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Paley’s Farm Market opens season, signaling start of spring
Aly Morrissey
Apr 01, 2026
Paley’s Farm Market on Amenia Road in Sharon opened for the 44th season on Saturday, March 28. Opening day drew a steady crowd.
Aly Morrissey
SHARON – For many local residents, spring doesn’t truly begin until Paley’s Farm Market opens its doors, and customers turned out in force for its 44th season opening on Saturday, March 28.
Located on Amenia Road in Sharon, Paley’s is a seasonal destination for residents of New York and Connecticut and, over the past four decades, has evolved from a locally grown produce center into a full-scale garden center, farm market and fine food market.
Despite a chilly start to the day, the opening drew a steady crowd, with a full parking lot and early signs of the busy season ahead.
“It’s been going really well,” said owner Sarah Coon, who purchased the business from her brother in 2019. “It’s chilly, but we’ve had a nice turnout. The sun’s out, and that always helps.”
Mimi Harson of Sharon and Anette Cantilli of Millbrook shared an outing together to purchase flowers and plants for their deck pots.
“It’s exciting, we love Paley’s,” Cantilli said of the opening day as she filled her car trunk with pansies.
Behind the scenes, opening day is the culmination of months of preparation – much of it beginning long before winter has fully loosened its grip.
“We open our first greenhouse in early February, and that’s when the fun begins,” Coon said. “We start planting pansies then, and once you open that greenhouse, you’re committed. It’s like having a bunch of babies out there – you have to make sure nothing goes wrong.
This year’s opening comes after a particularly snowy winter that, just weeks ago, left the property covered in large mounds of snow.
“I looked around and thought, ‘I don’t know if we’re going to be able to open on time,’” Coon said. “There was snow everywhere. It was hard to even imagine. But here we are.”
Early spring offerings include rows of colorful pansies grown from seed, along with cold-tolerant vegetable starts, herbs and Easter-ready planters designed for patios and entryways. Bulbs such as daffodils and tulips are also available, along with seeds, soil and gardening supplies.
“It’s not too early,” she said of the growing season. “You can start seeds indoors now, even just on a windowsill. And if it doesn’t work, you can always come back and getplants.”
While the market’s popular prepared foods and grocery offerings will arrive later in the season, the early weeks focus on planting and preparation. Dry goods are expected in the coming weeks, followed by a gradual buildout of the full market.
New this year, Paley’s has partnered with Homegrown National Park, a national initiative promoting the use of native plants. The collaboration will help customers more easily identify native species to incorporate into their gardens.
“We think it’s going to be good for our staff and our customers,” she said. “It makes it easier for people to mix native plants into what they’re already doing.
Paley’s typically operates through mid-October, employing up to a dozen staff members at the height of the season, along with part-time and retired workers who assist with planting and maintenance.
For many, the opening marks more than just the start of a business cycle – it’s a seasonal ritual.
“We all need a little color right now,” Coon said. “And a little warmth. It’s coming.”
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Statewide burn ban in effect until May 14
Millerton News
Apr 01, 2026
New York’s annual statewide burn ban went into effect on Monday, March 16.
Lighting brush fires is prohibited statewide until May 14.
The ban prohibits uncontained fires of any kind, including burning brush, trash or leaves. Bonfires are also prohibited.
Contained fires, such as a fire no larger than 3 feet high and 4 feet wide in a fire pit or a small campfire are permitted. Contained cooking fires are also permitted.
The Department of Environmental Conservation said in a statement that rising temperatures can cause wildfire conditions despite dampness from snow melt and even a thin blanket of snow remaining on the ground in some places across the state. The statement said wildfires spread more easily during the spring because of warming temperatures, increased winds and a lack of green vegetation in forests.
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Riley Alexander Simmons
Nathan Miller
Apr 01, 2026
FALLS VILLAGE — It is with extreme sadness that we announce that our dear son Riley Alexander Simmons, 27, passed away unexpectedly at his home in Pittsfield, Massachusetts on March 18, 2026.
Riley was born in Sharon, on Memorial Day May 25, 1998, and grew up in Falls Village – a place he would always consider home. A curious and precocious child, he was reading and writing at age three and developed a lifelong love of books and learning. Some things he especially enjoyed as a boy were working outdoors with his dad and grandpa, cooking and gardening with his mom and grandma, playing with his younger brother, Legos, Star Wars, Transformers, Pokémon, Magic Cards, and Harry Potter. Riley later developed a passion for video games, where he could immerse himself in fantasy worlds; computers, which he often built himself, and chemistry. He treasured time spent with his grandparents and created many cherished memories at their homes.
