Frederick ‘Fred’ Joseph Simoncini Jr.
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CORNWALL — At the Dec. 9 meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission, the commission had a pre-application discussion with Karl Saliter, owner of Karl on Wheels, who plans to operate his moving business at 26 Kent Road South, which is an existing retail space.
Saliter said he will use the existing retail section of the building as a mixed retail space and office, and the rear of the building for temporary storage during moving operations.
There will be no external “personal” storage proposed for the property.
The commission decided that Saliter should go ahead with a site plan application under the regulations for “retail stores and trades.”
P&Z also set a public hearing on a proposed text amendment on dimensional requirements for properties in the West Cornwall General Business (GB) zone. It will be held Jan. 13, 2026, at 7 p.m. at the Cornwall Library.
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FALLS VILLAGE — The Board of Selectmen at its Dec. 17 meeting heard concerns about the condition of Sand Road.
First Selectman David Barger reported a resident came before the board to talk about the road that is often used as feeder between Salisbury and Canaan.
“The person said there is not proper maintenance of that road and it is often the scene of accidents,” Barger said in a phone interview. “There is a problem with the canopy of trees that hang over it, making it hard to keep clear, but there is also the problem of speeding, which is terrible.”
As a former state trooper, he said he is familiar with the problem of drivers going too fast on that road, describing one case in which he had to charge someone for traveling way above the speed limit.
Barger said the town cannot reconfigure the roadway at this time, but officials and road crew members will keep an extra eye on it as a short-term solution.
In other business, Barger said the selectmen plan to call a town meeting sometime next month. Residents will be asked to take the remaining funds, which total $48,200, from the non-recurring capital fund to allow for Allied Engineering to perform engineering studies on the proposed salt shed. Money for construction has already been secured through a STEAP grant, which the town received in the amount of $625,000.
“We’re looking at critical infrastructure projects and this is one component,” he said.
At that town meeting, there will also be a vote to take $2,000 from the town’s discretionary fund to pay Cardinal Engineering for work on repair of the Cobble Road bridge.
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About 40 people gathered on the lawn of the White Hart Inn on Sunday, Dec. 14, to mark the anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
L. Tomaino
SALISBURY — Despite frigid temperatures, about 40 people gathered Dec. 14 on the snowy lawn outside the White Hart Inn for an evening vigil honoring the 20 children and six educators killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School, as well as victims of gun violence nationwide and around the world.
Organizers Lee and Sophia deBoer said that while this year marked the 13th anniversary of the 2012 massacre, it was the 14th vigil the community has held.
Sophia deBoer said the annual gathering is driven by both remembrance and personal experience.
In May 2009, while her daughter was finishing her senior year at Wesleyan University, a fatal shooting occurred on campus. The event, she said, reinforced her belief in the importance of public remembrance and collective reflection.
As the vigil began at 5 p.m., Sophia deBoer invited attendees to widen their focus beyond a single tragedy.
“As we take time to remember those at Sandy Hook, take time to remember all the mass shootings,” she said.
State Rep. Maria Horn spoke about the enduring impact of Sandy Hook, noting that recent mass shootings — including incidents at Brown University and in Bondi Beach, Australia — demonstrate the continued global scope of gun violence.
“The freshmen at Brown were the same age the Sandy Hook children would be now,” Horn said.
Horn noted that she has seen a shift in Hartford toward gun-safety measures, which she described as “a sign of hope.”
John Nelson of the Salisbury Congregational Church read from Amanda Gorman’s poem “Hymn for the Hurting,” offering words that spoke to collective grief.
Musicians Ed Thorney and Greg Reiss followed with acoustic performances of two songs from the 1960s — “Get Together,” by Chet Powers, and Stephen Stills’ “For What It’s Worth.”
The selections, they noted, continue to resonate in the context of modern social unrest and violence.
The names of the Sandy Hook children and educators were then read aloud. After each name, a bell tolled.
Louise Brown shared the story of her son, Elliot, 41, who lived in New Orleans and was shot and killed when he answered a knock at his door. Brown recalled words spoken by her daughter-in-law at his funeral: “I was lucky to have him. Most important in life is love. Nothing else matters.”
The vigil concluded with John Carter, retired priest at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Salisbury, leading attendees in a rendition of “Amazing Grace.”
As the gathering ended, church bells rang 26 times — once for each child and educator killed at Sandy Hook — closing the vigil in solemn remembrance.
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Kevin John Huber
Dec 23, 2025
SALISBURY — Kevin John Huber, 50, of Salisbury, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Dec. 9, 2025. He was the beloved husband of Celina (Gonzalez) Huber and a devoted father to Timothy and Sara Huber. Kevin was born on Oct. 2, 1975, the son of Kevin George Huber and Peggy (Wernig) Kern.
He grew up in Blue Point, New York, where his love of sports started as soon as he could walk. He was a graduate of St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School in West Islip, New York. He attended the University of Bridgeport, where he was a four-year starter on the baseball team and forged friendships that would shape his future in the game. Following graduation, Kevin played professionally with the Zurich Lions of the Swiss Professional Baseball League before beginning a distinguished coaching career.
Kevin’s professional life was defined by his commitment to education, mentorship, and athletics. In 2001, Kevin founded the Connecticut Blue Jays, one of the state’s original AAU Baseball programs. For more than two decades, Kevin, with his business partner and close friend Patrick Hall, operated a highly successful baseball program that impacted hundreds of young athletes, including several who went on to play in Major League Baseball organizations.
Kevin’s coaching career spanned multiple levels, including positions as an Assistant Baseball Coach at the University of New Haven and Fairfield University. He ended his time in college coaching at Yale University, where he spent seven years on staff. Upon the birth of his children, he served for eight years as a Physical Education teacher at St. Theresa School in Trumbull, Connecticut, and at Our Lady of Fatima School in Wilton, Connecticut, where he inspired young students with his energy, humor, and emphasis on teamwork and personal growth.
In 2016, Kevin was named Head Baseball Coach at Salisbury School, where he proudly carried on a storied prep-school tradition. Under his leadership, the Crimson Knights captured Western New England Prep Baseball League Championships in 2018, 2022, 2023, and 2024, compiling an outstanding record of 113–33 over eight seasons. From 2023-2025, he spent the summers as Head Coach of the South Shore Clippers in the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League, further demonstrating his dedication to developing players and fostering a love of the game at the collegiate level.
In addition to baseball, Kevin was a dedicated member of Salisbury School’s Athletic Department, serving as Assistant Athletic Director, Assistant Basketball Coach and Head Cross Country Coach. His influence extended well beyond the diamond, as he was known for demanding excellence, fostering discipline, and building character in student-athletes across multiple sports. Kevin will be remembered for his exceptional baseball mind, his passion for mentoring young people, his humor, and the genuine relationships he built with players, colleagues, and friends throughout the New England athletic community.
Survivors, in addition to his wife and parents, include his son, Timothy Huber, and his daughter, Sara Huber of Salisbury; his brother, Brian Huber and his wife, Stacy, of Monroe; his sister, Nancy Tommasino and her husband, Matt, of Bayport, New York; nieces and nephews, Derek and Evan Huber and Grace and Lucas Tommasino; as well as many other family members, close friends, former players, and fellow coaches whose lives he profoundly touched.
A Celebration of Life memorial gathering will be held on Jan. 11, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Flood Athletic Center at Salisbury School, 251 Canaan Road, Salisbury, Connecticut.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the American Heart Association heart.org/donate in Kevin’s name (heart.org/donate).
To offer an online condolence, please visit ryanfhct.com
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