
The intense summer heat brought visitors to the Great Falls on the Housatonic River over the weekend. The water level is low but the river is, nonetheless, more dangerous than it looks.
Photo by Patrick L. Sullivan
AMESVILLE — Efforts to control weekend crowds on the Housatonic River resulted in a somewhat calmer situation over the weekend of July 18-19.
On the Salisbury side of the river at the Great Falls in Amesville (Amesville is a hamlet of the town of Salisbury), at 1 p.m., there were sawhorses and caution tape at the picnic and boat launch area opposite the First Light power station. Two cars were parked on the opposite side of Dugway Road, and a cookout was in progress in the picnic area.
There were two cars at the Appalachian Trail entrance on the Salisbury side of the bridge, and 13 cars on Housatonic River Road, with groups of people walking down the road with picnic and beach supplies. There were very few people wearing masks. The license plates of the cars were about evenly split between Connecticut and New York.
On the Falls Village side, there were three cars parked hard by the bridge and, a few yards south on Water Street, two State Police troopers, who reported they were sending people away at intervals. They were surprised to learn about the 13 cars and the cookout, as they had just been by those areas. They went to deal with it.
Many cars, much trash
Moving downstream along River Road, in Cornwall in the Trout Management Area, at the popular Push Em Up access point, there were five cars, with anglers visible in the river and a couple people, without fishing gear, just splashing around.
At 1:30 p.m. at the Bend in Cornwall, the situation was similar: three anglers and a family with inflatable plastic float tubes preparing to set off downstream.
At around 2 p.m., there was a family group using spincasting equipment at the upper end of the fly-fishing-only area, on the Sharon or Route 7 side of the river. Fly anglers who had parked at Trinity Conference Center on the Cornwall side of the river were also present. Nobody was catching anything.
At 2:45 p.m., there were just four cars at the Housatonic Meadows state park — all anglers to judge from the stickers on their vehicles.
At 3 p.m. there were an astonishing 19 vehicles crammed into the Cellar Hole, a popular angling and boat launch access point on Route 7 about 2.5 miles north of the intersection of Routes 4 and 7 at Cornwall Bridge. Despite signs indicating a prohibition on swimming, and fly-fishing only, well over 50 people were spread out on the rocks, bobbing around in the water, and using spinning rods. There was loud music and a general air of festivity.
On the way back upstream, 19 cars were observed parked on Housatonic River Road in Salisbury at 3:30 p.m., with commensurate foot traffic.
One Sunday morning, July 19, at 9:20 a.m., there were six large bags of garbage left at the Cellar Hole. Despite this there was still a lot of debris on the ground, including red plastic cups, juice boxes and a used diaper.
At the falls at 10 a.m. there were six cars parked on Housatonic River Road. The sawhorses and tape had been moved at the trail head on the Falls Village side, and at the picnic/boat launch on the Salisbury side. There were two cars parked at the picnic area and one at the trail head.
At 2:30 p.m. at the falls, the sawhorses and tape were back up at both sites. There were two parked cars plus a State Police trooper on the Salisbury side of the bridge, and a dozen cars parked on the Falls Village side.
From the bridge, three children were playing in the river, with no adult visible.
There were four cars parked on Housatonic River Road, plus other cars with drivers clearly looking for a place to park. Again, the cars had Connecticut and New York plates, with a couple of cars from Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Better than it had been
On Monday morning, July 20, Falls Village First Selectman Henry Todd said the weekend had been quieter than the previous two.
“I think all we can do is try to make it a little better each weekend,” he said.
“But the state troopers can’t sit there all day. They don’t have the manpower.”
Todd said there are plans to improve signage and barriers.
Todd’s counterpart in Salisbury, Curtis Rand, echoed Todd’s sentiments.
He said the First Light power company has to add more and better signs, concentrating on garbage and safety, and in English and Spanish.
Rand said the situation is frustrating. “You can’t take the river and the Appalachian Trail away. They belong to the people.”
At the same time, “First Light owns the access” and is obligated to make recreation opportunities available to the public.
