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.
Nathan Miller
Wassaic-based cannabis grower Douglas Broughton in his basement greenhouse at his home on Old Route 22 on Sunday, May 17.
MILLERTON — A cannabis dispensary planned for Main Street is facing lengthy delays that the Wassaic-based grower behind the project attributed to bureaucracy at the Office of Cannabis Management.
Doug Broughton, who operates a commercial cannabis farm at his home on Old Route 22 in Wassaic, plans to open a retail wing of his licensed cannabis microbusiness at 32 Main St. in downtown Millerton. Broughton first announced the plans earlier this year, targeting March and April openings that were later pushed back
He now hopes to open the shop in early summer, but said he can’t peg a specific date due to delays at New York State’s Office of Cannabis Management.
Broughton attributes sluggish administration at OCM to interference from larger cannabis businesses. Those businesses, he said, consume much of the agency’s time and resources, creating delays that can place significant financial strain on smaller microbusinesses like his own.
He said selling his cannabis wholesale to retailers has been keeping him afloat as he pays $1,800 per month on rent for the space on Millerton’s Main Street. Despite that, he’s confident the quality of his products and his shop will make up for the wait once it’s over.
“We have a lot of options and we can be very competitive,” Broughton said, adding he believes his cannabis is of a higher quality and better value than larger, corporate producers. “They threw huge amounts of money into bullying their way into a market and now nobody wants their weed.”
Broughton’s business has also faced other challenges. Rising fuel and commodity prices due to the Trump administration’s conflict with Iran have increased shipping costs, cutting into Broughton’s wholesale profits.
Those price hikes hit Broughton in multiple ways, affecting the cost to purchase packaging for his cannabis and the cost to ship it to retailers.
“I just got containers. I ordered a year ago and the shipping cost would be $2.50,” Broughton said. “Now, it was $6.50.”
The situation isn’t dire, though. Standing in his basement greenhouse in his Wassaic home, Broughton explained that he’s only utilizing just over one-tenth of his legally allowed grow area.
Under OCM regulations, licensed microbusinesses such as Broughton’s are allowed up to 5,000 square feet of mixed-light growing space, his preferred growing method.
Mixed-light growing means Broughton uses a combination of artificial and natural light to grow his cannabis plants. He said he exercises scientific precision over his crops, manipulating artificial light color, humidity levels, nutrients and temperature to ensure his ideal product.
Broughton said he uses just over 600 square feet of his allotted growing space currently, so the business has plenty of room to expand to cover rising costs. But Broughton encouraged proponents of small business and legal cannabis to write to state officials about the effects of long licensing periods on small businesses.
“If people want to get this open, write a letter,” Broughton said. “I’m wholesaling still. It’ll be fine, but I’m excited to get it open.”
Graham Corrigan
The Washington town pool in the hamlet of Mabbetsville along Route 44 sits ready for the start of the 2026 season.
MILLBROOK — Members of the Washington Town Board are calling for upgrades to the town’s recreation area in Mabbetsville along Route 44, saying the park’s roughly 80-year-old pool is outdated and increasingly difficult to maintain.
Former Washington Councilmember Mike Murphy presented a new report to the Town Board during its regular meeting on Wednesday, May 13, detailing the needed updates to the park.
His report is part of a larger Washington project called the Recreation Area Strategic Planning Committee. Starting in 2024, Murphy and a committee of 11 community members undertook a comprehensive evaluation of the property, focusing on the town pool and its facilities. “It’s nobody’s fault,” Murphy said. “But over the years, it’s just aged out.”
The committee was made up of various community experts including contractors and environmentalists. The group used last year’s Community Day to field suggestions from local residents, asking what changes they’d like to see at the park.
An online survey followed, and the committee compiled those suggestions for the town board. Suggestions included indoor facilities, a children’s playground, a dog park and pool improvements.
The Town Park consists of the pool and several athletic fields. The town bought the lower part of the property in 1946 for $16,000, and it became a municipal pool soon after. The athletic fields were added in 2006.
The 29 acres “are a jewel within the town,” Murphy said. “We need to figure out how to get people to use it.” But the pool’s aging infrastructure has made maintenance and upkeep unwieldy. It also lacks modern amenities popular in other municipal pools, like splash pads or fountains. Millerton and Newburgh, Murphy noted, both included those elements in their new pool plans.
