New Millerton police cruisers arrive to replace fire-ravaged vehicles
Millerton Police Chief Joseph Olenik shows off the new gear. Brand new police cruisers arrived last week.
Aly Morrissey
The new police cruisers are outfitted with lights with automatically adjusting brightness to best perform in ambient conditions.Aly Morrissey
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Falls Village Town Hall
File photo
“It is apparent that the one-size-fits-all requirements do not work.” —First Selectman Dave Barger
FALLS VILLAGE — The Board of Selectmen approved a letter from First Selectman Dave Barger to Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas detailing concerns about early voting procedures at its meeting Monday, Jan. 12.
In the letter, Barger said that the financial impact on Falls Village and other small towns is considerable. “The cost of staffing, as well as the difficulty in finding poll workers to cover and operate polling places for additional days often exceeds the benefit, especially when voter turnout during these periods remains low. In our town, the cost for early voting was $8,200, with each early vote costing $115.75.”
Barger pointed out that in the most recent municipal election, only 70 — or 21% of the 326 total voters — voted during the 14-day early voting period. He wrote that the period also caused an “exponential growth in the responsibilities placed upon the Registrar of Voters.”
“In a small municipality where the Registrar’s role has been historically part-time employment, the increased responsibilities of scheduling and properly training poll workers, as well as changing technology and increased hours, have presented challenges for both the Registrars and their budgets.”
The letter concluded: “Early voting has been a very noble experiment, but with some serious and undue burdens for smaller municipalities. It is apparent that the one-size-fits-all requirements do not work.”
Town updates
Barger reported receiving a letter from a resident who slipped and fell on ice along Main Street, noting that the area had previously been salted and may have refrozen.
Tim Downs of the town’s highway department said crews have been operating at a heavy pace this winter, logging 55 hours of overtime per crew member and responding to 14 weather events in December alone.
Downs outlined the town’s snow and ice removal process, explaining that four staff members maintain six plow routes. Roadways are cleared first, followed by sidewalks, which are addressed as early as possible, ahead of business hours and the opening of the school. He added that certain areas with poor drainage are especially prone to refreezing.
Barger said a town meeting is expected to be held in late January. Agenda items are expected to include funding for a study of the Cobble Road bridge, an amendment or rescission of the Annual Report ordinance, and approval of a lease for a new business at the town-owned 107 Main St., formerly occupied by Furnace: Art on Paper.
Selectman Judy Jacobs said the board has received three inquiries regarding the vacant 107 Main St. storefront, adding that one proposal in particular appears to be a strong fit for the area.
Jacobs also updated the board on preparations for this year’s “America 250” commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The celebration will include a George Washington Ball at the Colonial Theater; Revolutionary War–era cemetery tours in June; and a series of Historical Society First Tuesday Talks focused on the Revolutionary period. Festivities will continue with a July 4 event on the town Green featuring a parade, live music, a public reading of the Declaration of Independence, and a cannon firing.
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Solar project advances at HVRHS
Jan 21, 2026
Housatonic Valley Regional High School
File photo
FALLS VILLAGE — The Region One Board of Education approved a third phase of a solar power installation at Housatonic Valley Regional High School during its Jan. 5 meeting, continuing a multi-stage project aimed at long-term energy savings and infrastructure upgrades.
Region One Business Manager Sam Herrick provided additional details in a Friday, Jan. 16 interview, outlining the scope and financial impact of the expansion.
The first phase of the project included solar panels installed over the school’s kitchen and gym, generating 128 kilowatts of power. A second phase added panels primarily to the agriculture education wing and the main building, increasing capacity by 267 kilowatts.
The newly approved third phase will add 209 kilowatts of capacity across four flat-roof sections of the campus. The agreement includes replacement of approximately 23,000 square feet of roofing in those areas — work that Herrick said would otherwise cost the district about $400,000.
Under the arrangement, electricity generated by the system is sold back to the grid by a third-party contractor. Herrick said the project is expected to save the district approximately $1.2 million over 20 years.
Despite the expanded solar capacity, HVRHS has not seen a reduction in its electric bills. Herrick attributed the increase to recent renovations that included new HVAC systems in the auditorium and cafeteria.
