The Kent Dispatch

01/13/2025

The Kent Dispatch is proud to present this week’s
✨Donor Spotlight: George-Ann Gowan ✨

We are thrilled to highlight George-Ann, one of the incredible supporters of The Kent Dispatch! Thanks to her gift, we’ll be able to continue reporting on more topics and stories that matter to you in 2025.

George-Ann shares that as a long-time Kent resident, and reader of the original weekly print Kent Good Times Dispatch, she is glad to have a revived local news source in today's digital Kent Dispatch. 

She says, "Some of my most treasured memories of my life in Kent beginning in 1970 are preserved in yellowed clippings from the Greene’s GTD." 

Thank you, George-Ann, for sharing how meaningful local journalism is to you, and for supporting our stewardship of independent reporting in our community. 

Want to make a difference like George-Ann? It's never too late to make an impact today! kentgtd.org/donate

01/12/2025

On the cover: next weekend's Burns Supper looks to build on the enthusiasm of last year's. Read more about the festivities planned by Kent CT Chamber of Commerce's CommUNITY group below.
https://kentgtd.org/burns-supper-frolic-returns-to-community-house-january-18/

01/11/2025

In one week, painter Laura Karetzky () and writer Dani Shapiro will discuss the creative process, approaches to storytelling, and the themes that drive their work. Saturday, Jan. 18, at 5:30 p.m. at Spring Hill Vineyards, 292 Beebrook Rd, New Preston, Conn. 's Maggie Levine will moderate the conversation.

Read more: https://kentgtd.org/shapiro-karetzky-to-discuss-art-writing/

01/10/2025

Kent Memorial Library will present a special program on bobcats in Connecticut at its annual meeting Saturday, Jan. 18, at 2 p.m. at Town Hall.

Ginny Apple, a Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) Master Wildlife Conservationist, will share what biologists have learned from the Connecticut Bobcat Project—including a surprising number of bobcats in downtown Hartford.

Read more: https://kentgtd.org/library-plans-program-on-bobcats/

01/10/2025

Local Betty Krasne writes in with a story about what makes Kent such a wonderful town in which to live, which made us wonder: why do you love to live in (or visit) Kent?

Is there a person that stands out to you as particularly quintessentially Kent?

Read Betty's thoughts, then let us know your Kent-essential story. Too punny? Let us know that, too. 🤪

https://kentgtd.org/another-reason-to-love-living-in-kent/

01/10/2025

In case you missed it: Which long-time Kent volunteer was recently honored for her dedication to Meals on Wheels?

Read more about her and the Meals on Wheels service here:
https://kentgtd.org/woodard-honored-for-dedicated-service-to-meals-on-wheels/

01/09/2025

In one week, on Thursday, Jan. 16, the P&Z will hold a hybrid educational forum to help residents understand more about cannabis-related industries and in what ways the Town of Kent can regulate them (via zoning or town ordinance).

Read more and find out how to submit questions here:
https://kentgtd.org/forum-planned-to-explore-cannabis-regulation-issues/

01/08/2025

The much-discussed implementation traffic safety cameras went down to a resounding defeat Tuesday, Jan. 7, when townspeople voted 391 to 104 against their use.

“The people decided, so off we go,” First Selectman Marty LIndenmayer said. His Plan B calls for “education, education, education.”

Read more about Plan B and next steps at: https://kentgtd.org/traffic-cameras-proposal-defeated-391-104/

01/08/2025

Kent Historical Society curator Marge Smith writes in with details about land divisions in early Kent on top of Skiff Mountain. Ever wonder why there is a Fuller Mountain Road? Read on: https://kentgtd.org/historian-offers-a-correction-about-land-division/

01/08/2025

Has football fumbled? Read Editor Kathryn Boughton's musings on the state of American football, in this month's humorous "Out on a Limb" column.

Enjoy some light reading to start off your morning:
https://kentgtd.org/has-football-fumbled/

01/07/2025

Polls are open until 8pm today, Tuesday, Jan. 7.

Have you made a plan to vote on Tuesday, Jan. 7? Cast your ballot at Kent Town Hall, 41 Kent Green Blvd., between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Read more about the ordinance here:

https://kentgtd.org/tuesday-referendum-vote-will-decide-speed-camera-issue/

01/06/2025

🎉✨ Kicking off 2025 with AMAZING news! ✨🎉

Thanks to your incredible support, we raised $48,500 through our campaign by maximizing the triple-matching funds available to us. 💪📰 And a warm welcome to our 43 new donors who joined us for the first time! 👏💖

Your generosity empowers us to keep delivering the trustworthy, independent journalism on which Kent relies. The Kent Dispatch is YOUR news source. 🏡📢

🔗 Check out our 2024 Year in Review to see what you helped us do: kentgtd.org/year-in-review-2024/

Together, we can continue to keep Kent informed and thriving in 2025 and beyond. Thank you for caring! 🙌💛

01/06/2025

Ah, the first Monday of the year... it is hard to get back into the swing of things, but reflecting on what we accomplished in 2024 inspires us to keep going! Have you checked out the top stories from 2024?

Let us know in the comments what your inspiration is for 2025!

https://kentgtd.org/year-in-review-2024

01/05/2025

Have you made a plan to vote on Tuesday, Jan. 7? Cast your ballot at Kent Town Hall, 41 Kent Green Blvd., between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Read more about the ordinance here:

https://kentgtd.org/tuesday-referendum-vote-will-decide-speed-camera-issue/

01/04/2025

Halfway through the 2-year term as Town of Kent,CT's First Selectman, Marty Lindenmayer sat down with Dispatch editor Kathryn Boughton to reflect on accomplishments, challenges, and next steps.

Read today's cover story: https://kentgtd.org/lindenmayer-reflects-on-first-year-in-office-the-road-ahead/

01/03/2025

Next week, the Kent Memorial Library is hosting two seminars with CPA Katrina Luca regarding taxes and retirement. Check out the details and see other local press releases at: https://kentgtd.org/category/local/

01/02/2025

The hot-button issue of whether the town will install automatic traffic speed enforcement cameras on the approaches to the community will be taken to referendum on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

Read more:
https://kentgtd.org/january-referendum-slated-for-about-speed-enforcement-cameras/

Voting will take place at Kent Town Hall, 41 Kent Green Blvd., from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Those wishing to obtain absentee ballots for the referendum need to apply by downloading an application from the Town of Kent website. The forms should be presented to the Town Clerk in person, via email to [email protected], or be mailed to Town Clerk, P.O. Box 843, Kent, CT. 06757

Any questions regarding absentee voting should be directed to the Town Clerk's Office at 860-927-3433 or [email protected].

01/02/2025

Looking for something to do post-holidays? Kenise Barnes Fine Art, at 7 Fulling Lane (in the Shops at Kent Barns), will continue its current exhibition of paintings by Amanda Acker, Sally Maca, and Melanie Parke, “Inside for the Winter,” through Jan. 26.

This weekend's hours are different: Thursday and Friday 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m to 3 p.m., and closed Sunday.

Read more about the exhibit here: https://kentgtd.org/kenise-fine-arts-exhibit-features-inside-for-the-winter-artwork