MILLERTON — What began as a serene Saturday morning in the village of Millerton took a turn for the tragic as multiple area fire companies rushed to the village in response to a horrific house fire at 5902 South Elm Ave. (Route 22) on Saturday, Nov. 6.
The fire
Two people were reported to have lost their lives inside the home. At this time, the names of the victims are not being released.
A prepared statement issued by the North East Fire District on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 7, stated the Millerton Fire Company was dispatched to the scene at 7:58 a.m. in response to a report of a possible house fire with people trapped inside.
Local residents could spot the billowing clouds of smoke from miles away, some of whom reported hearing people screaming to get out. The closer onlookers got, the more horrific the scene became. Dark smoke emerged from the house and the harsh smell of smoke escaped the home as it quickly became engulfed in flames. Neighbors stood on their lawns and front porches and watched the devastation unfold, while a handful of local officials stood on the grass, worry lining their faces.
David Runge resides nearby on West Street. He said he and his family were having a cup of coffee around 8:04 a.m. when they saw the flames shoot up in the sky. Standing across the street from the burning house, Runge said, “Let’s hope everybody got out OK.”
According to the North East Fire District’s statement, Fire Chief Jason Watson arrived within four minutes of the 911 call being dispatched and found the house fully engulfed in flames, with a report of two people still trapped inside the structure.
Watson immediately transmitted a second alarm “bringing additional equipment and manpower from fire companies in Amenia, Wassaic, Copake, Ancram and Hillsdale and Town of North East Medic 1, as well as from Lakeville, Sharon, Falls Village Fire Companies in neighboring Connecticut,” according to the district's press release.
The Pine Plains Hose Company was on standby at the Millerton fire station.
Overall, North East Fire Commission Chairman Stephen Valyou said approximately 50 firefighters were on hand fighting the blaze.
Once the first fire engine arrived on scene, it immediately began using compressed air foam to suppress the fire.
Among the reported injuries, one female was transported to the hospital by for smoke inhalation, while a firefighter was transported for an injury.
The fire was contained by 11:44 a.m., but firefighters did not leave the scene until 7:30 p.m.
Reflecting on the events of the fire, Fire Commissioner Joshua Schultz said this is the largest fire the North East Fire District has responded to in years.
“It’s not my first fatal fire,” Schultz said, “but it is definitely one of the worst the first district has responded to.”
Valyou commended Watson for performing his duty as fire chief exceptionally well.
“He had everything organized; had the mutual aid that he needed, had all the bases covered.”
Both the cause and origin of the fire are currently being investigated by the Dutchess County Fire Investigation team, which was on hand early Sunday morning and for much of that day, along with the New York State Police and the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office.
Millerton
community’s response
In the days following the devastation, the Millerton community banded together to offer its support and comfort to the families who lost their home and loved ones to the fire.
A Go Fund Me page was set up by Millerton resident Monica Baker at around 7 a.m. on Sunday morning, Nov. 7. The need was described on the page: “Please support a Millerton, N.Y., family who experienced a tragic house fire. Amy Yang is a local business owner and mother of 4. The house fire has inflicted unimaginable pain and loss on Amy and her family. Tragically, the Yang family already lost their father when he passed away suddenly a few years ago. Now more loss. They need our support. Please help in any way you can.”
Though the page’s initial goal was $10,000, the goal was surpassed within a few hours and increased to $20,000, then $30,000. By Tuesday morning, Nov. 9, the Go Fund Me Page raised more than $80,500, vastly surpassing its $30,000 goal. Community members are invited to donate by visiting the page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-yang-family-after-devastating-fire
Amy Yang is the owner of the Chinese restaurant in Millerton, the Golden Wok, located at Railroad Plaza near the intersection of Main Street and Route 22. According to Dutchess County’s 2021 Final Assessment Roll, Yang was identified as the owner of the property at 5902 South Elm Ave.
A sign was posted on the restaurant’s door announcing Golden Wok would be closed until further notice. Devastated by the events of the past 24 hours, Yang chose not to comment on the fire.
On behalf of the town of North East, North East Supervisor Chris Kennan extended the town’s deepest condolences to Yang and her family in a statement released late Sunday afternoon.
“This is a time that gives meaning to the word ‘community’,” Kennan said in his statement. “She and her family are part of ours, and we hold them all in our collective arms.”
Included in his town statement, Kennan identified Yang as the individual that was hospitalized after the fire and announced that she has since been released. As more details of the fire come to light, he commended the “many outstanding instances of community spirit, courage and selflessness” that have emerged in response to the tragedy.
