Letters to the Editor - The Lakeville Journal - 2-9-23

Who’s on first and where the heck are we?

Reporter Question: “Is it bigger than a breadbox?”

Pentagon Spokesman: “That’s classified”.

Question: “Is the balloon spying on our nuclear facilities?”

Answer: “That’s classified.”

Question: “Can you tell us where it presently is?”

Answer: “Where’s Waldo..?”.

I tell ya … coming on the heels of our top elected leaders [of both parties] being found to be incapable of returning their overdue library books [top secret classified government documents], with this new international aerial spying kerfuffle and Pentagon press briefing, our country seems to be going through an extended period of intra-agency Abbott and Costellos’ “Who’s on First?”

It seems that really important things like top secret classified government documents and spy balloons from across the largest ocean on the planet keep popping up in unexpected places, and we the voting public, are left to figure things out from mere table scraps [or heaven forbid - social media].

Mystery and secrecy are neck-’n-neck and leading this race by a mile — in high-end residences searched, electro-magnetic wavelengths gathered and nautical measurements taken, leaving an ill informed voting public as the stumble-bum also-ran. Anyone into conspiracy theories as their meat and potatoes of applied citizenship is feasting.

I suggest that our world superpower government take a hint from the best storyteller of the human condition ever, William Shakespeare, and hold a mirror up to nature — their nature. Or in this latest case, at least — a mirror ball-balloon.  This, so we can all go on to have another conspiracy ball ourselves — at the next election — “PART-AY!”

There was a  wonderful TV show I saw way back in my childhood. It was a send up of the omnipresent he-man westerns on TV at the time. It was called ‘F-Troop’ with four fine lead comic actors — Ken Berry, Forrest Tucker, Larry Storch and Frank de Cova.

It centered around a wilderness out-posting of a group  of U.S. Cavalry. There was a Native American tribe nearby that was also in on the comic send up. They acquired their tribal name from becoming totally lost in the wilderness and out of sheer exhaustion finally decided that their tribal name should reflect their travails — “Where the heck are we?” They were thenceforth known as the ‘Hekawi’.

At the risk of straying, with my short trip down memory lane, from the straight and narrow path to the promised land of the fully woke, I join with my fictional Native American brothers and sisters in lamenting our present fate “Where the heck are we?”

Michael Moschen

Cornwall Bridge

Sharon Hospital board supports the PCU

We are members of Sharon Hospital’s Board of Directors. We serve on our hospital’s community Board because as residents of this region, we understand the importance of Sharon Hospital to the communities it serves. We are also patients, and some of us are current or former medical and clinical staff members. We write today in firm support of the proposed establishment of a Progressive Care Unit (PCU) at Sharon Hospital.

It is important to understand that this plan is not reflective of a major revision to the care currently offered at Sharon Hospital; instead, it is mainly a change in name and location to reflect the level of care that the hospital currently provides. For example, we all find comfort in knowing that the hospital has resources like ventilators and cardiac monitoring equipment. We will still have access to these resources in a PCU, with the key difference being that we will receive this care upstairs from where it is currently, in a single unit as opposed to two separate units.

Our community should continue to come to Sharon Hospital for all care needs. Sharon Hospital’s Emergency Department is open 24/7, and will continue to serve as the community’s first stop for care. Sharon Hospital’s skilled staff members will continue to accept, treat, and triage all patients just as they do today, determining whether a patient is best served by remaining at Sharon Hospital or by being transferred for more intense inpatient care.

For us as patients, the impact of the transition to a PCU will be limited, but for the trusted caregivers working at the hospital, the centralization will allow increased flexibility and more supportive resources. When planning for the future of Sharon Hospital, there were many discussions about the need to adopt a more contemporary and efficient model for inpatient care. Our Board and the hospital’s leadership team agreed that engaging the staff who work in the hospital every day would be crucial to ensuring the plan was right for both patients and staff.

The proposed PCU is a result of this work, informed by input from a group of staff and hospitalists (the physicians who oversee inpatient care across the hospital). This team feels strongly that establishing a PCU is the best way for the hospital to continue providing high-quality care to our community, with added efficiency. We trust leadership and these caregivers, as they are the most familiar with the process already used to decide whether a patient is best served by remaining at Sharon Hospital or moving elsewhere. This successful process will continue to be used if the CON is approved. If patients are transferred, they will return home to receive follow-up care locally once they are discharged, just as they are today.

This centralization of resources will allow Sharon Hospital to embrace a more sustainable model to serve our community into the future. We urge our neighbors to join us in asking the Connecticut Office of Health Strategy to approve this application.

