The views and opinions expressed in our letters section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Hudson Valley One. You can submit a letter to the editor here.
Letter guidelines:
Hudson Valley One welcomes letters from its readers. Letters should be fewer than 300 words and submitted by noon on Monday. Our policy is to print as many letters to the editor as possible. As with all print publications, available space is determined by ads sold. If there is insufficient space in a given issue, letters will be approved based on established content standards. Points of View will also run at our discretion.
Although Hudson Valley One does not specifically limit the number of letters a reader can submit per month, the publication of letters written by frequent correspondents may be delayed to make room for less-often-heard voices, but they will all appear on our website at hudsonvalleyone.com. All letters should be signed and include the author’s address and telephone number.
Environmental concerns of development pressure across the region
Across our region, open spaces are bullseye targets for developers.
The Catskills and the Hudson Valley offer breathtaking scenery, rich biodiversity and a range of ecosystems that have captivated residents and visitors alike for generations. The delicate balance that exists here is now under threat due to rapid urbanization, indiscriminate construction and the exploitation of natural resources. The harmful impacts of this unchecked development on our communities and natural resources are already becoming apparent and demand immediate attention.
In Ulster County, the historic 800+ acres at Winston Farm in Saugerties, the gateway to the Catskills, is at grave risk from a proposal to develop a new city the size of the Village of Saugerties. Although Saugerties has many vacant commercial buildings, the developers’ proposal would clear cut 300+ acres of carbon-sequestering forests, fill in 150+ acres of wetlands and destroy habitat for hundreds of species as well as threatened and endangered over-wintering raptors — all to build commercial and industrial spaces as well as hundreds of luxury homes. The headlands for the 7,000-acre aquifer are at risk from sewage treatment effluent, stormwater runoff and pesticide and herbicide use, all listed in the developer’s proposal.
Just a few miles down the road in Woodstock, a 720-acre open space is at risk. Woodstock National’s proposal would destroy a wildlife corridor between the Bluestone Wild Forest and the Woodstock Land Conservancy’s Israel Wittman Sanctuary, impact wetlands, and require clear cutting of over one-hundred acres of trees for a huge golf course and luxury housing development, with much of the construction slated to take place in a Critical Environmental Area.
Sullivan County is facing similar unprecedented pressure with seven proposed developments that would destroy over 6,000 acres of open space, threaten our natural resources, wildlife habitat and negatively impact the quality of life for diverse local communities.
The incredible pressure that Ulster and Sullivan counties are under from development will permanently alter the landscape, communities and integrity of resources that make the Catskills and Hudson Valley an unparalleled gem for residents and visitors alike.
We must consider the long-term implications of losing our unique ecosystems and the services they provide, including biodiversity, pollination, carbon sequestration and water purification.
Unchecked development leads to increased pollution. As construction and transportation levels increase, so does the emission of greenhouse gasses and other pollutants, compromising air quality and exacerbating the climate crisis.
Preserving the Catskills and the Hudson Valley is crucial for the economic well-being of the region. If we fail to protect our open spaces, we risk losing not only their inherent climate and biodiversity benefits but also the sustainable economic benefits they offer.
It’s urgently important that we find a balance between development and environmental conservation. Responsible planning and land-use strategies, together with community involvement, can ensure that development occurs in a manner that minimizes environmental impacts. Our region’s community leaders and concerned citizens must come together to protect the invaluable natural heritage of our region to secure a more sustainable future.
Ramsay Adams, Executive Director
Catskill Mountainkeeper
Gender bender
Many of us who are awake are witnessing a societal train wreck. The gender agenda is being financed in part by the Tawani Foundation and billionaire Jennifer Pritzker of Illinois. They are planting the ‘agenda’ in schools, institutions and state legislatures. No conspiracy theory here — look it up for yourself.
In her recent book, Lost in Trans Nation, Dr. Miriam Grossman, who has decades of experience as an acclaimed child psychiatrist, documents the mutilation, drugs, suffering and even death of young people who were influenced to go transgender. Many clinicians are warning of the irreversible horrifying consequences of this highly unproven medical technology. They report statistics indicate an elevated rate of suicide between seven and ten years after transitioning.
