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Everyone’s a Cupcake War winner

KENT — The Kent Memorial Library became the battleground for the Cupcake Wars on Friday, March 15 (when the Region One schools were closed for teacher workshops). 

Eleven hopeful — and artistic — contestants brought undecorated cupcakes and were given a bounty of decoration material to create their dream cupcakes. 

Piping bags were filled with a rainbow of colored frosting choices. 

There were candies, sprinkles, marshmallows and more, all available to be used in any and all combination — and indeed they were. 

The event was directed by the library’s own Kim Seeger and Abigail Parker, both busily keeping the contestants supplied with goodies. 

The creations were then presented to the judges, Anne McAndrew and Lizeth Estevez (who is a sophomore at Oliver Wolcott in the culinary arts program). 

After serious consideration (but no tasting), the results were announced and happy winners received their prizes. There were no losers at this war, and a lot of beautiful cupcakes went home to be enjoyed. Scales would have to be ignored for a few days.

Lakeville Journal

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Doug Tallamy’s work in progress: saving the planet one backyard at a time

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Windacre, a 25-acre property in Millerton will be the site of “Work in Progress,” an afternoon with acclaimed entomologist, New York Times bestselling author and Homegrown National Park co-founder Doug Tallamy.

Provided

For nearly three decades, Doug Tallamy, a professor at the University of Delaware and co-founder of Homegrown National Park, has studied the intricate relationships between native plants, insects, birds and the ecosystems that sustain them. His books, including “Bringing Nature Home” and “Nature’s Best Hope,” have helped shift the conversation about conservation from something that happens primarily in parks and preserves to something ordinary people can practice on the land around them.

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Dick Hermans in the Oblong Bookstore on Millerton\u2019s Main Street in 1985.

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When Dick Hermans receives the Estabrook Community Leadership Award on Oct. 11, he will accept it for a lifetime of work that has taken many forms: bookseller, radio host, school board member, advocate for the Harlem Valley Rail Trail, business owner, volunteer and, perhaps most importantly, a person who has consistently looked for ways to be useful to the communities around him.

The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News will present Hermans with the 2026 award at the annual Jubilee celebration at the Sharon Playhouse. The award honors outstanding leadership in community service and was inspired by Mary Lou and Robert Estabrook, former owners of the newspapers who believed that strengthening a community extended well beyond the work of publishing a newspaper.

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Joeseph Plante New Media Storytellers
Our goal is to continue building an annual gathering that honors the history, culture and traditions of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans in their original Homelands.


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Ancram Center’s “A Number” doubles questions of identity

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Ledbetter (left) and Wojda (right) on the set of “A Number” at Ancram Center for the Arts.
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How would you feel if you found out you weren’t the only you — if there was an exact replica of you? What if you found out that you’d been cloned? Would you believe that you’re the real you? Would you suspect you might be a copy of the original? How could you be sure anything about your life was real? These are some of the questions posed in Caryl Churchill’s play “A Number,” opening at the Ancram Center for the Artson Oct. 1.

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Adamah Farm crew members planning out the day’s tasks on a late September day.

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The passion, drama and energy of Beethoven will fill Katherine M. Elfers Hall at The Hotchkiss School on Oct. 4, when world-renowned violinist Pinchas Zukerman is joined by pianist Shai Wosner for a special recital.

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