Rick Cantele,
Board Chairman

Salisbury

John Charde, MD

Lakeville

Margaret Coughlan, MD

Millbrook

Randall Dwenger, MD

Lakeville

Pari Forood

Lakeville

Hugh Hill

Kent

Joel Jones

Falls Village

Mehrdad Noorani

Sharon

Kathryn Palmer-House

Dover Plains

James Quella

Sharon

Ken Schechter

Salisbury

Mimi Tannen

Millbrook

Superbowl party

I wish that I loved football, I swear to God I do;

I wouldn’t have to feign this Colgate smile if it weren’t true!

Oh, but I’d give anything: that pressure so intense,

those bodies lunging down the field; I wish it all made sense.

Sweat glistening on their tattooed arms, sun glinting off their cleats,

the fans are all hysterical and leaping from their seats.

Those golden girls with silken thighs, cavorting on the side,

have long since lost their voices but their pom poms shake with pride.

Girls here, at home, shake golden hair, and alpha guys galore,

with frothy ale in frosty cans, hope – later – they will score.

Out come the bowls and baskets, with the chicken wings and chips;

arteries start hardening, at the thought of blue cheese dips.

Old referees, like zebras, are scrambling to keep pace,

I watch one apoplectic coach turn purple in the face.

Someone tries to tell me what they mean by a “conversion,”

(I guess it’s not the time I should confess to my aversion.)

The crowds have all ceased breathing, all glancing at the score,

as half the fans, up in the stands, prepare for that last roar.

The team’s exchanging fist bumps with the guy who always kicks;

then, yes – the ball  soars over – that cross bar on two sticks!!

Betsy Sprague

Salisbury

It took a community to find Dulce

I would like to express my deep gratitude to all those who helped search for our dog Dulce de Leche on a very cold January night.  

When she arrived here in 2020, a rescue from Georgia, Dulce was timid and fearful of people, but with dogs she played with wild joy. One of her favorite playmates was Lisa Sheble’s golden doodle, Posey.

Dulce disappeared from the Salisbury rail trail at around 4:30 on an icy Friday evening. I had just seen her racing over a rise where kids sometimes jump their bikes. She always comes when I call, but this time she didn’t. The light was fading; the temperature dropping.  Something was very wrong.  

I phoned my husband, Charles Church; he was immediately on his way. I called Lisa Sheble and she managed to reach our vet in Millerton even though they were closing.  They immediately posted Dulce’s picture and our info on Facebook.  

Meanwhile, a couple I had met earlier on the trail, came along. When I told them Dulce was lost, they set off bushwhacking through the woods searching for prints and any sign of her.  Dulce doesn’t bark, and with her caramel and white fur she’s very hard to see in winter woods.

I knew she was trapped somewhere.  I couldn’t stop nightmare images of coyote attacks or falling through thin ice or her collar caught on bushes.  

I ran to Amy Lake’s house where Dulce and I had stopped earlier.  I thought Dulce might have gone back to see Amy’s dachshund Sammy.  To my great relief, Amy’s daughter Nataly, a vet tech, opened the door.

By then it was dark. Nataly and I set out in different directions to search. Charles and I called and called and searched and searched. At around 9 p.m., we drove home to a sleepless night.

At first light, we went back to search. I was terrified of what we might find, or that we wouldn’t find anything and would never know what happened. Lisa soon arrived with Dulce’s playmates Posey and Jolly. 

I was on the phone with Jen Shumbris, a dog recovery volunteer, when I thought I heard Lisa call, “There she is!” I dropped the phone and ran. I saw a flash of movement about 100’ uphill. Dulce! She was racing back and forth behind an 8’ wire fence, trapped. I scrambled through the brush till I reached it.  Finally, I found a gate. Oh the joy when she raced out! She was unharmed. She leapt into the car and we drove to Amy and Al’s house where Nataly checked her over. Then we all watched Dulce and Sammy snuggling by the blazing wood stove.

Thank you Lisa, thank you Posey, thank you Nataly, Alex, Kathy, Beth, Lee, Amy, Al, Jen and everyone who came out to search or posted online.  I am so grateful to you all and to this wonderful, caring community.    

Anne Makepeace

Lakeville

New Salisbury sidewalks now and in the future

You may recall a recent letter to the editor that appeared in late November thanking the town for the newly-laid sidewalk at the west end of Main Street and commenting on the number of people enjoying the new path. Others have commented that the sidewalk goes nowhere  Ah! Perhaps we need the big picture: past, present and future.   

