FAIRVIEW — Dutchess Community College (DCC) hosted its first-ever Caribbean American Heritage Month celebration on Thursday, June 1. DCC collaborated with the Dutchess County Diversity and Inclusion Committee to make the event run successfully.
Each person participating in the event welcomed those who walked in, and was focused on making sure everyone could get at least one serving of food, introduced everyone to each other, and let attending students from around the county know about possible employment opportunities available to them.
The event included many different activities, allowing attendees to immerse themselves in Caribbean culture. The event had various of professors giving seminars on the different islands in the Caribbean. There were dance lessons, workshops, a DJ that played Caribbean music, and even small businesses selling some of their merchandise.
Yet the event’s goal was much greater than playing music and speaking to students. “Things we do inside our jobs at work and outside for our community is full circle ... We need to build diversity in the workforce, as well as share the different histories and cultures, like we are today,” said Josayne Anderson-Tejera, equal employment opportunity and inclusion officer for Dutchess County.
Jacqueline Goffe-McNish, a professor of English and Humanities at DCC, partnered with the event to share her knowledge with the community.
McNish has taught Caribbean literature for more than 30 years and was in charge of the study abroad program for over 20 years, and would take her students to the Caribbean islands for study and cultural immersion.
“Doctor Professor Goffe-McNish is retiring this year after 30 years of teaching here at the college, so this is a great send-off for her,” said Anderson-Tejera.
The celebration highlighted how to get more involved in the city of Poughkeepsie and gave students who are minorities a stepping stone to opportunities they may not have had. The county’s human resources department put together current employment opportunities and various career paths for students to see and apply to during the event.
“I help groups that are historically being underrepresented find jobs and internships, and it’s important to show up to events like this,” said Linda Haas Manley, a professor and Workforce Pathways coordinator at DCC .
Manuel Moore, a local videographer and podcaster, said: “I live in Poughkeepsie, which is a very heavily populated Jamaican community. I am married to a Jamaican woman, I like the culture, I like the people ... I get to be myself and learn a little more about the different countries around the Caribbean, and I hope to continue that.”
The Millerton Moviehouse was granted $150,000 for HVAC repairs. Moviehouse owner David Maltby said the repairs were needed as the HVAC system in the building is 40 years old.
MILLERTON — The Millerton Moviehouse announced last week that it received a $150,000 grant from State Senator Michelle Hinchey (D-41). Moviehouse owners David Maltby and Chelsea Altman accepted the check alongside town supervisor Chris Kennan and Senator Hinchey.
The funds will be allocated toward HVAC repairs that were completed in April, a crucial part of ongoing capital projects necessary for maintaining the historic 120-year-old building.
In an era when arts funding is increasingly unpredictable, the board and staff expressed “deep gratitude” for Senator Hinchey’s support. Maltby said securing the grant took more than a year and he credited the grant to the transformative work he, Altman and their team have done since purchasing the Moviehouse during the COVID pandemic and converting it into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
No longer a one-trick pony, the Moviehouse has grown into a community arts organization, offering more than just movies. “We have something for everyone, from first-run features and independent films to documentaries and special events like Q&As with filmmakers,” said Maltby, who grew up going to the Moviehouse as a child and had a vested interest in the preservation of the historic building.
The old way of operating a movie theater, Maltby said, relied on successful blockbusters and audience turnout. Additionally, theaters were impacted by COVID habits and streaming technology. The nonprofit model has brought opportunities to sustain The Moviehouse’s bottom line, but perhaps more importantly, has brought the community together.
Maltby said he is especially proud of their expanding education and community partnerships programs, which include after-school filmmaking workshops and free screenings, showcasing student-made films and partnering closely with local schools and organizations. “Becoming a nonprofit has allowed us to fully embrace and grow that mission,” he said.
Maltby believes their nonprofit status, which enables the organization to give back to the community through a variety of programs, played a key role in securing the grant.
About a year and a half ago, Senator Hinchey had an initial meeting with The Moviehouse to discuss a grant. “She’s known us for years and recognizes us as a key part of Millerton’s economy — arguably one of the most important contributors to the town’s daily life and its growth,” Maltby said.
