CORNWALL — The model is there: a real general store that offers customers all of the essentials. As customers-turned-owners of the newly named Cornwall General Store, Dana and Louise Beecher believe perspective is what is needed to make the business a success.A lack of experience is not getting in the way of their enthusiasm and confidence. The couple, along with a slightly revamped team, officially takes over the former Baird’s on June 13. But they are already running the Cornwall Bridge village landmark until 3 p.m. every day. “After 3 o’clock, we start cleaning, painting and making new curtains,” Louise Beecher said. “I am the target demographic. We know what is needed.”The couple was living in New York City. She was a promoter for Universal Music. He was a commercial real estate broker. When both jobs fell victim to the recession, they ended up in Cornwall, in the home that belonged to his late father, the renowned artist William Ward Beecher.“We love Cornwall,” Louise Beecher said. “We decided this is where we will stay and we wanted to find a way to make it work, and to give to the community. “Our goal is to fill the needs of the community with a real general store. We will put products everyone needs on the shelves with reasonable prices. “The deli will be the heart of the business, with an uptick that includes baking and roasting on premises. We’ve hired Jeanette Wright, from Sharon Country Club, to prepare simple, wholesome food. We’ll be what people need and want: a place to stop for shoelaces, cat food and to pick up dinner.”Former proprietor Tom Baird and cook Steve Sperduto will remain on board. The atmosphere will be clean, organized, homey, with good music playing and a plan to be a WiFi hot spot, the Beechers said. The Cornwall General Store will be open every day, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Latest News
Camp Sloane names veteran YMCA leader Luke Dooley CEO
Ruth Epstein
Sep 16, 2026
Camp Sloane YMCA has named Luke Dooley, a camp leader with 20 years of experience at YMCA residential camps, as its new chief executive officer.
Dooley will oversee Camp Sloane’s year-round staff, strategic development, and finances as the organization prepares to celebrate its centennial in 2028.
He takes over from Gina Lucas, who has been interim executive director.
Dooley most recently served as executive director of the YMCA Joe C. Davis Outdoor Center through May 2026. There, he helped develop the outdoor education program and expand the year-round retreats department.
Dooley previously held leadership positions at YMCA Camp Cullen, YMCA Camp Kirkwood, YMCA Camp Chandler, and YMCA Camp Hanes.
“As we approach our centennial year in 2028, we look forward to partnering with Luke to honor the traditions that have made Camp Sloane so special while embracing new opportunities for the future,” said board Chairman Amanda Jacobson, who attended Camp Sloane, in a statement.
“Together, we are committed to ensuring Camp Sloane remains a place where young people discover confidence, friendship, leadership, and a lifelong connection to the outdoors for generations to come.”
Dooley, in a statement, said his career has demonstrated the role camps can play in young people’s character development.
“Camp provides the confidence, connection, and sense of belonging that can only be found through time spent outdoors and away from the screen,” he said. “Camp Sloane has a long legacy of providing a safe place for families, and I’m excited to help grow its impact on the next generation of campers.”
A New York City native, Dooley holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Camp Sloane is located on Indian Mountain Road.
Keep ReadingShow less
New tree planned for Salisbury’s sole 9/11 victim
Ruth Epstein
Sep 16, 2026
The memorial tree honoring Susan Getzendanner, Salisbury’s lone victim of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, was toppled by the July 4 storm. A replacement tree is planned.
Provided
SALISBURY — A memorial tree honoring Susan Getzendanner, the town’s lone victim of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, was destroyed in the powerful July 4 storm, but plans are underway to plant another in her memory.
Getzendanner was a vice president at Fiduciary Trust working on the 97th floor of 2 World Trade Center when the South Tower was struck. Her friend Victor Germack said she was the floor’s fire warden and was helping ensure her colleagues evacuated when she died.
According to her obituary, she laid deep roots in Salisbury “oscillating comfortably back and forth between New York bustle and hiking or gardening on Mt. Riga.”
