New Paltz art student winners advance to national competition
Seven New Paltz Central School District students have been awarded medals in the regional level for the Scholastic Art Awards. On Friday, February 5, the winning pieces of art were showcased in a virtual exhibit and ceremony. The following New Paltz students won medals for their art: Briana Carlini (Grade 12, one gold, two silver); Phoenix Grosell (Grade 12, one gold); Dylan Keessen (Grade 11, seven gold, three silver, American Visions nominee); Madison Harp (Grade 12, one silver); Emma Bakker (Grade 12, two gold, one silver); Eliza Behrke (Grade 12, four silver); Dalya Sheshany (Grade 10, one silver).
The gold medal winners – Carlini, Grosell, Keessen and Bakker – will be moving on to the national competition.
Grade 11 student artist Dylan Keessen, a multiple medal-winner this year, was also nominated for an American Visions Award for Star, a portrait of a close friend. Last year, he won one gold and one silver regionally, and one silver at the national level. He said that his love for art and the “community of creators” who enter into this competition motivate him to participate.
Keessen mainly focuses on portraits, character design and figure art. “I love to capture the faces of people in different ways and make artwork in a variety of mediums to further explore the process of creating interesting reflections of life,” he said. He prefers working in oil, acrylic and pencil, but has also worked with charcoal, watercolor, colored pencil and digitally.
Keessen plans to study art in college, and hopes to land a job as a concept artist. “I’m not entirely sure of the specific type of concept art I’d like to make,” he admitted. “All I know is that I genuinely love conceptualizing and using my portrait skills to make interesting and meaningful art.”
The artwork that Keessen submitted this year consisted mainly of portrait work done in pencil, acrylic or digitally.
Keessen’s favorite work is a portrait of his father, who passed away a few years ago. “Making this piece was how I coped with his death,” he said. Basing the portrait on a photograph he had taken of his father in Ireland, Keessen employed the artistic skills his Dad had always encouraged him to develop. “I’m so honored to have his portrait win a gold medal, and I think he’d be proud of what I accomplished this year,” Keessen said.
New Paltz High School art teacher Laurene Pountain said New Paltz has a wealth of artistic talent. “We have so many strong artists here in New Paltz, and their work should be seen,” she said. “We are super-proud of our winners and excited for the ones that are moving on to the National Competition.”
More information about the Scholastic Art Awards can be found by visiting artandwriting.org.
Town of New Paltz seeks volunteers
The Town of New Paltz is looking for volunteers to serve on the Board of Assessment Review, Bike/Ped Committee, Clean Water/Open Space Preservation Commission, Ethics Board, Historic Preservation Commission, Planning Board (one alternate) and the Public Access Committee. Interested parties are asked to submit a letter of interest and résumé to the Town Supervisor’s Office at PO Box 550, New Paltz, NY 12561 or e-mail assistant@townofnewpaltz.org.
Saugerties Conservative Party to hold its caucus on April 5
The Saugerties Conservative Party will be holding its caucus for the purpose of selecting candidates for the Town of Saugerties elected offices for the general election on November 2, 2021.
This caucus will be held on Monday, April 5 at 7 p.m. at the Senior Citizen Complex,located on Market Street in Saugerties. Masks and social distancing are required.
Maya Gold Foundation seeks Hudson Valley teens to join Youth Action Team
The Maya Gold Foundation is seeking up to ten teens to join its Youth Action Team.
The mission of the Maya Gold Foundation is to empower youth to access their inner wisdom and realize their dreams. The purpose of the Maya Gold Foundation is to help teens thrive, and therefore it needs the ongoing input of the Youth Action Team to accomplish this goal in a way that speaks directly to all teens.
• The Youth Action Team is a group of teens that offers guidance and insight to the full board.
• The Youth Action Team meets with a board liaison throughout the year to assist in planning and implementing events and programs, offering feedback to the foundation and generating ideas for new initiatives.
• The Youth Action Team offers youth the opportunity to lead and to participate and grow through service to their own community.
