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.
The Millerton Inn on Main Street will host the first dinner in this year's Dine Out for History series on Sunday, Jan. 18. A local history quiz including a free glass of wine will precede dinner service at 5:30 p.m. Reservations are requested.
MILLERTON —Diners will once again have the opportunity to support the North East Historical Society this winter while enjoying meals at local restaurants with the return of “Dine Out for History.”
Seven restaurants across Millerton and the Town of North East will be participating in this year's event, marking the highest number since the COVID-19 Pandemic shuttered the event from 2020 to 2022.
On select dates from Jan. 18 through March 23, participating restaurants will host their own Dine Out for History night, with 10% of the evening’s proceeds donated to the historical society to support research, digitization of its collection and efforts to make historic content more accessible to the public.
“We’re very happy to see the significant support we are getting from local restaurants,” said Edward Downey, president of the North East Historical Society. “We aim to bring them more business at a tough time of year, and from the feedback we’ve gotten, their patrons enjoy rallying to support local history.”
The series will begin Sunday, Jan. 18, at The Millerton Inn, 53 Main St. An optional brief presentation — a participatory local history quiz — will be held at 5:30 p.m. for those who wish to arrive early. The program includes a complimentary glass of wine, with dinner to follow. Reservations are requested.
The other participating restaurants include Taro’s at 18 Main St. on Thursday, Jan. 29; Willa at 52 Main St. on Thursday, Feb. 12 (reservations requested); the Oakhurst Diner at 19 Main St. on Sunday, Feb. 22; Pasture Kitchen at 130 Route 44, on Thursday, March 5; the Golden Wok at Railroad Plaza, 2 Main St., on Sunday, March 15 (takeout only); and Round III at 5523 Route 22, on Monday, March 23.
To get a reminder, please sign up for the North East Historical Society newsletter by contacting Ed Downey at eddowney12@gmail.com.
The North East Historical Society is on the second floor of the NorthEast-Millerton Library, 75 Main St., Millerton. Its hours are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays or by appointment. For more information, contact Ed Downey at eddowney12@gmail.com.
MILLERTON – The Village of Millerton Board of Trustees will convene on Monday, Jan. 12, for its monthly workshop meeting, with updates expected on the village’s wastewater project, Veterans Park improvements and the formal recognition of a new tree committee.
The board is scheduled to receive an update from Erin Moore – an engineer at Tighe and Bond, an engineering and consulting firm – on the status of the village’s wastewater project. The presentation will focus on funding secured to date, as well as additional grant opportunities that may be pursued to support the long-term infrastructure effort.
Trustees will also discuss a proposed local law to formally establish a village tree committee, a group that has been in development for several months. The committee aims to improve the overall health and sustainability of Millerton’s trees, and plans to seek funding to support its work. An initial tree audit would be the first step in assessing the condition of existing trees, but the group must be officially recognized by the village to do so. The law will be discussed during Monday’s meeting and a public hearing will likely be set for a later date.
In addition, the board will review the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process related to planned renovations at Veterans Park. Required by the state, this process will examine any potential environmental, social or economic impacts on the renovations that will be made to the park. In the works for more than a year, the renovations will include both landscaping and hardscaping improvements intended to enhance the space as a central gathering space in downtown Millerton. The work is funded through a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) awarded in 2024. Village officials previously secured an extension on the grant, and construction is now expected to be completed by Memorial Day.
The meeting, which is open to the public, will take place at Village Hall at 5933 N Elm Ave. at 6 p.m.
Aimée Davis in her Millerton massage studio at 65 Main St. Davis offers massage therapy, relationship coaching and reiki in her studio and through home visits.
MILLERTON — While many view the new year as a starting line for resolutions and new habits, Millerton-based massage therapist and relationship coach Aimée Davis suggests a different course — a marathon, not a sprint. She believes a slower, more embodied approach can lead to greater fulfillment than ticking boxes off a list.
“I’m more of a daily-moment person,” Davis said, explaining that she focuses on small, consistent practices rather than big, rushed goals. Practicing conscious living year-round allows her to forego new year’s resolutions. “I made one yesterday and I’ll make one tomorrow — I’m constantly tracking what’s coming up, what’s drifting and what I want to change.”
As an intuitive healer, Davis has developed a deep appreciation for the human body over the years — and makes it her mission to help others do the same. “The body is so powerful — it’s just brilliant,” Davis said from her cozy, wood-paneled massage room in downtown Millerton.
Located at 65 Main St., the unassuming pink building is also home to naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist Brian Crouse. Davis laughs about their serendipitous meeting — which happened while she was eating a tomato sandwich — a chance encounter that eventually led to their shared workspace. Today, Davis is 12 years into her own practice, shaped by decades of training and experience in both bodywork and relationship counseling.
Although her work exists at the intersection of health and wellness, Davis is reluctant to embrace either label. “I’m in the business of people,” she said after a moment of reflection, adding that she believes there is a light inside of everyone.
Davis said she first discovered this light at age 18 when she worked at Berkshire Meadows, a facility for students with complex medical and developmental disabilities. She felt a pull to work alongside students with the greatest needs — many of whom were in wheelchairs and nonverbal. During this four-year period, Davis was responsible for feeding, bathing and bringing a sense of joy to these students. “We would play music and we became close like family,” Davis reflects on a period of her life when she stepped into the role of nurturer and caregiver. It was around this time that Davis also became a young mother.
