Walkway at night is back
This Friday, August 21, the Friends of the Walkway nonprofit organization will offer the opportunity to enjoy Hudson Valley views after dark from 212 feet above the Hudson River at its first Walkway at Night of 2020. As always, Walkway members are welcome to attend at no cost. Non-members can register for $5. Members have been emailed a special discount code to use upon registration providing one complimentary admission to Individual members, and up to five complimentary admissions for Family members.
All guests must wear a face covering and commit to following social distancing best practices. The park will be closed at the middle of the bridge. This means there will be no through passage from Poughkeepsie to Highland and vice versa.
To avoid congestion on the east approach due to construction, the Washington Street stairs in Poughkeepsie will be closed. Check in on the east will take place at the Dutchess Welcome Center. Parking is available at 61 Parker Avenue. The elevator will be closed during this event.
Greene County man charged with rape after alleged assault at Saugerties motel
Saugerties police officers have arrested Austin T. Hollister, 21 of Purling, on the felony charge of forcible rape in the first degree.
On August 16 at 3:04 a.m., the Saugerties Police Department responded to the Wenton Motel in Saugerties following a 911 call for a female yelling for help. According to police reports, witnesses reported hearing a female screaming that she was being raped. Several motel guests were able to force their way into the motel room, allowing the female to escape. One witness then held the suspect on the ground until he was taken into custody by Saugerties police officers.
Saugerties police detectives are continuing their investigation and additional charges are to be filed. Hollister was arraigned in the Town of Saugerties justice court and sent to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail.
Safety measures slated for Old Ford Road rail trail crossing
Using $4,050 left over from a grant to repair the bridge that conveys the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail above Forest Glen Road, the Gardiner Town Board has approved construction of traffic-calming devices on the trail at the point where it crosses Old Ford Road, near the New Paltz town line. Poor sightlines and a tendency for cyclists to traverse the intersection at full speed have made the spot notoriously prone to collisions. A set of farm gates will be installed, forcing cyclists to slow down significantly in order to navigate around them.
— Frances Marion Platt
Feed the New Paltz meters
Parking enforcement in the Village of New Paltz will resume starting Saturday, August 22. To avoid being ticketed, be sure to feed the meters and follow all parking rules.
Gardiner adopts conservation easement template
In the wake of lengthy and costly negotiations to work out the details of conservation easements for a series of major real estate developments in recent years, the Town of Gardiner has adopted a template to be used as the basis of such agreements in the future. The town’s zoning code and comprehensive plan have both long dictated that an official “specimen easement” should be provided as guidance both to developers and regulatory bodies. Accordingly, a template recommended by Jean McGrane of Gardiner’s Open Space Commission was formally approved for non-farm easements by unanimous vote of the Town Board on August 11. Copies of the easement template can be obtained from the town clerk.
— Frances Marion Platt
Growers help small farms
As of July 31, the Rondout Valley Growers Association’s (RVGA)Small Farm Innovation Grant GoFundMe has raised over $6000 to help local farms adapt and innovate to the challenges of Covid 19. The response to the GoFundMe was made possible entirely by the goodwill of the Rondout Valley community. “It proves the point that people living in Ulster County cherish local agriculture and want to see farms of all types succeed during this crisis,” said Matt Igoe, acting executive director of the RVGA.
“When COVID-19 hit, our farm needed to adapt quickly,” says Sam Zurofsky of Long Season Farm. “The grant we received from RVGA will help our farm expand our online capabilities in order to better serve our customers over the winter when outdoor markets are not viable.” Alewife Farm of the Esopus Agricultural Center plans to purchase a Bluetooth-enabled label printer to improve logistics for their wholesale business.
People interested in supporting Rondout Valley farms can visit www.rondoutvalleygrowers.org. The GoFundMe campaign will accept donations until August 31, 2020.
Hudson Valley History Hunt
The History Alliance of Kingston is a new collective dedicated to connecting diverse museums and organizations together with a common goal of bringing local history to life for people of all ages through collaborative events and activities. Its first event is the Hudson Valley History Hunt, an interactive digital scavenger hunt which challenges participants to solve clues for a chance to win an assortment of prizes.
