WINSTED — It’s been quite the rollercoaster ride for the fledgling Winsted Citizen, but Thanksgiving weekend brought news that fans of the independent community newspaper can be thankful for.
After its editor, Andy Thibault, had indicated that the monthly paper would cease publication, an announcement was quickly made that it had actually been bought out by a much larger media company.
Jedd Gould, a board member and spokesperson for Connecticut News Consortium Inc., which created the Winsted Citizen in January, announced Wednesday, Nov. 22, that the Citizen had been acquired by American Business Media (ABM) of Simsbury. The consortium said in a statement issued last Wednesday that it never intended to close the paper permanently, but was seeking to change the current business model.
“We’re delighted to turn this project over to someone who shares our vision, and has the media infrastructure to support and grow it,” Gould said. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition was effective immediately.
ABM publishes seven magazines across the country as well as numerous email newsletters, and produces more than two dozen conferences at venues from Mohegan Sun to Los Angeles. Thibault referred inquiries to ABM.
ABM’s publisher and CEO, Vincent Valvo, himself a former business journalist, said in a statement that he believes “in the power and the mission of community journalism,” has been “cheering on the creation of the Winsted Citizen since the first of the year,” and is “delighted to be able to ensure that it will have a strong future.” He also expects the Citizen will sharpen its focus on Litchfield County, while “adding stronger online and social media offerings, community events, and articles that dig deeply into the fabric of the region and its people.”
In response to questions from The Lakeville Journal, Valvo said in an email that ABM “acquired all of the assets of the Citizen — name, trademarks, customer lists, etc. We did not acquire the liabilities of the publication, which remain with the Consortium.” Valvo added that there will be no layoffs and no changes to the Winsted Citizen’s editorial production. Founding publisher and editor Thibault will continue as a contributing editor, though Valvo said he has not yet decided how many other staff members will be retained.
The Citizen operated out of a very small Winsted office whose lease expired more than a month ago. Most employees and contributors worked remotely. Valvo said ABM does not intend to renew the lease but has ample space and resources at its Simsbury headquarters half an hour east of Winsted.
Valvo indicated that he would like to see the Citizen evolve into more of a multimedia platform “providing news and information via multiple channels” with “a new website, more robust social media outreach, email newsletters and print publications.”
“We are working with the people whose efforts made the Citizen real for the past few months, and adding the expertise of our national media company staff to broaden and refine what comes next in this project,” Valvo said.
The Citizen was initially backed by legendary lawyer, consumer advocate and Winsted native Ralph Nader, who has insisted Winsted has been a “news vacuum” since the closing of The Lakeville Journal-owned Winsted Journal in 2017. The rollout event for the Citizen was held in Nader’s National Museum of Tort Law, a shrine to lawsuits that Nader opened in a former Main Street bank building eight years ago.
After Nader’s initial funding expired in February, the paper was placed under the management of the nonprofit News Consortium. The paper has run deficits ever since. The deal to acquire the Citizen came together over the Thanksgiving holiday, Valvo said.
“We beat the Grim Reaper every month for most of the year,” Thibault said earlier in a staff memo leaked to the Hartford Business Journal. Thibault characterized the Citizen’s deficits at that time as “untenable.”
“We haven’t had a chance yet to hear everyone’s voices,” Valvo told The Journal. “But we are experienced, capable and thoughtful enough to move quickly and competently to the next stage of what a great community publication can be.”
Millerton News
1990 Mazda Miata hard top/soft top. Manufactured Oct. 1989. 64,000 plus miles. 99% original parts. $20,500. 203-215-0729.
Garden Help. Looking for an experienced person to weed my acre garden and cut back some plants. In Salisbury. For July and August. Could continue into Fall. naylor99@gmail.com
Wyantenuck Country Club is seeking waitstaff. Lunch shifts available for weekdays with flexible shift options for weekends and some dinners as well. Call 413-528-0350 or send resumes to brandon@wyantenuck.org
Simple part-time help needed in Millerton garden, pleasant environment. Must have basic knowledge of plants/weeds. Pays well. Call 518-789-9289.
Hector Pacay Landscaping, LLC. Residential & Commercial. Tree service, Painting, Masonry, Stone Walls, Lawn Mowing, Gardens, Construction. 845-636-3212. CT and NY.
