The Thorne Building on Franklin Avenue in Millbrook, built in the 1890s and vacant for decades, is slated for renovation into a community arts and cultural center.
MILLBROOK – Plans to renovate the historic Thorne Building on Franklin Avenue, built in the 1890s, into a community center moved forward Monday, Dec. 8, as the Millbrook Planning Board accepted an application for the project, which is scheduled for review early next year.
“The Thorne Building has been a landmark building,” said architect Michael Sloan of Millbrook, describing its history as a school for the Village of Millbrook. After the village constructed a new elementary and high school, use of the building declined, and by the mid-1990s it had fallen into disrepair. Sloan said the building has been vacant for roughly 20 years.
Plans call for transforming the building at the top of Franklin Avenue into the Thorne Center, a community arts and cultural hub. The center would offer film and theater programs, a technology center, co-working space, culinary programs, gallery space, a computer gaming room, music and art studios, and facilities for public meetings, events and seminars.
The proposal includes restoration of the building’s exterior while maintaining its overall architectural character. Modifications are planned for the carriage arch on the east side of the structure. Plans also call for construction of improved access, adding a room to accommodate a loading platform. The existing auditorium would be converted into a full performance space.
The basement level is planned to house an education center with a kitchen that could support cooking classes, as well as an arts lab, digital instruction space, music practice rooms and a small recording studio.
The first floor would feature exhibit space for local artists, offices and studio workspaces. Flexible classroom space planned for the third floor would be designed to be divided into three smaller classrooms using movable partitions. That level would also house the director’s office, fine arts programming and the control room for the performance space below.
“The whole building is for the community,” Sloan said.
Site improvements include upgrades to the parking lot shared with Lyall Community Church. Sloan said a new subsurface would be installed to address an ongoing problem with ponding, followed by paving with permeable asphalt. Lighting would be dark-sky compliant, limited to 12 feet in height and directed downward at minimal brightness for safety.
Plans also call for a perennial garden at the front of the property. Traffic access would be one-way from Franklin Avenue, with vehicles exiting onto Maple Avenue.
Planning Board Chairman Frank Redl said the board will want to review whether any easement exists that allows traffic to flow through the church’s parking lot.
Oakleigh Thorne, president of the nonprofit Millbrook Community Partnership, said $26 million has been raised toward the project’s estimated $30 million cost. The organization owns two limited liability companies — one overseeing development of the 32-acre Bennett Park and another, Thorne Memorial Building LLC, overseeing the Thorne Center project.
Sloan said the team hopes to begin the bidding process in late spring, with construction expected to take about a year once work begins.
Thorne added that the Tribute Garden organization will provide maintenance for the Thorne Center, at least during its early years of operation.
“I think it’s exciting for the village,” Redl said, as the Planning Board accepted the application.
Millerton News
WEST CORNWALL — Allen “Al” Degreenia, 70, of West Cornwall, Connecticut, passed away on Aug. 14, 2026 at Hartford Hospital.
Al was born on Sept. 10, 1955, in Torrington, Connecticut, the son of the late Ovel and Olive Degreenia of West Cornwall.
A man of many talents, Al was an artist in every sense of the word. He was a gifted musician and had a lifelong love of old cars. For many years, through his business, Textile Graphics in Torrington, Al shared his artistic talents with the community, printing hundreds of T-shirts and hand painting signs for local businesses.
One of the joys of traveling through the surrounding towns with Al was hearing him proudly point out his work, saying, “I painted that sign” , or “I printed T-shirts for that business, summer camp or Little League team”. His creativity and craftsmanship can be found throughout the area and will remain a lasting reminder of his talent.
Al was preceded in death by his brother, Melvyn and his sister, Patricia.
He is survived by his sister Susan (Degreenia) Murray and her husband Roger, as well as many nieces and nephews, of whom he was very proud and whose accomplishments he greatly admired.
One of Al’s greatest joys was family gatherings, holiday meals, birthday celebrations or a simple spontaneous picnic at Housatonic Meadows.
A graveside service will be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Ellsworth Cemetery in Sharon, Connecticut. A reception will follow at the Taughannock Grange Hall, 7 Dunbar Rd., Ellsworth (Sharon).
