End of one era, beginning of another

Having served The Lakeville Journal’s readership as reporter, executive editor and Compass and special sections editor (sometimes simultaneously) since 1999, Cynthia Hochswender will now be bidding the newspaper a fond farewell, leaving as Compass and special sections editor as of Oct. 7. Hochswender, as noted on this week’s front page, will be handing on the reins to current Senior Associate Editor Alexander Wilburn, who will go through the transition to covering the arts in the Tristate region with her full support. Wilburn first came into The Lakeville Journal as an intern with Hochswender, and has over the years become a valued and highly skilled colleague.

As noted before in this space as she wound down step by step after taking on both the news and the arts side during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hochswender has given monumental effort to assuring the continued success of this community publication. Our readers will remember that during that time when in-person events, meetings and daily communication were stopped, the local news took on an entirely different tenor than before the pandemic hit our society. Keeping close track of the medical reality of dealing with COVID-19 week to week was the major focus of reporting then, and the arts took on a decidedly internal process, with streaming on home TVs and other devices and sharing a jigsaw puzzle with those in our bubbles becoming the height of escapism.

Hochswender was also key in the research that led to The Lakeville Journal finding its path toward becoming a nonprofit in 2021, after our having launched the membership model of a for-profit newspaper in 2019, successfully gaining more than enough support from our readers to keep publishing. This company is indebted to her for her unwavering belief in the value of community journalism, and her willingness to keep working every week to maintain it for our communities.

Over the years, she proved her well-honed abilities to keep the news fresh and vibrant for readers every week. She made it look easy. It is not. Thank you, Cynthia, for keeping us inspired with new ideas and projects on a regular basis. The implementation of your brainstorms have made for some of the most fun parts of this ongoing local journalism project.

Hochswender will be continuing her work as a Realtor at William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty out of the Salisbury office.

The Lakeville Journal will host an open house on Thursday, Oct. 6, to honor Hochswender and to welcome Wilburn as Compass editor (as Cynthia was very clear she wanted to do, along with our readers and friends.) Come to The Lakeville Journal building at 64 Route 7 North in Falls Village between 5 and 7 p.m. that day and wish them both well in their new adventures.

Latest News

Check-in at Bulk Trash Day
Photo by John Coston

Mickey Stringer of of North East, left, checks in with Chris Virtuoso, volunteering on Saturday, May 12 at the Old Town Garage on South Center Street as a Climate Smart Task Force member. Stringer’s loaded pickup was part of a long line of vehicles along South Center as residents used the opportunity to dispose of air conditioners, mattresses, lumber, and other bulk items. Town Supervisor Christopher Kennan said he didn’t recall seeing such a long line of vehicles in past years.

Webutuck names top-ranked grads

Webutuck valedictorian Olivia Lopane Wickwire

Photo provided

AMENIA — Well-positioned to move into her college years, Olivia Lopane Wickwire, 17, of Millerton has earned top ranking as Valedictorian of the Webutuck High School Class of 2025. Her devotion to a well-rounded school experience began with her enrollment in Webutuck’s pre-K program.

“It means a lot being valedictorian, especially being best friends with your salutatorian,” Olivia said during an interview on Thursday, April 3. Her friend, Gissel Oros, had been named Salutatorian.

Keep ReadingShow less
Opening soon in Millerton

Greychurch on Main Street expects to begin Caffeine Academy creative classes by September.

Photo by Christine Bates

MILLERTON — The Village of Millerton is on the move.

Two weeks ago Tallow, “Real Food, Real Fast” opened in the long vacant McDonald’s, and Mad Rose Gallery expanded next door to 3-5 Main Street to a larger gallery with arts classes and community space for performances and lectures upstairs. The newly painted Greychurch is a reminder that there’s still more to come.

Keep ReadingShow less
Millbrook airs school budget, propositions ahead of  May 20 vote

Elm Drive Elementary School in Millbrook.

Archive photo

MILLBROOK — Preparing for the village-wide vote on the proposed 2025-26 school budget scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, the Millbrook Central School District held a public hearing on Tuesday, May 6, to review the budget and hear residents’ comments.

The CSD proposed 2025-26 budget to be voted upon as Proposition 1, showed total expenditures of $35,649,651, an increase of $1,074,576 (3.11%) over the current year.

Keep ReadingShow less