Melissa Near
Latest News
North Canaan faces a turning point
Jan 07, 2026
North Canaan needs to turn the page. The town entered a new chapter in November, not only with the election of a new first selectman, but with significant changes across Town Hall. Several key positions are now held by new faces, and the Town Clerk’s office is showing stability after a lengthy period of disruption.
For a small town, such turnover matters — and it helps explain why the handoff into the new year hasn’t been seamless.
Jesse Bunce took office after a razor-thin election and a challenging transition, marked by technology issues, operational delays, and a disrupted payroll. These issues were real, but they’ve been addressed. With those behind them, the town is now looking ahead to the work that remains.
Bunce brings a background in infrastructure, equipment and cost estimation, honed through years running a local excavation business. His practical experience aligns with many of North Canaan’s most pressing needs. In a town with a limited tax base, deferred maintenance and aging public assets are not abstract policy concerns — they are real issues that require careful planning and disciplined spending.
He emphasizes a straightforward governing approach: prioritizing what’s best for the town and encouraging collaboration over division. If he can successfully implement this approach, it could provide a solid foundation for the work ahead.
Former First Selectman Brian Ohler, who remains on the Board of Selectmen after his narrow defeat, has shown grace and a clear willingness to contribute to the town’s future. His commitment to collaboration and professionalism sets an important example as the town transitions. Ohler’s work over the years has laid a foundation of service, and his willingness to work alongside Bunce offers a model for positive, unified governance.
Turning the page doesn’t mean ignoring problems or lowering expectations. Residents deserve reliable operations, functional systems, and accountability from Town Hall.
But it does mean recognizing that progress will depend on cooperation and goodwill — not just from elected officials, but from staff, volunteers and residents alike.
The challenges ahead are ones the community faces together: improving roads and bridges, addressing deteriorating town assets, supporting children and working families and managing costs to keep North Canaan affordable.
The town has experienced a period of change. The next two years should be defined not by transition issues, but by measurable progress.
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Sharon Hospital addresses ambulance services
Recent public discussion regarding paramedic services in the Sharon community has understandably raised concerns. As such, we welcome the opportunity to clarify the facts and, more importantly, to reassure residents that emergency medical services in Sharon are not only continuing but strengthening.
Sharon Hospital is now part of Northwell Health, the largest health system in the Northeast, with extensive emergency transport and EMS capabilities across western Connecticut and the Hudson Valley. As part of this system, Sharon Hospital is supported by a licensed and experienced paramedic program already operating in the Danbury and New Milford region, with the ability to extend those services to appropriately support the Sharon community.
Effective Jan. 1, 2026, Sharon Hospital will ensure 24/7 emergency medical coverage for the community. This includes support for emergency response, interfacility transport and critical care needs, backed by the depth, redundancy, and clinical oversight of a larger health system. These capabilities are not theoretical — they are already in place and functioning successfully across our region.
Some commentary has focused on the hospital’s decision not to continue sponsoring Northern Dutchess Paramedics (NDP). It is important to note that NDP was acquired in October by Empress Ambulance Service, a private, for-profit, out-of-state organization. We recognize that the change in sponsorship may disrupt NDP’s business interests in the Sharon community, yet it does not represent a loss of emergency medical services for residents who rely on us for care.
We want to be clear: no EMS services are being eliminated, and no gaps in coverage are anticipated. Our responsibility is to ensure safe, reliable, and compliant emergency care for our patients and our community, and our current plan does exactly that.
Change can bring uncertainty, and we recognize the importance of open communication. Sharon Hospital remains committed to transparency, collaboration with local EMS partners, and continued engagement with community leaders and residents. We invite you to a Town Hall on Thursday, Jan. 8 from 5 to 6 p.m. in the cafeteria at Sharon Hospital to answer any questions you may have. Please RSVP to Griffin.Cooper@nuvancehealth.org.
Our focus remains where it belongs: on delivering high-quality, dependable emergency medical care to the people of Sharon and surrounding towns, today and into the future.
Christina McCulloch
President, Sharon Hospital
Sharon
Reality contrasts with the spirit of the season
This time of year is nostalgic and beautiful with the Christmas lights and decorations. The cold reality of what is going on in our country brings all those feelings to an abrupt halt.
