One of the Monuments to Motherhood sculptures by artist Molly Gochman at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York, located near the Grand Army Plaza entrance.
The Wassaic Project will unveil two new large-scale installations by artist and activist Molly Gochman on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 4 to 6 p.m., including “Monuments to Motherhood” and “inseparable.” The free, family-friendly event is open to the public.
Gochman, a longtime supporter of the Wassaic Project, said she’s honored to see her works installed in a community “rooted in empathy, creativity and play.”
Her first installation, part of her Monuments to Motherhood series, is a nearly 10-foot bronze sculpture that celebrates the often unseen and undervalued labor of caregiving, challenging traditional ideas of what deserves public commemoration.
“I grew up surrounded by monuments to violence, like most of us, and began questioning what — and who — we choose to monumentalize in public,” said Gochman, reflecting on the many statues and monuments across the country that commemorate violence and war.
Gochman is also the founder of the Red Sand Project, a participatory artwork that uses sidewalk and earthwork installations to raise awareness and inspire action against human trafficking and exploitation. After years of exploring such complex issues, Monuments to Motherhood emerged from her desire to imagine prevention instead of reaction.
“I realized that care is the antidote to exploitation and decided to focus my next project on celebrating caregivers,” she said.
While many of Gochman’s works are created from inexpensive or discarded materials — such as construction debris used in a recent project symbolizing the Ukraine-Russia border — she said bronze was essential to this concept.
“Bronze will outlast me and my children,” she said. “It’s a material we’ve long valued, and it has this kind of magic alchemy with its environment. Every touch changes it — the oils from our skin leave marks that make it shine over time. Even the rain shapes it, marking it the way life leaves traces on us.”
Reminiscent of playgrounds, the architectural forms and loops of Gochman’s sculptures invite visitors to step inside and engage through touch. The art not only welcomes interaction, but also seems to hold and support those within it — like a protective womb.
Additional large-scale Monuments to Motherhood sculptures have been unveiled at other locations in the country, including Prospect Park in Brooklyn and Medical District Park in Memphis.
Accessibility and connection are central to Gochman’s work. Her second piece on the Wassaic grounds, “inseparable,” spells the word in Braille through 28 grass-covered earth mounds, inviting visitors to climb, play and engage physically. Gochman said it “symbolizes our deep interconnection with one another and the natural world.”
With this work, she pushes back against the human tendency to feel “fragmented” and separate from one another. “We’re all made of the same stuff — stardust — constantly recycled and connected,” she said. “There’s no real divide between us and the world around us. It’s all inseparable.”
With both works, Gochman hopes to uplift the ideas of care and community. Ultimately, she believes people themselves are “breathing monuments.” Through Monuments to Motherhood — and its unmistakably reflective bronze surface — she hopes visitors “find their reflection in it and see that they, themselves, are the monument.”
Community members and visitors are encouraged to come climb, play and reflect at the Wassaic Project next weekend. Gochman’s new works will remain as long-term installations on the grounds.
Nathan Miller
Cole Shapiro, left, shows a picture of the State Line Road house that he helped renovate taken during the early stages of rebuilding walls for the structure during an open house on Saturday, June 20.
MILLERTON — A unique home renovation on State Line Road is joining the ranks of thousands of buildings across the U.S. that use little to no energy for heating and cooling.
Wendy Hill’s home on State Line Road, which she rented for 10 years before buying the property and embarking on the renovation in January 2025, will be a Passive House Institute US-certified “Passive House” once renovations are completed in the coming weeks.
Passive houses are buildings that rely on thick insulation as well as heat from the sun to cut down on energy costs. The concept was developed over the past 50 years as advancements in insulating building materials allowed for more efficient construction that uses little to no energy to maintain comfortable temperatures.
Hill’s home is a standout from the typical passive house, primarily because of her decision to retrofit an existing home rather than build new.
But Cole Shapiro and his Kingston-based boutique contracting firm Building House took on the task, implementing a modern take on a two-story Cape Cod-style design with a basement garage utilizing the existing foundation.
Shapiro led a presentation on the construction of the home and discussed some specifics about passive home building at an open house at Hill’s home on Saturday, June 20.
The retrofit required the original home — built in 1992 — to be torn down to its studs and the roof removed so the entire structure could be rebuilt to passive house certification standards, Shapiro said.
“This is our first retrofit,” Shapiro said. “Good bones, a little rundown.”
From there, with nothing but the existing foundation and timber studs where the house used to stand, Shapiro’s crew began building up the walls, installing new windows and eventually building a brand new roof.
Shapiro joked with attendees, saying that the site of the nearly-demolished house was a shock in early construction.
