Busy as he is these days, Santa took a bit of time to join in congratulating Wassaic’s Citizen of the Year, Ana Hajduk, following a presentation ceremony at the Wassaic Fire Department on Saturday, Dec. 14, all in conjunction with the 2024 Wassaic Parade of Lights.
WASSAIC — Wassaic residents turned out to celebrate the 2024 Parade of Lights on Saturday, Dec. 14, enjoying the traditional parade and festivities with refreshments at the firehouse.
One of the highlights was the naming of Wassaic’s Citizen of the Year, Ana Hajduk, honoring her many contributions to the improvement of community life.
Presenting the award certificate was Amenia Town Supervisor Leo Blackman who spoke of Hajduk’s talents as garden designer and her work with designing and faithfully tending the small garden in front of the post office where a veterans’ memorial stands.
She also looks after the needs of the newly planted pine tree which has replaced the old Wassaic Christmas tree. She also lends her talents to tending the beds planted by the Amenia Garden Club. And, she has successfully conquered the mugwort infestation at the Borden plant.
Blackman praised Hajduk also for her work with the Fountain Square plantings, and her willingness to lug buckets of water to a variety of growing things.
Hajduk lived for a time in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where her mother had rehabilitated an abandoned rail line to create a six-block long public park over a period of 20 years.
“Ana has it in her blood to improve the places where she lives,” Blackman said.
Allison Gollenberg
The Planning and Zoning Commission has tabled a proposal to expand and renovate Sharon’s Medical Arts Building pending an independent engineering review.
SHARON, Conn. — A proposed expansion and renovation of Sharon’s Medical Arts Building was tabled by the Planning and Zoning Commission on July 8 after commissioners requested an independent engineering review of the application. Stormwater runoff was their primary concern.
The project at 29 Hospital Hill Road, across from Sharon Hospital, calls for adding office space, improving accessibility and expanding parking to accommodate the hospital’s growing needs.
The building currently contains 14,740 square feet of interior space with a 7,370-square-foot footprint. The addition would increase the building’s footprint by 2,363 square feet and add 4,727 square feet of interior office space, according to the site plans.
Sharon Hospital Project Manager Raymond Bennett said the project is necessary.
“We need this renovation to occur in order to expand our primary care practice,” Bennett said.
Project architect Scott Yates of H&R Design Inc. said the current building is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Regrading the parking lot and installing ramps and an elevator would bring the building into compliance, he said.
Under the proposal, aesthetic changes would also be made to the façade and interior of the building, and concerns raised by the commission about the condition of the driveway would be addressed, Yates said.
Dainius Virbickas, an engineer from Artel Engineering Group LLC, a Connecticut-based civil engineering firm, said, “The intention is not to just patch it, but to make it all nice.”
The Medical Arts Building is home to several medical offices, including Northwest Hills Pediatrics and Northwell Health Primary Care. The proposed expansion would add offices and the parking spaces required to support the expansion.
The addition would be constructed in the existing parking lot, while the lot itself would expand into a forested area on the south side of the 3.8-acre property. The project would add 40 parking spaces, increasing the total from 58 to 98, along with six electric vehicle charging stations and improved accessible parking.
The plans also include the installation of a generator and stormwater and erosion management systems – which are at the heart of the commission’s hesitations.
Commission Secretary Stanley MacMillan Jr. said he was concerned about runoff patterns, especially with an increase in severe weather.
“We have a 7 or 8 house subdivision that sits below this. And we don’t need any additional water going there,” he said.
Commission member Larry Moskowitz agreed. “I think the 100-year storms are becoming 50-year storms,” he said.
Virbickas acknowledged that stormwater runoff currently flows over the property from its eastern edge to its western edge, and said the proposal includes systems to mitigate that concern.
The plans call for subsurface infiltration systems that would redirect runoff through grading, catch basins, pipes and pumps before allowing it to infiltrate the ground or flow downstream.
In the ground, runoff is filtered by the soil, removing pollutants like sediment, phosphorus, nitrogen, metals and bacteria, according to the engineering report. The systems are also designed to reduce erosion.
Tree removal, he said, would also increase the site’s impervious area by 6.51%, from a total of 29.03% to 35.54%. Impervious areas can’t reabsorb runoff into the ground and can lead to erosion without support from root systems. Virbickas said plantings will be added around the new lot once it’s complete.
MacMillan also raised questions about bear-proofing the new garbage cans.
“Several people have asked me about trash management. The resident bear also made an inquiry,” MacMillan quipped.
Bennett said they’re familiar with the problem.
“Yes, that bear takes the trash out every day,” he said.
Virbickas said the plans can be revised to address the commission’s concerns before discussion of the application resumes at its next meeting on July 22 at 4:30 p.m.
Lucia Iandolo
DOVER PLAINS — The Dover Union Free School District Board of Education has approved naming the Dover High School football stadium in honor of longtime Town Justice Redmond “Renny” Abrams, recognizing decades of service to the community and support for the school’s athletic programs.
