations will be tax-deductible. The whole arrangement looks unsavory, if not actually illegal.
In presenting the project to the world, Trump said that the new ballroom would back up to the existingEast Wing but not touch it. But it became clear as workmen began demolishing the entire East Wing that he had not been telling the truth. The East Wing is gone and publicity sketches, looking from above show Trump’s Ballroom Building in its place.Certainly this had been the plan from the start.
Of the several agencies, commissions, and organizations that oversee and regulate federal construction in Washington, the National Capital Planning Commission is the one charged with approving or disapproving this project. The board’s new chairman is Will Scharf, also the White House staff secretary who hands Trump executive orders to sign.
Trump’s subordinates claim that neither demolition nor design needed federal approval, only construction did ---a false claim. But Trump has stocked the Commission with at least three of his assistants to be sure there will be no legal impediments.
It’s too early for a comprehensive assessment of President Trump’s planned new construction replacing the East Wing and more at the White House. The situation seems to be changing so much and so fast that it’s impossible to say what we will see at the end of Trump’s term when he promised us that the project will be complete. The work done so far is not reassuring. The gilding of the Oval Office, although carefully done, looks extremely self-conscious and tawdry. The major portion of the Rose Garden south of the West Colonnade was paved over last summer. The Jacqueline Kennedy Garden just south of the newly demolished East Wing was also destroyed and at least a dozen lovely very large, fragrant flowering magnolia and linden trees in the immediate vicinity were cut down.
The new construction composed of the ballroom and its ancillary facilities together with the spaces that were in the demolished East Wing need to be carefully designed to form a structure compatible with the rest of the White House and not become too large.The NCPC needs to monitor and control the design and construction to assure a good solution.
But even more important for the country than the questionable aesthetics of Trump’s new vanity project has been his seizure of powers that were never his to use. Wake up, citizens, there is likely more in store!
Architect and landscape designer Mac Gordon lives in Lakeville.
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125 years ago — October 1900
Mrs. Joseph Argall had a close call at Ore Hill Tuesday morning. She was driving eastward, accompanied by her two children; crossed the track near the station just as the morning train was coming westward; engine just grazed hind wheels of carriage, horse was frightened and ran straight up the very steep bank on north side of track. But Mrs. Argall had the horse in hand and showed great skill and presence of mind. Even on the steep bank she whirled the horse about, brought wheel under box to keep from upsetting and came back into the road “right side up with care.” —The considerate engineer stopped his train to give assistance, fearing serious results.— A score of passengers witnessed the scene and quickly alighted to help “pick up the pieces,” but Mrs. Argall was safe, and all heaved sighs of relief and exclaimed “Good for the woman,-- not one man in fifty could have done as well.”
Saturday evening a party of toughs filled up with old cider started out to apply a scarlet hue to Factory street. They went to the home of Fred Loomis and started to break up house keeping and were partly successful, but Officer Hortie appeared on the scene and promptly escorted them to the lockup where some of them spent Sunday. On Monday morning the guilty ones were fined from ten to fifteen dollars apiece.
SHARON — The interior furnishings of the meat market lately conducted by Mr. Geo. M. Whiting, will be sold at public auction on Thursday of this week.
The political agony will soon be over and the cranks will be doing all manner of queer things in the payment of freak election bets.
LIME ROCK — Surveyors from Bridgeport were here several days last week selecting the most feasible route for laying a line of water pipe for supplying the village with water. The latter has been at a premium here for several months. It is proposed to irrigate next spring. A large spring of water in the hills one and one-half miles south of here will be utilized.
The work of putting in the new iron bridge on the C.N.E. road over the Housatonic river is completed.
100 years — October 1925
A decision on appeal from the award of $500 damages made by highway commissioner McDonald to Edward P. Sanger of Salisbury for land taken and damages sustained in the construction of the State-Federal Trunk line through Salisbury has just been rendered by the Committee appointed by the Superior Court, consisting of Frank B. Munn and Burton E. Moore of Winsted, and J. Sedgwick Tracy of Falls Village. The committee has decided that the award of damages given Mr. Sanger was insufficient, and have awarded him the sum of $1,000. Mr. J. Mortimer Bell represented Mr. Sanger, and Mr. H. Roger Jones of Hartford was attorney for the highway commissioner.
LIME ROCK — Fay Chaffee sold Preston Watts, his little trotter, to Peekskill parties one day last week.
The many friends of Mr. J.J. Derwin will be interested to learn that he will give a radio concert on the evening of Monday, November 2nd. Mr. Derwin will start broadcasting from W.E.A.F. New York at 7:45 p.m. Mr. Derwin, as the Lakeville public already know, is one of the leading banjo and mandolin artists in the county, and his many friends here will listen in with interest and pleasure, and in the meantime hope that Nov. 2nd will be a night free from static and other interference.
SALISBURY — Miss Mead delivered a very handsome piece of old fashioned furniture to a Norfolk party on Tuesday.
It is estimated that fully 1,200 people attended the Hotchkiss-Taft football game last Saturday.
50 years ago — October 1975
No cause had yet been determined early this week for a fire that destroyed a portion of the storage sheds of Riverrun Canoe Rentals in Falls Village. The fire, which took place about 10 p.m., destroyed one bay of the three-bay storage building and scorched portions of the other bays.
Ruth Ann Shufelt of Sharon and Frank Hadsell of Falls Village were united in marriage Saturday, Oct. 25, in a ceremony held in the Canaan United Methodist Church. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Shufelt. Mr. and Mrs. Lester Hadsell of Falls Village are the parents of the bridegroom.
With six weeks of adjustment behind them, the six Vietnamese refugees now living in West Cornwall are becoming accustomed to their new way of life. Their English is steadily improving, although they still have difficulty pronouncing final consonants. They are beginning to understand some previously unfathomable American customs, and experimentation with their recently installed telephone has been necessary.
A new clothing store will open this Saturday in Canaan. Country Casuals, a small shop emphasizing sports clothing for the working girl, is opening on High Street. The shop is owned by Peg Fracaro and will be open through the holidays from 9 to 5, Mondays through Saturdays. Mrs. Fracaro emphasized that the shop will not be a “boutique,” and that the working girl will find sensibly priced clothing to fit her needs.
25 years ago — October 2000
SHARON — An early morning chimney fire damaged a home at 270 Gay St. Oct. 25. The homeowners, Jeanne and Raymond McCarthy, were home sleeping at the time of the 5:18 a.m. fire, but were awakened by their dog and were able to escape uninjured. The fire, which started in the chimney of the residents’ wood stove, is not considered suspicious, according to Fire Marshal Stanley McMillan Jr.
FALLS VILLAGE — Despite an unusually wet summer, construction is moving along on schedule at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, according to Douglas Humes, chairman of the building committee. The $11.26 million project will provide the 61-year-old school with a new Agricultural Education building, greenhouse, media center and science labs.
These items were taken from The Lakeville Journal archives at Salisbury’s Scoville Memorial Library, keeping the original wording intact as possible.
CANAAN — Work has begun on the demolition of the Olde Times Saloon. The Railroad Street establishment was partially destroyed by fire May 14. Owner Terry Aldrich was asleep in an upstairs apartment when his dog “Major” alerted him to the fire just before dawn. Both got out safely. Since then the building, with its front windows boarded up and roof half collapsed, has stood awaiting a decision to its fate.
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