Organizers will release clues for three monthly hunts this fall; the second set will be live from September 15 through October 15 and the third from October 15 through November 15.
Participants who find the location can submit their answer either by taking a selfie or photo at the spot and posting it on social media with the #hvhistoryhunt tag, or by submitting the photos directly to the History Alliance of Kingston at historyallianceofkingston@gmail.com.
New Paltz loves masks
Village and Town of New Paltz officials are asking long-time locals, those new to the area, and visitors to wear a mask. “We are a vibrant community with a lovely Main Street and friendly folks who love masks and the people who wear them,” said Ariana Basco, assistant to the mayor and village board. “So show everyone you meet how much you care about them by donning your mask everywhere you go.”
Gardiner opposes Danskammer upgrade
In a split decision, the Gardiner Town Board has endorsed a resolution previously passed by about 20 other municipalities opposing licensing of the proposed modernization of the Danskammer Generating Station, a natural gas-fired power plant on the banks of the Hudson River in the Town of Newburgh. Laura Walls, David Dukler and Franco Carucci all voted to join those towns opposing the plant.
Town supervisor Marybeth Majestic recused herself from voting on account of an arguable conflict of interest, as her husband is a member of a construction union that stands to benefit from the project. Warren Wiegand abstained, saying that in his view the town had no legal standing to comment on the issue. The Danskammer plant is located 15.7 miles by road from downtown Gardiner.
At their August 11 virtual meeting, board members listened to presentations laying out the pros and cons of the project by Danskammer representative Michelle Hook and Hayley Carlock of Scenic Hudson. Proponents argue that the redesigned facility would generate much cleaner emissions than the existing one, while opponents say that local air quality would actually become significantly worse, because the new facility would be in operation nearly all the time. There is also disagreement on the question of whether or not additional generating capacity will be needed in the Hudson Valley after the Indian Point nuclear plant is shut down in 2021, given recent decisions by New York State to expand the infrastructure for transmission of electricity from upstate to downstate.
— Frances Marion Platt
Rosendale Town Board appoints Wykoff, 11-member Police Reform Committee
At their August 12 meeting convened via Facebook Live – the first since the resignation of councilman John Hughes – the remaining members of the Rosendale Town Board voted to appoint Carrie Wykoff to fill the vacated seat until the end of the year, effective immediately. Wykoff is also the Rosendale Democrats’ nominee for the November election to continue in the Town Board position in 2021, completing what would have been the final year of Hughes’ term.
Several committee liaison assignments were reshuffled to, in supervisor Jeanne Walsh’s words, “help [Wykoff] get acclimated” and spread out the burden of absorbing the roles that had previously been Hughes’ responsibilities. Wykoff will serve as liaison to the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Economic Development Commission, building code enforcement office, town historian and the Rondout Municipal Center, including supervising the NY Rising grant project to install a new generator in that building.
The Town Board also voted to appoint 11 members to the Rosendale Community Police Reform Committee, which is being convened in compliance with governor Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Order 203. Wykoff will be the board’s liaison to the new committee, while councilman Ernest Klepeis will continue to serve as liaison to the Rosendale Police Department. Residents serving on the committee include Terry Johnson, Jessieca McNabb, Mark Cassidy, Josh Baron, Richard Wright, Jennifer Bliss and Ted Dixon. Rosendale Police chief Scott Schaffrick and Ulster County district attorney David Clegg will also hold seats on the committee.
The Town Board’s next virtual meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2 on Facebook Live. It will include a public hearing on the town’s proposed Solar Ordinance. A call-in number will be provided for the use of residents who wish to comment. To view the draft local law, visit www.townofrosendale.com/government/document-center.
— Frances Marion Platt
West Hurley Library election
West Hurley’s public library board proposes no increase in taxes for the 2021 tax year. As a result, a budget proposition will not be on the ballot. According to library trustees, the 2021 budget of $228,404 is a reduction from last year’s budget of $229,804. The budget includes no salary increases. It covers technology increases to accommodate wireless printing, telecommunication advances and additional eBooks for patrons.
