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Celebrating the resounding success of the 22nd annual Saugerties Artists’ Studio Tour
I am thrilled to share with you the remarkable success of the 22nd Annual Saugerties Artists’ Studio Tour, held on August 10-11. As we reflect on this event, I wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude and acknowledge the incredible contributions that made this year’s tour an unforgettable celebration of art and the Saugerties artist community.
On behalf of myself and all the participating artists, I extend our sincerest thanks to the entities and individuals who stood by us and ensured the tour’s resounding success:
The Kiwanis Club of Saugerties, whose unwavering support showcased their dedication to the arts and community growth. KZE Radio, for amplifying our message and bringing attention to this cultural experience. Marge Block and The Saugerties Historical Society, whose collaboration added a rich opportunity to show our creative expressions at their best. Our tour map sponsors, who not only financially supported us but also enabled visitors to navigate throughout the town finding artistic treasures. The generous Saugerties village businesses that provided us with window spaces to display our work, turning the village into an art gallery. Hudson Valley One, whose coverage helped spread the word and capture the essence of our event.
Most importantly, we extend our gratitude to our families, friends and supporters, whose tireless efforts behind the scenes shaped the tour’s success.
The Saugerties Artists’ Studio Tour is more than an event; it’s a testament to the power of creativity and community collaboration. It’s a celebration that bridges gaps, sparks conversations, and enriches lives. Thank you for being a part of this journey and for helping us realize our artistic dreams.
Barbara Bravo
Saugerties Artists Studio Tour Coordinator
Hitler’s American model: DJ Trump
When Trump tells you he’s an authoritarian, believe him. He has been accused by historians of echoing the language of fascist dictators, including Hitler. When Donald Trump shared a video that dreamed of a “unified Reich” if he wins the US presidential election, and took nearly a full day to remove it, the most shocking thing was how unshocking it was. “Make America Great Again” is similar Nazi rhetoric to “Make Germany Great Again …”
Trump has reportedly said before … that Adolf Hitler did “some good things,” he’s echoed the Nazi dictator by calling his own political opponent’s “vermin” and saying immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country” and responded to a white supremacist march in Charlottesville by claiming that there were “very fine people on both sides.” It’s abhorrent, sickening and disgraceful for anyone to promote content associated with Germany’s Nazi government under Adolf Hitler.
Trump’s increasingly fascist rhetoric and increasingly fascist second-term policy proposals, which if elected, will use an incendiary policy agenda called PROJECT 2025 … Trump and his team have a series of proposals to crack down on dissent, including by remaking the justice department into a tool for jailing his enemies and sending troops to suppress protests. They aim to launch mass anti-immigrant raids and detain the people he rounds up in camps. There will be a calculated attack on any American who dares to differ from the racist, misogynistic, buffoon that is DJT. They have extensive plans to replace as many as 50,000 career civil servants with ideologues and toadies, putting people ready and willing to undermine the rule of law in key positions to act on Trump’s dubious orders.
I argue that Trump’s fascist incendiary rhetoric justifies the comparison of him being Hitler-like, while people will argue that the comparison is ahistorical; that he’s not a true fascist.” I say, “bullshit” … I looked at their rhetorical strategies and their public relations operations and I began to see how similar they are in many ways.
Whatever you want to call Trump, he is not fit to be president. As I write this, Trump is staffing up with fascists who’ll help him run America from the oval office if reelected, and his crosshairs are on targeting the destruction of democracy. He, goddammit, is no force for good … Just what the truth is, I can’t say anymore.
Neil Jarmel
West Hurley
The revitalization of Ireland Corners
Ulster County is currently in the midst of a once-in-a-generation housing affordability crisis. The limited existing housing supply combined with a spike in post-pandemic housing demand has resulted in rental and purchase prices that are, according to a recent Mid-Hudson Patterns for Progress report, out of reach for many residents of the region. Beyond the enormous challenges created for residents to secure affordable housing for themselves, the unstable market also creates challenges for our regions’ employers. With limited affordable housing options in our communities, employers need to look outside of our communities for new hires. This hurts our tax base and it hurts the businesses who must schedule around longer travel times and other administrative challenges.
A key solution to the supply and demand stress that is resulting in increased housing prices is to increase the supply — we learned this in high school economics! Leaders in New York State and in Ulster County have acknowledged this and have launched programs aimed at incentivizing new affordable housing projects and streamlining the often complex and unwieldy approval process. All in an effort to bring new units to the market to help individuals, families and businesses navigate the housing market.
Closer to home in Gardiner, there are many people who work in the town’s hospitality, restaurant or retail businesses who cannot afford to live in the town. I own a well-known parcel on Ireland Corners that could help to address this problem. The parcel previously was home to a restaurant with some additional apartments. I believe the parcel could be home to a larger mixed-use development with commercial space on the ground floor and as many as 15 workforce apartments on the second floor. In addition to sprucing up a corner that serves as a gateway to the hamlet of Gardiner and creating additional business opportunities, this approach to developing the corner could provide affordable housing opportunities for 15 individuals or families who work in town and want to be able to live among the community they serve.
