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Let's Hear it - June 4, 2026

This Week

Groceries are a basic need, but in many parts of our region, buying them can mean careful planning, multiple stops, or a drive to another town.

Where do you shop for groceries? What works well, and what makes grocery shopping harder than it should be? How do price, selection, distance, hours, or transportation shape where you go?

Send your responses to publisher@lakevillejournal.com by Monday, June 8 at 10 a.m. or comment on Facebook or Instagram.

We’ll publish a selection in next week’s paper.


Last Week’s Question

Have you had a run-in with a bear? What happened, and how did you handle it? And what do you think towns and neighbors should be doing to keep both people and bears safer?


“I think Connecticut should make it mandatory for EVERY household, restaurant, school, hotel, campgrounds, etc. to have a DEEP approved bear proof garbage receptacle. Bears won’t keep wasting their time and energy to go back to a place when they figure out it’s not worth the effort to wrestle something they can’t get into. It will help push them back into the woods to forage where they belong.”

— Mary McDade Shaffer, Kent



“This 16-pounder chases them away.”

— Jake J. Feathers, North Canaan


“I have come across bears multiple times while outside on runs and it has been a matter of being aware (headphones out) and making some noise to have them quickly run off. It still increases my anxiety for the rest of the run though!”

— Maggie Windsor Gross, Sharon


“Anytime that I’ve come across a bear, it is turning to run. Even with my dogs, it usually leaves.”

— Susan Hervieux, Lakeville


“We just had a big one in our pond having a good time swimming. We don’t leave any trash cans out. I contact my neighbors when I see them. We live over the bridge on Kent Falls as I worry about the hikers but so far nothing has happened. Been here for 40 years!”

— Marion Whynott, Kent


“I had a sow charge while I was in the woods. All I had time to do was yell and wave my arms. She came at me fast, stood up looking at me and went back to her three cubs that are in their second year — surprised she was still so protective. I carry bear spray now because that day I was looking for antlers with my head down and unknowingly walked right into it.”

— Jim Vanicky, Cornwall


“They have become super curious with my kids and dogs. We had to put an electric fence up for our livestock.”

— Cluckers Farm, North Canaan


“Sounds like it’s time for a bear hunt.”

— Caitlyn Ellis, The Berkshires



“I had a bear come on my back porch and crack open a can of Sprite with its teeth!”

— Jessie Lawrence, Canaan


“We had one break into our garage and got a lot of damage this year. Last year one headed straight for a kiddie pool my son was in and we acted fast and grabbed my son and eventually scared the bear off. No amount of yelling and banging really seems to scare them off. I walked to my car a few weeks ago and then to my house and in those two minutes a bear came out of the darkness and my cameras went on to record. I must have been twenty feet from the bear and didn’t even realize while carrying in groceries.”

— Tam Curtis, Lakeville


“I’ve seen a lot of bears. Closest was at the end of my hammock while I was on it (2020 during Covid). He was as surprised as I was and we each ran in opposite directions. I’ve never had an issue as I do not feed birds, leave trash out or anything to attract them. I think a [hunting] season is overdue as they have no fear of humans and due to people being careless they associate people with food and are raising cubs to depend on dumpsters & trash, pet food and even small pets and livestock. All of that said, I love seeing them but would never intentionally attract them.”

— Brian Shippa, North Canaan


“Wiped out my chickens last year. Put up an electric fence. Praying it works. Definitely need a bear season.”

— Amanda Miller Levesque, East Canaan


“When you don’t have birdseed out, bear-proof trash cans out only for pick up day and cleaned grills, the bears just pass on through. There is a human problem, not so much a bear problem.”

— Lynn Gray, Kent

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Lakeville Journal and The Journal does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

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