Membership is open to young people aged 13 to 18 from New Paltz and the surrounding areas, but 60 percent of the Teen Advisory Board seats are reserved for New Paltz residents. Applications are accepted through May 1, 2021. For more information and to apply, go to www.mayagoldfoundation.org/apply.
Rondout Savings Bank buys Uptown Spectrum building
Rondout Savings Bank has purchased the Spectrum building at 142 Schwenk Drive in Kingston for the purpose of expanding as an Uptown campus that will include the adjoining bank branch at 130 Schwenk Drive, according to bank officials.
The bank closed on the property, a privately owned building belonging to the Whitman family for 40 years, on March 3.
“We’re growing in different departments as a bank, and we feel the growth in Kingston,” said Cheryl Bowers, Rondout’s president and chief executive officer. “When we saw the opportunity for a complete campus in Uptown, we seized it and quickly went ahead with the transaction.”
Bowers said that, while the new space could be used as a future operations or lending center, the bank intends to brainstorm with a local architect to map out the best use of the space. Some renovations are planned, particularly updating the Spectrum building façade, and bank leaders also expect to renovate the adjoining branch, so that the two buildings complement each other. Bowers expects the work to be complete within a year.
“It’s imminent, but we’re going to do it right and make the best use of that space. The Schwenk Drive branch is probably our busiest location,” she said. “We’re blessed with so many businesses that bank with us in Uptown.”
Tom Collins of SVN Deegan-Collins Commercial Realty said that Spectrum vacated the property on February 1, but gave notice in November that it was moving to the Town of Ulster. The property went on the market in late December.
Collins said that the 4,200-square-foot facility had been renovated a few times since Time Warner Cable, which later became Spectrum, began leasing the building 11 years ago. He said that the interior is largely office space with a central lobby that is “almost set up like a bank.”
“It was probably built in the late ‘60s and had many uses over the years,” Collins said. “Frankly, I’m not sure what it was originally built for, but at one time, it was an insurance company and later, a restaurant.”
Bowers said that the acquisition of the building is a demonstration of Rondout’s long-term commitment to the local market. “We have planted our flag here forever. I could not be prouder at how the area is growing, and we are growing with it. Kingston is vibrant, so this will strategically prepare us as we continue to grow along with our community,” she said.
Phoenicia students learn maple sugaring secrets
Phoenicia Elementary students recently participated in the ancient pre-spring ritual of maple sugaring, thanks to the efforts of physical education teacher Patrick Burkhardt. Burkhardt, who has been making his own maple syrup for years, showed the youngsters how to make the sweet treat using trees growing near the school.
On March 8, Burkhardt set up an evaporator in back of the school to show the students how to boil sap, a process that removes water from the sap in the form of steam. As the clear-colored sap was boiled down, its natural sugars became more concentrated, and the sugars underwent caramelization. Eventually, the sap was transformed into a delicious brown syrup, which the students happily sampled, comparing the taste to that of sap that had not yet been boiled.
The students’ maple sugaring lessons started in early February, when snow still blanketed the school grounds. Burkhardt and the students donned snowshoes, enjoying some exercise while searching for suitable trees to tap. Three weeks later, when there was enough sap collected to boil, he came back to demonstrate the process of turning it into syrup.
Students looked for the largest root on the selected maple trees to tap, using a tool called a refractometer to test the sugar content of the tree, and a spile, or tap, to extract the sap located inside. Almost immediately after Burkhardt drilled a small hole into the tree and set the tap, the liquid began to drip.
Burkhardt’s lessons over the course of the hands-on learning unit covered a range of topics, including the history of maple sugaring in our area, the tools used, the identification of maple trees and how a tree’s circulatory system works. Also included were facts involving nutrition. Burkhardt emphasized that pure maple syrup includes natural sugars, as well as plenty of healthy vitamins and minerals. Commercial syrups, in contrast, typically contain ingredients like corn syrup, preservatives, caramel coloring and even cellulose (wood pulp, which is used as a thickener).
As he has in past years, Burkhardt also visited Woodstock Elementary School this year, sharing his knowledge and expertise about the art and practice of maple sugaring.