In order to build this type of project at this location, we need to be able to hook-up to the town’s existing wastewater system which would require it to be extended less than half a mile on Route 44/55, as the construction of an onsite system would limit the buildable portion of the property to a point where the project would not be economically viable. I have shared this concept with town leaders and have offered support in finding funding to help to extend the wastewater system to the property. I will be speaking with the town board about this later this month as well. Together I hope we can invest in this property so we can maximize the value to our community by producing affordable housing options for our working families. I look forward to continuing this conversation with the community and welcome your thoughts and ideas about how best to move forward with the revitalization of Ireland Corners.
Mickey Jamal
Gardiner
Woodstockers United for Change
Things are not what they should be in Woodstock. For years there have been complaints about an officer at the Woodstock Police Department alleging that he directed racist and sexist comments toward a female colleague. These remarks are despicable and have been widely publicized. During the same period of time that officer and the chief directed sexist and childish comments to another female officer who needed to express milk while on duty. Things were so deplorable that a group of officers [male and female] and a dispatcher complained to their sergeant who brought it to the attention of the chief and our town supervisor, Bill McKenna. As a result, they all suffered retaliation while the offending officer has been treated to long-term paid leave.
As is his usual practice, McKenna appointed himself investigator, despite having long-term friends amongst the accused. He determined that some of the behavior needed correcting but that none rose to the level of discrimination or created a hostile work environment. Either he is not a good investigator and didn’t know the full extent of the problem or he doesn’t understand what constitutes a discriminatory act or a hostile work environment.
An EEOC complaint has now resulted in a federal lawsuit against the town. Supervisor McKenna’s inadequate response here, as was the case in the Shady situation, is a core basis of the lawsuit against us. As taxpayers, some of the money we pay for our taxes will now have to be diverted to pay a lawyer to fight these lawsuits. When we lose, as we are sure to do, we will have to cough up even more money for damages because in each case they are in the right.
The road forward is clear. Settle the lawsuit. Protect our officers. Replace the chief. Fire the offending officer. Conduct sexual harassment and anti-discrimination training within the Woodstock Police Department and, more importantly the town board. Finally, insist that the town board change its practice and instead appoint independent objective investigators with no prior relationship to the accused when such complaints are made. Only in this way can we restore trust and have the transparent government we deserve.
Alan Weber, Chris Bailey, Chris Finlay, Vince Mow, Linda Lover, Stephanie Kaplan
Woodstockers United for Change
Fix the pike plan canopies where needed
Now that the Kingston Council is delaying the Pike Plan decision, we need to ask alderman Reynolds Scott-Childress to document and prove “…that current structures are in such bad shape that demolition is the only practical action for the city to take.” Why do I ask this? Because we taxpayers should opt to fix the canopy problems rather than tear them down. As homeowners, when our houses need repair, we fix them until we get them right as opposed to tearing down our problems. The City of Kingston is acting like they have unlimited taxpayer/grant money, when they say that “demolition is the only practical action for the city to take.” Alderman Reynolds Scott-Childress, document and prove your case to us taxpayers. Show us photos and dollars and cents spreadsheets. I think if the council’s new consultants are honest, they will show that we should fix the canopies where needed.
Ralph Mitchell
Kingston
A rich thief
A smart thief can live for free.
Sparrow
Phoenicia
Who will save West Hurley? Part 2, traffic danger
Last week in our letter to HV1, we explored the ways in which the proposed 1105 Route 28 LLC project, the Basin Road/Route 28 gas station/convenience store, would impinge on the crucial right of access, (ingress and egress) of many West Hurley motorists and residents.
This week we shall explore the increased traffic hazard this project would create, should it be approved for construction at the intersection of Basin Road, Zena Road and Route 28.
The four-way intersection of Basin Road, Zena Road and Route 28 is already one of the most hazardous in the Hudson Valley. Between January 1, 2016 and May 31, 2021, there were 66 collisions noted by the NYSDOT. This is a 33% higher accident/collision rate than other similar rural four-way intersections.
There are several traffic scenarios in which the addition of the gas station/convenience store, with entrance and exit possibilities less than 75 yards from the intersection itself, would create traffic chaos.
When the traffic light turns green for the traffic on Basin Road and Zena Road, there are already, often, two cars from two directions heading towards the same eastbound lane. If you add in the real possibility of simultaneously, some existing traffic on Route 28 slowing down to enter the new gas station, and some additional traffic exiting the new gas station onto Route 28, you truly have dangerous traffic chaos.
Potentially, four cars — at different speeds, with different intentions — converging.
