Latest News
Classifieds - June 11, 2026
Millerton News
Jun 10, 2026
EMPLOYMENT
HELP WANTED
DENTAL ASSISTANT Part Time: Tuesday to Friday, for exclusive private practice in Sharon, CT. Flexible schedule and hours, competitive salary. 860-364-0200, office@drnweeia.org.
Isabella Freedman Jewish Re-treat Center is a year-round 120-person retreat facility that is located in Falls Village, CT. Want to work at a beautiful, peaceful location, with great people? This is the place to be! We are currently seeking positions for Seasonal Lifeguard(s), Cook, Retreat services associate (banquet server front of house) and Mashgichim (F/T or P/T) for our summer season. For more details please visit our website at Careers - Adamah or email a copy of your resume to rebecca.eisen@adamah.org
SEEKING LAND USE ADMINISTRATOR/ZONING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (FULL TIME, SALARIED) The Town of Salisbury is seeking a qualified, motivated professional to serve as its full-time Land Use Administrator. Details are available at www.salisburyct.us/employment/
TOWN OF SHARON HELP WANTED. Building Department /Land Use Office Support, part-time, approximately 25 hours per week, $24.70 per hour. Position provides administrative support for the Building Official, Fire Marshal, and Land Use Administrator. Qualifications: High School Diploma or GED (Associates Degree Preferred) with 4 years increasingly responsible work experience, preferably in administrative work, public con-tact, and field of municipal government. For full job description, see the Town of Sharon Website (sharonct.gov) or con-tact the Selectmen’s Office at 860-364-5789. Applications and resumes are to be received in the Selectmen’s Office, P. O. Box 385, Sharon, CT 06069 by 4:00PM June 15, 2026. The Town of Sharon is an equal opportunity employer.
SERVICES OFFERED
Come sailing with us on Twin Lakes. Our 21’ sailboat can host 4-5 crew in a private charter for 2 hours out of O’Hara’s Marina, Salisbury CT. We offer sailing lessons too! www.nashallasailing.com 413-229-9042.
Héctor Pacay Landscaping and Construction LLC: Fully insured. Renovation, decking, painting; interior exterior, mowing lawn, garden, stone wall, patio, tree work, clean gutters, mowing fields. 845-636-3212.
Old Houses and Barns my specialty: Renovations and Re-pairs. 25 years serving the tri-state area. Licensed and Insured. Based in Canaan, CT. David Valyou 917-538-1617. davidvalyou@yahoo.com
TAG SALES
SHARON
TAG SALE! Sat, June 20 10-4 22 Dug Rd @Low Rd, Sharon. Housewares, books, clothes, toys/kids stuff, ski stuff, records & more! Free table & Lemonade with purchase! No early birds pls.
MERCHANDISE & SERVICES
HORSES & EQUIPMENT
Looking for a small farm to board my 22 year old mare ideally located near trails. She gets along well with other horses. No drama. Available to help with feeding and or turnout if needed. 860-786-2546.
REAL ESTATE
PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Equal Housing Opportunity. All real estate advertised in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1966 revised March 12, 1989 which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color religion, sex, handicap or familial status or national origin or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All residential property advertised in the State of Connecticut General Statutes 46a-64c which prohibit the making, printing or publishing or causing to be made, printed or published any notice, statement or advertisement with respect to the sale or:rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, age, lawful source of income, familial status, physical or mental disability or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.
HOUSE FOR RENT
Millerton, rural, newly renovated house: 2 bedrooms, split air/a/c system, dishwasher, decks, views, pets considered. $2675. Call 518-567-8277.
Keep ReadingShow less
Brush fire triggers mutual aid response in Pine Plains
Nathan Miller
Jun 05, 2026
Millerton volunteer firefighter Shane Watson sprays water and firefighting foam on brush at 375 Schultz Hill Road after a brush fire broke out on Friday afternoon, June 5.
Photo by Nathan Miller
PINE PLAINS — A brush fire tore through about a half acre of grass at 375 Schultz Hill Road on Friday, June 5.
Fire crews from Pine Plains, Millerton and Milan, New York, responded to the scene. Pine Plains Fire Chief Brian Walsh said crews were dispatched at 1:11 p.m.
The fire was largely doused by 2:15 p.m., with crews continuing to spray water and firefighting foam on the brush to suppress any latent flames. No injuries were reported.
Trevor Slater, who rents the house on the property, said he didn't notice the flames until a neighbor drove by on the road and alerted him and emergency responders.
"I was on the back side of the house and the smoke was all going the other way," Slater said.

Walsh said the exact cause of the fire was unknown at the scene, but he said the blaze was not intentionally set.