Online, the “Millerton Amenia Community Forum” Facebook page has been bursting with posts from community members concerned about the families that are now struggling to find a place to stay. Among those who posted, Cary Farrar notified viewers that the village is working on identifying needs for the family per the mayor’s office and will be posting information on the village’s social media page as soon as they have the information available.
On Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m., the Millerton Fire Company will hold an open community debriefing at 29 Century Blvd., to provide the community with a venue in which to talk about their feelings over the fire’s impact.
Lakeville Journal
SALISBURY — Alfred Lyon Ivry, a long-time resident of Salisbury, and son of Belle (Malamud) and Morris Ivry, died in Bergen County, New Jersey, on Feb. 12 at the age of 91, surrounded by family members. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he was a graduate ofAbraham Lincoln High School and Brooklyn College, where he earned a B.A. in English literature and Philosophy and served as drama critic for the school paper.
Alfred earned a PhD in Medieval Jewish Philosophy from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts in 1963 and in 1971 was awarded a D. Phil in Medieval Islamic Philosophy from Oxford University, Linacre College.
He enjoyed a long career as a professor of Jewish and Islamic philosophy, with appointments at Cornell, Ohio State, Brandeis, and New York University. Alfred wrote more than one hundred scholarly articles and book reviews, and was the author or editor of nine books, including Maimonides’ Guide of the Perplexed: A Philosophical Guide, published in 2016.
Alfred and Joann, his wife of 67 years, moved to the Berkshire area in the early 1990s, splitting their time between the Twin Lakes and New York City until their respective retirements. After that, they lived in Salisbury full time, availing themselves of the region’s many cultural offerings. They relocated in late 2020 to Noble Horizons for two years before moving to New Jersey to be closer to their children.
In their many years together, Alfred and Joann traveled regularly, frequenting museums, national parks, and other destinations. Alfred was an avid reader of the newspaper, fiction, and poetry, and possessed both a sharp wit and an estimable sense of humor. Throughout his life, he enjoyed outdoor activities including swimming, camping, hiking, ice skating on Twin Lakes, and tennis. Like many Brooklyn boys of his era, he followed the Dodgers, but happily took his children to Red Sox games at Fenway Park and later his grandchildren to see the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.
In Salisbury, Alfred became a successful gentleman farmer, and embarked on canoe trips and fishing expeditions on Twin Lakes and beyond.He took up birding, among other hobbies, and with Joann developed and enjoyed the friendships he made in Salisbury and environs, and especially amongst members of the Great Barrington-based Berkshire Minyan, of which they were founding members.
Above all, Alfred was committed to the Jewish tradition and people, and to his family. He is survived by his wife, Joann (nee Saltzman);children, Rebecca and husband Clifford Stein, Jonathan, Sara, and Jessica, grandchildren; Molly and husband Josh Mark, Noah and wife Noa Shapiro, Ben Stein, Talia, Max, Isaiah, and Esther Ivry; great-grandchild, Aaron Mark; and colleagues and friends made throughout his life. He was predeceased by his sister, Grace.
Donations in Alfred’s memory may be made to the Berkshire Minyan and to the Yaakov Goboff Fund at the Yaakov Herzog Institute for Jewish Studies.
Lakeville Journal
LAKEVILLE — Alice Gustafson (née Luchs), 106, of Lakeville, Connecticut, passed away on March 2, 2026. Born in Chicago on Dec. 15, 1919, Alice was raised between New York City, Florida and Lime Rock, where she graduated from Salisbury High School in 1937.
Alice’s career spanned roles at Conover-Mast Publications in New York City, The Lakeville Journal, the Interlaken Inn, and as a secretary to the past president of Smith College. In 1948, she married Herbert “Captain Gus” Gustafson at Trinity Church in Lime Rock.
A devoted community servant, Alice volunteered for twenty years at White Plains Hospital and for over thirty years at Sharon Hospital. She was a passionate supporter of the arts, notably through her involvement with Music Mountain and Crescendo Music Program. She was also an active member of the Salisbury Congregational Church, the Nichi Bei Fujinkai society, and served as a docent at Philipsburg Manor.
Alice is survived by her son, Gordon Gustafson, and his wife Christine, her daughter Elizabeth (DeeDee) Dohan, and her husband Andrew, her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert.
Her celebration of life will take place on Saturday, June 6, at 11:00 a.m. at the Congregational Church of Salisbury.
While flowers are a lovely tribute, those who wish to further honor Alice’s memory may consider a contribution to Music Mountain, Crescendo, or the Congregational Church of Salisbury.