Please bring a story or memory about Al to share!
Al will be remembered for his creativity, his many accomplishments, his love of music and old cars, and the unique mark he left on the communities around him. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends and all who knew him.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
Millerton News
CANAAN — Lynn Korbel passed away peacefully with her son, Eric by her side, at Geer nursing on Aug. 19, 2026, due to complications of cancer and kidney failure. She is remembered and celebrated by her two sons, Eric and David Korbel of Lakeville and Middleboro, Massachusetts, her two grandchildren, Dylan Korbel and Brittany Korbel, her niece Jennifer Cotte and her grandnieces Jaden Cotte and Jamison Cotte. She is survived by her brother Edward ‘Ted’ Korbel of West Yarmouth, Massachusetts.
Lynn was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 1, 1943. She resided in Wilmette, Illinois before moving to New Canaan, Connecticut in 1955. She attended New Canaan High School where she learned to play the flute and speak French. She was active in the drama department as well. Graduating in 1961, she then went on to attend Virginia Wesleyan College studying the Russian language and was actively involved in the production of several plays both as an artist as well as working on set design and as a director. Further education found her attending the Catherine Gibbs school in NYC and also working at that time as a fashion model. Lynn then went on to work for the Famous Artists School in Westport, Connecticut where she received several promotions rising to oversee the nascent computer division side of the business.
Lynn married and gave birth to her two sons, Eric in 1966 and David in 1971. Residing in New Jersey for several years before moving to central Ohio in 1975, where she then came to realize that she was an artist studying art at the Columbus College of Art and Design, growing and refining her skills with a wide variety of media mostly working in acrylics and oils. She would go on to utilize all mediums in her artistic expression. She was also an accomplished calligrapher and photographer.
It was in the late 70’s that she began to work seriously as a fine artist and her command of composition and technique were highly regarded and respected in the art community. She would go on to win many awards with her artworks including second place at the Ohio State Fair in 1978. She painted boldly and fearlessly, pushing boundaries to create works of exquisite and ecstatic beauty and wonder. Throughout her life she was always expressing her inner spirit and passion with many forms of media including collage. Lynn was also an avid journal writer and wrote and filled many volumes with her thoughts on life and dreams. Later in her life she would begin to work with textiles and many family members and dear friends have at least one of her crotched animals or mittens to remember her by.
Lynn moved to Falls Village, in 1982 residing in the locally famous Pine Grove community until 2008. Working life in the 80’s found her at the Jug End resort in Egremont, Massachusetts and the Marvelwood school where she worked with the head of the school. She also worked with the Emersons at their bookstore in Falls Village. Lynn also became an accomplished astrologer and created astrological charts for people all over the country by advertising in print media. She always had a keen psychic ability and was adept with the Tarot and other tools of divination.
Eventually music beckoned and she took up the flute once again and refined her talents joining the Torrington Symphony and playing with them in the capacity of flutist and violinist, as well as the classical guitar. She was especially fond of the works of Vivaldi.
Our mom cherished the companionship of cats all of her life, her loving heart and sensitive nature allowing her to create deep bonds with her feline companions with Moses, Dennis, Allegro and Sophie being just a few.
It was later in her life that Lynn would find a new career path as a caregiver eventually becoming a CNA. She was employed by Geron and by SVNA in Salisbury where she was a highly respected and sought after caregiver who always rose to the occasion no matter the time of day or the weather conditions. Known for her deep compassion and her upbeat and often humorous spirit, she retired in 2024.
Moms wit, grace, intelligence and inquisitiveness will be missed by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her and her absence is a hole in my heart that cannot be mended. She loved books, movies and music, she loved life and laughter enjoying comedies like ‘Vacation’ in particular. She was my window on the world, my Mother and confidant. I miss her dearly.
However, her greatest journey has only begun...
Millerton News
MILLERTON — Ronald C. Watson, a devoted father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, friend, and beloved member of his community, passed away leaving behind a lifetime of memories and a family who will forever carry his love with them.
Ronald was born on Dec. 3, 1948, at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington, Connecticut, to Roy Watson and Theresa Linderman. Throughout his life, Ronald was a man who valued the things that mattered most—family, loyalty, friendship, and time spent doing the things he loved.
