Tax receipts a positive sign

NORTH EAST — The Town Board was in merry spirits at its meeting on Thursday, June 9, at least when discussion turned to the recent mortgage tax payment it had received — the first of two installments planned for the year.The town received $41,038.54, more than what some of the board members were expecting, including town Supervisor Dave Sherman.“It was a positive indication there is some activity out there in the real estate market,” he said. “At least it’s providing us some revenue while we deal with budget expectations. If we can receive that much — hallelujah — more power to it.”The first installment of mortgage tax payments the town receives accounts for about two-thirds of what it expects for the year.“It’s always a concern with the projected revenues,” Sherman said. “You don’t want to be overly optimistic and you’re not sure if you’re going to be able to reach them. When the decline in the economy hit we saw mortgage receipts fall precipitously in the last few years. So it’s improving, but it’s still not anywhere quite near what it was.”

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Water main cleaning in North Canaan

NORTH CANAAN – Aquarion Water Company today announced a water main cleaning project in the company’s North Canaan system. The project is scheduled to take place from Monday, April 1 through Tuesday, April 16, and is being undertaken to ensure customers in North Canaan continue to receive the highest quality water.

The cleaning for April 1 and April 4 (subject to change) will take place on the following streets:

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Tuning up two passions under one roof

The Webb Family in the workshop. From left: Phyllis, Dale, Ben and Josh Webb, and project manager Hannah Schiffer.

Natalia Zukerman

Magic Fluke Ukulele Shop and True Wheels Bicycle Shop are not only under the same roof in a beautiful solar powered building on Route 7 in Sheffield, but they are also both run by the Webb family, telling a tale of familial passion, innovation and a steadfast commitment to sustainability.

In the late ‘90s, Dale Webb was working in engineering and product design at a corporate job. “I took up instrument manufacturing as a fun challenge,” said Dale. After an exhibit at The National Association of Music Merchants in Anaheim, California, in 1999, The Magic Fluke company was born. “We were casting finger boards and gluing these things together in our basement in New Hartford and it just took off,” Dale explained. “It was really a wild ride, it kind of had a life of its own.”

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Robert Cray’s soulful blues coming to Infinity Hall

Robert Cray

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Blues legend Robert Cray will be bringing his stinging, funky guitar and soulful singing to Infinity Hall Norfolk on Friday, March 29.

A five-time Grammy winner, Cray has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and earned The Americana Music Awards Lifetime Achievement for Performance. He has played with blues and rock icons including Albert Collins, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton and many more.

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