Trotta’s Fine Wines and Liquors opened nearly 50 years ago in 1975. Barbara Machlin, a staple in the shop, will be retiring when the store closes after a 45 year career.
MILLERTON — The “Liquor store closing, everything is on sale” sign went up on Thursday, Aug. 15 in front of Trotta’s Fine Wine & Liquors next to The Talk of the Town Deli on Route 44.
The store opened in 1975 in the Millerton Plaza almost 50 years ago. For 45 years Barbara Machlin, who will be retiring, has been a fixture in the wine and liquor store, ringing up customers, advising on wine, managing staff, and dealing with traveling liquor reps with something to sell. The Trotta family owns the store and Elizabeth “Betsy” Trotta manages. Asked why the store is closing Robert Trotta simply said, “Time changes a lot of things,” and denied rumors that Talk of the Towne Deli, another Millerton institution, would be closing.
The retiring notice taped to the front door reads, “Everything is 25% off” and thanks Machlin for her service and customers for their patronage. Betsy said there were still lots of red wine and French white on the shelves with customers stocking up on their favorites. “One guy just bought four bottles of Campari,” Betsy said.
Betsy described Machlin as a person she has grown up with who is classy, savvy, meticulous and trustworthy. “She has been the backbone of the store for decades,” she said. “Serving the community.”
Unless a buyer appears by the middle of September who is interested in taking over the operation, Betsy intends to transform the interior of the shop into the new home of Elizabeth’s Jewelry. The Bank of Millbrook is opening a branch in the jewelry shop’s current location on Route 44 pending North East Planning Board approval. “I’m excited that the Bank of Millbrook is coming to Millerton,” Betsy said. “The town can certainly support two. It’s great to give people in the area choices.”
Route 44/82 west of Millbrook, near Cornell Cooperative Extension, was clear as of 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26, following the snowstorm.
Dutchess County officials lifted the county-wide travel at noon Monday, Jan. 26.
The announcement came Monday morning at 9:30 after heavy snowfall Sunday blanketed the county with up to 18 inches in some places, according to totals reported on the National Weather Service's website.
The county is still under a Winter Storm Warning until 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26. Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said in a statement that residents should continue to stay home unless traveling is necessary while cleanup efforts continue.
Members of the North East Town Board discuss proposed zoning code revisions during a meeting at North East Town Hall in Millerton on Monday, Jan. 19.
MILLERTON — The North East Town Board on Monday, Jan. 19, adopted a series of detailed revisions to its proposed zoning code overhaul, incorporating feedback from county and local agencies as well as public comments.
Zoning Review Commission Chair Edie Greenwood and the town’s zoning consultant, Will Agresta, participated in the meeting as board members reviewed comments submitted by Dutchess County Planning, the North East Planning Board, the town’s Conservation Advisory Council, and residents who spoke or submitted written remarks during the initial public hearing on Jan. 8.
Board members addressed the comments line by line, approving changes that Greenwood described as largely technical in nature, including revisions to definitions that did not align with state regulations and clarifications intended to improve readability and consistency.
Greenwood said a red-line draft showing the approved changes alongside the original text will be prepared.
Among the more substantive revisions was the decision to impose an overall size cap on accessory dwelling units. The board voted to limit ADUs to a maximum of 1,200 square feet and specified that they must be accessed from an existing driveway on the property. Board members also discussed adding language to clarify how ownership through an LLC or trust would comply with the requirement that the property owner reside in the principal dwelling.
The board also approved allowing retail businesses and restaurants in the so-called Irondale District, a small commercial area encompassing seven parcels along Route 22 near Winchell Mountain Road and Irondale Road.
Other changes included:
– Replacing the term “farm” with “farm operation” for consistency with state law.
— Revising drive-through regulations to allow additional lanes for banks.
— Tying requirements for landscaped islands in parking lots to the size of the lot.
— Adding expiration dates for site plan approvals.
— Removing references to “cage-type poultry farms.”
— Requiring 10% of parking spaces in lots with 30 or more spaces to be “EV-ready,” meaning the necessary infrastructure must be installed, but not necessarily a charger itself.
— Standardizing safety and maintenance requirements across all parking regulations.
— Clarifying that parking structures may be built above or below grade.
— Allowing farm machinery sales and rentals.
Greenwood told The News she expects the red-line draft to be completed and submitted before the end of next week. The Town Board is set to continue the public hearing on the proposed zoning changes on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m. at North East Town Hall.
The following excerpts from The Millerton News were compiled by Kathleen Spahn and Rhiannon Leo-Jameson of the North East-Millerton Library.
January 24, 1935
About Millerton
Mayor and Mrs. William J. Brewer and Mr. and Mrs. Miles Jenks left on Monday for a month’s vacation in Florida.
Mr. Roy Ganung and daughter, Jane, spent Tuesday afternoon In Poughkeepsie.
Jean Silvernale is confined to home by illness.
Miss Blanche Bates is spending several weeks at the home of her brother, Edward Bates, at Pittsfield, Mass.
George Wooding of Thornewood spent Sunday at the home of his sister, Mrs. Harry Card.
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Decker and family moved to Lakeville on Sunday.
January 22, 1976
Snowmobiles Tresspassing[sic], Officer Says
Trespassing and riding on public roads are the major offenses committed by area snowmobilers this winter, New York State Conservation Officer Harry Wheeler stated this week.
He asserted that a number of snowmobile riders have been sighted traveling on public roads and soaring across private property without permission, both illegal acts.
January 18, 2001
Local Homes Added to Historic Register
COLEMAN STATION — Three houses in the town of North East were recently added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The Oliver Barrett House, the Dakin-Coleman Farm and the Thomas Wheeler Farm, all located in the Coleman Station area, were selected by the New York state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to be listed individually on the register, though the entire Coleman Station Valley was considered for the recognition in 1993.
Millerton Sees Some Business Changes; Shops Move, Expand
MILLERTON- Two stores on Main Street in Millerton have interior changes in the works.
Leslie Hoss Flood has recently relocated her Amenia-based store to the basement of the Millerton Antiques Center. Ms. Flood’s shop had been in Amenia for about 15 years, where, in addition to selling used and antique furniture, Ms. Flood also ran an upholstery shop.
After removing several partitions and installing new lights, the basement store looks entirely new. Ms. Flood is pleased with the space, which offers more room in which to showcase her wares. She is also taking advantage of the additional area by creating a separate reupholstery room and a section to display in-stock fabrics.
Pasta-At-Large Expands
After acquiring the empty space, owner Sofia Okołowicz has expanded her business to provide “a little more elbow room inside.”
The front portion has been open since late November and, in recent days, Ms. Okolowicz has removed a wall and had electricity installed in the new area.
