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Tessa Dekker, four-year basketball player at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, was named female Athlete of the Year at the school's athletic award ceremony in May 2025.
Photo by Riley Klein
Basketball games were well attended last winter thanks in part to the return of the Mountaineer cheerleaders. The squad performed halftime shows and coordinated themes for the audience, such as Hawaiian night.
“We made the themes really pop off,” said cheer captain Taylor Terwilliger.
The Mountaineer cheer squad amps up team spirit in front of a pink-themed student section during rivalry night against Lakeview High School on Feb. 5. Photo by Riley Klein
The birth of a new Berkshire League rivalry emerged between HVRHS and the newly created Lakeview High School. The bleachers were packed when the girls and boys teams faced off back-to-back in Falls Village Feb. 5. HVRHS won the girls game 59-43, but Lakeview won the boys game 71-60.
At the end of the basketball season, Daniela Brennan was chosen to receive the Berkshire League’s Edward B. Kolakoski Sportsmanship Award.
The Housatonic co-op hockey team played its final game last winter. After the season, the co-op disbanded and this year HVRHS players are in a new co-op hosted by New Milford High School.
The baseball dugout had a good time heckling former Mountaineers during the HVRHS varsity vs. alumni baseball game in May.Photo by Riley Klein
Players took to the diamonds come springtime for baseball and softball. In addition to high school teams, the Region One Middle School Mountaineers fielded teams for both sports.
Varsity baseball went on to earn a state tournament bid as the 21 seed. The boys played 12 seed Haddam-Killingworth High School in the first round and remained tied until a final inning walk-off win for HK.
Varsity girls lacrosse had a stellar season on the field and made it to the Western Connecticut Lacrosse Conference championship game. They ran into top-ranked Watertown High School and after a back-and-forth battle, Watertown won 6-4.
The varsity lacrosse team poses with the runner-up trophy following the Western Connecticut Lacrosse Conference championship game against Watertown High School.Photo by Riley Klein
Track and field athletes made waves last season, breaking several school records and taking home 10 gold medals at the Berkshire League finals and festival. Sixteen Mountaineers represented HVRHS at the Class S state meet in New Britain and five went on to qualify for the State Open meet: Anthony Labbadia, Mia Dodge, Kyle McCarron, Gabi Titone and Ryan Segalla.
Labbadia’s performance in the triple jump earned him a spot at the New England track and field championships. His best distance of 44 feet and one inch stood for ninth place in New England and set the new HVRHS record. The previous school record of 43 feet eight inches was set by Don Hurlbutt in 1967.
Anthony Labbadia set a new HVRHS record with a 44-foot one-inch triple jump June 14. The distance earned him 9th place at the New England track and field championship, which this year was held in New Britain, Conn. Photo by Riley Klein
Athletics continued into the summer with the Housy Hoops teams at the Torrington Summer Basketball League and the Housy Juniors in the Babe Ruth League summer baseball program. The girls basketball team became TSBL runners up after making it to the championship game against Lewis Mills.
When school started up in late August, fall sports swung into action beginning with varsity golf. Jonas Johnson went on to win the longest drive award at the Berkshire League golf all-star tournament Tuesday, Oct. 14.
Georgie Clayton, left, celebrates with Ava Segalla after a goal in the 2025 season.Photo by Riley Klein
Girls and boys soccer teams had historic seasons on the field and both qualified for the postseason tournaments.
The boys soccer team defeated Shepaug Valley High School for the first time in five years. The 1-0 win came in the Berkshire League tournament semifinals.
On the girls team, Ava Segalla set the new school scoring record with a total of 134 varsity goals. She surpassed the previous record of 120, which was set by her sister Sydney Segalla in 2021.
“Having scouts for the first time was definitely a very rewarding experience,” Segalla said. “It was exciting to see my hard work paying off.” Segalla committed to play Division I soccer at Sacred Heart University.
Girls soccer made a deep run in the Class S tournament, concluding with a showdown against Morgan High School in the semifinals. Morgan went on to become Class S champions.
Captain Gustavo Portillo celebrates with his teammates after a goal in soccer.Photo by Riley Klein
HVRHS had three cross country runners medal at the BL championship Oct. 16. Olivia Brooks placed 11th, Hannah Johnson placed 17th and Finn Malone placed 18th.
Gilbert/Northwestern/Housatonic’s co-op football team was led in large part by the Mountaineers with eight seniors on the team. The team faced a top-heavy schedule and started the season 1-4. But they stayed disciplined and battled back to a 5-5 finish, concluding with a 34-0 shutout win in the Turkey Bowl.
