School spirit
Latest News
Artist Donald Bracken’s layers of representation
L. Tomaino
Mar 11, 2026
Cornwall artist Don Bracken in front of his 48” x 60” work in polymerized clay and acrylic on canvas.
L. Tomaino
CORNWALL — Artist Don Bracken’s work explores the relationship between nature and a changing world, drawing inspiration from the forests where he grew up and the environmental and social shifts he observes today.
His exhibition, Points of View: Landscapes by Don Bracken, is on display at the Cornwall Library through April 23.
Standing before a large forest scene rendered with cracked polymer clay, Bracken explained that the piece, titled White Dawn, reflects his reaction to the political climate when Donald Trump became president.
“[It] is partly about when Trump became president. That’s why it’s White Dawn, it’s like everything is going to change. He’s such an anti-environmentalist and I wanted to do a picture that appears bucolic, that is like our reality being fractured,” Bracken said.
In the beauty of his forest scenes, these concerns might not at first be apparent without the counterpoint of an explanation.
“I tend to be pretty political in general. I try to be subtle about it,” he said.
“I was an artist in residence in the World Trade Center in ‘97,” which, Bracken says, has informed his work since then.
“I wanted to do something for the 10-year anniversary,” of the Sept. 11 attack, “and I started using clay. I was doing these giant wall pieces on panels that were the size of the windows in the World Trade Center.”
They were displayed in the New York State Museum in Albany. For the 20th anniversary he and another artist curated a show in a 10,000 square foot space on the 91st floor of the new World Trade Center.
Bracken has been awarded many residencies and grants. His work has been exhibited in museums that include the Mattatuck, Katonah, and New Britain Museums.
Bracken’s colored canvases, too, are subtle: tonally rich, bright paintings suggesting delicate, ephemeral beauty, a quality shared with his work in earth tones using natural materials that change, like the clay cracking. He also works with large, swirling strokes, in three dimensions: “I do a lot of massive sculptures. I have a 15 x 15 foot installation in my studio made of vines and branches. I love sculpture.”
Keep ReadingShow less
‘Mary Poppins Jr.’ visits Falls Village
Patrick L. Sullivan
Mar 11, 2026
Darcy Boynton, right, works with the cast March 7.
Patrick L. Sullivan
FALLS VILLAGE — Rehearsals for the Falls Village Children’s Theater production of “Mary Poppins Jr.” were in full swing Saturday afternoon, March 7.
Jean Bronson and Mark Alexander were busy adjusting the costume of Roan Jack, trying to take into account the character’s need to move about and gesticulate.
Alexander also devoted considerable time to the formal costume of Lev Sadeh, who plays Mr. Banks, paying particular attention to the proper adjustment of bow tie and wing collar.
Over at the piano, Alec Sisco was putting Scarlett O’Connor, Ruby Cameron and Lois Musgrove through their paces on “Cherry Tree Lane — Reprise.”
Then director Darcy Boynton took over, “Mr. Banks” joined the company and the group worked on the combination of song and dance.
Meanwhile, production manager Tracy Flynn bustled around doing several things at once.
The production has some 30 children involved, from Region One towns and several towns across New York state.
The show opens at the Center on Main, 103 Main St. in Falls Village, on Friday, March 27, 6 p.m., with additional shows Saturday, March 28 at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Tickets may be purchased at the door.
Keep ReadingShow less
Honoring a lifelong scout
Lakeville Journal
Mar 11, 2026
Honoring a lifelong scout
Submitted
Sandy Rhoades of Falls Village will be honored for his decades in Scouting on Sunday, March 15 at the Elks Lodge in Torrington. Rhoades said on Friday, March 6 that the announcement caught him by surprise. Asked how long he’s been involved with the Scouts, he said “80-something years.”
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
Kratom, an herbal drug, pulled from Northwest Corner shelves after state ban
Debra A. Aleksinas
Mar 11, 2026
Packages of kratom that were on the shelf at Smoker’s Choice in North Canaan.