“Thrift, adventure, loyalty and compassion were her hallmarks,” the obituary read. “She traveled prolifically, especially to Nepal and Tibet, always leaving behind something of herself wherever she went.”
Germack became friends with her when they were both members of the Blue Hill Troupe, a Gilbert and Sullivan nonprofit company performing mainly in New York. Its members became a part of her family.
Germack called her a “fabulous lady with a wonderful smile.” He remembered her amazing collection of Tibetan art.
After she died, her friends planted a Princeton American elm on the lawn in front of the Academy Building. A plaque was placed on the tree to commemorate her memory.
The plaque in memory of Susan Getzendanner is still on the lawn of the Academy Building, but the tree was destroyed in the July 4 storm.Patrick L. Sullivan
The tree grew over the years and Lou Bucceri, executive assistant and historian at the Salisbury Association, said, “It towered over the building’s cupola,” but was blown down in the storm. A plaque can be found on the ground where the tree stood.
Germack’s wife, Lori Shepard, is a member of the Salisbury Association board of directors. She said there are plans to plant another tree in honor of Getzendanner. “Monuments to women are few, and so here we’re recognizing a woman who’s a hero. It’s awfully nice to have a tree memorializing a woman.”
First Selectman Curtis G. Rand said discussions about a new tree are being held. “We need to figure out what species,” he said.
Keep ReadingShow less
230 affordable homes in the pipeline across Litchfield County
John Coston
Sep 16, 2026
Jessica Kubicki, left, will become president and CEO of The Housing Collective on Oct. 1, succeeding David Rich of Lakeville, right, who is stepping down after two decades.
John Coston
SALISBURY — The Litchfield County Center for Housing Opportunity released its 2025 Impact Report on Thursday, Sept. 10, showing that 230 affordable homes are planned or under development across the county.
Jocelyn Ayer, director of the center, said 209 of those homes will be rentals and 21 will be owner-occupied. The center is an initiative of The Housing Collective, founded 20 years ago by David Rich.
Speaking at a gathering at Salisbury School, Ayer highlighted affordable housing projects in the pipeline, including:
— Barkhamsted Housing Trust (20 units): Mallory View
— Falls Village Housing Trust (16 units): River Road and (5 units) called FVHT Apartments
— Cornwall Housing Corporation (20 units) called Millard Brook
— Kent Affordable Housing (13 units) as South Common expansion
— Litchfield Housing Authority (8 units) called River Bend
— Morris Housing Authority (8 units) known as Eldridge expansion
— Salisbury Housing Committee, Inc. (14 units) Holley Place and (20 units) Dresser Woods
— Sharon Housing Trust (6 units) under Sharon Homes and (4 units) as Community Center reuse
— Warren Affordable Housing Corp. (8 units) known as Warren Village
— Washington Community Housing Trust (12 units) Judea Springs
— Winchester Housing Partners (37 units) converting former Batcheller School into housing
“Our work is to support those volunteers to make their projects happen,” Ayer said.
Some developments can take 10 years to complete, she said, citing Holley Place in Salisbury as an example. Ayer also discussed Dresser Woods, a development planned near downtown Salisbury beyond East Railroad Street that will provide 20 homes in nine buildings.
Ayer said that there are 2,775 families across Litchfield County that have gone through the application process and now are on a waiting list, noting that many of those are in Torrington, which reports 1,828 on a waiting list.
“Many families hear how long the waiting list is and don’t bother filling out an application,” she said.
In Salisbury, there are 119 families on waiting lists for three developments. The Sharon Housing Authority has 84 families on waiting lists for Sharon Ridge and Sharon Ridge Expansion. Cornwall has 67 families waiting for Kugeman Village and Bonney Brook.
Kent shows 64 waiting for housing at Stuart Farm and South Common Apartments. There are 68 on waiting lists in North Canaan for Wangum Village and Beckley House (Geer Village). More than 50 are on waiting lists in Norfolk for Meadowbrook and the Town Center Apartments.
