Home Care In Redding, CT

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REDDING — A cell tower proposed for the northwestern part of town is drawing support, as well as some criticism, from residents.

Infrastructure development company MCM Holdings is looking to build a wireless telecommunications facility with a 150-foot tower at Camp Hoyt on Marchant Road — a 174-acre property owned by Connecticut Yankees Council Inc., a chapter of the Boy Scouts of America.

According to the technical report MCM submitted to the town in April, the tower would allow Verizon Wireless and other carriers to provide “reliable wireless service” to portions of northwestern Redding, as well as southwestern Bethel and southern Danbury, where Verizon's coverage is currently lacking.

Redding resident Alexis Stroud Long said she has no problem getting AT&T service at her home but said she has to drive to Bethel to use Verizon devices.

“Verizon stinks in this area,” she said. “Until I used AT&T, I thought it was a cell tower issue in this town.”

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MCM Holdings has not yet submitted a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need application with the State Siting Council for the Camp Hoyt tower, which can only move forward with the approval from the Siting Council.

“If a technical report was submitted to the town, the proposal is probably in the 90-day municipal consultation process that is required prior to submitting an application with the Siting Council,” Siting Council Executive Director Melanie Bachman said Monday.

If the project is approved by the Siting Council, MCM Holdings — which has entered into a long-term ground lease with the owner of the Camp Hoyt property — would build, maintain and own the Marchant Road telecommunications facility, according to the company’s technical report.

Police Chief Mark O’Donnell told Hearst Connecticut Media he hadn’t heard about the proposed cell tower but said that “if it improves overall service, then it’s a good idea.”

Others in town agreed.

Resident John Queenan said he “would love to have better coverage in town,” and doesn’t think Camp Hoyt is a bad location for a cell tower.

“(It) has to go somewhere,” he said. “If I understand the location, I’m not going to even notice it driving by.”

According to MCM’s technical report, other locations were considered for the tower, but they either failed to provide adequate coverage to the target area, were deemed “not viable for Verizon siting,” or would have had greater environmental impacts.

Resident Gary Palmer said improved cell coverage is “desperately” needed in Redding.

“It is a matter of public safety,” he said. “In 2019, we lost power for over a week — no cell service, no water, no wellness check on our dead-end road that was blocked with fallen trees tangled in power lines. We were on our own and things got pretty desperate.”

Resident Clay Cowan said he believes a new tower would be “a welcome addition by most in the community” as long as Redding’s rural nature and environment are kept in mind.

Even though preliminary environmental reviews indicated a low likelihood that any rare, threatened or endangered species or habitat exist at the Camp Hoyt site, according to MCM’s technical report, measures would be implemented and surveys conducted to ensure there are no potential adverse impacts on wildlife and plant habitats.

But resident Nancy MacDowell Kaye said she opposes the Camp Hoyt tower and has concerns about how it would impact the New Pond Farm Education Center — a 102-acre property with a small working farm on Marchant Road that offers science, agricultural and other programming.

“I feel for New Pond Farm and … the kids who come to camp there,” she said. “This is not something to be in view of New Pond Farm and their camps.”

Ann Bostelmann, executive director of New Pond Farm Education Center, could not be reached for comment.

Resident Yuriy Ignatenko said he doesn’t see the point of building another tower in Redding — which, according to Bachman, already has six traditional towers and two electric transmission line structures with antenna attachments.

“We have several … towers across the town, but no reasonable service,” Ignatenko said. He said he saw no improvement after upgrades were made to a tower off Ditmar Road about 10 years ago.

“The company who vouched for this promised to have T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T on top of existing Sprint. They upgraded a tower, but no one came,” he said. “My wild guess would be the same will happen to (the) Camp Hoyt tower.”

According to MCM Holdings, Verizon Wireless has already entered into a long-term lease with the company for use of the proposed tower facility.

Resident Pamela Loren said she’s in favor of the proposed Camp Hoyt tower and believes others should be, too, noting that wireless technology has become an integral part of everyday life and infrastructure is needed to improve it.

“We all want to be part of the technology when it functions at maximum level; we just don’t want to be part of the process,” she said. “It is a situation for which there is no clear-cut solution: only better and worse options. The best possible option is to fully embrace (the Camp) Hoyt tower.”

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The Mark Twain Library's 62nd annual Book Fair starts Friday, Sept. 1, and runs through Labor Day weekend. The library's website says that more than 65,000 books will be for sale during one of New England's largest book fairs, which will be held at the Redding Community Center at 37 Lonetown Rd.

Admission is free, except for those who pay $20 for early access on Friday to get the first crack at the books on offer. Hours are Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Monday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Sunday, all books are half priced, and on Monday, a box of books costs $10.

Parking is free, and food will be available for purchase.

The library website says that some highlights of this year's book fair are a variety of play scripts, hymnals, orchestral scores, knitting books and foreign-language books, particularly in Hungarian. Vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, sheet music, games and puzzles will all be for sale, too. All books were donated, and there are no restrictions on purchasing.

