Historic Huguenot Street’s online events for Women’s History Month
For Women’s History Month in 2021, Historic Huguenot Street (HHS) will focus much of its virtual events and programming on women’s history and the struggle for equality in the community. Dr. Susan Ingalls Lewis will share her research on the characters who were actually responsible for winning the vote for women, and why was New York the first state east of the Mississippi to allow women full suffrage in all elections. In “Beyond Susan B. Anthony and Beyond the Suffrage Centennial,” on March 25 at 7 p.m. via Zoom, Dr. Lewis will move beyond the well-known Seneca Falls Declaration of 1848 to introduce a new set of strategies and cast of characters: Miriam Leslie, Carrie Chapman Catt, Mary Garret Hay, Rose Schneiderman, Mary Talbert, “General” Rosalie Jones, Martha Gruening and a flock of leaflet-dropping aviatrixes, among others. She will also discuss why the New York victory was so pivotal to the suffrage movement, and how the national victory was finally won in 1920.
To close Women’s History Month, HHS will host a special performance/scholarly dialogue via Zoom, on April 1 at 7 p.m., between Frederick Douglass and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, portrayed and interpreted by Charles Everett Pace and Sally Roesch Wagner. “Full Equality, Torn Apart” will portray the events after the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment that gave black men the vote, but allowed the state laws barring women from voting to stand. These measures launched the era known as Radical Reconstruction: the first experiment in interracial democracy (for men) in our history. But feminists like Stanton saw abolitionist support for these male-only laws and amendments as a betrayal of the movement’s longstanding commitment to full equality. A bitter controversy ensued, which resulted in Stanton and her supporters cutting their ties with their allies and forming an independent national organization to promote women’s suffrage. This episode has come down to us as the feminist/abolitionist split, but the story is more complicated. What actually happened was a split within the movement for universal suffrage caused by Congress when that body forced people to take sides.
To learn more about the events, and all upcoming programming, visit the HHS calendar of events at www.huguenotstreet.org/calendar-of-events.
Kingston hospital expansion makes progress
On Thursday, March 4, construction workers placed the final steel beam atop the $92.9 million, 127,000-square-foot expansion of WMCHealth’s HealthAlliance Hospital: Mary’s Avenue Campus in a “topping-off” ceremony.
The beam was adorned with the signatures of HealthAlliance workforce members, volunteers, donors and other community members.
Construction is expected to be completed in spring 2022.
The expansion includes:
• A new, two-story, 79,000-square-foot building adjoining the current facility, as well as the renovation of 48,000 square feet of space within the existing hospital.
• A newly-constructed 5,000-square-foot emergency care center.
• A newly-constructed intensive care unit.
• A new cardiovascular lab capable of interventional procedures.
• A newly-constructed family maternity center with ultramodern labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum rooms.
• A new imaging department.
• New laboratory and pharmacy.
HealthAlliance currently has two hospital campuses in Kingston, on Mary’s Avenue and Broadway. Redeveloping the Mary’s Avenue campus is the first component a two-phase project; the second involves consolidating all hospital services to the Mary’s Avenue Campus and converting the Broadway Campus into a “walkable health village,” which will consist of, “preventative and primary healthcare services, as well as healthy lifestyle counseling.”
The combined construction on the two HealthAlliance campuses is expected to cost $134.9 million, with $88.8 million coming from the New York State Capital Restructuring Financing Program. The balance will come from WMCHealth, HealthAlliance and a capital fundraising campaign.
Hudson Valley Farm Hub’s Farmscape Ecology to be shown March 29
The Hudson Valley’s rich heritage of agriculture and biodiversity is threatened by climate change, development and the loss of farms. On March 29, the short film Farmscape Ecology, highlighting the Hudson Valley Farm Hub’s Applied Farmscape Ecology Program, will screen at the ninth annual Film & Discussion Series hosted jointly by the Woodstock Land Conservancy, Woodstock NY Transition and the Woodstock Jewish Congregation. The screening will take place virtually on Zoom from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Join in to learn about biodiversity and agricultural sustainability and how researchers and farmers are working to manage farms effectively for both biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services to crops. Learn about the ecology of the farmscape and the ways you can contribute to this work in your community or in your own backyard. The film will be accompanied by a brief introduction by the Farm Hub’s director, Brooke Pickering-Cole, and followed by a question-and-answer session and discussion with Farm Hub’s Applied Farmscape Ecology Program manager, Anne Bloomfield; Field Crops Production manager Jay Goldmark; and Conrad Vispo of Hawthorne Valley’s Farmscape Ecology Program. The Applied Farmscape Ecology Research Collaborative is jointly coordinated by the Farm Hub and Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology staff, and includes a circle of research collaborators examining the relationship between farming and nature.Farmscape Ecology was produced by Oceans 8 Films as part of environmental filmmaker Jon Bowermaster’s “Hope on the Hudson” series.
