Letters to the Editor - The Lakeville Journal - 12-17-20

Article was wrong on easement

The article (“A threat to a protected property,” Dec. 10) suggests that I have ignored the conservation easement on my land on Taconic Road. Nothing could be farther from the truth. 

Please paste or type the following link into your internet browser to read my response. Alternatively, you can email me at jjkpcsc@gmail.com and I will email a copy to you. 

https://bit.ly/rrcauseway

We all are deeply concerned about the health of the West Lake and surrounding environment. My hope is that we can restore it to its natural condition, as it was 100 years ago before the railroad cut through. 

Jeffrey J. Keenan

Salisbury

Such a critical need for volunteers

In the course of last week’s Salisbury Selectmen’s Meeting, the need for volunteers by both the Fire Company and the Ambulance Service  was discussed.  With the influx of full-time residents,  it  occurred to me this might be a silver lining from the COVID-19 nightmare we are experiencing. Every crisis has the benefit of the strength needed to survive and the good which can come out of it.

The Ambulance Service just had their 45th Anniversary. However, there is a story beyond that. In the old days, as Rees Harris used to put it: “You call; we haul!” days, my mother needed emergency help. Izzy, the party telephone operator, informed me that Dr. Smith was taking his daughter to the train and that I should try the fire department. That experience plus two  fatal auto accidents encouraged Rees Harris to start the Salisbury Ambulance Service. This was the first volunteer ambulance service in the state of Connecticut; one of Salisbury’s many firsts! My husband, John, worked with Rees and was there from the beginning with Rosemary Fudali and Ted Davis to just name two. John slept with his clothes nearby prepared for that nighttime call as I am sure the current volunteers do as well.

Based on that, Rees was asked to chair the commission to write ambulance regulations for the state of Connecticut. This endeavor took over two years, required travel throughout the state and great patience and tact to gather a consensus. Our Ambulance Service prides itself in being totally supported by the residents of Salisbury.

Since that time the advancement in training and equipment has improved tremendously but nothing can equal the dedication of these volunteers. With precautions for COVID, volunteers are tested and the recommendation was made to also have testing available for their families.

I urge anyone able to consider either organization, to jump in now. The Fire Department always had a quick response to the chimney fires during our years at the White Hart and personally I cannot possibly thank the Ambulance service enough for their kind assistance through our family emergencies: son, father-in-law, husband.

We are fortunate to have our neighbors as our volunteers for both Fire Company and Ambulance but the old guard needs replacements. Salisbury has never turned down assistance for a good cause.

Elyse Harney

Salisbury

Keenan generous to offer removing causeway

We should be grateful to John Harney for opening a discussion, albeit in a negative way, around Jeffrey Keenan’s noble attempt to remediate the ongoing damage to Lake Washinee caused by the incursion of the former railroad causeway that projects about three-quarters of the way across it. Keenan says that any cutting and clearing he has done on the causeway is allowable under the terms of the conservation easement put in place by the former owner, Mary Alice White, and administered by The Nature Conservancy. One might conceivably argue that Mr. Keenan is misinterpreting the terms of the easement, which appear to be far less simplistic than Harney implies, but the claim that it is being “ignored” is untrue. Yet The Lakeville Journal accepts this statement at face value and publishes it as fact. So much for the spirit of journalistic inquiry. In addition, neither Harney nor The Journal mentions that two acres of the property, where much of the most visible clearing has been done, was always reserved as a building site and is not under easement at all.

What puzzles me, however, is how a manmade structure like a railroad causeway, a violent incursion onto the natural landscape, could ever have qualified for a conservation Easement in the first place. It is true that various hardy plants manage to grow in its inhospitable mixture of gravel, cinders, cement and railroad ties impregnated with toxic creosote, and no doubt birds do nest there. But this seems a very poor exchange for the damage the causeway is doing to the lake itself — silting it up in fact. To my mind, Mr. Keenan’s generous proposal to demolish about half the bizarre 800-foot-long “dam” does not go far enough — logically the whole thing should be removed and the lake restored to its natural contours. But don’t take my word for it. Let’s listen to the environmental scientists.

Nathan Kernan

Salisbury

Concerns about protected lands

I heard that a new buyer of my mother’s land on Taconic Road that has lake frontage wants to get rid of the conservation easement. My mother, Mary Alice White, was a committed environmentalist and that easement is part of her legacy — the land is an extraordinary asset for the town and leaving it as natural as possible would clearly be her determined wish. I can only imagine if she were still alive! She would be raising hell over this attempt to destroy what Lakeville and your part of Connecticut has in abundance: natural beauty not yet destroyed by overbuilding, unlike Fairfield County.

Years ago, when my kids were young, we used to walk out on the old road to the gazebo at Easter; it was brisk and windy but the lake was very much alive. It felt like going back in time, with few houses on the water and an extraordinary view across to the far-off mountains. It reminded me of a Chinese brush painting.

