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Humpty Dumpty and our moral compass
Our moral compass has taken quite a fall in recent years and has broken into many, many more pieces than Humpty ever experienced.
As we try to put our moral compass back together again, it is something that most people from many Christian beliefs have been praying for, all along. And, little baby steps are starting to happen.
Although there are many alleged genders out there, accompanied by and complicated by obvious confusion, influence and greedy “guidance” by supposed medical professionals, the world of transgenderism clearly ranks at the top of the list regarding gender dysphoria.
An intelligent and courageous whistleblower named Jamie Reed helped put a stop to the transgender lunacy when it specifically comes to minors under 18 years of age. Jamie worked for four years at the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri. She said, “It took me a long time to get to the position where I knew I was doing wrong. What I saw was horrifying to say the least. We were harming these children and started to see true medical harms.”
She went on to say that puberty is a natural passage of life that starts kids toward a path of maturity into young adults, then into fully developed adults when, and only when, they have nurtured a full and complete mental maturity where they can see and understand the total consequences of ALL their decisions. Giving mentally immature children puberty blockers and hormone therapy only keeps them in a state of “eternal adolescence.” Only as a mature adult are we capable of making the most serious decision of a lifetime — wondering if we were meant to be the sex opposite our birth sex. So, little Sally and Jimmy at age 6, 9, 11 don’t have a clue yet, especially when saddled with false and premature pressure, support and “guidance” from their parents and, most offensively, from medical professionals whose only motivation is big bucks.
Thanks to Jamie’s revelations and legislator’s actions in Missouri, legislation was passed in either or both 2023 and 2024 strictly prohibiting doctors and medical professionals from using puberty blockers and hormone therapy as they pretend to provide “gender affirming care” on children under 18. In Missouri alone, 14 of these morally illicit experimentation factories will close.
And thanks to Trump, an executive order reinforces, strengthens and widens this return to moral sanity which, of course, includes what we’ve all known from the beginning of mankind — there are only two sexes, male and female with just his/her pronouns! God is pleased.
John N. Butz
Modena
Tell your elected representatives to back tariffs
Star Trek’s Spock informed us “An old Vulcan saying is that only Nixon could go to China.” Nixon was trusted as a committed anti-communist. The gate was opened.
About 40 years ago, it was American manufacturing that passed through those gates to hire, for nearly nothing, Chinese labor, and so began the tsunami of jobs flooding out of America, gutting cities and towns of jobs, especially in the midwest and northeast. Soon we heard the new phrase, The Rust Belt.
Guys like Mitt Romney seized the moment and put together millions of dollars to do buy-outs that ruined our middle class. Real men, like Ben Franklin, had long ago advocated that the true strength of our nation was the middle class, but the rich got their hacks into Washington and the media told us how much better we had it with low cost clothing and appliances flooding in.
Once upon a time, Walmart’s ads all proudly proclaimed ‘Made in America’!
We now need tariffs to level the wages playing field, and allow a new middle-class to thrive in modern, high-tech factories here. America has a large paycheck-to-paycheck workforce, and an enormous population of government-subsidized citizens. And we have about a third of us making big bucks.
Franklin cautioned, when asked, that while his generation had fought for a great new Republic, it would only remain so if we had the will to keep it.
Tariffs offset the still very low cost labor available in many places, and give America the opportunity to thrive with many more truly good jobs. Please tell your elected representatives to back tariffs. We all need to win. Or as old Ben cautioned, “We must hang together, or surely we shall each hang separately.”
Paul Raymond
New Paltz
NoVo’s $39 million investment — the lucky 78
Thank you for opening the financial curtain regarding NoVo in Kingston. The article was eye opening. The community needs to start asking questions regarding the survival of these lucky 78 non-profits. This is certainly AI. An artificial investment, that is. Is this investment actually benefitting the community or is it artificially keeping it from collapsing? It’s concerning to me at least, especially when I struggle to support my local journalists.
Ryan J. Van Kleeck
Kingston
Let’s support the Winston Farm project
I am writing in response to the letter by Janet Moss, Susan Murphy, Bill Barr and Margarita Asiain on behalf of Citizens for a Beautiful Saugerties from November 2024. Yes, I feel that the local group that these individuals are with is one sided. I have on a number of occasions expressed my thoughts on their web page and Facebook page only to be blocked or removed. Yes, I am for the Winston Farm project and I do believe it will bring a lot of great opportunities to the town and the county. For reasons that still no one can explain is why the town, county nor the state stepped in over the past 15 years to buy and keep Winston Farm the way it is.