Ronald was predeceased by his parents, Roy Watson and Theresa Linderman; his brother, Roy Watson II; his sisters, Patty Watson and Theresa Eiserman; his beloved granddaughter, Ellie Dunlop; and the love of his life, Audrey Watson. The love Ronald and Audrey shared was a defining part of his life, and there is comfort in knowing that after enduring the heartbreak of her absence, they are together once again.
Ronald’s greatest legacy can be found in the family he loved so deeply. His memory will live on through his two daughters, Rene (Rob) and Jody Watson; his grandchildren, Reneisha Vielman, Robert Haskell, Tatyana Watson, Christian Haskell, Kenya Castillo, William Haskell, Daja Williams, and Shantasia Thompson; their spouses; and his many cherished great-grandchildren. Each of them carries a piece of Ronald with them—in the stories they will tell, the traditions they will continue, and the memories they will hold close for generations to come.
He is also survived by his siblings, Edward Watson Sr., Al Watson, Thomas Watson, Larry Watson, Kathy Ahearn, Jackie Mangarillo, Wendy Wilms, Timothy Watson, and Richard Watson, Otto Eiserman, as well as many nieces and nephews who truly made his life better.
Ronald was a true outdoorsman and an avid hunter who found peace and happiness in nature. He was an active member of the Millerton Gun Club, where he enjoyed spending time among friends who shared his interests. And when it came to fishing, those who knew Ronald would tell you there was simply no one better. Whether he was hunting, casting a line, or sharing a story about the one that did—or didn’t—get away, those were the moments when Ronald was truly in his element.
He also loved a good flea market. There was something special about wandering through tables filled with old treasures, never knowing what he might find or what story might come along with it. The simple things in life brought Ronald happiness, especially when they could be shared with the people he loved.
Above everything else, Poppy was a family man. He was loyal to his core, loved deeply, and stood by the people who mattered to him. His family was his greatest pride, and his presence created the kind of memories that time can never erase. He was someone you could count on, someone whose stories will continue to be repeated around kitchen tables and family gatherings, and someone whose absence will be felt in countless moments.
To know Poppy was to know a man who lived life in his own way, loved his family fiercely, and left his mark on generations of people who were fortunate enough to call him Dad, Poppy, Uncle Ron, Sir, family, or friend.
Although saying goodbye to Poppy brings an immeasurable sadness, his life was so much bigger than this goodbye. It lives on in every fishing story, every hunting memory, every flea-market treasure, every family gathering, every laugh shared in his honor, and every piece of wisdom passed from one generation to the next.
Those who loved Ronald will miss his presence more than words can express, but the love he gave them does not end here. It remains in his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings, family, and friends.
May Ronald rest peacefully, reunited with Audrey, Ellie, and all those he loved who went before him. His work here is finished, but his stories, his love, and his legacy will live on forever in the hearts of the family he treasured most.
A Celebration of Life will take place on Sunday, August 30, 2026 at 12:30 p.m. at Millerton American Legion Post # 178, 155 Route 44, Millerton, NY. Memorial contributions may be made to the Millerton Gun Club, P.O. Box 720, Millerton, NY 12546. To send an online condolence to the family, flowers to the Celebration of Life or to plant a tree in Ronnie’s memory, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com Arrangements have been entrusted to Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546.
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Millerton News
LAKEVILLE — With heavy hearts we are saddened to report that Stephen passed away at Sharon Hospital after a long illness at age 62. He lived in Sharon early on and then resided in Lakeville later in life.
He was an accomplished and well-respected painting contractor. He had a huge heart, was a great friend to everyone (always there to help) and had the quickest wit and greatest sense of humor ever.
He was predeceased by his beloved grandparents, Katherine MacNeil Brandt, his parents Dolores and Robert Brandt, a stepmother Elizabeth (Peg) Brandt, sister Linda and brother David.
He leaves behind his sisters, Debbie Holtman (Dave), Barbara Brandt (Patrick Goff) and Dina Brandt.
He also leaves his two nephews, Jared Holtman (Renae) and Tyler Holtman (Ashley Ganon) as well as a long list of good friends and especially his best cat friend “Cupcake cat.”
