
Located at 51 South Center St. in Millerton, the North East Community Center (NECC) has received funding through Arts Mid-Hudson in the past to host events like the annual Kinship Circle Hispanic Heritage Festival, shown above. Photo submitted
DUTCHESS COUNTY — Artists, nonprofits, libraries and municipalities interested in creating new works of art and instituting new arts and cultural activities in 2021 have been invited by Arts Mid-Hudson to apply for valuable funding through the 2021 Decentralization Grant Program.
A re-grant program of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), the Decentralization Grant Program is designed to support community-based arts activities to make quality arts programming available and support local cultural expression.
“We see these grants as seed funding to try an idea or foster a new program,” Arts Mid-Hudson Grants and Programs Manager Lilia Pérez said, adding that Arts Mid-Hudson offers free technical assistance to applicants, including working one-on-one with applicants to help them develop strong proposals. In turn, she said, many of the applicants who are awarded the grants leverage the funding to seek sponsorships or additional funding opportunities.
Arts Mid-Hudson typically administers three categories of the Decentralization Grant Program, including Community Arts Grants, Individual Artist Commissions and Arts Learning Grants.
Community Arts Grants are designed to provide project support for arts and cultural activities to make quality arts programming available to all residents looking to engage with the arts. This may include exhibitions, workshops, performances, festivals, virtual and public programming and screenings.
Nonprofits, unincorporated groups and individuals located in Dutchess, Orange or Ulster Counties are eligible to apply as are individuals and unincorporated groups fiscally sponsored by a nonprofit located in the aforementioned counties. Grant requests can range from $500 to $5,000 with no cash match required for 2021, and the grant awards will be determined by a peer review panel comprised of community members. All funded activities must be open to the general public for participation and take place between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2021 in the three counties.
The Individual Artist Commission reflects an investment in the region’s local artists by supporting the creation of new work. For this year, up to seven Individual Artist Commissions are available for Dutchess, Orange and Ulster Counties. Individuals artists ages 18 and older who reside in any of the three counties and aren’t enrolled full-time in a degree program are eligible to apply.
Open to visual, performing, written, digital, traditional and experimental art mediums, the artist’s new work requires a public component in the form of either a small-scale public presentation or community involvement in the artist’s creative process. The seven potential commissions are eligible for a grant amount of $1,500 each, with no required cash match. All funded projects must take place between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2021, and the grant awards will be determined by a peer review panel comprised of artists.
The deadline to apply for both grants has been set for Wednesday, Oct. 28.
“We are so grateful to be able to administer these funds on behalf of the New York State Council on the Arts,” Pérez said. “We know there is a great need, especially during this pandemic, which has been particularly hard on artists and arts organizations. Most arts organizations are completely reimagining how they do business and artists are leading, as they often do, in coming up with new ways to create and share their work.”
Pérez added that Arts Mid-Hudson is looking forward to “funding innovative ways of presenting arts and cultural programming in 2021.”
For more information, go to www.artsmidhudson.org.
A large crew from the Amenia volunteer fire department responded to a fire at 5319 Route 44 in downtown Amenia on Monday, March 10 just after 2:30 p.m. The fire burned 1.5 acres and was contained by 4 p.m.
AMENIA — Amenia firefighters responded to a brush fire at 5319 Route 44 in downtown Amenia Monday at 2:34 p.m.
Trucks from the Amenia fire department and a full fire crew responded to the blaze with state troopers and rangers.
Amenia fire chief Chris Howard told the News the fire was caused by improper burning.
“There was a burn barrel, someone put a bunch of cardboard in it,” Howard said.
The fire burned an acre and a half of brush in the woods behind the Horton House Scone company.
The fire was contained and firefighters were dousing hot spots by 3 p.m.
Amenia fire chief Chris Howard said the fire at 5319 Route 44 was caused by “improper burning.” Dutchess County is part of a regional burn ban that includes much of Southeast New York and New York City.Photo by Nathan Miller
New York Governor Kathy Hochul instituted a regional burn band across much of the Hudson Valley — including all of Dutchess county — that is in effect until March 16.
While the burn ban is in effect burning brush and uncontained campfires are prohibited.
The annual statewide burn ban will begin March 16 and continue until May 14.
SHARON — Grace Golden, 78, of Sharon, passed away peacefully March 5, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.
Born Aug. 29, 1946, in Brooklyn, New York, she was the daughter of the late Ethel Jennings, adoptive daughter of the late Floyd Jennings. She attended Webutuck Central School and received her GED later in life.
She spent years working in the health care industry and many manufacturing jobs in the area. Grace ultimately dedicated her life to being a loving and devoted mother and grandmother, tirelessly nurturing and caring for her family with selflessness and unconditional love.
