Hillsdale watercolorist wins first prize in Trinity Church art show
First prize winner Sue Amholter with her blue ribbon painting titled "Race Day."
Patrick L. Sullivan
Latest News
MILLERTON — Village residents with questions about their water bills, meters or usage are invited to attend a help session with Trustee Katie Cariello, Village Clerk Lisa Cope and Deputy Clerk Emerald Havelin on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex. The event offers residents a chance to get answers and assistance in person.
Cariello said the idea for the session grew out of a recent Village Board meeting. “We had discussed the new online payment system, and I thought it would be great to celebrate this new process by helping residents learn how to pay their bills online — and to simply get to know one another,” she said.
She added that the library was “very kind to offer the space,” noting that it already serves as a central gathering place for the community.
Cariello said she’s looking forward to meeting residents face-to-face. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with our neighbors and make sure everyone feels comfortable navigating the new system.”
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The Amenia Fire Company on Mechanic Street in Amenia.
Photo by John Coston
AMENIA — The Amenia Fire Company will be holding their monthly Pancake Breakfast at the Firehouse on Sunday, Oct. 19, from 7:30 to 11 a.m.
It is all you can eat with a menu of pancakes, French toast, eggs and omelettes, home fries, bacon, sausage and beverages. You can eat in or take out.
The firehouse is located at 36 Mechanic St., Amenia. Adults are $12.00, Seniors/Under 12 are $11.00.
For information call 845-373-8352.
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On a dirt lane overlooking Copake Lake, 69 SW Colony Road is a recent rebuild which sold for $426,500 with a dock, shed and direct access to the lake.
Photo by Christine Bates
COPAKE — Real estate sales activity across a broad range of price levels continued in the Town of Copake in September with eight transfers as the summer season ends.
Four houses and four pieces of vacant residential land were sold each for less than $1 million at an estimated median price of $425,000. In mid-October there were 20 properties actively listed for sale ranging from a five-bedroom home on 19 acres for $4.58 million to a small building lot for $19,000.
69 SW Colony Road — 2 bedroom/1 bath home transferred on Sept. 24 to 69 SW Colony Rd LLC by Leona G. Darrow/Leona G. Fitzgerlad for $426,500.
15 Roosevelt Drive — 1,080 square foot studio on a .346-acre lot transferred on Sept. 23 to Elizabeth Louise Aquino and William Aquino as Trustees and Aquino Family Joint Revocable Trust by Raymond Muldorf Trustee and Murial S. Muldorf Revocable Trust by Trustee for $602,000.
840 Pumpkin Hollow Road South — 4 bedroom/2 bath home on 2.27 acres transferred on Sept. 19 to David Temchulla III by Halee M. Hastad for $400,000.
Taconic Street — Residential vacant land transferred on Sept. 16 to Barbara A. Ross by Lisa Jan Marcel, Lindy Miller and Lindy G. Miller Sr. for $99,000.
White Barn Road — 31.6 acres of residential vacant land transferred on Sept. 10 to Sydney J. Butler Jr. and Amy Carlson by Michael and Eileen as Trustees of Michael Cohen 2023 Revocable Trust and Eileen Cohen 2023 Revocable Trust for $349,000.
44 Slate Rock Road — 3 bedroom/2 bath home on 13 acres transferred to Justin Tsai and Sarah Kimble by Bruce J. and Ellen Salkin for $975,000.
Cat Track Road — Residential vacant land transferred on Sept. 4 to John and Lorraine Farrell by Brian Evans for $30,000.
Cherokee Drive Lot 12 — Residential vacant land transferred on Sept. 2 to Michael and Anna K. Messing by Bruce J. and Ellen Salkin and Michael and Anna K. Messing for $26,250.
*Town of Copake real estate recorded as sold with consideration is derived from Columbia County public deed transfers with property details from SDQ Imagemate. Market data and active listings data reported from realtor.com, and Trulia.com on Oct. 10. Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Advisor with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in Connecticut and New York.