Lakeville Journal
LAKEVILLE — Larry Power passed away peacefully at home on March 9, 2026.
Larry was born at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City in 1939.
He had a successful public relations firm for over 35 years in NYC.
After retiring, he chaired the Sharon Land Trust board for many years. He always said one of the most important things he ever did was saving the Twin Oaks Field from development.
He is survived by his husband Lea Davies of 44 years.
Donations in his memory can be sent to East Mountain House in Lakeville in honor of Keavy Bedell or the Sharon Hospital Primary Care Project in honor of Doctor Jonathan Joseph.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
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Lakeville Journal
KENT — Carol L. Hoffman Matzke passed away peacefully with family by her side on Feb. 22, 2026.
She was a beloved mother and stepmother, daughter, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, community member, and friend.Her presence will be deeply missed. She had a beautiful way of loving, accepting, and supporting all the many members of her vast family, and of welcoming others into her family circle. She was intelligent and well-informed about history and current events, and she took a genuine interest in knowing and understanding everyone she met, from friends and family right down to the stranger who stood next to her in line at the grocery store. Kind and generous, her family and friends knew that she would do anything in her power to help and support them.
Carol was the oldest of five children, born on June 21, 1939 in Springfield, Vermont to Janet (Beal) Lawrence and John Lawrence. She graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1957. She attended Colby College, graduating with a history degree in 1961. She was married and widowed twice, first to John Hardie Hoffman (1935-1984) and second to William A Matzke, Jr. (1924-2001).
In 1976 she and her husband, John, moved to Kent, to realize their dream of opening a small retail bookstore which they named The House of Books. Carol and John blended seamlessly into the community, and The House of Books quickly became part of the fabric of Kent where it has continued to welcome and serve the readers and writers of the area.
Carol was an active member of St. Andrews Episcopal church, where she served in various roles throughout the years. She was also an avid tennis player throughout her life and could often be found in the midst of a competitive match on the Kent School courts.
In 1993, Carol shifted her full-time residence to Seattle, Washington where her eldest daughter, Cathy resided with her family.It was in Seattle that she met and married her second husband, William A Matzke, Jr. Carol and Bill had a vibrant life in the Seattle area where she supported her children and step-children in raising their families, volunteered for The Fisk Genealogical Library, the USO at Sea-Tac Airport, and was an active member of two church communities: Evergreen Covenant Church in Mercer Island, Washington and St Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle, where she served as senior warden.
In 2017, after many years splitting her time between Seattle and Kent, Carol settled full-time in Kent. Carol was frequently spotted walking her dog along Kent’s roadways, sometimes in the pre-dawn darkness. She was a regular at the soccer games, plays, concerts, and other activities of her many New England grandchildren.
In 2024, Carol found a loving home with her daughter Barb’s family in Upton, Massachusetts, eventually transitioning to memory care at Keystone Place in Torrington, where she passed peacefully with loving family and caregivers by her side.
Carol is survived by her daughters, Cathy Miller, Barbara (and David) Lundbom and Tracy (and Rich) Horosky; stepson Scott Hoffman; stepdaughters Lori (and Dick) Ehrig, Andrea Matzke, Cynthia Matzke, and Lisa Matzke as well as 15 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings, Johanne LaGrange, Rod (and Fayne) Lawrence and Ann Wessel. She was pre-deceased by husband John Hardie Hoffman (1984), husband William A. Matzke, Jr. (2001), stepson John Morris “Jay” Hoffman (2023) and sister Gale Lawrence (2024).
Memorial services are planned in both Kent and Seattle later in the spring.Remembrances honoring Carol’s life can be made to the Kent Library Association (P.O. Box 127, Kent, CT 06757) or the Northwest USO (17801 International Blvd, PMB #313, Seattle, WA 98158).
Lakeville Journal
Riley Klein
From left, is First Selectman Gordon Ridgway, Dick Sears and CVFD Chief Will Russ signed the contract for two new fire trucks March 3.
CORNWALL — Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department and the Board of Selectmen signed the contract for two new fire trucks Tuesday, March 3.
The custom rescue pumper and mini pumper will be manufactured by Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, located in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.
The cost is $1.2 million and the estimated delivery time is mid-2027. CVFD raised $600,000 in donations, which will be paired with money from the town’s truck fund.
Greenwood had the lowest price and fastest delivery time of the three manufacturers that submitted bids.
The new vehicles will replace outdated trucks that are both more than 25 years old.
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