Latest News
The many voices of “A Jericho’s Cobble”
Patrick L. Sullivan
May 20, 2026
Author Tom Schachtman
Patrick L. Sullivan
Tom Shachtman read from his new book, “A Jericho’s Cobble Miscellany,” at the Scoville Memorial Library on Sunday, May 17.
Shachtman and Harriet Shelane read excerpts from the points of view of an 18th-century settler in the wilds of New England, a contemporary high school senior who cannot wait to get herself out of town, a Native American sachem and an upright piano.
The book tells the story of a fictional New England village that Shachtman said he imagines as being about 20 miles east of Great Barrington.
It is a tale told through several genres: fiction, newspaper stories, oral histories, poetry, plays and emails.
Shachtman said he was inspired by Edgar Lee Masters’ “Spoon River Anthology,” in which small-town Americans’ stories are told in free-verse form by the deceased.
“I thought it was a wonderful idea, but I didn’t want everybody to be dead.”
Shachtman said there are more than 100 distinct voices in the book and that he began with 50 to 100 pages of notes on all sorts of topics.
“It’s not one story. It’s many stories. That’s why it took five years.”
Shachtman was asked how closely Salisbury resembles Jericho’s Cobble.
“Of course there are similarities. I’ve lived here for 30 years.”
He said certain stories in the book, such as an arson attack at the Town Hall and the transformation of the local weekly newspaper from a for-profit to a nonprofit, have obvious local precedents.
“But these are not unique to us,” he added.
About that upright piano: Shachtman paused before reading that particular excerpt and looked at the audience.
“Not all the speakers are living or dead. Some are inanimate objects.”
He then read “An Upright’s Lament.”
“I haven’t been seriously caressed in a long time,” the passage begins.
The piano, a 1903 Hamilton, goes on to say it has been relegated to “the seldom-used back dining room of the Grey Griffon Inn with its fading wallpaper.”
“In my heyday, when many people still knew how to play a piano, I was the focus of attention in the pub, where late of an evening, after enough alcohol had been downed, there would always be someone opening me up and striking my keys, to general enjoyment.”
But times have changed, and the piano is not optimistic.
“I fear the coming winter’s continuously roaring fires in the inn’s many fireplaces: Their dry heat will wick away the last bit of moisture from my woods, leaving me fit only for the garbage heap and the lumber pile.”
Keep ReadingShow less
North Canaan budget approved, tax rate remains flat
Christian Murray
May 20, 2026
North Canaan Town Hall
File photo
NORTH CANAAN – Voters approved North Canaan’s proposed $14.6 million combined municipal and education budgets at a town meeting on May 18.
The approval led the Board of Finance to set the mill rate at 24.75 for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, unchanged from the current year.
The $14.6 million spending plan includes a $3,351,583 municipal budget, up 3.25% from the current fiscal year, largely due to rising employee medical insurance costs. The municipal budget was approved by voters 52-5.
The education budget totals $11,238,600, a 7.92% increase over the current fiscal year. Of that total, $5,098,488 is allocated for North Canaan Elementary School, a 6.73% increase also due, in part, to rising insurance costs.
The elementary school budget was approved by town voters 50-6.
The remaining $6,140,112 in the education budget represents North Canaan’s share of the Region One budget, which covers Housatonic Valley Regional High School tuition and districtwide shared services. Voters across the six-town district, including North Canaan, approved that budget earlier this month.
North Canaan’s Region One assessment rose by about $503,679, or 8.94%, compared with last year’s increase of just over 1%. The town’s assessment is based on 106 students from North Canaan attending HVRHS in the coming school year.
Town officials said state grants helped offset some of the rising costs when setting the mill rate.
Keep ReadingShow less
Salisbury approves $21.6 million budget, cuts mill rate to 9.8
Patrick L. Sullivan
May 20, 2026
Salisbury Town Hall
File photo
SALISBURY – Voters unanimously approved Salisbury’s $21.6 million combined municipal and education budget at a town meeting last week, paving the way for a lower property tax rate in the 2026-27 fiscal year.
Following the town meeting on May 13, the Board of Finance met and set the new mill rate at 9.8, down from the current 11.0 rate and among the lowest in Connecticut.
For homeowners, the lower mill rate will reduce annual property taxes. A home with a market value of $750,000 would see its tax bill fall from about $5,775 under the previous 11.0 mill rate to about $5,145 under the new 9.8 rate — a savings of roughly $630 annually.
Comptroller Joe Cleaveland said the lower rate was made possible due to several factors, including the recent revaluation that increased the value of the grand list, growth in the town’s surplus funds, and the decision to reduce the amount of reserves held.