My woke friends seem to think it’s just fine for children who still believe in Santa Claus to make the decision to change their sexual and biological gender through drugs and mutilating surgeries. The woke folks are normalizing these dangerous practices. And the experts who are trying to educate and warn us about this are being accused of being bigots and transphobic and are being ‘cancelled’. It’s the old “kill the messenger” when we don’t like the message.
If we all could stop having emotional knee-jerk reactions when we hear the term Gender Dysphoria and do some deep independent open-minded research, then perhaps we would all be able to support and help these young people who are going through all this confusion. That would truly be compassionate and empathetic.
Donzello Berelli
New Paltz
Tone it down
What is it that makes trolls like John Butz, Howard Harris, Paul Nathe, Neil Jarmel, etc. want to write these letters week after week? Are they just mean people who like to insult those who don’t agree with them? Do they really think they are influencing anyone to change their mind or winning arguments? Do they feel like they are contributing to the greater good? Maybe they just like to see their name in the paper, and that little bit of public attention makes them feel important.
Dude! Why be so confrontational? How much time and energy do you spend every week stirring up anger in yourself and others? I can’t imagine I’m the only one who gets caught up in it and wants to run to a computer and respond to your cherry-picked world views. Fortunately, a few minutes go by, and I realize that I have better things to do, and that it won’t do any good anyway, and I move on.
Okay, so I did it anyway today, and I’m wasting a half hour writing my own letter to the editor. On behalf of those who would rather not be exposed to your negativity, I ask you to please tone it down. I don’t mind hearing opposing belief systems, or even lopsided realities, but please consider toning down the anger and hostility, keep the personal attacks out of it, and even better, maybe find some other hobby that interests you.
Jack Simpson
High Falls
The Incompetence of Joe
I’ve noticed that since I’ve stopped writing, the feedback section is lacking song parodies. With this in view, I offer the following parody of Bob Dylan’s “Desolation row.”
They’re selling postcards of China’s Balloon
that Joe Biden had our planes shoot down
He told the Air Force to shoot it over water
so it wouldn’t fall on your hometown
All the News folks were so grateful
Joe had a strong and steady hand
But they hardly questioned why he let a spy balloon
move over so much of our country’s land
And the train that spilled toxic chemicals
“is Donald’s fault” Mayor Pete wanted us to know
‘Cos he’s trying to hide his own neglect
and the incompetence of Joe
(Stanza)
The latest polls show Joe’s so unpopular
though he once got 81 million votes
His own Party is getting nervous
and Republicans are taking notes
All Dem leaders act supportive
when asked if Joe’s still their choice for 2024
they say “Joe’s done so much for the country
and if re-elected, he’ll do so much more
And though they claim that Joe has done so much
the one thing that they’ll never show
is the fear they have for the country’s good
‘cos of the incompetence of Joe
(Stanza)
Yes, I received your letter yesterday
about the latest Hunter Biden news
You said “there’s no need for a special counsel
to investigate all of Hunter’s ‘business’ moves”
You said “The Dems and Joe and Mika”
criticized old Garland for his point of view:
“There’s no evidence Joe did anything wrong”
although they all know this isn’t ‘true:
Yes, there’s a need to learn Joe’s part
in the crazy Hunter Biden show
And now the only letters that I want to read are those
about, the incompetence of Joe
George Civile
Gardiner
Join together to stop Woodstock National
The days of peace and music may be gone forever.
I am writing to raise awareness about a proposed development that will indelibly change the character and reduce the natural richness of iconographic Woodstock, New York.
In late July, the Town of Woodstock Planning Board reviewed a proposal for a huge golf resort community on more than 625 acres of forested land along the Sawkill Creek. This property, located between the NYSDEC Bluestone Wild Forest and the Woodstock Land Conservancy’s Israel Wittman Sanctuary, is land of the highest conservation value in Woodstock, confirmed by the recent passing of the Zena Highwoods Critical Environmental Area designation. It has been a top conservation priority for years.
Despite years of expressed interest by conservationists to purchase and permanently conserve it, the prospective purchasers of the property intend to decimate hundreds of acres of forest and develop an exclusive housing and private golf course complex, complete with a heli-pad to shuttle in homeowners and golf VIP’s for national tournaments. Woodstock National LLC aims to build an 18-hole golf course, 191 units of housing (expensive townhouses and large single family homes), an onsite wastewater sewage facility adjacent to the Sawkill Creek and major development of an otherwise untouched habitat including major wetlands and historic quarrying sites. Think privileged people, expensive houses, environmental devastation, traffic, helicopter noise and all for what? A few service jobs? And some cash in someone’s pocket: the price tag is reported to be around $7MM.