She is predeceased by her mother; a son, George Golden; adoptive father; brothers Richie and Jimmy Jennings; her first granddaughter, Karlene; and her first and only love, Karl B. Golden Sr.
Grace is survived by her beautiful children; Karl Golden Jr. and wife Marla of Torrington, Alton E. Golden of Sharon, Patricia Zinke and husband, Kevin, of Canaan, Evelyn Tatro and husband Paul of Canaan, and Eric L. Golden and wife Melissa of Sharon; her brothers and sisters, Tony Wellentine, Jeffrey Jennings, Tracey Jennings and Carol Miller; and her grandchildren, Victoria, Lauren, Parker, Alyssa, Alanna, Eric (Little Man), Marissa, and Emma and great grandson Colton, and a large, loving extended family and many friends.
Calling hours were held from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, March 9, at the Kenny Funeral Home, 41 Main St., Sharon, CT 06069. The funeral service will be held 11 a.m. on Monday, March 10, at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, 76 Sharon Road, Lakeville, CT 06039. A private burial will be held at the Salisbury Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sharon Ambulance and Fire Department, P.O. Box 357, Sharon, CT 06069.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
Michelle Blackburn, no. 12 of Pine Plains, helped lead the Bombers to victory over S.S. Seward Institute as point guard for most of the Section IX Class C tournament finals at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y., on Wednesday, March 5. The Bombers took home the title after winning the hard-fought game 55-42.
NEWBURGH, N.Y. — The Pine Plains girls varsity Bombers won the Section IX Class C girls tournament Wednesday, March 5, at Mount Saint Mary College.
The Bombers took an early lead against S.S. Seward's Spartans and didn't let off the throttle for the rest of the night, wining the game 55-42.
"We were here last year and we lost a tough one at the end," girls varsity coach Les Funk said after the game. "These kids never gave up. They had this in mind from last year. This was the goal."
"They had this in mind from last year," girls varsity head coach Les Funk of Pine Plains said. Funk said the young team wanted the sectional title and "never gave up," until they won it Wednesday, March 5, at Mount Saint Mary College.Photo by Nathan Miller
The Bombers hit the ground running in the finals matchup, winning the first possession and quickly racking up a 10 point lead before the end of the first quarter.
The squad was led in scoring by Neveah Rennie, no. 34, who scored 20 points, and Emma Brenner, no. 23, who scored 17 points.
Most of the Bombers points came from field goals in the first half. Pine Plains entered halftime with a 30-12 lead over Seward.
Naveah Rennie, no 34 of Pine Plains, was the Bombers' dominant scorer, racking up 20 points by the end of the matchup against S.S. Seward Institute during the Section IX Class C finals at Mount Saint Mary College on Wednesday, March 5.Photo by Nathan Miller
Seward caught on in the second half and fought hard to keep Rennie and Brenner from scoring, but only succeeded in sending the two shooters to the free-throw line where they both saw success.
Rennie made 75% of her free-throw attempts at the finals game. Brenner went to the line less often but came away with a higher make percentage of 83% — she made five out of six attempted free throws.
Ben Coon, 10, on the “mound,” practiced his pitching on Tuesday, March 4, in the Webutuck Elementary School gym, with Coach Colby Dunlop, left, giving pointers.
AMENIA — The 2025 Webutuck Little League season is around the corner and the League said players are still needed to fill out teams for games to be played in Millerton and Amenia.
Registration remains open for T-ball, majors, minors, seniors and girls’ softball teams. Some scholarships are available to cover costs.
League President Matt Deister said the League is planning tryouts to be held on Saturday, March 15, and on Thursday, March 20, at Webutuck high school and middle school gyms. Exact times will be announced but the expectation is that March 15 tryout will be in the morning and that the March 20 event will be in the early evening.
Volunteers and parent coaches are also welcomed for teams that range from 4-6 years of age to seniors at 13-16 years.
The start of the season is targeted to be mid-April, though an exact date has not been set. Teams play in Millerton at the Eddie Collins Memorial Park field and at Beekman Park in Amenia.
The Webutuck Little League season is bookended with an Opening Day celebration that amounts to a party for players and parents and a celebration at the end of the season when play is wrapped up and players receive trophies and more hot dogs and hamburgers.
At an organizational meeting on Tuesday, March 4, at the Webutuck Elementary School gym, where pitching practice was underway for players already signed up, the Webutuck Little League Board discussed plans for sponsorships, tryouts, safety training for coaches and other events planned for the spring.
Besides Deister, other officers include Eric Eschbach, vice president; Judy Moran, treasurer; and Jessica Deister, secretary. The next Board meeting is March 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Webutuck Elementary School gym.
For more information about registration or volunteering, email webutucklittleleague@gmail.com.
The League’s Facebook page is WebutuckLittleLeague.