At the town meeting, 22 people attended in person and seven online. All agenda items passed unanimously, 29-0.
The approved $21,630,267 spending plan includes a municipal budget of $9,617,825, an increase of $412,723, or 4.4%.
The Salisbury Central School budget was set at $7,213,515, an increase of $316,367, or 4.59%.
The Region One assessment, which primarily covers the cost of educating Salisbury students at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, totals $4,798,927, an increase of $17,834 or 0.37%.
Total education spending is $12,012,442, an increase of $334,201 or 2.86%.
Keep ReadingShow less
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
Cornwall approves town budget, sets mill rate
Caitlin Hanlon
May 20, 2026
Cornwall Town Hall
File photo
CORNWALL – Voters approved the town’s 2026-27 proposed budget during a seven-minute town meeting Friday, May 15, before the Board of Finance set the mill rate at 16.62, a 4.13% increase from the current 15.96 rate.
For a homeowner, that increase will mean annual property taxes of about $5,817 on a home assessed at $350,000, compared with roughly $5,586 today — an increase of about $231.
The approved budget totals $8,924,433, a 6% increase over the current $8,417,014 plan.
Just 11 residents attended the seven-minute budget meeting, moderated by the Rev. Scott Cady. No public comments were offered before the budget moved forward to the Board of Finance for final action on the mill rate.
First Selectman Gordon M. Ridgway said the budget process began in January and credited town boards and commissions with keeping spending requests in check.
“We appreciate the boards and commissions keeping their budgets realistic,” Ridgway said. “Both the selectmen and the Board of Education were able to bring their increases down.”
Still, he said, rising costs made a tax increase unavoidable.
Ridgway said health insurance represented one of the largest increases affecting both municipal and education budgets. Additional cost increases included oil and electricity.
The Board of Selectmen also approved increased funding for several regional social service organizations, including Greenwoods Counseling Services, Housatonic Youth Service Bureau, Northwest Corner Chore Service, the Susan B. Anthony Project and Project SAGE.
“We’re giving people support in trying times,” Ridgway said.
During the meeting, Chairman Joe Pryor said the town’s grand list increased by 1.5%, helping offset some budget pressures.
“That brought us some breathing room,” Pryor said.
With a new mill rate of 16.62, the board voted to use $225,000 from undesignated funds toward next year’s budget. Cornwall is scheduled to undergo a town-wide property revaluation next year.
Keep ReadingShow less
Memorial Day parades, ceremonies planned across Northwest Connecticut
Lakeville Journal
May 20, 2026
Veterans of the armed forces prepare a large flag to be raised in Sharon May 26, 2025.
Mia Barnes
Town and Village Event Guide
Monday, May 25, 2026
Communities across northwest Connecticut will mark Memorial Day with parades, ceremonies and tributes honoring members of the armed forces who died in service to the country.
Residents throughout the region are expected to gather Monday in their respective towns for longstanding traditions that bring together veterans, local officials, emergency responders, marching groups and community organizations in remembrance and reflection.
Cornwall
Cornwall’s Memorial Day observances will begin at 9 a.m. with a commemorative service at North Cornwall Cemetery led by resident Virginia Gold, whose family roots in Cornwall date back more than 200 years. Organizers are asking volunteers to bring flowers to decorate graves.
At 10 a.m., the Seaman’s Memorial Ceremony will take place at the Covered Bridge, followed by a parade and ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. on the Town Green. A carnival will be held after the ceremony on the grounds of the United Church of Christ will follow the ceremony.
After the parade, seventh grade students from Cornwall Consolidated School will deliver a special presentation honoring Robin (Robert) Starr, a formerly enslaved Revolutionary War veteran who received the Badge of Military Merit, an early precursor to the Purple Heart.
Kent
Kent’s Memorial Day parade will begin at Kent Central School at 9:30 a.m. and will travel up Bridge Street, through the St. Andrew’s Church cemetery and to the Veterans Monument in front of the historic Swift House. The procession will travel back to the Civil War monument at the intersection of Route 341 and Route 7 before traveling north on Route 7 to the World War I monument at the Kent Memorial Library, the Community House and the Congregational Church cemetery.
The procession will conclude at Town Hall, where most of the service will take place. The parade was organized by Parks and Recreation Director Matt Frasher and Brent Kallstrom, commander of Hall-Jennings American Legion Post 153 in Kent.
Participants are invited to the Kent Land Trust Community Field from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the KLT’s annual Community Conservation Picnic, which will feature live music, a barbecue lunch and activities for all ages.
Salisbury
Salisbury’s Memorial Day parade will begin in Lakeville at the Grove and pass the Scoville Memorial Library shortly after 10 a.m.
