The candidates for the spring elections

Village elections coincide with the first day of spring this year. It is somehow fitting that villagers will have the chance to vote for a pair of new (or returning) board members just as the seasons change. What better time could there be to cast a ballot ripe with opportunity?The central election in the Harlem Valley this year is for two trustee positions on the Village Board in Millerton, which governs how that municipality is run, what laws are enacted and the day-to-day decisions that affect residents and business owners alike.The board is an essential part of village life. It hashes out details from how the sidewalks are kept to how the roads are maintained; it’s in charge of metering one’s water supply and provides residents recreation during summer months. In exchange for such services property owners pay village taxes, based on a municipal budget that the Village Board drafts each year. The trustees on the board, along with the mayor, make critical decisions every day that affect how the village operates, so that its residents can maintain a certain quality of life they have come to expect. It is for that board that four candidates are running for two open seats come Election Day, Tuesday, March 20.What makes it difficult, but at the same time so absolutely fantastic, is that there are four very well-qualified candidates to choose from. There are two incumbents, both of whom have done superlative jobs as trustees and would undoubtedly continue to do so if re-elected. The incumbents are Democrats Yosh Schulman and Debbie Middlebrook. They actually have many similarities. They are both hard workers, practical, determined, driven to go after every grant dollar possible, and are both very sincere in what they do. This paper has no hesitation in recommending both of them for additional terms in office.Then there are the Republican candidates: Dave McGhee and John “Jack” Thomas. Again, good, strong and deserving candidates.McGhee demonstrated his abilities during a dozen years as a North East town councilman. He was down to earth, sensible, clearly dedicated to representing “the people,” while maintaining his own style (which sometimes, unfortunately, got him into a tangle with his fellow councilmen). Though he could get into a temper, McGhee often brought good ideas to the table, practicality among the best of them.John “Jack” Thomas is the second candidate on the Republican line. He, too, has a reputation for being sensible, smart and quick on his feet. He’s also reasonable to deal with (and his quick humor makes doing so a pleasure).When on the board previously he made his contribution, and if voted in again, would undoubtedly do the same. He clearly enjoys the camaraderie of being a board member and digging in to village issues, making him prime material for being a board member. He also just wants to do what’s right for other residents.That, honestly, is the thread that runs through all of the four candidates — they all have good intentions. They want to represent their fellow citizens and work hard to improve what they already love, the village of Millerton.There is no right or wrong vote here. Any way you cast your ballot you’re going to be in good hands. What a lucky community to know that it has smart, caring, dedicated and willing volunteers (yes, they do get a small salary) to join others of the same ilk to help shape the character of their hometown, always for the better.But don’t take your good fortune as an excuse not to vote. Each candidate still has his or her own ideas, and his or her own goals (for more, read this week’s front page). Make sure on Election Day you get out and vote — make your voice heard — and throw your support behind the candidate who will best represent you and what you want for your village, now and in the future.

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Club baseball at Fuessenich Park

Travel league baseball came to Torrington Thursday, June 26, when the Berkshire Bears Select Team played the Connecticut Moose 18U squad. The Moose won 6-4 in a back-and-forth game. Two players on the Bears play varsity ball at Housatonic Valley Regional High School: shortstop Anthony Foley and first baseman Wes Allyn. Foley went 1-for-3 at bat with an RBI in the game at Fuessenich Park.

 

  Anthony Foley, rising senior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, went 1-for-3 at bat for the Bears June 26.Photo by Riley Klein 

 
Siglio Press: Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature

Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.

Richard Kraft

Siglio Press is a small, independent publishing house based in Egremont, Massachusetts, known for producing “uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.” Founded and run by editor and publisher Lisa Pearson, Siglio has, since 2008, designed books that challenge conventions of both form and content.

A visit to Pearson’s airy studio suggests uncommon work, to be sure. Each of four very large tables were covered with what looked to be thousands of miniature squares of inkjet-printed, kaleidoscopically colored pieces of paper. Another table was covered with dozens of book/illustration-size, abstracted images of deer, made up of colored dots. For the enchanted and the mystified, Pearson kindly explained that these pieces were to be collaged together as artworks by the artist Richard Kraft (a frequent contributor to the Siglio Press and Pearson’s husband). The works would be accompanied by writings by two poets, Elizabeth Zuba and Monica Torre, in an as-yet-to-be-named book, inspired by a found copy of a worn French children’s book from the 1930s called “Robin de Bois” (Robin Hood).

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Cycling season: A roundup of our region’s rentals and where to ride them

Cyclists head south on the rail trail from Copake Falls.

Alec Linden

After a shaky start, summer has well and truly descended upon the Litchfield, Berkshire and Taconic hills, and there is no better way to get out and enjoy long-awaited good weather than on two wheels. Below, find a brief guide for those who feel the pull of the rail trail, but have yet to purchase their own ten-speed. Temporary rides are available in the tri-corner region, and their purveyors are eager to get residents of all ages, abilities and inclinations out into the open road (or bike path).

For those lucky enough to already possess their own bike, perhaps the routes described will inspire a new way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For more, visit lakevillejournal.com/tag/bike-route to check out two ride-guides from local cyclists that will appeal to enthusiasts of many levels looking for a varied trip through the region’s stunning summer scenery.

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