Now King Trump is publicly stating that Somalians are ruining our country and have been for years. There are not enough Somalian people in the United States to ruin anything. I wonder if he was thinking about that during his “Great Gatsby” party? Or if he thought about how many people would go hungry without their SNAP benefits? His answer is to any criticism is to post a picture of himself with a crown on his head, in a plane, dropping fecal bombs on the American people That says exactly what Teflon Don thinks of our country.
Donnie is making millions building his hotels all over the world and defending (lying for) the Saudi Arabian leader Mohammed bin Salman, who approved the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. What does he get in return? An arms deal, building Trump hotels, maybe oil, all of the above and probably things we don’t know about.
Why is everyone surprised about Trump’s reluctance to release the Epstein files? Or that Ghislaine Maxwell was moved to a better facility — a child predator, as evil as her partner Jeffrey Epstein. I don’t think there is any person who doesn’t know about Trump’s friendship with the lovely couple. Trump’s infamous reputation with women speaks for itself.
King Trump’s policies, or lack thereof, are dangerous, debilitating, self-promoting, and corrupt. His sycophants, also known as his cabinet are as incompetent, mercenary and narcissistic as he is.
We still have a long way to go before King Trump is out of office so to all I say “Merry Christmas” and God help us!
Gretchen Gordon
Sharon
Dems look to 2026 election cycle
The Northwest Corner which usually remains quiet and out of the mind of the rest of Connecticut is shaping up to host some of the most intense political races in the state.
Democrats are poised to take the state senate seat that has been held by Stephen Harding who is the leader of the minority party in the state legislature. Jahana Hayes who has been our Representative in congress faces heavy winds in a district which doesn’t always go to Democrats and one of the areas Republicans have made gains within the state.
In 2024 we saw Representative Jahana Hayes win 53.4% to George Logan’s 46.6%. Yes that is a 6.8% margin but at the end of the day that is still a tight race for a state that trends heavily blue and hasn’t had a Republican in the Governor’s mansion since 2011.
Litchfield county is one of two counties in the state of Connecticut that has gone to a Republican president for the last three presidential cycles and is a very possible pickup for Republicans in 2026 when Democrats are focused on battle ground states.
Jahana Hayes may not be in her seat with several Republicans announcing their bid for the Republican nomination and one independent candidate which lays a hard race with narrow margins. Salisbury and other towns in the Northwest Corner who have strong Democratic Town Committees have gone off to the races to mitigate and help Democrats gain instead of lose seats with Salisbury holding delegate elections the week of the 17th of January for the Democratic state convention of 2026 and 2028. Salisbury is shaping to be a leader in a race that would otherwise be quiet but not in 2026 with a lot of political decisions being decided by Litchfield county.
Kip Carter
Salisbury
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125 years ago — January 1901
CHAPINVILLE — Mr. Charles Kilmer and family are moving this week to East Canaan in Mrs. Brinton’s house. He will work for Mr. Canfield.
The new directories of the Sharon Telephone Company have been issued.
The Holley M’f’g factory started up work Wednesday morning after a week’s shut down for inventory and vacation.
100 years ago — January 1926
A telephone has been installed at the home of George Doty on the Factory Street road.
It is understood that the New York Central railroad has made an offer to the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad for some of its lines and among those included is the Central New England division with its branches.
The cold snap of this morning has rendered the ice excellent for skating and the new rink of the skating club will be illuminated by electric lights for the first time tonight.
50 years ago — January 1976
Several hundred mallard ducks died on or near Lake Wononscopomuc in Lakeville Saturday or Sunday as the result of eating moldy grain or bread.
Northwest Corner towns are doing the right thing in banding together to share solid waste disposal facilities and possibly to seek a temporary regional landfill, Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority President Richard Chase asserted this week.
Lake Wononscopomuc in Lakeville officially froze over Monday morning, according to George Milmine, who has kept records of the “ice-in” on the lake for many years.
25 years ago — January 2001
The first baby to be born at Sharon Hospital in 2001 is Avery Harshberger, who made her appearance at 8:21 a.m. Jan. 2. Weighing in at 8 lbs. 13 oz. she is the daughter of Emily and Jonah Harshberger of Great Barrington, Mass.
It’s all water under the bridge at Housatonic Valley Regional High School where problems with a well kept the school closed for two days prior to the winter vacation.
These items were taken from The Lakeville Journal archives at Salisbury’s Scoville Memorial Library, keeping the original wording intact as possible.
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