Lakeville Journal intern Simon Markow, left, receives the 2024 Bob Estabrook Award from Salisbury Rotary Club Tuesday, July 16. Managing Editor Riley Klein praised Markow’s dedication and hard work.
SALISBURY — Salisbury Rotary Club’s Charitable Gifts Committee presented donations and scholarships to locals Tuesday, July 16.
Marking its 75th year as a club, the Rotarians made a dinner to celebrate the occasion. Steak, shrimp cakes, veggies and desserts were paired with splendid conversation between the community and club members.
Once plates were cleared, Rotary President Paul Ramunni, owner of the accordion museum in North Canaan, presented donation checks to each recipient.
Jane Lloyd Fund received $3,000; Extras After School and Summer Program, 21st Century Fund for HVRHS and Dial-A-Ride each received $1,000; Fishes and Loaves and Corner Food Pantry received $750; Boy Scouts of America received $250.
A scholarship check was given to Housatonic Valley Regional High School graduate Grace Riva. She will attend University of New England in the fall.
Rising HVRHS junior Simon Markow was chosen for the Bob Estabrook award, given to an intern at The Lakeville Journal each summer.
While accepting the award, Markow commented on his time at the Journal so far. “I’m learning a lot. It’s a really great experience.”
Approximately 1,100 living history soldiers participated in the 250th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Bunker Hill in Gloucester, Massachusetts, June 21 and 22. Warren Stevens, of Cornwall, at right, was among the militiamen. Stevens reports he stayed in the military encampment with more than “500 tents, cannons and five schooners and period authentic longboats used to land the British Army.” He added, “It was truly a once in a lifetime experience... We get to feel a part of what the heroes who made this country went through. It is in their honor and memory that we do this and I am proud to be a part of it.”
Jonathan “Jonny G.” Grusauskas performed on the lawn of the David M. Hunt Library Friday, July 11. Maria Rose and Eli Sher assisted in the show.
FALLS VILLAGE — “It’s like a mini Tanglewood,” said director of the David M. Hunt Library Meg Sher as families were arriving to the library lawn with their dinner and drinks on picnic blankets to hear Jonathan Grusauskas, or Jonny G., perform on Friday evening, July 11.
Jonny G. was born and raised in Falls Village and has been playing music for 27 years, since he was in 5th grade, and is a part of a band called lespecial.
He is the founder and owner of the Music Cellar in Millerton, New York, which is a music school offering lessons for all ages, skill levels, and many instruments. It is also a rehearsal and recording space.
The songs Jonny G. performed spanned decades and genres, from Simon and Garfunkel to Rufus Wainwright to Billie Eilish. He even played “Weird Al” Yankovic’s “Amish Paradise,” a parody of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise.” He also brought on a couple guests to perform with him; his sister Maria Rose sang with him for a few songs, and Eli Sher, age 10, played the bass drum on Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Boxer.”
Towards the end of the show, Jonny took a request from the crowd. Someone yelled out, “play a kid’s song!” Without a second thought he started playing “Baby Shark” and, like clockwork, the kids came flocking back from playing on the lawn.
The performance was a part of the Hunt Library and the Falls Village Recreation Committee’s summer concert series. The free event was complete with children running around in the grass, pets roaming the crowd and the serene backdrop of Falls Village at golden hour.
SHARON — At its June 9 meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission decided to delay its verdict on the controversial proposed housing development by the applicant known as Gold Dog LLC, however several members indicated preliminary approval of the project.
The plans propose 24 condo units in the currently forested land behind the Sharon Hospital Medical Arts Buildings which would sit in close proximity to several residences on Hospital Hill Road.
The decision to postpone was based on anticipated but not yet arrived information from the town’s third-party engineer regarding the proposal’s stormwater runoff plans and several other technical details. Chair Laurance Rand said P&Z could not issue a decision until receiving that report, which other commissioners agreed with.
Several members took the opportunity to share their thoughts on the application at the current stage, for which the public hearing closed last month after three contentious sessions that saw fierce pushback from neighbors of the proposed development.
P&Z Secretary Stanley MacMillan Jr. voiced that he felt the application demonstrated compliance with the zoning regulations of the area and that diversified housing options would be beneficial to the town. He felt the development would suit “older people who are looking downsize” or “younger people who are just getting started.”
Vice Chair Betsy Hall said the town has an obligation to follow its Plan of Conservation and Development, which calls for increased and varied housing options as well as the preservation of open space. She said cluster housing models, such as Gold Dog’s application proposes, are one way to achieve this balance.
“This project will preserve quite a bit of that lot as open space,” she said, indicating that an alternative single-family housing model would have a much larger footprint.
She stipulated it would be essential to protect the privacy of neighbors via fencing and landscaping if the project moves forward.
The Commission will take up the discussion again at its Aug. 13 meeting, when it will have to render a decision due to the expiration of its statutorily defined deliberation window. That period officially ends on Aug. 15.
Area painters gathered at Coltsfoot Valley in Cornwall Village Saturday, July 12, for a painting lesson led by Cornwall artist Robert Adzema.
CORNWALL — Last Saturday morning, July 12, from 10 to 12 a.m., a small group of artists gathered on the edge of Pine Street in Cornwall Village to paint watercolor studies of Coltsfoot Valley.
Local artist Robert Adzema, who specializes both in sculpting sundials and plein-air watercolors, led the class. Plein-air painting is the practice of painting outside, directly from nature.
On his website, Adzema explains how plein-air “encourages one to deal with the subject directly and spontaneously, and to welcome chance and accident”.
It is different from sculpture, which requires more precision.
To start off, Adzema did a small demonstration with his paints, explaining his thought process and answering questions. He painted both in both grayscale and color, focusing on laying out basic shapes before slowly going in with more details.
Afterwards the group split off to work on their own pieces, implementing newly learned techniques and accepting feedback. Many stayed beyond the scheduled time to continue their work.
Throughout the class, Adzema offered tips to help familiarize people with the basics of watercolors. He suggested that a value painting in black and white first is helpful with getting a feel for the subject and the sections of the landscape.
“The big secret of painting watercolor is being aware of how wet the paper is,” he told participants.
The wetness of the paper affects the way the paints interact with it; more moistness means more paint is absorbed and the colors will spread to a larger area, creating a softer look, while dry paper is better for achieving sharper details.
He demonstrated how to mix colors directly on the canvas to add depth. In particular, he suggested adding oranges and golds to the grass and sky to add warmth into the picture.
As the group split, Adzema continued to encourage participants to paint what interested them and to use the techniques that spoke to them most. It was clear in his passion that he hoped to encourage others to delve into art as deeply as he had.