Riley endured lifelong struggles:first with Asperger’s Syndrome, and later with mental illness and a sleep disorder. His accomplishments and perseverance in the face of these challenges were nothing short of heroic; aided by the loving support of his family, teachers, and our local community. He attended Lee H. Kellogg elementary school and graduated from Housatonic Valley Regional High School, both in Falls Village. He participated in Cub Scouts, Little League, geography bees, science fairs, Lego club, robotics team, debate team, chess club, and German club. He earned many academic awards and honors over the years, including a near-perfect SAT score. Riley pursued his love of science and research, and in May of 2020 he graduated from Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York with Presidential Honors and a bachelor’s degree in Biomolecular Science, with a minor in Biology. While at Clarkson, Riley was a proud member of the Iota Kappa chapter of the fraternity Delta Tau Tau. He held summer jobs at the Interlaken Inn and the Triplex Cinema. His first and final job after college was as a Quality Control Method Transfer Chemist at Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing in Lee, Massachusetts.
Riley formed close friendships that were very important to him in each phase of his life, which he maintained through the years. He was known for his sense of humor, sharp wit, genuineness, kindness, and compulsion to help others and to right the injustices of the world. In his Pittsfield neighborhood he often helped elderly pedestrians and gave food and money to those in need, despite having very little to give. His uniqueness and authenticity are remembered fondly by those close to him.
As an adult Riley consumed online educational materials in his pursuit of knowledge. He possessed a truly brilliant mind and enjoyed sharing the facts he had learned. Many people affectionately referred to him as “The Walking Encyclopedia”.Riley loved to cook and experiment in the kitchen. He played the guitar and loved listening to and discovering new music, in which his taste was very eclectic. Riley had a large online presence in gaming, Discord, and Reddit; and he was beloved in these communities.
In the words of his brother Sam: “He was the smartest person I knew, and he was always trying to make you laugh. He was a very honest and simple person with a strong set of beliefs. He didn’t change himself for anyone.Didn’t matter if he was going on a date or spending time with family – he was the same Riley.There’s no one else like him in my life.The one-and-only, quirky Riley”.
Riley is survived by his mother Marilyn Zovickian Magill and stepfather David of Selkirk, New York, his father George Edward Simmons, Jr. and stepmother Marisa of Salisbury, Connecticut; his grandparents Margo and Charles Lewis of Falls Village, Connecticut, Dr. William H. Zovickian of Dacula, Georgia, and Beverly and James Snyder of Ashley Falls, Massachusetts; his brother Samuel Simmons, step-brother Cole Rosseter, and step-sister Madelyn Magill; his aunts and uncles Sara Zovickian (Roger), Nathanael Lewis (Chelsea), William A. Zovickian (Angela), Valerie Sugerak (Shane), Bonnie Peters (Jay), Cynthia Ullrich (David), Susan Bush, Kevin Bush (Jennifer); several great-aunts and uncles, and dozens of nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Calling hours will be held at Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home, 118 Main Street, Canaan, CT on April 4, 2026 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., with a service immediately following at that location.In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to a mental health or autism spectrum disorder support organization of your choice.
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Millbrook School showcases student talent at Warner Gallery
Aly Morrissey
Apr 01, 2026
Student artwork on display at the Honors Art Show in the Warner Gallery at Millbrook School.
Photo by Aly Morrissey
MILLBROOK — The Warner Gallery at the Millbrook School has opened its spring exhibition, the Honors Art Show, transforming a space that often features professional artists into a showcase of student work from around the world.
The annual exhibition highlights work by seniors enrolled in Millbrook School’s honors visual arts programs, offering a culmination of years of study across photography, ceramics, painting and drawing.
Senior Estee O’Brien, a boarding student from Bedford, NY, has studied photography at Millbrook for several years. She reflected on her artistic evolution in her final year.
“I don’t usually shoot black and white — I love color — but for this project I wanted to focus more on details, fabrics, and faces,” O’Brien said, adding that the loss of color initially made her feel disconnected from her work. To bring a bit of “shine” back to her portraits, she bedazzled certain parts of each black and white image with silver gems.
O’Brien – who earned several regional Scholastic Art Awards – said the exhibition feels like a culmination of everything she and her peers have been working toward.
“There are a lot of shared themes featured in this exhibition, especially around graduating – there’s excitement, but also fear and nostalgia,” said Sarah MacWright, who teaches honors photography and has students featured in the show.
Among them is Eason Wang, a senior boarding student from Beijing, China, whose work leans symbolic and experimental, often reflecting anticipation for life beyond Millbrook. One image depicts a diploma surrounded by snow.
“I am still here, in my final year, moving through a winter that feels longer than the other three seasons,” Wang wrote in his artist statement. “My mind has already moved forward even though my body is still stuck in my high school dorm room.”
In another medium, senior Islay MacGown of Sag Harbor, New York, presents a series of large-format oil and acrylic paintings created in her honors drawing and painting class.
“I think this year was my year,” MacGown said. “I feel like I really grew.”
Her work ranges from warm-toned portraits featuring female figures to cooler, more contemplative scenes, including one of two girls standing on rocks overlooking the ocean.