Copies of the budget are available in the library or online at http://westhurleylibrary.org/.
Three board positions are available. The candidates running for election to the board are Robert Hoffman, Howard Keene and Ross Lonstein. These are three-year terms.
Voting will be on September 15 from 4 to 8 p.m. in the library. Absentee ballot applications are available. All absentee ballots must be in by 6 p.m. on September 14.
gift of Elise Glenne and the Douglas C. James Charitable Trust
Kleinert/James Center for the Arts reopens
A show called “Zulma Steele: Artist/Craftswoman” will open this Friday, August 21 at the Kleinert/James Center for the Arts. Exhibition dates are August 21 to November 22.Steele was one of Byrdcliffe’s earliest artist residents and a creative voice of the Byrdcliffe brand. The exhibition includes ceramics, furniture and furniture designs, paintings and works on paper, as well as Zulma Steele notebooks that have recently come to light.
Steele (1881-1979) came to Byrdcliffe in 1903 during its first summer of operation and established herself as a leading force in both the furniture and architectural designs of the art colony. She and her longtime collaborator and companion Edna Walker (1880–?) are credited with developing Byrdcliffe’s signature furniture style, which incorporated painted or carved botanical motifs into the doors and panels of the desks and linen presses that were the woodshop’s primary yield.
The show was curated by Henry T. Ford, Derin Tanyol, Bruce Weber and Tom Wolf. Kleinert/James Center for the Arts is at 36 Tinker Street in Woodstock. Gallery hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m
Emergency pet carriers
The New Paltz Recycling Center and the Ulster County Animal Response Team (UCART) are offering free pet carriers and crates at the New Paltz Recycling Center during its hours of operation Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The recycling center is located on 3 Clearwater Road in New Paltz. All Ulster County residents can participate. Preference is given to residents of New Paltz.
For additional information, contact Laura Petit at 255-8456.
Shape your future
Help your community receive the federal funding it needs for the next ten years by taking ten minutes to complete the 2020 Census. “New Paltz is notoriously undercounted, but the power is yours to make a change,” explained Ariana Basco, the assistant to the mayor and village board. “Why is the census important you ask? Because hospitals, schools, roads, transportation and more all receive federal funding based on census data.” Complete your questionnaire today at my2020census.gov.
Pollinator Pavilion opens at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site
The Thomas Cole National Historic Site has opened what it calls the Pollinator Pavilion, a new outdoor architectural sculpture designed by artists Mark Dion and Dana Sherwood. Combining site-specific installations with their fascination with the natural world, the artists seek to create a radical decontextualization in which individuals can see themselves as part of nature and understand their own capacity to foster an environment of ecological balance. They say they seek to connect with Thomas Cole’s environmental advocacy and architectural practice in a moment when colonies of bees are collapsing and habitats are under threat/
The Pollinator Pavilion is a 21-foot-high, painted wood, architectural confection designed as much for hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators, as for people.
Information is available at www.thomascole.org/pollinatorpavilion. The Thomas Cole National Historic Site is located at 218 Spring Street in Catskill.
Land bank issues RFQ
The Kingston City Land Bank was formed with the purpose of acquiring title to tax-foreclosed and other distressed properties in the City of Kingston, removing barriers to redevelopment and returning properties to the tax rolls. Its mission is to foster an equitable community where vacant or distressed properties are transformed into community assets that improve the quality of life for Kingston residents, stabilize and enhance neighborhoods and create new pathways for social and economic development.
In order to offer vendor and contracting opportunities to as many qualified businesses as possible, the Kingston City Land Bank (KCLB) announced an open Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Interested vendors and contractors may submit using the forms found on the KCLB’s website at www.kingstoncitylandbank.org/rfq
“As we look toward meeting our mission of transforming these vacant and distressed properties, we recognize the importance of building robust long-term relationships with our talented local contracting community,” said Daniel Kanter, board chair of the KCLB. “Aside from being an exciting professional opportunity, these qualified individuals will really be the ones to make this dream a reality, not only for our organization but also the families who will soon be making memories in these rehabilitated homes. We can’t wait to get these projects underway.”