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Additionally, the library will be selling some antique and collector's books, including a first-edition copy of Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are," an 1880s edition of illustrated Robert Burns poems and a leather-bound volume about William Shakespeare's heroines that was printed in 1848. The website says there will be hundreds of collectible books available, and prices — which range from $30 to $500 — are negotiable.

The Mark Twain Library opened in 1910, after Twain's death, and includes a collection of books donated by the writer himself. Twain moved to Redding in 1908; within five months, he had joined a group that was trying to open a library.

The library has always operated as a public-private partnership, according to its website, with the town of Redding providing some funding and residents given free access. The Mark Twain Library Association raises money for the remaining costs, and the book fair is one of four annual fundraising events it holds.

This holiday season, it took Chris Simeone and his family at 102 Black Rock Turnpike "about two to three days" to fully light their yard.

REDDING, CT — It's the week before Christmas, and all through the 'hood, the house lights are hung to excess, as they should. But that hasn't always been the case.

Although the tradition of tricking out your tannenbaum dates from 16th Century Germany when the hausfraus hung candles on the branches (editor's note: don't try that today), the custom of draping them around the drainpipes came much later.

Christmas Designers, the mega-site for light meisters, says the practice took off circa 1966, with General Electric's creation of "smaller, cheaper, and more outdoor-friendly" Merry Midget lights. The lights have only gotten smaller and cheaper every year since.

This holiday season, it took Chris Simeone and his family at 102 Black Rock Turnpike "about two to three days" to thoroughly light their yard. Still, that's nothing compared to their first year in Redding five years ago, before he added some special dedicated wiring to handle all the bling.

Prewired or not, the light show in excelsis manages to grow a little bit every year.

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"For example, last year we added the little reindeer, and the two wreaths on the horse posts," Simeone told Patch.

He says he will keep the lights up through the Feast of Epiphany on Jan. 6 "at the minimum," but is more than likely to keep them hanging through Jan. 15 because of all the effort involved in putting them up.

And because it's so much outside work, all at once, Simone knows it's best to strike when it's warm. This year, that was a couple of days before Halloween, even though he didn't throw the switch until Thanksgiving week.

"You can't tell, it could be freezing the entire time. You've got to take the nice day and do it when you can."

Warm weather or cold, it's still a lot of trouble to put yourself through during an already over-packed time of year. What's the reward for all that effort?

Simeone broke it down with an anecdote:

"Somebody drove by, pulled in front of the house, and dropped off a handwritten letter saying 'thank you so much for making our evening and our children's evening with your house. It's absolutely beautiful.' So I think that the whole world goes through their own set of challenges every single day, every person, but when they drive by the house, and they see that, they forget about it for two minutes. And that's fantastic."

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**News Release Submitted by Mark Twain Library**

Nov. 29, 2023

In an annual festive holiday event that celebrates the artistic talents around the region and raises funds for Redding’s beloved community hub, The Mark Twain Library will host its 51st Annual Art Show from December 2-10, 2023 where juried artwork will hang as a gallery within the Library and in an online exhibition. All works will be for sale.

“I am continuously astounded by the quality of art that is for sale at the art show!” said Art Show Chair Sandra Lugar. “There is such a deep pool of talent in Redding and the surrounding area. The quality of this art show is well known and The Mark Twain Library is, in a sense, Redding's town center. It's such a vital part of this community,” Lugar added.

More than 200 local and regional artists submitted a total of over 300 works of art to this juried art show. With limited space in a working library, that number had to be pared down to fit amidst the stacks of books in the Library’s rotunda. This year, as Juror of Selection, celebrated Wilton landscape painter David Dunlop had the difficult task of ultimately deciding which works would hang on the Library’s walls. Doubling as the Juror of Awards, he also had the honor of presenting the prizes. Dunlop is internationally recognized for his luminous paintings that draw from both Renaissance techniques and contemporary science. His creative skills and deep knowledge of art history led to an invitation from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to give a series of lectures on landscape painting. His art is held in the collections of many major corporations, including Aetna, Citibank, Delta Airlines and IBM.

“David is a well-known artist, teacher and lecturer, and thanks to his keen eye, expertise, and thoughtful approach to the jurying process, visitors to the show can expect to see a dynamic exhibition of works in a variety of media, styles and subject matter,” said Art Exhibit Co-Chair Katherine Baumgartner.

Dunlop will be at the Library in person on Thursday, December 7 from 7-8pm for an informal program to explain how and why he selected the award winners. He will also take participants on a journey through the gallery to highlight other standouts and a few of his favorite works in the show.

The show will hang on panels throughout the Library’s rotunda as well as on its walls amid the stacks of books for an entire week, from Saturday, December 2nd through Sunday, December 10th and the Library will remain open to the public throughout. All works are for sale and will be available for viewing and purchasing both in person and in the Virtual Gallery.