Washington has more serious fixes to make, like updating the pool’s filtration system. One estimate Murphy received approximated that cost at six figures. “The tax structure of this community will never be able to handle the major costs that are coming down the road,” Murphy said.
Instead, the Committee to Re-Imagine the Town Park proposed several non-structural ways to stimulate the park’s activity, and resulting revenue: extended hours, a third pavilion, more athletic facilities, and an easier way to access the park.
Currently, there’s only one way in or out of the park. It makes for a crowded drop-off — especially when summer camp is in session. Murphy said connecting the park’s entrance to Little Rest Road to the west is one feasible solution.
Leila Hawken
Enhancing educational opportunities for students in the Millbrook Central School District since 2001, the Millbrook Educational Foundation took part in the Millbrook Volunteer Fair on Saturday, May 16. Residents were invited to learn about volunteer opportunities with the foundation and a variety of other local and regional organizations. The event, now in its fifth year, was held at the Millbrook Library.
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Christine Bates
Known as the “Ice House,” 12 State Line Road on 3.81 acres was sold by the mortgage holder after standing vacant for years. The property was later renovated and resold for $400,000 on April 15.
MILLERTON — North East’s housing market continued to cool this spring, with home prices holding relatively steady and sales activity slowing compared with the post-pandemic surge that drove prices sharply higher across the region.
The 12-month trailing median sale price for residential properties in the Town of North East, including the Village of Millerton, was $420,000 for the period from May 1, 2025, through April 30, 2026. That figure remained essentially unchanged month-to-month, but marked the second consecutive year of declining annual median prices.
The residential median includes all types of housing sales — from modest village homes to large estates with significant acreage — but excludes commercial properties and vacant land sales. Among the higher-end transactions during the period was the sale of 5-15 Homestead Lane for $3.1 million.
Outside the village, where homes are generally situated on larger parcels, the median sale price reached $575,000. Within the Village of Millerton, where lots are typically smaller, the median price for the 10 homes sold during the period was $410,000.
The townwide median price of $420,000 was down 2% from the $430,000 median recorded during the 12-month period ending April 30, 2025. It was also 4% below the median recorded the year before that, continuing a gradual market slowdown following the price increases seen during and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sales activity has also slowed considerably. North East recorded 24 residential transactions on a trailing 12-month basis at the end of April, down from 37 sales during the previous year.
Housing inventory showed modest improvement entering the spring market. In early May, 14 homes were listed for sale in North East, including four properties with asking prices above $1 million. Among them was the Hudson Valley Magazine “design home,” listed for $3.99 million.
Only two residential properties were listed for sale within the Village of Millerton in early May. Meanwhile, four commercial properties remained on the market in the village, along with eight parcels of vacant land throughout the town.
Town of North East March and April property sales
710 Smithfield Road — 23.89 acres were sold on April 20 for $190,000.
26 South Center St. —An investment property in the Village of Millerton was sold on April 15 for $700,000.
12 State Line Road — 3 bedroom/2 bath renovated home on 3.8 acres sold on April 15 for $400,000.
5-15 Homestead Lane — 3 bedroom/2 bath home built in 1950 on 258 acres sold on March 27 for $3.1 million.
Town of North East and Village of Millerton closed sales for March and April from realtor.com with property details from Dutchess Parcel Access. Median price and activity calculations for all residential properties from NY State Sales Web transfers through February 2026 with updated residential sales for March and April. Current market data from One Key MLS. Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Advisor with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in Connecticut and New York.
Graham Corrigan
MILLBROOK — Innisfree Garden is set to welcome northeast Dutchess residents for its annual Spring Community Day.
The beloved community event returns Saturday, May 23 — with free admission for residents of Millerton, North East, Amenia, Wassaic, Pine Plains, Clinton Corners, Dover Plains, Pleasant Valley, Stanford, Wingdale, Washington, and of course, Millbrook. Visitors seeking free admission must present identification showing residency in one of the listed towns or hamlets.
