Pine Plains flea market starts April 13

PINE PLAINS — Willow Roots in Pine Plains has sprouted another branch on the family tree as the organization has joined with the town’s First United Presbyterian Church to relocate and expand the flea market originally run by the town.

According to Lisa Zayas, co-founder of Willow Roots, starting on Saturday, April 13, the market will now be located at the church at 3039 Church Street, and will be open every weekend through September from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. rather than every other weekend which had been the case.

She believes the consistency will encourage more customers who otherwise might not make a visit part of their regular schedule.

Following that same idea, she says the 30 to 35 outdoor and eight indoor vendor spots will be located in the same locations each week which will allow someone who might want to make a single purchase to quickly find what is needed while still encouraging others to enjoy browsing the offerings.

Vendors, who may rent a spot for a $10 fee which will be divided between the church and Willow Roots, will be allowed to pick their spots. Zayas says they may locate next to friends - old and new - with whom they will therefore be able to spend a pleasant Saturday, “whether they sell something or not.”

The plan is designed to encourage the sense of “family” which is at the base of the grassroots food pantry which began on the Zayas’s front porch in June, 2019 and has since evolved into several other programs serving the community.

She said most of the vendors are local, with some being what she terms, “Attic People,” who have beautiful items family members no longer want but which will be treasured by others. There are also small business people and talented crafters with a variety of items as well as gently used clothing and other items. Food, including free coffee for vendors, will also be available as will indoor bathroom facilities.

Following up further on the “family” idea, she says the vendors will be responsible for the success of the new venture as they help one another and take on responsibility for the project including weekly set-up and cleaning of the used church facilities.

Lisa Marie Agnelli, Stacy McGill and Christina Brody are in charge of the program which still has spots for more vendors. For further information, contact willowrootsvendors@gmail.com.

Latest News

Millerton Police Dept. rebuilds after fire; new cruisers on the way

The borrowed Pine Plains cruiser parked on Main Street in front of the Millerton Inn during the Millerton Street Fair on Saturday, June 28.

Photo by Aly Morrissy

MILLERTON — After receiving substantial state grant funding in July 2024 and beginning to roll out new equipment that fall, the Millerton Police Department suffered a setback when the February fire at the Village Water and Highway Department building destroyed much of its newly acquired gear — including patrol vehicles outfitted with cutting-edge technology.

Thanks to full-value insurance coverage and swift support from the Town of Pine Plains — which loaned the department a vehicle — Millerton officers were able to remain active in the community. Millerton Police Chief Joseph Olenik said two custom-built, four-wheel-drive Ford Interceptor cruisers are now in production and are expected to arrive by the end of the summer.

Keep ReadingShow less
Uncertainty looms over Millerton community pool timeline

Groundbreaking of the new pool planned for Eddie Collins Park has been delayed after the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation intervened to determine the status of wetlands in the proposed building site.

Archive photo

MILLERTON — The long-awaited groundbreaking for a new community pool at Eddie Collins Memorial Park — once expected this past April — now faces significant delays with no definitive timeline in sight, Mayor Jenn Najdek said.

The primary setback stems from a still-pending permitting process, as the village awaits final approvals from the Dutchess County Board of Health and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regarding septic placement and wetland buffers. A patch of wetlands on the site — roughly five feet by five feet, Najdek said — requires a protective buffer, which could range anywhere from 5 to 100 feet. That determination will dictate whether the current pool design needs to be altered or moved altogether.

Keep ReadingShow less
North East town records brought into the digital age

Chris Virtuoso reorganized parcel records in the North East Town Hall basement by parcel number during the process of scanning and digitizing the documents.

Photo by Grace DeMarco

MILLERTON — Within the walls of the two-story Victorian housing the North East Town Hall lies a room-full of town records dating back to the late 19th century. Stored in labeled cardboard boxes and protected by dehumidifiers, the records are in the process of being dated, organized, and scanned into categorized online programs.

As the Town Hall works to relocate to 5603 Route 22 at the former Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness, the consolidation and digitalization of records, as well as the disposal of those unneeded, is a time-sensitive project. Marcy Wheatley, the Deputy Town Clerk, emphasized their current heavy focus on organizing and scanning. “Now, when we move, we can get rid of a lot,” Wheatley stated.

Keep ReadingShow less
Fun, food and facts bring crowds to downtown Millerton

Nora Garcia, 6, of Millerton, bottom right, gets a face painting treatment from Maddy Rowe, a Webutuck High School senior. Nora’s sister, Juliana, 8, top right, is decorated by Giana Kall, a Webutuck senior. The program was sponsored by the Webutuck PTA.

Photo by John Coston

Locals and visitors packed into downtown Millerton Saturday, June 28, for the first ever Millerton Street Fair hosted by the Millerton News, the Millerton Business Alliance and Townscape. Representatives from local nonprofits, businesses along Main Street, Bee Bee the Clown and face painters from Webutuck High School drew in crowds all afternoon.

Festivities officially opened at 10 a.m., and a steady stream of visitors soon followed. Volunteer firefighters hosted a bouncy castle, a duck pool, a “put out the fire” ring toss game, and the “touch a truck” event at the fire department’s garage.

Keep ReadingShow less