AMENIA — “Let’s get normal!” proclaimed the marquee sign placed at the entrance to the Four Brothers Drive-In Theater. After submitting a waiver to be declared an essential business and open their drive-in theater for the 2020 season following the state’s closure of non-essential businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, the Stefanopoulos family was thrilled to reopen on Friday, May 15.
Located at 4957 Route 22 in Amenia, the drive-in theater adjacent to Four Brothers Pizza Inn was initially deemed a non-essential business under the New York state guidelines during the pandemic. In response, John Stefanopoulos, one of its owners, submitted a waiver to Empire State Development on Monday, March 23, to request the drive-in be deemed essential.
Envisioning a contact-less theater capable of offering entertainment to the community while taking the necessary precautions for preventing the spread of COVID-19, Stefanopoulos explained that the entire theater system could be fully automated and precautions could be implemented to make sure everyone keeps their distance while enjoying the theater.
By Monday, May 10, the Stefanopoulos family received a reply from the state; they were overjoyed to learn their waiver had been approved. Drive-ins throughout the state are now operating, and gaining in popularity.
Stefanopoulos said, “I think we’re just very lucky to be in a position where we can help to bring people together safely and responsibly. I think this is a great place to bring sanity back and I think it’s great we can do that.
“We’ve been running around the clock getting everything together and we’re very excited to have the public back.”
To ensure everyone stays healthy during their visit to the theater, Stefanopoulos said the drive-in has enacted a few simple rules and regulations. Whether they’re exiting their vehicles or waiting to purchase food or use the restroom, patrons must keep a distance of 6 feet and wear a mask at all times. During the movie, patrons must remain inside their vehicle at all times. No social gatherings are permitted, and no lawn chairs are allowed at this time, though that may change at a later date. Tailgating with the vehicle hatch open is only permitted when patrons are wearing masks, and sitting outside of the vehicle is only permitted when patrons are sitting on the bed of their pick-up trucks and wearing masks, though this rule is also subject to change depending on conditions.
Along with strictly enforcing these rules and limiting vehicle capacity to 50%, the drive-in will be offering car hop service during movies and will also notify patrons to come and pick up their orders when they’re ready. Restrooms will be sanitized routinely and all staff will be required to wear masks and gloves.
All tickets must be purchased online at www.playeatdrink.com. Patrons should then present their tickets to box office personnel. According to its website, the theater can’t guarantee entrance to patrons without pre-purchased tickets or a spot for non-reserved guests given the limited capacity. Patrons can purchase their food either online via www.playeatdrink.com, using the theater’s new outdoor kiosk at the phone booth, ordering at the Snack Shack or by calling their order in to 845-373-8178.
Stefanopolous said they’ve been training staff on the new rules and “getting prepared internally.” When asked whether these new regulations have impacted the number of people employed at the drive-in theater, he explained that even though the theater will be contact-less, it will still have employees working to keep everything sanitized and to help direct parking.
The gates to the drive-in theater officially opened at 5:15 p.m. on Friday evening and the first movie began at 8:10 p.m. Though there were reports of incoming thunderstorms for that evening, the drive-in pressed on with its plans, with movie-goers savoring the taste of early summer weather as a promising sign of good things to come. With “Trolls World Tour” and “Birds of Prey” selected as the theater’s first two films of the season, the drive-in attracted plenty of families for its grand reopening.
All while adhering to its new rules for keeping staff and customers safe, drive-in employees whipped up hot popcorn, cold milkshakes and many other drive-in delights that evening within the Snack Shack and offered service with a smile.
In addition to the families that flocked to the drive-in for a long-anticipated night out on the town, Four Brothers’ reopening caught the attention of NBC News and News Channel 12. Along with visiting the drive-in on Wednesday, May 13, Harry Smith, a long-time journalist from NBC News, and his producer, Caroline Gottlieb, visited the drive-in on Friday evening to interview members of the Stefanopoulos family before the first movie.