Slater said he believed the fire was a reignition from embers. He said his landlords had informed him several days before that they would be burning brush. A similar incident had happened before, Slater said, causing a brush fire that spread to within feet of his home.
"It burned all the way up to the side of my house," Slater said. "That took a couple days to reignite as well."
Walsh confirmed Pine Plains firefighters have responded to blazes at the property before.
"We've been here multiple times," Walsh said.
Keep ReadingShow less
Sharon Farm Market owner says store will remain open amid closure rumors
Aly Morrissey
Jun 03, 2026
Fernando Nottebohn says he appreciates Sharon Farm Market as part of a weekly circuit he does from his home in Lithgow, New York, that also includes Paley’s Farm Market
Photo by Alec linden
"We're going to fix the store."
— Chris Choe, co-owner of Sharon Farm Market
SHARON – Despite months of speculation fueled by half-empty shelves, inventory shortages and the planned departures of two longtime businesses, Sharon Farm Market is not closing, according to owner Chris Choe.
“We’re not shutting down,” Choe said, adding that he and his wife, Kim, are planning a series of upgrades they hope will transform the market over the coming months. Choe said they expect to receive a new 20-year lease from the property’s landlords and are moving forward with plans to revitalize the business.
Asked about the store’s appearance and inventory concerns, Chris Choe acknowledged that changes are needed.
“We’re going to take care of everything,” he said. “We’re going to fix the store.”
Choe said remodeling will take place at night so the market can remain open during normal business hours. He describes a grand vision with a revamped deli, online ordering, home grocery deliveries, and a cafe and bakery serving coffee and organic juice,
“My team is almost ready,” he said of the next iteration of the market. He estimates the updates will take several months, and that shoppers can expect a better store experience that will even allow for Door Dash.
The comments come as rumors about the market’s future have circulated throughout Sharon in recent months. Shoppers have reported difficulty finding common grocery items, while two popular businesses operating inside the market have announced plans to leave at the end of September.
Jam Food Shop moving to Salisbury
At the end of September, Jam Food Shop, the deli and prepared-food business that has operated inside Sharon Market for 16 years, will relocate to Salisbury.
Jam owners said the company will relocate to 19 Main St. in the location of the former Neo Restaurant & Bar – which closed its doors permanently last month – and that the decision was not made lightly.
In a letter penned to the community (see letter on A6) Jam expressed its gratitude to the Sharon community, while highlighting a years-long dispute with market ownership.
“For years, we have made attempts to gain clarity around our lease renewal at the Sharon Farm Market,” the letter said. “Unfortunately, in the end, we were unable to reach an agreement with the market, leaving us with a short amount of time to find Jam a new home.”
Choe said the departure of Jam comes after 16 years of partnership, and didn’t get into the specifics of the lease negotiations.
“They want their own place, and I want to make it a better store,” he said.
Choe also pointed to Jam’s prices, which he views as high.
Blue Sea Seafood to permanently close
Blue Sea Seafood, another longtime fixture inside the market, has also confirmed it will depart at the end of September after 16 years in Sharon Farm Market. Owners Sarah and Chuck Lee said they will officially close down on Sept. 30. The pair said they will not be opening a new location elsewhere.
“We’ll miss it,” Sarah Lee said.
Shoppers voice concerns
Some residents have pointed to the Choes’ latest venture — Market360, a grocery store near Yale University in New Haven that opened in June 2025 — as a possible factor in the market’s recent inventory and operational challenges.
In an interview with Kim Choe last October, she said the store had required significant time as they worked to find their footing and build a team.
Several shoppers said they have noticed changes at the Sharon market in recent months and worry about its future.
Ann Spindler, a Sharon resident, said she has noticed changes that have sparked concerns throughout town.
“For the last couple months I’ve noticed there are fewer things on the shelves and I’m worried that something is happening and I hope that they’re going to stay around,” Spindler said.
Janay Gregory of Sharon said common items like milk, yogurt and bread have been inconsistently stocked.
“It’s a problem,” Gregory said. “I hear it a lot in the town that there have been a lot of issues, even since Christmas.”
Ellen Moon of Cornwall said she was concerned by an apparent low stock in the store.
“There are blank spaces on the shelves,” she said. “I thought, Oh dear, I hope they’re alright.”
While browsing the shelves Saturday, Sharon resident Michelle McBreairty said she also noticed a lot less inventory.
“I think it would be the demise of this plaza without a grocery store,” she said, recalling the years before Sharon Farm Market opened in 2010.“I hope they do stay,” she added.
Jennifer Naylor, a Sharon resident of 20 years, said she’s concerned for the store’s future. “The seafood’s going, Jam’s going – they’re going to struggle, I think.”
“I would love this to be totally revamped,” she added, noting that she’s always taken issue with what she described as high pricing.