This is utterly inappropriate project is massive, likely the largest since Woodstock’s zoning law was implemented in the 1980s, and possibly much longer. Completely unaligned with the values and priorities of Woodstock, it has the potential to permanently change this area, both in environmental quality and community character. This development will not serve us who live here or the countless people who treasure what Woodstock has come to represent in any way — not in terms of affordable housing for locals, not in terms of meaningful employment and definitely not in terms of the quality of life that draws us all together as a community.
Tevis Trower
Kingston
Mr. Butz’s lies about crime and the economy require a response
I suppose Mr. Butz is free to bizarrely criticize the Trump-appointed Republican FBI director and the moderate (to my mind too moderate) Democratic attorney general for applying and enforcing the law, but his lies about crime and the economy require a response. Crime is far below record levels, both in absolute numbers and per capita. For example, in 1990, after eight years of Reagan and two of Bush I, the homicide rate was 9.45/100,000 Americans; in 2021, the last year for which statistics have been reported (according to USA Today, the 2022 numbers are expected to be much lower), it was 6.81. Property crimes in 1990 were 5089/100,000; in 2021, they were 2389, less than half the 1990 number. Violent crime was 732/100,000; in 2021, it was 469.
And Mr. Butz fails to acknowledge the remarkable resurgence of the economy under President Biden. In December 2020, Trump’s last full month in office, the unemployment rate was 6.7%; now, it’s a historically low 3.5%. Inflation is down to 3.2%; in 1990, during the Republican days that Butz pines for, it was 6.1%. And most remarkably, wages are up, and factory jobs, particularly in the chip industry and climate saving arenas, are coming back to the USA from China and elsewhere.
Under Trump, despite his rhetoric, jobs continued to move overseas and the disparity in income between the very wealthy and the middle class only escalated. President Biden may not engage in exaggerated pronouncements like his immediate predecessor, but his record of accomplishment is remarkable.
Frank Moss
Woodstock
My favorite melody
As a youth I played air guitar; now I play air cello.
Sparrow
Phoenicia
Letting go
As I sit looking out at sea in Halifax, I contemplate that we all have the opportunity to let go. As we age, letting go of pleasing the outside world becomes more urgent. We embark on this personal journey of self-discovery and release.
In our voyage inward, we untether from the pressure of the outside world and its expectations. The shackles of societal norms, standards and perceived obligations no longer confine us. Instead, we embrace the internal realm — the rich and vast universe within us. By doing so, we are not denying the existence of external forces but learning to cope with them, acknowledging our unique perspectives and allowing them to shape us rather than break us.
In his book Meditations, the philosopher Marcus Aurelius stated: “You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” His words echo the sentiment of this internal journey. We learn to focus on the one thing we can truly control, our inner world, and find a reservoir of strength in our ability to influence our thoughts, feelings and reactions.
So let’s all support each on this cruise inward. Though we travel on different ships and face different storms, our destinations are the same. To find that place within us where freedom is not just a concept but a lived reality. We discover that we don’t fall; we fly when we let go.
In the end, remember, letting go isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about accepting and moving forward with courage, love and hope. It’s about finding that serene space inside you where the sun never sets and the winds of change blow not to shatter but to shape. This is our journey, and we are all in it together. The storms brewing today call for setting sail to the inner harbor.
Larry Winters
New Paltz
’xactly
There is an old saying…
“when the horse is dead, dismount.”
None dare call It “Treason???”
Now it is just a fund-raiser.
I am old enough to remember
when believing the word potato
was spelled with an “e” was a
deal breaker.
I would love for somebody to play
him the clip when he was talking
about “you know what they used
to do to people that committed
treason” and does the little gun
shooting on the tape… yes, I want
somebody to play that back to
him.
I like presidents who do not try to
overturn American elections.
He and the Republican Party have
done everything they claimed
Hillary and the Democrats would
do in power — and about a billion
times worse.
Yet today, they still support tfg
and the GOP. The willful
lawlessness we’ve endured at the
hands of the traitorous, belligerent
serial predator.
Before our eyes…how deep
tribalism is. As it turns out, as
deep as the marrow in bone.