“No matter how good you are as a builder at setting expectations with your client, nothing prepares them for this,” Shapiro said. “There was probably a lot of tears during those early days.”
The walls and windows are important aspects of a passive house build, Shapiro explained. The structures must be airtight to minimize heat loss as much as possible. Walls also have to be much thicker than typical, and are packed with high-efficiency insulation and membranes that allow moisture to escape the structure while trapping air and heat.
The windows and doors used in the build resemble vault doors, with thick frames and a flanged shape that locks in air. Passive houses are required to be essentially air-tight because leaks contribute the most to heat loss in a structure.
Passive houses seek to address this issue by sealing the building and using special air circulation systems that release stale air and ingest fresh air from the outdoors. Hill’s house uses what’s known as an “energy recovery ventilator,” or ERV, to ventilate the home without compromising heating efficiency.
ERVs transfer moisture and heat between the expelled inside air and ingested outside air, allowing fresh air to enter the home without compromising the home’s other heat-trapping measures.
The build process wasn’t entirely straightforward, Shapiro said. One hurdle was the electrical and plumbing work that Shapiro said poked holes in the house’s airtight seal and caused unacceptable air leaks. Crews had to conduct tests and patch holes to fix the leaks and bring the house into compliance with passive house certification standards.
“Our plumber-slash-electrician just could not understand what an air barrier was,” Shapiro said. “And I think at some point seemed to be making a sport of turning our air barriers into Swiss cheese.”
Airtight design requirements still allow for homeowners to open their doors and windows to let in a nice breeze, which Hill demonstrated at the open house by letting in a gentle summer breeze.
Nathan Miller
Kanchisar Jiradhanaiphat, left, and John Schildbach hope to open Muanjai Tea on Main Street in Millerton by late July.
MILLERTON — Owners of a Thai tea shop planned for Main Street expect to get started with interior renovations this week after receiving approval for septic system plans from health officials.
John Schildbach, who plans to open Muanjai Tea at 28 Main St. in July, said on Monday, June 22, that the shop is awaiting one final approval from the Dutchess County Board of Health on the interior space itself and expects to begin installing counters and seating immediately after.
Discussions with the Board of Health over septic capacity caused earlier delays. Schildbach originally planned to have seating for 20 people inside the shop, but health officials required him to scale back that plan. The shop’s septic system was approved with the condition that only 14 seats be installed inside the shop.
He said the build out will likely take at least three weeks longer, meaning the storefront is not expected to open prior to Millerton’s 175 celebration running from July 11 to July 19. But Schildbach is planning to operate a pop-up tent offering a limited variety of tea drinks during the celebration.
Schildbach also plans to distribute 25% discount coupons to shoppers that stop by the pop-up. Customers can then use those coupons once the shop opens to get a discount at the shop once it opens later in July.
“It’s a little bit of a discount for people who want to try us out,” Schildbach said.
Schildbach announced plans to open the tea shop with his wife, Kanchisar Jiradhanaiphat, in late April. The shop will occupy the storefront formerly occupied by Candy-Os on Main Street.
“This isn’t going to be a bubble tea shop,” Schildbach said in April, describing a menu that seeks to bring authentic Thai tea culture to Millerton.
Highlights will include nom yen — a pink milk tea made with sweetened condensed milk and flavored syrup — as well as coffee cham yen, a blend of coffee and tea. The menu will also feature Thai tea ice cream floats, lattes and matcha drinks.
But the pair don’t want to limit the menu to just desserts and sweets. Schildbach said they are aiming for a sophisticated — yet affordable — menu that offers an authentic, approachable take on Thai tea shops.
That desire for authenticity will be built into the space itself, Schildbach said. Plans for the tea shop include adding a wall to create a service window typical of Bangkok tea shops, accented with tile and wood details.
The goal is to fit in with Millerton’s current lineup of Main Street businesses, while providing a unique experience for locals and visitors alike.
“It’s going to be like you’re in a tea shop in Thailand,” Schildbach said.
Leila Hawken
The Webutuck High School Class of 2026 received diplomas at the 72nd annual Commencement ceremony, held on Saturday, June 20.
AMENIA — Fifty-one members of the Webutuck High School Class of 2026 received their diplomas during the school’s 72nd annual commencement ceremony Saturday, June 20.
Family members, friends, educators and classmates filled a large tent on the high school grounds to celebrate the graduates, who will pursue careers, military service and higher education in the months ahead.
“You’ve made it,” said Webutuck Superintendent Raymond Castellani during welcoming remarks to the graduates.
After 11 years of serving the Webutuck School District, Castellani began by announcing that he would be ending that service.
“I’ve witnessed extraordinary moments,” Castellani said. “Serving this district has been one of the greatest honors of my life.”
