
Islay Sheil, sophomore at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, is an up and coming ski jumper with Salisbury Winter Sports Association.
Robin Roraback
Islay Sheil, sophomore at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, is an up and coming ski jumper with Salisbury Winter Sports Association.
SALISBURY — Islay Sheil, tenth grader at Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS) and Lakeville resident, has joined the long tradition of ski jumping in Salisbury.
Salisbury’s tradition of ski jumping began in 1925 when the Satre brothers, John, Olaf, and Magnus immigrated from Norway and brought ski jumping and cross-country skiing with them. According to local legend, one brother demonstrated by skiing off the roof of a barn. They established the Salisbury Outing Club which later became the Salisbury Winter Sports Association (SWSA). The first ski jumping competition was held in January of 1927.
The Sheils discovered the ski jump in December of 2020, when they came to Salisbury from New York City to escape Covid and find a “sense of community” during the pandemic. Their thoughts went to downhill skiing, but Billy Sheil read an ad about Holiday Ski Jump Camp in The Lakeville Journal and the family decided to see what it was about.
From that start, Islay began her path to competition with the help of longtime Junior Ski Jumping Coach, Larry Stone of SWSA. She made the Junior National Team in February of 2024 and went to Anchorage, Alaska to compete in March. She earned a bronze medal in the team event with Caroline Chor, teammate from the Ford Sayre Ski Club in New Hampshire.
Islay explained about ski jumping, “I like being in the air and flying. It is super cool.” She also “likes the sense of community.”
According to her father, “Islay trains in Lake Placid around twenty weekends a year.” This winter, Islay will go to Lake Placid for the months of January and February and train six days a week there. She will keep up her studies with tutors. “Ian Strever, principal of HVRHS, has been incredibly supportive,” commented Billy Sheil.
Islay has no problem with her schedule of training and school. “It’s not hard to fit everything in. I’m never behind in school. I make time for it all.”
Islay spends ten months a year training. “When there is no snow, ski jumpers train on aluminum or porcelain tracks, and the hill is covered with plastic. Sprinklers wet the surface to replicate conditions,” explained her father. “She also does dry land training, working on stretching and imitation moves called IMO’s that replicate jumping, along with light weight training and playing soccer and lacrosse to stay fit.”
It is a male dominated sport, “but the East has a great group of committed female jumpers who are making strides and supporting one another,” said Billy Sheil. “Islay really likes these girls and respects them.”
Islay feels that ski jumping attracts more males because “It’s the fight or flight risk. Your mind thinks it’s unsafe.” Referring to jumping from a height that most people would shy away from. She feels “Younger boys are less cautious, more fearless.”
Does her mother, Kristin, ever worry, seeing Islay poised to jump? “I have faith in her coaches.” She is confident they would not ask Islay to do something for which she is not ready.
“Islay recently returned from a ski jumping tournament in Chicago where she got to jump on a 70-meter hill, which “we don’t have in the East,” said her father. There she competed against girls from across the United States. On October 19-20 she went back to Lake Placid to train with U.S. National Team jumper Paige Jones.
Her goals for the future? “I want to be able to jump the 120-meter jump and to make the National Team.” But she added, “In a while, not right away.”
Former President Joe Biden and his family dined at The Woodland in Lakeville Thursday, May 22.
LAKEVILLE — A fleet of black SUVs maintained a watchful perimeter outside The Woodland Thursday, May 22, as a former president dined inside.
After attending his grandson’s graduation at Salisbury School, Joe Biden and his family shared a meal at the Lakeville eatery.
Brandon Scimeca, owner of The Woodland, said the reservation was made a few days in advance. The day of the dinner, Secret Service agents arrived in the afternoon to review a security plan with Scimeca.
“They told me where he would enter and exit from, where he would sit, where Jill would sit,” said Scimeca. Later that evening, he said, 10 agents were stationed inside the restaurant with about 15 more outside.
Scimeca said Biden “treated the busboy as nice as the waiter. He was so nice to everyone.”
He ordered a hamburger well done with extra tomatoes and a cola.
Other patrons, able to avoid Secret Service, snapped selfies when Biden got up to go to the restroom, but for most of the meal he and his family quietly enjoyed their dinner.
That is, until dessert arrived at the table next to him.
Billy Sheil, who was dining with his wife and three of his four children, said Biden raised his fork and gestured at the arrival of sweets, “suggesting he wanted to sit with us or come over and take a bite,” Sheil explained.
Sheil scooted to make room in the booth and waved him over. “No fanfare. He just introduced himself and started chatting as a regular guy.”
Biden had a bite of ice cream from Sheil’s daughter Islay’s plate and chatted for about 15 minutes.
Sheil said he shared wisdom, spoke of family, the importance of siblings and the role his sister played throughout his political career.
“He spent real time with us, asking thoughtful questions and sharing in our evening like a grandfather would,” recalled Sheil. “We told him and Jill that we have four kids too — just like them — and mentioned that our second, Quin, was ironically in Washington, D.C., on a school trip. I told them, ‘He’s going to be bummed when he hears what he missed tonight!’”