During their meeting, Hinchey informed The Moviehouse about a state fund available to legislators for capital improvements to local businesses and nonprofits. Given the building’s age and maintenance needs, The Moviehouse saw this as an ideal opportunity to address critical renovation projects.
Their top priority was replacing the 40-year-old HVAC system that had been patched together over time and was expensive to maintain. The Moviehouse developed a $150,000 plan to replace the entire system, ductwork, and boiler and to insulate the attic and other areas.
“It’s the non-sexy, behind-the-scenes work people won’t see, but for keeping the movie theater running, it’s one of the most important things we can do,” Maltby said.
In a statement posted to Facebook, Senator Hinchey said, “I was happy to provide a $150,000 state grant to the Moviehouse in Millerton to support energy-efficient upgrades that will help lower operating costs and keep this treasured community institution accessible and enjoyable for years to come.”
Several years after his COVID purchase of the Moviehouse, Maltby said it is running like a well-oiled machine, and gives effusive thanks and credit to his team, which he describes as intentionally lean and hard-working.
General manager Jeremy Boviard, for example, has been with the Moviehouse since 2021 and Maltby said he “runs the team and day-to-day operations with such efficiency and ease and is a huge reason why this whole thing works.” As for Helen Seslowsky who handles marketing and public relations, Maltby said “If it happens, it’s because Helen makes it happen.” Working under the previous ownership since 2014, they joked that Seslowsky “came with the building.” She handles a wide range of responsibility behind–the-scenes to make things run smoothly.
“Everyone seems to enjoy working here, which is amazing — and I think that energy translates directly to our customers’ experience,” said Maltby, whose children also work at The Moviehouse in the summer. “It’s been incredibly rewarding overall, especially as we’ve been able to grow our mission and our partnerships with the community.”
Republican County Comptroller candidate Will Truitt currently serves as the chair of the Dutchess County Legislature.
Republican Will Truitt of Hyde Park is facing off against Democrat Dan Aymar-Blair for the county comptroller seat in the Nov. 4 election.
Truitt currently serves as the chair of the Dutchess County Legislature and has served as Hyde Park and Pleasant Valley’s representative in the legislating body for the past ten years.
Truitt, 29, made his first foray into politics as a student at Marist College at the age of 19.
After a stint interning in Marc Molinaro’s office, Truitt decided to run for office himself. At the age of 20 he unseated the incumbent representative of Hyde Park and he’s been reelected to the seat ever since.
“I was knocking on all my neighbors doors,” Truitt said. “A lot of them recognizedand kind of knew who I was. They knew that I really wanted to serve and they put their faith in me.”
Truitt said his experience as the chair of the county legislature’s Budget and Finance Committee, and his current full-time job at Metzger Construction Corp. in Hopewell Junction, have prepared him for the comptroller’s position.
“You have to understand dollars and cents, you have to understand finance,” Truitt said. “I went to Marist for business, finance and accounting and a minor in economics so none of the language felt foreign to me.”
The County Legislature chair cited the passage of term limit regulation as a major success of his 10 years in government. “I have always believed term limits should be in place for all levels of government,” Truitt said. “I brought forward term limits in my first term and it failed pretty miserably. I brought it back in my second year and it passed unanimously.” Now, all elected county officials are limited to no more than 12 years in a particular post.
Truitt reflected on a failed bid to unseat New York Assemblywoman Didi Barrett when he was just 22-years-old, saying he’s eager to return to Northeast Dutchess County and meet more people on the campaign trail.
“I got to really know so many people in that region,” Truitt said. “I ran for the state assembly when I was that young because I — just like I did when I ran for the Dutchess County Legislature — I thought I could provide a strong voice for the people.”
AMENIA — Three years in, the full-service health clinic at the Webutuck School District, known internally as the school-based health center, has been a resounding success.
The clinic is staffed by a full-time physician who acts as a participating student’s primary care physician at no extra cost to families. Looking to expand the scope of medical services Webtuck could offer to its students, school nurse Charlie Davis proposed the clinic three years ago.
