Milan Insider - News and Views

We at Milan Insider are pleased to announce that we’ve grown! We’re now Inside Our Towns (www.insideourtowns.com).

As our new mission statement says: Inside Our Towns is filling the need for community news, events and activities for our friends and neighbors in Milan, Pine Plains, Red Hook and Rhinebeck. Simply put, it is our intention that Inside Our Towns be your source for local information.

Want to know when the Milan town board is meeting? Or when the Milan Rescue Squad is holding its next pancake breakfast? Want to know the latest on the Durst Development in Pine Plains (and Milan)? Want to know where in Red Hook you can donate food for your neighbors in need? Or what’s going on at the Red Hook Public Library this month? Want to know more about the new Comp Plan just passed in Rhinebeck? Do you have an opinion you would like to share with other viewers? Or maybe you just want to know the weather forecast for any of our towns or where to find a local business? You can now find all this and more on Inside Our Towns.

Please click on www.insideourtowns.com and take a moment to look at our new home page and see how we’re now organized. Some things remain the same – i.e. our Community News and Events Page, a Contact link (insideourtowns@frontier.com) and a Donate link because we still need your financial support.

We hope you enjoy our expanded site and find it to be a good source for local information. And we invite you to send us news and information that you think might benefit our friends and neighbors by posting on Inside Our Towns.

On Tuesday, March 16th, at the new library on South Main Street there will be a combined meeting of the Town Board and Planning Board to discuss the Durst Corporation's application for their project, which has been revised slightly under the New Neighborhood Development (NND) section of the new Zoning Law. The meeting will start at 7PM with a discussion between the boards and the town's consultants. The Durst team with begin their presentation at 8PM. This meeting is a nonbinding preliminary discussion of the project and will contain an overview of the plan as well as a discussion about whether it meets all the criteria the town established for an NND in the zoning law.

The pre application and maps of the proposed plan, which includes 624 units in Pine Plains and Milan, can be viewed on the town website by following this link:

Early March is a very stressful time for wildlife - particularly birds. It is important to continue feeding birds because their natural food supplies are at the lowest point of the year. Unpredictable weather also challenges birds’ survival—particularly as they prepare for the nesting season. Providing food can make a difference. Offering birds high-energy foods that contain fat and protein (suet and peanuts) will substitute for low insect populations that are difficult to find early in the month.

We have scheduled a party for St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday, March 16th. As we did last year, the club will purchase the corned beef, potatoes, cabbage and carrots. We will need members to help cook the corned beef and vegetables in crock pots. So far we have two who have volunteered but we could use a couple more. If you have a crock pot and would be interested in helping out, please call Mary Ellen at 845 876 2664. Also contact Mary Ellen to make reservations and members are welcome to bring an hors d’oeuvre or dessert to the party. If you do want to bring something advise Mary Ellen what you intend to bring when you make reservations. It would be nice to get some new people involved in club activities, party planning and preparation. If you can VOLUNTEER to help keep the club alive. Again, please let us know if you will be attending or are willing to help. Think GREEN!!!!

Mid-Hudson Vegetarian Society

The "Great American MeatOut” in its 25th year, began as a way to encourage people around the world to "kick the meat habit” and explore a compassionate, nutritious plant-based diet.

Chase away the winter blues during a rousing performance by Hair of the Dog, the Capitol region's most popular Irish band, at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 7, at Cappucino by Coppola's to benefit the Friends of Red Hook Public Library.