Gilbert/Northwestern/Housatonic football captain Wes Allyn, left, and QB Trevor Campbell after the end of the 2025 season.Photo by Riley Klein
“Out of the four years I’ve been playing, undefeated on Thanksgiving. No one will ever take that away from me,” said GNH captain Wes Allyn after the win.
Winter sports returned in December beginning with basketball. The girls team has a lot of young talent in new freshmen, and the boys team features a senior-heavy roster.
“I’m feeling very optimistic,” said senior captain Victoria Brooks. “Our strength is definitely going to be our dedication this year.”
Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s girls basketball team. From left, Autumn McKone, Olivia Simonds, Keely Malone, Selena Black, Hayden Bachman, Olivia Brooks, Maddy Johnson, Victoria Brooks, Carmela Egan, Aubrey Funk, Grace Graney and Noell Laurry. (Not pictured: Mya Weed) Riley Klein
Sharon Hospital, shown here, experienced a consequential year marked by a merger agreement with Northwell Health, national recognition for patient care, and renewed concerns about emergency medical and ambulance coverage in the region.
Archive photo
That commitment was later doubled by the state, allowing the trust to break ground in September on a project that will renovate the long-defunct Community Center—once a Masonic Temple—into four additional affordable units. Those apartments will join six already occupied units in adjacent buildings, creating a unified, 10-unit development. The project cleared its final local hurdle in November, receiving approvals from both the Zoning Commission and the Historic District Commission.
Alongside those efforts, a more contentious proposal dominated Planning and Zoning Commission agendas during the first half of the year. A condominium development proposed near Sharon Hospital drew support from residents who favor a more diverse housing mix, while neighbors raised concerns about potential impacts on property values and quality of life.
The project, proposed by Gold Dog LLC, a private development company, was approved in August following months of heated public hearings. That decision, however, has since been appealed by opponents, ensuring that housing will remain an ongoing issue.
Health
It was a consequential year for Sharon Hospital, marked by major institutional changes, national recognition, and lingering concerns about access to care.
In May, Nuvance Health, the nonprofit operator of Sharon Hospital, announced that it had formalized a merger agreement with Northwell Health, one of the largest healthcare systems in the Northeast. The announcement raised concerns among some residents who feared consolidation could lead to reduced services at a facility that serves a region often described as a healthcare desert.
Hospital President Christina McCullough sought to reassure the community, emphasizing that the merger was intended to strengthen—not diminish—local care. “It’s not about cutting resources and cutting services,” she said. “It’s about optimizing what both of those organizations have, ultimately strengthening the access to care for everyone that lives in the community.”
In July, Sharon Hospital was the only Connecticut facility included on a national list of rural hospitals considered vulnerable to potential Medicaid cuts, underscoring the financial pressures facing small hospitals nationwide.
Despite those challenges, the hospital earned national recognition the following month. In August, Sharon Hospital received a national award for excellence in stroke care. Later in the year, it was awarded its sixth consecutive “Five Star” rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, placing it among just 290 hospitals nationwide to receive the distinction.
The year ended on a more uncertain note, however, when the hospital announced it would discontinue its longtime emergency response provider, Northern Dutchess Paramedics, effective Jan. 1. The decision raised fresh concerns among residents about the future of ambulance coverage and emergency medical services in the region.
Nature
Sharon’s connection to its natural environment remained strong throughout 2025, with residents, conservation groups and state officials engaging in efforts to protect local ecosystems and wildlife.
In April, local conservationist and invasive species expert Tom Zetterstrom addressed a packed Town Hall, outlining strategies to protect Sharon’s woodlands from invasive oriental bittersweet. Drawing on both successes and setbacks at the Sharon Land Trust’s Hamlin Preserve, Zetterstrom highlighted the urgency of sustained management and community involvement.
That same month, concerned residents formed the Mudge Pond Association in response to a December 2024 study that warned of imminent threats to the pond from invasive species and polluted runoff. Since its formation, the group has begun piloting protective measures and planning long-term stewardship efforts for the popular lake.
Sharon’s Mudge Pond spans more than 200 acres. Alec Linden
Conservation efforts expanded later in the year when the Sharon Land Trust partnered with the Northeast Wilderness Trust to secure Sharon’s first “Forever Wild” protected land. Announced in late summer, the designation places roughly 700 acres surrounding Sharon Mountain under a permanent conservation easement, safeguarding critical wildlife habitat from development, logging and motorized use.