Register for this event at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5nwczsMdRqa8tEppTltPZg.
Ulster sheriff hires first woman jail superintendent
Evelyn P. Mallard was sworn in last week as the new Ulster County Jails superintendent, the first woman to hold that position.
According to a release from the Sheriff’s Office, colonel Evelyn Mallard has over 33 years of combined law enforcement experience: 30 years with the New York State Police and three years with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. She joined the New York State Police in 1986. During her 30 years of service, she attained the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant, captain and major, retiring in 2016 as the director of training of the State Police Academy. During her tenure, she was a field training officer, an academy instructor and an EEO counselor. Mallard is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the DCJS Law Enforcement Executive Institute, and holds a BA in Accounting from St. Thomas Aquinas College and a Master’s in Public Administration from Marist College. She is also an adjunct professor, teaching Criminal Justice at SUNY Rockland.
The former superintendent, colonel Jerome John, the first African American superintendent of Jails in Ulster County, retired on Friday, February 26 after nearly two years of service to the county and over 35 years of service in law enforcement.
New Paltz man arrested on heroin charge after out-of-gas car attracts police attention
A 25-year-old New Paltz man and a 19-year-old New Jersey woman were arrested for possession of heroin after running out of gas last week on State Route 6 in Woodbury.
Driver Tristan Scragg, 25, of New Paltz, told the state police sergeant who noticed his disabled 2003 Mercedes Benz C-230 on the shoulder that he ran out of gas. While speaking with both the operator and passenger of the vehicle, Alba Figueiras, 19, from Kenilworth, New Jersey, another trooper arrived to assist. Investigation revealed that the vehicle Scragg was driving had an expired registration. Police later determined that both Scragg and Figueiras were in possession of heroin and hypodermic needles. Police said that Scragg attempted to destroy items in his shoes that were later determined to be heroin.
Scragg and Figueiras were both charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor. Scragg was additionally charged with felony tampering with physical evidence.
Both were issued appearance tickets returnable to the Town of Woodbury Court on March 24.
Saugerties Democratic Committee has two vacancies in Election District 1
The Saugerties Democratic Committee has two vacancies in Election District 1, which primarily embraces Malden. While it is desirable that applicants reside in the district, it is not a requirement. If you are interested in joining the committee, you must be an enrolled Democrat who resides in the Town of Saugerties. If you wish to apply, please contact chair Lanny Walter at lanny@lanywalter.com and you will be sent information about the process to apply for membership. If you are interested in knowing more about the committee’s activities without joining, send Lanny your e-mail and you will be placed in the e-mail blast.
Magnolia Tree Social Club scholarship 2021
This year, the Magnolia Tree Social Club (MTSC) will award one high school senior an award of $1,000 for demonstrated action for social justice. Any Saugerties High School senior who can demonstrate commitment to common humanity and dignity and has worked for the betterment of disenfranchised, less privileged or oppressed groups is invited to apply.
Applications can include documents, photos, audio and/or video. All applicants must complete the first section of the online form (https://forms.gle/hCdQs8wfZChvkrPC6). If you do not have a Google account, which will allow you to upload all items to the form, you can then e-mail the remainder of your submission to magnoliatreesocialclub@gmail.com.
For additional information, e-mail magnoliatreesocialclub@gmail.com.
The deadline for submission is April 15, 2021.
UCIAF holds its Community Care Food Drive
The Ulster County Italian American Foundation (UCIAF) recently held its second food drive of the year, collecting seven shopping carts of food and raising $900 to give to People’s Place in Kingston. The food drive took place on February 20 at Shop Rite in Kingston.
