Signs of life on Friday morning but progress is slow

Late Thursday night, power company Eversource offered a prediction that restoration of power would be “substantially complete” by midnight on Tuesday, Aug. 11. The company said in its email update that, “Substantially complete means fewer than 1% of customers are still without power.”
On Friday morning, Northwest Corner residents were still reporting on social media that they had not yet seen any repair vehicles from Eversource or the tree removal companies that the power company normally works with such, as Lewis Tree Service.
The Lakeville Journal’s Janet Manko had spoken with one Eversource employee in Falls Village near the company’s station on Main Street near the Lee H. Kellogg School. That worker had said that the Eversource crews who are normally assigned to the area towns are all hard at work “but it’s a lot for one guy to do.”
Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday, Aug. 6, called on the state National Guard to step in and help to clear the trees and branches that are blocking roads and hanging on power and telecommunications lines.
Backup workers were also expected to arrive today, Friday, Aug. 7, from Canada, Michigan and Massachusetts.
Lamont requested a presidential emergency declaration, which was approved late Thursday night by Pres. Donald J. Trump. Lamont had already declared a state of emergency in Connecticut on Thursday.
Many roads still closed
On Friday morning, many Northwest Corner roads remained closed. Earlier in the week, on the day after Isaias, all roads to Norfolk had been closed. By Friday morning, Route 44 had opened, making it possible to drive through North Canaan to the Stop & Shop market and then proceed to Norfolk and other nearby towns.
But Route 44 into North Canaan remained closed from Dutcher’s Bridge at the Salisbury town line to just before the center of town, at the C.A. Lindell hardware store.
Several main roads remained closed in Salisbury as well, including Salmon Kill, and in other towns.
Clearing the roads has been an urgent need, not just to keep the power lines clear but also to allow emergency vehicles to get to area residents in distress. A 54-year-old woman died in a fire on Wednesday night, in North Canaan. Her elderly mother and stepfather were able to exit the house, according to an article in the Waterbury Republican American newspaper, but they were unable to rescue their daughter, who has cerebral palsy.
The fire was possibly caused by a generator and electrical extension cords. Firefighters were delayed by trees blocking roads, according to the Republican American.
Power: better and worse
It has not been announced where the emergency backup crews will be deployed when they arrive. The Eversource outage map indicates that relatively fewer customers in the Northwest Corner were affected than those in the larger towns and cities farther south and east in the state.
Power has been slowly restored to some area customers, notably in North Canaan, where there had been 1,248 customers (out of 1,471) without power on Thursday afternoon. By Friday morning, that number had been reduced to 505.
Some towns have seen steadily increasing numbers of customers without power. On Thursday afternoon in Cornwall, 1,200 out of 1,211 customers had no power; on Friday morning, the Eversource map showed that 1,202 customers had no power.
In Sharon on Thursday afternoon, Eversource said 1,789 out of 2,169 customers didn’t have power. On Friday morning, there were 1,793 customers without power.
Salisbury was largely spared the worst of the storm and on Thursday afternoon 1,217 customers out of 3,009 didn’t have power. But that number began to increase and early Friday morning, Eversource reported that 1,247 customers were without power. By 11:45 a.m., however, the number had decreased to 1,106.
Events postponed, canceled
Kent still was largely without power on Friday by mid-day. This weekend, the Chamber of Commerce had planned a Shop Safe Summer Sale, a COVID-19 iteration of the annual summer Sidewalk Sale. Some stores will be open for the sale, but most will only accept cash. The sale is scheduled to continue until Aug. 23 (www.kentct.com/kent-sidewalk-festival).
Meanwhile, Salisbury announced a summer sidewalk sale to be held on Saturday, Aug. 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (www.salisburysidewalksale.com).
Libraries in many towns were also closed on Friday, and an Aug. 8 event at the Cornwall Library was postponed until Aug. 15.
Meetings of boards and committees in most towns were canceled. Road repairs continued in many towns including Lakeville and Cornwall, however, which contributed to the challenges of getting from Point A to Point B.
Ice, water, food
Essential services began to return by Friday morning. The Salisbury Sharon transfer station was open again, a relief for area residents who had piles of rotting perishable foods and no refrigeration.
There was a shortage of ice and water in the area on Thursday, with most grocery stores and convenience stores sold out before noon. Both were back on many shelves by Friday.
Grocery stores that had been running on generators with limited or no access to perishable foods were for the most part back open by Friday. LaBonne’s market in Salisbury had not lost power and had remained fully stocked. Stop & Shop in North Canaan and Sharon Farm Market were partially open on Thursday, selling only dry goods; Stop & Shop got full power back on Thursday in the middle of the afternoon.
Gas was also becoming more widely available as filling stations that had lost power were able to open again.
The filling stations that had not lost power had shut down their pumps by Thursday afternoon or Friday morning because they had run out of gas; customers were not only filling up their vehicles, they were also seeking fuel for generators and for barbecue grills.
