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Town of Washington gains four EV chargers

Town of Washington gains four EV chargers
From left: Kate Kruk, director of community engagement for Livingston  Energy Group, holds one end of the ribbon at a ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 10, highlighting the new electric charging station at Washington Town Hall. Village Board Trustee Vicky Contino holds the shears, Melaine Rottkamp, president and CEO of Dutchess Tourism looks on, and Washington Town Supervisor Gary Ciferri  holds the other end of the ribbon. 
Photo by Judith O’Hara Balfe

MILLBROOK — With the snip of a very large pair of blue scissors, Millbrook came into the electric charger age on Thursday, Aug. 10, when a ribbon was cut in front of the chargers recently installed at Washington Town Hall.

“In the center of Millbrook, the four public EV charge ports are a vital amenity which will attract visitors to the Village,  serve employees who drive EV’s here and want to top off before heading home, and benefit residents who have or want an electric car but don’t have a charger at home,” said Village Board Trustee Vicky Contino.

After initial research and outreach, in early 2021, Contino was contacted by Livingston Energy Group through the New York Conference of Mayors.

In early fall 2022, Livingston had alerted the municipalities that new grant money was available. Grants were applied for to cover the $59,200 cost of hardware, installation and service fees for four ports.

After a Livingston site visit, a deal was negotiated for a five-year contract for the ports, which would be installed, maintained and networked at no cost to the town or village for the duration of the contract.

By spring 2023, permits were issued, the site was prepared and the installation was completed. This summer the inspection was done, Central Hudson made the connection, the spaces were paved, and, on Aug. 5, the charging station had its first official customer.

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Baseball, wine and jazz at Millbrook Winery

Baseball, wine and jazz at Millbrook Winery

Bernie Williams and his Band of Friends at Millbrook Winery in 2025.

Provided

Throughout the history of Major League Baseball, precious few greats have been considered five-tool players. New York Yankee Bernie Williams was one of them.

To be considered a five tool player, one must show exceptional proficiency in five categories: hitting for average, hitting for power, running bases, fielding and arm strength. But there’s another tool Williams possesses that didn’t make it to the back of his baseball card: his mastery of jazz guitar.

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Lucky Orphans offers sanctuary for horses and healing for people

Lucky Orphans offers sanctuary for horses and healing for people
If horses could speak, Hearn believes they would offer just one piece of advice: “They’d tell us to slow down.”

From feeding retired racehorses before sunrise to guiding veterans, grieving parents and troubled teenagers through equine-assisted therapy sessions, Deanna Hearn rarely has a quiet day. As founder of Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue in Dover Plains, she oversees the care of more than 40 sanctuary horses while leading a nonprofit whose mission extends far beyond animal rescue.

What began as a childhood love of horses has evolved into a place where healing runs in both directions — for horses and for people. By the time you leave Lucky Orphans, it becomes clear that this place isn’t really about horses. The horses are simply how it begins. For Hearn, every rescued horse represents something much larger: hope, resilience, healing and second chances. The organization’s mission, she says, is simple: “People helping horses heal people.”

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Weekend in Norfolk returns for four days of art, music and community

Weekend in Norfolk returns for four days of art, music and community

A brass quintet at the Yale Music Shed at Weekend in Norfolk 2025.

Jennifer Almquist

Norfolk bursts with activity in midsummer with Weekend in Norfolk (WIN). An all-volunteer committee transforms the town with free public events for all ages. WIN 2026 begins Thursday, July 30, and runs through Sunday, Aug. 2.

Norfolk sculptor Jon Riedeman, the new head of Norfolk Artists and Friends (NAF), organized the group’s 19th annual art exhibition, featuring paintings, sculpture, photography and jewelry by area artists in the Art Barn on the grounds of the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. Riedeman expanded the show this year by inviting artists from New Marlborough, Massachusetts, to participate. The exhibit opens with a reception Thursday, July 30, from 5 to 7 p.m.

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Abbey’s open-air theater returns with “Babette’s Feast”

Abbey’s open-air theater returns with “Babette’s Feast”
Jen Gleason, director of “Babette’s Feast,” poses before a natural setting on the stage of The Gary-The Olivia Theater in Bethlehem.
Jack Sheedy

Jen Gleason stood on the stage of The Gary-The Olivia Theater and gestured toward the upstage wall—which wasn’t there. Like the so-called fourth wall separating audience from actors, all walls in this theater are invisible.

“That’s just God’s creation,” Gleason said, pointing to woods and rocks and grass and sky where you might expect a brick wall. “You cannot copy that. That’s the best backdrop you could possibly have.”

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