The only thing I hear through the grapevine is that they could not afford it. If you wanted to keep it as a county or state park where was your fight then? If this a major source of water for the town, then why was it not bought years ago? The current zoning laws allow Saugerties Farms LLC to start doing work next month if they so feel. They are asking the town to look at changing the zoning laws to make it more welcoming to build and not like the clear-cut zoning law that are in place currently. We can all agree that the current laws are very outdated.
My “portrayal” of Beautiful Saugerties as “angry” is erroneous and uninformed is a little bit overkill. What it boils down to is that IF the town board does not really look at the requested change for these “local” business guys, then I would not fault them one bit to start to sell it off piece by piece. I have stated before if the right company or firm wanted to work out a new site, the people of Saugerties would be the last to know until the day your governor shows up to cut the ribbon on a new exit and a new warehouse. Then there will not be any Winston Farm left.
Let’s support the change to the zoning laws, let’s support the Winston Farm project.
Marty Martin
Saugerties
Preserving the railroad
Ulster Strong opposes the recent proposal to close the beloved Catskill Mountain Railroad (CMRR) in favor of expanding our rail trail network. Over the past few years, the CMRR has become a vital part of our community, attracting 60,000 riders and emerging as a key tourist destination in Kingston and Ulster County. This surge in ridership illustrates not only strong market demand but also the management’s capability to grow and thrive.
The CMRR provides a distinctive, immersive experience that allows the public to connect with an important chapter of local and national history. It stands in contrast to a rail trail: the CMRR generates no cost to taxpayers, creates jobs and contributes significantly to our local tax base through revenue from visitors outside our community. Furthermore, it pays the county for leasing the land continuously, ensuring a steady income stream. By comparison, the proposed rail trail would demand an initial investment of over $15 million, alongside ongoing maintenance costs, while also resulting in lost revenue from shutting down the train.
The CMRR has proven its ability to forge strong partnerships with local businesses, enhancing community connections across diverse groups and fostering a sense of unity.
While Ulster Strong advocates for investments in our rail trail system, we believe that future expansions should not jeopardize thriving and distinctive local enterprises.
Eliminating a successful revenue-generating and job-creating asset like the CMRR would not only be a grave mistake but also send a detrimental message: that Ulster County is not a place conducive to business and innovation. Let us stand together to protect the CMRR and the economic vitality it brings to our community.
Meagan Bianco
Highland
A future beyond stamps
It’s funny how things come full circle. I remember walking into the post office with my mother as a kid. The air smelled of ink and old paper, with the faint metallic scent of pennies rubbed between fingers. Clerks, hunched like ancient scribes, stamped letters with rhythmic certainty. Back then, the post office was the town’s heartbeat — a place where news traveled and hands exchanged envelopes like secret tokens of connection. Now? It feels like a museum, dusty and haunted by the ghosts of relevance.
But what if that wasn’t the end of its story? Watching its decline feels like seeing an old oak tree, roots deep but hollow inside. Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos swept in, repurposing logistics into empire. He did what the post office couldn’t: adapt. But what grows in the shadow of a fallen giant?
The post office isn’t just a relic to mourn — it’s a skeleton waiting for new flesh. Imagine this: instead of moving parcels, it becomes a hub for moving minds. Every town in America has a post office — a vast, untapped network. What if these spaces became sanctuaries for navigating the digital wilderness? Walk in, not to mail a letter, but to walk out more innovative, safer and better equipped for the virtual battles we all fight.
Picture rows of computers and desks humming with soft screens, staffed by real people helping you outwit scammers, dodge phishing emails and protect your identity. And it wouldn’t stop there. Imagine post offices empowering communities — teaching coding, critical thinking and spotting misinformation in a world drowning in lies. Zuckerberg let disinformation run wild, but what if the post office picked up the torch and became a bastion of truth?
And think of the youth. We assume they’re digital natives, but that confidence often breeds carelessness. They swipe fast but are no better at spotting wolves in the virtual woods. The post office could be a beacon for them, too — a space where laptops get “check-ups” and minds are sharpened against the scams and traps of the digital age.
