MILLBROOK — After what seems a very long time, the Millbrook Library has curated an art exhibit featuring beloved artist and children’s book creator Sally Gifford O’Brien, born in 1927 and now living in North Carolina. Closed due to COVID-19 for several months, the library opened a short time ago with restrictions, but also with several programs for their patrons using technology and common sense. The art exhibited, provided by the Millbrook Historical Society, is especially poignant as it reminds one of the good old days when life was simpler and much gentler.
The Millbrook Historical Society hasn’t met since February due to the pandemic, but partnered with the library to get this limited exhibit up and running. The year 2020 has been designated the “Year of Women’s Voices & Talents,” so it is entirely appropriate to honor one of Millbrook’s most talented and beloved citizens, Sally Gifford O’Brien, whom some affectionately refer to as “SOB.”
O’Brien was the artist who put together an amazing coloring book for children, featuring many of the special sites and buildings of Millbrook. She was a very talented painter, did wonderful sketches and was adept at needlepoint. But O’Brien’s story goes much deeper than her artistic talents, it’s also a story of someone who loved and did much for her community, and always with a laugh, a smile, or, as one person noted, “…with a twinkle in her eye.”
O’Brien was born and raised in Millbrook. Her father was Herman Gifford Sr., who purchased a lovely Federalist house and 108 acres of land on the Sharon Turnpike in 1924. Chester White farmed that land, it was a dairy farm for 50 years, well into the 1960s. O’Brien grew up there, and was a member of Lyall Memorial Federated Church, which still has pieces of her needlework on its walls.
Always community minded, she allowed the Boy Scouts from Millbrook Troop 31 to use her land for camping. She and her husband, Bill, then decided to sell their property in 1975 to the Cary Arboretum after building a new home on a different plot of land.
Along with some of her work, including some of her needlework on pillows and footstools, there are written testaments as to what O’Brien meant to so many people and the community as a whole. Said Fussy Prisco, a close friend, “She and Bill had the greatest parties; she was always welcoming to those who newly had moved into the community so that they would feel comfortable.” Prisco also spoke of O’Brien’s penchant for recycling, greeting cards, wrapping paper, clothing, things she found beautiful and for interacting with people of all ages.
Stan Morse, who took up drawing and sketching when in his 70s, said, “Sally is a very special human being.” They were fellow residents of Bennett Condos in Millbrook. Morse went on to add, “Sally was starting her transition to the Carolinas to live with her sister. She invited me over and encouraged me to take whatever artwork, books and materials of hers I wanted. It was so typically Sally, open and generous, to do so. Her words of encouragement were, and remain, well remembered.”
The exhibit will introduce O’Brien’s work to viewers not already familiar with it; it will also introduce O’Brien as a humorist, author, artist and most of all, a beloved member of the Millbrook community.
The exhibit will run through the end of September. For hours, requirements and other library programs and resources, go to www.millbrooklibrary.org or call 845-677-3611.
For more information on the Millbrook Historical website, go to www.millbrookhistoricalsociety.org.
Aly Morrissey
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
"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.
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, 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.
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.
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.
Leila Hawken
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.
Leila Hawken
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.
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Millerton News
WEST CORNWALL — Richard R. Stover, 82, of West Cornwall, died peacefully at Noble Horizons on May 26, 2026.
Son of the late Robert and Leona (Heinbockel) Stover, Rick was born Feb. 6, 1944 in Edina, Minnesota. He attended the University of Pennsylvania where he majored in Economics and was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
After graduation, Rick began a long career as a financial and pharmaceutical analyst working at Mitchell Hutchins, Smith Barney, Alex Brown & Sons, Pfizer, and Arnold and S. Bleichroeder. He was then President and CEO of PeriCor Therapeutics, a bio tech company he founded in Manhattan.
Rick was an avid golfer and skier, and he liked nothing better than wrestling with the wilderness. After he and Marnell bought their home in West Cornwall, he enjoyed clearing brush, felling trees, and splitting logs. He was the proud owner of every tool and machine necessary for landscape maintenance.Rick was a parishioner at St. Bridget Church where he worked on the building and grounds committee and served as Chairman of the Finance Council.
Rick is survived by his wife Marnell (Bukovac) and his four daughters and their families; Shaw (Christofer) Ruder and Beckett, Elliot, and Hattie; Sara Stover (Chris Sherwin); Christian Stover (Jeffrey Knutsen); Anne (Andrew) Ruder and William, Charlie, and Sadie. He is also survived by his stepchildren and their families: Mary Brunelli (Christopher Edgar) and Alexander and Catherine; and Michael (Ellen) Brunelli.