Jessica Kubicki will succeed Rich on Oct. 1 as president and CEO of The Housing Collective, the statewide backbone-type service organization that provides assistance to local housing organizations. At the Housing Collective, Kubicki, a licensed clinical social worker since 2013, has focused on homelessness and housing affordability as a single problem.
“Homelessness and housing are not two separate things anymore,” she said, noting that last year 64% of homeless individuals were experiencing homelessness for the first time. Two-thirds of Connecticut’s homeless population cite affordability reasons, she said.
“Who are these homeless?” she asked. “It’s our neighbors, our schoolteachers, our friends.”
Rich, who was credited with creating the Litchfield County organization, emphasized that it “brings people together to solve intractable problems.”
Federal, state and philanthropic support is “uncertain at best,” he said. “We need to create lasting, sustainable affordable housing.”
Keep ReadingShow less
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
Cornwall home prices dip, sales volume remains steady
Christine Bates
Sep 16, 2026
Built in 1907, this Victorian home at 72 Cogswell Road, set on 1.13 acres, sold privately for $695,000 in July. Only four of the eight single-family homes transferred in Cornwall during July and August were publicly listed for sale on MLS.
Christine Bates
Cornwall - The median price of a single-family home in Cornwall declined during the 12 months ending Aug. 31, although prices remained well above levels seen before the spring of 2024.
The town’s 12-month trailing median stood at $870,000 at the end of August, down 14% from $1.008 million for the comparable period ending Aug. 31, 2025. It was also 4% below the $907,500 median recorded for the 12 months ending Aug. 31, 2024.
Cornwall home prices have remained largely between $850,000 and $1 million in recent years. Unlike some area towns that experienced sharp price increases during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 through 2023, Cornwall’s median did not rise above $800,000 until the spring of 2024.
The number of homes changing hands has remained relatively stable. Nineteen single-family homes sold during the 12 months ending Aug. 31, matching the total from the previous 12-month period. Fifteen homes sold during the comparable period ending in August 2024.
Cornwall typically records between 15 and 25 single-family home sales annually through the Multiple Listing Service. Because the town has relatively few transactions, a small number of high- or low-priced sales can have an outsized effect on the median.
Sales reached a high of 43 homes during the 12 months ending in August 2021, reflecting heightened real estate activity during the pandemic.
Inventory remains limited. At the beginning of September, seven single-family homes were listed for sale at a median asking price of $1.295 million. One furnished home was available for rent at $3,750 under an annual lease.
Vacant land was more widely represented in the market, with six parcels listed at prices ranging from $150,000 to $360,000.
July Transfers
72 Cogswell Road – 4 bedroom/2 bath home on 1.13 acres transferred by Diana Hine and Gretchen and Douglas Carlson to Benjamin, Kate, James, and Thomas Levine for $695,000
19 Hollenbeck Road – 4 bedroom/3 bath home on 59.6 acres transferred by Carolyn Schmidt and Dennis Belanick to Lizinka and Francine Benton-Rzeznik for $1,400,000
128 Popple Swamp Road – 1 bedroom/1 bath cottage on 11 acres transferred by John Goldhurst to Marguerite Purnell for $295,000
48 Lower River Road – 3 bedroom/1 bath home on 2.3 acres transferred by Patricia Lynn Anstine Fowler to Marina Cora Munoz for $350,000
August Transfers
148 Warren Hill Road – 6 bedroom/2 bath home on 36 acres transferred by Marsha and Rodney Smith to Warren Hill LLC for $2,395,000
162 Cream Hill Road – 3 bedroom/3 bath house on 6.4 acres sold by Frederic Jenny to Bradford Martin and Heather Abrames for $126,540
170 Dibble Hill Road - 4 bedroom/2.5 bath home on 9.1 acres transferred by Jonathan and Margot Landman to Anna Hubbard for $695,000
56 Todd Hill Road – 3 bedroom/2 bath home on 4.5 acres transferred by Allan Bahn to Timothy Shiloh Saltarelli and Lauren Rachel Young for $786,000
159 Kent Road – 1.2 acres of vacant land transferred by Silvio Villa to Martha Villa for $165,000
112 Popple Swamp Road – 2 bedroom/1 bathhome on 1.9 acres transferred by Sarah Oyanadel to Marguerite Purnell for $165,000
* Town of Cornwall real estate transfers recorded from July 1, 2026 to August 31, 2026, provided by Cornwall Town Clerk. Transfers without consideration are not included. Current market listings from Smart MLS and market statistics from Infosparks. Note that recorded transfers frequently lag sales by a number of days. Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Salesperson with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in CT and NY.