The family took a photo with the former president before parting ways. Sheil noted, “When we got in the car afterward, Aerin turned to me and said, ‘Dad… was that a dream?’ It kind of felt like one.”
The Sheil family made room for Biden in their booth at The Woodland May 22.Photo provided
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy walks through Sharon on the first day of his annual statewide walk.
Decked out in a blue T-shirt, khaki shorts and a UConn cap, the man walking along Route 41 in Sharon Wednesday morning looked like others who just enjoy getting out to commune with nature. But U. S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D) had some other thoughts on his mind.
For the ninth year, he was walking across Connecticut to connect with citizens of the state. This year’s route began May 28 in Salisbury and took him to Sharon and Kent for the day.
People along the way wanted to chat with the lawmaker, and despite some gentle prodding from his staffers to keep on pace, Murphy took time to converse with those he met covering a variety of topics. On Route 41 between Lakeville and Salisbury, he encountered longtime friend, former State Rep. Roberta Willis, of Salisbury, who along with her sister Sherie Berk, greeted him with a sign stating “Chris, We’re proud of U.”
Continuing his walk, he made a stop at Sharon Center School where he spoke with sixth- and seventh-graders. Then he met with some of the younger children, who, he said, “had a million ideas about what they could do for our country.”
Sharon First Selectman Casey Flanagan, left, speaks with U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy outside Town Hall.Photo by Ruth Epstein
Following a stop at Standard Space art gallery, he proceeded to Town Hall, where First Selectman Casey Flanagan presented him with a tiny step counter. Pleased with the gift, he said he had been wanting to get one but never got around to it.
At Town Hall, the subject of Mudge Pond came up, with the selectmen telling him how important that natural resource is to the town. Selectman Lynn Kearcher said so far, its condition is not too bad, but the threat of an invasion of hydrilla is a constant worry. “Lynn and I both grew up on that lake. We want to save it for generations to come,” said Flanagan.
Kearcher asked what the citizens of Sharon can do to combat the current administration in Washington. Murphy recommended joining activist groups and getting involved. “All that can make a difference.”
He acknowledged the latest big bill proposed by the Republicans which was approved by the House of Representatives is bad for Connecticut. One of its features calls for reducing Medicaid payments in blue states by 10 percent. It will throw millions around the country off the plan, he said. The bill will also result in adding $3.5 trillion to the national debt.
“It’s an ugly bill,” said Murphy.
As he headed off to Kent, he was met by some Sharon Playhouse employees who excitedly told him about this year’s productions. The walk to Kent proved to be a strenuous one, with a long steep mountain to climb. Once in the center of Kent, he crossed over the Housatonic River on the bridge next to Kent School.
From left, former State Rep. Roberta Willis and Sherie Berk talk with U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy in Salisbury.Photo by Ruth Epstein
Murphy explained the purpose of the walk, which over the nine years has touched all areas of the state. “My job is to listen. I can’t do my job well unless I listen to what people are saying.”
On this trip, he found the issues of housing and Medicaid were what people were talking about. The push and pull between conserving land and the need for housing was also on people’s minds.
In Kent, he made a stop at Motoriot, where owner Jason Doornick explained he refurbishes vintage 4 x 4s. Murphy was impressed with what he saw. He also visited Kent Wine & Spirits and the Mobil station and convenience store where customer Tom Connors approached him and asked, “When did bravery go out of fashion?”
Murphy planned to walk another four days with the aim of reaching Long Island Sound.
SHARON — Marion J. (Cookingham) Pedersen of Sharon, passed peacefully on May 20, 2025, at the age of 91.
Born in Pine Plains, New York, she lived a life of love and unwavering strength. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and wife known for her cooking skills.
Her greatest joy was taking care of and feeding her family. For over 50 years she knew most of the children in Sharon, either by driving them to and from school on the bus or by feeding them lunch in the Sharon Center School cafeteria. She will be missed by so many.
She is survived and missed by her husband of 74 years, Niels (Pete) Pedersen, her two sons Niels (Peter) Pedersen Jr., and wife Lori of Sharon, Dennis Pedersen and wife Bonnie of Winchester, and her daughter, Deborah Pedersen of Winsted. She will forever be cherished and remembered by her granddaughters, Hollie Boyuk and husband Michael, Sarah White and husband Michael, five great-grandsons, Dylan and wife Ashley, Brandon, Caleb, Christopher and Jacob, and numerous other family members who will miss her dearly.
Marion was the youngest of 12 children and predeceased by her 11 siblings.
All services are private.Memorial contributions may be made to the donors choice. Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
LIME ROCK — Eleanor Anne Sternlof (née de Guise) of White Hollow Road passed away on April 25, 2025 at Geer Village in North Canaan, Connecticut. She was 94 and the loving wife of the late Paul William Sternlof, who died on August 12, 2005.
Calling hours will be held on Saturday, May 31, from 11am to 1pm at The Kenny Funeral Home, 41 Main Street, Sharon, CT.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.