“Many locals have been making syrup for generations in our communities, taking advantage of the area’s abundance of sugar maples,” Burkhardt said. “I like to think I am helping pass on this local tradition to the children, so that when they see the blue sap lines in the woods, they know what they are.”
Maple sugaring, suggested Burkhardt, is an ideal pandemic activity. “It’s a great time of year to get students outdoors exploring the woods and being physically active, especially since we have been stuck indoors so much during the pandemic,” he said. “They really enjoyed the rigorous physical activity of snowshoeing out to the trees and checking the sap during physical education class. This year, not even COVID could stop the sap from running or the kids from enjoying this tradition!”
Freihofer’s Run for Women moved to September 25
Officials at the Freihofer’s Run for Women (FRW) have announced that the event’s 43rd edition, which was originally set for Saturday, June 5, has been moved to Saturday, September 25 in downtown Albany.
The event will feature an in-person 5K, Junior 3K and Kids’ Run featuring CDC- and New York state-mandated safety measures. Virtual options will also be offered for both the 5K and Junior 3K. Registration for the event will open late spring at freihofersrun.com.
“Over the past four months, we’ve been busy planning for our 2021 event. Our 12-person task force, which includes members of the local medical community, examined how to ensure the safety and security of our participants, volunteers, spectators and community-at-large,” said FRW event director Kristen Hislop. “After much deliberation and an analysis of the current situation, we mutually determined that this spring is too early to safely hold an in-person community event.
“Following discussions with our title sponsor, the City of Albany and supporting agencies, we have decided to reschedule the event to the fall, which will give us additional time to see how the COVID pandemic plays out, while allowing those wishing to get the vaccine an opportunity to do so,” she added. “Last year has been rough for everyone. We are excited at the prospect of getting back together again after so many months of social distancing!”
With the Run for Women pushed off until later this year, organizers plan to shift the start of the event’s popular Training Challenge from Monday, March 22 to Monday, July 12. The Challenge is an 11-week program for runners of all abilities. It follows a beginner’s 5K training plan and features small groups led by mentors, as well as a virtual option.
For more information, visit freihofersrun.com.
Andretta Pool to open June 19 with new splash pad
Kingston mayor Steven T. Noble and the Parks and Recreation Department have announced that the Andretta Pool will open for the summer on Saturday, June 19 and will be free to the public. Andretta Pool will be opening with a brand-new amenity: an accessible splash pad. Construction on the splash pad is scheduled to begin on April 1 and is expected to be completed by the end of May. The new 30-foot circular pad will include water features for all ages and abilities, such as a high shower dome, arch jets and spray rings. Interior fencing will be removed, allowing for easy access between the pool, splash pad and picnic area. Perimeter fencing for the entire pool facility will be replaced with black vinyl-coated fencing, which will blend with the environment.
“We are so pleased to be able to open the pool this summer, with a new feature: the splash pad,” said Mayor Noble. “The community has been asking for a splash pad for years, and we’re excited to finally be able to provide a fun and ADA-accessible amenity for all to enjoy. After a tough year with so many suffering financially, it was important that we open the pool with no cost to the community.”
“Not only are we reopening one of the city’s most popular amenities, but we’re finally unveiling the new splash pad!” said Lynsey Timbrouck, director of recreation. “We’re thrilled that the community will be able to enjoy the pool with a new and exciting enhancement.”
Due to COVID-19 and the risk of spread, the pool facility was not able to open in 2020. However, with Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) funding, renovations to the poolhouse and pool continued throughout the summer and were completed in the fall. Work included installation of a new roof and masonry repairs, as well as pool lining restoration and installation of a new pump and filtration system.
These upgrades topped a comprehensive list of other health and safety issues still to be addressed, including renovations to the poolhouse interior. Engineering consultants from CPL are currently drafting plans for the interior work while the city seeks funding to complete the next round of renovations.
