Letters to the Editor - The Millerton News - 12-16-21

Millerton Fire Company is, and was, a lifesaver

A recent letter to the editor gave the mistaken impression that our Millerton Fire Company (MFC) was not sufficiently staffed to respond the incredibly tragic fire on South Elm Avenue last month.

From everything I observed first-hand and have learned since, that is just not the case.

Given the extraordinary intensity of this fire, our Fire Company responded quickly, in force, and to the best of their abilities.

Fire companies from other towns responded to lend assistance, in what is known as Mutual Aid, as they regularly do, and as our company does with other towns.

While more volunteers are certainly needed to assure the future of our Fire Company, the women and men of our MFC should be recognized and appreciated for their exceptional dedication and effort.

I’m glad to know they are there.

Chris Kennan

Supervisor,
Town of North East

North East

 

It’s time for U.S. Senator Schumer to step up

Along with so many others, I have grave concerns about the state of our Democracy and the efforts of certain political actors to undermine Democracy’s foundational election process.  In this vein, I have sent the following email to U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY):

I write to urge you to delay the upcoming Senate recess in order to bring voting rights legislation to a vote before the end of the year and before conservative Republican-majority state legislators do further harm to voter protections and enfranchisement measures.

Why can’t Democrats work as diligently to protect voting rights as Republicans do to disenfranchise people and weaken voter protections?

I urge others to make similar pleas to Sen. Schumer.

Amy Rothstein

Pine Plains

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Millerton News and The News does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Latest News

Siglio Press: Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature

Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.

Richard Kraft

Siglio Press is a small, independent publishing house based in Egremont, Massachusetts, known for producing “uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.” Founded and run by editor and publisher Lisa Pearson, Siglio has, since 2008, designed books that challenge conventions of both form and content.

A visit to Pearson’s airy studio suggests uncommon work, to be sure. Each of four very large tables were covered with what looked to be thousands of miniature squares of inkjet-printed, kaleidoscopically colored pieces of paper. Another table was covered with dozens of book/illustration-size, abstracted images of deer, made up of colored dots. For the enchanted and the mystified, Pearson kindly explained that these pieces were to be collaged together as artworks by the artist Richard Kraft (a frequent contributor to the Siglio Press and Pearson’s husband). The works would be accompanied by writings by two poets, Elizabeth Zuba and Monica Torre, in an as-yet-to-be-named book, inspired by a found copy of a worn French children’s book from the 1930s called “Robin de Bois” (Robin Hood).

Keep ReadingShow less
Cycling season: A roundup of our region’s rentals and where to ride them

Cyclists head south on the rail trail from Copake Falls.

Alec Linden

After a shaky start, summer has well and truly descended upon the Litchfield, Berkshire and Taconic hills, and there is no better way to get out and enjoy long-awaited good weather than on two wheels. Below, find a brief guide for those who feel the pull of the rail trail, but have yet to purchase their own ten-speed. Temporary rides are available in the tri-corner region, and their purveyors are eager to get residents of all ages, abilities and inclinations out into the open road (or bike path).

For those lucky enough to already possess their own bike, perhaps the routes described will inspire a new way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For more, visit millertonnews.com/tag/bike-route to check out two ride-guides from local cyclists that will appeal to enthusiasts of many levels looking for a varied trip through the region’s stunning summer scenery.

Keep ReadingShow less