Back-to-school sale
The New Paltz ReUse Center is holding a half-off sale on office and back-to-school supplies including stickers and labels, binders and folders and printer cartridges and envelopes through September 30. Start off a new business or the new school year with new folders and binders at a fraction of the cost. Support a green economy with surplus rescued material.
The New Paltz ReUse Center at 3 Clearwater Road is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For additional information, call (845) 255-8456 or email recycling@townofnewpaltz.org.
Ben Nesin Building at Ashokan Reservoir earns LEED Gold Award
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced that the Ben Nesin building at Ashokan Reservoir has earned an award for incorporating sustainable design and construction practices in a $10-million renovation.
“We are proud that DEP’s renovation of the Ben Nesin Building was recognized for meeting the highest standards of sustainability,” DEP commissioner Vincent Sapienza said. “As we rehab our facilities and build new ones, DEP always aims to minimize our use of energy and water, cut our carbon footprint, and remain true to our core mission of protecting the environment.”
The Ben Nesin Building, located on Route 28A in the Town of Olive, houses about 35 employees who are responsible for the operation and maintenance of Ashokan Reservoir, Schoharie Reservoir and the lands that surround them. The four-story building was constructed in 1961 to serve as a water quality laboratory. It stopped being used as a laboratory when DEP finished its new Kingston laboratory in 2008, but it continued to house engineers, watershed maintenance staff and other DEP employees.
The renovation project began in late 2016 and was completed in 2019.
Woodstock Covid cases
Woodstock supervisor Bill McKenna said a small spike in active cases of Covid-19 caused a bit of a panic, but the number is down. There were five positives by the end of July and another one on August 1.
“There are a couple of really positive things about the six cases,” McKenna said. “They were all independent. So it wasn’t like one person got sick and made the other five people sick.”
As of August 17, there were only three active cases in Woodstock.
“I think we’re doing real well. There are a couple little pockets of people that just aren’t getting it, but as long as they just stay with each other…” councilman Lorin Rose said. “But I would say 95 to 99 percent of the town is doing real well.”
— Nick Henderson
HH Street presents an online exhibit about Jacob Wynkoop, black builder
Historic Huguenot Street’s (HHS) online exhibit, “Never Was a Slave: Jacob Wynkoop, Free and Black in 19th-Century New Paltz,” may be viewed at https://www.huguenotstreet.org/exhibits.
Wynkoop was born in New Paltz in 1829, the child of two former slaves, Thomas and Jane Deyo Wynkoop. He had an exceptional and varied life for any man of his time, black or white. Among the first African Americans to buy land in the community, he served in the Union Army during the Civil War, organized politically on behalf of black citizens in town, and built a series of homes that today still define a neighborhood in the Village of New Paltz.
Wynkoop and his family’s story are illuminated by historical documents and photographic materials from the HHS archives, the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection at the Elting Memorial Library, Town of New Paltz records and the records of the Reformed Church of New Paltz. The exhibit is curated by Josephine Bloodgood, HHS director of curatorial and preservation affairs.
Anyone interested in supporting Historic Huguenot Street’s new approach to online programming and digital content can become a member or make a donation on the museum’s website, http://www.huguenotstreet.org/donate.
Town of Woodstock renews IT contract
Woodstock’s town board authorized town supervisor Bill McKenna to sign a five-year contract with Professional Computer Associates of Red Hook for information technology support. The town hired PCA last year after a state audit found deficiencies in how computer security was handled. Town employees have praised the firm’s expertise and responsiveness.
“When we had to send people home, it was incredible how quickly they were able to set them up,” said McKenna, referring to the ability to access town systems from home.
Councilwoman Laura Ricci expressed concern that PCA did not specify in the contract what software or protocols were being used to protect the town from being hacked. McKenna said he’s being provided that information from PCA.
— Nick Henderson
Disappointing Census participation
“We’re not doing great with the Census, folks,” Woodstock town supervisor Bill McKenna said during last week’s town board meeting, reminding people to go to census.gov or complete the form if received in the mail. Federal funding to municipalities is determined by population.