Donations from UCIAF’s Community Care Food Drive were presented to Christine Hein at People’s Place on February 26.
Maya Gold Foundation offers tMHFA training for youth in Woodstock
The Maya Gold Foundation will offer teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) training for teens in grades 10, 11 and 12 in a series of sessions throughout the Hudson Valley. The next training program will be held in Woodstock in April of 2021.
tMHFA is an evidence-based training program for students in grades 10 to 12 that teaches the skills to recognize and aid their peers experiencing mental health and substance abuse challenges and crises, including how to get the help of an adult quickly. The tMHFA program is designed to help teens help each other navigate the difficult waters of adolescence.
The feedback from the two previous cohorts was very positive. One teen said, “This program has helped me so much in such a short amount of time, teaching me new ways to cope and new habits and techniques. My friend and I were talking about mental health and addiction, and I told her some things I learned at the studies, like how to properly help a person who is overdosing. I will definitely be registering for the next training!”
Another teen added that the highlight of the program for them was “the intriguing discussions and realization and clarity I gained from the program, for myself and others. Trauma, mental health challenges and crises and getting help are misunderstood, but I found that it made so much more sense and I realized a lot of new things about my mental health and that of my friends after the program.” The Maya Gold Foundation believes this training is an invaluable resource for teens, especially during these difficult times.
The training is offered at no cost. Teens may register online and must attend all three sessions to be certified. Registration is limited to 18 teens, due to Covid-19 protocols in place during the training.
Details for the upcoming program: The training will be held on April 15, 22 and 29. Each session will run from 6 to 8 p.m. and will take place at the Town of Woodstock Community Center, located at 55 Rock City Road in Woodstock.
Teens may register online at www.mayagoldfoundation.org/apply. For more information, go to www.mayagoldfoundation.org.
Virtual Young Adult Book Club at Gardiner Library
The Gardiner Library Virtual Young Adult Book Club will meet via Zoom on Monday, March 15 at 7 p.m. The club for ages 13 and older meets the third Monday of each month. March’s Book Club pick is All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot. Registration is required before each session by contacting Carolyn Thorenz at cthorenz@rcls.org to receive the Zoom link.
For more information, visit the Gardiner Library website or Facebook page.
New state-run vaccination site to open at Ulster County Fairgrounds
Repeated calls from local officials and residents for a large state-run vaccination site to be located in the Hudson Valley have been answered. First came the announcement of a temporary site at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, which will operate from March 5-10, and on Monday the governor announced two more long-term locations: the gymnasium at SUNY Orange in Middletown and the Ulster County Fairgrounds, 249 Libertyville Road in New Paltz.
According to the state, the locations are expected to launch in the coming weeks, and details including appointment scheduling information and hours of operation will be released in the coming days. Once appointments are opened, eligible New Yorkers will be able to schedule appointments using the state’s ‘Am I Eligible‘ website or by calling the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline at 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829).
The Ulster County Executive’s office didn’t have any further details, but it did offer a statement from Pat Ryan.
“This is a big win for our residents,” said Ryan. “After strongly advocating for a dedicated site here in Ulster County, I’m glad that New York State has answered my request and will be standing up a state-run site at our County Fairgrounds. This site, in addition to our county-led sites, will greatly bolster access to this life-saving vaccine for our residents and will allow us to continue to ramp up our vaccination efforts. I want to thank New York State for their willingness to partner with us to ensure that we can vaccinate our residents in a safe, rapid and equitable way.”
In the meantime, Ulster County will continue to operate its existing POD sites throughout the county based on available supply.
The announcement is more good news on the vaccine allotment front. Last week, both the county and local pharmacies received several times more doses than they had in any previous week.
Apple TV+ filming prompts road closures, parking restrictions in Kingston
An Apple TV+ series will be filming in the city of Kingston March 11 and 12, causing temporary road closures on Abeel and Wurts Streets, and parking restrictions in several areas. From Thursday, March 11 at 8 a.m. through Saturday, March 13 at 2 a.m., there will be no street parking at the following locations:
The Cornell Park side of Spring Street from Post Street to Wurts Street.
Both sides of Wurts Street from Spring Street to Abeel Street.
The even side of Hunter Street from Hone Street to Wurts Street.