Debra A. Aleksinas
“The withdrawal can be brutal for some people.”
— Jana Wu, Mountainside Treatment Center
NORTH CANAAN — Kratom products are disappearing from smoke shop shelves across the Northwest Corner after Connecticut classified the substance as a Schedule I controlled drug, effectively banning its retail sale.
Long marketed as a legal herbal supplement and widely sold in smoke shops, convenience stores and gas stations across the region, kratom is now being removed from store shelves as retailers move to comply with the state ruling.
Kratom is a plant-derived substance made from the leaves of a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia. In the United States it has been sold as a powder, capsule or drink additive and promoted by some users as a way to manage pain or ease opioid withdrawal symptoms.
The change became official Feb. 24 when the state’s Legislative Regulation Review Committee unanimously approved regulations placing kratom on Connecticut’s controlled substance schedule.
“We’ve been watching the rise in kratom dependency across the United States for several years, and Connecticut becoming the seventh state to schedule it is a significant policy shift,” said Jana Wu, director of clinical integration at Mountainside Treatment Center in Canaan.
Concerns about kratom use and dependency have surfaced in the region, as clinicians in the Northwest Corner report seeing increasing numbers of patients seeking help for kratom use or withdrawal.
Providers at Mountainside, High Watch Recovery Center in Kent and clinicians with the McCall Behavioral Health Network in Torrington have previously noted the substance’s growing presence in treatment settings across the region.
Supporters of the ban, including state representatives and the state Department of Consumer Protection, cited public health risks and the need to keep unregulated substances away from children, often referring to it as “gas station heroin.”
“Many of the patients we see initially began using kratom to manage anxiety, chronic pain, or withdrawal from other substances, believing it to be a safer alternative, but over time developed tolerance and dependence,” Wu said. “The withdrawal can be brutal for some people. As access changes, it will be critical to ensure that individuals already using kratom daily have accurate information, medical guidance, and access to detox and treatment resources.”
Sharp rise in admissions
Wu noted that sudden bans such as the one involving kratom can also create risks for people who are already dependent, potentially triggering withdrawal and pushing some toward more dangerous opioids.
Mountainside reported a sharp rise in kratom-related treatment admissions. Internal data from the treatment center show 67 clients were admitted for kratom use in 2024, rising to 184 admissions in 2025.
According to the center’s clinical data, patients presenting with kratom use also show higher rates of underlying mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression and ADHD.
Clinicians say kratom use is also appearing among younger adults, including college-aged users. At Mountainside, patients presenting with kratom use tend to skew younger than the overall treatment population, with many in their mid-20s.
Concerns about youth access, unregulated sales
State officials said the move to ban kratom in all its forms was driven by concerns about unregulated sales and youth access.
“These substances pose a significant public health risk, particularly to children, as they have been widely available for purchase by people of all ages, with no regulation, testing, or other public health protections,” said Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli in a statement announcing the ruling.
Lawmakers on the committee said the vote reflected bipartisan concern about the drug’s accessibility.
“Kratom is dangerous to our kids. It doesn’t belong in places where they can easily access it,” said Rep. Christie Carpino (R-32), co-chair of the Legislative Regulation Review Committee. “Today we took a bipartisan vote to keep it away from our kids and other individuals unaware of the harm it can cause.”
Mountainside has hosted a free, open-to-the-public kratom recovery support group since 2023, offering a space for people to discuss how the substance is affecting their mental and physical health, relationships and finances.
While the group has drawn participants from across the country and internationally, clinicians said they are now seeing a growing number of Connecticut residents joining in search of information and support, reflecting the drug’s increasing presence locally.
Kratom products being pulled from shelves
Kratom has been marketed in the United States as a supplement that some users say helps manage pain or ease opioid withdrawal symptoms. It has no approved medical use and is not prescribed by physicians.
State officials say kratom products have been widely available in Connecticut at gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops, often without age restrictions, testing requirements or product labeling standards.