“The better the count, the more federal funds we’ll see coming back. Remind everybody. Keep talking about it,” McKenna urged. He said the town may set up a phone bank to call residents and remind them to complete the census.
— Nick Henderson
Olana receives grant for Hudson River Skywalk trailhead design
A $14,400 matching grant from the state Environmental Protection Fund will pay for the design of the trailhead for pedestrians entering Olana State Historic Site from the Hudson River Skywalk from State Route 23.. The trailhead design will create a more visible, accessible and attractive entrance and integrate the Hudson River Skywalk with Olana’s historic carriage-road network. The Olana Partnership will manage this design project.
“In its first year, the Hudson River Skywalk has become a popular pedestrian gateway,” said Amy Hausmann, director of the Olana site.
Neil Gaiman book selected
The One Book/One New Paltz Committee has chosen Neil Gaiman’s magical realism novel, The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Morrow, 2013), as its featured book for the fall of 2020. Programming will take place from Sunday, November 8 through Saturday, November 14. A full calendar of events will be released in the fall. All One Book events will be held remotely.
The One Book Committee currently plans to include presentations, panels and book discussions with a focus on the literary, psychological, scientific and historical aspects of the book, as well as the roles of fantasy and memory. The novel’s story follows a middle-aged man who returns to his hometown to attend a funeral and remembers a fantastical series of events from his childhood 40 years ago. In Gaiman’s fairy tale, his protagonist’s adult and child perspectives are interwoven seamlessly, giving us a sense of how he experienced his past at that time, as well as how it affected him for the rest of his life.
Gaiman is an internationally bestselling adult and children’s writer who was a professor at Bard College from 2014 to 2019 and currently lives abroad. The Ocean at the End of the Lane can be found (discounted) at Barner Books and Inquiring Minds. Additional information can be found on the One Book website: https://www.newpaltz.edu/benjamincenter/events/one-book-one-new-paltz/
2020 Ulster County Executive’s Arts Awards Announced
Arts Mid-Hudson has announced the recipients of the 8th annual Ulster County Executive’s Arts Awards, who will receive their awards on Thursday, August 27. The event starts at 7 p.m. from the comfort of your own home with special guest MC, Ida Hakkila.
Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan states, “the arts awards gives us an opportunity to recognize the importance of art and the many contributions made by artists to our community. I want to congratulate this year’s honorees and thank them for the work that they have done to enrich our area.”
The awards are divided into eight categories. The recipients are chosen based on their important contribution to the growth of Ulster County’s cultural life over a significant period of time, the extraordinary support they show of the arts and/or their vision and leadership in using the arts to enhance community life.
Ulster County Arts Awards recipients are: Arts Organization: Rosendale Theatre Collective, Arts in Education: Beth Humphrey, Individual Artist: Marker Snyder, Art in Public Places: Matthew Pleva, Artivist: Frank Waters, Special Citation: Vindora Wixom, Patrons: The Collier Family, Volunteer: Susie Linn.
Please RSVP by calling (845) 454-3222 or through the website: www.artsmidhudson.org
For more information about the award recipients, visit www.artsmidhudson.org.
Slow down on Glasco Turnpike
Woodstock’s town board is urging the county to reduce the speed limit on part of Glasco Turnpike in response to complaints about safety. Families have been walking along the road, particularly between Upper Byrdcliffe and Rock City Road. The Town of Woodstock recommends that Ulster County Department of Public Works reduce the speed limit on Glasco Turnpike from the current 40 m.p.h. speed limit to 35 m.p.h. or lower should they deem it reasonable,” reads a resolution passed by the town board on August 11.
The speed reduction request requires a study of traffic in the area requested. If the county agrees, it will ask the state Department of Transportation to conduct the study. Glasco Turnpike is a county road.
The study would take a while. “I don’t expect them to get to it until next year. They’re that backlogged,” supervisor Bill McKenna said. “But this puts it in motion. And if things ease up and they have time, it’s possible they can get to it sooner.”
— Nick Henderson
Join the family! 
