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DLC members sick after contaminated luncheon meal

MILLBROOK — The Dutchess Land Conservancy hosted their Barn Dance at the historic Thorndale Estate Sheep barn on Saturday, June 15.

Following the event, a mysterious illness struck down many attendees, causing severe GI issues. Infected guests experienced symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, and severe fatigue — with some lucky attendees not getting sick at all.

The cause of the unfortunate illness is still a mystery. The health department continues to investigate causes but has cited cyclospora as the culprit. Cyclospora is a parasite that is typically found in tropical areas and can contaminate water and food.

Whether it was the food that caused the sickness remains unclear. However, if attendees have not already displayed symptoms, is it highly unlikely that they will begin to. Guests reported symptoms lasting for one to two weeks, with most feeling well enough to attend Fourth of July celebrations, and other recent gatherings.

This event reminds us why the work the Dutchess Land Conservancy does is so important. Preserving the environment, keeping our land conserved and the waterways free from contaminants remains to be of utmost importance. Protecting the safety of residents of Dutchess County and its surroundings goes hand in hand.

Josie Duggan

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A life reshaped by clay in “Matin”

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Left to right: Hannah Wheeler, Matin Malikzada and Yonah Sadeh.

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On Monday, Oct. 26, a group of students, teachers and local residents gathered at the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville for a screening of the new short documentary “Matin.” The film tells the story of Matin Malikzada, a seventh-generation Afghani potter making a new life in New Milford, Connecticut. The film was made by local filmmaker Yonah Sadeh, creator of the Video Wall at the David M. Hunt Library, and Berkshires-based potter Hannah Wheeler, who were both present for the screening, along with Malikzada himself.

As a member of the seventh generation of his family to master the art of pottery, Malikzada had done things the way his family had for over a century. Istalif, the village where his family has lived for generations, was known throughout Afghanistan for its pottery, with wares sent across the country for use as everyday cups, bowls, plates and other vessels. The pottery-making families of Istalif gathered clay from the same mountain, about 30 to 45 minutes away by donkey. Every July, they would head north toward the Uzbekistan border to gather ishkar, a plant they processed by hand to make their signature glazes.

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Meg Sher finds her calling among the stacks

Meg Sher finds her calling among the stacks

Meg Sher, executive director of the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village.

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When Meg Sher came to Falls Village in 2006 from Old Lyme, Connecticut, where she grew up, she never imagined she’d someday be the executive director of the David M. Hunt Library.

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Crescendo’s 23rd season speaks to the heart and mind

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Christine Gevert, founding artistic director of Crescendo, conducts the audience at a performance.

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For Christine Gevert, founding artistic director of Crescendo, music from centuries past is anything but a relic. It is a living, breathing art form, full of drama, emotional complexity and, occasionally, surprises. As the regional choral and period-instrument ensemble launches its 23rd season, Gevert is once again bringing forgotten masterpieces into the present.

“Early Music has been my lifelong passion and the focus of my specialization in Europe and South America,” Gevert said. “Bringing this repertoire to our audiences in a nuanced way that does justice to its incredible depth, intensity, and beauty is deeply important to me.”

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Close Encounters with Music celebrates 35 years of musical discovery

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For 35 years, cellist Yehuda Hanani has been inviting audiences to experience classical music in unexpected ways. As founder and artistic director of Close Encounters with Music, Hanani has built a concert series that goes beyond the music itself, exploring connections to literature, history, politics and the human experience.

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