Presenter Younhee Shin of Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project, explains how to cook vegetables at the presentation of “Taste of Korea” at the NorthEast-Millerton Library on Feb. 2. Audience members learned about Korean cooking, foods, and culture and were treated to a traditional Korean meal.
MILLERTON — Enticing aromas filled the Annex of the North East-Millerton Library when those lucky enough to have one of the thirty reservations for “A Taste of Korea: Full of Wisdom and Nature” began to arrive on Saturday, Feb. 8.
They were greeted by Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project members dressed in hanbok, the traditional Korean costume.
Presenter Younhee Shin began by explaining the culture promotion project is a worldwide non-profit organization run by volunteers who hold events such as cooking classes, cultural presentations and essay contests to promote Korean culture and history.
She said Korean food strives for “a harmony of taste, health and nature.” Typical meals, she continued, consist of bap — rice; guk — soup; a main dish of fish or meat; and banchan — usually many little dishes of various vegetables. “Kimchi is always on the table,” she noted, explaining kimchi is eaten in combination with other foods.
Shin praised the healthiness of Korean cuisine. She said Koreans are “first in the consumption of vegetables in the world.”
In addition, Koreans eat fermented foods. Two of the most important are jang — fermented sauces, usually soy sauce — and kimchi — fermented vegetables. She noted the importance of jang as foods “can’t be made without it.” Fermented foods contain probiotics which Shin explained “increase the microbiome in the gut.”
She said the fermentation of jang can take up to seventy days. Soybeans are first soaked in water, put in an iron pot, crushed, made into blocks, dried and left to ferment. The liquid left after fermentation is soy sauce, the rest is soybean paste.
“Kimchi” she went on is “one of the healthiest foods in the world. [It] can be made out of any vegetable,” said Shin. Some examples are cucumber, “very crunchy, refreshing” mustard and radish. She continued that “kimchi is healthier than yogurt.”
She commented that the kimchi sold in American supermarkets is “not kimchi. It is more like pickles.”
Shin extolled the virtues of probiotics saying they “make people’s organs at ease which helps the mind be at ease.”
Shin explained that the traditional bangjja or bronzeware in which food is served is also beneficial to health. It enhances the taste of food, helps fight harmful bacteria and infection, and contributes healthy minerals of copper and zinc to the foods.
Younhee Shin demonstrated cooking vegetables. She diced a zucchini into small pieces, added a little sesame oil and a little salt.
She prefers bamboo salt — a salt that has been roasted nine times inside bamboo at a high temperature — but said sea salt is acceptable. The zucchini was then lightly stir fried.
At the end of the presentation, she asked if anyone had any questions. Perhaps overwhelmed at this point by the delicious smells, an audience member asked, “When do we eat?”
Shin laughed and pointed out the menu: kimchi salad; bibimbap — rice with mixed vegetables; bulgogi — soy sauce and honey marinated beef; seafood pancakes; japchae — sweet potato noodles with mixed vegetables; kimchi; honey glazed walnuts; sesame cookies; rice cakes and sikhye — sweet rice punch.
Participants then lined up to receive food from Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project members in traditional Korean dress. The food was served in traditional bangjja bronzeware. The appreciative audience dug in.
For more information go to: www.kscpp.net
A crowd of 55 people crowded into the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex for a marathon discussion regarding placing limits on police interaction with federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.
MILLERTON — On Tuesday, July 29, the Village of Millerton Board of Trustees held a widely anticipated public meeting to discuss whether to limit cooperation between the Millerton Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The meeting followed a resident-led request to consider a local law aimed at protecting immigrants, including those without legal documentation.
Originally scheduled to be held at the village offices on North Elm Avenue, the meeting was moved last-minute to the NorthEast–Millerton Library Annex to accommodate a crowd of 55 — nearly triple the attendance at the initial discussion in May.
North East resident and Planning Board member Bill Kish, who helped introduce the proposal, described it as a call to “adopt a local law limiting the police department’s involvement with ICE.” He said the aim was not to obstruct federal authorities, but to clarify that local police would not collect immigration status information or detain individuals without a judicial warrant. He argued that such policies would support constitutional protections, public safety and community trust.
Kish also cited a model law published by the New York State Attorney General’s Office that outlines similar measures.
Although the meeting featured robust public input on both sides of the argument — and legal counsel was on-hand to advise — no formal action was taken. Moreover, no written proposal was presented or made available for public review. Even so, the trustees opted to close the matter without pursuing any legislation.
While the meeting was intended to assess the feasibility of a village-specific law — the village spans just over half a square mile — discussion frequently touched on broader national issues and personal narratives.