In addition to always being the life of the party, he loved to fish, hunt, collect coins and antiques and play Bluegrass music with his musical friends.
He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge No. 13 in Lakeville.
Friends and family are welcome to join a Masonic service at the Montgomery Lodge #13, 41 Sharon Road, Lakeville, CT on FRIDAY AUGUST 28. Service at 6 PM with dinner and music and conversation to follow. Doors will be open at 5:30 PM. ALL WELCOME.
Donations in Stephens’ honor can be made, if you wish to: Salisbury Family Services, PO Box 379, Salisbury, CT 06068 or the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service, PO Box 582, Salisbury, CT 06068.
Millerton News
SHARON — Nedra Hope Guyette, age 95, of Sharon, Connecticut, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Aug. 12, 2026.
Nedra, also known to many as Mom and Grammy, was born on Feb. 25, 1931, in Stamford, Connecticut. Her family later moved to New Portland, Maine, in Somerset County, where she and her two brothers led an active, outdoor life she cherished and missed for the rest of her days.
In 1948, she married a handsome war veteran, Wallace Yahn, and the two settled nearby, building a painting and construction business that kept them on a snowbird’s schedule: six months in Maine, six months in Florida. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, they decided to put down permanent roots in Maine, where they raised their four children in a house that they built themselves in Wilton. In 1972, they purchased the Mount Blue Motel, a bustling year-round 19-room motel that served skiers and outdoorsmen and ran it as a thriving business until they sold it in 1984. They then bought a beautiful farm in New Vineyard, Maine, until Wally, her husband of 38 years, sadly passed away from cancer.
In 1987, Nedra married Joseph Guyette, a teamster and retired truck driver originally from Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Together they bought an 18-wheel Peterbilt and hauled fruits and vegetables from Maine to California and Florida. They eventually retired to Brooksville, Florida, where Nedra once again became a snowbird and remained under the loving care of her daughter, Janet, in Topsham, Maine, and her granddaughter, Missy while in Florida after the death of Joe in 2010. In Jan. 2026, Nedra moved to Sharon, to be near her son Walter.
Nedra was a tremendous athlete who was either watching sports or playing them herself. She was a member of the 1948 Maine state championship basketball team at Central High School, and in the 70’s Nedra went to the Nationals for her Maine bowling team, traveling to Las Vegas, Reno and Denver. She had a wide circle of friends and loved a good round of golf and playing games like cribbage and dominoes at her Florida clubhouse in the evenings.
Nedra was also a devoted sports mom. When her children were young, she traveled all over New England to competitive ski races, rising early each morning to check the weather and wax their skis. She could just as often be found on the sidelines of track meets and football games and was famously the carpool mom for whichever team needed one. That devotion carried into the next generation. She attended many soccer and baseball games for her grandchildren and was never shy about letting a referee or umpire know her opinion about a call.
She will be remembered as a hard worker, a loyal friend, a lover of all animals and a fiercely protective mother and grandmother.
Nedra is survived by her older brother, Robert Meade, and his wife, Avis Meade, of Woolwich, Maine. James and Pat Yahn of Rockwood, Maine, Janet Dyroff of Brunswick, Maine, Walter and Joanie Yahn of Sharon, Connecticut, Mary Jane Yahn-Hull and DD Yahn-Hull of Fort Collins, Colorado, and Roland and Cheryl Guyette of Millville, Massachusetts. Nedra is also survived by her grandchildren, Melissia Yahn of Brooksville, Florida. Rachel and Robert Nichols of New Sharon, Maine, Lindsay Dyroff and Jonathan Waite of Brunswick, Maine. Maggie and Hector Umana of West Hartford, Connecticut, Ellie Yahn of Denver, Colorado, Willy Yahn of Kent, Connecticut, Cody Brown of Fort Collins, Colorado, Chris Guyette of Webster, Massachusetts and Eric Guyette of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. She is also survived by many great-grandchildren. She is predeceased by her brother, Donnie Meade; her husbands, Wallace Yahn and Joseph Guyette; and her son-in-law, Michael Dyroff.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Somerset Humane Society, P.O. Box 453 Skowhegan, Maine 04976, or online at https://shsanimalshelter.com/
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
Millerton News
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