“It’s hot,” Rand said. “And everything’s closed everywhere else.”
State Rep. Maria Horn (D-64) said on Sunday, July 19, that she has been keeping an eye on the situation, especially at the falls.
She also expressed frustration. “On the one hand, people need places to go. On the other hand, we can’t manage it.”
She said the message about river safety and crowding needs to get out on social media, and, echoing Todd and Rand, suggested improved, bilingual signs.
State Sen. Craig Miner (R-30)went further.
In an interview Sunday, July 19, he noted the widespread closing of parks and beaches elsewhere in the state, and said, “When we give the public no alternatives, we shouldn’t be surprised when they find something else.”
Miner said Winsted and Torrington are having similar problems, with inexperienced swimmers in dangerous areas.
Miner said the state owns “significant waterfront property” and closing or restricting access to them is a mistake.
He said people can use such facilities safely, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that having people in dangerous areas such as the Great Falls is not an improvement in the overall scheme of public safety.
“It’s absurd,” he said.
Record on bear sightings too
Will Healey, the Public Information Officer with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said in an email Monday, July 20, “Our Environmental Conservation Police are aware of the increase in use on the river and illegal fishing complaints. We have been patrolling the area, especially Cellar Hole, as officer availability allows. We are working park public safety patrols, as well as responding to a record number of black bear calls in the area this year.”
SHARON — Grace Golden, 78, of Sharon, passed away peacefully March 5, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.
Born Aug. 29, 1946, in Brooklyn, New York, she was the daughter of the late Ethel Jennings, adoptive daughter of the late Floyd Jennings. She attended Webutuck Central School and received her GED later in life.
She spent years working in the health care industry and many manufacturing jobs in the area. Grace ultimately dedicated her life to being a loving and devoted mother and grandmother, tirelessly nurturing and caring for her family with selflessness and unconditional love.
She is predeceased by her mother; a son, George Golden; adoptive father; brothers Richie and Jimmy Jennings; her first granddaughter, Karlene; and her first and only love, Karl B. Golden Sr.
Grace is survived by her beautiful children; Karl Golden Jr. and wife Marla of Torrington, Alton E. Golden of Sharon, Patricia Zinke and husband, Kevin, of Canaan, Evelyn Tatro and husband Paul of Canaan, and Eric L. Golden and wife Melissa of Sharon; her brothers and sisters, Tony Wellentine, Jeffrey Jennings, Tracey Jennings and Carol Miller; and her grandchildren, Victoria, Lauren, Parker, Alyssa, Alanna, Eric (Little Man), Marissa, and Emma and great grandson Colton, and a large, loving extended family and many friends.
Calling hours were held from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, March 9, at the Kenny Funeral Home, 41 Main St., Sharon, CT 06069. The funeral service will be held 11 a.m. on Monday, March 10, at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, 76 Sharon Road, Lakeville, CT 06039. A private burial will be held at the Salisbury Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sharon Ambulance and Fire Department, P.O. Box 357, Sharon, CT 06069.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
It was standing-room only for Attorney General William Tong\u2019s talk on immigration at Trinity Church Lime Rock Thursday, March 7.
LAKEVILLE — Attorney General William Tong knows first hand about the plight of immigrants.
He spoke to a standing-room-only crowd at Trinity Lime Rock Church March 6, which together with those on Zoom totaled 225. The event was hosted by Vecinos Seguros 2, a grassroots organization that works to make sure those without legal status know their rights.
Tong has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and is part of a group of attorneys general around the country who are banding together to take legal action against his actions.
He stirred the audience with his personal story. Growing up in West Hartford, where he remembered kids showing up at his school from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam after he was the first Asian student enrolled, he thought “they were refugees and I was the son of immigrants. I thought I was better than them. In fullness of time, I realized what we were all doing here. My parents and grandparents ran for their lives in China. I am nothing but the son of refugees. There was no daylight between those kids and the immigrants showing up today.”
