Letters to the Editor - 3/6/25

Winsted Friends of Main Street fundraising

On Feb. 7, Friends of Main Street from Winsted held the 17th year Bubbles & Truffles wine and chocolate tasting event.I am writing to extend my thanks to the participants and stakeholders who made the event possible, and also to celebrate the spirit of volunteerism that seems to have fallen out of vogue in our culture.

The event was held at Crystal Peak; John Roller as always, did a phenomenal job with the facility atmosphere as was the consummate professionalism of his personnel. It is always a pleasure to have the opportunity to work with him and his staff.

There was a myriad of wine, beer and spirits by an assortment of providers; I would be most surprised if any of our guests were unable to find a beverage to their liking. Equally, there were numerous complimentary chocolates, as well as other epicurean delights to partake of.

While this is a significant fund raising event for Friends of Main Street, our organization would not exist without our corporate sponsors, Best Friends, Good Friends and Friends, Northwest Community Bank, West State Mechanical Inc., Howd, Lavieri & Finch and Ash Family Heating & Cooling. We also want to recognize the event sponsors, John’s Package Store, Northwest Community Bank, West State Mechanical Inc. and Webster Bank who actively participated to support the event.

Most importantly I want to thank our volunteers who put in countless hours to make the event a success and for performing the arduous drudgework not seen in the finished product and presentation. These people show up for many meetings, come up with the creativity and design and put in the time to make the event happen. My thanks go beyond words to Andy Jones, Candace Bouchard, Sandy Griswold, Pam Dean, Ryan Wheeler, Mark Lampognana, Beth Hamilton, Steve Gruber, Rhonda Detlefsen and Jen Perga. In a world where we have seen monumental changes in recent years and seemingly a loss of community spirit and volunteerism, It is wonderful to know that there are people who care so much and are willing to make the time, effort and selfless work to make an event like this such a success. I am humbled to know such wonderful people and extend my thanks from the bottom of my heart

Francis “Fran” Delaney

President Friends of Main Street

Winsted

Returning Ukraine’s children

Wars are horrible. So many people get hurt, but the war in Ukraine is a bit unique. In every Ukrainian village the Russians have invaded, the soldiers have arrested the parents and removed the children and babies from their families. The young children have been sent off to orphanages in Russia and then put up for adoption to families all over Russia. The older children have been sent to military academies, technical schools, and “summer camps” to turn them into Russian citizens.

As the Russian population is declining rapidly and reached a low in 2024, this is the method they have found to add new citizens. More than 19,000 Ukrainian children have been taken and are still missing. The Ukrainian families do not know where their children are. This program was conceived by a woman working in the Kremlin who is close to Putin. In the Russian families the children will only speak Russian not their native tongue Ukrainian. They want them to forget where they came from and become Russian.

As a mother of two, I cannot imagine the anguish for those Ukrainian families since they do not even know where their children are living or if they are even alive. This horrific war crime the Russians are perpetrating is real ethnic cleansing.

Returning the kidnapped children of Ukraine to their proper families must be a part of any peace settlement to end this immoral war.

Lizbeth Piel

Sharon

An appeal to please slow down, Kent

Elizabeth Street is the kind of place where neighbors wave to one another, children play and ride their bikes, and families from all over town walk their dogs after dinner. The south side is also home to Kent Center School, where children excitedly walk in and out of its doors each day. Elderly residents at Morning Star Residential Care rely on the peace and safety of this special neighborhood. But Elizabeth Street has unfortunately become something else far less desirable: a racetrack.

We write today out of concern for the well-being of our community. The reality is that too many drivers treat our street as a speedway rather than a school and thickly settled residential zone — disregarding the 15 mph speed limit and stop signs that exist for student and resident safety. This problem has worsened over time, with increased traffic and a minimal ability to control those who flaunt the law.

Elizabeth Street was never designed to handle high-speed traffic. As neighbors whose small yards face both each other and the street, we see this every day: most cars blowing significantly past 15 mph and stop signs as if they’re optional, delivery trucks rolling through at highway speeds, and, worst of all, distracted drivers oblivious to the fact that a child, elderly resident, or pet could step into their path at any moment.