The bones are already there: the buildings, the land the infrastructure. Reinvention doesn’t mean starting over. It means starting again, transforming what’s broken into something vital. The ink may have dried on letters, but the story of the post office? That’s still being written.
Larry Winters
New Paltz
I will be happily voting for March Gallagher
March Gallagher has announced her intention to run again for comptroller. It’s not often I get to vote for someone I actually want in office instead of voting against someone I don’t.
I will be happily voting for Gallagher.
Politicians are always campaigning for transparency. Gallagher has been the only one I know that has actually done something about it.
The public now has access to the county payroll. Personally, I was stunned by the overtime costs at the jail.
Gallagher also made it public that the county’s tax fund was sitting in a low interest account in a Green County bank. We are now getting a higher interest rate.
Gallagher successfully sued the UCCRRA to have access to its books. And noted that its compost program was not serving the best interests of the county’s residents but seemed to be favoring the interests of a few connected others.
She also successfully sued the executive for the records of the Gulnick investigation which seemingly Metzger wanted to keep out of the public eye.
There’s probably a lot more things Gallagher has accomplished, but these are the ones I read about in the newspapers.
In my opinion Gallagher has earned the right to be the only name on the ballot for comptroller. However, those who want to avoid oversight may try to get someone to oppose her. I’m sure they would prefer having a lap dog for comptroller rather than the watch dog that Gallagher is.
Tom Kadgen
Shokan
You too can be a dictator in three easy steps!
It’s simple really. Step one: get people to fear the “others.” Doesn’t matter who “they” are and it’s easier if there’s a lot of “them” and they come in many varieties. The natural response to fear is the flight or fight response. Fight is more adaptive than open fear (which can be interpreted as vulnerability). Move on to step two: turn that fear into hate. Repeat over and over that all that hate is justified. Leave no room for compassion. Stress that compassion is weakness in the fight to overcome those “others” who would do you harm. Step three: promise that only YOU can save everybody. Reveal your plan to do that by ruthlessly eliminating all those “others” who would somehow destroy all you hold dear.
Every cult leader and every dictator is familiar with these basics.
Mauriac Cunningham
Saugerties
A few thoughts
First, a thank you to Fred Nagel for his informative letters.
A few thoughts:
“An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” Over a year of one-sided revenge? Genocide?
“Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Israel stealing Palestinian land. Israelis chopping down Palestinian olive trees. Israelis demolishing Palestinian houses. Israelis delaying Palestinians entrance to Israel for no good reason. Settlers murdering Palestinians in the West Bank.
“No justice, no peace.” U.N. Resolution 242 passed unanimously. “United Nations resolution 242 is a UN Security Council resolution adopted in the wake of the Six-Day War (1967) 123. It called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from ‘territories occupied in the recent conflict’ and affirmed the right of every state in the region ‘to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries’. Resolution 242 is one of the most widely affirmed resolutions on the Arab–Israeli conflict and formed the basis for later negotiations between the parties. “What if Israel had accepted this resolution in 1967? How many Palestinians and how many Israelis over the years would not have died from murder by one or the other side?
Andi Weiss Bartczak
Gardiner
Letter in support of Tim Rogers for town supervisor
I am a Town of New Paltz resident having moved here slightly over 20 years ago. I live on the “town side” of Henry W. Dubois. I mention this because, while we fall under the town governance, we’re close enough to the Village of New Paltz to warrant paying attention to what happens within the their boundary lines as well.
I’ve followed Tim Rogers’ tenure as mayor since he began serving. I’ve appreciated his measured approach to both problem resolution and improvement projects. He recognizes that there are rarely quick fixes or one side to any issue.
I haven’t always agreed with him on everything, but I know he considers issues reasonably and is willing to implement unpopular, but necessary policies for reasons that I just may not be aware of. (Trust me, as a mom to two teenage drivers, I loathe getting those random parking ticket reminders in the mail!)
Tim is invested in the broader New Paltz community. I often see him around town and his kids participate in local activities. In fact, Tim coached my son on multiple teams, first when my son played town lacrosse and then when he played on the New Paltz Middle School modified team. I’ve observed his management style — inclusive as opposed to iron-fisted.
