FALLS VILLAGE —Hanging in the Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS) gymnasium is a plaque that represents the elite 1,000 Point Club. In the 83 years of school history, only 10 HVRHS athletes have achieved this, the latest being senior Sydney Segalla.
Segalla, a 5 foot 11 inch center, has had ample time to work toward this accolade, playing as a starter for the Mountaineers since a freshman and passing 500 points by sophomore year.
“It honestly feels amazing,” she said. “I remember freshman year, looking up [at the plaque] and joking about being on it, so it still feels surreal.”
Segalla hit the 1,000 point mark during an away game against Litchfield High School on Monday, Jan. 31, at the free throw line. After making the shot, the game was paused and Segalla was given a celebratory basketball. She finished with 24 points that night, and currently sits at 1,019 total points.
“I think it was such a big deal for me because everyone knows me for soccer, so then to show that I can do this in basketball too — I was really happy,” Segalla said. “I wasn’t always planning on playing [basketball] for all four years, because of soccer, but I’m really happy that I did.”
HVRHS Athletic Director Anne MacNeil said the school will have a celebration at the next Mountaineers home game, on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2:30 p.m.
“What we’ll do is immediately after the first point that [Segalla] scores in our next home game, we will stop the game, we’ll hand her a ceremonial ball and take some pictures with her family,” MacNeil said. “Then, whether it’s at our winter season awards or senior awards, I do want to hand her a ball that has been decorated to honor her accomplishment and have her total points on that ball.”
Segalla’s achievement comes while balancing basketball with her club soccer team, Connecticut Football Club, which is based out of Bethany, Conn. Planning with her basketball coach, Steve Dodge (who also coaches Mountaineer soccer), Segalla sometimes has to miss a basketball practice for a soccer game or vice versa.
“It’s a lot of homework in the car, and going straight from basketball straight to soccer, which is tiring but it’s definitely worth it,” said Segalla, who has committed to attending Boston College this fall to play soccer.
Currently, the Segalla-led Mountaineers are in good shape with a 10-3 record. With six regular season games left, as well as the Berkshire League Tournament and the opportunity to play in the state tournament, Segalla has time to add to her point totals.
“It’s like an achievement for the school,” said Segalla. “I’m just happy to represent Housy with this accomplishment.”
The Torrington Transfer Station, where the Northwest Resource Recovery Authority plans to expand operations using a $350,000 state grant.
TORRINGTON — The Northwest Resource Recovery Authority, a public entity formed this year to preserve municipal control over trash and recycling services in northwest Connecticut, has been awarded $350,000 in grant funds to develop and expand its operations.
The funding comes from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection via its Sustainable Materials Management grant program. It is intended to help the NRRA establish operations at the Torrington Transfer Station as well as support regional education, transportation, hauler registration and partnerships with other authorities.
Founded by the City of Torrington in May 2025, the NRRA was established to oversee regional municipal solid waste management. Its creation followed a $3.25 million offer by USA Waste & Recycling to purchase the Torrington Transfer Station — a sale that would have privatized trash services in the region.
The proposed sale was initially approved by the MIRA Dissolution Authority, the entity responsible for dissolving the state’s former Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority, which owned the Transfer Station at the time. Before the transaction could close, the state intervened and directed that the facility’s operating permit be assigned to the NRRA to preserve a publicly controlled alternative.
MIRA has since dissolved, and the Transfer Station is currently operated by the state Department of Administrative Services. Many towns in northwest Connecticut have expressed interest in joining the NRRA. As of December, Torrington and Goshen were the only two municipalities in the authority.
At the Dec. 11 meeting of the Northwest Hills Council of Governments (COG) — a regional planning body representing 21 municipalities in northwest Connecticut — Director of Community and Economic Development Rista Malanca encouraged more towns to sign on.
“We need towns to join the Northwest Resource Recovery Authority to show your support, show this is what you want to do,” Malanca said.