The board passed a resolution last month naming the campus football stadium in honor of Abrams.
Redmond Wren “Renny” Abrams served as the Town Justice in Dover Plains for 36 years and operated Renny’s Store & Deli for over 54 years with his family. He was a graduate of Dover High School and a member of the school board. Abrams passed away April 8, 2026, and since then, members of the community have reached out to the DUFSD concerning the best ways to honor him.
The commemorative signage will be funded by the Dover community.
Christian Jones, head coach of the Dover High School football team, has worked with John Hammond, assistant coach, to organize funds and bring this project to fruition.
Jones and Hammond reached out to Abrams’ family and, once getting its approval, presented the resolution to the DUFSD superintendent, David Fine. After gaining support from Town Supervisor Richard Yeno and a two-month hearing process with the school board, the resolution was approved at the board’s June 9 meeting.
Yeno was asked to speak at the board meeting on Jones and Hammond’s behalf about how Abrams contributed to the Dover community. He spoke about Abrams’ dedication to Dover athletics, both for the town’s recreational department and the school programs.
“He’s been there since he was a student himself, and people see that. I’ve seen that. I grew up around Judge Abrams, I graduated with one of his sons, and he was just always there,” Yeno said. The Dover Athletics Department and Football program have long been supported by Abrams, who played football, basketball and baseball in his high school career.
Jones said they are hoping to unveil the dedication at Dover’s annual salute to service football game on Sept. 3 with the family in attendance, including Abrams’ grandson, who is a quarterback and linebacker on the team. He said this is not only for those involved in the football program, but it is for the community to remember Abrams’ influence.
“There is a huge, significant impact of what Judge Renny Abrams had on all of our lives growing up as kids in the Dover community and players,” Jones said. “The amount of support and funding that he’s given through his store, his life and his career is just a tremendous legacy.”
Phoebe Tobin
Le Bar, adjacent to Le Gamin in Sharon, has reopened for the season with a new menu, new bartender and plans to remain open year-round.
SHARON, Conn. — Le Bar, the space next door that is part of Le Gamin, has reopened for the summer with a new menu, a new bartender and plans to become a year-round destination for drinks, good food and community events.
The bar first opened last summer as a seasonal extension of Le Gamin before closing for the winter. This year, owner Robert Arbor decided to bring it back with a more permanent approach, adding a new, and locally famous bartender, a different menu and a space that stands apart from the French café next door.
“We opened the bar last year just for the summer and closed it in the winter,” Arbor said. “This year we will run the restaurant from the bar all winter because it’s much cozier, warmer.”
The idea of Le Bar, although connected to Le Gamin, was to offer something different, a different vibe, to the community of Sharon and beyond. While the restaurant offers the experience of a classic French café, with crepes and quiche, the bar creates a darker, more intimate feel, with seating at the bar and tables throughout the smaller space.
The menu also separates the two spaces. Le Bar offers a slightly more American-style menu, featuring items like burgers and chicken sandwiches.
These changes and revamping were made possible by bartender Ryan Andrade, who previously worked at the White Hart Inn in Salisbury, garnering a local reputation as a talented bartender and, in 2021, was the Connecticut Restaurant Association Bartender of the Year Finalist. Arbor gave Andrade the freedom to shape the bar’s menu and overall feel.
“Those are all my own recipes, and I curated the food menu,” Andrade said. “The cocktails are my babies so it’s kind of hard to pick a favorite”
In the future, Ryan is looking to establish Le Bar as a gathering place. Recently, it has been hosting world cup watch parties and dance nights, including a U.S. match that packed the space from wall to wall.
Andrade hopes Le Bar brings a different energy to Sharon, describing the goal as bringing “kind of a Brooklyn side to Sharon” while cultivating a speakeasy atmosphere.
As Le Bar embarks on its first full year, Arbor and Andrade are looking forward to creating a regular destination for Sharon and Connecticut residents to gather.
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Leila Hawken
Bill Kroeger of Wassaic contemplates a move against one of the 10 opponents he faced simultaneously during the second multi-chess event in Wassaic on Saturday, July 11.
WASSAIC — Chess master Bill Kroeger defeated 10 opponents in a simultaneous chess match on the Middle Meadow along Main Street on Saturday, July 11, as the community event returned for its second summer.
Players of all ages and skill levels took seats at 10 chess boards, each competing against Kroeger. Once play began, the meadow grew quiet as participants concentrated on their moves. Kroeger ultimately won all 10 matches, though some proved more challenging than others.
“It’s about how to use the Middle Meadow space creatively,” said event organizer Sharon Kroeger, owner of Calsi’s General Store. She said the business has long served as a neighborhood anchor that adapts to the community’s needs.
The Middle Meadow was created after deteriorated buildings in Wassaic’s business district were demolished, leaving an open green space. Kroeger said the community began looking for ways to use it for public gatherings.
“We began to think about how to use the tiny meadow space, perhaps for croquet or even chess,” Kroeger said. “Chess seemed especially appealing because it could bring together people of all ages.”