“Harry Smith and I were happy to highlight this positive story of a business carefully and creatively opening up and giving folks a fun night out,” Gottlieb said on a later date. “The guests and families there seemed to really enjoy the taste of normalcy — even if they had to don masks while enjoying the movie.”
For more information on the drive-in, go to www.playeatdrink.com.
MILLERTON – The Village of Millerton Board of Trustees will convene on Monday, Jan. 12, for its monthly workshop meeting, with updates expected on the village’s wastewater project, Veterans Park improvements and the formal recognition of a new tree committee.
The board is scheduled to receive an update from Erin Moore – an engineer at Tighe and Bond, an engineering and consulting firm – on the status of the village’s wastewater project. The presentation will focus on funding secured to date, as well as additional grant opportunities that may be pursued to support the long-term infrastructure effort.
Trustees will also discuss a proposed local law to formally establish a village tree committee, a group that has been in development for several months. The committee aims to improve the overall health and sustainability of Millerton’s trees, and plans to seek funding to support its work. An initial tree audit would be the first step in assessing the condition of existing trees, but the group must be officially recognized by the village to do so. The law will be discussed during Monday’s meeting and a public hearing will likely be set for a later date.
In addition, the board will review the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process related to planned renovations at Veterans Park. Required by the state, this process will examine any potential environmental, social or economic impacts on the renovations that will be made to the park. In the works for more than a year, the renovations will include both landscaping and hardscaping improvements intended to enhance the space as a central gathering space in downtown Millerton. The work is funded through a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) awarded in 2024. Village officials previously secured an extension on the grant, and construction is now expected to be completed by Memorial Day.
The meeting, which is open to the public, will take place at Village Hall at 5933 N Elm Ave. at 6 p.m.
Aimée Davis in her Millerton massage studio at 65 Main St. Davis offers massage therapy, relationship coaching and reiki in her studio and through home visits.
MILLERTON — While many view the new year as a starting line for resolutions and new habits, Millerton-based massage therapist and relationship coach Aimée Davis suggests a different course — a marathon, not a sprint. She believes a slower, more embodied approach can lead to greater fulfillment than ticking boxes off a list.
“I’m more of a daily-moment person,” Davis said, explaining that she focuses on small, consistent practices rather than big, rushed goals. Practicing conscious living year-round allows her to forego new year’s resolutions. “I made one yesterday and I’ll make one tomorrow — I’m constantly tracking what’s coming up, what’s drifting and what I want to change.”
As an intuitive healer, Davis has developed a deep appreciation for the human body over the years — and makes it her mission to help others do the same. “The body is so powerful — it’s just brilliant,” Davis said from her cozy, wood-paneled massage room in downtown Millerton.
Located at 65 Main St., the unassuming pink building is also home to naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist Brian Crouse. Davis laughs about their serendipitous meeting — which happened while she was eating a tomato sandwich — a chance encounter that eventually led to their shared workspace. Today, Davis is 12 years into her own practice, shaped by decades of training and experience in both bodywork and relationship counseling.
Although her work exists at the intersection of health and wellness, Davis is reluctant to embrace either label. “I’m in the business of people,” she said after a moment of reflection, adding that she believes there is a light inside of everyone.
Davis said she first discovered this light at age 18 when she worked at Berkshire Meadows, a facility for students with complex medical and developmental disabilities. She felt a pull to work alongside students with the greatest needs — many of whom were in wheelchairs and nonverbal. During this four-year period, Davis was responsible for feeding, bathing and bringing a sense of joy to these students. “We would play music and we became close like family,” Davis reflects on a period of her life when she stepped into the role of nurturer and caregiver. It was around this time that Davis also became a young mother.
The work and her role as a mother ignited a lifelong passion for learning about and supporting people. Davis said that, as a Capricorn, she tends to go all in when it comes to studying or understanding something. From training in chakras and reiki to studies in neurology, anatomy, and physiology, Davis has embraced lifelong learning and continues to see value in gaining knowledge from both peers and her community.
