Pine Plains's Bombers showed dominance in the paint, crashing the boards and winning most of the rebounds at the varsity match Friday, Jan. 3, at Stissing Mountain High School.
PINE PLAINS — Pine Plains hosted Taconic Hills High School for a winter break girls’ varsity basketball game at Stissing Mountain High School Friday, Jan. 3.
The Pine Plains Bombers beat the visiting challengers 69-33.
The Bombers took an early lead in the first quarter. Michelle Blackburn scored nine points in the quarter, leading scoring across both teams and setting up her team for an 18-11 lead after the eighth minute.
Neveah Rennie took the reins for the rest of the game, showing up steadily in every quarter to push the Bombers’ lead further and further and leading her team in points by the end of the night.
Taconic Hills played a steady ball game, but they were outpaced by the Bombers’ scoring early and often. All but the final quarter ended with a scoring deficit greater than seven points.
Mad Rose Gallery on Route 44 in the Village of Millerton is decked out with lights and decorations to celebrate the holiday season.
MILLERTON — The Village of Millerton is inviting residents and businesses to enter its annual house decorating contest, with judging now underway through Dec. 28.
Awards will be presented in several categories, including Best Lights, Most Creative, Best Overall and Best Commercial Front.
Entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges using established criteria. Creativity will be judged based on originality, variety of materials used and the use of homemade vs. commercially made decorations. Appearance will consider color coordination, balance and overall attractiveness, while effort will reflect the time and energy put into preparation and presentation.
Judging will be conducted by drive-by observation between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., and displays must be clearly visible from the street side of the house at night. People and pets may not be included as part of the design.
Winners in each category will receive a gift basket, gift certificates and recognition in The Millerton News. Awards will be distributed on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.
The contest is open to residents and businesses in the Village of Millerton and the Town of North East. Entry forms can be obtained from Village Hall or at villageofmillerton-ny.gov.
The Upstate Celtic Allstars perform celtic versions of holiday tunes at Amenia Town Hall on Dec. 15, 2024.
AMENIA — Fast becoming a local holiday tradition, the Amenia Town Recreation Department is presenting a free concert by the Upstate Celtic Allstars on Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Amenia Town Hall Auditorium, beginning at 2 p.m.
The five-member Celtic Allstars ensemble will rouse the audience to holiday cheer with a varied program of holiday tunes and rhythmic dance numbers. Appearing in the ensemble are Vermont’s Claudine Langille, vocals and banjo; Dave Paton, hammer dulcimer and concertina, Isa Simon, fiddle and vocals; Joseph Sobol, contemporary cittern (related to guitar); and Ambrose Verdibello, fiddle and guitar.
Refreshments will be served during intermission. Bring the whole family to revel in the lively festivities.
AMENIA — Thomas Ford was elected to the Amenia Fire District no. 1 Board of Fire Commissioners at the district’s annual election on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Ford received 11 votes and will serve a five-year term on the five-member board.
The Board of Fire Commissioners serves as the governing body of the fire district, overseeing finances, personnel and operating policies. Each fire district is governed by an elected board of commissioners.
The Amenia Fire Company is a nonprofit organization of volunteer firefighters that provides fire protection and rescue services. The company owns and operates the Mechanic Street firehouse and the district’s ambulance.
The yard in front of the Thorne Building on Franklin Avenue in Millbrook hosts a large menorah. The Millbrook Chanukah Committee has scheduled a lighting ceremony for Sunday, Dec. 21, at 4 p.m. on the Thorne Building lawn.
As municipalities across the region grapple with how to balance faith, inclusion and the use of public space during the holiday season, communities are arriving at different conclusions about interfaith observances and religious symbols on municipal property.
Several towns continue to host public menorah lightings as community events. In Stanford, Millbrook and Amenia, the celebrations are framed as inclusive gatherings rather than formal religious endorsements.
In Stanford, residents are invited to a public menorah lighting on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall. The event, hosted by Chabad of Dutchess County, will include donuts and hot latkes.
Millbrook will hold its menorah lighting Sunday, Dec. 21, at 4 p.m. at the Thorne Building on Franklin Avenue. The celebration will continue afterward at Babette’s Kitchen on Franklin Avenue with hot latkes, warm apple cider, coffee, baked goods and festive singing.
In Amenia, resident Ken Topolsky installed a menorah at Town Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 16, and the town will host a lighting ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 21.
In contrast, officials in the Village of Millerton have expressed reluctance to allow a menorah in Veterans Park, citing concerns about introducing new faith-based displays on public property. Village leaders say the policy reflects a long-standing effort to keep seasonal decorations secular.
The response comes as the village continues long-standing seasonal traditions centered on secular displays. Each year, white holiday lights are strung throughout the village by the volunteer group Townscape, and the annual Festival of Lights parade features Santa Claus and other Christmas-themed imagery.
In a written statement to The News, Millerton Mayor Jenn Najdek said the village’s policy is rooted in maintaining neutrality toward religion.
“By avoiding standalone faith-based symbols like nativity scenes or menorahs, the village maintains government neutrality toward religion, preventing any perception of endorsing one faith over others or religion over non-religion,” Najdek wrote.
Debate over religious displays has become more pointed in the Village of Rhinebeck, where rumors have circulated that this may be the final year a large menorah will be permitted in Doughboy Park.
Those concerns came to light after Rabbi Hanoch Hecht of the Rhinebeck Jewish Community Center sent an email to residents urging them to contact village officials and express support for keeping the menorah in the park. Some residents believe a change in policy — potentially taking effect in 2026 — could result in the removal of all religious symbols from municipal property, including a Christmas tree.
Hecht emphasized the broader symbolism of Hanukkah amid rising concerns about global antisemitism.
“We live in a very dark world, especially after incidents like what recently took place in Sydney,” Hecht said, referring to the fatal terror attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia on Sunday, Dec. 14, that left 15 people dead.
He said that while the attacks feel geographically distant, it has contributed to a broader sense of unease among Jewish communities worldwide.
Rhinebeck Mayor Gary Bassett said reports of a definitive decision are premature and stressed that no final determination has been made.
“Rabbi Hecht and I are very much engaged, working in collaboration for events both this year and for the future,” Bassett said. “That’s how this conversation started, by getting together and talking.”
Bassett declined to comment on reports from web-based news source The Daily Catch that the New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) advised his office to remove faith-based symbols from municipal property. The News independently confirmed those guidelines.
In a written statement, NYCOM’s executive director Barbara Van Epps wrote, “NYCOM generally advises against local governments erecting religious displays on municipal property. Although there are limited circumstances in which such displays may be permissible without violating the First Amendment, it can be difficult to navigate both legally and politically.” Van Epps added that the best course of action is to make the display entirely secular.