She said the idea came together in part because her son, Bill, is a chess master who was eager to help organize the event and play the exhibition matches.
“Everyone is gaining something. Bill’s goal is to make it instructive and enjoyable. Someone, one day, may beat him,” Kroeger said.
Kroeger said organizers hope to make the simultaneous chess match an annual tradition. While it may eventually expand, she said growth is not the primary goal.
“We plan to do it every year,” Kroeger said.
Residents of all ages and skill levels tried their hand at chess during the second annual Chess Simultaneous Match on Saturday, July 11, on Wassaic’s Middle Meadow. An instructive community event, all players competed against a single opponent, Bill Kroeger who won every match but made the experience enjoyable for all.Photo by Leila Hawken
Graham Corrigan & Sophie Gardiner
Shareholders of the Sisters Hill Farm Community-Supported Agriculture operation gather after the recent July 4 garlic harvest at the Stanfordville farm.
STANFORDVILLE — Sisters Hill Farm, a Stanfordville property owned by Sisters of Charity of New York, is up for sale.
“We have made the difficult decision to offer our entire property, including Sisters Hill Farm, for sale,” a Sisters of Charity representative said in an email.
The announcement did not include details about the asking price or a public listing.
Sisters Hill Farm is located just east of Route 82. The property, known as Hill Crest Farm in the early twentieth century, was willed to the sisters in 1917. They hired David Hambleton in 1999 to manage the farm. The farm’s community-supported agriculture (CSA) program has grown from 40 members to over 400 under Hambleton’s leadership.
Shares in the CSA entitle members to part of a weekly vegetable harvest — anywhere from 4 to 20 pounds per week — from late May to early November. Payment works on an income-dependent sliding scale, and 10% of the harvest goes to families in need.
For the Sisters of Charity, the farm’s sale is part of a plan to “bring the congregation to completion.” In 2023, a lack of new members forced the Sisters of Charity of New York to announce plans to wind down the congregation. The Sisters Hill news comes as harvest season is picking up steam. Earlier this month, CSA members took part in the annual July 4 garlic harvest.
“We fully intend to complete the current farming season,” the organization said over email. “The farm will continue to operate as planned throughout this season.”
“We are grateful for the many individuals, families, volunteers, and supporters who have contributed to the success of Sisters Hill Farm over the years,” the statement continued, “and we remain optimistic that its mission of stewardship and service will endure.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to Farmer Dave for his many years of faithful and dedicated service.”
Hambleton declined to comment on the proposed sale, but he did add a note at the end of Sisters Hill’s press release that made the announcement.
“I’m sure you have many questions, and I do as well,” Hambleton wrote. “I’m still processing this.”
“Our mission is to grow healthy food,” he added, “but it’s also about bringing people together.
“It’s about getting people to eat in-season, understanding climate change and the effects it has on our ability to feed ourselves. Members of this farm really get to know what seasonal produce is all about. They get to know their neighbors and community members and make new friends.”
When the Sisters of Charity of New York close their doors, it will mark the end of more than 200 years of service to the poor. The New York chapter began in 1817 as an orphanage, but its early focus on caring for orphans and educating children quickly expanded.
In the time since, the order expanded into advocacy for the homeless, civil rights, immigrants, and senior citizens; education at all levels; pastoral ministry; and peace.
Leila Hawken
AMENIA — The public may now view and comment on a preliminary environmental impact study for a proposed luxury housing subdivision at Keane Stud on Depot Hill Road.
By unanimous vote at its meeting on Wednesday, July 8, the Planning Board set a public hearing date of Wednesday, Sept. 23, at the Town Hall to hear residents’ comments on the drafted Preliminary Environmental Impact Study.
Minor changes will need to be incorporated, stipulating that some statements are the opinions of the applicant, adding some technical corrections and a watermark to a Conservation Analysis included in the Appendix to indicate that the information is outdated, having been prepared in 2023.
Proposed Keane Stud subdivision plans for the Depot Hill Road property call for 605 acres to be divided into 23 large agricultural lots.
Aspects of visual and environmental impact have been under study since September 2025, involving meetings between the developer and the town’s visual consultant George Janes. The environmental impact study review is seen as the first step toward completing the environmental review requirements.
Representing the Keane Stud developers at last week’s meeting and throughout the process was attorney Diana Kolev, Partner of DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise Wiederkehr, LLP, of White Plains.
Kolev asked the board to move ahead and approve the scope impact analysis, while Janes indicated that confusion remains about what constitutes completeness, and that the main issue remains the visual analysis.
Janes showed a series of simulations of visual impacts from a variety of possible imagined structures.
Board attorney Victoria Polidoro reminded the board that it needed to determine if the scoping impact analysis is adequate, not whether members agreed with it or not.
Janes commented that the drafted text describes the amount of area being affected by the subdivision within the landscape and then it draws a conclusion.
“What’s it going to look like?” asked Planning Board chair Robert Boyles.
Once the required changes are incorporated into the drafted study, the public will be able to review the document in advance of the September public hearing.
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