Throughout 2020, CPL evaluated existing conditions across the entire Dietz Stadium and Andretta Pool facility and created an improvements master plan. They are also now drafting designs for several of the elements on the Stadium side. Some DRI funding remains for a portion of the work, but the city must secure approximately $10 million more in order to undertake all of the repairs and upgrades identified in the master plan. Once the work is completed, the Dietz Stadium and Andretta Pool Complex will be a modern, world-class sports facility for Kingston residents and will draw visitors from across the Hudson Valley and beyond.
Kingston Point Beach will be opening on Wednesday, June 16 with many of the same COVID restrictions as in 2020.
Scavenger hunt in the Village of Saugerties
The Saugerties Public Library presents a Spring Animal Babies Village Scavenger Hunt. Working with local businesses, the library has created a fun outdoor game to play. Visit the library to pick up a worksheet and then visit each business listed to see what spring baby animal is pictured in the store window. Write the name of that animal on the worksheet next to the business’ name.
Scan the QR code next to the animal baby pictured or go to the library catalog for books on that animal baby that you can check out. After you find all ten animals, return your worksheet to the drop box at the library to receive a prize.
The scavenger hunt ends April 7.
Kingston Parks & Rec summer programming to return in 2021
Mayor Steven Noble and the City of Kingston Parks and Recreation Department have announced that summer programs will be open in 2021.
Registration will open for summer camp, Junior Naturalists, swim lessons and USTA/NJTL tennis clinics starting on March 29 at 9 a.m. Registration will open for adult softball and adult co-ed beach volleyball on April 5 at 9 a.m. There will be new health and safety guidelines in place for all programming, which will be strictly enforced by Parks and Recreation staff.
“We are so excited to reopen our summer camps and programming,” said Lynsey Timbrouck, recreation director. “Although we’ve faced some challenges in the past year, our department remains committed to providing fun and safe activities for the community to enjoy. We want everyone to be aware that, due to COVID-19, the capacity will be limited at all camp locations, so we strongly urge you to sign up as soon as registration opens. Once a location has reached capacity, further registrants will be placed on a waiting list.”
“It is with great excitement that we reopen our camps and summer programming to the community,” said Mayor Noble. “As we will be adhering to COVID guidelines, these beloved programs may look a little different this year, but will still have the same spirit. Not only attending these programs, but working for Parks and Recreation is a wonderful experience. We are looking for a diverse pool of applicants and encourage anyone who is interested to apply.”
Registration for all Parks and Recreation summer programs will be available at www.kingstonparksandrec.org, or contact Carole Huppert at (845) 481-7330 or chuppert@kingston-ny.gov for more information. Registrants are encouraged to sign up online. Anyone who requires in-person registration must first visit City Hall for a mandatory health screening before visiting the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center. City Hall is currently open to the public between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
All programs are subject to change based on COVID-19 guidelines and CDC recommendations.
The Parks and Recreation Department is also accepting applications for employment for seasonal recreation positions. Applications are due April 30 and can be found at https://kingston-ny.gov/content/8401/40902/default.aspx.
Photography Now! youth exhibit and new series signup
The MyKingstonKids program Photography Now! will hold its spring online youth photo exhibit and registration for a new series, free for youth ages 13 to 18 from Ulster County and hosted by the Ulster County Restorative Justice and Community Empowerment Center. The series will be taught by local professional photographer and MyKingstonKids program director Star Nigro.
The public is cordially invited to support the students who attended Nigro’s fourth cohort with an online photography reception and youth photo talk on Saturday, April 3 from 3 to 5 p.m. live on the MyKingstonKids Facebook page.
An online exhibit and purchase of prints will continue to be showcased on mykingstonkids.com, and these young photographers will receive all purchase proceeds.
Featured students exhibiting were enrolled in this eight-week program for beginner and advanced photo classes, taught via Zoom, working with cell phones and cameras. The students learned various creative photography techniques, ideas, styles and some interesting history, while also focusing on artistic and technical applications of the medium, in addition to special professional guest speakers.
Register at MyKingstonKids.com to receive a private Zoom link for the fifth Photography Now! series, which takes place every Wednesday for eight weeks, starting April 14 at 3 p.m.