I do hope that this wonderful piece of nature is preserved for future generations. Once the easements go, once the trophy houses multiply, Lakeville will have lost its claim on our collective imagination. 

My mother lived in a house that, at its core, was built in the late 1700s. It was a bit run-down I guess but very much part of a landscape that had not changed for centuries. Today, that old house has been spruced up and turned into yet another example of wealth on display. 

Connecticut Yankees knew better — they were modest and lived in tune with nature. I hope that Lakeville is able to stay true to its roots, to the enduring and heartfelt appreciation for its geography and values that make it so special. 

Christopher Kimball

Cambridge, Mass.

Talk of the Towne should reverse policy

Unappetizing servings of alternative facts and misguided opinions were dished out by Millerton’s Talk of the Towne’s management in a provocative interview in last week’s Lakeville Journal, offering both food for thought and heart burn.

The deli’s owner says she does not believe face masks can protect the public from being infected with coronavirus, stating it is no different than flu. A good reminder that our beliefs/opinions aren’t automatically the truth. Fortunately, science doesn’t care what we believe!  Health experts unanimously agree that wearing a mask is one of the most effective means of protection. To dispute this is unbelievable. (Conversely, I’d prefer an experienced deli chef prepare my sandwich rather than a Surgeon General.)

Another indigestible deli delight: “More people die of flu than they do of this Covid.”

A speedy web search reveals otherwise. Unless information from Johns Hopkins Medicine is deemed “fake news,” we find:

COVID-19: There have been approximately 1,584,788 deaths reported worldwide. 

Flu: The World Health Organization estimates that 290,000 to 650,000 people die of flu-related causes every year worldwide.

Whether coming from a place of willful ignorance or simply being misinformed, I encourage Talk of the Towne to reconsider its policy and begin asking customers to mask-up for the sake of the community, which it proudly serves. 

Look forward to sampling your food and humor when you do. Respectfully.

Jonathan Doster

Sharon

Journal should have noted importance of mask wearing

Whitney Joseph’s article profiling Mary Hosier’s feelings about masks has a serious and possibly deadly flaw.

The very first line should read, “Despite scientific evidence and near 100% consensus that masks prevent the spread of COVID, Mary Hosier...”

It is irresponsible to not point out clearly that Mary is unequivocally incorrect in her belief about masks.

Alex Ely

Kent

Searching for meaning in the stars and planets

Looking at the big picture in the sky could be a helpful way for humanity to work for the greater good, not miss out on external snd esoteric influences on people, events and the Galaxy (for starters.) Carol Allen writes about Vedic astrology online. She shared that Dec. 14 is the start of a few minutes of “a total eclipse of the sun” that will affect the Earth (and earthlings and whoever else may be visiting and nature) for the next six months. 

The corona of the sun is pictured during the total eclipse just as the vaccine is being rolled out, Carol Allen noted. That may mean different things to people. This eclipse and the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn on Dec. 20 is explored by many, including jaidevsingh.com with free online yoga sessions at times to create unity.

Let US All glow brighter and flow lighter as we welcome the rest of December and appreciate the values of harmony and connection with healing forces on many levels near and far and  we time. We’re headed for times if fullness and love many share. May that be so into the next year and critical decades.

Catherine Palmer Paton

Falls Village

An appeal: fair housing 

In a bizarre world of COVID, fake news, other oddities and extremely difficult uncertain times, we don’t know if you missed us or even remember the little zoning kerfuffle in Falls Village called “River Road Houses.” It’s Lime Rock Station: scene of a housing mess the town is handling poorly and, coincidentally, an F1 tornado on the evening of Sunday, August 2nd. 

OK. We’ll go over the basic details: Application by a local housing trust (FVHT) costing anywhere from $3.5 to 5.5 million (nobody knows) for a housing development of 29 bedrooms on a bucolic road nowhere near town, not following any of the guidelines the state mandates and adjudicated on surreal Zoom meetings. The Connecticut Dept. of Housing has stated to us that it is still “under review.” Oh, who ARE we? 

Well, 72 citizens signed a petition back in October asking the town to do a referendum putting the whole thing up for a vote. Basically, “Should the thing be permitted or not?” The First Selectman’s lawyer (yea, he lawyered up, what we are trying hard to avoid) said the referendum was the job of the Planning and Zoning Commission who said it was the First Selectman’s job, not theirs.

Not knowing where to turn, we recently asked our dear Town Clerk to hold the referendum. It’s been almost two months now and hot potato has become musical chairs or vice versa, dunno. Perhaps we’re being a bit insouciant here, but we’ll do anything for a little action. We’re not out here to disparage our fellow townspeople. We can’t afford to “lawyer up” like people in the wealthy towns and would prefer not to anyway. 