“These systems operate continuously — whether heating, cooling or simply circulating air,” Herrick said. “Even though the power bill has gone up, it would have gone up even more with the old, inefficient systems.”
Overall, Herrick said the solar project is “a good deal” for the district.
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Police Blotter: Troop B
Jan 21, 2026
Police Blotter: Troop B
John Coston
The following information was provided by the Connecticut State Police at Troop B. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Larceny arrest
On the evening of Jan. 11, North Canaan Resident Trooper Spencer Bronson was dispatched to Troop B to process Anthony Damis, 34, of Torrington, who had a warrant out for his arrest regarding an incident at Xtra Mart on Route 44 dated Dec. 3, 2025. Trooper Bronson spoke on the phone with Damis, who turned himself in at Troop B later in the evening and was processed for third degree larceny. He was released on a $1,000 non-surety bond and was scheduled to appear at Torrington Superior Court on Jan. 22.
Car rolls after icy skid
On the morning of Jan. 13, Ryne Stankiewicz, 40, of Kent, was traveling west on Route 4 in Cornwall when his Honda Civic slid out on the snowy roadway. The vehicle struck a snow embankment on the shoulder and flipped onto its passenger side where it came to a stop. Stankiewicz was reported to have suffered possible injuries, and the vehicle was disabled by the incident. Stankiewicz was issued a written warning for failure to maintain proper lane.
Car strikes boulder in roadway
Just after midnight on Jan. 18, Kelly Whelan, 52, of Salisbury, was driving west on Route 44 near the intersection with Route 126 in North Canaan when her vehicle struck a large rock in the middle of the roadway. Whelan stated she was uninjured in the incident, but her Subaru Outback was disabled and had to be towed from the scene. No legal action was taken.
The Lakeville Journal will publish the outcome of police charges. Send mail to P.O. Box 1688, Lakeville, CT 06039, Attn: Police Blotter, or email editor@lakevillejournal.com
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Christopher Race produced this 33-inch, 30-ounce torpedo-style baseball bat as part of his senior Capstone project at Housatonic Valley Regional High School.
Patrick L. Sullivan
FALLS VILLAGE — Seniors at Housatonic Valley Regional High School showcased a wide range of hands-on skills and career interests as they presented their Capstone projects on Thursday, Jan. 15.
Levi Elliott of Millerton restored a 1993 Dodge 350D two-wheel-drive dually truck, working under the guidance of his mentor and advisor, Roger Ellwood of Sharon, whom Elliott described as being “like a grandpa.”
The truck had been stored in a barn in Tennessee, meaning structural rust was not an issue, though there was some surface rust and a few dents. Elliott replaced the five-speed manual transmission and the truck bed and described sandblasting as “the dirtiest job” of the entire process.
The electrical system, he said, “was a mess,” requiring him to start from scratch with help from a friend. Elliott estimated he has invested about $6,000 in the restoration, noting that comparable trucks can sell for as much as $16,000. He plans to register and insure the vehicle once he earns his driver’s license.
Matt McGuire of North Canaan, who hopes to pursue a career in law enforcement, centered his project on learning about state police work. He contacted the State Police Troop B barracks and was paired with advisor Trooper Lance Carlson, a K9 officer and HVRHS graduate.
Through the project, McGuire learned about the range of situations troopers encounter during their shifts, including traffic enforcement and responding to injured animals in the roadway. He also gained exposure to fingerprinting, dispatch operations, and the Ford Explorers used by troopers. McGuire noted that Carlson’s vehicle includes “a bed in the back for the dog.”
Asked why he wants to become a police officer, McGuire said simply, “I like helping people.”
Christopher Race of Lakeville, a baseball player, took a different approach, choosing to make both a bat and a baseball from scratch. His first attempt at crafting a bat from a block of maple using only a hammer and chisel was unsuccessful. After gaining access to a lathe and receiving training, he produced a 33-inch, 30-ounce torpedo-style bat.
Race also created a baseball using leather, a bouncy ball for the core, and extensive string wrapping. Reflecting on the process, he said he learned that “projects don’t always go as planned, so you have to adapt to reach the goal.”
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