Letters to the Editor - The Millerton News - 7-14-22

Reporter Kaitlin Lyle will be missed greatly

Kaitlin, say it ain’t so! The news of your departure saddens me, but I am excited for you and the challenges you are taking on.

A daily! There’s no doubt you’ll excel in your new position. You are organized, do the research, develop and maintain deep relationships, are curious, and best of all, you make the calls and listen.

From where I sit, your coverage of Dover has been nothing short of remarkable. Positive stories are rarely told about us. You are the exception, in spades. You were interested in finding out who we were — no small feat.

Dover is one of the more unappreciated towns in Dutchess County. You helped bring us out of isolation, so to speak. You connected the dots to our neighbors to the north with whom we share a sense of place: Amenia, Wassaic, Millerton and North East.

The Millerton News views the Harlem Valley for what it is. The editorials written by Editor Whitney Joseph emphasize our shared resources, history, culture, socio-economic diversity and independence; your news team built the foundation, detail by detail.

No organization, no media in Dutchess County, promotes us like your paper does.

Visitors could spend days exploring everything there is to do in the Harlem Valley. You understand better than most in the public eye that Dover is part of the whole.

As a resident of Dover I appreciate your sensitivity to what our citizens have in common and how we differ, knowing alignments are rarely permanent. We have multiple groups of interested parties and individuals who on one day will find themselves on opposite sides of an issue and the following day, mix it up and form new alliances to work together on the next project — sometimes simultaneously. And we have a lot of issues… We’re like the spider’s web that is created every morning and by the end of the day you may not know what it’ll look like. The next morning, it begins again.

Through your stories, Kaitlin, you brought to life the people in Dover who care about the community, whether out front or behind the scenes. People deserve to have their story told and in their own way, if they want it told at all.

Usually we hit the news only when something sensational happens. No town is exempt from the ugly, but aside from photos of the Stone Church, that’s about all that gets published about us in the local, regional and national media. We are not only that.

Your openness invites those you meet to share their thoughts, passions, life histories, hopes, opportunities and difficulties. Being heard and represented respectfully builds trust. Your relationship network expands because your contacts trust you enough to put you in touch with others. You listen and report fairly.

Thanks for stopping in to explore our world.

Fondly,

Stancy DuHamel

Wingdale

Editor’s note: Kaitlin Lyle put down her reporter’s note pad for The Millerton News after five years as our full-time reporter, to begin with The News-Times in Danbury, Conn., this week. We wish her the best of luck as she begins this next phase of her life. For more on Kaitlin’s time with this newspaper and her new adventure, go to www.tricornernews.com.

Saying goodbye to The Lakeville Journal Co.

From the internship that first fueled my calling to the career I fostered in writing for The Millerton News, it has been my privilege to work as a reporter for The Lakeville Journal Co. and its newspapers over the last five years.

I can remember the details of the first time I told someone I wanted to be a journalist right down to what I was having for dinner. I was sitting with Tom eating a steak dinner in his apartment when I admitted I’d been thinking about a career in journalism. It’s been eight years since that night and I can still remember that light bulb moment.

And I couldn’t have found a better place to set this idea in motion than at The Lakeville Journal, the same newspaper my family had been reading for years and that I looked forward to reading every Thursday. Through the mentoring of the company’s seasoned reporters, editors, publisher and other key players, my college epiphany soon evolved into a career I was proud to build.

Little did I know that, almost two years after my internship with The Lakeville Journal, I’d find myself working for the company again — this time as a staff reporter with The Millerton News. I will always consider myself lucky that, while I was job-searching, my mom clipped The Millerton News’ job ad for a staff reporter position.

Through the encouragement and education I received from the paper’s editor and reporters, I grew into the reporter I hoped to become and found myself part of a tight-knit community of passionate writers.

Whether I was uncovering the hidden histories behind the region’s landmark businesses, spotlighting incoming businesses or writing about the local organizations that have dedicated their efforts to addressing their community’s needs, I’ve considered it an honor to write about the communities that fell under the paper’s coverage area. To those of you that have reached out to keep the paper informed of what’s happening in your communities and within your organizations, thank you for your stories.

Mixing in with my excitement to begin a new chapter at a different newspaper is the sadness that comes with saying goodbye to the wonderful friends and colleagues that have encouraged me, challenged me and inspired me over the years. Choosing the right words to say exactly what we mean plays a vital role in the work we do. That being said, I hope these words will be strong enough to convey my gratitude for your work and my time working with you.

Kaitlin Lyle

Recently resigned reporter,

The Millerton News

Sharon

Schmitt made it to July Fourth celebrations

It was a sunny 4th of July weekend complete with patriotism in every corner of our community between the parades, fireworks and the display of red, white and blue. I was so pleased to see Assemblyman Colin Schmitt (R-99) marching in this year’s parade in my town.

Not only did he make an appearance in the parade, but he made time to speak with community members along the route and mingle afterward. It truly makes such a difference when we’re able to access our public officials and get to know them personally, outside of an office setting.

Colin is one of those leaders who makes the time to hear you out and take action on your concerns or just strike up a friendly conversation.

Colin has my full support here in the Hudson Valley and I can’t wait for him to take his leadership and patriotism to Congress.

Mitchell Oakley

Hyde Park

Lyle got Millerton park’s name wrong

I would like to correct some information reported in last week’s article regarding the upgrades to our Little League field. It is true that construction is progressing and that we are hoping to make some ADA upgrades to the Little League field, but it is not true that our Park’s name has changed.

While the Park may be referred to as the Millerton Community Park, to give the impression that it is in Millerton and serves the entire Community, its official name is Eddie Collins Memorial Park, and there are no plans to change it.

Jenn Najdek

Village of Millerton Mayor

Millerton