Wildlife coexistence also drew attention in December, when the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection hosted a community roundtable on living alongside black bears. Residents emphasized a “human behavior”-focused approach, advocating for changes in food storage and waste management rather than lethal controls.
Throughout the year, the Sharon Audubon Center remained active with public programs and education initiatives, culminating in its annual December bird count. The event connected local volunteers to a nationwide community-science effort to track winter bird populations.
Citizen scientists look skyward for Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count Photo: Cheri Johnson/Sharon Audubon Center.
Holiday season
The year closed with holiday traditions that underscored Sharon’s sense of community, bringing warmth and light to the darkest days of winter. Annual tree and menorah lightings, held five days apart in mid-December, brought luminance, song and joy to the snow covered Village Green in scenes that were classically Sharon.
Bunny McGuire stands in the park that now bears her name in North Canaan.
Riley Klein
In February, Town Clerk Jean Jacquier stopped reporting to work amid a legal dispute, triggering months of uncertainty at Town Hall. Her prolonged absence became the focus of multiple court cases, heightened political tensions in town, and fueled debate in the lead-up to the municipal election. Following the election, Jacquier returned to her position and served through the remainder of her duly elected term.
In April, North Canaan Elementary School marked the 35th anniversary of its Arbor Day celebration, alongside the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, with the planting of a chinkapin oak as the newest addition to the school’s arboretum.
In May, the Becton, Dickinson and Company facility in North Canaan was evacuated after a hazmat scare. An employee identified a suspicious package, which resulted in a lock down and about 300 employees entered decontamination protocol, requiring them to leave clothing behind and shower before going home. The FBI transported the package from the facility to the state laboratory in Rocky Hill and all testing for active agents came back negative.
The 4-H Club float rolls down Main Street in North Canaan en route to the Doughboy statue. RIley Klein
Memorial Day brought the community into town for a day of remembrance. The parade marched from Town Hall to the Doughboy statue, where residents gathered to pay respects to fallen members of the armed services.
Town commissions approved the construction of a new Dunkin’ location across from the Stop & Shop plaza on Main Street. The proposal calls for a roughly 2,000-square-foot rectangular building with 16 parking spaces and a drive-thru. Once the new site opens, the existing Dunkin’ inside the nearby gas station will close.
In July, Bunny McGuire Park was transformed into a carnival as community events unfolded across town, culminating in a parade and a grand fireworks display.
The 61st annual Railroad Days in North Canaan, now called Old Railroad Days, took place in August. David Carley
In August, Old Railroad Days made its debut, bringing the town’s rail heritage to life through four days of tours, exhibits and demonstrations. Throughout the celebration, Canaan Union Station pulsed with activity as residents and visitors gathered to take part.
At Geer Village, chef Gina Trivelli-Young opened Manna Catering in the café space formerly occupied by Railway Café. “A lot of my food is geared toward health, the nourishment of mind, body and soul,” said Trivelli-Young.
Geer also announced a “strategic partnership” with Integritus Healthcare, a 501 (c) 3 charitable organization and post-acute healthcare industry leader based out of Pittsfield. Integritus will become the management company for the Geer Village campus of services and Geer will remain the owner/operator of the programs and services, with Integritus Healthcare providing oversight.
New playground equipment was installed at NCES, which has been put to good use since school came back into session.
Douglas Library Director Norma DeMay announced her retirement from the role this year. “I’ve loved my job,” she said, full of praise for her staff and board members. “I love chatting with the people who come in. And you can’t beat a 9-minute commute.” DeMay was succeeded by Laura Moran.
Residents gathered at Colonial Theatre in October for the Canaan Foundation’s 25th anniversary, as well as a celebration of the town. The foundation was formed by a group of local citizens with a mission to enhance the quality of life for townspeople. This year a total of 24 grants were issued for a total of $28,500.
The Community Thanksgiving Dinner at the Pilgrim House provided nourishment and camaraderie for both guests and volunteers alike. Jeanine Coleman is a loyal server each year. “It’s my favorite time of year,” she said. “I love doing this.”
The Parade of Lights followed the weekend after Thanksgiving, which ushered in the holiday season. Cub Scouts donned their Santa Claus hats on Sunday, Dec. 7, at NCES to host a pancake breakfast with Santa.
The year was also marked by the election of a new first selectman, as challenger Jesse Bunce edged out incumbent Brian Ohler by two votes in a closely watched race.