The odd side of West Union Street from Wurts Street to Hone Street.
The even side of West Union Street from Post Street to Wurts Street.
The odd side of Abeel Street from Wurts Street to Hone Street.
Both sides of Rondout Landing from meters #41 to #47 and meters #64 to #71.
The first small municipal lot adjacent to Hudson Valley Landing will also be reserved for film vehicles. The larger lots under the overpass and adjacent to Broadway will be available for parking. Residents on the side streets are encouraged to utilize off-street parking when possible.
“We are proud that our city is so appealing to film and television shoots, and know that these productions bring revenue to our shops and restaurants at a time when it’s essential for businesses to stay afloat,” said mayor Steve Noble. “We also know their presence next week may cause some minor inconveniences, so we ask for your patience and compliance with parking restrictions during the two filming days.”
Officers from the Kingston Police Department will be on-site, and there should not be any disruptions to city services such as trash and recycling collection.
Residents in the film shoot area who have concerns should reach out to assistant location manager James Kenny at (908) 432-5802 or assistant location manager Grace Kwon at (201) 334-2180.
In an executive order relating to the parking restrictions, the mayor refers to the film as “Tumwater,” which is the working title for an in-production series called Severance, directed by Ben Stiller with a cast that includes Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, John Turturro and Christopher Walken.
New Unison Gallery exhibit: Covid Muse by Stuart Bigley
Stuart Bigley’s show, “Covid Muse: Art During a Lockdown,” is currently on view at the Unison Arts Gallery in New Paltz. The work includes paintings, drawings, photographs and photomontages – over 50 pieces in all. “We had planned to have some kind of soft opening, but the logistic of bringing together any sort of COVID-safe gathering was too complex at this time,” said Bigley. “We may be able to have a closing at the end of March if all things are looking better.”
The exhibit is available online in video format to view 24/7 at www.unisonarts.org/gallery. If you’d like to make an appointment to see the show in person, e-mail stuart@stuartbigley.com.
Unison is located at 68 Mountain Rest Road in New Paltz.
Rosendale Theatre celebrates a story of invention
Celebrate, explore and investigate the role of invention and real-life problem-solving in an upcoming program at the Rosendale Theatre, the second installment in the Science on Screen Series, building from two films available online: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Netflix) and William and the Windmill (Kanopy). The Theatre has created original content to engage viewers in issues inspired by the story of William Kwambamba, a young boy from Malawi who used a library book to build a windmill and save his village from starvation.
From March 15 to March 31, this free series of mini-programs will be available online for viewers to watch at their leisure. Then, on March 24, in celebration of National Science on Screen Week, all of the experts featured in the Rosendale Theatre videos will be available for a live question-and-answer session.
The original content, available on the Rosendale Theatre website (www.rosendaletheatre.org), includes:
• “A Visit to a Green Energy Lab” with Doni Wulandana, assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering at SUNY New Paltz, who is experimenting with turbine engines. See the lab and meet a student or two.
• Students from Purdue Polytechnic, a STEM-focused high school in South Bend, Indiana, share their solutions to personal or community problems. Working under the direction of award-winning teacher Andrew Goodin, organizers hope these projects from a highly diverse group of young people encourage others to invent and dream big.
• “Understanding Book Donation Programs” tells the story of the book that William used to build his windmill. Dr. Wendy Saul, formerly president of the International Book Bank, the organization that sent the book on energy to William’s library, explains the process of getting books to under-resourced nations.
• “An African Perspective on William’s Story” features Shereen Osoff, a native of Zimbabwe and now executive director of Jass (Justice Associates), and her colleague Joanne Sandler, formerly of the UN. Both speakers share their observations and insights on the film.
• Filmmaker Cameron Zohoori talks about differences between scripted and documentary presentations of story. Projects in varying media have taken Zohoori from rural Kentucky to the streets of Monrovia. Zohoori, a Lewis Hine Documentary Fellow, is committed to work that embodies a social justice perspective.
“Typically, were the Theatre open, we would show a film and follow it with an informative discussion by experts,” said Wendy Saul, producer of this program and a member of the Rosendale Theatre Board. “In response to the pandemic, however, we are trying something new: offering more discussion material than usual – material that viewers can access asynchronously and that can be archived.”
