Thank you!
Your support is sustaining the future of local news in our communities.

SWSA builds a new jump

SALISBURY — Volunteers with the Salisbury Winter Sports Association (SWSA) worked over the weekend of Oct. 5 and 6 at Satre Hill in Salisbury to build a new small ski jump for children.

There were some technical difficulties involving machinery — specifically, something heavy and wide enough to perch on the steep hillside and drill 3 foot holes for concrete posts.

The dilemma was solved with the lending of a Bobcat (a small bulldozer) from Emberlin Property Care.

Ariel Picton Kobayashi, a former competitive jumper who now works with SWSA, explained that the new jump will have a steel track for the youngsters’ skis. This allows for ski jumping without snow on the jump itself. The jumpers still land in snow, however.

The new 20 meter jump is to the left of an existing jump that is to the left of the main jump (looking at Satre Hill from the bottom).

SWSA President Ken Barker ran the Bobcat and drilled the holes, while a crew consisting of Kobayshi, Mat Kiefer, Scooter Tedder, Jim Rutledge, Scott Fitch, Reg Lamson and Willie Hallihan assisted.

At one point Rutledge, directly downhill from Barker and the Bobcat, realized his position was a bit equivocal should the machine suddenly lurch forward.

“Spooky,” he said, before calmly stepping out of the way.

The drilling went smoothly, until the very last hole, when the augur hit a rock.

Shovels were deployed, and Fitch reached into the hole and pulled out the offending rock, which was about the size of a baked ham, and a lot heavier.

This year’s SWSA Jumpfest, with top competitive ski jumpers from all across the country, will be held at Satre Hill on Feb. 7, 8 and 9. For more information on SWSA, go to www.jumpfest.org.

Latest News

Let's Hear It - September 17, 2026

Let's Hear It - September 17, 2026

This Week

As summer comes to an end and the days begin to get a little cooler, signs of fall are starting to appear all around us. The leaves are beginning to change, the evenings are getting shorter, and a new season of activities and traditions is just around the corner.

Keep ReadingShow less

$5,000

$5,000

Letters to the Editor - September 17, 2026

Letters to the Editor - September 17, 2026

Put $1M to work for housing affordability

If I had $1 million to improve housing affordability in Litchfield County, I would create a revolving Housing Opportunity Fund. Instead of spending the entire amount on one or two homes, I would use it to help local housing trusts acquire land or properties, provide down-payment assistance for qualified buyers, convert appropriate existing buildings into housing, and help cover some of the upfront costs that can prevent good housing projects from ever getting started.

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

Turning Back the Pages - September 17, 2026

125 years ago — September 1901

LIME ROCK — Matthew Patterson recently received a silver medal from the Canadian government as a token of his services during the Fenian raid in ‘71. The medal is suitably inscribed and is considerably heavier than a silver dollar. It depends from a silk tri-color and pin, and altogether makes a very neat souvenir.

Keep ReadingShow less
Voices from our community about the housing we need for a healthy, vibrant future

Jordan Seibert and Riley Bossi

Shelly Dinelle

There’s a reason people say, “It takes a village to raise a child.” To thrive, a child needs a safe, stable place to call home. That’s the bedrock for health, dignity, and the chance to build a bright future. What kind of “village” does it take to create these homes?

Motivated by compassion and a drive to make housing more accessible, it took the Foundation for Norfolk Living years of hard work to create ten affordable homes at Haystack Woods. The “village” turned out to be a patchwork of support that included financial help from the DOH, a construction mortgage through Northwest Community Bank, and a Community Development Block Grant to purchase the property and pay for the road and infrastructure. The result? Two- and three-bedroom homes reserved for first-time homebuyers earning 60-80% of Litchfield County’s median income, and selling for $159,000 to $261,000. The condominium homes are deed-restricted and net-zero thanks to energy-efficient construction, solar panels, and battery storage, meaning the homebuyers will have no energy costs! Curious? Just Google “Haystack Woods” to learn more. It’s a remarkable accomplishment.

Keep ReadingShow less
Selectmen back $113,000 request for new ambulance

FALLS VILLAGE — The Board of Selectmen approved a request from the Fire Commission for $113,000 toward a new ambulance scheduled for delivery in November.

The selectmen acted during their regular monthly meeting Monday, Sept. 14.

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.