There’s a day of programming in store, too. The garden opens at 10 a.m., then Qigong exercise lessons with Cris Caivano kick off at 10:30 a.m. Discounted tickets for the day’s events are available to Dutchess County residents, who are invited to “stretch like a tiger, twist like a dragon,” through guided stretching and acupressure exercises.
Then at 2:30 p.m., visitors are invited along on The Great Pollinator Ramble. Part scavenger hunt, part live theater, the Ramble features larger-than-life pollinator puppets spread across Innisfree’s 185 acres. Nature lovers can use the provided habitat map to find and identify 10 key pollinators that frequent the garden.
“We’re always looking for ways we can introduce the arts into Innisfree,” said Innisfree Executive Director Laura Palmer. “It’s a celebration of the natural environment and all the richness of the natural world.”
Birds, butterflies, beetles and other pollinators will be represented through the oversized puppets, which were designed by Processional Arts Workshop, a Red Hook-based collective led by co-directors Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles.
The concept dates back five years, when the COVID pandemic challenged Processional Arts to develop outdoor programming that could activate public spaces.
“The idea was, if you set loose pollinator puppets in a natural environment, you can encourage people to look deeper at their surroundings,” Kahn said. “It becomes a kind of hide and seek with these species.”
After successful rambles at Catskill’s Thomas Cole House, Hudson’s Olana State Historic Site, and Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Kahn and Michahelles are bringing their pollinators to Innisfree.
The puppeteers are instructed to be elusive and shy, hiding in the garden’s remote corners — as their real-life counterparts might. In that way, visitors are encouraged to investigate parts of the grounds they might bypass.
Spring Community Day is in its sixth year at Innisfree. It serves as the kickoff to the garden’s warm-weather programming season, which includes guided nature walks, wellness workshops, calligraphy classes and live music. A full calendar is available at innisfreegarden.org/events
Nathan Miller
Tim Watson sits in his living room that used to serve as a waiting area for a dentist’s office on Route 44 in Millerton.
MILLERTON — More than three months after a malfunctioning furnace forced the Watson family from their Main Street apartment, Tim Watson said life is finally beginning to stabilize.
The Watsons were tenants of 7-9 Main St. on Jan. 31 when a malfunctioning furnace filled the apartment building with carbon monoxide, forcing emergency responders to evacuate the building. Authorities ruled the building unsafe after the emergency and it has remained vacant since. The Dutchess County Supreme Court granted a foreclosure to US Bancorp for the property in late March.
Watson and his family have found a permanent home in a former office space on Route 44 just outside the Village of Millerton. The office space was originally available for just 30 days, but North East’s recent commercial rezoning now permits residential use on the property. He said the move — made possible through help from relatives, friends and local organizations — has dramatically improved life for his family.
“Our whole life has changed,” Watson said as he sat in his new living room that used to serve as a waiting area for a dentist’s office. He pointed to the space, from the walls to the sofas, as an example of Millerton’s impact.
Family and friends donated furniture to replace what had been ruined at the Watsons’ old apartment. Members of the Millerton Fire Company initially provided a warm place to stay in the firehouse on Century Boulevard in the blistering cold hours following the evacuation. The owner of the family’s new residence on Route 44 — Millerton local Basil Gabriel, owner of local mechanic shop Basil Auto Service — discounted their rent at the beginning of their stay.
Other circumstances have changed for the family, too. Michelle, Tim’s wife of 37 years, recently finished her first round of chemotherapy. She was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer over a year ago.
Shortly after beginning treatment, Michelle broke her femur and had to start using a wheelchair. She said another benefit of the new space is its accessibility. Michelle and Tim, who also uses a wheelchair after losing both his legs, had to install a stair lift on an exterior staircase to get in and out of 7-9 Main St.
Michelle said the new home will allow her more comfort during her cancer treatments.
“It’s a better place to live,” Michelle said. “This is a blessing.”
Although the evacuation was stressful, Tim said it put his family in a better, more stable place. The long-term viability of the space was under question during the Watson family’s first weeks there. But they were allowed to stay after North East passed its overhaul of zoning regulations that now permits residences and updated commercial zoning along Route 44.
Tim said he wants to stay there indefinitely.
“I think we found our forever home,” Watson said.
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