The Art Show is a critical fundraiser for the Library. The Library retains a 35% commission on the sales. Additionally, a ticketed Preview Reception kicks off the exhibit on Friday, December 1st , of which partial proceeds benefit the Library. A number of artists also donate an additional work to include in a Silent Auction held during the Friday evening Preview Reception, of which all the proceeds go directly to support the Library. The Silent Auction is held online so bidders can be anywhere to participate.

Art Exhibit Co-Chair Melinda Shea noted that the MTL Art Show has become such a treasured event in town thanks to the dedication of the Library staff and a loyal group of volunteers, not to mention the talented artists in the area. “We are so fortunate to have such a well-respected artistic event as part of our community,” Shea said. “Over the years, the word has spread about our show, and we now have participation not only from our talented local art community, but from other towns near and far!”

To accompany the spirit of this long-standing tradition, the Library has also scheduled a number of art-themed programs throughout the month of December. In addition to the program with David Dunlop, there will be “Warm Winter Greetings: MTL’s Modern Makers” on Tuesday, December 5th @ 10:30am and the closing reception on Sunday, December 10 @ 3:00pm offers patrons an opportunity to mingle with some of the artists while listening to a live performance by the Joel Barlow Chamber Singers.

The Library Gallery is open to the public:Saturday, Dec. 2nd: 10am-5pmSunday, Dec. 3rd: 1pm - 5pmMonday, Dec. 4th: 10am - 8pmTuesday, Dec. 5th: 10am - 5pmWednesday, Dec. 6th: 10am - 5pmThursday, Dec 7th: 10am - 8pmFriday, Dec. 8th: 10am - 5pmSaturday, Dec. 9th: 10am - 5pm Sunday, Dec. 10th: 1pm - 5pm (Closing Reception 3-5pm)

**News Release Submitted by Mark Twain Library**

Aug. 10, 2023

The Redding Community Center will be filled with bargain priced books and other gently used items on sale throughout Labor Day weekend for the 62nd Annual Mark Twain Library Book Fair. This year the storied event boasts a plethora of children’s books, a considerable amount of music and performing arts selections, a number of foreign language choices and an array of books on transportation, knitting, Native Americans as well as Spycraft and Intelligence Operations.

“The Book Fair is the best treasure hunt I have ever seen,” said Book Fair Co-Chair Catherine Riordan. “We are all certain to find something we meant to read, something we want to recommend to a friend, something once loaned out but never returned, or perhaps best of all, something that will introduce another reader to a whole new world of imagination and excitement (Oz? Narnia? The Shire? Wonderland? Three Pines?)”

One of the oldest and largest book fairs in all of New England, The Mark Twain Library Book Fair is also recognized as one of the most organized events of its kind. With more than 65,000 selections geared toward all ages, it offers something for everyone from teachers trying to fill their classrooms to parents looking to stock their bookshelves to collectors searching for that rare find.

Find out what's happening in Weston-Redding-Eastonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“It often feels like Christmas or your birthday because you never know what book will show up that MUST go home with you that day,” said Book Fair Co-Chair Midge Loery, who recommended that shoppers get to the fair on the first day or two since so many popular categories sold out quickly last year.

For those who can’t get there the first two days, there is plenty of incentive to come in later as the deal gets even better as the fair progresses. On Sunday all books are sold at half price and on Monday shoppers can fill an entire box for just $10. A particular highlight is the extensive children’s section this year with a few special childhood treasures published prior to 1988 such as Uncle Wiggly’s Apple Roast by Howard Garis, The Spanish Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins, Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie and The Kauri and the Willow by Elsie Locke.

The Book Fair runs through the entire four days of the holiday weekend. All books and other items – such as CDs, DVDs, vinyl albums, sheet music, games and puzzles – are sorted into 75 carefully curated categories for convenient shopping, including a special Collector’s Corner each year which offers rare books that are hard to find.

All proceeds from the Book Fair go directly toward the operating costs of the library, which as an association library relies on fundraising to support 40% of its operating budget. Entrance to the event is free of charge except for one initial hour on the first day saved for those wanting an early start.

It all started, as the story goes, when famed humorist Mark Twain realized he had more books than would fit in the new home he moved to in Redding in 1907. He donated over one thousand titles to help get the Library started; and upon his death, his daughter Clara donated more for sale to build on his fledgling legacy in Redding. Now, more than 100 years later, the Book Fair offers tens of thousands of items for sale and is still one of the Library’s principal fundraisers and a mainstay each Labor Day Weekend for this quaint Connecticut suburb.

Book Fair hours:Friday, September 1: 9am-6pm *Saturday, September 2: 10am-4pmSunday, September 3: 10am-4pm (Half-price Day)Monday, September 4: 9am-4pm ($10 per box, we will provide box)

*During the first hour on Friday, (9-10am) there is a $20 admission charge for those whowant first dibs. Tickets for that hour will be available starting at 8 am on site…bookdealers usually start lining up the night before!

Food on site including Rich’s Wings & Things Friday and Sunday, and Parlor Pizza onSaturday.

Free parking. Credit cards accepted.