Thank you!
Your support is sustaining the future of local news in our communities.

Volunteers clear trails at Lakeville’s Yoakum Preserve

Volunteers clear trails at Lakeville’s Yoakum Preserve

Abeth Slotnick carefully refreshed a faded blaze on a trailside tree in the Salisbury Land Trust’s Yoakum Preserve Sunday, April 27.

Patrick L. Sullivan

LAKEVILLE — A hardy group of 13 volunteers gathered at the end of Reservoir Road in Lakeville on a chilly Sunday morning, April 27, and marched up into the Salisbury Land Trust’s Yoakum Preserve to do some trail work.

The land trust acquired the roughly 250 acres of undeveloped forest on the southwestern slope of Mount Riga from Alice Yoakum of Lakeville in 2020.

The boundaries are the Lakeville reservoir to the west, Mount Riga to the north and private land to the south.

The Yoakum Preserve was one of six land trust properties totaling 682 acres safeguarded as “forever-wild” through the Northeast Wilderness Trust’s Wildlands Partnership program in 2023.

The group set off on foot from the designated parking area at the end of Reservoir Road.Land Trust head John Landon drove up ahead because he had heavier equipment such as a chain saw in his car.

Landon had also been to the preserve a few days earlier to drop off additional equipment.

It’s a quick albeit uphill walk to the trailhead, and then a somewhat longer walk of 15 or 20 minutes to where the Yoakum Preserve starts. The trail is clearly marked, as are the boundaries of the reservoir land, which is mostly off-limits.

Landon divided the group in two. Group A stayed behind to rake the trail and remove any obvious obstacles, and to add or refresh blazes on trees.

Group B soldiered on another few hundred yards to where the trail starts to climb and where some heavier work was needed. This is where the chain saw came in.

Latest News

Jeremiah Joseph Larsen

Jeremiah Joseph Larsen

HARWINTON — Jeremiah Joseph Larsen, 44, of 274 Litchfield Rd. died Sunday June 14, 2026 at the Yale New Haven Health Center in New Haven. Jeremiah was born May 9, 1982 in Bristol, CT. He was the son of Jeffrey L. and Ruth M. (Wilkinson) Larsen of Harwinton, CT

Jeremiah graduated from Lewis Mills High School in Burlington. He worked for several local landscapers in the Northwest Corner including Leno’s Lawn Service, Green Acres Landscaping and most recently Paul Kaminski Landscape Management in Harwinton. Jeremiah was an avid hunter and fisherman. He loved spending time with his two sons, Hayden and Finn Larsen, of East Canaan, CT and extended family. He and his ex-wife Jessica Strattman continued to work closely to provide the best for Hayden and Finn. Jeremiah also was known for his love of cutting grass.

Keep ReadingShow less

Donald Harry Duncan

Donald Harry Duncan

MILLERTON — Donald Harry Duncan, 78, a lifelong area resident died peacefully on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at his home in Millerton, NY, surrounded by his loving family. Beloved husband of Sharon E. (Drake) Duncan and loving father of Bruce, Alex and Steven Duncan, adored grandfather of Sydney, Chelsea, Bailey, Gabriel, Ariana, Braeden and Tony and caring brother of Patricia Flood and James Duncan.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday July 1, 2026 from 11am to 12pm at South Amenia Presbyterian Church, 229 South Amenia Road, Wassaic, NY 12592. A funeral service will begin at 12pm at South Amenia Presbyterian Church. Reverend Zora Cheatham will officiate. A communal reception in Don’s honor will be held immediately following the service in the fellowship hall next door to the church. Burial at Irondale Cemetery will take place in the future. To send an online condolence to the family, flowers to the service or to plant a tree in Don’s memory, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com Arrangements have been entrusted to Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546.

Fallen tree downs power lines, blocks Route 112

Eversource crews work to repair damaged power lines after a tree fell near onto Route 112 just north of the Interlaken Inn on Monday, June 22.

Photo by Nathan Miller

LAKEVILLE — A tree fell on Route 112 Monday, June 22, downing power lines and blocking traffic north of Route 41 near the Hotchkiss Four Corners.

Eversource crews on scene at 4:45 p.m. said power lines were being repaired and utility service had been restored to customers in the area.

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

Francis Lynehan

Francis Lynehan

DOVER PLAINS — Francis “Butch” Lynehan, 75, a twenty-year resident of Dover Plains, New York, formerly of Sharon, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at Vassar Bros. Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.

Born Aug. 29, 1950, in Sharon, he was the son of the late William W. and Nellie (Kluun) Lynehan.

Keep ReadingShow less

Richard McGriff

Richard McGriff

TACONIC — Richard McGriff died unexpectedly on May 16, 2026. This is a collection of loving reminiscences.

With a smile like that and a laugh like that and a soul like that, how could you not love him? Macey Levin and Gloria Miller

Keep ReadingShow less
Juneteenth graduation celebrates Berkshire’s next generation of leaders

Cohort 2026 members Abigail Horace, Adam Liccardi, Adrian Lynch, Cameo Brown, Chauncey Dozier, Claudette Grant, Erline Saintilet, Harmony Edwards, Kamayue Gomes, Mackenzie Colvin, Otis West, Shadre Domingo, TJ West and Tyeesha Keele-Kedroe and Blackshires’ leadership team John Lewis, Patrick Danahey, Dubois Thomas and Julie Haagenson gather at the Blackshires City Hall Fishbowl alongside Mayor Peter Marchetti and city officials Michael Obasohan, Brandon Gill, Katherine VanBramer, Heather Brazeau, Justine Dodds and Jesse Tobin McCauley.

Provided

When designer Abigail Horace joined the Blackshires Leadership Accelerator, she was looking for support for her business, Casa Marcelo, which was founded in Salisbury in 2019. Through the Accelerator, she created the Black Berkshires Social Club, which creates culturally grounded social spaces for Black and BIPOC residents in the region. Throughout her experience, Horace found a community of peers invested in one another’s success.

“Finding Blackshires has been transformative,” Horace said. “Being a BIPOC founder in this region can feel isolating, and this community has changed that. They see my work, champion my business and have opened doors I couldn’t have opened alone.”

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.