Photo by Elizabeth Mayhew, The Dutchy of Millbrook
Latest News
Salisbury lax ready to rip
Mar 27, 2024
Riley Klein
SALISBURY — Lacrosse returned to the Northwest Corner on March 22 when Salisbury School hosted Northern Highlands Regional High School for a scrimmage.
The Highlanders made the trip up from Allendale, New Jersey, for the afternoon match against the Crimson Knights.
As a preseason game, scorekeeping was not officially tracked. Fortunately, a Lakeville Journal reporter kept track and determined that Salisbury won 7-2.
Skies were partly cloudy throughout the game with temperatures in the low 30s. Most players wore sweats to combat the nippy conditions.
The game appeared evenly matched at the start. Each team traded goals in the early minutes before Salisbury settled into possession dominance.
The Knights’ calculated control enabled them to extend plays and create openings on offense. Salisbury won comfortably and looked ready to take on Founder’s League competition.
Salisbury travels to Noble and Greenough School for the first regular season game on March 27.
The Knights’ home opener will be Saturday, March 30, at 3 p.m against Loomis Chaffee.
Keep ReadingShow less
Patrick L. Sullivan
Ahh, spring. The balmy breeze. The brilliant sunshine. The plants poking up through the dead leaves.
And the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s trout trucks are rolling.
Only the last item is true.
We’re having a typical Northwest Corner spring, which means fits and starts, two steps forward and one step back.
And the first annual Tangled Lines Cliche Contest.
The Blackberry River is my preferred early season location, because it’s close and what it lacks in wild trout it makes up for in the difficulty of the terrain.
On the one really springy day recently, when it was warm enough to break a sweat, I spent an enjoyable couple of hours playing with rookie trout and finding out if I remembered my knots.
Of course the weather turned on a dime and the next couple of days were miserable.
The trout sulked and the wind made my teeth chatter.
I did meet itinerant angler/mountain biker/raconteur David Asselin. His nifty RV was parked at Beckley Furnace when I hove to. I noticed fly fishing gear by the cabin door and ambled over to say howdy-doo.
With this guy, a simple greeting opened the floodgates.
I learned quickly and in no particular order that he’s a Connecticut original, that he’s been all over the world including Antarctica, that he’s new to fly-fishing, that he teaches mountain biking in Montana from May through September, and that he’s a double amputee.
I had already deduced that. Being a trained observer, I noted the sticker on the RV that says “I’m a double amputee. I’m not useless!”
Turns out he froze his feet off. In Colorado, not Antarctica.
He cheerfully informed me he’s got no toes or heels, just three inches and change of remaining foot on both sides.
He does not wear prosthetic devices. He does get around, carefully.
I pushed off and worked the stream for a couple hours, with minimal results. Then I caught up with him and we sat on the bank and yakked some.
This evolved into an impromptu dry-dropper lesson.
This resulted in David catching a stocked brookie, on a size 16 Bread and Butter nymph tied on about two feet of 4X fluorocarbon tippet, in turn attached to the bend of the hook of a size 10 Parachute Adams dry fly. He caught a couple more, just to prove it wasn’t a fluke.
The stars were aligned, for once. (I make that four cliches, if you’re counting.)
Alas, duty called and I had to depart. We exchanged information and a few days later I got an email detailing his plans for the next couple of weeks.
With a little luck, we can connect again and continue the lessons.
Scolding department: Yes, the stocking trucks are rolling. No, you can’t keep them. Not yet.
Connecticut did away with a closed trout season a couple years back. But the regulations clearly state that it is catch and release until the old opening day, the second Saturday in April, at 6 a.m.
So you’re good to go at the crack of dawn on April 13.
I mention this because I saw people killing trout. I don’t know if it’s ignorance or indifference, but it is illegal.
Besides, after a life spent in a tank the fish are going to taste like fish food. Give them a chance to acclimate, and they might actually taste like something else. Trout, perhaps.
We’ll close here, after wishing you tight lines, which is cliche number five. Not bad for a 600 word piece.
Keep ReadingShow less
From South Kent to Sweet 16
Mar 27, 2024
SOUTH KENT — Just 16 teams remain in the 2024 NCAA March Madness Tournament, and two of them include South Kent School (SK) alums.
Jordan Gainey, SK class of ‘21, and the (2) Tennessee Volunteers beat (15) Saint Peter’s University 83-49 in the first round. Gainey scored 6 points and dished 3 assists in the win. The Vols went on to narrowly defeat (7) University of Texas in round two by a score of 62-58. Gainey scored 4 points in this one and reeled in 2 rebounds. Tennessee will play (3) Creighton University Friday, March 29 for the Sweet 16 match.
Andre Johnson Jr., SK class of ‘22, and the (1) UConn Huskies defeated (16) Stetson University 91-52 in the first round. UConn kept cruising with a 75-58 win against (9) Northwestern University in the second round. The Huskies will play (5) San Diego State Thursday, March 28.
Games can be watched on www.NCAA.com.
Keep ReadingShow less
Patrick L. Sullivan
Area egg hunters hauled in seasonal nuggets by the basket on Sunday, March 24.
Egg hunts took place throughout the region with unique events occuring simultaneously in Cornwall, Kent and Salisbury.
At Scoville Memorial Library, a group of about 15 children fidgeted impatiently as Kendra Percy tried to get them to say “Squish Swedish fish,” which is easier read than said.
But enough of them got it to get the go-ahead to dash out into the grounds of the library on Sunday afternoon and gather up the candy that was scattered around.
This was an Easter Egg hunt, albeit an unusual one.
Percy, the Head of Children and Family Services at the library, said that the week before the children painted wooden eggs, and then returned them in time for Sunday’s activities.
Just in time, in one case. That morning, Percy found one in a brown paper bag. Written on the bag was “For the dragon to hide.”
About the dragon. Percy said that since 2024 is the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese astrological system, she thought it would be fun to have the dragons hide the painted wooden eggs along with the candy.
So the children had to pause the candy gathering to look for the wooden eggs.
The first part took mere minutes. The second bit took a little more time.
Amelia Corrigan, age 7, held up her wooden egg. Asked how long it took to paint, she thought for a moment, and replied “Two or three minutes.”
She then popped a candy in her mouth, and made a face.
“Chewier than you expected?” she was asked.
“Mmmff,” she replied, nodding her head vigorously.
In Cornwall, attendees gathered at Foote Field March 24 for Park and Recreation’s Spring Celebration.
Cookie decorating was followed by three egg hunts for varying ages.
The Easter Bunny was on hand, but offered no hints to treasure finders.
Hundreds of colorful eggs were found and brought back in sacks, bags, and baskets.
The Spring Celebration marked Cornwall’s first outdoor event of the season, with more to come as the weather warms.
Kent’s Community Field was overrun with egg hunters March 24 as well.
Certain eggs in Kent contained golden coins, which could be redeemed for prizes at homebase.
After a short time, all the eggs had been found and to the finders went the spoils.
Keep ReadingShow less
loading