Air rifle mishap; dump fire; $19.2M Webutuck capital project approved

The following excerpts from The Millerton News were compiled by Kathleen Spahn and Rhiannon Leo-Jameson of the North East-Millerton Library.

May 3, 1934

Sentence suspended’; Maud Smith Rundall, 54, district superintendent of schools, was given a suspended sentence Monday in traffic court, Poughkeepsie, when she appeared before Acting Judge McCambridge on a charge of parking overtime in Market Street April 6.

‘Boy shot in face’; Harry Lawrence, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lawrence, was painfully injured when he was struck just below the eye by a shot from an air rifle which he had been cleaning. The wound is responding satisfactorily to treatment being administered by Dr. G. E. Ganons.

‘Five Companies Called To Forest, Grass Fires’; Fire departments from Millerton. Pine Plains, Wassaic and Millbrook were summoned late Tuesday night to battle a forest fire in the town of Amenia, but because of an error in the instructions received from Amenia, the Millerton, Pine Plains and Millbrook companies went in search of a blaze said to be in the vicinity of Jackson Corners. The Amenia and Wassaic departments battled the raging fire until early Wednesday morning before bringing it under control.

May 1, 1975

‘Town Dump Burns; Causes $6000 Loss’; The entire North East Town dump was burned off in a fire that drew out 4 fire companies on Wednesday afternoon, April 23.
Millerton Fire Captain Ray Loper said that the blaze, at Coleman Station which caused about $6000 damage, covered about an acre of land and destroyed 400-500 tires, 2,800-pound propane cylinders, a storage shed, old appliances and lumber. The town’s new cleat-track landfill machine was unharmed. Captain Loper said that the cause of the fire was unknown.

‘Law Day Proclaimed’; North East Supervisor Frank Perotti has proclaimed Thursday. May 1, as Law Day U.S.A. “American’s[sic] Goal — Justice through Law” is the theme of this year’s Law Day, reported the supervisor.
He urged every citizen to “reflect on the role of the rule of law in safeguarding individual rights.”

‘Filmmaker To Show Work At Library’; A unique experience is coming up for movie buffs. Millerton Free Library has been selected to show the films “Allas of Bedford County” and “Helios” by Mark Anderson on Friday, May 9 at 8 p.m.
This event is part of the Independent Filmmakers Festival sponsored by the Mid-Hudson Library System under a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts. Mr. Anderson teaches film and video to children in New York City. tributed in the area.

‘Dance Pupils To Present Showtime 75’; The pupils of Christine’s Dance Studio, Millerton, will present their annual recital “Showtime 75” Saturday evening, May 3, at the Webutuck High School auditorium at 8 p.m.
This year’s theme is a salute to the U.S.A. with its many seasons and holidays.

‘McArthur’s Smokehouse Uses Centuries Old Technique’; McArthur’s Smokehouse in Millerton, as it begins its 100th year of business, is using the same meat curing and smoking techniques as used a century ago.
Jack Crawford, general manager and part-owner of McArthur’s, said this week, “In our 100th year we’re doing everything the same as Ward McArthur did it in 1876, and what he was doing was pretty much the same as the early settlers of New England, 200 years ago.”
The smokehouse product line includes ham, sausage, bacon, turkey, capon, trout, leg of lamb, corned beef, crown roast of pork loin, Canadian bacon, ham morsels and bangers, a British sausage.

May 4, 2000

‘Webutuck Capital Project Passes; Some 1,300 Residents Cast Votes’; WEBUTUCK - Results of the Webutuck Central School District’s “McGraw” capital project vote were announced to a loud cheer last Thursday evening, minutes after the last voters filed from booths.
Voters passed both propositions decisively.
Proposition 1, for building improvements estimated at $19,200,000, passed 905 to 443, while Proposition 2, for $1,450,000 worth of athletic field improvements, passed 838 to 479.
The majority of votes were recorded in person, with only 43 absentee ballots received.
Approval of Proposition 2 was contingent on approval of Proposition 1.
Margins were much higher than those of the June 1999 vote on a similar project, when about 800 voters gave the thumbs down by a mere 20 votes. The October 1998 vote on a $26-million plan went down by two to one, with a turnout of about 1300.

‘Special Fund-Raiser Planned June 4’; MILLERTON - Townscape of Millerton-North East, a committee of the Millerton Chamber of Commerce, has set its goal to strengthen the community economically, socially and environmentally. To grow as a healthy. vibrant and attractive place in the Hudson River Valley, all possible resources must be called upon.
‘Oblong to Host Local Designer and Author’; MILLERTON —Designer and area author Diane Love will be at Oblong Books and Music Saturday, May 6, at 5 p.m., to explain the original principle of home design embodied in her new book “Yes/No Design” (Rizzoli).
As a designer who owned her own shop on Madison Avenue in New York, Ms. Love was frequently approached by customers who did not trust their own sense of style. “Yes/No Design” grew out of that experience. She wanted to help people break free of trend-setters and fashion gurus, to discover and apply their own taste in home decorating.

‘Fire Department To Host Spring Dance’; The Millerton Fire Department’s second annual spring dance will be held Saturday, May 13, from 8 p.m. to midnight at the firehouse on Century Boulevard.