Letters to the Editor - August 7, 2025

Another instance of Project 2025

I am responding to a May 1, 2025, Occasional Observer piece by Mac Gordon on “Trump’s Mandate on ‘Classical Architecture’.

In his piece, Mr. Gordon mentioned Federal design guidelines drawn up in 1962 by Senator Patrick Moynihan, which were intended to steer clear of partisan sentiments.

This reminded me of a story about the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., designed by Gordon Bunshaft in 1974.

My father, Abram Lerner, was to become the museum’s founding director, and I recall the discussions around the design of the museum, and its cylindrical, circular shape, largely free of windows. It was later referred to as “the Brutalist donut.”

Senator Moynihan was one of the few champions of the design and the gift of the collection to the nation. There was considerable opposition to the design, which many in Congress and the Smithsonian Institution felt was not in keeping with the traditional architecture of other buildings on the Washington Mall. It was a revolutionary building, housing a revolutionary collection of art.

In time, it aroused less scorn and became a beacon for modern and experimental art in Washington.

Trump’s mandate on classical architecture is only another manifestation of Project 2025’s plan to stifle creativity and turn us backwards.

Aline Libassi

Falls Village

Thanks for support of housing

Thank you to all who sponsored, donated to and attended the Let’s Dance for Housing event at the White Hart on July 23. The evening was filled with joy. Your generosity and support for The Salisbury Housing Trust makes it possible for us to help local families buy homes. I look forward to seeing you at future events.

With gratitude and much appreciation.

Judy Gafney

Chair of Fundraising,

Salisbury Housing Trust

Join Canaan’s Railroad Days Aug. 7 to 10

Who doesn’t love trains? Come to North Canaan, this weekend and take a walk back in time as the town comes together and proudly celebrates its rich railroad history with a myriad of family fun events. Old Railroad Days 2025 will take place August 7-10 at various locations throughout the town. The festivities kick off on August 7 with a Community Picnic at the Canaan Union Station from 5:30 to 7 pm. Meet your neighbors, visit the museums, and browse vendor tents. Many events follow on Friday with the highlight being the Night Market (vendor market) from 6-9 pm at the Canaan Union Station and the museums will be open as well.

Saturday will certainly satisfy any train buff as the Housatonic Railroad Company rolls in their newly acquired locomotives alongside some classic rolling stock. Visit their booth at the depot before, during, and after your visits to the CT Railroad Historical Association Museum and the New England Accordion Museum. The walk back in time continues on Saturday with a car show hosted by the CT Model A Restoration Club and (literally) a walking tour of the town hosted by the History Center on Main St. There will be live music, crazy bed races and more on Saturday and even more to follow on Sunday; so please go to: northcanaaneventscommittee.org for further information.

Marcia Ramunni

Salisbury

Mudge Pond group issues call for support

On Aug. 2 the Twin Lakes Association held their annual meeting at Camp Isola Bella.

The focus of the meeting was to inform members and residents of the progress of eradicating hydrilla which was found in East Twin Lake in 2023, mostly likely brought from the Connecticut River to Twin Lakes via boat traffic.I attended the meeting with Andrew Cahill, president of the newly formed Mudge Pond Association.

Grant Bogle, President of the Twin Lakes Association and scientist Russ Conklin Vice President of Lake Management, have been an invaluable resource welcoming members of other Lake Associations and residents of neighboring towns to attend their meetings. They openly share the knowledge they have gained combating invasives and provide strategies for lake management.They have shown that taking action makes a significant difference, and that cumulative action, with the support of a dedicated community, is the key for restoring the health of a lake.

For the last two years studies conducted by the Town on Mudge Pond, by a noted limnologist, have provided a foundation for establishing a management plan.The top priorities are to prevent hydrilla from entering the lake, eradicate certain invasives and target nonpoint source pollution. The Mudge Pond Association is willing to tackle these objectives with the support of our residents.Please consider offering your support either financially or through volunteerism.

You may contact Mudge Pond Association at Mudgepond.org The health of our lake can only be improved if we all work together.

Lynn Kearcher

Sharon

Thanks for LJ street fair

A short thank you to The Lakeville Journal for organizing a community street fair on Saturday, August 2 in Salisbury to salute our area nonprofits. The weather gods must appreciate independent community journalism because Saturday was bright, dry and comfortably temperate.

Shout out to the Band Northwest Passage which I hadn’t heard before, but I made a point of making a monetary donation and learning the name of the band.

As a subscriber to The Lakeville for almost 40 years and a recent donor since the media company became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, I share the joy of the NWCT corner in not only helping it to survive, and be a vibrant outlet for local news but also an incubator for nascent journalists.

It was so pleasant to meet and greet established community service organizations such as the Salisbury Ambulance Service, the Salisbury Forum and the Salisbury Housing Committee and the Salisbury Housing Trust.I know who you are Volunteers! It was also lovely to learn about other neighbors like the Community Health and Wellness Center in Canaan (What a resource), the Women & Girls Fund, an affiliate of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, and the newly established East Mountain House, an end-of-life supportive residence in Lakeville.

We are so fortunate to live in a community of committed and talented volunteers. Political affiliation not a prerequisite for participation.

Eileen Fox

Lakeville