Webutuck baseball team displaced by septic issues

The North East (Webutuck) Central School District Board of Education (BOE) heard a presentation on Tuesday, Feb. 19, that caused concern for the upcoming baseball season.The district has been dealing with standing water on the high school baseball field, which sits atop the septic leeching field.“The field is not suitable for sports anymore. It doesn’t dry out,” said consulting engineer Jeff Budrow.Athletic director John Zenz asked Budrow if any parts of the field could be used.“It all depends. If you have a wet spring and it doesn’t dry out then obviously it won’t work. If you have nice dry, windy days you might be able to use the infield. I know how integral infield practice is for a team,” he said.Budrow also added that the probability of the field being functional would have to be determined on a day-to-day basis.“It’s really the school’s call. Even though the standing water is more in the outfield the infield gets wet too,” he said.Superintendent James Gratto interjected, “I think we’ll probably abstain from using it. I don’t think students should be out there. We’ll have to find an alternative.” Zenz noted the Amenia Recreation Department has been working with him to use Doc Bartlett field at Beekman Park.“They have their own teams and schedules, though. That’s not a permanent solution. They’ve been very kind and very willing to work with us,” he said.Gratto agreed more solutions would be needed for the septic situation and the displacement of the team.No decisions were made as the board is awaiting possible solutions from Budrow, which will be presented at a future meeting.“Until then I don’t think we can use that field at all,” Gratto said.

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Club baseball at Fuessenich Park

Travel league baseball came to Torrington Thursday, June 26, when the Berkshire Bears Select Team played the Connecticut Moose 18U squad. The Moose won 6-4 in a back-and-forth game. Two players on the Bears play varsity ball at Housatonic Valley Regional High School: shortstop Anthony Foley and first baseman Wes Allyn. Foley went 1-for-3 at bat with an RBI in the game at Fuessenich Park.

 

  Anthony Foley, rising senior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, went 1-for-3 at bat for the Bears June 26.Photo by Riley Klein 

 
Siglio Press: Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature

Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.

Richard Kraft

Siglio Press is a small, independent publishing house based in Egremont, Massachusetts, known for producing “uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.” Founded and run by editor and publisher Lisa Pearson, Siglio has, since 2008, designed books that challenge conventions of both form and content.

A visit to Pearson’s airy studio suggests uncommon work, to be sure. Each of four very large tables were covered with what looked to be thousands of miniature squares of inkjet-printed, kaleidoscopically colored pieces of paper. Another table was covered with dozens of book/illustration-size, abstracted images of deer, made up of colored dots. For the enchanted and the mystified, Pearson kindly explained that these pieces were to be collaged together as artworks by the artist Richard Kraft (a frequent contributor to the Siglio Press and Pearson’s husband). The works would be accompanied by writings by two poets, Elizabeth Zuba and Monica Torre, in an as-yet-to-be-named book, inspired by a found copy of a worn French children’s book from the 1930s called “Robin de Bois” (Robin Hood).

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Cycling season: A roundup of our region’s rentals and where to ride them

Cyclists head south on the rail trail from Copake Falls.

Alec Linden

After a shaky start, summer has well and truly descended upon the Litchfield, Berkshire and Taconic hills, and there is no better way to get out and enjoy long-awaited good weather than on two wheels. Below, find a brief guide for those who feel the pull of the rail trail, but have yet to purchase their own ten-speed. Temporary rides are available in the tri-corner region, and their purveyors are eager to get residents of all ages, abilities and inclinations out into the open road (or bike path).

For those lucky enough to already possess their own bike, perhaps the routes described will inspire a new way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For more, visit lakevillejournal.com/tag/bike-route to check out two ride-guides from local cyclists that will appeal to enthusiasts of many levels looking for a varied trip through the region’s stunning summer scenery.

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