Past — In 2014, the Town of Salisbury formed the Salisbury Pathways Committee to “investigate walking access within and among the village centers.” In its first years the committee assessed the needs of the town, working with other town committees and the public, to prepare a list of priorities. A top priority was to connect Salisbury and Lakeville with an all-weather accessible sidewalk.

In 2016 the committee applied for and received a grant through the state’s Community Connectivity Program to address the first step in meeting this goal: a sidewalk connecting Salisbury Central School to the Lakeville Hose Company, the defined emergency evacuation route for the school’s students. After working through the various stages of design, engineering and approvals, this project is currently out for bids. The sidewalk, which will be on the north side of route 44, will include a pedestrian bridge over Petee Brook and a lighted crosswalk at Brook Street, connecting the sidewalk to the fire department.

Present — Concurrent with this first project, the committee worked closely with the town to realize the stretch of sidewalk that was completed in October. The natural next step will be to connect these two walkways, providing a safe pedestrian path from Salisbury to Lakeville.  The committee is actively researching funding for this next piece.

Our town is intent on improving pedestrian options for our citizens. An all-weather sidewalk connection between Salisbury and Lakeville will enhance our community’s attractiveness and promote a closer community. Whether it is school students walking home, elderly citizens eager to exercise by walking, thrifty households looking to save on gas or individuals concerned about the environment, all can benefit from and appreciate a safe pathway.    

Future — Additional projects are in the works. Pedestrian options are planned for both route 41 north to Cobble Road, and route 44 west to Lions Head, connecting Sarum Village, Noble Horizons and Lions Head to the town center. These two routes present different challenges which will require creative solutions. In Lakeville, there is a need to provide a safe walkway for students and residents from the intersection of routes 112 and 41 at The Hotchkiss School to Lakeville center, as well as pedestrian access to businesses and the Town Grove from route 44 east.

In August 2022, an astute reader pointed out that in May 1901, “real sidewalks” were mentioned in an editorial titled “What All Would Like to See”.  One hundred years later, there is still work to be done. We are laying the foundation.  More walking options in Salisbury and Lakeville will help our population stay healthy, enhance our community’s cohesiveness and encourage all to enjoy our beautiful surroundings.

Chris Williams, Pat Hackett, Jerry Stanton, Natalia Smirnova, Kathy Trahan

The Salisbury Pathways Committee

Salisbury

Thanks for support of SWSA’s Snow Ball

As organizer of the Salisbury Winter Sports Association annual Snow Ball Dance, I want to send a big thank you out to the many people who made it happen this year after a 3 year absence due to Covid.

Our new venue at the Lakeville Town Grove was perfect thanks to Stacey Dodge and her crew! Also, a big thank you to the many volunteers who always come through to assist me and dozens of local businesses who donate wonderful prizes to the annual Snow Ball raffle, which is always a favorite part of the evening.

With a record turnout of close to 150 people and great music the crowd danced the night away.

We would also like to thank our friends at the Great Falls Brewing Company for their generous support. Without these people and businesses our event would not be possible. See you at our next SWSA event!

John Sullivan

Lakeville

PCU will work for all at Sharon Hospital

I am a clinical navigator at Sharon Hospital and a proud member of the Sharon community, writing to share my support of Sharon Hospital’s proposed establishment of a Progressive Care Unit. I hope that this letter will help some of my friends and neighbors better understand the proposed plan and join me in believing this is the right direction for our local hospital.  In my 30 years at the hospital, I have witnessed how healthcare delivery continues to evolve, and how the demands of hospitals, their facilities, and their staff continually change. The proposed plan to centralize critical care and medical-surgical services into a unified Progressive Care Unit will enable our leaders to meet these demands by assigning our staff and resources more efficiently, while providing continuity of care for our patients. The Progressive Care Unit will continue delivering critical care with our same talented team, in a new location within the hospital, just up the stairs from where these services are offered today.

The transition to a Progressive Care Unit is designed to have minimal impact on the patient care currently provided while creating a more sustainable model that will serve Sharon Hospital well into the future. Care teams will continue providing the same level of care offered today. Centralizing critical care and medical-surgical services into a unified location is a more contemporary care model for our patients and our teams.

This transition is an integral component of our transformation plan to allow our hospital to remain a vibrant part of our community for years to come. I stand with many members of the Sharon Hospital staff who support this plan, and know it will serve our hospital, patients, and community.

Jim Hutchison

Norfolk