Oh, but it’s “freedom of speech!” and
it is his right, right?
Their misunderstanding and
misinterpretation of the First
Amendment would be laughable
if it weren’t so tragic.
He must face consequences. They’ll
never admit their mistake, err, but I will.
They owe Hillary Clinton an
apology.
They owe my children and
grandchildren, an apology.
They owe tens of millions of
vulnerable people they have
placed in harm’s way an apology.
I will not wait for it.
You are too far gone to realize the
problem here… but it is you. Yep!
Funny how they forget all those
things that were said.
THEY say we are just out to get
him. Hell, yes, we are. If ever a
man needed to be GOT, He has
earned it all — and it adds up to
an awful lot
ooznozz
Neil Jarmel
West Hurley
Stream pissing In Tributary 13
Re: Don’t piss in the stream. I own a part of Tributary 13, a federally protected waterway in the Village Of New Paltz and not having any sewer or running water, piss in it all the time. The Village Board was told so at two recent meetings. The village building inspector is unresponsive, the Town Board was informed at a live meeting, the Board of Assessment Review asked where I was getting drinking water, but nothing else, the head of the village grounds crew responded by coming out and butchering up the maple trees and cedar bush at the edge of the property, and the guy at the DEC said there was nothing he could do about me having to piss in my own stream at home.
My property was connected to a sewer, but that was years ago and for some unknown inexplicable mystifying reason, the village won’t reconnect it, which is ironic, because the water flows down into the village/town park across the road. Maybe it’s a land grab, and the municipalities are looking upstream.
Lotta grant money around you know, and we can all use a pot to piss in. The village fire house social room by state law is to be open to the public 24/7/52, but the fire commissioners said, “no, no, no” at a public meeting no less. What did they get $5 million from the state to build that thing for anyway if not to give health, safety and welfare to the general public? Don’t answer that, and in the immortal words of my urologist “Keep on pissin’.”
Ronald Turner
New Paltz
Neil — once again in la la land
In response to Neil Jarmel’s letter of August 9, he compliments Meyer Rothberg’s reply to me from the prior HV1 edition, yet Neil doesn’t, at all, discuss the issue Meyer and I were addressing regarding the bodily mutilation being forced upon our immature and naive youth.
Instead, Neil quite predictably goes full bore right into yet another of his favorite and famous topics — a TDS rant. In the same breath, Neil immediately switches to a very weak and hallucinatory “defense” of his aptly named hero, Sippy Cup Joe Biden. He hilariously refers to Biden’s “amazing progress in such a short time,” “his historic legislative accomplishments,” “economic gains under his administration” and “he’s done quite well especially given the limitations he has.” The only limitations Biden had and still has is his diminished mental capacity, Neil.
If Biden has accomplished all that Neil pretends he’s accomplished, then how and why are ALL Americans suffering so badly and with over 50% of Democrats in DEMOCRATIC polls wanting a presidential candidate OTHER THAN Biden? Notice how Neil completely failed to address ANY of the MANY failures of Biden which I’ve previously pointed out and which have negatively impacted every American, INCLUDING Neil!
Finally, Neil says Trump “solved nothing” for America while Biden did more for the average person than Trump ever did for anyone.” Let’s do a reality check for poor Neil. Pre-pandemic, Trump set financial records in the stock market, had us energy independent for the first time in our history, had record unemployment especially for blacks and Hispanics, had much lower prices at our grocery stores and gas pumps, had a very secure border resulting in a strong national security, had far less crime, had far less illegal drug deaths and the list goes on. As these REAL accomplishments mean “nothing” to Neil, I’ll take these “nothings” any day of the week!
It’s as if Neil is trying to elevate Biden from being the worse president in our history to the greatest, in one quick lame letter. Nice try, Neil.
John N. Butz
Modena
Sparrow
Bird sanctuaries don’t treat Sparrows
Hudson Vally One does.
Ze’ev Willy Neumann
Saugerties
Noise in Saugerties
On the weekend of August 5 and 6, on a large property on Route 212 across from Happy Road in the Town of Saugerties, event tents housed some sort of celebration (wedding?). The very loud music carried on through the day, into the night and didn’t end until 3 a.m. The music was loud enough to be clearly heard from my house 1/4 mile away, with the windows closed. A number of local residents called the police, and when I did, I was told that officers had gone over and the music would stop at midnight. Again, it didn’t stop until 3 a.m. One of my neighbors walked over to complain to the owner, and was told that “Saugerties doesn’t have any sound ordinance and that you should expect many more events like this.”
