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The current conflict in the Mideast that began on Oct. 7, 2023, involving Israel, Hamas, the Palestinians, Hezbollah and Lebanon continues to show up daily on the news front. The war in Ukraine equally puts a prominent news focus on what next month will be a three-year long invasion by Russia. Both stories fight for our attention every day. Now we have a third dominant news story, the inauguration of a new president who is testing the boundaries of the presidency.

Digesting the steady stream of all this news has become a complex process, requiring that we summon and revisit a knowledge of history, that we strive for a fair footing with regard to political viewpoints and try not to rush to judgment, while not forgetting our humanity and what that means. These are not simple times. It’s not easy to settle for an ‘it is what it is’ stance.

In terms of total vote for president across the country, the tally differed by a little more than a percentage point (1.47%). In other words, while half of Americans who voted for change might be applauding the flood of executive orders coming from the White House, the other half expresses dismay.

Just as political polarization remains consistently high in the United States, civility in American society is on the decline. We must remember that we are a community. We should protect that community by acknowledging differences of opinion, recognizing that our worth as a community comes from the respect we grant each other.

This newspaper isn’t covering the war in Ukraine or the Mideast conflict or the White House. It is covering our Dutchess County communities, and our goal is to report the news of our communities accurately and fairly, and to foster the free flow of information and opinion. And we put a premium on civility for the sake of our own community.

Latest News

Celebrating agriculture
Photo by Nathan Miller

PINE PLAINS — The Pine Plains FFA Ag Fair brought a crowd to the high school on Church Street Saturday, Oct. 11.

Kicking off the day was the annual tractor pull, attracting a dedicated crowd that sat in bleachers and folding chairs for hours watching Allison-Chalmers, International Harvesters and John Deeres compete to pull the heaviest weights.

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Rev. AJ Stack of St. Thomas announces resignation

The Rev. AJ Stack, center right, blessing a chicken at the pet blessing event at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Amenia on Saturday, Oct. 4.

Photo by Aly Morrissey

AMENIA — After serving more than five years as Priest-in-Charge of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Amenia, the Rev. AJ Stack announced Tuesday, Oct. 7, that he will resign from the church and Food of Life/Comida de Vida pantry. His last day at his current post will be Sunday, Nov. 2, the conclusion of the Feast of All Saints.

The news was shared in two emails from Stack — one to Food of Life pantry subscribers and volunteers, and another to parish members.

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Local and County candidates to hold forum Oct. 24

MILLERTON — Ten candidates for office in the Nov. 4 election will answer questions from Dutchess County voters at a candidate forum on Friday, Oct. 24, at the Annex at the NorthEast-Millerton Library located at 28 Century Blvd.

The forum, which is sponsored by the library, will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

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One dead, two hurt in Sharon car crash

The residence at 35 Amenia Union Road in Sharon was damaged after being struck by the Jeep Grand Cherokee around 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11.

Photo by Ruth Epstein

SHARON, Conn. — Emergency crews were called Saturday, Oct. 11, to Amenia Union Road in Sharon for a report of a vehicle into a building with entrapment.

Connecticut State Police reported Charles Teti, 62, was driving his Jeep Grand Cherokee northbound on Amenia Union Road when, for an unknown reason, the vehicle veered across the southbound land and exited the roadway where it struck a tree and home. Airbags deployed.

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