Currently, the developers of this project and their lawyers, are claiming that there would be no adverse impacts from the project. They assert that the project should thus be listed as a Type 2 action, and thus immune from SEQRA review. As a type 2 action, this dangerous project would be eligible to be approved quickly, without further review and by simple vote.
The Town of Hurley Town Board could pass a resolution naming and describing the adverse impacts mentioned in these letters, which would formally make these adverse impacts part of the official record and thus ensure a SEQRA review before approval of the project.
We now have an answer to the question of: “Who can save West Hurley?” from this looming disaster.
The question remains, however: “Who will save West Hurley?”
Will the full Town of Hurley Town Board act to save West Hurley from this looming disaster?
Mel Sadownick, Research Director
Concerned Citizens of Ulster County
Why Trump is not worthy to be president
I think it is time to list what Trump has done to show his unworthiness to be president. These are verifiable facts, not fake news.
1. He was impeached twice.
2. He lied about his inauguration attendance.
3. He called NeoNazis “very fine people.”
4. He congratulated Putin on his election. His own family said this was f***ing treason.
5. He instituted a Muslim travel ban and then fired his attorney general when she refused to enforce it.
6. He routinely makes racist and unfounded comments.
7. He refused to submit his tax returns, probably because he grossly overestimated his worth.
8. He is not rich but millions of dollars in debt. He owes more than $454 million dollars in his New York fraud case, plus interest.
9. He wanted to swap Puerto Rico for Greenland.
10. He lied 28 times during the recent debate.
11. He told police that they should rough-up suspects.
12. When Hillary Clinton beat him by three million votes, he claimed five million were fraudulent with absolutely no proof.
13. He called John McCain, a war hero, a loser.
14. He suggested to nuke refugees.
15. He separated refugee children from their families.
16. He was convicted on 34 felony counts. He faces 40 more in the classified documents case. With his allies, he is facing 41 counts for the Georgia voter interference case and four counts for trying to overthrow the government.
17. He withdrew from the Paris accords about climate change when it is now an established threat to our very existence.
18. He denied early warning signs of the pandemic.
19. He cut CDC funding during the pandemic and delayed signing the relief bill.
20. He oversaw the longest government shutdown in history.
21. He cut the corporate tax to its lowest level since 1939.
22. His tax cuts favored the rich.
23. He revealed classified information to the Russian ambassador.
24. He accepted a $10-million bribe from Egypt and then blocked the investigation.
25. He pardoned 143 people including many of his associates and a prisoner facing 365 years in jail.
26. He blamed the FBI for the Parkland school massacre saying they were too busy investigating his collusion with Russia.
27. He claimed there was voter fraud in the 2020 election when there is not one shred of evidence.
28. He has had 3500 lawsuits filed against him.
29. His then-lawyer, Rudy Giuliani has been ordered to pay $148 million to two Georgia election officials concerning voter interference.
29. On January 6th, Trump said about Pence verifying the electoral college vote, “We’re not going to let it happen”. Five people died and he almost succeeded in overthrowing the government, which is treason.
John Sett
Highland
Mirror, mirror
For all its polished
silver surface, for all
its pristine clear vision
hanging under direct
light, it cannot see,
behind the gilded
frame, our deepest
secrets, our unsavory
wants. We wear them
but they do not reflect
in the looking glass.
Mirror, Mirror, you
only see our tired faces
and indications of bone.
Patrick Hammer, Jr.
Saugerties
Vote for unity
I struggled to respond or not respond to Vance’s lie about vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz’s military service. Vance, himself, inflates his own service saying he went to Iraq making false implications. Yeah, he went to Iraq, but he never saw combat. He was working behind the scenes, not in a convoy facing the day-to-day fears and danger of explosions.
Vance should, first and foremost, be ashamed to stand next to his presidential candidate. His candidate mocked a Gold Star family; insulted Sen. McCain who actually saw combat in Vietnam and was a POW for years. Vance’s candidate insisted that wounded warriors not be seen on stage with him because it looked bad. He’s also said, to a former general whose own son died in war, that he didn’t get why our patriot soldiers would give their lives. They are “losers.” If all this wasn’t enough, that man refused to visit Normandy American Cemetery because his hair would get wet during a light rain.
We have never in our history seen a more disgusting man who disdains our military than Vance’s comrade. Remember his own exemption from service because he has “bone spurs!” Talk about losers.
Vance is hardly in a position to speak ill — ever — of Gov. Tim Walz, an upstanding patriot who’s devoted his entire life to public service with integrity and respect for all.
VOTE for integrity. VOTE for our democracy. VOTE for unity.