LOJA CLEANING AND JANITORIAL Home and Apartment Cleaning. Commercial Janitorial and Maintenance. Offices & Commercial Spaces. Move In/Move Out. Customized Deep Cleaning Projects. Licensed & Insured. 475-746-8621 or 475-529-6484. lojacleaningservices@gmail.com
PUBLISHER'S NOTICE: Equal Housing Opportunity. All real estate advertised in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1966 revised March 12, 1989 which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color religion, sex, handicap or familial status or national origin or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All residential property advertised in the State of Connecticut General Statutes 46a-64c which prohibit the making, printing or publishing or causing to be made, printed or published any notice, statement or advertisement with respect to the sale or:rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, age, lawful source of income, familial status, physical or mental disability or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.
1 bdrm cottage for rent in Millerton. W/D, hardwood floors, garden. On a small farm with beautiful views. 15 min. drive to Harlem line. $1750/month plus heat & trash removal. References required. Call or email Shanna 845-337-7173 shannabarney@gmail.com
MT RIGA LAKEFRONT CABIN. Private beach, canoe, kayaks, fishing. $1,275/week. 585-355-5245.
ISO reasonably priced winter storage for small car and 16' boat within 20 miles of Millerton. Approx. October-May. 252-412.0228.
Millerton News
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Nathan Miller
Doug Broughton stands in his basement greenhouse in Wassaic on May 17. Broughton plans to open a dispensary in downtown Millerton at 32 Main St.
MILLERTON — Cannabis grower Douglas Broughton is still waiting on the Office of Cannabis Management to open his dispensary in Millerton.
His retail dispensary location at 32 Main St., in the former home of Demitasse and next door to what will soon be a Thai tea shop, has received site approval from the state’s cannabis regulation authority, but further approvals of the store’s interior and security systems are still pending.
“The next step is a walkthrough,” Broughton said, describing the lengthy process to attain approval for the retail element of his cannabis business from OCM.
Borughton first unveiled plans to open a dispensary in the shop in February of this year, originally aiming to open by mid-March.
Those hopes were soon dashed as March and April came and went, followed by May and June with no word from OCM regarding the status of his retail location.
Then, during a meeting of the state’s Cannabis Control Board in early July, regulators granted his license amendment that would allow him to move forward with the planned shop on Millerton’s Main Street.
Now, cannabis regulators are working through the final approval steps with Broughton. He said OCM officials needed to see certain documentation regarding the building’s legal occupancy status and verify the location’s security systems.
But that process was delayed by technical difficulties, Broughton said, when the OCM told him files he sent couldn’t be opened.
“They’re just nitpicking,” Broughton said. “I wasn’t annoyed until May.”
Among the additional requirements are verifications of his security system, the shop’s certificate of occupancy and connecting his point-of-sale system with his bank.
He said regulators require timestamped pictures from his security system and an additional third-party monitoring system — all of which he has submitted. The certificate of occupancy presents a different challenge, however, because the building his shop is in technically doesn’t have one. Instead, it has what’s known as a certificate of compliance because the building predates codes that require multiple exits for fire safety, he said. Broughton said he’s been advised that the document should satisfy OCM’s requirements, but he hasn’t received official word from the regulator yet.
He voiced frustration with the lengthy delays, acknowledging he expected the process to take between four to six months. As he stretches into the eighth month, however, the aggravation has grown.
“At this point it’s becoming a little insulting,” Broughton said.
Broughton said the interior space of the dispensary is nearing completion, including handcrafted cabinets and other furniture created by local woodworkers. A wooden sign currently hangs above the door at the Main Street location proclaiming it to be the home of Blackrabbit Farms.
Broughton offered an apology to locals over the delays, expressing disappointment that he missed out on opening the store earlier in the summer.
“I feel like I owe an apology to Millerton,” Broughton said. “I told them it was going to take a while, but I didn’t think eight months. This is becoming silly.”
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Nathan Miller
The sidewalk extension project along Route 44 to Beekman Park remains incomplete nearly eight months after state transportation officials halted the project.
AMENIA — Town officials are facing a lawsuit alleging nonpayment for contracted services relating to work on the sidewalk extension along Route 44 to Beekman Park.
Amenia’s Town Board appointed town attorney Ian Lindars to handle litigation against the town stemming from a contract with Raja Contractors Inc. that was originally approved in 2023.