Salisbury First Selectman Curtis Rand said his municipality is planning a town meeting in January to vote on a resolution to join the NRRA. Cornwall’s Board of Selectmen recently discussed scheduling a town meeting in the winter for the same purpose. Sharon, Falls Village and North Canaan have also expressed continued interest in pursuing a public option.
Kent is the northernmost member of the Housatonic Resource Recovery Authority, a regional solid waste authority representing 14 municipalities stretching south to Ridgefield. COG towns expressed interest in joining HRRA in 2024, but they were denied and set out to develop the NRRA.
“We also have been having conversations with the Capital Region Council of Governments and the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments to think about how we can use existing resources, maybe some of these grant funds, to bring in shared resources or shared staffing that will help with some of the recycling coordinating efforts,” Malanca said.
With grant funds secured, NRRA aims to grow to a point that it can take over operations at Torrington Transfer Station to serve as a regional hauling hub. What happens to the trash after that has yet to be determined. Currently, it is being shipped to a landfill out of state. The existing municipal refuse hauling contracts that were established with the state expire in 2027.
The Salisbury Winter Sports Association (SWSA) will host its annual Junior Jump Camp, a two-day introduction to ski jumping, on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 27 and 28, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Satre Hill in Salisbury.
The camp is open to children ages 7 and up and focuses on teaching the basics of ski jumping, with an emphasis on safety, balance and control, using SWSA’s smallest hill. No prior experience is required.
The cost is $50 per child and includes instruction and lunch on both days. For more information or to register, visit www.skireg.com/swsa-camp or email info@jumpfest.org
Jesse Bunce, first selectman of North Canaan.
LITCHFIELD — The Northwest Hills Council of Governments welcomed six newly elected municipal leaders Thursday, Dec. 11, at its first meeting following the 2025 municipal elections.
The council — a regional planning body representing 21 towns in northwest Connecticut — coordinates transportation, emergency planning, housing, economic development and other shared municipal services.
Barkhamsted First Selectman Meaghan Cook, Goshen First Selectman Seth Breakell, Kent First Selectman Eric Epstein, Norfolk First Selectman Henry Tirrell, North Canaan First Selectman Jesse Bunce and Torrington Mayor Molly Spino were each elected to their post in November.
They filled the seats of their predecessors on the COG, who were each given a toast of appreciation: Nick Lukiwsky (Barkhamsted), Todd Carusillo (Goshen), Marty Lindenmeyer (Kent), Matt Riiska (Norfolk), Brian Ohler (North Canaan) and Elinor Carbone (Torrington).
COG Executive Director Rob Phillips said the outgoing members were given a going away mug that read “You’re living the dream still.” Members voted to appoint Warren First Selectman Greg LaCava to fill a vacancy on the Council’s Executive Committee. COG members voted by paper ballot, and LaCava defeated Burlington First Selectman Doug Thompson for the vacant seat.
Ryan Segalla takes a fadeaway shot over a defender.
FALLS VILLAGE — Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s boys basketball team defeated Pine Plains High School 60-22 in a scrimmage Tuesday, Dec. 9. The non-league preseason game gave both sides an opportunity to run the court ahead of the 2025-26 varsity season.
HVRHS’s senior-heavy roster played with power and poise. The boys pulled ahead early and kept their foot on the gas through to the end.
By halftime the score was 33-8. Junior varsity players subbed in for the second half, but not before the starters got some in-game dunk practice. By the end Housatonic totaled 60 points to Pine Plains’ 22.
Nick Crodelle dribbles the ball up the court during the game.By Riley Klein
Nick Crodelle led the Mountaineers offensively with 13 points. Anthony Labbadia and Wyatt Bayer scored nine points each. Anthony Foley scored eight points. Owen Riemer and Ryan Segalla each scored seven points. Peyton Bushnell hit a three-pointer. Jaxon Visockis and Henry Berry each scored two points.
HVRHS begins Berkshire League competition on the road at Nonnewaug High School Tuesday, Dec. 16, with a 6 p.m. tip off.
Anthony Labbadia By Riley Klein
Owen Riemer block By Riley Klein