We’re the second smallest town in Connecticut and would really like a Falls Village-scaled solution, which serves people in a welcoming way. We’ve been asking and asking. Nada. We’re not burying our heads in the sand. We’re all eyes. We don’t like what we see. Let’s get Real. PLEASE.

Colter Rule

Falls Village

USA elections need to be conducted as years ago

Indiscriminate mail-in ballots suborn fraud. The only mail-in ballots that should be allowed would be absentee ballots, wherein the applicant is a registered voter, produces identification, signs their name with a signature that matches the registration signature, and acts to assure that the ballot is received by the voting jurisdiction before Election Day.

The use of programmable and hackable voting computer systems must be stopped to prevent voting fraud. The solution would be a return to mechanical voting machines that have no electronics at all. We used to do it that way. Moderators from both political parties are to verify that the totals are zeroed at the beginning of the voting day. At the end of the voting hours, the moderators agree as to what votes were accumulated on each voting machine for each candidate. The moderators then agree as to the vote sums that include all the machines of a voting precinct. The machines are then impounded, pending certification of the vote totals. If a recount is deemed necessary, the impounded machines are available for inspection. That is how it used to be done and that is what we should go back to.

J. Thomas Light

Lakeville

Rules of the country road

Life is different in the Northwest Corner, where there are few sidewalks, few streetlights,  narrow or non-existent shoulders on narrow, curvy, hilly roads. Our population now is the usual population we have in the summer.  Here are some pointers to keep you and your loved ones safe.

Walkers and Joggers: 1) Walk or jog AGAINST the traffic. When on narrow roads, be aware of cars and walk single-file if necessary. 2) Bring a FLASHLIGHT at dusk or if jogging, wear reflective clothing. Most people wear dark clothing and you are hard to see on the road. A flashlight will alert drivers there is someone walking on the side of the road. 3) Use the crosswalk and walk button in town when available.

Cyclists: 1) Cycle WITH the traffic. Avoid cycling on the sidewalks. Wear a HELMET. 2) If cycling when light is dim, make sure you have lights on your bike or wear reflective clothing so drivers can see you.

Cars: 1) STOP for all school buses. Yellow lights mean slow down. Red light means STOP. Children will be crossing in front of the bus. When all lights are turned off, you may proceed. You may have to travel slowly as the buses do stop intermittently, making it unsafe to pass. 2) Turn your HEADLIGHTS ON about 3:30 pm and on. Hills cast long shadows darkening a road making it difficult for others to see you, especially if you have a black, silver, white, gray or dark colored car. 3)The Connecticut law is that your HEADLIGHTS MUST BE ON when you are using your WINDSHIELD WIPERS. 4) In foggy, gray and misty days, use your HEADLIGHTS. 5) STOP for pedestrians in the crosswalk. 6) In wintry weather, be aware of snow, sleet and black ice. Stay home if you can. 7) LOOK OUT for animals especially at dawn or dusk. If you see a deer, chances are there is more than one. SLOW down. Swerving to avoid an animal can lead you to hit a tree, a guardrail, a pedestrian or another car. This is country.

Be safe! Remember to share the roads with every living thing so we can all enter the New Year in good health. This is in addition to wearing a mask, social distancing and hunkering down at home. Stay well!

Jo Loi

Lakeville

Journal should be clear on mask wearing

On Thursday, Dec. 10th, you published on your front page, with the headline “An Anti-mask Debate Brews”, one of the most irresponsible pieces of reporting we’ve read during the COVID-19 crisis. There is no “debate” about masks stopping the spread of COVID-19 — there are only people who believe in science and people who choose to ignore the science.  In a debate between people who believe scientific facts and those who choose to ignore them, the only winner is COVID-19.  

Your newspaper landed in our mailbox on a Thursday on which, in a single day, COVID-19 killed over 3,000 people in the United States. This front page feature article, which went on to run roughly 35 column inches describing outrageous and horrifying behavior, amplified completely unfounded and dangerous claims about staying safe from COVID-19. Every single one of the mask “objections” cited in this column are refuted, with factual scientific evidence, by every public health and infectious disease specialist in this nation.  

For example, COVID-19 has proven to be five times more deadly than the flu as noted by the Journal of the American Medical Association.  In the average year in the United States, according to the CDC,  between 12,000 to 60,000 people die from the flu, but COVID-19 is far easier to catch and in the 10 months that COVID-19 has ravaged our country over 290,000 people have died.  Ms. Hosier did not cite any scientific evidence to support any of her claims.  

Why did you let someone with no expertise or scientific authority expound at such length to your readers?  A responsible reporter and editor would have followed every single one of the specious and untrue claims made by Ms. Hosier with a disclaimer that provided the scientific facts.  We have always thought that The Lakeville Journal provided an important public service. The most important public service that you could have provided was a banner headline that simply read, “WEAR A MASK!”

Roxann and Warren Whitaker

Falls Village