MILLERTON — The Dutchess County Legislature has honored father and son volunteers with the Millerton Fire Company (MFC) for saving an infant’s life last month.
On Sept. 12, Jason Watson and his son Shane Watson were recognized for the life-saving rescue made on Aug. 8.
Fire Chief Watson said the MFC received a call for an infant in distress from a home in the town of North East. When he and his 21-year-old son arrived on the scene, they found the infant “was blue” and having a seizure.
“It was crazy,” he said. “It was pure adrenalin… I’m very grateful, because it was a good outcome.”
The pair leaned on their CPR training, training that Jason initially received in Kathleen Howard’s eighth-grade class in the North East (Webutuck) School
District.
“We took the baby from the mother, and Shane did the compressions and I did the breathing,” he recalled. “It took less than a minute to resuscitate.”
Once revived, the child was transported by ambulance to Sharon Hospital.
Chief Watson said getting a call about an infant in distress can be hellish.
“It’s everybody’s worse nightmare,” said the longtime firefighter. “It was Shane’s first time encountering [that situation].”
Watson reported the infant was declared fit and healthy, and was released from the hospital the following day. While he noted there was “a language barrier” between emergency responders and the parents, it was clear “they were grateful.”
The fire chief added while such calls seldom come into the fire station, it’s critical that volunteers be prepared.
“All of our training has paid off with our CPR classes,” he said, noting “the North East Fire District [NEFD] has not always required it.”
It does currently, and has for the past two years.
“Every member is required to have CPR and Automatic External Defibrillator (ADD) training,” said Watson, adding the NEFD provides CPR training for its volunteers.
However, he noted some districts still don’t mandate CPR training. Watson strongly encourages not only emergency workers to know how to perform CPR, but for everyone to learn the life-saving skill.
Watson recalled an incident about three years ago when a woman stopped breathing at a birthday party for his son’s friend, Stone Scasso. At the time, Stone, along a friend Daniel Swift, jumped into action and performed CPR on the woman. Watson said they saved her life with their know-how.
“All three [Shane, Stone and Daniel] were in the Webutuck CPR class,” said Watson. “I thought it was a great idea, great idea.”
Along with responding to the scene as the fire chief, Watson said he could appreciate it from a father’s perspective. He spoke of how he felt saving the infant’s life aided by his own son.
“There are no words that can explain how proud I am,” he said. “The training pays off.”
The two generations of Watsons received certificates from the county, presented by Chair of the Legislature Gregg Pulver (R-19).
“I’ve been in the EMS world a long time with my involvement with not only the Pine Plains Rescue Squad but with the National Ski Patrol,” said Pulver, “and I know how hard it is to deal with some of these issues. But to do that with a 2-year-old is phenomenal; the amount of professionalism they showed, especially Jason’s son, is absolutely amazing.”
Pulver noted that dealing with an infant in distress is among the most challenging calls an emergency responder can receive.
“It’s the hardest thing anybody, in any shape or form, can do,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of good EMTs, and people just can’t handle it. The fact that they did is a credit to their training and their resolve to make sure there would be a positive outcome.”
Like Watson, Pulver advocates for CPR training to be required by all fire districts and also to teach it to students in school.
“I am amazed that the world doesn’t have a CPR card,” he said. “I know a lot of schools do it, Pine Plains does it, they teach a CPR class. I think everybody should have it, especially first responders.”
— Whitney Joseph
AMENIA — The first day of school on Thursday, Sept. 4, at Webutuck Elementary School went smoothly, with teachers enthusiastically greeting the eager young students disembarking from buses. Excitement was measurable, with only a few tears from parents, but school began anyway.
Ready for her first day of school on Thursday, Sept. 4, at Webutuck Elementary School, Liliana Cawley, 7, would soon join her second grade class, but first she posed for a photo to mark the occasion.Photo by Leila Hawken
AMENIA — While the courage and perseverance of Revolutionary era patriots is well understood and celebrated, the stories of the fate of British loyalists in New York are not as clear.
Seen as the initial event in observance of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Amenia Historical Society will present a talk titled, “The Plight of a Loyalist in Revolutionary New York,” examining the journal of Cadwallader Colden, Jr., spanning the period of 1777-1779. The speaker will be noted author, genealogist and historian Jay Campbell.