This town needs a leader who is engaged with the community, who has a strong sense of fiscal responsibility and who supports our cultural ideals. Tim meets that trifecta.
I wholeheartedly support Tim Rogers as town supervisor.
Laurie Adourian
New Paltz
A moment of prayer, and then, a mountain of bullshit
President Donald Trump provided little new information about the cause of Wednesday’s deadly air collision in Washington between a jet passenger airplane and an Army Blackhawk helicopter.
Trump, with the most important podium in the world, says the Reagan National Airport crash could have been prevented: “clear night” … and then politicized this horrific accident by attacking the Democrats — as he blamed Pete Buttigieg, slamming the former transportation secretary as “a disaster” for implementing diversity initiatives at the FAA, implying that diversity led to incompetence.
Trump also blamed the Obama administration for the quality of air traffic controllers, claiming that the controllers he, Trump, inherited needed to be “of superior intelligence.
Sixty-seven dead and he only knew to rant and ramble on about DEI and Democrats. He cited efforts by the FAA to hire individuals with disabilities, including “dwarfism,” “missing limbs” and “intellectual disabilities” — this is fucking evil shit spoken by Trump. Yes, truly despicable, but “par” for the course. Are we about to add disabled people to the right-wing shit list of his? Who’s going to be left off at this point? We’ll have four more years of this total crap by Trump and his Trumpublican-elected, as well as his MAGAt embracers.
The point is to muddy the waters, be prepared to hear a lot of “you know I heard that they were doing that DEI stuff and that’s what caused that helicopter to crash into that plane”… Trump is an effn moron and embarrassment with his very public “moment of sympathy, and then his mountain of repetitive bullshit” during his press conference after the awful air disaster.
Is anyone else getting extremely worried about the recent inclusions of disabled people in these complaints? I don’t remember Trump or Republicans ever making disabilities a part of their invented DEI problems. Now they’ve included disability/accessibility with DEI. Trump was asked how he could be so sure diversity played a role in the crash when, in fact, he just acknowledged that the air traffic controllers may not have done anything wrong, he told reporters it was because he has “common sense.”
It feels very similar to “cleansing” the workforce of people they see as undesirable. I mean there’s a somewhat famous poster of the Nazi era which states how much of a waste of state resources disabled people are, should we really be surprised?
Neil Jarmel
West Hurley
NYS senior citizens school and property Tax exemption
Bravo to Town of New Paltz Supervisor Amanda Gotto and the Town of New Paltz Town Board!!!
Their recent local law amendment joins a small but growing list of Ulster County town and school Boards who have amended the senior property tax exemption maximum income limit to $50,000. This is in ADDITION to enhanced Star.
Other towns and school districts that are forward thinkers are the Town of Marbletown (raised exemption maximum February 2023) and the Onteora Central School District (raised March 2024).
As we all know, many people are leaving our beautiful state because of the high cost of living. This is one very important action for towns/villages and school boards to make it more fair for low income seniors to stay put.
I have previously reached out to all towns and school districts in Ulster County and I need your help. With many voices we can encourage local boards to take action NOW.
For more information on this program, go to https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/property/exemption/seniorexempt.htm.
Sue Gilmore
Highland
The chill seekers
ICE is well-named; what cold-blooded cops!
Sparrow
Phoenicia
Muck boot time
In reference to the proposed Andy Lee Field overhaul, McKenna said, “You can say whatever you want about me, but if you look back in history, I have a real, I think a real solid track record at having all the numbers, whether it was the town hall, the community center, [or] the highway garage,” Yes, Bill, there is certainly a lot to be said about you, and, looking “back in history” regarding the projects you mentioned, if you include the Comeau building renovation fiasco, every one of them was over the original stated budget and, I believe, were not completed on time. So why should we believe you now?
Howard Harris
Woodstock
Tim Rogers — A great fit for New Paltz
Collectively, we have known Tim Rogers for nearly 100 years. He has done a fantastic job as mayor for the last ten years and we are excited he is focusing on investigating how we could reorganize and improve local government efficiency by eliminating one of New Paltz’s boards of elected officials. We are thankful he has chosen to continue to represent us and fully support his candidacy for Town of New Paltz Supervisor.
Tim has always been honest, hardworking and intense. (We were glad he pursued rugby in college and grad school to help him channel some of that intensity.)
