Region libraries gear up for fall activities

The Amenia Free Library is located at 3309 Route 343 in downtown Amenia.
Photo by John Coston
The Amenia Free Library is located at 3309 Route 343 in downtown Amenia.
As autumn activities get underway, local libraries are doing their part to add to the enjoyment with special programs to supplement regular offerings which are listed on their websites along Libraries of Things which can introduce patrons to new activities.
Library directors detailed the possibilities in a recent Millerton News survey.
NorthEast-Millerton Library Director Rhiannon Leo-Jameson says the list of the dozen items in the Library of Things may be seen at nemillertonlibrary.org which also details limited access to ten museum passes, laptops and hotspots. She says upcoming activities are: “SANDIPITY a hands-on art workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 3:30 p.m.; a tag sale on Saturday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front yard Memorial Garden; an AARP Smart Driver Course, Friday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with registration required; Open Houses Tuesday, Oct. 22 from 5 to 6:30 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; and the Festival of Frights Thursday, Oct. 31 from 5 to 7 p.m.” The Annex at 28 Century Blvd. is the site of voting on Tuesday, Nov. 5 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. with the Annual Holiday Fundraising Craft sale on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For information call (518) 789-3340.
Millbrook Library Director Courtney Tsahalis said, “We are very proud of our community fridge which is made possible thanks to our partnership with the Millbrook Rotary. Anyone who needs it can come and take food, no questions asked ... We have lawn games, a wax melter, and mini donut maker, a portable DVD player, and we just added a podcast microphone ... On Nov. 16 at 11 a.m., we are holding a program in partnership with the Millbrook Arts Group called Pulso De Barrio — Mexican Folk Music Workshop. The Friends of Millbrook Library will also be holding their popular Holiday Silent Auction again this year in December.” Call (845) 677-3611 or check millbrooklibrary.org for information about ongoing programs at the library at 3 Friendly Lane.
Tamara Gaskell, Director of the Roeliff Jansen Community Library at 9091 State Route 22, Hillsdale notes their Library of Things includes “a seed library, camping equipment, cake pans, hotspots, and some themed backpacks with books and materials--on birds, stars, insects, ponds and streams, and dark skies.” She said scheduled special programs include: “a film screening of Hudson, America, Oct. 5; Putting Your Garden to Bed, Oct. 6: Alfred Hitchcock film screening, Oct. 12; Pumpkin painting, Oct. 19; Your Indoor Garden, Nov. 10; Marionette Performance of The Last Dragon by the Puppet People, Dec. 7; Holiday Centerpiece Workshop, Dec. 15; Friends Cookies, Soup and Book sale, Dec. 13-14.” All programs are listed at roejanlibrary.org. Call (518) 325-4101 for details.
Annie Mallozzi, Assistant Director of the Pine Plains Free Library at 777 S. Main St., said they are expanding offerings to include a spice library which “focuses on Central and South American spices.” She adds, “We’re hosting a workshop for teens on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. on cooking ‘Easy, Good, and Cheap Recipes’” with an after school program Monday through Thursday. English Classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.. and Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Call (518) 398-1927 or go to pineplainslibrary.org for information.
The Amenia Free Library offers home delivery and curbside pickup at 3309 Route 343. Library Director Victoris Herow says their expanded fall hours are listed at amenialibrary.org. “Navigating Medicare” will be presented on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 11 a.m.; An AARPP Safe Driving Course will take place Monday, Oct. 28 and Tuesday, Oct. 29 from 1 - 4:30 p.m. Call (845) 373-8273 for required registration.
Stanford Library Director Christa Cerue says the Library’s quarterly Repair Cafe will take place on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Library at 6035 Route 82, Stanfordville. For information on their multiple regular programs and the Library of Things including a ukulele, board games, tennis and pickleball equipment, and backpacks, check stanfordlibrary.org, or call (845) 868-1341.
The LED sign in front of Amenia's Town Hall on Route 22 warns passing motorists of the current temporary burn ban, in effect from Oct. 2 to Oct. 15.
A statewide burn ban is in effect as of Thursday, Oct. 2, the New York State Governor's office announced in a press release.
The temporary ban is in effect until at least Oct. 15, and the statement released by the governor's office said the restrictions will be re-evaluated prior to the Oct. 15 deadline.
Lighting fires for brush or debris disposal and large, uncontained fires for cooking or other purposes are banned until at least Oct. 15 under the statewide order. Backyard fire pits, contained camp fires no larger than 3 feet in height and 4 feet in diameter, and small, contained cooking fires are still permitted under the burn ban.
New York State has faced dry conditions all autumn, triggering drought watches and warnings across most of the state.
Dutchess County, along with the other counties in the Catskills region, are under a drought watch according to the Department of Environmental Conservation's drought condition map.
Dutchess County is currently under a "high" fire danger rating, according to the DEC.
LAKEVILLE, Conn. — Barbara Meyers DelPrete, 84, passed away Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 11:00a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 76 Sharon Rd., Lakeville.
A complete obituary will appear in next week’s Lakeville Journal.
To offer an online condolence, please visit ryanfhct.com.