I can’t imagine anyone living in Saugerties, or anywhere else, would be able to tolerate frequent loud music until 3 a.m. We urge the Town Board of Saugerties to quickly adopt a sound ordinance to prevent this type of selfish, annoying and disruptive practice by one resident at the expense of everyone in the surrounding homes.
Richard Azoff and Sheila Dinaburg-Azoff
Saugerties
Running the gauntlet
In Woodstock, for people walking on Mill Hill Road on a rainy day, it’s like running the gauntlet as they try to avoid the tsunami-type waves caused by passing cars. What could possibly be the cause of these waves? It couldn’t have anything to do with the new drainage system because McKenna says it “works just the way it was designed to work. Talk to the engineers; they are very happy with it.” But have they been there on a rainy day?
Howard Harris
Woodstock
What’s the point, John?
I ignored John Butz a couple of weeks ago when he asked for a list of accomplishments of the Biden administration. After all, John has made it clear that his opinions are not subject to change, regardless of the facts presented to the contrary. He repeated his talking points again last week.
Since he won’t budge on anything that contradicts his right-wing echo chamber, what’s the point? If I told him that there were more than ten million applications for new small businesses filed in 2021 and 2022 — the strongest two years on record, would he accept the data? If I mentioned that America has seen the strongest growth since the pandemic of any leading economy in the world, would he change his mind about Bidenomics? Thirty-five thousand new projects are being funded nationwide, thanks to the Infrastructure Bill, and anyone taking federal funds under the bill must source the materials from the USA.
Bidenomics has expanded domestic factories, and has generated $490 billion in private investment commitments to clean energy. The clean energy workforce added nearly 300,000 jobs in 2022. Will any of this be enough to get John to admit that we’re heading in the right direction? Income is up 3.5% since 2021, and low-wage workers have seen the largest wage gains over the last year, yet inflation has fallen for eleven straight months. Thanks to that, job satisfaction is at its highest level on record. Oh, and John’s attempt to pin our decreased credit rating on Joe Biden is hilarious, given that it was the far right’s attempt to default on our debt that made investors nervous.
Space is limited so I’ll close by referring to Yale professor of economics, Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, who says Bidenomics is having the strongest positive effect on the economy of any president since FDR. I bet John doesn’t care.
Steve Massardo
Saugerties
NYS Cannabis Social Equity Fund dispensary planned for Village of New Paltz
The Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) program is sponsored by the New York Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund, L.P. and the NYSECIF Operating Company, LLC (collectively the “Fund”) and the Social Equity Servicing Corporation, a DASNY subsidiary.
• As agent for the Fund, DASNY has executed a lease with the owner of the property of the former Stewarts at 98 North Chestnut Street in the Village of New Paltz.
• Build out of the existing building’s interior is expected to commence this fall.
• Should the NYS Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) match the site with a Justice-Impacted/CAURD licensee in the near term, this dispensary could open before year end.
• Three CAURD program dispensaries have opened to date (Bleecker Street and Union Square in NYC and Ithaca).
• DASNY is in the midst of making more sites ready across the state and 98 North Chestnut Street in the Village of New Paltz is one of them.
The Fund is a public-private limited partnership formed to position social equity entrepreneurs to succeed in New York’s newly created adult-use cannabis industry. This initiative has allowed the state to invest in a private fund to finance the leasing and equipping of conditional adult-use retail dispensaries throughout NYS for operation by individuals who have been impacted by the inequitable enforcement of cannabis laws.
Mayor Tim Rogers
New Paltz
New Paltz to the Rescue
I have the highest regard, admiration and trust for the New Paltz Rescue Squad — from dispatch to driver, to the EMT’s and paramedics.
They transported my father to and from the hospital numerous times over the past couple years. During medical emergencies, he required a human connection which they provided because they’re compassionate and genuinely interested in the welfare and well being of their patients — the whole person.
During his several trips to the hospital, he learned their names, hobbies and number of kids they had. And most importantly, they laughed at his jokes. That was key.