He worked hard in school and in his career. We’re proud of our good friend’s accomplishments. Our community will be lucky to have someone of his caliber and integrity looking out for broader New Paltz. Many of you know this already about Tim. Vote for Tim Rogers for town supervisor in the Democratic primary on June 24th, and then in the general election on November 4th.
Flip Gertler, Sr. (town resident)
Flip Gertler, Jr. (village resident)
New Paltz
Support for Tim Rogers’ supervisor run
I had the honor of being elected trustee for the Village of New Paltz in 2019, and worked with mayor Tim Rogers during my four-year term. It was an eye-opening experience, learning how much goes into running our village and inspiring to see how much thought Tim puts into every aspect of the job. Tim seems to always be thinking about ways to ensure New Paltz thrives.
I admire how when an idea is on the table, Tim truly seeks input from the community. Good governance is a collective effort, and that’s not lost on him. He’s met with other local officials (Ellenville and Highland are two examples), former board members, and folks in the community for idea sharing, coming up with innovative ways to not only help our village, but our larger area as well. Plus, the continued relationship New Paltz has with our sister city in Niimi, Japan, shows the broad scope on how what we do locally can truly have an effect on what happens globally.
Tim is a diligent mayor — he’s made calls to our garbage collector on residents’ behalf eager to make things right and he knows the ins and outs of our very old sewer system. He recognizes the incredible team that surrounds him, notably our DPW and the clerks at village hall, who make running a village seem almost effortless (though I know the hard work these folks put in). Tim is a mayor who does everything to find money for our village through grants and state funding — and he’s secured millions. He also doesn’t overspend, and hasn’t raised village taxes in the nine years. (Thank you, Tim.) We are extremely lucky to have his intelligence running our village, and we’d be highly fortunate to have him as New Paltz supervisor.
I hope you join me in voting Tim Rogers for supervisor during the Democratic primary on June 24, and the General Election on November 4. There is no one more qualified.
Michele Zipp, Former Village Trustee
Village of New Paltz
Tim Rogers is the right choice for our community for town supervisor
We are writing to formally endorse mayor Tim Rogers as a candidate for Town of New Paltz supervisor. As local business owners and engaged community members, we’ve have had the pleasure of knowing Tim both personally and professionally. He was our first landlord when we moved off campus as SUNY New Paltz students, he officiated our wedding at Peace Park and he helped connect us to people to help us in our journey to becoming the new owners of Manny’s Art Supplies in 2022. His leadership has been instrumental in fostering a thriving environment for businesses and residents alike in our community.
Tim has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to transparency and accountability. He regularly updates the community about the grants that New Paltz has received and how these funds are allocated to benefit the community, as well as how other funds are used to complete local projects. This transparency not only builds trust among residents but also ensures that our taxpayer dollars are being used efficiently and effectively. He has also been proactive in addressing and informing residents about critical issues such as upcoming increases in housing availability and affordable housing.
In addition to his impressive leadership and commitment to our community, mayor Tim Rogers is a familiar and approachable presence in our daily lives. Whether you find him speaking at our local schools, shopping at our beloved businesses, or enjoying a cup of coffee outside on a beautiful day, Tim embodies the spirit of our town. His recent recognition of our local rescue team exemplifies his dedication to community. He has taken the time to educate the public about just how vital the work is that our rescue team does for us and surrounding areas. Following Mayor Rogers’ Facebook page allows you to enjoy many moments like this, where you can be educated about things that directly affect us all, with numbers and statistics that will surprise you — whether it’s about our drinking water or our local rescue team! We are grateful for a mayor who champions our local heroes, actively participates in the life of our community and creates a sense of pride for where we live.
It is obvious to us that mayor Tim Rogers is the right choice for our community. He’s intelligent, knowledgeable about the issues he looks to resolve, and down-to-earth — making him easy to approach and a pleasure to communicate with. His approach to local issues reflects a deep understanding of the needs of our residents and businesses. His dedication to transparency, accountability and continued progress has made a positive impact on New Paltz, and we would love to see where he continues to take this beautiful village and town. We wholeheartedly endorse him as a candidate and encourage others to support his campaign.