In addition to kratom and its derivative 7-hydroxymitragynine, the updated controlled-substance schedule also adds several other substances, including bromazolam, flubromazolam, nitazenes such as isotonitazene, tianeptine and phenibut, drugs that officials say have raised concerns among health and law enforcement agencies.
The law allows regulators to reconsider the classification in the future if new research establishes a verified medical use for kratom.
Retailers across the Northwest Corner are expected to be affected as stores move to comply with the new classification.
State officials say they will work with local law enforcement and health agencies to implement the change and educate retailers about the new classification.
The ban means that law enforcement officials in the state will treat kratom the same as other substances that are considered to be dangerous and addictive with no accepted medical use, such as heroin or MDMA, a synthetic drug commonly known as ecstasy.
It also prevents kratom products from being sold in the state, and people could face drug charges related to the possession or distribution of kratom.
Following the ban, the Canaan treatment center reported that Wu was visiting Connecticut gas stations and smoke shops “where kratom products are being pulled from shelves in real time as retailers rush to comply with the state’s new classification.”
Keep ReadingShow less
LHK students gain deeper understanding of Black history
Patrick L. Sullivan
Mar 11, 2026
Effie and Angaza Mwando at Hunt Library Feb. 26.
Patrick L. Sullivan
FALLS VILLAGE — Leaders of Our Culture Is Beautiful (OCIB) — Effie and Angaza Mwando and Shawn Matel — led students from the Lee H. Kellogg School on a lively tour of Black history Thursday, Feb. 26, at the David M. Hunt Library.
Effie Mwando said she and her husband Angaza started the organization, which is based in Torrington, about five years ago. Matel, meanwhile, is a long-time OCIB volunteer.
The group brought a wide range of materials — dolls, books, posters, percussion instruments — and kept the presentation lively, handing out prizes and taking questions.
Angaza Mwando gave a quick lesson on the djembe drum, which he said is made of wood with a goat skin drum head.
He showed the students how to get three distinct sounds.
First was a “bass,” a low-pitched sound created by striking the center of the drum head with the hand.
A “tone,” a sharper, higher-pitched sound made by striking the edge of the drum head.
And the “slap,” which is just what it sounds like.
The presentation also highlighted many prominent Black figures, including James Brown, James Baldwin, LeBron James, Rosa Parks, Katherine Johnson and Maya Angelou.
Keep ReadingShow less
Draft town budget up 4.4% in Salisbury
Patrick L. Sullivan
Mar 11, 2026
Salisbury Town Hall
Nathan Miller
SALISBURY — At the Board of Selectmen’s regular meeting Monday, March 2, First Selectman Curtis Rand said the current municipal budget proposal for 2026-27 includes a spending increase of 4.4%
The selectmen and the Board of Education will present their initial budget proposals to the Board of Finance during a remote meeting on Thursday, March 12, at 6 p.m.
The budget draft, labeled “Draft #2,” includes total expenditures of $9,618,325, an increase of $413,223 or 4.4%.
The proposal includes 4% raises for Town Hall employees (but not the selectmen). Some employees are getting more than 4% to reflect additional hours and/or responsibilities.
Comptroller Joe Cleaveland noted that the municipal spending proposal does not include education spending, either at the town level or for the Region One school district, or revenue projections. There are also adjustments to be made for a couple of town departments before the presentation to the finance board.
Earlier in the meeting, Rand said that the state’s Department. of Administrative Services (DAS) plans to close the Torrington transfer station on June 30, a year ahead of schedule.
Salisbury recently voted to join the Northwest Resource Recovery Authority (NRRA), a group of northwest Connecticut towns with the idea that the authority would take over the Torrington transfer station.
Regarding a proposed pedestrian tunnel underneath Route 44 at the Salisbury School, Rand said the town’s attorney is working on a legal agreement that makes it clear the town is not responsible for building or maintaining the tunnel.
Keep ReadingShow less
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
loading