One mantra Davis lives by is “if it’s not a heck yes, it’s a heck no,” a mentality rooted in trusting intuition, being present, and coming back to your body. Each career stop has been a stepping stone to her current practice, which itself continues to evolve with the addition of relationship coaching and intuitive healing to supplement massage therapy.
Trusting intuition is core to her job, and was core to her following her own path. While it can feel scary to take a leap and start something new, Davis said she knew she was ready to put her “sunglasses on and jump into the bright abyss.” For anyone thinking about taking their own leap, Davis said, “the rhythm begins if you’re in alignment and doing what you’re meant to be doing.”
Today, she works with clients in a variety of ways — and no two sessions are the same. Davis said she has moved away from lengthy intake forms in favor of simply sitting with someone and meeting them where they are. “What I care about is how you are today,” she said, noting that what emerges in one session may look entirely different in the next.
While Davis is trained in anatomy, physiology and neurology — and works regularly with muscle tension, injury recovery and post-surgical care — she is also attuned to the emotional and energetic patterns that can surface in the body. She describes her approach as intuitive and often guided by things that are difficult to articulate. Information can come to Davis through sensation, temperature or imagery that arises as she works.
One early experience in her practice remains formative. Davis recalled working with a client whose blood tests suggested something was wrong, though no diagnosis had yet been made. While working near the client’s liver, Davis said she experienced a powerful and unsettling visual that gave her pause. Unsure how to proceed, she sought guidance from trusted mentors before eventually encouraging the client to pursue further care.
A later diagnosis confirmed liver cancer. More than a decade later, Davis continues to work with that same client and has at times served as a patient advocate, accompanying her to medical appointments.
While Davis is adamant that she does not replace medical care, she trusts what shows up. “I’ve learned not to ignore it,” she said.
As the new year unfolds, Davis hopes people will resist the urge to overhaul themselves overnight and instead consider what it might mean to slow down and build support. She encourages people to think in terms of a “care team,” recognizing that wellness does not have to take a single form.
“I just want people to give their wellness a better chance,” she said. For Davis, the work is less about resolutions and more about relationships — to the body, to one another, and to the rhythms that already exist beneath the noise.
“We still have choices,” she said. “And when we take care of ourselves, we’re better able to take care of each other.”
Demolition crews from BELFOR Property Restoration began demolishing the fire-ravaged Water and Highway Department building in the Village of Millerton on Oct. 27, 2025.
MILLERTON — With another winter underway and new snow-removal equipment now in place, the village is reminded of the February morning when a fire destroyed Millerton’s highway and water department building on Route 22, wiping out everything inside and setting off a year of recovery and rebuilding. The blaze broke out in the early hours of Feb. 3, as snow covered the ground.
Demolition and planning
Nearly a year later, reconstruction efforts are ongoing. Demolition for the fire-damaged building began on Oct. 27, more than eight months after the fire broke out. The removal, which was completed by BELFOR Properties, marked a significant milestone in efforts to rebuild.
“It has been a work in progress that individuals have poured a lot of their time and effort into,” said Caroline Farr-Killmer, who was appointed as the fire project manager. She acknowledged that while it may have seemed like progress was slow, the process required thoughtful and thorough management. She added, “It’s not something that can be accomplished overnight — I am grateful for the team effort put in by all those involved.”
In the weeks after the fire, Farr-Killmer visited the charred site nearly every day, documenting damage to the structure and photographing debris to help the village rebuild its lost inventory.
Two new buildings on the horizon
The village plans to construct two separate buildings on the Route 22 site — one for the highway department and one for water operations.
The separation is now required by the Dutchess County Department of Health because a municipal water well sits on the property. Officials emphasized that Millerton’s water supply has remained safe. Weekly testing by VRI Environmental Services continues, with results submitted to the Department of Health.
BELFOR Properties is expected to handle the rebuild, though an official construction timeline has not been announced by the village.
A year of recovery
With a full lineup of new snow removal equipment, longtime Highway Department member Jim Milton said the crew is ready for the season. He credits Police Chief Joe Olenik with replacing inventory that was lost to the fire.