Castellani spoke of the future to be faced by graduates.
“Change will happen faster than ever before. Technologies will evolve,” Castellani told the seniors. “Kindness matters, integrity matters, character matters,” he said, citing those qualities as ones that will carry the graduates through their future lives.
“Success is measured by the difference you make in the lives of others,” Castellani said, urging graduates to view any failures as lessons.
High School Principal Matthew Pascale began his remarks in praise of Castellani’s leadership.
“You taught me how to lead,” Pascale said. “Working in education is a vocation, not a job.”
“You are standing at the starting line of what comes next,” Pascale told the graduating class. “Go out and make a difference,” he added, reminding the class that their success will be defined by how they treat others. Kindness and humility are key.
Pascale urged each graduate to save 10% of income. “Put it away,” he said. “Pay yourself first. It isn’t about greed, it’s about security.”
Elementary School Principal Amanda Coppola presented the commencement address, recalling that she began her Webutuck teaching career as a fifth grade science teacher.
“While I was teaching you, you were teaching me,” she told graduates.
“Life keeps evolving,” Coppola said. “Keep going. Keep growing.”
Class Salutatorian Zaina AbouEid presented the traditional speech to the graduates.Photo By Leila Hawken
Salutatorian Zaina AbouEid brought appreciative laughs from her audience as she recalled jokes often voiced by Principal Pascale, jokes that were familiar to the class.
Thanking the various constituencies within the school and her family, AbouEid went on to exhort classmates to overcome fears.
“Fear is never strong enough to hold us back,” she said.
Class Valedictorian Giana Kall delivered the traditional valedictory address to her fellow graduates.Photo By Leila Hawken
“Anything is possible,” said Valedictorian Giana Marie Kall, who said that her study of psychology has taught her that people really need to believe in themselves.
“Follow your heart. It’s OK not to be perfect,” Kall told graduates. “You are only in competition with yourself.”
Kall went on to express thanks to the school’s various constituents and her family.
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Graham Corrigan
The Stissing Mountain High School Class of 2026 celebrates graduation as 82 seniors receive their diplomas.
PINE PLAINS — The largest graduating class since 2014 — totalling 82 seniors — celebrated the end of high school on Saturday, June 20.
Seniors from Stissing Mountain High School had their graduation at the school on Church Street in Pine Plains. Cloudy weather threatened rain but didn’t follow through as classmates, friends and family gathered to recognize the graduates’ achievements.
Principal Cristopher Boyd, School Board President Amy Fredericks, and Superintendent Dr. Brian Timm delivered opening remarks to a crowded auditorium of friends, family, and congratulatory balloons.
Dr. Timm urged the students to seek out growth through creative tension in their next chapter, and to embrace challenges as opportunities to grow. He extolled the group’s determination, and encouraged them to remember Nelson Mandela’s words: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
Then came the student speakers: Michelle Blackburn, Siena Millar, Salutatorian Violet Bliss, and Valedictorian Alyssa Fredericks shared messages of gratitude for the support they had received throughout their education, both from their family and community. “Pine Plains helped build the foundation we all stand on,” said Valedictorian Fredericks.
This was the last step for a class that has, in large part, been classmates since kindergarten. They were together one last time on Saturday, awash in purple robes and graduation caps for the occasion.
The class of 2026 will be spreading out next year. Popular college destinations include Dutchess Community College, the SUNY system, colleges in Boston, and the armed services. More than a quarter of graduates are starting full-time jobs after high school.
The school’s chorus performed twice during the graduation, singing the Pine Plains alma mater to introduce the student speakers, and Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” to play them off.
Finally, it was time: one by one the 82 seniors shuffled off the risers to shake hands with the administrators, receive their diploma, and make that long walk across the stage to the jubilant hoots of their family and friends. As they processed off the stage and into those waiting arms, one chapter ended and another began.
Joe Brennan
Phil Carroll stands near a pile of cut firewood he prepared for sale across New York. The Amenia native has been cutting trees and splitting wood for fireplaces for decades.
AMENIA — It’s been said that wood, as it burns, tells its history.
Phil Carroll has split and sold countless cords of dry highly flammable firewood over the decades and has narrated a lot of the history of his hometown, Amenia.
Carroll’s story begins more than 80 years ago on the banks of what was once Lake Amenia. Right before Carroll was born in 1942, his brother drowned at that swimming spot at the end of Lake Amenia Road, where the dam used to be. Phil’s mother was furious years later when she caught Phil skating across the frozen lake one winter day.
“She already lost one son to that lake,” Carroll said.