Communication remained sketchy on Friday. Even with cell phones, not everyone was able to get the internet. There were also concerns that cell tower antennae that had been running on batteries would begin to run out of charge.
Town halls remained closed in most towns; many towns don’t have office hours on Fridays anyway in the Northwest Corner.
The Republican and Democrat primary elections were still expected to take place on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Secretary of the State Denise Merrill said on Thursday that Eversource has been notified of the locations of polling places that do not have power; the power company has been asked to make those sites a priority for the restoration of power. Registrars in area towns have also said they are looking at emergency polling locations such as schools.
Outage numbers
As of Friday at mid day, the outage list from Eversource shows these customers without power in area towns.
• Canaan (Falls Village), 45.39% customers affected (595 out of 1,311)
• Cornwall, 99.26% customers affected (1,202 out of 1,211)
• Kent, 87.08% customers affected (1,880 out of 2,159)
• North Canaan, 34.33% customers affected (505 out of 1,471)
• Salisbury, 36.76% customers affected (1,106 out of 3,009)
• Sharon, 82.62% customers affected (1,792 out of 2,169)
The list of towns and impacts can be found at https://outagemap.eversource.com. If you are able to access the internet from a computer, you can see the town-by-town listing by clicking Connecticut under Customer Outages in the menu to the left of the map. If you are on a mobile device, touch Menu, then Customer Outages, and finally Connecticut.
Gov. Lamont and Attorney General William Tong have demanded that the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA) investigate Eversource’s response to the power outages caused by the storm, and they recommend that fines be levied against the company.
In a news release on Aug. 6, Tong said, ““We pay far too much for our energy in Connecticut to be left in the dark. Consumers have poured millions of our ratepayer dollars into resiliency investments to harden our system and prepare for this precise type of storm.
“Eversource and United Illuminating appear to have been unacceptably unprepared for Isaias and must be held accountable. The Office of the Attorney General will be fully engaged in this investigation on behalf of ratepayers who are entitled to answers and any appropriate relief.
“PURA is right to open this investigation, and must be prepared to issue real fines and penalties to hold the utilities accountable for their failure.
“Consumers have a right to be angry here — as am I. At the same time, I am deeply grateful to the line crews and first responders who have worked tirelessly to restore power across our state. Their efforts should be commended and they deserve our full support.”
As for fines, the news release from the attorney general said, “PURA must make clear at the outset of this investigation that it will consider the prudency of the companies’ preparation and response and that it may impose appropriate penalties if warranted. A prudency review essentially examines whether the utility met the industry standard of care and whether there is any causal connection between imprudent conduct and actual loss or damage.
“Such a prudence review could lead to fines and penalties if noticed at the outset of the proceeding. Penalties could include disallowing storm cost recovery and, in a future rate case, reducing the utility’s authorized return on equity.”
Aradev LLC’s plans to redevelop Wake Robin Inn include four 2,000-square-foot cabins, an event space, a sit-down restaurant and fast-casual counter, a spa, library, lounge, gym and seasonal pool. If approved, guest room numbers would increase from 38 to 57.
LAKEVILLE — The public hearing for the redevelopment of Wake Robin Inn is over. Salisbury Planning and Zoning Commission now has two months to make a decision.
The hearing closed on Tuesday, Sept. 9, after its seventh session.
Michael Klemens, chair of P&Z, had warned at the opening of the proceedings that “this might be a long night” due to a last-minute influx of material from experts hired by Wells Hill Road residents William and Angela Cruger to oppose the project, but this turned out not to be the case.
These 11th hour submissions set a sour tone to the start of the meeting, with commissioner Robert Riva stating that it was “not very professional to pull this stunt on this Commission.” Riva said he had diligently reviewed the already substantial documentation provided by both the applicant and the opposing experts, and was surprised to find a “dump” of additional information submitted just hours before the meeting’s start time at 6 p.m.
Tensions were quickly eased, however, when William Cruger offered his concise summation of his platform’s opposition to the expansion, which is the second iteration of the project after an earlier version was withdrawn late last year.
“It’s important for you all to hear from me that there was never any disrespect intended to the Commission, the commissioners, and to the process,” Cruger said. He defended the last-minute submissions as an effort on the part of the experts to be thorough in their analysis: “Our intention… has been and remains to do our best to get whatever we think will be helpful in your deliberations into the record.”
The Crugers formally entered the hearing process as intervenors for the first application from Aradev LLC, the applicant, in the fall of 2024, meaning they and their hired consultants had full party status in the hearing proceedings. During this cycle, however, they chose not to petition for intervenor status, yet during this round of hearings their role has been similar. Klemens described them as having “almost intervenor status — not quite.”
William Cruger summarized the consultant’s findings for Aradev’s revised application, noting they found it to be “virtually identical in scale to the previous proposal.”
“Our position is that the proposed expansion would absolutely negatively impact the usefulness, enjoyment and value of the surrounding properties,” he said.