Tong related how his parents met while both were working in a restaurant in Hartford. One day, in the 1970s, a representative from the Immigration and Naturalization Service showed up and because his father was undocumented, was threatened with deportation. After much thought, the senior Tong was resigned to the fact he would have to leave. But shortly before the deadline, while driving along the Berlin Turnpike, he decided to make a last-ditch effort. He went home and wrote a six-page handwritten letter to then-President Richard Nixon explaining his case. The INS agent returned later and said the president had read the letter and sent the message that the country welcomed him and urged him to stay.
Tong said he’s often asked what brings him hope during these times. “In one generation, I went from that Chinese restaurant to attorney general of this state. There are kids out there now; families living with that dream. We need to help them keep it.”
The attorney general said that when Trump talks about denaturalizing citizens and then about anchor babies, he is talking about him. “Banning birthright citizens is utterly and brazenly unconstitutional.” Audience members, as they did several times during the presentation, applauded loudly.
Speaking on the importance of immigration for moral and economic structural reasons, Tong noted, “America runs on Dunkin’ and immigrant workers. There would be no economy without immigrants.” Half of all farm workers are undocumented, as are half of those working in the meat packing industry he said.
It was standing-room only for Attorney General William Tong’s talk on immigration at Trinity Church Lime Rock Thursday, March 7. Photo by Ruth Epstein
Touching on Connecticut’s Trust Act that was passed in 2013, Tong explained that it limits how local law enforcement can cooperate with federal immigration officials to protect the rights of undocumented immigrants. He called efforts to repeal the act “ridiculous,” saying “the federal government does its job and we here do ours.” He said if anyone tries to get rid of the act, he will fight it and believes he’ll win, emphasizing several times that Connecticut is a sovereign state. The federal government has a lot of power, but can’t come to Connecticut to tell its citizens what to do.
When asked what people can do to help those without legal status, Tong advised not to put anyone at risk and make sure they have a plan if ICE shows up. Agents must have a judicial warrant to come on private property. He also recommended they seek people who will provide pro-bono legal advice. He said those holding green cards have legal status and should be respected by ICE. He also recommended not using the word “sanctuary” since it has no legal meaning and can be inflammatory. He was also forthright in saying not everyone can be protected from deportation.
He added there is no evidence to support the claims that immigrants create crime more than American citizens and stressed the Trust Act does not protect violent criminals.
At the outset, Tong said he and his colleagues had sued the federal government when Trump and the Office of Policy and Management tried to freeze all federal funding for a variety of grants, especially those dealing with medical research. “We now have an injunction to stop him from breaking the law. Remembering we have checks and balances, we’re serving as the only check since there is so much disinformation out there.”
Coming to the end of his message, Tong’s tone was foreboding. “We’re not on the precipice of a constitutional crisis, we’re in one. Trump is already not in compliance with federal court orders. If he doesn’t follow Supreme Court rulings, we’re in a dark place. We all have the responsibility to take to the streets and speak out.”
FALLS VILLAGE — Housatonic Valley Regional High School got knocked out of the state playoff by Old Saybrook High School March 5.
HVRHS, the eighth seed, hosted Old Saybrook, seeded ninth, for round two of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Class S tournament. As the eighth and ninth seeds in the tournament, both teams earned byes for the first round of the state postseason.
On the way to victory in Falls Village, Old Saybrook came back from behind to win 54-36. Senior Breleigh Cooke scored a game-high 19 points for the Rams with 14 of those coming in the second half.
HVRHS played without captain Kylie Leonard, who was sidelined due to injury. The three active seniors, Tessa Dekker, Khyra McClennon and Daniela Brennan, combined for 28 points in their final varsity basketball game.
The Mountaineers started strong and briefly opened up a double-digit lead in the first half. The team created momentum through defensive control, forcing repeated turnovers in the full-court press.
At halftime, HVRHS led 24-18.
Old Saybrook went on an 18-2 scoring run in the third quarter and pulled ahead of HVRHS. Cooke hit two 3-pointers in the hot streak.
Brennan and McClennon each hobbled off the court with injury flare-ups in the second half, but both returned to play out the game.
The Rams finished strong with another 18 points in the fourth quarter and secured a 54-36 win.