Given that visits to the doctor can prevent students from attending school on a given day, they were something Webutuck was happy to bring in-house, said Deputy Superintendent Robert Farrier. “We schedule those visits during study halls. Students come down, they have the appointment, and half an hour later they are back to class,” he said.
Because many Webutuck students would not otherwise have access to proper medical care, an illness is something that could cause a prolonged absence and have a serious effect on students’ health. “Really one of the main reasons why we introduced this was to try and improve on our chronic absenteeism,” Farrier said.
“The school-based health center has been incredibly received by the student population and by the parents,” Farrier said. Currently, 77% of Webutuck students are enrolled in the free program.
The clinic is operated by Open Door Health, a healthcare provider which runs many similar clinics in Westchester County, Farrier said.
Even if a student does not have insurance, Open Door, which receives federal funding to run clinics such as the Webutuck Health Center, will provide care free of charge to the student. Having received more than $100,000 in grant funding toward the project, the only cost Webtucuk was required to incur was the construction of a suitable space to house the clinic. Beyond students and families in the district, the health program at Webtucuk has provided a model for other schools in the district, Farrier said. “Every school district in Dutchess County has come at least once to visit us and to learn about how we set the clinic up and how we run things at the school,” he said.
The clinic is part of a broader attempt by the Webutuck School District to improve student life through the allocation of school funds to projects beyond the basic responsibilities of the district, Farrier said.
“We offer free breakfast and lunch for all of our students. We’re trying to make sure that our students don’t go home hungry and that they’re getting proper meals during the school day,” he said.
The clinic has been such a success at Webutuck that other school districts in the county are attempting to replicate the program locally. “The Wappinger’s school district was really impressed with what they saw… this has really been a first for Dutchess County,” Farrier said.
WASSAIC — Fans of good wine attractively presented in a welcoming village ambiance will want to stop at the newly opened historic candy store turned wine shop in Wassaic, next to The Lantern.
The little shop that sold candy in the 1890s has been restored, opening as Ten Mile Table on Saturday, July 26, adding yet another reason to visit the village of Wassaic and absorb the reality that it is an imaginatively special place.
Owner Erika DaSilva paused for an interview on Thursday, August 7, reflecting on her new shop’s place in the community after a year of work preparing to open at 14 Main St., just next door to The Lantern.
“We’re doing wonderfully. We’re proud and excited to share with the community,” DaSilva said.
“It’s my own business,” DaSilva said, “but we would not be here were it not for the support of the folks who support The Lantern and The Wassaic Project.”
Adjacent to Ten Mile Table, between it and The Lantern is found the Newsstand, also restored to become a space that DaSilva described as being for community members who might have food, beverages or events to share with passersby, perhaps something like a lemonade stand or some other endeavor.
DaSilva said that she first began learning about wine more than 20 years ago, even working in European vineyards where protecting the environment was essential.Selections for the wine store are environmentally conscious.
“Everything is delicious, of course, but I like to feature natural wines that are good for the environment,” DaSilva said of her choices from wineries that keep the protection of the environment at the fore throughout the growing and production process.
“We’re able to support smaller producers,” DaSilva said.
The conversation was interrupted by a trio of customers seeking just the right wine.
“What are you going to do with it,” was one of the questions DaSilva asked in considering her range of choices that span mostly from $25 to $45, with a few outliers.
The outcome of the exercise was a wine deemed to be “light, but not wimpy,” just what the customers were looking for.
Thursdays at The Ten Mile Table offer festive wine tastings from 5 to 7 p.m. for a fee of $5 that includes upscale nibbles. DaSilva intends to invite chefs from among her broad field of talented friends to provide signature delicacies to enhance the wine tasting experience.
“I don’t want not to be creatively busy,” DaSilva said. “I just like trying things out.”
Ten Mile Table is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 1 to 7 p.m. And on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 6 p.m.
“I would love to be open more,” DaSilva said.
DaSilva resides in Kent with her family. Her husband, Minh Le, is the General Manager of The Lantern. Their daughter, Bibi, is 8, and son, Senna, just turned 3.
For more information about Ten Mile Table, go to www.tenmiletable.com or phone 845-570-5228.