A revamp is exactly what Chris Choe has in mind, and he says he and his wife are hoping to sell their New Haven store just one year after its grand opening to return their attention to Sharon and Millerton.
Choes’ target Thanksgiving for opening of Millerton Grocery Store
Across the state border in Millerton, New York, another grocery store owned by the Choes has endured speculation over the last year amid rumors that they had abandoned the venture. Choe disputes those rumors, as well, saying he and his wife plan to open the store later this year.
The store was originally scheduled to open in June 2025, and was pushed to October before the Choes eventually said the timeline was unclear.
The pair, who purchased Millerton Square Plaza on Route 44 in December 2024 from Joseph Trotta, now say the final construction stages are imminent.
“We’re going to start the construction very soon,” Choe said, adding that he has a new business partner for the Millerton store, though he declined to identify the individual or company, citing ongoing negotiations.
“Together we’ll be fast moving,” he said, noting that he hopes to open the store by Thanksgiving, just ahead of the holiday season.
Among the renovations completed so far are a roof replacement and significant HVAC upgrades. Choe said the remaining work includes installing new flooring, replacing the ceiling,reconfiguring the parking lot and upgrading the storefront. Eventually, they plan to stock locally-sourced produce, meat and seafood from Boston and New York City.
Some residents are skeptical that the Millerton store will open in the fall of 2026.
“Chris has said that for years now,” said longtime Sharon resident Mike Rand.“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Additional reporting by Nathan Miller, Alec Linden and Madi Long.
Keep ReadingShow less

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
Smithfield pops
Leila Hawken
Jun 03, 2026
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the 14-member Smithfield Chamber Orchestra presented “Our American Composers,”a Spring Pops Concert at the Smithfield Church on Saturday, May 30. Part of the Bang Family Concert Series, the sixth annual pops concert played to a full house under the direction of Michelle Demko, serving her first year as Music Director.
Amenia affordable housing subdivision moves closer to environmental approval
Leila Hawken
Jun 03, 2026
Amenia Town Hall on Route 22.
Photo by Nathan Miller
AMENIA — The Planning Board moved closer to completing the environmental review of the proposed Cascade Creek subdivision during its regular meeting on Wednesday, May 27, agreeing to consider a formal environmental determination at its June meeting.
The discussion centered on completion of the Environmental Assessment Form, a key component of the project’s review under New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act.
“First you have to decide the impact,” board engineer John Andrews said, explaining the process.
While no decision was made, board members agreed to review a draft negative declaration, a finding that would certify the project is not expected to have a significant adverse impact on the environment. If adopted, the declaration would satisfy SEQRA requirements and allow the project to move forward to the site-plan review stage.
The Cascade Creek proposal, first submitted in 2024 by the nonprofit Hudson River Housing of Poughkeepsie, calls for a 28-lot affordable housing subdivision on 24.13 acres. According to project plans, approximately 59% of the property would remain conserved open space.
Since the application was filed, engineers and planners have worked through the conservation review process while the Planning Board has conducted public hearings and meetings to gather community input. Project plans have been revised in response to concerns raised by residents and board members.
Addressing a previous request from the board for updated traffic information and guidance from the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT), Senior Planner Peter Sander reported that the project’s access plan has been revised to include a single entrance and exit on Route 22 directly across from the Old North Road intersection.
Andrews added that the DOT determined neither a traffic signal nor a dedicated left-turn lane would be necessary at the intersection. The agency suggested a marked crosswalk could be beneficial and noted that existing pull-off lanes provide adequate space for pedestrians along the highway.
Board member John Stefanopoulos asked about reducing the speed limit in the area.
Questions about groundwater and well capacity generated significant discussion.
Andrews said that once the environmental review is completed and the project enters the design phase, developers will be required to conduct detailed analyses of well construction and groundwater availability.
“Those results have to be acceptable to the Department of Health,” Andrews said, noting that until that approval is received, the water issue remains open.
Planning Board member James Walsh observed that some residents along Cascade Road have needed to drill their wells deeper over the years.
Board member Ken Topolsky referenced a letter from residents who argued that groundwater testing conducted to date had been inadequate. Topolsky added his continuing concern about stormwater drainage plans and the potential for flooding downstream in an area with a history of flooding.
Topolsky also expressed concern that the development’s housing designs could appear too uniform and may not reflect the town’s character.
But Sander disagreed.
“We’ve added variety, landscaping and buffers,” Sander said, adding that the actual design drawings will illustrate diverse design decisions. He reminded the board that the development will bring people to the town.
“It’s people and families,” Sander said.
Asked about next steps in the process, Andrews explained that if the board adopts a “negative declaration,” the SEQRA review would be complete and the application could advance to site-plan review. A “positive declaration” would require additional environmental analysis before the project could proceed.