Volunteers were hard at work putting the finishing touches on the crucial creepy decorations for the Haunted Fortress of Stanford on Sunday, Sept. 28.
STANFORD — Greg Arent led a devoted team of volunteers on Sunday, Sept. 28, in a final push to prepare Stanford’s Haunted Fortress for opening day.
Final touches included cleaning the bottomless pit, scrubbing the pirate ship, raking the graveyard and dressing the dolls. By 2 p.m., about 20 volunteers had assembled to creepify the beloved local landmark.
Many of the volunteers have been coming back for years, Arent said, dedicating time and valuable skills to the town-owned haunted house that was constructed by the artist Peter Wing.
Arent has been building sets in his free time for forty years, but he started out volunteering with the Haunted Fortress in 2014 when his children wanted to get involved, he said. At that time he would help out one or two days a year. That grew into a leadership position over the course of a decade.
On Sunday, Arent was touring the decrepit grounds checking light bulbs, soundtracks and other set details to contribute to that perfect spooky ambience.
Nathan Miller
When it’s all said and done, the Fortress will be ready to welcome visitors starting on Friday, Oct. 3, with shows running from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sundays. The Haunted Fortress is entirely staffed by volunteers, Arent said, including the actors that don costumes to scare visitors. Anybody aged 6 and up can volunteer to act in the horror show, and families often will volunteer to take over a scene.
“I love it because every scene is different every night,” Arent said. “Sure there are going to be vampires in this scene, but this family is going to do it different from these three kids from Bard, who are going to do it different from these three middle school kids.”
The sets themselves were all built from recycled material to be as creepy and decrepit as possible, Arent said. Concrete culverts adorn the sides of a bridge over a stream, stacked vertically with a cone on top to elicit a fortress’s spires. Reclaimed lumber bolted to a fence evokes a dark and scary forest blocking any escape. A rusting tractor with a steel box welded above the seat sits on a set of rails with two cars attached to it, mimicking a wrecked train with it’s inner mechanisms exposed and blowing steam on passersby.
This year the Haunted Fortress is following a haunted circus theme featuring clowns and other carnival staples alongside the classic settings of the Fortress.
The team of volunteers is dedicated and numerous, and the Stanford Highway Department lends a hand too, Arent said, but there’s always a need for skilled labor at the local attraction.
And the group appreciates all the help they can get. “Whatever you’re interested in and capable of doing,” Arent said.
The haunted pirate ship marks the spot where groups of visitors are paired with their ghastly guides for the remainder of the Haunted Fortress tour in Stanford.Nathan Miller
From left, Jim Milton, Spencer Parks and William J. Clark stand with Joseph Olenik on their first day working under him as the head of Public Works on Monday, Sept. 29.
MILLERTON — The Village announced a leadership change at the Highway Department on Friday following the resignation of Superintendent Peter Dellaghelfa. Police Chief Joseph Olenik will step into the role, effective immediately, officials said.
Olenik will continue to serve as Police Chief.
The decision was made Friday, Sept. 26, during an emergency meeting of the Board of Trustees following Dellaghelfa’s resignation.
Mayor Jenn Najdek said the “amicable split” with Dellaghelfa was part of an ongoing annual employee review process, adding that turnover is not uncommon in small municipalities. She expressed her gratitude for Dellaghelfa’s service over the last four years.
The Board went into Executive Session on Aug. 26 and Sept. 9 for “matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person,” but village officials could not comment on the specifics of those discussions.
The leadership shift will allow the Village to “better respond to the changing needs of our residents and community,” announced the Board in a press release shared with The News. “The Mayor and Board are excited to see Joe expand his impact on Millerton and we’re confident this change will bring lasting improvements to operations, communications and community engagement.”
Police Chief Olenik, who will continue his leadership role within the Millerton Police Department, said he is looking forward to the added responsibilities.
“I am excited to help move the department forward and rebuild it after the devastating fire,” Olenik said. “I am also looking forward to working with the dedicated staff and helping the residents of Millerton by making needed changes and repairs.”
Though Olenik will assume additional responsibilities as he leads the Highway Department, the Millerton Police Department will continue to operate separately — but with the same shared goals of supporting the village community.
William J. Clark installs the leaf container he and his colleagues built. Leaves from the Village will be delivered to McEnroe’s Organic Farm for composting.Aly Morrissey
Mayor Najdek added that Olenik has extensive supervisory and administrative experience that, given the imminent need to rebuild the Highway Department building, will be critical. In addition to managing the upcoming construction, his first orders of business will include making sure the village is on track for leaf pick-up and snow removal, working to ensure the right equipment and personnel are in place.
Olenik held his first meeting with the Village Highway Department on Monday, Sept. 29 and discussed a new leaf container — built by Millerton’s Highway Department — that will support efforts to collect leaves. The leaves will then be turned over to McEnroe’s Organic Farm for composting. While the team configuration — which includes Jim Milton, William J. Clark, and Spencer Parks — will be new, Olenik said they are not strangers. “They’ve always helped me out and I’m looking forward to working with them more closely.”
The Board said in a statement the Village is in good hands moving forward. “Joe’s leadership style — hands-on, structured, and community-focused — makes him well suited to guide this department through the transition.”