Aradev’s attorney Joshua Mackey countered by saying that the special permit conditions would elevate the currently non-conforming hotel in the zone, describing it as a “community asset that is improved, regulated, and safeguarded for generations to come.” He characterized Aradev as “the next steward of this storied property.”
After Mackey and Aradev co-founder Steven Cohen concluded their remarks, Klemens closed the hearing with no public comment, which he had stated would be the case at last week’s hearing session on Thursday, Sept. 4. Klemens said that P&Z will begin deliberating the proposal in early October after the commissioners have had the chance to review the information in the record.
A total of 45 letters, including the Crugers’ experts’ testimony, were submitted since the Sept. 4 meeting alone, alongside hundreds of pages of application materials and additional testimony.
As the Commission deliberates and reviews, all of this information is available for public viewing on the “Meeting Documents” subpage under P&Z’s section on the town website, www.salisburyct.us.
The Commission must issue a decision on the application by Nov. 13, the end of the statutorily defined deliberation window.
The Weavery is Stanton Home’s oldest activity space, featuring a collection of vintage and modern floor looms. It offers opportunities for building dexterity, creative expression, and social connection through fiber arts.
Stanton Home is holding its annual Harvest Roast fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 13 in Great Barrington, an evening of farm-to-table dining, live swing music, and community connection.
For nearly 40 years, Stanton Home has supported adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through residential programs, therapeutic services and skill-building activities.
“Here in the Berkshires, adults with diverse abilities often face barriers like limited housing, tricky transportation, and fewer opportunities for meaningful work,” said Executive Director Peter Stanton. “Stanton Home flips that script. Our mission is to partner with adults to pursue healthy, self-determined lives.”
The Harvest Roast features locally grilled meats, roasted vegetables from Stanton’s own gardens, warm apple crisp with SoCo Creamery ice cream, and beverages —all set to the swing and gypsy jazz rhythms of the Lucky 5 Band.
“The Harvest Roast is a celebration of what makes our community strong, inclusive, and vibrant,” Stanton said. “Every ticket and sponsored table supports programs that make a lasting difference.”
Guests will begin in the gardens with a signature cocktail before gathering at long farm tables for a shared meal and celebration.
“Though this night matters, the work is year-round,” Stanton added. “People can help by shopping locally at the farm store or buying handmade weavery goods, pitching in with time or skills, gardening, lending a hand at events or by partnering with Stanton’s programs like composting or sourcing local goods. Folks can also speak up for inclusion in their workplace or community circle. Even the smallest action helps keep the mission alive.”
Tickets are $125 per person. Proceeds support Stanton Home’s inclusive programs. Reserve at donorbox.org/events/771775/steps/choose_tickets or call 413-441-0761.
Following the memorable benefit reading last season of Charles Busch’s Tony-nominated Broadway hit, “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife,” the Sharon Playhouse will present a one-night-only staged reading of his riotous comic melodrama “Die Mommie Die!” on Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
The production —a deliciously over-the-top homage to classic Hollywood mid-century thrillers — continues the Playhouse’s artistic partnership with Busch, who reprises his iconic role of the glamorous yet troubled songstress Angela Arden.
The playwright and performer is no stranger to the Playhouse and, luckily, he’s supported by a truly stellar powerhouse cast of top-notch comic actors — some returning to the Playhouse stage, and some making their debut. The cast includes Richard Kind; two-time Tony Award nominee Kristine Nielsen, who was part of the original New York cast; Tony Award winner Celia Keenan-Bolger; Andrew Keenan-Bolger; and Claybourne Elder.
The production also marks a fortuitous alignment of talent and history. It is directed by Sharon Playhouse Artistic Director Carl Andress, who performed in the play’s Los Angeles premiere in 1999.
“I have a long and happy history with this particular show,” Andress said. “At the Sharon Playhouse, we’re thrilled to offer unforgettable, one-of-a-kind live experiences. With Charles Busch and this phenomenal cast, ‘Die Mommie Die!’ will surely light up the Olsen Stage with laughter, wit and glamour.”
The original music is by Lewis Flinn, whose score for the 2007 Off-Broadway production is being adapted specially for this event.
The play is a classic Charles Busch concoction that, like all his work, lovingly and intelligently spoofs some of the greatest talents and tropes of stage and screen. The original production was praised by critics as his “funniest, most accomplished and, without question, raunchiest work.”
In 2003, Busch won the Best Performance award at the Sundance Film Festival for the film version of “Die Mommie Die!” His indelible contributions to American theater have been recognized with countless awards and he was recently inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.
The event promises to be an unforgettable night of laughter, glamour and theatrical fun, with all proceeds going to benefit Sharon Playhouse’s productions and educational programs. The funds will help ensure that the Playhouse continues to thrive as a cultural destination for audiences and artists alike.
For tickets, visit: sharonplayhouse.org. Running time: 90 minutes.
Richard Feiner and Annette Stover have worked and taught in the arts, communications, and philanthropy in West Berlin, Paris, Tokyo, and New York. Passionate supporters of the arts, they live in Salisbury and Greenwich Village.