But they didn’t move out of their neighborhood to escape bad memories. Even after the dam broke, draining the lake into swamps nearby and forever changing Amenia’s landscape, his family bought and traded the land, moved houses, improved them, stayed close and planted huge gardens, plowed them over and made their own little community of wood cutters. Everything today is impeccably cared for.
The wood cutting machines are clean but clearly well used. It is a place of steady purposeful work.
Before making his career as a firewood supplier, Carroll worked as a tractor-trailer driver cross country but didn’t like it.
“You can’t sleep in a truck and own a house,” Carroll said. “Anybody who does that I think is crazy. You’re paying for the house and you’re out there.”
Then he got the idea of selling bundles of wood he sourced from his own property and nearby forests. His family thought he was crazy. Nobody around here would pay for kiln-dried firewood so Phil started hauling four-foot lengths of wood south to Fishkill, Clark, and Wilkins, New York, eventually leading to connections to New York City.
He had cleared trees right across the lake, where developer John Lango carved out those homes on Broadway. It was a swamp then, part of the lake. Then he worked to clear the forests behind his house — by the Squabble Hole, where the old ore mine flooded and made a perfect swimming hole. Phil couldn’t swim much, but the town boys dove off a rope halfway up Squabble Mountain.
He focused on distributing his wood Manhattan’s East Side first because storefront owners would pay and he could double park his truck at less risk of $600 tickets. In 1988, walking block to block, store to store, the small bodega owners saved him, and supermarket chain D’Agostinos took half a truckload but couldn’t put a real wood pile in the basement or else risk burning down the borough.
“I used to buy 80 to 90 thousand dollars of wood a year, just for New York,” Carroll said. “I’ve cut that down to 35 thousand now.”
While visiting New York all those decades ago, Carroll fostered an appreciation for dancing at Korean nightclubs. A full day’s worth of driving and delivering firewood would end with a high-energy fete dancing until the clubs closed at 3 a.m. Then Carroll would drive home.
Over the years, Carroll has recruited most of his family to join in on the business, including his son, Phil Carroll Jr.
Phil Jr. turned to the forest at 5 years old to work with his father. His job was marking logs with a 19 inch stick his father gave him, that had been measured and carved out for him as a template. Phil gave Phil Jr. a small hatchet, and not a Davy Crockett rubber blade, a real sharp edge and he marked off each section with a chopped notch as his father came behind him and tore through the felled tree with his chainsaw.
The assembly line begins at the simple splitter. It’s been sitting out in the split log walls around the driveway. These mostly go to the campgrounds like Copake. The air-dried local pieces take a year to cure and do not burn as good as his top-of-the-line stuff. J and J Lumber in Dover Plains bakes 19-inch lengths of various hardwood for a day and a half until its water content is bone dry.
These he splits over and over again so most of the bundle’s individual pieces are small and light enough to be picked up by anyone. The other pieces are even smaller, making for ready kindling although the whole pile will erupt in perfect flame, dry as tumbleweed.
Just look at the design of his signature product: the firewood bundle. It’s got his name on top, easy to read, so the buyer knows he’s getting the real deal from the master. The clear plastic is shrink wrapped so you can see that the wood and bark is clean and dry and free of bugs.
Phil, who still works selling firewood, takes pride in his product, he’s been known to throw a bundle across the workshop, “Who the hell made that!”
And Phil’s tireless, always figuring. As he looks out over his backyard, he’s still thinking ahead. “Next year I’m going to get a guy I know to blow up that other side of the hill,” Carroll said dryly. “I’d have twice as much flat land up here.”
Graham Corrigan
PINE PLAINS — Voters approved a school district budget on Tuesday, June 16, that cut three staff positions to save nearly $300,000 in expenses.
After the initial budget failed in May, Pine Plains Central School District administrators cut expenses to bring the tax levy within the state’s tax cap. Since the revised spending plan complied with the cap, it required only a simple majority for approval.
The second budget passed easily on June 16. The final vote count was 643 votes in favor, and 288 against.
The new budget is $290,569 less than the first budget. The reduction primarily came from eliminating three staff positions — a head bus driver, typist and nurse.
The budget’s passage now means the district will avoid much deeper cuts than what would have been required had it been voted down a second time. The mandatory contingency budget, which would have gone into effect, would have resulted in $945,789 in additional reductions and a freezing of capital projects.
The district has now moved forward with capital plans with the new budget in place. It has announced plans to replace the floor tiles at Seymour Smith Intermediate Learning Center and is continuing repair work on the roof at Stissing Mountain Jr/Sr High School.
The high school’s tennis courts and track will also be resurfaced this summer. Work is expected to begin in late June, and will last until Sept. 1. During this time, Seymour Smith and the affected athletic fields will be closed.
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