Jo Galante Cicale
Saugerties
Kamala’s, now, the one
Since VP Kamala Harris now heads the Democratic ticket (and has made the controversial Tim Walz her pick for VP) it seems prudent to once again consider how she rose to this position. Indeed, after a disappointing primary campaign for the presidency in 2020, this rise of Kamala Harris is truly remarkable. The following parody tells the story:
In response to a question about her rise to political prominence during an interview on NPR, presidential candidate Kamala Harris and two of her female staff told the tale of how she, a flawed and unpopular politician, was selected for the second highest office in the land and this selection led to her present political good fortune. In an unexpected but surprisingly appropriate choice of expression, Kamala — with her staff singing background — relived the saga by singing the following song (based on the Shangri-Las’ iconic “Leader of the Pack”) to the startled, but attentive, NPR interviewer:
(The song begins with Kamala’s staff speaking to each other and then asking questions to their boss.)
Is she really gonna support him?
Well, there she is: let’s ask her
Kamala, are you going to support Joe?
Harris: Mm-hmm
But Joe was against school integration by busing…
Is he going to announce his VP today?
Harris: Uh-uh
By the way why the big change?
(Kamala responds)
I met him on the campaign trail
He said “I need a black/gal VP”
You get the picture? (Staff: Yes, we see:
“You could be, almost, the leader of the pack!”)
(Kamala starts to sing)
Barack was always putting Joe down (Staff: down, down)
He said he’d bring the whole Dem party down
(Barack said that Joe’d bring the whole Dem party down)
It made me feel so numb
when he said Joe was dumb:
‘cos I feared that he’d be…the leader of the pack!
(Stanza)
One day the polls showed that I was through
My campaign chief said “here’s what you should do”
(Her campaign manager told her exactly what to do)
I stood there and asked him what?
He said “Here’s you’re only shot:
You must support Joe for…the leader of the pack!”
(Spoken slowly by Kamala)
I sort of laughed when he showed the way;
But the truth was beginning to show
As he left me alone that fateful night
I knew I must go slow
‘cos whether Joe’d win I didn’t know
(The result of the primary election is announced by the staff)
Joe won! Joe won! Joe won! Joe won!
(Kamala sings final stanza)
I felt so helpless but that didn’t last
Joe’s offer of VP it came so fast
My career seemed lost in space
but Joe put me back…in the race
And now I’m, almost…the leader of the pack!
(Kamala’s staff sings closing refrain)
One…one, one, one!
They made Joe quit: Kamala’s now the one!
(One: She’s now the one!)
They made Joe quit: Kamala’s now the one
(One…She’s now the one!)
(repeat to fade)
George Civile
Gardiner
E — The deconstruction of the administrative state, #5
By now the reader is well aware of the political situation unfolding, even as I compose this letter. I stay away from the everyday ‘tic for tat’ commentaries back and forth between readers, in their rebuttals and affirmations of articles written. There is nothing wrong with this. It is educational.
But I have taken an above-the-‘fray’ approach and given the reader a background to our benefits we have paid into for years. This all leads to the political situation building up and unfolding today. The Republican Party is solidly behind Donald Trump for another term, in spite of all his legal problems, some of which have not been addressed as I write. If Donald Trump is re-elected with a conservative Supreme Court that appears to be dragging its feet regarding the prosecution’s efforts in bringing him to trail, is where the distinct threat lies regarding our benefits. It is this combination of the oval office, the Congress and the Supreme Court which will eliminate, revise and amend our benefits to the point they will eventually be gone, leaving my children and grandchildren, without what I have had. “Oh, I’m sorry, also your children and grandchildren.”
I have repeatedly re-stated information regarding the background to this threat. I have purposely done so to make sure the facts are clear in one’s mind regarding the threat to our benefits. These were all key innovations in the march toward where we are today. I will list then again by dates.
1. The Supreme Court Decision of 1886, Sate Fe County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad. This created/gave the corporation ‘personhood’ and took them out of the realm of state obligation. This allowed railroad entrepreneurs, Rockefeller, Harriman, to run lines across state lines and not pay the states any taxes.
2. The Great Depression of the late 20’s/30’s. From 1886 until 1933, a period of 40 years, there were six Republican POTUS whose ‘modus operandi’ was business and business only. It was everyman for himself — grab, grab, grab. This was a major contributing factor to the Great Depression, but there were other factors as well.
3. New Deal. By the time of Hoover’s re-election for a second term, the country was in dire shape. It was the Republican Party’s 81 percent along with the Democratic party’s 87 percent that brought FDR into his first term. From this date until the present, the GOP has hated this socialistic, liberal agenda. (It was socialistic and liberal because it was not otherwise capitalistic.)
4. The Great Society. It was Lyndon Johnsons’ 1960’s administration that passed the Medicare and Medicaid supplements to the Social Security Act.
5. The 1960 Supreme Court Decision of Arthur Flemming vs. Ephram Nestor. This decision stemmed back to the 1954 amendment to the Social Security Act of 1935 stipulating that Social Security is not a contractual right to one’s benefits paid into. They were going to deport Nestor as he was an alien. He was denied his Social Security benefits he paid into for years. (This has much import for us today and I will discuss this further.)
