Well-honed practices in Lacke Studio duo show

Scott Culbreth, left, and Suzanne Lacke with samples of their work. Photo by Deborah Maier
MILLERTON — In Millerton’s growing arts scene, a well-timed show at Lacke Studio on the Harlem Valley Rail Trail promises to be well worth a visit.
Suzanne Lacke (pronounced “lake”) and Scott Culbreth will present landscapes and other paintings on the ground floor of the Music Cellar, the pink building just off Main Street toward Amenia, on Saturday, Dec. 16, and Sunday, Dec. 17, from 11 a.m to 5 p.m.
Lacke, a recent transplant to Salisbury, Connecticut, from California, grew up in Westchester County and completed her art studies on both the East and West coasts. She spoke movingly of teacher Marshall Glasier at the Art Students League, who “…set me on a path of an art practice. He helped liberate us through working large” and imparting the wisdom of his mentor, George Grosz. Over the years, Lacke has returned the favor to her many and varied students.
As in the work of her long-ago mentor, there is a visceral quality to Lacke’s landscapes with their saturated jewel tones and an interplay between modernist flatness and sensuous, almost expressionist brushwork. Many reflect her time as a Californian, while some seem at home in the Litchfield Hills. She foresees more landscapes from this region soon.
Lacke’s “Dresses” series, once exhibited as “Disembodied Robes,” are larger vertical compositions with unusual qualities of liveliness and, at a distance, even photorealistic effects, though they share a painterly quality with her other works.
Her urban scenes have the air of an updated Edward Hopper, with their glimpses into people caught in their reveries while waiting for a green light or crossing a street. Rich, brushy color treatments and close attention to body language and the vagaries of light make for satisfying viewing experiences.
Culbreth was raised in southern Connecticut and moved to Millerton 45 years ago with his artist wife Karen, desiring closeness to family and this area’s natural beauty. The son of two artists himself, he grew up in a home “steeped in the practice of transcribing and producing visual imagery,” the smell of turpentine and the clink of brush ferrules against the mouths of jars.
In his half of the show, Culbreth offers a dozen mid-sized canvases, including landscapes noted for their subtle yet lively colors and poetic realism, as well as some richly textured still life paintings; and some recent abstractions, revisiting an idiom he explored deeply in the past. Widely exhibited in this region over many years, from the Re Institute to museums in Connecticut, Culbreth, like Lacke, shows no sign of abating in the exploration of the creative life.
Prices for both artists’ works range from $25 to $3,000.
Lacke Studio is currently a thriving presence in the community, with an ongoing Saturday studio experience/workshop for young artists, figure drawing sessions for adults with various live models, and plans for daylong or weekend workshops on color theory and use starting in January, at 14 Main St. in Millerton. For more information, see suzannelacke.com
This is a developing story. Updates will be made as more information becomes available.
MILLERTON — Northern Dutchess Paramedics, the private emergency medical service provider contracted by North East, Amenia and Dover, is set to be acquired by Empress EMS, Town Supervisor Chris Kennan said at a special workshop meeting of the town board on Tuesday evening, Aug. 26.
Kennan shared what he called “breaking news” shortly after calling the meeting to order.
“We just learned that Northern Dutchess Paramedics has entered into a sales agreement with Empress, which serves most of Dutchess County,” he announced at the start of the meeting, which was originally scheduled to fine-tune zoning language for the town's commercial district.
Empress EMS is part of PatientCare EMS Solutions, a provider of emergency medical services that operates throughout the country under several brands, including Sunstar Paramedics, Med Fleet Ambulance, FleetPlus and School of EMS. PatientCare is owned by A+M Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Greenwich, Connecticut, which provides the company with financial backing and corporate oversight.
Kennan said he received a call from NDP owner Ed Murray with the news on Friday.
In a phone call with The News on Wednesday morning, Aug. 27, NDP Chief Operating Officer Mark Browne confirmed that while the acquisition “is on-schedule to happen,” the paperwork is not yet final.
While a potential shift in ownership could bring a variety of changes to North East and Millerton, including EMS response time, cost and the health and safety of the community, Supervisor Kennan said he received a verbal indication that Empress would honor the town’s existing contract with NDP, which was renewed for three years in December.
In 2025, the town is paying $511,558 for contracted services with NDP and the cost is expected to increase to $746,345 by 2027.
“In the short term, we should not be impacted by this change,” Kennan said. He added that the current contract with NDP has a stipulation that any new owner must honor the existing contract.
The news comes after Kennan and other towns have criticized the high costs of emergency medical services, which makes up a sizable chunk of the town’s budget and burdens taxpayers. Along with the Association of Towns, Kennan has urged New York Governor Kathy Hochul to sign a bill that has passed in the Senate and the Assembly and would exempt EMS services from the state’s property tax cap, giving local governments more flexibility to manage costs and sustain their EMS programs.
The bill would allow municipalities to better respond to EMS price hikes in their budgets, but it otherwise does not address those rising costs or poorer-than-typical service in rural communities like North East, Amenia and Dover.
