NORTH CANAAN — Residents of the town of North Canaan gathered at Town Hall on April 26 for a special town meeting to vote on the future of their resident trooper. After a contentious discussion, the 55 residents in attendance voted 37 to 18 in favor of keeping the program for another year.
The special town meeting was called following a $30,000 increase in the resident trooper’s budget for North Canaan next year. Keeping the resident trooper would cost $158,000 in 2023-24, up from $128,000 in 2022-23.
Lieutenant Cori Swift and Trooper First Class Jeremy Ribadeneyra (current resident trooper in North Canaan) from the State Police Troop B barracks presented their case for why North Canaan should keep the program in place.
“North Canaan’s a very busy town. For instance, last year, 2022, we made 56 arrests in the town of North Canaan. Salisbury is twice the size and has more people. They made 18,” said Ribadeneyra. “Of all the towns in Troop B’s jurisdiction, the town of New Hartford is the only town that creates more case numbers.”
“There is a lot that goes on in this town behind the scenes that people don’t know about. Jeremy’s here in the middle of the night trying to catch drug dealers that are on the street,” said Swift. “Him being here is great. To me, it’s irreplaceable.”
Supporters and opponents aired their position and asked questions of the troopers.
“It’s a wonderful story but the bottom line is our taxes are through the roof and we’re paying now for this when the barracks is right down the street,” said resident Stacey Dodge.
“There’s much better ways the money can be spent,” said resident John Considine as he noted that the town could benefit from services like a grant writer or a town planner. “We’re a town of 3,400 people in a rural community. I don’t see it as a high-crime district.”
Resident Penny Terry, who worked in the barracks for 27 years, said, “Just because the building is there does not mean there’s anyone in it who’s going to be able to get from that building to our school in a matter of minutes.” She added, “This is the busiest town next to New Hartford. That’s the gospel truth.”
Towns rely on Troop B for local police services.
As the discussion heated up, moderator Brian Allyn slammed the gavel.
“This is getting out of hand. We’re going to vote,” said Allyn.
Second Selectman Craig Whiting called the question and the residents then voted by paper ballot. Once the ballots were tallied, Allyn announced that North Canaan would keep its resident trooper for another year.
“It’s a service to the town in an area where police resources are scarce as it is,” said Ribadeneyra after the hearing the result. “I’m glad the town is getting another year of it.”
North Canaan’s resident trooper Jeremy Ribadeneyra (in rear) answered questions from residents before they voted on whether to keep the resident trooper program in North Canaan during a special town meeting on April 26. Photo by Riley Klein
Karina Powers teaches traditional dances from Mexico in Millbrook.
Powers received a master’s degree in Mexican folklore dance from Escuela de la Danza in Baja California, Mexico. Since moving to the United States, she has built a career in performance and teaching. She has not only served as a dance director and performed as a professional vernacular music singer in California, but she has also worked towards her Doctorate, which she will receive in October.
As the founder of her company, Powers works tirelessly to make sure her dancers have everything they need, including costumes, proper flooring, music and a space to practice. Her husband built wooden panels, called tarimas, for students to dance on with their folklórico shoes. Millbrook Mayor Peter F. Doro allows Powers and her group to practice in Millbrook Hall, where she brings the tarimas to every practice along with costumes and proper footwear.
Powers dreams of owning her own studio where she can practice with her group, offer more classes, store costumes and create a space for her dancers to do their hair and makeup before performances. She said she hopes people learn about her classes so her company can grow and she can teach dances from a wider range of Mexican states while having greater access to traditional dress.
As a single mother and professor, Powers’ mother, Carmen Méndez, put her children in dance classes and signed them up for track and field, always keeping them goal- and career-oriented. She helped Powers with her company by creating all of the costumes her dancers wear in their performances. After her mother’s death in 2021, Powers said she has dedicated herself to carrying forward the passion, work ethic and love of dance her mother instilled in her.
“I miss her terribly, and I’m here because of her,” Powers said. “That’s why I want to do this, because of her. She gave me a lot, with the costumes, with her support. I do it for my mom.”
Karina Powers and her students practice in Millbrook Hall.Lucia Iandolo
Dancers in Powers’ group are dedicated to learning the art of dance from different states in Mexico on Tuesday and Friday nights at Millbrook Hall. They travel from many different places in New York to participate, with some dancers traveling more than an hour to make it to rehearsal each week.
“It’s a lot of work, but they learn it. I believe they love it, and it’s a way to come together, to do something good, to do something healthy, and to have people around you who appreciate this kind of art,“ Powers said.
Powers has studied with professor Eloy Jiménez Figueroa since childhood and said his mentorship inspired her to become the teacher she is today. She added that while she may not be the best teacher, she learned from the best.
While living in California, Powers taught elementary, high school and college students, as well as adults. She was recruited to teach traditional Mexican folkloric dance because of the region’s large Mexican community. Today, she encourages people of all backgrounds to explore the rich traditions of Mexican dance.
“This type of dance is not only for people from Mexico,” Powers said. “This is an art and the arts unite nations.”
Powers hopes to continue sharing that art in Millbrook and one day teach in the Millbrook Central School District. Powers and her group will perform at the Millbrook Library on Nov. 21, presenting traditional Mexican dances and inviting audience members to participate.
As a professor, dancer and singer, Powers stays grounded by believing in something greater than herself. She says that praying and putting herself in the hands of God has helped anchor her. She hopes to teach and dance for as long as her body allows.
“My mom, for me, is an angel. I put myself in her hands, and I have faith,” Powers said. “I have faith that God, or something good, is going to be there for the group and for myself.”
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