Keep ReadingShow less
Police Blotter: Troop B
Lakeville Journal
Sep 16, 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.
Evading responsibility charge
Matthew Atkins, 41, of South Canaan, was taken into custody on Sunday, Sept. 6, at approximately 12:30 p.m., on an active arrest warrant related to an incident that occurred on May 3, 2026. He was charged with violations related to evading responsibility and failure to maintain lane and was released on a $1,500 non-surety bond for an appearance in Torrington Superior Court.
Corvette leaves road
John Quaintance, 24, of Salisbury was arrested on Saturday, Sept. 5, at approximately 2 a.m., related to a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Farnum Road and Salmon Kill Road in Salisbury. An investigation showed that Quaintance, driving a 2026 Chevrolet Corvette owned by Paul Kotecki, 31, of Schenectady, New York, a passenger in the vehicle, left the roadway and traveled through a grassy area before coming to a rest on a rock retaining wall, balancing on the passenger side. No injuries were reported. Quaintance was charged with operating under the influence, failure to obey a Stop sign and failure to keep proper lane and released on a $1,000 non-surety bond.
Three-car accident in Salisbury
On Tuesday, Sept. 8, at approximately 1 p.m., three vehicles were involved in a motor vehicle incident. Pamela Winters, 77, of Salisbury, was traveling north on Route 41 in Salisbury near the Scoville Ore Mine Road intersection in a 2025 Hyundai when she initiated a turn and slowed for oncoming traffic. A 2018 Jeep Renegade driven by Jessica Strattman, 41, of North Canaan, was behind the Hyundai, and slowed down. A third vehicle, a 2006 Subaru driven by Pamela Osborne, 80, of Salisbury also was traveling north behind the Jeep. Osborne’s vehicle struck the rear of Strattman’s car, causing it to then collide with the first car. Osborne was transported to Sharon Hospital by Salisbury EMS and was issued an infraction for failure to drive a safe distance apart. The second and third vehicles were towed from the scene.
Striking a fence and tree
Fernando Moises, 24, of Sharon, was traveling south on Route 41 in Sharon on Sunday, Sept. 6 at approximately 5 p.m. in a 2012 Nissan when the vehicle crossed the centerline and exited the road, striking about 20 feet of residential fencing before hitting a tree and coming to rest. Moises was transported to Sharon Hospital by Sharon Ambulance for minor injuries and the vehicle was towed from the scene.
Sideswiped on Route 41
On Thursday, Sept. 10 at approximately 7:45 p.m. Briceson Barry, 25, was southbound on Route 41 prior to the intersection of Wells Hill Road in Salisbury in a 2024 Tesla and was slowing down due to traffic when his vehicle was sideswiped by a blue Honda Accord. The Honda was last seen headed south on Route 41.Troop B’s report identifies Paul Angot, 57, of Amenia, New York, as the driver and owner of the Honda, stating that the case remains active and under investigation.
The Lakeville Journal will publish the outcome of police charges. Send mail to P.O. Box 1688, Lakeville, CT 06039, Attn: Police Blotter, or send to editor@lakevillejournal.com.
