Thank you!
Your support is sustaining the future of local news in our communities.

Village trustees appoint new police recruit, set date for ICE law discussion

Village trustees appoint new police recruit, set date for ICE law discussion

The Village of Millerton office on N. Elm Avenue.

Photo by Aly Morrissey

MILLERTON — The appointment of a new village police recruit and the approval of a communications platform were among the key items discussed at the Millerton Village Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, June 10.

The board also set a date for a follow-up to the recent special meeting regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That meeting will be held Tuesday, July 29, at 6 p.m., with the village’s legal counsel expected to attend.

Following a brief report from Police Chief Joseph Olenik, the board unanimously accepted the resignation of Officer Julia Phillips, who is stepping down to spend more time with her family.

“She was a great officer,” said Olenik, before introducing a candidate to fill the vacancy.

Heather Dworkin, 25, of Fishkill, addressed the board during the meeting.

“Law enforcement has always been huge in my family, and I’m ready to take that step myself and serve my community,” she said. Dworkin was joined by her parents, Mary and Keith Dworkin. Her father serves as police chief in the village of Millbrook.

“I’m interested in this village specifically because I like the fact that you can build a relationship with the people who live here,” she added. “That’s very important to me.”

After an executive session, the board unanimously voted to appoint Dworkin as a new police recruit for the village.

Trustees also approved a two-year contract with TextMyGov, a new software platform designed to improve communication with residents. The system will allow the village to send text alerts in emergencies or when timely mass communication is needed. While implementation details are still being finalized, the board voted to move forward following a review of competing options.

In other business, the board will plan to formally recognize a tree committee, which has been operating on a volunteer basis and hopes to explore funding opportunities through the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Latest News

Classifieds - August 11, 2026

Classifieds - August 11, 2026

AUTOS FOR SALE

1990 Mazda Miata hard top/soft top. Manufactured Oct. 1989. 64,000 plus miles. 99% original parts. $20,500. 203-215-0729.

HELP WANTED

Garden Help. Looking for an experienced person to weed my acre garden and cut back some plants. In Salisbury. For July and August. Could continue into Fall. naylor99@gmail.com

Keep ReadingShow less

Legal Notices - August 11, 2026

Legal Notices - August 11, 2026

Legal Notice

Notice of Formation of Chapters & Charm LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on May 22nd 2026. Office location: Dutchess County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 16 Barton Street, Millerton NY 12546. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. 0

Keep ReadingShow less
Millerton dispensary faces further delays from state regulators

Doug Broughton stands in his basement greenhouse in Wassaic on May 17. Broughton plans to open a dispensary in downtown Millerton at 32 Main St.

Photo by Nathan Miller

MILLERTON — Cannabis grower Douglas Broughton is still waiting on the Office of Cannabis Management to open his dispensary in Millerton.

His retail dispensary location at 32 Main St., in the former home of Demitasse and next door to what will soon be a Thai tea shop, has received site approval from the state’s cannabis regulation authority, but further approvals of the store’s interior and security systems are still pending.

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

Contractor alleges Amenia never paid bills for sidewalk work

The sidewalk extension project along Route 44 to Beekman Park remains incomplete nearly eight months after state transportation officials halted the project.

Photo by Nathan Miller

AMENIA — Town officials are facing a lawsuit alleging nonpayment for contracted services relating to work on the sidewalk extension along Route 44 to Beekman Park.

Amenia’s Town Board appointed town attorney Ian Lindars to handle litigation against the town stemming from a contract with Raja Contractors Inc. that was originally approved in 2023.

Keep ReadingShow less
Parking variance granted to Center Street apartments

Apartment buildings at 26-32 S. Center St. currently host four housing units. Owners are seeking to renovate a fifth at the property.

Photo By Nathan Miller

MILLERTON — Owners of a South Center Street apartment building can now move forward with a special permit application after the Zoning Board of Appeals granted a variance for parking at the property.

The Village of Millerton Zoning Board of Appeals granted a parking variance to the owners of 26-32 South Center St. on Tuesday, Aug. 4, allowing the property to be non-compliant with village parking laws.

Keep ReadingShow less
County legislators to ban synthetic kratom derivatives

Dutchess County Legislators approved on Monday, Aug. 10, a ban on concentrated kratom products often sold at gas stations.
The proposal comes just over a week after County Executive Sue Serino issued a statement calling for a ban on all kratom product sales. Democratic members of the county legislature responded with a more focused ban that restricts the sale of concentrated, synthetic substances derived from kratom known as “7-OH,” or 7-hydroxymytraginine.

Kratom is the name for leaves from a southeast asian tree that has been used for millennia for pain relief, energy and spiritual purposes. Traditionally the leaf is smoked, chewed or brewed into a tea. Gas stations and tobacco stores across the U.S. sell bags of powdered kratom leaf alongside 7-OH and other synthetically-derived products.

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.