The work and her role as a mother ignited a lifelong passion for learning about and supporting people. Davis said that, as a Capricorn, she tends to go all in when it comes to studying or understanding something. From training in chakras and reiki to studies in neurology, anatomy, and physiology, Davis has embraced lifelong learning and continues to see value in gaining knowledge from both peers and her community.
One mantra Davis lives by is “if it’s not a heck yes, it’s a heck no,” a mentality rooted in trusting intuition, being present, and coming back to your body. Each career stop has been a stepping stone to her current practice, which itself continues to evolve with the addition of relationship coaching and intuitive healing to supplement massage therapy.
Trusting intuition is core to her job, and was core to her following her own path. While it can feel scary to take a leap and start something new, Davis said she knew she was ready to put her “sunglasses on and jump into the bright abyss.” For anyone thinking about taking their own leap, Davis said, “the rhythm begins if you’re in alignment and doing what you’re meant to be doing.”
Today, she works with clients in a variety of ways — and no two sessions are the same. Davis said she has moved away from lengthy intake forms in favor of simply sitting with someone and meeting them where they are. “What I care about is how you are today,” she said, noting that what emerges in one session may look entirely different in the next.
While Davis is trained in anatomy, physiology and neurology — and works regularly with muscle tension, injury recovery and post-surgical care — she is also attuned to the emotional and energetic patterns that can surface in the body. She describes her approach as intuitive and often guided by things that are difficult to articulate. Information can come to Davis through sensation, temperature or imagery that arises as she works.
One early experience in her practice remains formative. Davis recalled working with a client whose blood tests suggested something was wrong, though no diagnosis had yet been made. While working near the client’s liver, Davis said she experienced a powerful and unsettling visual that gave her pause. Unsure how to proceed, she sought guidance from trusted mentors before eventually encouraging the client to pursue further care.
A later diagnosis confirmed liver cancer. More than a decade later, Davis continues to work with that same client and has at times served as a patient advocate, accompanying her to medical appointments.
While Davis is adamant that she does not replace medical care, she trusts what shows up. “I’ve learned not to ignore it,” she said.
As the new year unfolds, Davis hopes people will resist the urge to overhaul themselves overnight and instead consider what it might mean to slow down and build support. She encourages people to think in terms of a “care team,” recognizing that wellness does not have to take a single form.
“I just want people to give their wellness a better chance,” she said. For Davis, the work is less about resolutions and more about relationships — to the body, to one another, and to the rhythms that already exist beneath the noise.
“We still have choices,” she said. “And when we take care of ourselves, we’re better able to take care of each other.”
Eric Alexander stands in front of the Millbrook Diner on Franklin Avenue in the Village of Millbrook. Alexander was elected to represent District 25 in the Dutchess County Legislature.
MILLBROOK — Fresh off a narrow win in the race for Dutchess County Legislature, newly elected Eric Alexander — whose victory helped flip the county from red to blue — said the shift marks a “renewed commitment to good governance.” In November, Democrats took control of the legislature for the first time since 2008, and Alexander edged out his Republican opponent, Dierdre Houston, by just 41 votes.
A first-time candidate with an extensive career spanning communications and financial services, 69-year-old Alexander said, “To be able to start a new chapter at this stage of my life, I really hope I’ll be able to make a difference.”
Alexander — a first-generation American — is wrapping up his tenure as Board Chair of Emerson College, his alma mater. While on the board he has worn multiple hats, including chairing the Investment Committee and supporting the finance, audit and institutional advancement committees. Alexander gets a kick out of telling people he holds a “B.S. in Speech,” which he jokes will serve him well in politics.
Jokes aside, as his work in education winds down, Alexander is ramping up his own education as he gets up to speed on the requirements of the legislature and what will be expected of him. He plans to work with colleagues across party lines to benefit Dutchess County, with a particular focus on District 25, which includes Amenia, the Town of Washington, the Village of Millbrook, and Pleasant Valley.
“Bipartisanship brings good things like checks and balances,” Alexander said, adding that one-party leadership has led to wasteful spending and a lack of transparency within the county.
Alexander said he plans to judge his first year in office by whether the needs of rural communities are better understood across county government. “Broader and better awareness of the needs of this part of the county — that’s success,” he said, adding that a more collaborative process would also be an indicator of success.
He is also committed to “maximizing vertical integration of government,” meaning tighter coordination between town, county and state officials. Having met State Sen. Michelle Hinchey several times, Alexander said he will “unabashedly advocate” for constituents in his district.
He said housing, transportation and the EMS crisis are among the top priorities as he heads into the new year. Alexander is critical of the recent vote to spend another $2 million on supplemental ambulance services, which he described as a Band-Aid. “It’s kind of like trying to rent a solution,” he said. While the county-supported supplemental services improved EMS response time in some areas, Alexander said, “Not here — not in my town. So, that’s my job, to represent these communities.”
He also warned that the county’s growing reliance on private EMS providers like Empress — which is backed by private equity — could create long-term vulnerabilities. “Every year, we are the product and the client,” he said. “And we should consider being the competition.”
Though 12 months may not seem like enough time to achieve meaningful change, Alexander laughed, “Nothing is more motivating than a one-year term.”
Drawing on his communications experience — which played a role in his campaign — Alexander plans to keep constituents informed and engaged through a newsletter and social media content. He said, “I want to be very available and visible.”