Keep ReadingShow less
Sharon remembrance honors courage, unity of 9/11
Ruth Epstein
Sep 16, 2026
Sharon Volunteer Fire Department member Todd Anderson recounts going to Ground Zero to help on Sept. 13, 2001, during the town’s 25th anniversary remembrance on Friday, Sept. 11.
Ruth Epstein
SHARON — The 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, brought out stories of courage, heartbreak and hope.
Those who gathered at the Sharon Volunteer Fire Department’s remembrance ceremony heard from Todd Anderson, a firefighter who vowed to help others when he heard about the planes crashing into the World Trade Center towers.
A member of the fire company at the time, he and a fellow firefighter from another department decided to travel to Manhattan on Sept. 13. “Those were our brothers and sisters trapped in that rubble,” he said.
While there was much tragedy to confront, Anderson also spoke of the kindness they encountered that day. They left from the Wassaic, N.Y., train station, and when the conductor learned they were going to help, he said there would be no charge for the trip.
Arriving at Grand Central, they followed some New York City police officers, who showed them to a bus headed to Ground Zero.
“When we got a few blocks away, we changed into our work clothes and walked to the site,” remembered Anderson. “They welcomed us with open arms and no questions asked. Out of respect for the victims, I won’t describe what we saw at the makeshift morgues.”
After their last task, a police officer drove them back to Grand Central in a cruiser, with lights and sirens blasting. “I thought that was remarkable that he’d do that for us.”
Becoming emotional, Anderson said, “If you could make anything good from it, I’ll always remember the thousands along that route thanking us. I thought that kind of unity for a common good was a special thing to see.”
He concluded by advising those in the audience to hold their loved ones close. “We all know tomorrow is never promised.”
Brian Ross, who was ABC News’ chief investigative correspondent and worked alongside anchor Peter Jennings that day, also spoke at the event.
“Because it was such a beautiful day, it made it so much worse,” he said.
ABC News staff members monitored the hospitals, waiting to hear about injuries, but few survivors arrived.
“That day we looked into evil men who had no regard for human life,” said Ross, who is also a board member of The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News.
He said what he remembers today is the bravery displayed by the first responders and the courage of those on Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania.
“We saw the resilience of our country. We remember the fallen, salute the heroes and say proudly, ‘Good bless America.’”
Opening the ceremony, Fire Chief Brian Moore said, “Today we remember the compassion and unity felt in the aftermath that binds us all in our nation.”
The Rev. Anna Camphouse prayed for the community to practice compassion.
Fire department member Tom Bartram read “A Fireman’s Prayer” and asked for two minutes of silence for those who perished and those who continue to die from illnesses caused by exposure to toxic air at the site.
The event ended with a reading of the names of the 343 firefighters, 60 police officers, eight EMS workers and one police dog who lost their lives that day.
Following the ceremony, Sharon resident Roger Liddell spoke about his experience on Sept. 11.
He was at his office two blocks from Ground Zero when he heard a ghastly boom that reminded him of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. He looked out the window and saw what appeared to be a blizzard, with papers blowing out of the windows of the North Tower.
“I was so traumatized because I knew the widow of my college roommate, Gail, worked in a law firm on the 65th floor of the North Tower,” he said.
He walked 6.5 miles home and couldn’t bear to call her cellphone and hear her cheerful voice on the answering machine.
“Finally at 10 p.m., I couldn’t wait any longer and made the call. Amazingly she picked up, sobbing.” She had seen the first plane coming and, recalling her experience eight years earlier, followed the escape route.
“She was in the staircase when the North Tower was hit,” said Liddell. “Ten to 15 minutes later, the building collapsed.”
Sharon lost one resident in the attacks: Christoffer Carstanjen, a 1985 graduate of Sharon Center School and Housatonic Valley Regional High School. He was 33 when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the World Trade Center’s South Tower.
Keep ReadingShow less
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
loading