Like a lot of people, Joe didn’t enjoy hospital stays. When I went to see him, he would ask me, do we have an escape plan? And I’d say yes, New Paltz Rescue. He would ask me, “How’s that going to work?” And I told him that the hospital would make a call to dispatch and they’d pick him up. That would be the first time during his stay that I’d see him smile. He would ask me to go over the plan a few times and each time he smiled and said, “Good!”
During his most recent “escape,” the newly installed hospital bed didn’t function properly. Before laying Joe in it, two EMT’s crawled underneath it with a flashlight and tools and repaired it while at the same time a paramedic read over the discharge plan and asked me if I had any questions. He said that he spoke with the discharge nurse and told me to give him a call if I had any questions. They couldn’t be more thorough.
I’m not so sure about New Paltz Rescue’s sense of humor (they laughed at Joe’s jokes), but I’d trusted them with his life and I’d trust them with mine.
Your support would be appreciated. Donations can be sent to: New Paltz Rescue, 74 North Putt Corners Road, New Paltz, NY 12561.
Joe Owens
Weymouth, MA
Bennet did not do his job
The most important job of a town councilperson is to ensure the town’s money is spent properly. In Woodstock, every month all town board members are to review all vouchers to see all bills and address questions as needed. Then, in the monthly business meeting, the board votes to pay the bills. The bills are then paid. This is fiscal responsibility.
Councilperson Bennet Ratcliff did not review vouchers for April or June, nor did he vote yes in those business meetings for Woodstock to pay the bills. Bennet did not do his job. The bills got paid, critical for Woodstock’s credit rating, because Supervisor Bill McKenna, Councilperson Reggie Earls, and I did our jobs. We reviewed vouchers and voted yes to pay the bills.
Family obligations took me away from Woodstock for the July business meeting where Bill and Reggie, who had both reviewed the July vouchers, voted yes to pay the bills. Once again, Bennet did not do his job. He did not review vouchers, nor did he vote yes to pay bills. With only two yes votes, the resolution to pay bills failed.
Bill is a problem solver who cares deeply about Woodstock. He immediately reached out to Reggie and me. Bill, Reggie and I agreed the bills should be paid, with follow-up approval in August. Doing so preserved Woodstock’s reputation and credit rating.
Upon returning to Woodstock, I promptly reviewed the July vouchers. At our August 8, 2023, town board meeting, Bill, Reggie, and I voted yes confirming our support of the July bill payments. By this time Bennet had reviewed the July vouchers, but still did not vote yes to pay the July bills.
Bennet is taking money from the taxpayers of Woodstock, who pay his salary. He is not making Woodstock better. He is not even doing the minimum that our town councilperson job entails.
Laura Ricci
Woodstock Town Councilperson
Lawlessness under the color of law
On 12/14/18, the NYS Public Service Commission (“PSC”) Rehearing Order determined (case 14-M-0196) that smart meters are biologically safe, and “supported by more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific studies” (pg.13). In 2019, I commenced an article 78 judicial review in Albany Supreme Court of the PSC “Rehearing Order,” which the court claimed the PSC had “reviewed the studies” and the Rehearing Order was valid even though the PSC curiously refused to identify or provide access to the public of any of their alleged 100+ studies. I turn, I filed multiple Freedom of Information Law (“FOIL”) requests for the identities of, and the digital location of, the alleged studies.
The PSC records officer/lawyer was eventually forced by law to admit their records department has no records of any peer-reviewed studies or of any review thereof by the PSC ever taking place since 2005 when smart meters were first approved. The PSC clearly fabricated the 100+ studies story including their purported exhaustive review of the mythical studies as claimed in the Rehearing Order (pg. 23). Along with these revealing PSC FOIL responses submitted to multiple NYS courts, were multiple affidavits — very detailed and supported by abundant documentation sworn by me before a notary to be “the truth under the pain and penalty of perjury.” These documents, clearly detailed apparent foul play by the devious PSC and notorious Central Hudson. Incredibly both failed to file any counter-sworn affidavits apparently for fear of committing perjury in the face of truth. Yet this blatant and legally significant failure had no effect on the reviewing judge of Albany Supreme Court, the five judges on the Appellate Court, and more recently Ulster County Supreme Court Justice Kevin Bryant.
When did disregarding official FOIL responses and multiple detailed uncontested sworn affidavits become constitutionally proper? It’s an amazing thing to see multiple judges presented with prima facie/compelling evidence, turn a blind-eye and boldly violate the civil rights of a pro se (self-represented) litigant by depriving him of his 5th/14th amendment rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. Judge for yourself: https://wowza.nycourts.gov/vod/WowzaPlayer.php?source=ad3/CourtSession&video=533446.