Keep ReadingShow less
Yerger Johnstone
Millerton News
Jun 03, 2026
SHARON — Yerger Johnstone, former managing director in the mergers and acquisitions department at Morgan Stanley and a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, died on April 19, 2026, in Chelmsford, England. He was 86.
Born in Mobile, Alabama, on March 7, 1940, Mr. Johnstone was the son of architect Henry Inge Johnstone, architect, and Kathleen Yerger Johnstone, the noted nature writer and civic leader after whom Alabama’s state seashell, Johnstone’s Junonia, is named. He graduated from Murphy High School in Mobile in 1958, received his bachelor’s degree from the University of the South at Sewanee in 1962, and earned his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 1964.
Following his M.B.A., he was commissioned through Officer Candidate School before serving in the United States Marine Corps from 1966 to 1968, rising from First Lieutenant to Captain. Stationed principally at Da Nang, Vietnam, he served as an intelligence officer and was awarded the Bronze Star with combat “V” for meritorious service.
Yerger married Eve Chamberlain, also of Mobile, Alabama in 1963 and they resided in North Carolina during this USMC training. Later moving to Brooklyn, New York, where his first child, Bartley, was born in 1968.
After his discharge, Mr. Johnstone joined Morgan Stanley, working in both Paris and New York City, where he became one of the firm’s first forty partners and served as deputy director of the Mergers and Acquisitions department under Robert Greenhill, at the very dawn of the M&A boom. He later worked in M&A at Blackstone and UBS Warburg Dillon Read. He also served on the boards of Hampshire College and Indian Mountain School at different times in his life.
Yerger was an accomplished sailor, having grown up on boating excursions for shell hunting with his parents in areas of Alabama and Florida, later on receiving certifications in sailing trips around Corsica while working in Paris. While working in banking in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s he spent evenings and weekends reading sailing training manuals, autobiographies of sailors and geographies of various archipelagos, further advancing his skills with a month of yacht chartering each summer in Greece.
Yerger first became enchanted with Litchfield County, when he and his second wife, Marguerite, found their dream weekend escape in Ellsworth in Sharon, Connecticut in the mid 1970’s. A one time builder of hot rod cars in his teens, he enjoyed spirited late night drives from NYC in a friends loaned Ferrari. In Ellsworth the newly weds and then young family (when his second daughter Katherine was born) enjoyed many weekends, hiking, bird watching, star gazing, cross country skiing, growing fresh herbs and gardening and barbecuing Yerger’s famous steaks for guests. Yerger enjoyed exploring the back roads of the area on his BMW motorcycle and the Housatonic River as an avid fly fisherman.
Upon leaving Morgan Stanley, he and his wife Marguerite whom he married in 1975, built the 67-foot ketch Asteroid in Aalsmeer, Holland. They conducted sea trials in Norway, Scotland, Ireland, & England before sailing her around the world, a near 6 year circumnavigation, passing via Suez and Panama canals, spending majority of the time in Pacific Ocean isles from Marquesas to Fiji, New Zealand (where his son Rule was born in 1986) and Micronesia. Encounters with storms, pirates, technical difficulties in remote islands and simply the rigors of daily yachting life were all met with courage, confidence and enthusiasm by Yerger. It became one of the defining adventures of his life.
Returning to America at the end of the sailing trip in 1990, the family settled in Falls Village, Connecticut, where they lived and built a house until Yerger was transferred to London, England
Yerger lived between Salisbury, Connecticut, and the UK for several years before permanently relocating to live between the Cotswolds in the UK and Tuscany in Italy with his third wife, Pamela. They enjoyed an active retirement with regular travels in Asia, New Zealand and Greece. In his final years, he was mainly in his homes in Italy and UK, with short trips in France, with his second daughter. In Trequanda, Italy he enjoyed cycling, feasting at home and throughout Tuscan villages with his and Pamela’s many friends, and soaking up the Tuscan sun. In his home village of Stebbing, UK, he headed the local pond fishing club and took short trips to London to hear his daughter Katherine sing in her many choirs.
Mr. Johnstone is survived by his wife, Pamela Johnstone; his daughters, Bartley Inge and Katherine Inge; his granddaughter, Evie Inge Scofield; his son, Rule; his former wife, Marguerite; his brother, Justice Douglas Inge Johnstone. He is predeceased by his first wife, Eve Chamberlain Purdy.
Cremation took place May 18, 2026, at Dunmow Crematorium, Blatches Farm, Stebbing CM 6 3AL England.
There will be a Requiem Mass said on June 7th, at St George’s Aubrey Walk, W8 7JG England.
Keep ReadingShow less

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
loading























