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Sign on Route 22 in Millerton is an effort to combat intolerance

Sign on Route 22 in Millerton is an effort to combat intolerance

“COMMUNITY + KINDNESS” is proclaimed at the entrance to Millerton at the traffic light on Route 22. The Millerton Project is a joint effort of Townscape and Dutchess County Commission on Human Rights.

Photo by Christine Bates

MILLERTON — A sign displaying the message “Community + Kindness” was erected just before the traffic light in the Village of Millerton with the support of the Dutchess County Comission on Human Rights and Townscape.

Village Trustee and Townscape President Lisa Hermann announced there will be more to come. “After there were some hateful and discriminatory signs posted around the village a little while back, the Dutchess County Commission on Human Rights began to work with the NECC to discuss a way to fill the village with signs to offset those and show we are a welcoming community,” Hermann said. “From there, these groups reached out to the village, town and Townscape for additional assistance. We had a joint meeting with these groups and Svend Lindbaek and came up with the idea to launch the project through a large banner hosted on the fence of Svend’s property.”

“For the next phase of the project we hope to have additional property owners and artists throughout the village begin to put up art pieces, murals, banners, posters, etc. that represent the great diversity we have in our community to show our community members and visitors that we welcome kindness towards all here,” Hermann said. Townscape is hosting a webpage www.townscapemillerton.org/mcp that will continue to evolve as the project does to show other art installations, give thanks to those involved and be a hub for people that have questions or would like to offer their space or services. We plan to do a kickoff of the project in early to mid-January.”

Christine Bates

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The Millerton News - October 1, 2026

The Millerton News - October 1, 2026

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Doug Tallamy’s work in progress: saving the planet one backyard at a time

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For nearly three decades, Doug Tallamy, a professor at the University of Delaware and co-founder of Homegrown National Park, has studied the intricate relationships between native plants, insects, birds and the ecosystems that sustain them. His books, including “Bringing Nature Home” and “Nature’s Best Hope,” have helped shift the conversation about conservation from something that happens primarily in parks and preserves to something ordinary people can practice on the land around them.

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The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News will present Hermans with the 2026 award at the annual Jubilee celebration at the Sharon Playhouse. The award honors outstanding leadership in community service and was inspired by Mary Lou and Robert Estabrook, former owners of the newspapers who believed that strengthening a community extended well beyond the work of publishing a newspaper.

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Members of the Stockbridge-Munsee tribe at Homelands PowWow in 2025.

Joeseph Plante New Media Storytellers
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