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Tower Hill Road paving project draws to a close

Tower Hill Road paving project draws to a close

Putting the finishing touches on a three-year project to convert the 1.9 miles of Tower Hill Road from dirt to a paved surface, the town crew paused for a photo on Thursday, July 25. Operating the excavator was town Highway Superintendent Megan Chamberlin. Town crew Foreman Paul Voorhees, at left, and crew member Darren Peterson were applying traprock to control runoff on the shoulders. Asphalt paving was completed in June.

Photo by Leila Hawken

WASSAIC — After three years of work and planning, a paving project along Tower Hill Road in Wassaic is nearing completion.
In recent days the town crew has applied finishing materials to disperse water runoff along the 1.9 miles of asphalt surfacing. The road extends from Route 22 in Wassaic to the Town of Washington on its far end.

Over its long history as a narrow, hilly dirt road, Amenia Highway Superintendent Megan Chamberlin commented, Tower Hill Road was a safety concern for residents and emergency vehicles alike. Mud season was always a problem. If the dirt road had failed to freeze in the winter, town plows struggled. A heavy rain would require immediate attention, Chamberlin said.

The project began in 2022 with repairing the road, replacing drainage pipes and enlarging the culverts to control drainage. In 2023 a base was applied to serve as a binder for the asphalt layer that was applied in June of this year.

The finishing work by town crews in July has applied materials they saved from a Wassaic road project in 2021 and adding traprock to the road’s shoulders to further control the erosive effects of water runoff, Chamberlin said.

The road improvement project was supported by state funding leading to an appropriation of $398,090, and a donation to the town of $277,000 from Tower Hill Road Works, LLC.

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The Millerton News - July 23, 2026

The Millerton News - July 23, 2026

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Sam Lardner returns to the Northwest Corner for Vecinos Seguros 2 benefit

Sam Lardner returns to the Northwest Corner for Vecinos Seguros 2 benefit

Sam Lardner and Barcelona will play a benefit for Vecinos Seguros 2 at Salisbury Congregational Church on Friday, July 24.

Virgo Martinez

On Friday, July 24, musician and educator Sam Lardner and his band, Barcelona, will take the stage at Salisbury Congregational Church for a benefit concert supporting Vecinos Seguros 2, an all-volunteer organization that provides emergency assistance and rapid-response support to immigrant families in Northwest Connecticut affected by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.

Lardner, who attended and later taught at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville before moving to Spain in 1997, still considers the Northwest Corner his home in the United States. “It’s such a special place,” he said.

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Karina Powers and the power of tradition

Karina Powers and the power of tradition

Karina Powers teaches traditional dances from Mexico in Millbrook.

Lucia Iandolo
This is an art and the arts unite nations.
—Karina Powers

Karina Powers began dancing at 4 years old. A professional dancer, singer, performer and Mexican folklore dance professor from Baja California, Mexico, she is the youngest of three sisters who were all involved in the arts. Powers now teaches traditional Mexican dances to adults through her company, Compañía De Danza Folklórica Regional Mexicana, in Millbrook. She said she has a strong passion for the history and art that exist within the dances she teaches, and she hopes to instill that passion in her students.

“Many of them have never danced this type of dance,” said Powers. “They’re from Mexico, but they came to the United States at a young age to work. They have that dream to learn, and now they have this opportunity.”

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Across generations at Litchfield Jazz Festival

Across generations at Litchfield Jazz Festival

Bucky Pizzarelli and Brandon Goldberg at the Litchfield Jazz Festival in 2017.

Lindsey Victoria Photography

The Litchfield Jazz Festival opens its 2026 season on Friday, July 24, at the Frederick Gunn School in Washington, Connecticut. The evening will feature a gala and a concert led by saxophonist Don Braden featuring the Litchfield Jazz Fest Dectet.

The festival began in 1996 and has been going strong ever since. The list of past performers reads like a who’s who of modern jazz greats, including Christian McBride, Soulive, Joshua Redman, Dave Douglas, Brad Mehldau and John Scofield, all of whom helped revive the genre for a new generation of fans at the turn of the millennium. Vocalists like Diana Krall, Dionne Warwick and Dr. John have made appearances as well. And, of course, the festival has been graced by established masters like saxophonists Sonny Rollins and Wayne Shorter; guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli; bassist Rufus Reid; drummers Roy Haynes and Tito Puente; the Preservation Hall Jazz Band; and pianists Dave Brubeck and local legend Ahmad Jamal.

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No grumbling here: Children’s theater camp returns

No grumbling here: Children’s theater camp returns

Danny Saed, assistant director of “Pinocchio”; his mother and co-founder of Grumbling Gryphons Leslie Elias; theater arts camper Joyce Sun; artist and counselor Natalie Resto; and Steven Sun, Joyce Sun’s father.

Jack Sheedy

Leslie Elias wants you to understand something about the group she calls Grumbling Gryphons Traveling Children’s Theater: “I like to say that we try not to grumble.”

For 46 years, she has used the nonprofit to educate and entertain children in the performing arts. Summer after summer, young campers learn about acting, singing, mask-making, costume-making and scenery painting. This year, as in years past, a five-day theater arts camp will culminate in a live performance of one of Elias’ original plays, guaranteed, she hopes, to quell all grumbling.

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Sea bass and shrimp gumbo

Sea bass and shrimp gumbo

Sea bass and shrimp gumbo

Bobby Graham

Each month, Dugazon owners Bobby Graham and Matthew Marden share a recipe inspired by the traditions, stories and sense of welcome at the heart of their shop in Sharon, Connecticut. Visit Dugazon at 19 W. Main St. Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and online at dugazonshop.com.

This month we’re sharing one of our favorite comfort foods: sea bass and shrimp gumbo. While gumbo has a reputation for being a labor of love, this version skips the traditional roux, making it surprisingly approachable. The ingredient list may seem long, but once everything is prepped, it comes together quickly, rewarding you with a rich, flavorful bowl that’s perfect any time of year. Many of the pantry staples you’ll need for this recipe can be found right here at Dugazon.

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