Based in Yonkers, Empress EMS has a hub in Poughkeepsie and operates in Dutchess, Westchester, Rockland, Ulster, Putnam, Sullivan and Orange counties, as well as the Bronx. The company’s acquisition of NDP marks its continued expansion north – in 2021 Empress purchased EMStar and Mobile Life, pushing its way deeper into the Hudson Valley.
In January, Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino announced that Empress won the bid to become the primary provider of supplemental EMS services, a move made by the county in an effort to address long wait times for 911 calls. While successful in more densely populated areas, rural areas like North East, Amenia and Dover saw no visits from the supplemental services in quarter two of 2025.
According to the 2025 second quarter EMS report published by Dutchess County, all but one town in the county is serviced by either NDP or Empress. The merger would make Empress the sole EMS provider in the county except for the City of Beacon.
While there is no confirmed timeframe for the transition of ownership, Kennan said NDP owner Ed Murray indicated it was “moving quickly.”
While playing outside in the early post-pandemic days, Berkshire Busk! founder Eugene Carr had an epiphany: why not expand the idea of performing on the street (aka busking)into a full-fledged festival in Great Barrington?
As an entrepreneur and cellist, Carr envisioned a well-organized jamboree featuring regional talent, including musicians, acrobats, storytellers, fire-eaters, and more. He formed a team, connected with local businesses and the town of Great Barrington, and launched Berkshire Busk! in 2021. Since then, Berkshire Busk! has grown into a summer staple for Great Barrington.
In the summer of 2024, over 25,000 people experienced Berkshire Busk!. The festival is free to the public, provides a big boost to local businesses, and spectators can tip performers.
Busking takes place all over the world, either organized by individual performers or via busking festivals. Artists like The Roots, Tracy Chapman, Phoebe Bridgers, and Old Crow Medicine Show have all cut their teeth performing on the street.
General Manager Carli Scolforo is a Berkshire native with a love of music and writing. She can often be seen roaming the streets of Great Barrington, making sure everything’s in order, and serves as the festival’s face on social media.
“This year is the fifth anniversary of Berkshire Busk!, and it’s been an amazing summer,” said Scolforo. “We were able to welcome back a lot of our favorite performers, and bring in some new experiences as well. After getting rained out last year, we were able to host our first outdoor movie night in partnership with The Triplex Cinema and the Boondocks Film Society.”
Scolforo added, “This summer, we also introduced our first Open Mic Night, hosted by local recording artist and music producer Jackson Whalan. We were really pleased with the turnout of talent. The sheer amount of talent that’s hidden within an hour or so drive of Great Barrington always astounds us.”
Local businesses sponsor various busking spots, like the Berkshire Money Management Stage in the parking lot between the Triplex Cinema and Mama Lo’s BBQ. Typically, buskers bring their own amplification, while there are few spots — such as Berkshire Mountain Distillery in Sheffield — provide power.
Berkshire Busk! will end its season with a fireworks display on its last night on Saturday, Aug. 30.
Berkshire Busk! is endorsed by the Select Board of the Town of Great Barrington and is entirely supported by sponsorship fees from companies and organizations, as well as philanthropic donations from granting organizations, individuals and the Town of Great Barrington.
It operates under a fiscal sponsorship agreement with the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires and participates in Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program — in collaboration with the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Public Health’s WIC Nutrition Program, the Massachusetts Health Connector, and hundreds of organizations — by making cultural programming accessible to those for whom cost is a participation barrier.
For more information, visit: berkshirebusk.com
What if the dog onstage was played by a person? That’s the delightful twist in A.R. Gurney’s “Sylvia,” opening at the Sharon Playhouse on Aug. 29. In this clever and heartfelt comedy, the title character — a stray pup who disrupts the lives of a married couple — is portrayed not in costume but by an actor who brings insight, charm, and chaos to the role.
Stepping into Sylvia’s paws is Jen Cody, who is returning to the Sharon Playhouse in a starring role for her third year in a row, ready to bring this spirited dog to life. She’s joined by Jonathan Walker as Greg, the middle-aged man smitten with his new four-legged friend, and Jennifer Van Dyck as Kate, his wife, whose patience and identity are tested by Sylvia’s sudden presence in their home.
Directed by Colin Hanlon, this production balances elements of comedy and emotional depth. Gurney’s script may be filled with laughs but at its core, “Sylvia” explores loyalty, companionship, and how love sometimes arrives in unexpected forms. The play premiered Off-Broadway in 1995 and has since become an audience favorite for its wit, warmth, and originality.
Rounding out the cast is Sienna Brann, taking on a trio of roles that highlight the play’s comic versatility. The design team includes Christopher and Justin Swader (scenic), Kathleen DeAngelis (costumes), Bobbie Zlotnik (wigs), Wheeler Moon (lighting), and Graham Stone (sound), ensuring the story is grounded in a fully realized world, albeit one occasionally seen from a dog’s point of view.
Performances run through Sept. 7 at the Sharon Playhouse. For tickets and more information, visit sharonplayhouse.org.