The parade will pause for a brief ceremony at the war memorial on the Green at the intersection of Routes 44 and 41 near the White Hart lawn, before continuing north along Route 41 to the cemetery, where the main ceremony will be held.
Most spectators traditionally gather in Salisbury village before following the parade procession to the cemetery.
First Selectman Curtis Rand said there is no rain date or alternate indoor location planned.
“Fingers crossed for a great event that recognizes the incredible sacrifices that were made to protect us and keep us free,” he said.
Falls Village
In Falls Village, the Memorial Day parade will line up at Lee H. Kellogg School at 9:30 a.m. and step off at 9:45 a.m.
The parade will proceed west along Main Street to the Town Green, where a ceremony featuring speakers and community recognitions will take place. In the event of rain, the ceremony will move indoors to the Center on Main, 103 Main St.
First Selectman Dave Barger encouraged residents to attend.
“Please join us for our Memorial Day parade and ceremony to honor those who have fallen in service to our country,” Barger said. “We will also be honoring citizens who have distinguished themselves as Volunteer of the Year and shown an involvement in community service.”
North Canaan
In North Canaan, the parade will begin at 10:30 a.m., with participants asked to line up by 10 a.m. at North Canaan Town Hall.
According to organizers, the parade route will proceed from Town Hall along Bragg Street, West Main Street and Granite Avenue before concluding at the Doughboy Memorial, where a remembrance ceremony will follow. The ceremony will include the presentation of the colors and a rifle salute.
Organizers said the event will feature veterans, marching groups, musicians, local organizations and community members in what has become one of the town’s longstanding Memorial Day traditions.
Residents are encouraged to wear red, white and blue. Last year, hundreds of spectators lined West Main Street for the parade and ceremony.
Sharon
Sharon’s Memorial Day Parade will begin at 10 a.m. Monday.
All marchers are asked to report by 9:30 a.m. to Autosport, located at 130 North Main St., or behind Sharon Center School. The parade will proceed down Main Street to the Veterans Memorial for a remembrance service.
Organizers are encouraging all veterans to participate, with rides available for those needing assistance. Civic organizations are also invited to march, and awards will be presented for best-decorated bicycles.
In the event of rain, activities will move to Sharon Center School.
The Sharon Historical Society is inviting residents to march with its members in the parade’s “250th” section.
For additional information, contact Sharon Town Hall at 860-364-5789 or Robert Loucks at 860-364-5814.
Keep ReadingShow less
Local nonprofits receive $283K in spring grants
Aly Morrissey
May 20, 2026
The Northwest CT Community Foundation (NCCF) announced its first round of grant funding this year, awarding $283,200 to local nonprofits through its spring discretionary grant cycle. The foundation awards grants to area nonprofits three times a year — in early spring, late June and November.
Among the local nonprofits to receive grants were the Kent Library Association, which was awarded $75,000; the Falls Village Day Care Center, which received $12,200; and the Salisbury-based Housatonic Child Care Center (HCCC), which received $10,000. Other local groups received awards of up to $10,000.
Kent Memorial Library received its NCCF grant through the Edwin M. Stone and Edith H. Stone Fund and the Khurshed Bhumgara Fund. The funding will support the library’s renovation and expansion project.
“Libraries are the heart of our communities, and we’re constantly looking to identify unmet needs and do everything we can to provide services to the broadest population possible,” said Library Director Sarah Marshall.
She said the project will address longstanding space limitations, which last underwent a major renovation more than three decades ago.
With the help of the grant, the library will increase its usable space by about 5,000 square feet. Marshall said the funding will help close a fundraising gap as the library continues its capital campaign with support from local donors and the broader community.
Meanwhile, HCCC received its NCCF grant through the Carlton D. Fyler and Jenny R. Fyler Fund to support general operating expenses.
HCCC Director Tonya Roussis said she is grateful for the grant.
“As you know, childcare is expensive, and operating a childcare center is increasingly costly as well,” she said. “The expenses we face continue to rise, so we’re always looking for outside support to help meet those needs without having to raise tuition, cut programs or reduce teacher benefits.”
Roussis added, “I don’t know what we would do without their support and if we didn’t get these grants.”
HCCC owns its own building, which comes with additional expenses including insurance, electricity, water and maintenance.
“It’s getting harder and harder every year because costs are rising and we want to keep costs low for our families,” she said.
Other groups to receive funding included the Cornwall Child Center, which was awarded $9,000; the David M. Hunt Library, $1,500; the Housatonic Youth Service Bureau, $5,000; Kent Affordable Housing, $10,000; and the North Canaan Education Foundation, $7,200.
Keep ReadingShow less
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
loading