Steve Romine
Woodstock
Great minds
For me, great books are hard to finish quickly because I find new ones that I cannot resist starting. Michael Lewis knocks me out. For those of you who love baseball, or are just keen on ‘thinking outside the box’, his Moneyball should not be missed.
Sci-Fi rarely holds my interest, but a novelist sent me Hail Mary, by Andy Weir. His first book was one of two in my life that was better for having first watched the movie The Martian. Reading while having spent time on the surface of Mars (yes, in the movie, but my mind now thinks it has spent months there), was extra special. Hail Mary blew my mind in a weekend!
In the way back machine, when we had TV mini-series, I watched Lonesome Dove before reading that great tale of cattle drives. Greatness twice, especially if the younger versions of aging but still great actors fit well with your imagination. “The Older the fiddle, the sweeter the music”. If only!
As for real life, ask an older person what they once believed about the FBI. I am stunned, as from my perch, they now seem bought off, though I may be taken in by a DC hoax.
Like banjo music plus a well placed arrow? Deliverance, the book AND movie, delivers!
Paul Nathe
New Paltz
Stay in the loop
Some thoughts on the most dangerous local proposal since the Niagara Bottling Company debacle.
If ever there were two projects that would be tandem death knells to the community in the region, these are them. There is much to speak to, but I will take a moment to speak to just a few things that are coming up for me.
1. There is no way that any variance for a heliport shall be granted, and the community will and must see to that — with protections beyond the current ones which do not permit such. And allowing so would (obviously) make way for the proposed golf course and development.
2. We have seen the trend toward service to an elite population and the damage that has already been done to the community is unequivocally irreparable. To further service extractive development is beyond irresponsible and dangerous to more than the biodiversity of our natural environment which is experiencing devastating hits. Our community is in a very vulnerable state with uncountable homes exchanged for STRs, summer residency and culture bearers pushed to the sidelines and unsafe conditions. Our children and youth don’t have or foresee intergenerational equity in their futures, and the lands are fighting back against the extraction with wildfires and storms the likes we have never seen and crumbling infrastructures.
There is no room for the allowance of boards and sloppy governance to let the hugest bidders ravage our lands anymore.
Stop it now.
3. There is a tendency for the rich to service themselves with servers, “workers” caretakers and “disposable workforce” by offering “affordable housing” that keeps their “workers” close and tide to it with the threat of losing their homes. This tendency takes advantage of people, proposal semantics and conveniently skirts regulations. Let’s not get it twisted, is liken to modern day indenturement and reek of settler colonialist dynamics which we must step away from with immediacy in order to restore any life back into our community.
4. I am very thankful that Woodstock Land Conservancy is leading the initial efforts to mitigate this perverse project. They have the means and the wherewithal to do so, and I encourage everyone to work with them to support mitigation. What that means to me is, trust them to lead and bring ourselves to the work in a way that does not cause extra work for them.
5. There is often a counterproductive tendency for folks to be led by trauma response when a majorly devastating project like this is proposed which can lead to exacerbated levels of frenzy, dissemination of misinformation and side efforts that can hinder the work of those leading the way through the massive amounts of baseline work being done. There are so many moving parts in stopping such a project.
Slow down, breathe.
6. I am thankful for James E Quigley’s initial choice to allow Woodstock to be the lead agent on this one. After all of the work that we did to stop the Niagara Bottling disaster, I am looking forward to working with him rather than pushing against a project that he brought to the table.
I believe we have all learned a lot since then. There is a lot to do if we even get to the part where a SEQER is in order.
Let’s do our best to support the Woodstock Land Conservancy in leading the community efforts to support Woodstock and Ulster in making the best decisions for the water lands, which are NOT resources, but gracious enough beings to host our community, and everyone else who lives here, and depends on such gracious and generous hosting.
Here is the link to Woodstock Land Conservancy’s form to stay in the loop. Sign up at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeY-k8oz6es29yst-0t96qUEYoa2oKW2uB5qTIPX8WJaWdfFQ/viewform?mibextid=Zxz2cZ.
Rachel Marco-Havens
Woodstock
Join the family! 