6. The 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act. This act was also known as the McCain-Feingold Act of 2002. For years there was public financing of presidential elections. But soft money began to creep into such elections — soft money meaning clandestinely, quietly, behind-the-scenes-type donations. But this behavior from both parties eventually led to the legalization of heretofore ‘soft’ money.
7. The 2010 Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission. The conservative Supreme Court of that year eliminated the limit on corporate and billionaire money into politics. This overruled the McCain-Feingold Act of 2002. This allowed vast sums of money into politics.
8. Project 2025. This is a program put forth originally by the Heritage Foundation, a far-right conservative organization. I will discuss this in the next article.
More to come.
Robert LaPolt
New Paltz
What looms ahead
A web is what spiders weave, and its function is to trap flies with its stickiness: the more they wriggle to get away, the more they trap themselves. On the other hand, if it is a tangled web that is woven, the weavers may have created their own trap, not realizing they have done so until they are caught in it. Weavers, keep in mind, the best means to prevent entanglement is staying with the truth, facts and transparency .
Howard Harris
Woodstock
Biden is truthful?
Sleepy Joe has passed along his candidacy to his veep a couple weeks ago. Ain’t America great? Harris is a presidential candidate without a single primary vote. How democratic. Before that coup some contributors to HV1’s letters section stated that they trusted Joe because he always told the truth. Care of Larry Elder, former presidential and gubernatorial candidate, here is a nice compilation of Biden’s lies throughout his lackluster career.
They “include, but are not limited to: how, why and where his son Beau contracted brain cancer; that Biden desegregated movie theaters and restaurants; that he finished in the top half of his law school class; that he got arrested trying to visit Nelson Mandela during apartheid; was “raised in the black church;” played football for the University of Delaware; claimed the driver who accidentally struck and killed his first wife and daughter was drunk; intentionally misstating what Trump said about Charlottesville; that Trump said to drink/inject bleach; that Biden didn’t pressure Ukraine to fire the prosecutor investigating Burisma; that Biden never discussed son Hunter’s business dealings; that a small kitchen fire “almost killed” his wife; that he was “shot at” in Iraq; that inflation was “9%” when he became president; the Border Patrol endorses him; the NAACP endorsed him in “all” of his elections; World War II’s Uncle Bosie was eaten by cannibals; that “no one” advised him the Afghan government would quickly collapse and the Taliban would return if he abruptly pulled out of Afghanistan; that Trump referred to World War II American vets who lost their lives as “suckers and losers;” that Trump praised Hitler; among others.
Did the mainstream media ignore and cover up Joe’s mental decline? Or did the MSM not notice his decrepitude? Either way, they are not to be trusted.
Tom McGee
Gardiner
The American crisis
On December 23, 1776, in his essay “The American Crisis,” Thomas Paine wrote: “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”
The patriots stood by their country through fair season and foul and achieved their liberty.
On July 26, 2024, in his message to a Believers’ Summit crowd, Donald Trump exhorted: “Christians, get out and vote — just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what? It’ll be fixed, it’ll be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.” Then, doubling down, he repeated, “In four years you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good you’re not gonna have to vote.”
If I were to ask them, “What is Donald Trump implying here?” what would his beautiful Christians’ answer be? His implication seems clear, but would their answer bear any more resemblance to the truth than their candidate’s fact-refuted untruths? I doubt it.
What I don’t doubt is that today our souls are once again being tried. We face a choice: We can shrink from the service of our country, and of our democracy, or until November 5 we can do what we can — each according to his or her strengths, availability, and energy — to ensure that Donald Trump and his Project 2025 masters are prevented from ushering in a regime more repressive than the one Thomas Paine and his compatriots, their souls in crisis and their bodies on the line, stood up against 250 years ago.
As they were then, let us today — man and woman, young and old — be roused by Thomas Paine’s words: “[S]he that stands by [America] now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”
Tom Cherwin
Saugerties
Weird
In the past week two really great guys I have known for 25 and 55 years have expressed their regret that the shooter missed.
Which makes me wonder how many other people find Trump that despicable?
And WHY?
I do think the endless sound loops on each biased TV network contribute. Some of us only listen to Fox. Some only to MSNBC. To me, the latter is proveably dedicated to only one thing: putting Trump out to pasture. Fox is, I think, also biased, but not nearly so scripted. That’s just me.
But wanting Trump to have been killed, live on TV, with his head exploding! That is amazing.
He has been our president for four years and didn’t lock up anyone. The Dems have locked up 100’s. With Trump we had no wars; with Biden we gave up Afghanistan (and Bagram airfield with a billion in new weapons). Putin and Chi must have been amazed! Really like they won the lottery!
Putin rolled into Ukraine. Chi began running mock attacks on Taiwan. Hamas slaughtered women and babies. Our colleges cheered on hatred of Jews. The Harris administration is soaked in blood.
Weird is as weird does.