ALL THAT JAVA to open full-service coffee kiosk at Hannaford Ulster Avenue Kingston store
Hannaford Supermarkets and ALL THAT JAVA announced that the locally-owned and operated coffee purveyor will bring its tiny coffee house concept, speciality coffee drinks to Kingston shoppers with the opening of a new coffee kiosk inside the Hannaford store at 1261 Ulster Avenue on Monday, March 29.
Managed by trained baristas, the ALL THAT JAVA coffee kiosk at Hannaford will offer a menu of espresso-based and brewed hot and iced coffee drinks. In addition to ordering at the counter, customers will be able to text their order in advance for pick-up upon arrival. The Hannaford store parking lot will offer two parking spots dedicated to ALL THAT JAVA customers.
“Coffee shops are a common sight in grocery stores on the west coast,” said ALL THAT JAVA founder and CEO, Samantha Sapienza. “It’s great to partner with Hannaford and bring that concept to the east coast. There is a really good fit between our two brands.”
The development marks the arrival of Hannaford’s first in-store full-service coffee kiosk and is designed to provide customers with a greater level of convenience while enhancing the overall shopping experience.
ALL THAT JAVA’s Hannaford location will be open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. Customers can text their order to (845) 366-9134 and their drink will be waiting for them upon arrival.
Easter drive-through event in Lloyd
The Town of Lloyd Events Committee will hold an Easter Drive-Through event on April 3. To receive your Easter eggs, follow the Easter Bunny through the parking lot of the Highland Primary School, located at 16 Lockhart Lane in Highland.
Call for artists: Plein air art walk in New Paltz
Mohonk Preserve and Roost Studios, Inc. of New Paltz are collaborating for the second time to create an inspirational project that connects land, art and community.
A Plein Air Art Walk will take place on May 22. A select group of 24 recognized Hudson Valley artists will be stationed along the Testimonial Gateway Trailhead and along the Pin Oak Allée, located at 35 Route 299 near Gatehouse Road.
Each artist will create one or more works in the medium of their choice, on-site in plein air. The theme is Nature and the Outdoors. The process and finished artworks will be photographed throughout the day and will be included in an online auction through Mohonk Preserve’s online auction platform.
The deadline to apply is April 15.
Last year, 19 artists participated and over $10,000 worth of art was sold.
Learn more and apply at www.roostcoop.org/plein-air-art-walk.
The Psychic Highway virtual film discussion at Gardiner Library
The Gardiner Library will host a virtual film discussion of the documentary Psychic Highway on Thursday, April 1 from 11 a.m. to noon. The documentary reveals how the Erie Canal changed the course of American history, intertwining the origins of the Erie Canal with the historical, religious and social issues of the day.
Through the use of archival photographs, original music and narration, Michael Keene will premiere Psychic Highway, followed by a question-and-answer session. Keene is a frequent guest speaker at New York libraries and has produced several award-winning history programs.
Contact Nicole Lane at nlane@rcls.org to register. For further information, call (845) 255-1255 or visit www.gardinerlibrary.org or the library’s Facebook page.
Highland Schools induct honorees into Husky Hall of Fame
Three years ago, the Highland Central School District created a Hall of Fame to recognize the achievements of accomplished alumni and dedicated faculty and staff, and to inspire today’s students to do great things with their educations. Retired Highland Elementary School (HES) teacher Darlene Spizzo Plavchak is the recipient of this year’s Husky Pride award. The Alumni Hall of Fame inductees are NBC news correspondent Scott MacFarlane and the late Hobart “Hobie” Simpson, who was a successful business and community leader.
Plavchak began her career in 1975 as a kindergarten teacher at HES. At a time when preschool was not mandated, Plavchak developed a program called “Young Kindergarten” to give students whose birthdays were too late for acceptance into kindergarten a place to begin learning.
Plavchak was also the first teacher in the district to offer an inclusive kindergarten class, where students with special needs could learn right alongside their peers, rather than be separated into special education classes. Countless students reaped the benefits of her inclusive classes. After 21 years as a kindergarten teacher, Plavchak began teaching first, second and third grade, continuing until her retirement in 2009.