Rick was preceded in death by his sister Barbara McCurdy.
A Mass of Christian burial was held at St. Bridget Church (St. Kateri Parish) 7 River Road, Cornwall Bridge, on Saturday, May 30, 2026 at 11:00. Burial followed at St. Bridget Cemetery.
Contributions in Rick’s name may be made to St. Kateri Parish (St. Bridget Church), PO Box 186, 90 Cobble Road, Kent, CT 06757.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
Millerton News
SHARON — Floyd Irving Isham Jr., 87, a longtime area resident, died Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at Sharon Health Care Center in Sharon. Mr. Isham worked for the Tri-Wall Container Corp. in Wassaic, New York, for fifteen years and also worked as a self-employed private caretaker for over twenty-five years, caring for local estates in Shekomeko, Pine Plains and Ancramdale, New York, prior to his retirement.
Born Aug. 25, 1938, in St. George, Vermont, he was the son of the late Floyd Irving and Hazel (Thompson) Isham, Sr. Following his high school years, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served from 1958 until his honorable discharge in 1961. Mr. Isham also served in the Vermont National Guard. On Aug. 11, 1990, in Dover Plains, New York, he married Nancy L. Cross. Mrs. Isham died on July 8, 2005.
Mr. Isham was a life member of the Millerton American Legion Post # 178 in Millerton, and was a former member of the Amenia Fish & Game Club in Amenia. He served for eight years as president of the Dutchess County Federation of Fish & Game Clubs and also served on their legislative committee for a number of years. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoyed gardening, watching the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox on television and spent a great deal of time following the horses at OTB. Floyd will be deeply missed by his loving family and his many dear friends. Floyd’s family wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the nurses, nursing assistants and staff at Sharon Health Care Center for the kind and respectful attention provided to Floyd while in their care.
Mr. Isham is survived by two children, Mary Kunda and Theodore Isham; three stepchildren, Candy Strong and her husband Bill, Brian Marshall and his wife Kathy and Tanya Mayhew; two grandchildren, Samantha Harrison and her husband Raymond and Cody Mayhew; one great grandchild, Harper Lee Harrison; several siblings and many nieces and nephews and friends. In addition to his wife and parents, he was also predeceased by three sisters, Lucille, Leonna and Roselyn.
Graveside services and burial will take place on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Ellsworth Cemetery, 25 Cemetery Road, Sharon with Standard Naval Honors. Pastor William Mayhew will officiate. Memorial contributions may be made to the Millerton American Legion Post # 178, 155 Route 44, Millerton, NY 12546. To send an online condolence to the family, flowers to the service or to plant a tree in Floyd’s honor, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com
Millerton News
EAST CANAAN — Pauline K. (King) Garfield, 94 of 77 South Canaan Rd. formerly of East Canaan, died Sunday May 24, 2026, at Geer Village. She was the wife of the late Duane Garfield who passed August 14, 2017. Pauline was born April 3, 1932 in North Canaan,in the former Geer Hospital. She was the daughter of the late Charles and Rose (Van Vlack) King.
Pauline spent her career at Becton Dickinson in Canaan, after being a stay-at-home mother for many years.She was employed at Becton Dickinson for 23 years. She enjoyed bus trips with her late husband Duane to the Casinos, spending time with her family watching the grandchildren grow up. Recently she made a comment to care givers that was “wait until I see that husband of mine for leaving me here, I am going to read him the riot act.” Over the years she enjoyed many crafts, but her favorite was crocheting gifts for everyone.
Pauline is survived by her daughter, Paula Ducharme and husband Tom of York, Pennsylvania, her son Michael Garfield and wife Joann of Winchester Center, Connecticut, her granddaughter Koren Garfield and her great grandchildren, Alyssa Jade, Addison Jacob and Brennden Leo of Colebrook, Connecticut.
Pauline is also survived by her sister, Althea Marshall and her husband Corky of North Canaan, Connecticut. She was predeceased by her brothers, Everett and Alan King.
A Celebration of Pauline’s life was held on Monday June 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in the North Canaan Congregational Church 172 Lower Road East Canaan, CT 06024.Burial followed at Hillside Cemetery in East Canaan, CT. Memorial Donation can be sent to the North Canaan Volunteer Ambulance Corps P.O. Box 178 North Canaan, CT 06018. Arrangements are under the care of the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home 118 Main St. Canaan, CT 06018.
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