Paul Raymond
New Paltz
God’s bucks: A reflection on the power of fear and wealth
The phrase “In God, We Trust” emblazoned on our currency has always been a curious dichotomy. It suggests a divine endorsement of a system inherently flawed by human greed and the endless pursuit of power. The journey from September 9, 2011, to July 4, 2024, marks a significant reflection period, revealing the unsettling marriage between religion, state and the ever-looming specter of war. As I delve into the meaning of these years, I find myself grappling with the reliability of my narrative, torn between the comforting embrace of familiar beliefs and the harsh light of reality.
The currency of war:
Half of my tax dollars go to war, and all my goodwill seems to follow. It’s a simple equation but holds a world of pain and disillusionment. Sixty billion dollars slipped out the back door, each dollar a silent accomplice to the countless lives extinguished in the name of freedom. But freedom for whom? The few who want so much more perpetually battling for wealth and power, leaving the rest of us clutching at the fraying threads of Trust.
A nation’s veil of trust:
Storm clouds gather furies of rain, mirroring the disruption within our society. While children are engrossed in video games, oblivious to the real-life battles waged in their name, poor men and women circle the drain, victims of a system that values profit over people. In this digital age, God does not own an iPad that can reach billions in seconds. Instead, politicians wield keyboards with fingers stained by the ink of fear, crafting narratives that bind us tighter to their control.
The power of fear:
Fear, a commodity more valuable than gold, is held by God in his right hand, or so it seems. Politicians, however, have mastered the art of fear, pressing each key precisely, knowing that a frightened populace is obedient. “Fear is the mind-killer,” Frank Herbert wrote, and it is the tool of choice for those who seek to maintain their grip on power. The lines between church and state blur, not because they are united in purpose but because fear is their common currency.
The illusion of safety:
I find myself with so many holding onto trust, ignoring the warnings that echo through our history. Believing that we’ll never bust, we cling to the fairy tale, hoping it will never lose its rhyme. Yet, the signs are all around us. The erosion of rights, the manipulation of truth, the endless cycle of conflict — all pointing to a system teetering on the brink. But how can we let go of the comfort that “In God, We Trust” provides, even as it leads us deeper into the abyss?
The reality of wealth and power:
Wealth and power are the twin gods of our age, worshipped in the hallowed halls of government and corporate boardrooms. They promise security, prosperity and dominance but deliver inequality, division and despair. Navigating this landscape, I realized the fairy tale was always a lie. “The love of money is the root of all evil,” the Bible tells us, yet we have made it our guiding principle. In pursuing wealth, we have sacrificed our humanity, blinding us to the suffering it creates.
Conclusion:
The journey from 2011 to 2024 has been one of awakening. Reflecting on the meaning of “In God, We Trust,” I see it not as a statement of faith but as a veil obscuring our society’s true nature. It is a reminder that power and wealth, when unchecked, lead to corruption and decay. God may not own an iPad, but our divine presence calls for a reckoning, a return to values prioritizing compassion, justice and genuine trust. Until then, the fairy tale will continue to unravel, one dollar at a time.
This reflection is a tapestry woven from the threads of past and present, a narrative that invites introspection and challenges us to confront the realities that shape our world. It is a call to action, urging us to look beyond the comforting lies and seek the truth that will set us free.
“The real measure of your wealth is how much you’d be worth if you lost all your money.” — Anonymous.
Larry Winters
New Paltz
Hope versus fear
Hate versus compassion
Hope against fear
A failed reality star
Or an accomplished woman
With a stellar career
If we vote for Vice Harris
A bright future is near!
(And I’ll personally buy Tim Walz a Summit Twins beer!)
Wolf Bohm
New Paltz
Neil Jarmel’s repeated follies
Poor Neil! He can’t tell the difference between Trump’s ability to speak off the cuff with world’s more lucidity than Biden ever could. Instead, Neil paints Trump as a mini Biden SOLELY because Trump is only three years younger than Biden. Of course, we all know the difference between the two has NOTHING to do with age and EVERYTHING to do with cognitive abilities. And, what will be Neil’s excuses for Kamala’s lack of verbal acuity when she is finally forced out of hiding with having to defend her pathetic flip-flop record, off the cuff? Of course, that’s assuming she isn’t given the questions ahead of time which was the case with Biden a number of times.
Neil poses “Imagine what they’d say about Harris if she had five kids with three different husbands.” What does that have to do with the record economy and unemployment numbers Trump achieved as president? People didn’t vote for Trump because of his personal marriage history; they voted for him because they wanted him to make their lives better, which he did. And, Neil tags Trump as being a failed businessman. I’m sure many men and women business entrepreneurs would love to “fail” like Trump has.
According to Neil, Trump is “so easily manipulated by foreign leaders, even the idiot ones can own Trump with no effort.” Excuse me, Neil, but you just described your hero, Joe Biden, who is the laughing stock among ALL foreign leaders.