“Usually my paintings take a couple months, but this one took about a week – I didn’t expect that,” she added.
Senior Nga Ho, a boarding student from Vietnam, drew on memory and distance in her work.
“I was feeling a little homesick,” Ho said. “I kept going back to this idea of home in Vietnam, and building the piece from that.”
She described the painting as dreamlike – “when you think about a place and time, but you can’t fully see it.”
Kiernan Pazdar, who directs the gallery and teaches honors drawing and painting, said the program is designed to help students develop an independent studio practice.
“They learn how to sustain their work, find their voice and grow technically,” Pazdar said. Each student has their own studio space, which allows them to work independently and commit to their process.
Pazdar and MacWright said the exhibition often surprises visitors with the depth and sophistication of student work.
“Having students from all over the world brings a range of perspectives that really shapes the work and conversations,” Pazdar said.
The Warner Gallery is located at the Millbrook School at 131 Millbrook School Road and is open Monday through Friday during regular school hours. Appointments can be arranged through Millbrook School’s admission office.
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Washington D.C. under siege again
Nathan Miller
Apr 01, 2026
August 24, 1814, Red Coats invaded Washington D.C., ravaging and burning the Capitol in retaliation for Americans looting and burning York (today’s Toronto) – The War of 1812. At the White House, dinner for 40 had been prepared for a social gathering – the Redcoats sat, ate the meal, drank the wine, burned down the White House. Dolley Madison had famously departed just prior to the Red Coats’ arrival taking with her documents, some furnishings and the 8-foot, unfurled Gilbert Stuart portrait of Washington, a replica, to assure its not being fouled or brandished by the British.At the conclusion of the war, Congress debated moving the Capitol to Cincinnati but Washington DC and its buildings were renovated, the White House reopened in 1817, with Washington’s Portrait proudly displayed.Washington DC – the people’s city once again flourished.
211 years later, after the Red Coats, came Trump.In October 2025 the East Wing of the White House was demolished without advance public notice or approval of the National Capital Planning Commission or Congress.With private funding and speed the East Wing was torn down in weeks to make room for an elaborate, unreviewed, unapproved, out-of-portion 90,000 square foot State Ballroom. The speed of the demolition, privately funded by billionaires seeking favor, precluded court intervention - moot to sue the gaping hole where once stood the East Wing.57% of the public disapproved of the demolition at their White House.
Two weeks after President Kennedy’s assassination, Congress passed into law legislation renaming the in-development National Cultural Center – spearheaded by Eisenhower in his administration - to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as a “living memorial” to Kennedy tragically assassinated in Dallas. Then in February 2025, shortly after his inauguration, Trump replaced the Kennedy Center’s Board with Trump allies naming himself Board chairman. In December, 2025, the Center’s newly elected Board voted to rename the “living memorial” to Kennedy, as legislated by Congress, to the Trump-Kennedy Center. Chaos ensued. February 1, 2026, after months of failures to retain performers, retain audiences, retain donors, the Board, with an unprofitable mess, voted to close the Center for two years while stripping it down to its core metal structure.The “living memorial” to Kennedy, an architectural icon, was now voted by Trump’s Board to be demolished. Several Court cases are pending
Housing the Vice President’s Office among Treasury and Department of Defense offices, what is next on the Trump raze and redo list is the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB).November 2025, on Laura Ingraham’s Fox TV show, Trump announced his intent to power wash, point and paint the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB) opened in 1888 – a huge building of cut and polished Maine granite. Immediate court cases have been filed claiming any change to the EEOB’s exterior is subject to analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act and must comply with the National Historical Preservation Act.Trump wants EEOB painted white….painting and power washing is assessed as detrimental to the granite building.
Additionally, Trump has proposed a 250-fifty-tall triumphal arch – Independence Arch- to be constructed directly across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial.Officially the arch is said to mark the nation’s 250th celebration, though when asked who the monument would honor Trump replied “Me”.Of course, lawsuits have been filed as no congressional or agency approvals have been obtained.Concerns about the Arch and its location include that it sits along flight paths to Reagan Airport hindering low flying planes – an airport hazard - and that, so situated it, would dwarf the Lincoln Memorial as well as block the historic site line from Arlington Cemetery to the Memorial.Lawsuits are pending.
Although Trump touted a landslide electoral victory in 2024, he did not receive a majority but a plurality of the vote - he tallied the smallest win since 1900.Amid a war, a massive Epstein scandal of which he may be a party, the questions of what his son-in-law, Jared, is doing officially negotiating peace in Ukraine, Gaza and now Iran while he is openly seeking massive investments from the Middle East for his own financial company.
Trump is pulling apart the people’s places, DC once again is under siege. History, historic significance, character are not in Trump’s preview – nor seemingly is the law.
Kathy Herald-Marlowe lives in Sharon.
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