Of the 55 attendees, 30 addressed the board during the 77-minute session, speaking in turn through a roll-call process. Mayor Jenn Najdek worked to maintain order and civility during what was, at times, an emotionally charged discussion.
In closing remarks, Najdek addressed the room directly. “I’ve thought a tremendous amount about this — even before the very first meeting we had,” she said. “I agree with a lot of the things you all have said. I, for one, do not want to create a problem that doesn’t thoroughly exist here.” She said she did not support drafting or adopting a local law, citing potential unintended negative consequences.
Trustee Matthew Soleau echoed that position, expressing concern that such a law could draw unwanted attention to the village and potentially put vulnerable residents at greater risk. He added that current police policies already reflect the guidance being requested by some residents. “There is a written policy in place for how our officers uphold themselves, and that policy was rewritten a few years ago," Soleau said.
Deputy Mayor Matt Hartzog also cited the recently updated policy. “We made the policies and they’ve been vetted and approved by New York State, so I don’t see any need to change what we have,” Hartzog said. He also expressed his confidence in the Millerton Police Department, noting what he described as positive changes in recent years.
Newly appointed Trustee Katie Cariello offered a more open stance, saying she was “open to looking into our policies and potentially updating them.” While she did not endorse a new law, she suggested it could be useful to formalize current police procedures, which she said already align with legal standards.
Absent from the meeting was Police Chief Joseph Olenik, who had played a central role in the initial May 21 discussion. At that time, Olenik said village police do not initiate immigration enforcement but do cooperate with state and federal authorities when legally required. He did not elaborate on the existing policy or how cooperation would be executed, leaving some uncertainty.
The discussion on ICE cooperation concluded at 7:33 p.m., and the board moved on to other agenda items. While trustees have signaled that the issue is closed for now, the meeting reflected how immigration — often viewed as a national concern — remains a point of passionate debate in small communities like Millerton.
As of press time, requests for a copy of the Millerton Police Department policies referenced during the meeting had not been granted pending Chief Joseph Olenik's return from vacation.
Habitat for Humanity assisted in the construction and sale of this house at 14 Rudd Pond Road for $392,000.
MILLERTON — Official Dutchess County property transfers for the four months ending in May are fascinating from the sale of the former Presbyterian Church on Main Street for $420,000 to the $300,000 sale of 8.3 acres of the historic Perotti farm for $300,000 where major barn restoration is now underway.
Actively listed properties at the end of July include 14 parcels of land ranging in price from $60,000 for a five-acre lot to six parcels over a million dollars. 15 single family homes are on the market including an $11,750,000 estate on Moadock Road and four village homes for under $500,000.
Residential
14 Rudd Pond Road — 3 bedroom/2 bath home on .64 acres sale recorded in March for $392,000 to Anthony M. Macagnone.
81 Rudd Pond Road — 3 bedroom/2 bath home on .45 acres recorded in April for $360,300 to Sara Whitney Laser.
926 Smithfield Road — Historic house and barns on 8.31 acres sale recorded in May for $300,000 to Colonial House & Barn LLC.
5408 Route 22 — 3 bedroom/2 bath home on 5.38 acres sale recorded in May for $465,000 to Erich McEnroe.
The former Presbyterian Church on Main Street in the Village of Millerton was purchased in May for $420,000 and then pained grey.Christine Bates
Commercial
1 Smith Court, Village of Millerton — Office building sale recorded in March for $825,000 to OneJohnStreet LLC.
58 Main Street, Village of Millerton — Sale of former church recorded in May for $420,000 to 58 Main Street LLC.
5546 Route 22 — Sale of former restaurant on 2 acres recorded in May for $70,000 to Haithem Oueslati Trustee.
Land
State Line Road (#789358) — Sale recorded of 20.82 acres of vacant residential land in March for $150,000 to Elliott Squared LLC.
148 Morse Hill — Sale recorded of 30.03 acres of vacant productive farm land in 5 parcels in March for $800,000 to Thorne Water LLC.
*Town of North East and Village of Millerton property transfers from March through May not previously reported as sales in The Millerton News are sourced from Dutchess County Real Property Office monthly reports for March through May. Details on property from Dutchess Parcel Access. Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Advisor with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in Connecticut and New York.
MILLERTON — Heavy rain brought down trees on Park Avenue, South Center Street and Century Boulevard, causing blackouts across the village on Friday, July 25.
The Millerton Moviehouse cancelled film showings for the afternoon following the outages, as stated in a release sent out to Moviehouse supporters over email Friday afternoon.
Village Clerk Lisa Cope said the downed trees landed on power lines, causing localized blackouts for many village residents and businesses between 3 and 6 p.m. Friday evening.
Central Hudson crews cleared the trees and restored power to the village that evening.