Neil ends with describing the mentality of many low information voters who would even vote, as he would, for Deputy Dawg rather than Trump. Neil will vote for ANYONE, even if they have no intelligent and believable platform for the people … just so the “dangerous” Donald Trump never gets into the White House. What a demented and immature philosophy!
On a side note, I’d like to commend Donzello Berelli on his excellent letter entitled “The Last Supper.” I, too, look forward to any lame rebuttals, especially from the biology, medical and science deniers who will claim that Lia Thomas, an obvious male, was “slighted” for not being allowed to compete against REAL women in the Olympics.
John N. Butz
Modena
Townwide revenue
In a recent flyer from our hardworking Senator Hinchey, her campaign listed $300k in SUNY New Paltz Impact Aid as “taxpayer relief for village residents.”
Senator Michelle Hinchey’s commitment to New Paltz via SUNY Impact Aid actually supports all 14,407 Town of New Paltz residents (population as of 2020 Census), and not just village residents.
Having lobbied Albany with four different NYS Senators starting in 2016, we’re very aware and appreciative of the importance of representation in the Senate. Hinchey looks out for New Paltz and is willing to expand some of her own political capital to advocate on our behalf. With some previous Senators we received SUNY Impact Aid, and with others, we did not.
The village must work closely with the senator and her staff each year to formalize our request via village board resolution. Each year when we have been successful, our administration has chosen to share across the Town of New Paltz, and not just for village taxpayers.
This revenue has supported the townwide A-Fund for police expenses, the New Paltz Fire Department reserve fund for future expenses to benefit townwide taxpayers and the New Paltz Rescue Squad.
Thanks again senator for being a champion for New Paltz to help us support as many of our residents as possible.
Mayor Tim Rogers
New Paltz
Brutal depravity
Last week’s letter by Elias Kassirer hit the nail on the head when he exposed the depravity of Israeli zionists toward Palestinians. Myself, being a descendant of an Armenian grandfather who escaped that horrible genocide, I have recently looked into the mindset and behaviors of the Turks at that time and it is very similar to the depravity being demonstrated by Israeli zionists currently. The Armenians were looked down upon by the Turks as a low-life people, not human, but animals for the slaughter. In like manner, most Israelis view Palestinians the same way. This past week, ten Israeli soldiers surrounded a male Palestinian prisoner and brutally gang raped him, not caring that they were being filmed. The video was leaked and shown on Israeli television. After international outrage, the soldiers were arrested (cnn.com). Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, argued in defense of the soldiers that any action — even gang rape — is permissible if it is undertaken for the security of Israel. Israel’s far-right financial minister, Bezalel Smotrich, called for the arrest of the video leakers and to “exhaust the full severity of the law against them” instead of the depraved soldiers (aljazeera.com). In like manner, Turkish soldiers who committed brutal atrocities of Armenian civilians such as public beheadings and hangings, but not limited to, were cheered by the Turkish public back then.
Azerbaijan Turks demonstrated similar barbarism not long ago with gruesome beheadings of Armenians. Documentaries of the on-and-off Armenian genocide will show similar displays of barbarism that we are witnessing today in Gaza, in the direct and indirect slaughter of 200,000 Palestinian civilians (lancet.com). And yet, likeTurkey and Azerbaijan, Israeli zionists deny genocide is taking place (“The Architects of Denial” youtube.com). There will be those who say: “but Hamas attacked Israel” though never addressing the well documented fact that Israel knew a year in advance of the exact Hamas plan for that invasion and let it happen anyway (nytimes.com).
All we hear about is “Israel has a right to self defense”, but why then didn’t they use it on October 7th when the invasion could have been stopped in 10-15 minutes as detailed in my last letter. Obviously, they saw it as a golden opportunity to commit genocide, “flatten Gaza,” and steal the land and all of its resources from the Palestinians. The same thing happened to the Armenians as they were slaughtered and expelled from their lands. Since the Genocide Convention was held in1948 declaring it must “liberate mankind from such an odious scourge,” 50 genocides have taken place. Unbelievably, Israel was a signer of that U.N. pledge as well as none other than Turkey and Azerbaijan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ List_of_parties_to_the_Genocide_Convention).
These aforementioned nations are treated as honored allies of the U.S. Until they are held accountable, genocide will continue to devolve mankind to a more brutish existence. Stop the genocide now.
Steve Romine
Woodstock
Erin Poll for library board trustee
My name is Erin Poll and I’m running for Saugerties Library board trustee. Having used the Saugerties Library for as long as I can remember, I’m passionate about enhancing its role as an essential center of our community. The library’s many resources enriched my childhood, even before I could read the books myself. As I grew older, I spent countless hours visiting the history room with my dad, researching for the book I later helped him write, Saugerties Bios: Amazing People from a Small Town. My love of reading was always nurtured by the librarians, and I’d leave with a stack of books in hand.
