guest commentary

Lifelong Democrat’s wish list

To everyone seeking a donation for any activity involving the democratic party:

Please understand that this 73-year-old lifelong Democrat has no interest in donating money to the current Democratic Party. Why should I support a party that was so out of touch with American citizens that a debacle like the recent election could happen? If, and when, the Democratic Party reorganizes its strategies and communicates them to us all, I might reconsider. On the other hand, if a new party arises that embraces the values (see below) I hold dear, it will be sayonara on a permanent basis.

I am deeply disappointed. By the way, here are my values:

The right to vote. No more gerrymandering.

Womens’ rights, which includes control of their own bodies, equal pay for equal work, and government support for child-care.

Encouragement of diversity because it makes us stronger (embrace people of color, immigrants, and the gender-diverse).

Environmental protection, the sine qua non of our survival.

A tax structure that narrows the gap between rich and poor.

A not-for-profit universal health plan that assures that every American worker is in good health and can therefore be maximally productive, which would include robust mental health services.

Restructuring of elections so they can’t be bought.

An end to covert interference with the development of other nations.

A continuation of strong support for NATO, Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, the U.N. and other similar efforts at creating peace and mutual support in the world.

An annual audit of how we spend our defense dollars.

Brakes on the American pharmaceutical and chemical industries that are polluting our bodies and environment.

Effective controls on gun ownership that do not penalize hunters. This necessarily would include controls on the manufacture of guns.

Support for police departments that includes better screening (mandatory personality testing), better training in de-escalation techniques, better staffing, and regular debriefings following certain events to explore how they could have been handled better.

Much more support for mass transit.

Universal free college and trade school education.

Support small businesses and prevent economic monopolies.

Support sustainable agricultural practices.

Use of adequately secure technology to allow more direct democracy in answering significant policy questions. Trust the American people.

Anna Timell MD lives in West Cornwall.

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

Latest News

Kent girls score late win against Millbrook

Kent girls score late win against Millbrook
Pip Davies controls the puck for Kent School.
Photo by Lans Christensen

KENT — Kent School's girls hockey team defeated Millbrook School 4-3 in a Valentine's Day showdown on the ice Saturday, Feb. 14.

There was no love lost between these Founders League schools situated on opposite sides of the Connecticut/New York border. Both teams had similar win-loss records, and both were eager to add to the "win" column.

Keep ReadingShow less
hockey

In remembrance: Tim Prentice and the art of making the wind visible

In remembrance: Tim Prentice and the art of making the wind visible
In remembrance: Tim Prentice and the art of making the wind visible
In remembrance: Tim Prentice and the art of making the wind visible

There are artists who make objects, and then there are artists who alter the way we move through the world. Tim Prentice belonged to the latter. The kinetic sculptor, architect and longtime Cornwall resident died in November 2025 at age 95, leaving a legacy of what he called “toys for the wind,” work that did not simply occupy space but activated it, inviting viewers to slow down, look longer and feel more deeply the invisible forces that shape daily life.

Prentice received a master’s degree from the Yale School of Art and Architecture in 1960, where he studied with German-born American artist and educator Josef Albers, taking his course once as an undergraduate and again in graduate school.In “The Air Made Visible,” a 2024 short film by the Vision & Art Project produced by the American Macular Degeneration Fund, a nonprofit organization that documents artists working with vision loss, Prentice spoke of his admiration for Albers’ discipline and his ability to strip away everything but color. He recalled thinking, “If I could do that same thing with motion, I’d have a chance of finding a new form.”

Keep ReadingShow less
people
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

Laurie Fendrich and Peter Plagens: A shared life in art and love

Laurie Fendrich and Peter Plagens: A shared life in art and love

Laurie Fendrich and Peter Plagens at home in front of one of Plagens’s paintings.

Natalia Zukerman
He taught me jazz, I taught him Mozart.
Laurie Fendrich

For more than four decades, artists Laurie Fendrich and Peter Plagens have built a life together sustained by a shared devotion to painting, writing, teaching, looking, and endless talking about art, about culture, about the world. Their story began in a critique room.

“I came to the Art Institute of Chicago as a visiting instructor doing critiques when Laurie was an MFA candidate,” Plagens recalled.

Keep ReadingShow less
our community

Strategic partnership unites design, architecture and construction

Strategic partnership unites design, architecture and construction

Hyalite Builders is leading the structural rehabilitation of The Stissing Center in Pine Plains.

Provided

For homeowners overwhelmed by juggling designers, architects and contractors, a new Salisbury-based collaboration is offering a one-team approach from concept to construction. Casa Marcelo Interior Design Studio, based in Salisbury, has joined forces with Charles Matz Architect, led by Charles Matz, AIA RIBA, and Hyalite Builders, led by Matt Soleau. The alliance introduces an integrated design-build model that aims to streamline the sometimes-fragmented process of home renovation and new construction.

“The whole thing is based on integrated services,” said Marcelo, founder of Casa Marcelo. “Normally when clients come to us, they are coming to us for design. But there’s also some architecture and construction that needs to happen eventually. So, I thought, why don’t we just partner with people that we know we can work well with together?”

Keep ReadingShow less
architecture

‘The Dark’ turns midwinter into a weeklong arts celebration

‘The Dark’ turns midwinter into a weeklong arts celebration

Autumn Knight will perform as part of PS21’s “The Dark.”

Provided

This February, PS21: Center for Contemporary Performance in Chatham, New York, will transform the depths of midwinter into a radiant week of cutting-edge art, music, dance, theater and performance with its inaugural winter festival, The Dark. Running Feb. 16–22, the ambitious festival features more than 60 international artists and over 80 performances, making it one of the most expansive cultural events in the region.

Curated to explore winter as a season of extremes — community and solitude, fire and ice, darkness and light — The Dark will take place not only at PS21’s sprawling campus in Chatham, but in theaters, restaurants, libraries, saunas and outdoor spaces across Columbia County. Attendees can warm up between performances with complimentary sauna sessions, glide across a seasonal ice-skating rink or gather around nightly bonfires, making the festival as much a social winter experience as an artistic one.

Keep ReadingShow less
performances
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.