This issue is quantifiable. Studies on urban street design and traffic control show that a pedestrian struck by a car at 30 mph is over four times more likely to die than one hit at 15 mph — and many cars on Elizabeth Street often exceed even that. We have already seen our pets hit by drivers that are oblivious to the hazard.

Other Connecticut towns are taking concrete steps to address dangerous driving. Last month, Fairfield became the latest municipality to adopt automated traffic enforcement safety devices — speed and red-light cameras — to improve school zone safety and deter reckless speeding. The Fairfield Representative Town Meeting voted 32-6 to approve a plan to install seven to 10 cameras at six school zones, citing an increase in dangerous and anti-social driving behaviors. As one representative noted, “A child was hit in a school zone not that long ago. We want to make sure our children can walk to and from school safely.”

While speed cameras may be off the table for now, that does not mean we are out of options. Other towns have successfully reduced speeding through a combination of enforcement, education and infrastructure improvements, and it is time the residents and officials of Kent take action to do the same.

We therefore urge residents, schoolteachers and parents, delivery and service drivers, and others to immediately slow down to posted speeds when driving on Elizabeth Street. Safety and security require everyone to travel at or below 15 mph — no exceptions. If driving at this speed feels “odd,” please take the time to get used to it.

We additionally request town and official support for more effective enforcement measures, including:

1. Community Engagement & Public Awareness

Many drivers simply do not realize how fast they are going or how dangerous their speed can be in a dense living area. A community-led awareness campaign will remind drivers to slow down.

In Fairfield, officials prioritized data transparency by requiring annual reports on violations issued, locations with the most offenses, and repeat offenders. We need similar accountability here in Kent. A report on speeding violations would guide future enforcement and infrastructure decisions.

2. Regular and Visible Enforcement Presence — At All Hours of the Day

Because most drivers on Elizabeth Street do not comply with Kent’s posted speed limit, occasional ticketing is not enough. We greatly appreciate the recent ticketing efforts of Trooper Donohoe, but we need more official presence on Elizabeth Street for deterrence.

Importantly, this is not just a school-hour problem. Many residents have witnessed dangerous speeding well into the evening and late at night, when reckless drivers seem to take advantage of the lack of enforcement. Traffic safety efforts must be consistent and all-day, not just when children are going to and from school.

Fairfield’s ordinance outlines clear fines for first and repeat offenses — $50 for the first violation, $75 thereafter. While our town does not currently have speed cameras, consistent enforcement through patrols and targeted stops at various times of day would deter reckless driving.

3. Traffic Calming Measures — Including Flashing Signs

Speed bumps — temporary or permanent — raised crosswalks, and flashing speed signs are proven methods to physically slow down drivers. These relatively affordable and effective solutions will enhance direct enforcement.

Flashing speed signs, in particular, could serve as a strong deterrent — visually reminding drivers of their speed and reinforcing the importance of slowing down. We recognize that the Town will need to justify the cost of such an investment, so exploring funding options or grant opportunities could help make this a reality.

Washington, Connecticut, the first town to implement speed cameras, has already begun seeing positive changes in driver behavior, and Fairfield officials expect a similar improvement in pedestrian safety once their cameras are in place. While Kent has yet to explore this option, we should not wait until a tragedy occurs before implementing traffic calming measures.

The question is not if reckless speeding on Elizabeth Street will lead to further concern and tragedy — it’s when. Our children are already hesitant to play in their own front yards due to excessive speed. We refuse to wait until a child, an elderly resident, or a pet is again injured — or worse — before responsible action is taken.

We are not here to assign blame, nor do we seek a heavy-handed response. Instead, we hope this letter serves as a reasonable call to action — for our neighbors, our school and town officials, and our law enforcement officers — to work together on a solution.

Slowing down, using your common sense, and being courteous to others is a small price to pay for the safety, security, and well-being of our community.

Kathleen Lindenmayer

Sarah Chase

Kent