According to court documents and public meeting minutes available at ameniany.gov, the Town Board originally contracted Raja to complete construction work on the project in July 2023. The work was stalled, however, as state Department of Transportation officials ordered changes to the plans that meant builders couldn’t start construction.
The town then terminated the contract in February 2025, intending to re-bid the project and seek another contractor to complete the work. Raja Contractors alleges the town did not pay bills totalling $54,757, incurred while the company was under contract and conducting pre-construction work between 2023 and 2025.
After terminating the contract, the town reopened bidding for the project and eventually chose construction firm Southern Industries. That work officially began in September 2025, but dragged into the winter and eventually stalled at an incomplete state.
The lawsuit was filed in Dutchess County Supreme Court on July 7.
The effort to install a new sidewalk along Route 44 connecting Beekman Park to downtown Amenia remains stalled as Lindars continues negotiations to secure funding needed to complete the project. Those negotiations are independent from the current lawsuit.
Town Supervisor Rosanna Hamm said the town is seeking compensation through the project’s performance bond after construction problems forced work to stop earlier this year. The bond is intended to reimburse the town for the additional costs of completing the project when a contractor fails to meet its contractual obligations.
Hamm said Town Attorney Ian Lindars has been negotiating with the bonding company for months, but there is little the town can do until those discussions are complete.
“It’s incredibly frustrating,” Hamm said. “All I can do is nag.”
The sidewalk project has been at a standstill since January, after the New York State Department of Transportation issued a stop-work order citing concerns over stormwater catch basins that didn’t match specifications and other construction-related issues.
The project is half-finished and several sections of concrete need to be replaced.
Southern Industries, the contractor hired for the project, was later terminated. Town officials have said the company was the low bidder selected after engineering firm LaBella Associates reviewed its references.
Hamm said the town’s attorney and the bonding company are currently working out how much compensation the town will receive to complete the remainder of the work. She didn’t have any updates on the status of those talks as of Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Despite the hold-up, Hamm said homeowners on property abutting the sidewalk project have had their mailboxes and driveway access restored. However, the sidewalk remains unfinished, and several sections of concrete will need to be removed and replaced after they were poured during cold weather and failed to cure properly.
Town officials said the contractor’s inconsistent work schedule contributed to repeated delays that ultimately led to the construction deficiencies.
“It’s the bane of my existence,” Hamm said. “This whole thing has been a nightmare.”
Southern Industries and its chief executive, Jonathan Delisa, have been named in multiple pending lawsuits alleging professional misconduct including wage theft, forgery, impersonation and defaulting on a loan for construction equipment.
Delisa denied wrongdoing in May, but otherwise refused to comment on the allegations in the lawsuits. He also said he was not the chief executive of Southern Industries, and merely served as a construction manager and foreman. Public filings with the New York Secretary of State’s office lists Delisa as the company’s chief executive.
Delisa could not be reached for further comment.
Washington Town Supervisor Gary Ciferri said in May that his town had similar issues with Southern Industries when the construction company won a bid to complete renovations at Washington’s Town Park in 2023.
Ciferri said construction crews didn’t keep a consistent schedule and eventually abandoned the project, causing the town to hire another company to finish the work.
Jacquelyn Drain
Apartment buildings at 26-32 S. Center St. currently host four housing units. Owners are seeking to renovate a fifth at the property.
MILLERTON — Owners of a South Center Street apartment building can now move forward with a special permit application after the Zoning Board of Appeals granted a variance for parking at the property.
The Village of Millerton Zoning Board of Appeals granted a parking variance to the owners of 26-32 South Center St. on Tuesday, Aug. 4, allowing the property to be non-compliant with village parking laws.
Following a public hearing on Aug. 4, the board approved the variance sought by owner Alex Magalhaes for an exemption to the village’s minimum onsite parking requirements. Under village zoning code, residences must have space on the property for at least 1.5 cars per housing unit. Magalhaes is seeking to restore a fifth apartment on the property, bringing his total parking burden to 7.5 spaces.
The property has onsite parking for up to four cars, Magalhaes said in a July ZBA meeting, but no additional off-street parking exists on that parcel or neighboring parcels.
Board members said the variance will allow for more housing in the area, a key issue in the community. Because the space has operated as an apartment for many years without issue, the board concluded that parking conditions could continue as previously established.