The talk is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m. at the Smithfield Presbyterian Church in Amenia. The handicapped-accessible church is located at 656 Smithfield Valley Road. Refreshments will be served.
Colden was the son of a New York Lieutenant Governor. He was a surveyor, farmer and mercantilist, serving as a judge in Ulster County. His fortunes changed dramatically with the dawn of the Revolutionary War when he remained loyal to the British Crown. His arrest came in 1776, just before the start of his journal.
Campbell is a historian specializing in Hudson Valley history, and the regional stories of Revolutionary era families.
Erin Rollins of Millbrook in the Fashion Feed booth, open year round, at the Millbrook Antiques Mall. All proceeds from Fashion Feeds go to the Food of Life Pantry. As an interior designer by trade, Rollins designed this booth to evoke a high-end department store to align with the designer brands she carries.
MILLERTON — The Townscape 50/50 raffle drawing has collected a pot of more than $7,000.
That raffle drawing will take place this Saturday at 2 p.m. in Veteran’s Park. The moment is not just about picking a winner, but also about reflecting on how far Townscape has come since its humble beginnings in 1998, when founder Catherine Fenn — alongside Renee Vollen and Jan Gilmor — first set out to beautify her beloved village.
Fenn’s connection to Millerton runs deep. “I moved here from the Bronx when I was eight years old and fell in love with the place, even as a child,” she recalled, remembering camping trips at Rudd Pond and enjoying the quiet pace of life.
At 15, her family relocated to southern Connecticut. “My dad didn’t think there was much here for us, so we moved. I left kicking and screaming, literally, and I said, ‘Someday I’m coming back.’”
Years later, after marrying, divorcing, and raising children, Fenn kept that promise. She returned to Millerton and married a childhood friend who was very involved in the fire department. After his passing, Fenn threw herself into her own way of giving back.
“I care about this village deeply. Townscape is my way of helping Millerton be the best it can be,” she said.
What began as an informal effort to gather volunteers and plant flowers eventually blossomed into something larger. “We started with flowers up and down Main Street — barrels of them everywhere. Then it grew into benches, tables, trees and even events. It was such a fun world, a really wonderful organization with so many people involved.”
Fenn’s service to the community extends beyond beautification. She spent roughly two decades on the Planning Board, served as Town Supervisor and worked with the county housing authority. Still, her passion for flowers, trees and landscapes has left the most visible mark on Millerton — shaping not only how the village looks, but how it feels.
In 2006, Townscape became a nonprofit organization. But beautification, Fenn admits, isn’t always the easiest cause to fund. “We’re just putting flowers out — and I shouldn’t say ‘just,’ because to me it’s really important. The trees, the benches, all of it matters. But it’s not high on most people’s list when they think about charitable donations. Still, people have been wonderfully generous over the years.”
This Saturday’s raffle drawing is one way neighbors can show their support. The winner does not have to be present to claim the prize, but those who stop by can enjoy cookies, lemonade and artwork by local creators on display in the park.
MILLBROOK — Local crows should prepare to become highly spooked as planners of Millbrook Community Day, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 20, have announced that a Scarecrow Contest will be part of the festivities.
Residents are invited to get creative and devise their own renditions of a scarecrow from traditional to whatever imagination might come up with.
Judging criteria will include creativity, including originality, new ideas, or perhaps whether the scarecrow tells a story. Design criteria include the creator’s technique, materials — recycled materials are emphatically a plus — and durability.
Rules include that scarecrows be free-standing, able to stand on their own or with minimal support. No scarecrow can be store-bought. Entries must be able to fit within a 6 x 6 foot space once assembled. A stand is available upon request. Scarecrows must be non-political, family friendly, and in a good-natured spirit.
Entrants are responsible for set-up, scheduled from 9 to 10 a.m. on Sept. 20, location to be assigned the week before. Judging will begin at 1 p.m. Winners will be announced at 2 p.m.
For more information and to register to participate, email mba@millbrooknewyork.com or go to www.millbrooknewyork.com/community-day-2025