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‘I don’t want to walk away’ – Winery applicant makes final plea to North East Town Board
Oct 15, 2025
John King stands at the site of his would-be winery and event space, which has stalled amid the Town’s years-long zoning review
Photo by Aly Morrissey
MILLERTON — TheNorth East Town Board met on Thursday, Oct. 9, for its regular meeting, which featured a packed agenda and emotional public comments from John King, who made a final plea for officials to reverse their decision to delay his application to amend Town Code 180-40. The amendment could have allowed King to add a country inn and event component to his planned winery on a 36-acre parcel on Smithfield Road near Route 22/44, providing what he called “necessary revenue streams” to sustain the business.
The board rejected King’s plea and, in a roll call vote, unanimously approved a resolution to discontinue his application “without prejudice to the Town Board’s future ability to bring it up.”
Although Supervisor Chris Kennan and the board spent months learning about King’s proposal and considering a code amendment, feedback from the Town Planning Board, the Conservation Advisory Council and zoning consultant Nan Stolzenburg ultimately led officials to delay any action until early 2026, when the town is scheduled to begin a comprehensive review of its residential and agricultural zoning districts. That process will follow the near completion of a years-long review of the commercial district, which has involved more than 100 meetings.
“If it gets delayed and we can’t do this now, I have to pull the plug,” said King. “Because I can’t wait for a lengthy process.” He asked the board to consider the economic boost and job opportunities a winery would provide.
“I don’t want to walk away from this project, and I hope the Town doesn’t want me to walk away and lose the opportunities it would create,” he added.
Still, the Board felt that the risks of a rushed code change outweighed the potential economic benefits, citing fears of increased traffic on Old Route 22 as well as questions surrounding the definitions and nuances of the state’s Agriculture and Markets Law. Kennan reminded King that “We’re not turning this down forever,” but reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to a process that ensures officials have all the information they need.
Councilwoman Meg Winkler noted, “People have been working so hard over these years — first on the Comprehensive Plan and then on the zoning review of our commercial district.” As chair of the housing committee, she said she has a vested interest in the upcoming review of the residential district but also recognizes the importance of taking things one step at a time. “This is a process that we’ve all been going through and respect a lot.”
During a second public comment period at the end of the meeting, King called the resolution “very inappropriate,” claiming it merged two amendments and made wedding events the focus, rather than country inns. He suggested that if the amendments had been considered separately, the outcome could have been different.
Planning Board member Bill Kish countered, noting, “You can make a very minor change and have a huge impact.” He added that zoning should not be written to suit a specific need, but rather to support the community. “I think you made the right decision in deciding to consider this in the context of the overall zoning,” he told the Board, “and not trying to take the language that was created — basically to save historic structures back in the 1980s — and change it to support a completely different use.”
Public hearing
set for 2026 budget
During the meeting, the Board also discussed the 2026 North East budget, which was submitted to the Town Clerk on Sept. 30. “We worked as hard as we could to create a budget under the cap — if it weren’t for the increased EMS costs, we would have come in under it,” said Supervisor Kennan. “We aimed to be very careful with taxpayer funds.”
The Board set a public hearing on the budget for Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Other business matters
In other news, Elizabeth Barrett was reappointed to the Board of Assessment Review, and the Town signed an intermunicipal agreement allowing the Millerton Police Department to park its vehicles in the Town’s highway garage until the new Village building is constructed.
The Board also voted to forward the list of properties in the Town of North East with unpaid water bills to Dutchess County, which will result in added fines on those property taxes next year.
The Town is beginning a feasibility study on installing solar panels at the highway garage, which was specifically designed to accommodate solar technology. A formal bidding process is expected to follow the study.
After a months-long review of IT companies, the Town signed a contract with PCA — Professional Computer Associates. “I’m excited to move forward,” said Councilwoman Meg Winkler, a core member of the IT task force.
Additionally, the Town renewed its annual contract with the North East Community Center to support its community programs. “The Town has been happy to support the North East Community Center — they do a lot of good work for our community,” Kennan said.
Upcoming events at the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex
A listening session will take place on Oct. 22 with the Dutchess County Transportation Council, which is updating the Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan to improve options for older adults, people with disabilities, low-income individuals and others who struggle to access reliable transportation. On Oct. 25, a Repair Cafe will be held, encouraging locals to meet makers and tinkerers who can help fix a wide variety of items.
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