Serving as a mentor, Plavchak brought whatever training she received back to her school and shared it with her colleagues. She also took on many other roles over the years, including grade-level coordinator, Highland Teachers’ Association building representative, school funding advocate and even HHS cheerleading coach.
MacFarlane, a 1994 graduate of HHS, is a TV correspondent for NBC Washington. During his inspirational career, MacFarlane has interviewed presidents, senators, governors, a Supreme Court justice and numerous White House press secretaries.
The acclaimed journalist has won 20 Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards for his reporting, including three Emmys for Outstanding Investigative Reporter. MacFarlane is also the recipient of several awards for his work on behalf of children’s safety, including the Anna Quindlen Award for Excellence in Journalism from the Child Welfare League of America. In addition, his series of investigations on public school security has yielded several honors from the Associated Press.
Simpson, who left a huge imprint on the community through his inspiring career and coaching legacy, graduated from Highland High School in 1993. After studying at Dutchess Community College and graduating magna cum laude from SUNY Paltz, he went on to earn his Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School Union University in 2000.
After graduating, Simpson joined Catania, Mahon, Milligram & Rider, PLLC as an associate, beginning an extraordinary career as a general and commercial litigator. In 2009, Simpson made junior partner at the young age of 35. Several years later, in 2013, he made senior/equity partner. He was named a Rising Star, an honor bestowed upon outstanding Hudson Valley lawyers under the age of 40, in both 2013 and 2014.
Outside of work, Simpson served as a board member of the Highland chapter of Pop Warner Little Scholars, a not-for-profit organization that promotes youth football and cheer and dance programs for participants in several states and countries around the world. He also sat on the board of Always There Homecare, a local home healthcare service for the elderly. Additionally, he was a member of the Highland Rotary Club and served as co-leader of the Grace Smith House Community service project, a program that aids victims of domestic violence. Many also remember Simpson as a dedicated basketball coach with both Marlboro and Highland.
Plaques bearing photos of the honorees will also be added to the Hall of Fame wall located at Highland High School. The honorees will join the past inductees, including community legend Benjamin E. Bragg; heart surgeon and best-selling author Dr. Kathy Magliato (Class of ’81); retired educators Lionel Heath, Elyse Scott and Charles “Charlie” Busick; and the late Michael Oremus, a Highland graduate and US Army corporal.
Anyone wishing to nominate a future Hall of Fame for the induction committee’s consideration should contact cjacobsen@highland-k12.org or call (845) 691-1014.
Roost hosts art, music workshops for children 10 to 15
Roost Studios has partnered with SUNY New Paltz students and professionals from the fields of art and music to develop and deliver fun and interactive educational workshops for children ages 10 to 15. All art and music education workshops can be accessed virtually. Workshops include: Poet and I Know It, Learning-2-Look with Roost, Rockin’ through the Years and Artists and their Work.
Workshops run until May. Learn more and register at www.roostcoop.org/smart-arts-workshops.
In Defiance book discussion with Susan Stessin-Cohn at Gardiner Library
The Gardiner Library will host a virtual book discussion on the publication In Defiance: Runaways from Slavery in New York’s Hudson River Valley 1735-1831 on Monday, March 29 from 7 to 8 p.m. Susan Stessin-Cohn will be speaking on her publication documenting the essence of slavery. The natural “fight or flight” instinct in every human being dominated the minds of all those who were treated as property. Humanizing an otherwise largely silent population, advertisements for fugitive slaves provide an exceptionally valuable window into black life in early America – from the nature of the slave system and the master/slave relationship to fascinating glimpses into material culture and folk life. Join for this glimpse inside the life and minds of “runaways.”
Contact Nicole Lane at nlane@rcls.org to register. For further information, call (845) 255-1255 or visit www.gardinerlibrary.org or the library’s Facebook page.
Correction
In last week’s edition of Hudson Valley One on page 10, there was a photo of the house featured as 34 Church Street. The article is about 34 Church Street, but the photo accompanying the article is of 45 Church Street. Our apologies.
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