Olenik became highway superintendent on Sept. 26, following the resignation of former superintendent Peter Dellaghelfa. Although this winter will be his first leading the department, he brings extensive knowledge of village operations and already has a close working relationship with the crew. In the months immediately following the blaze, the village relied on borrowed equipment from the county and towns such as Ancram and Amenia.
The fire also destroyed Millerton’s police vehicles. Replacement Ford Interceptors — designed by Olenik and the Cruiser’s Division in Mamaroneck — arrived in early September. From February through September, Millerton officers used a loaned patrol car from Pine Plains.
To help the village manage the loss of space, the Town of North East signed an intermunicipal agreement allowing the Millerton Police Department vehicles to be parked at the town’s highway garage until the rebuilding is complete.
Record-setting year for firefighters
The fire marked the start of what became one of the busiest years on record for the North East Fire Company. In 2025, the all-volunteer department responded to more than 425 calls — the highest total in at least eight years.
Looking ahead, the Board of Fire Commissioners approved a $787,813 budget for 2026, representing a 2% increase, consistent with typical year-over-year growth.
The fire company enters 2026 with a mix of veteran and new leadership and a command staff that blends career firefighting, EMS expertise, and military experience. With an emphasis on rigorous training and a tight-knit culture, leaders say the department is positioned for a demanding year ahead.
SHARON — Austin Howard Barney — known simply as “Barney” to many, of Sharon, age 87, died on Dec. 23, after his heroic battle with the black breath, hanahaki disease, cooties, simian flu and feline leukemia finally came to an end.
Austin was born on July 26, 1938, son of Sylvester and Iva Barney.
He leaves behind an overwhelming amount of junk—sorry, treasures. If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a console TV roughly the size of a Buick, a soot-encrusted coffee pot that hasn’t been properly cleaned since the Reagan administration or creatively bent hangers that he had hanging in his living room windows to dry clothes on, give us a call. Please wait for the appropriate, respectful amount of time. Tomorrow should be fine.
Austin was frugal to the extreme; some may have called him “cheap,” but he preferred to think of himself as a pioneer in recycling—decades before it was cool. His kitchen was home to a vast collection of cool whip and country crock containers. The biggest challenge was finding actual cool whip or butter in his refrigerator with all the containers of leftovers that looked the same. “Open at your own risk” was our motto.
He leaves behind a wonderfully dysfunctional family—a group he tolerated, loved and occasionally avoided.
Austin was world-renowned for his lack of patience, grossly excessive extreme sarcasm, not holding back his opinion and knack for telling you exactly how wrong you were. One of his favorite quotes was, “I was only wrong once in my life. I thought I made a mistake.”
He always preferred his own cooking to anyone else’s—and to be fair, it was actually pretty good.
Austin served proudly with the 6th Marines in the United States Marine Corps from Feb. 10, 1958, through Feb. 9, 1962. Semper Fi!
He was also a volunteer fireman for several years, until he realized that sprinting in the opposite direction from fire was more aligned with his personal survival goals.
A natural mountain man, he ate things from the swamp that most people avoid and cooked on a wood stove for many years. He was an avid bird watcher and found joy in feeding all the animals that frequented his property.
He was predeceased by his brothers, Sylvester Barney, Louis Barney and his sister Shirley MacDougall.
He is survived by his daughters Darlene Hardzog, Margaret Gdovin (Mike); his son, Austin Barney Jr. (Kate); his grandchildren, Savannah Hardzog, Jordan Gdovin, Violet Barney, Amethyst Barney and Austin Barney III; and his sister Anita Baird along with various other relatives. You know who you are. He will be greatly missed.
There will be no viewing, as his children refused to comply with his request to be taxidermied and propped in the corner with a beer or a glass of scotch in his hand so guests could admire him in his natural state.
Services are pending and details will be shared at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Red Cross in his memory.
Austin Barney has approved this message. Approval notwithstanding, it would have read the same.