This connection led me to pursue a dual master’s of library science and school library teaching certification. For the past two-and-a-half years, I’ve worked in NYC public libraries, gaining extensive outreach experience with individuals incarcerated at Rikers Island, people in reentry from incarceration, children at underfunded schools and underserved communities. My experience also includes student teaching in school libraries in the Mid-Hudson Valley.
I’ve seen how libraries transform communities, not just as cultural institutions but as information hubs addressing local needs. In Saugerties, residents have critical information needs related to affordability, housing, technology access, health and more. While the library staff has made valuable strides with programs on topics like elder law, Medicare and defensive driving, there’s room for the board to further extend library outreach to meet these pressing needs.
Having just moved back to Saugerties after finishing the MLS portion of my graduate study, I’m excited to join the board at an institution I care deeply about. I’m eager to collaborate with the board’s outreach team to develop strategies that bridge the gap between community members and essential resources.
I hope to have your support in the election on September 5th from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the library. Absentee ballots are available at the library starting August 20th.
Erin Poll
Saugerties
Forty five out of fifty!
RFK, Jr. is officially on the ballot in 45 out of 50 states! They said it could not be done! They fought us every step of the way, creating massive obstacles to overcome! Justice has prevailed!
Bobby will be on the ballot in all 50 states! We have collected more than one-million signatures, setting an all-time record! By RFK, Jr. having ballot access in 45 states, the total is 503 electoral votes, which is 93% of the 538 electoral votes nationwide! This is an extraordinary achievement!
We are laying groundwork for victory in November, but also paving the way for other Independent candidates in the future! We must go beyond a two-party system that refuses to acknowledge other parties and are steeped in corruption! The system is broken!
Please consider deeply and take time and energy to do research! There is much deception out there, so you will need to dig deeply and use inner discernment! Go beyond mainstream media — who choose to focus on “dead bears” and “worms in the brain” — which is nothing more than nonsense and distraction! If you must know the truth about these particular events, why not listen to RFK, Jr. himself and get the entire truth, rather than continue to rely on info that is being taken out of context, with the intent of making someone look “insane?”
Aren’t you tired of the “same ‘ol, same ‘ol” yet? Don’t you want to stay focused on the positive message of building one another up — and not tearing one another down and dividing us further? The so-called “leaders” of this country have buried their heads in the sand and they continue to deny reality. Why? Because they are paid to do as they are told! They are owned! If you continue to watch only mainstream news and believe the lies, thereby buying into distractions, then you are at least partially responsible for the continued downhill direction we are headed. Think about that. It is not “us and them” and it is not “that guy” or “that woman.” It is all of us — and the decisions we make — based on truth or lies!
Have you watched many of RFK, Jr.’s videos? How about Nicole Shanahan? If not, please do so! Only then will you understand who they are at the core and you will hear them speaking words of integrity — loud and clear!
Switch gears quickly! Be a part of working together to save ourselves and save the USA! This won’t be done by one person! We must stop allowing mainstream media to brainwash us with their Hollywood lies! It will take all of us uniting, thinking outside of the box and building our barns together — moving towards integrity and truth!
Please change your focus to what matters — now! This may be our last chance to vote – period — if Trump gets elected! Think about that!
Don’t you want to be on the right side of history? If your answer is yes, then please vote RFK Jr. and Nicole Shanahan in November 2024!
Nicole Nevin
Woodstock
Traditional Medicare will be there when you need it
When Medicare Advantage companies have shrinking profits, their stock prices go down and subscribers bear the burden. Aetna and Humana had smaller profits last year, and dropped hundreds of thousands of senior and disabled enrollees to cut expenses. Getting new coverage could lead to more expensive premiums, skimpier benefits, stricter authorization reviews and the need to change doctors. Everyone with Managed Care insurance should also understand that illnesses requiring expensive treatments might not be covered or only partially covered. Profits are not a good basis for health insurance.
In contrast, traditional Medicare will be there when you need it.
Hal Chorny
Gardiner
Gaza Holocaust
“Whoever saves a single life is considered by scripture to have saved the world.”
This signifies the immense value placed on each individual life in Judaism, where saving even one person is seen as an act of immense significance, akin to saving the entire world.
The Israeli State has little in common with the core beliefs of Judaism as the United States has little in common with the true concept of Christ.
This was verified less than two weeks ago when a war criminal from Israel spoke and was applauded in Washington in front of our elected officials. Just last weekend The US stated that they were very concerned about the killing of 100 Palestinians in a school in Gaza. Yet, just hours before this horrible crime that included the killing of at least 80 civilians, the US sent Israel 3.5 billion dollars worth of arms.
Ironic that the two biggest suppliers of arms to Israel is the USA and Germany. I ask, would Winston Churchill ever have invited Hitler to speak to the English government during World War Two at the houses of Parliament in West Minister, London?
Well that’s exactly what the USA did when they invited the prime minister of Israel, a war criminal, to speak in Washington two weeks ago.
Chris Finlay
Woodstock
Join the family! 