For additional information, visit www.rosendaletheatre.org.
Saugerties senior launches sock drive for homeless
Saugerties High School senior Jayden Williams has launched a sock drive for the homeless, and he is inviting the community to participate. He credits his family with inspiring his initiative. “Throughout my life, my family has instilled a sense of civic duty and giving back to those less fortunate,” Williams said.
When the pandemic first hit, Williams felt overwhelmed, largely because of difficulties associated with remote learning and social distancing requirements. But since then, he has adapted, in part by recognizing that he is relatively fortunate and well-positioned to help others.
“I have a supportive family and a roof over my head,” Williams noted. He is also appreciative of the fact that he is able to attend school, and had in previous years been able to play football and lacrosse.
Williams also points to his involvement in the Key Club, an organization that teaches members how to lead and to help one’s community through service and volunteerism. The pandemic, he realized, offered opportunities for him to help those in need. “Before graduating from school, I wanted to do one more act of kindness – not to fulfill a requirement for a class or a club, but rather because I was inspired to do it on my own,” he said.
While researching different organizations, Williams learned that the pandemic has struck some families harder than others, in some cases causing loss of work, loss of homes and increased tension among family members. He found that many families have had to turn to shelters for assistance. He ultimately decided that he wanted to hold a collection for the Darmstadt Shelter in Kingston.
His research also showed that, while personal hygiene products and coats are among the most popular items donated to homeless shelters, there was a real need for something as simple as socks. “Did you know that socks are one of the most sought-after items by people who are homeless?” Williams asked.
Students and the community can help Williams in his endeavor by dropping off packages of new socks at the junior/senior high school lobby or in the box near the junior high office. The deadline is March 31.
“My hope for students at Saugerties is that we all recognize our individual passions and take action on them,” Williams concluded.
Background actors needed for HBO limited series
Grant Wilfley Casting is seeking locals who are interested in working as extras in the upcoming HBO five-part series The White House Plumbers, from the producers of Veep and Succession.
Set in the early 1970s, the series will tell the true story of how Nixon’s own political saboteurs and Watergate masterminds, E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy, accidentally toppled the presidency they were trying to protect.
Filming will begin in May 2021 in the Hudson Valley area of Kingston, Poughkeepsie and Newburgh.
Grant Wilfley Casting has put out a casting call for local residents interested in working as extras in The White House Plumbers. The company is also seeking Hudson Valley locals with 1960s/early 1970s period cars who are interested in working as extras with their car. Applicants must be okay working around smoke and have natural-colored hair.
Please e-mail a current photo of yourself and your vehicle. Make sure you include your name and contact information as well as the year, color, make and model of your vehicle in the body of the e-mail. E-mails should be sent to locations@gwcnyc.com. Write Hudson Valley Period Car in the subject line.
For additional information, visit www.gwcionlocation.com/hudson-valley.
New Paltz Police Reform Committee to hold final public comment session for draft report
The New Paltz Police Reform and Reinvention Committee (NPPRRC) will hold its final public comment Zoom meeting on March 15 from 7 to 9 p.m. The session will provide members of the community an opportunity to comment on NPPRRC’s draft report before the committee delivers it to the Town Board for its consideration and approval. The town hall is open to the general public, and the link for the meeting will be made available closer to the date via the NPPRRC’s website.
This is the final public meeting for the committee. After the session, it will consider comments presented and make its final edits and revisions. The committee will then present the final document to the Town Board, who will discuss and adopt the proposal so that it can be sent on to the State Budget Office by April 1.
The Town Board established the NPPRRC and tasked it with examining and identifying policies and procedures that contribute to bias and racism within the Department. Over seven months, the committee conducted listening sessions that included elected officials, the Police Department and its officers and interested community members and organizations.
Cooking with Kids to be aired on Lighthouse TV23
Lighthouse TV23, which serves Saugerties residents, will feature another new three-month series beginning in April. Cooking with Kids, reconnecting families and communities, will be shown on Sundays at 1 and 7 p.m.
Death announcement
On Monday, March 8, Leon Gast, Oscar-winning director of When We Were Kings, died peacefully, surrounded by family, at home in Woodstock — the town he loved best. He was 85.
Next week, Hudson Valley One will celebrate his life and legend in full.
Join the family! 