Jenn Najdek, resident of 33-35 S. Center St. and Mayor of the village, expressed support for the proposed parking solution and parking on the street. Najdek’s grandparents and brother previously owned the property before it was purchased by Magalhaes.
“With Millerton not having a lot of housing, I can’t see the renovation of an existing apartment creating any more adverse driving or parking conditions than already exist,” Najdek said. “It wouldn’t affect me at all.”
Catherine Fenn, a Millerton Resident, also expressed support for the project.
“Seems pretty simple, the building has always had that many apartments,” Fenn said. “It sounds like a moot question.”
Following the public hearing, Magalhaes can now go back to the Planning Board for the special use permit he requested in June to renovate the fifth apartment.
“We’re not changing any layout inside, we’re keeping everything the same,” Magahlhaes said. “The building permit is for me to bring life to the unit.”
Patrick L. Sullivan
Luiza, 6; Cecilia, 4; Nathan, 4; and Aria, 6, show off their face paint and balloon animals during the fifth annual Lakeville Journal Street Fair on Aug. 8.
SALISBURY, Conn. — Live music, lobster rolls, face painting and a mix of local nonprofit organizations filled Academy Street in downtown Salisbury on Saturday, Aug. 8, for the fifth annual street fair hosted by The Lakeville Journal.
Audrey Cole of the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging (WCAAA) was on site with information on the often-bewildering subject of Medicare.
Cole, who lives in Sharon, said the WCAAA is a nonprofit serving 41 towns in Western Connecticut with Medicare counseling, Alzheimer’s care, caregiver support, meals, transportation, chore assistance and more.
Medicare is always a hot topic, she said, in part because figuring out which program to choose — and when to sign up — can be difficult.
“There are lots of deadlines, lots of programs,” she said.
The advantage in asking WCAAA for help, Cole said, is its independence.
“We work for the taxpayers. We don’t steer anyone in any direction.”
Cole said the two big questions someone new to Medicare needs to answer are “How is your overall health?” and “What is your financial situation?”
Nearby, Danny Tieger was tuning his guitar in anticipation of a crowd of youngsters eager to hear live music. When they appeared, he had them brainstorm about what kind of animal they’d like to hear a song about. As the children pitched ideas, Tieger drew rapidly on a sketchpad propped up on an easel for everyone to see.
The children came up with a combination of a lion, a bird and an alligator.
Some people might find that melange a little daunting, but Tieger immediately launched into a song, made up on the spot.
“What’s our alligator-bird-lion’s name?” he asked.
“Chomps,” said a little boy.
“Chomps it is,” Tieger replied.
In the parking lot of Johnnycake Books, Linda Ciano, director of community engagement for Project SAGE, greeted visitors beneath a large tent.
The Lakeville-based nonprofit domestic violence agency has two fundraisers currently underway.
“The Bling’s the Thing” offers jewelry donated by supporters at bargain prices, while a five-dollar bill gets shoppers an extra sturdy, large blue Project SAGE tote bag.
Project SAGE is also sponsoring a community art project and inviting anyone to participate — no artistic skills required. The results will be displayed at an event at the Scoville Memorial Library on Sunday, Sept. 13.
At the Salisbury Association, Lou Bucceri held forth on a range of local history, from Salisbury’s iron industry and the role of its cannons in the American Revolution to the Holley knife collection and Ethan Allen’s insistence on being inoculated against smallpox by his friend Dr. Thomas Young of Amenia Union.
The idea of deliberately injecting a healthy person with a small amount of a disease was very new and, to many, seemed unwise if not downright evil. So Allen got his smallpox inoculation on the steps on the Congregational Church on a Sunday, for maximum publicity.
“And he was hauled into court on a charge of blasphemy,” Bucceri said.
Allen subsequently beat the charge.
Around 1 p.m. John Keilty of Litchfield took over the live music duties. He set up a Bo Diddley beat on one note, turning it into a repeating motif recorded electronically. He then soloed over it, soaring off in unexpected directions before bringing it back to the riff.
Keilty said his primary job is running a guitar repair business. He plays in a couple of bands, including Shake the Dust out of Litchfield.
“We call ourselves the Farm Band, because we always seem to play events held at farms,” he said.
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