Tessa Dekker played four years of varsity basketball for the Mountaineers and was named to the Berkshire League First Team in 2025.Photo by Riley Klein
Old Saybrook coach Steve Woods and Housatonic coach Jake Plitt shook hands after the game.
"You played a great game. Didn’t help that your captain was on the bench," said Woods.
"Your team played really well," said Plitt. "Good luck the rest of the way."
Old Saybrook secured a trip to the quarterfinal round against Somers High School. Somers beat top-ranked Academy of Science and Innovation 49-44 the same night.
For Housatonic, the season was over. Plitt praised his team for a successful year, ending 14-6 in the regular season, entry to the Berkshire League tournament as the third seed and the Class S playoff as the eight seed.
"This season has been really special to me and I’m proud to be a part of it." said Plitt. "We’ll see you next year."
Sophomore guard Hayden Bachman got a taste of the postseason this year.Photo by Riley Klein
Maureen Brady, the first woman to be elected first selectman of Kent, died on Feb. 23 at her home after a long illness.
Brady, who served from 1985 to 1992, devoted much of her life to serving the community she loved.
Moving here with her young family from Queens, New York, when her husband, Thomas, became resident state trooper in Sherman, she quickly got involved in municipal activities by becoming secretary to then First Selectman Eugene O’Meara in 1973, and later to Robert Ward. Ward stepped down after two terms, and with his deep encouragement, she ran and won the town’s top spot.
It was a time of transition when she took office, since the Town Hall was being relocated from its old cramped offices on South Main Street to a brand-new structure at Kent Green. Brady was in charge of arranging the details of the new building, as well as coordinating the move.
Former assessor Patricia Braislin, who was named to the position shortly after Brady was elected, recalled the move. “It was extremely smooth under her leadership,” Braislin, of Sharon, said. “It was mind-numbing how well it went.”
Braislin also spoke of Brady’s approach to being first selectman. “She was very fair and wonderful to work with. She understood how the pieces went together based on her experience of working with other top officials.”
Current tax collector Deborah Devaux was both a colleague and friend of Brady’s. “She was a woman of such high morality and one who maintained her sense of humor and humanity. She was tough, but not authoritarian. Bob Ward taught her well.”
Brady passed down the importance of public service to family members. Her son-in-law Martin Lindenmayer is current first selectman. When asked, he said Brady was definitely an inspiration for him seeking the seat. “She was a model of community spirit and had great vision for the town.” Up until the last few weeks, he would visit with her and seek her guidance on issues.
Lindenmayer said she transcended any politics while in office, working with all townspeople in a convivial and helpful manner.
Darlene Brady, the longtime town clerk, is her daughter-in-law. She credits Brady with alerting her to the position when it was about to be vacated. She smiled as she spoke about what a beautiful office Brady had designed for the town clerk, not realizing it would someday be her daughter-in-law’s workplace.
Darlene Brady said she marveled at how her husband, Kevin, and his two siblings, Kathleen Lindenmayer and Maureen Goldman, had a special bond when it came to the love and respect they had for their mother. “I’m so proud to be a part of that,” she said.
Maureen Brady later went on to serve on the Board of Finance and as assistant registrar of voters.
Noting her dedication to the town, a ceremony was held last March in which the large room at the southern end of the second floor that once housed Brady’s office was dedicated in her honor. A huge crowd turned out as a plaque was placed over the doorway that reads “This room is dedicated to Maureen A. Brady in honor and recognition of her outstanding commitment and distinguished service to the town of Kent. 1973-2023.”
Soon after she was elected, an article appeared in a local newspaper, noting Brady breaking into what had been a male-dominated office in town. There were also a large number of women in other governmental positions. The National Enquirer picked up on the story and wrote a piece, dubbing Kent “Petticoat Junction.”
Brady was also a woman of strong faith, and after serving in the public realm, she worked as secretary for several Roman Catholic churches, including those in Sherman, Sharon, Cornwall and Kent. A funeral was held in Kent on Friday, Feb. 28.
Ruth Epstein
Kent