Zachary and Amanda DelFavero
Owners of Manny’s Art Supplies
New Paltz
Tim Rogers for town supervisor
We’ve had the privilege of knowing Tim Rogers for over 20 years and fully support his candidacy for town supervisor. As mayor, Tim approaches challenges with practicality and thorough research, leading to tangible improvements in New Paltz. His background in finance and sharp analytical skills enable him to make fair, fiscally responsible choices that benefit our community.
As a New Paltz native, Tim combines deep local insight with a forthright transparency all public officials should strive for. His detailed community updates keep us informed on critical issues such as sewer maintenance, sidewalk repair and water infrastructure. He not only explains the costs associated with these projects but also outlines cost-saving strategies, shares grant opportunities and celebrates when funding offsets expenses — helping taxpayers while strengthening municipal services. Tim also collaborates effectively across political lines.
Beyond policy, Tim is an active and engaged member of our town. Whether biking through our streets and trails, playing ultimate frisbee with youth, coaching lacrosse, or stepping in as a substitute teacher during Covid, Tim is always present. He leads from the heart of our community — listening, collaborating and working to make New Paltz a better place for all.
Tim Rogers is the right choice for town supervisor, and we look forward to his continued leadership and vision for New Paltz.
Kim Tischler & Tony Leonardo
New Paltz
The Wheel Turns
Pouting little sad boy,
this will end.
Martin says the arc
bends towards Justice
however long it takes,
and love will out you
for what you are.
Shouting little mad boy,
have you not read
of other despots. All they
want is the most toys,
but in the end they go away.
Power in time falls to rust.
Spitting little glad boy,
you sway but hold
the reins now. You may
call all the punches, bark
all the orders and expulsions.
You may smile now at families
torn, people broke in fear,
but Karma turns, turns,
turns the wheel—and you’ll
be gone.
Patrick Hammer, Jr.
Saugerties
Correction to my recent letter
In a recent letter, I wrote that Woodstock supervisor Bill McKenna and town board member Anula Courtis voted to raise the supervisor’s salary by nearly 20 percent right after the last election in November of 2023. While McKenna pushed through a large raise for himself, Anula Courtis was not on the board at the time. I owe her an apology. I value accountability and take responsibility for my mistake. That said, I still believe that the supervisor’s salary is too high. I implore McKenna to donate 10% of his wages to Family of Woodstock or another local non-profit to help establish a warming shelter that our neighbors who are unhoused so desperately need. If elected, I promise to do that.
David Wallis
Woodstock
The chips are down
Hannah Arendt, most famous for her concept “the banality of evil,” was a political philosopher, writer and human cri de coeur during the Hitler years. As they were then, her words, printed below, are resonant — and urgent — today.
“Before mass leaders seize the power to fit reality to their lies, their propaganda is marked by its extreme contempt for facts as such, for in their opinion fact depends entirely on the power of the man who can fabricate it…The distinction between truth and lie can be eroded, over time, by continual lying.”
“Consistent lying pulls the ground from under our feet and provides no other ground on which to stand. Tribal nationalism always insists that its own people are surrounded by ‘a world of enemies’…and claims its people to be unique and individual, and denies theoretically the very possibility of a common mankind long before it is used to destroy the humanity of man.”
“The result of a consistent and total substitution of lies for factual truth is not that the lies will now be accepted as truth, and the truth be defamed as lies, but that the sense by which we take our bearings in the real world is being destroyed.”
“When evil is allowed to compete with good, evil has an emotional populist appeal that wins out unless good men and women stand as a vanguard against abuse…Evil thrives on apathy and cannot exist without it. There is a strange interdependence between thoughtlessness and evil.”
And, especially relevant today: “The inability to think created the possibility for many ordinary men to commit evil deeds on a gigantic scale, the like of which had never been seen before. The manifestation of the wind of thought is not knowledge but the ability to tell right from wrong, beautiful from ugly. And I hope that thinking gives people the strength to prevent catastrophes in these rare moments when the chips are down.”
I hope so too, fervently, for we are in a “rare moment,” with Donald Trump threatening us daily with catastrophe after catastrophe. “The chips are down,” and only our strength, vigilance and unity will prevent him, abetted by his equally avaricious accomplices, from raking in every one of those chips.
Tom Cherwin
Saugerties
Going against the wishes of Kingston residents
Concerning the Pike Plan, if Steve Noble and the common council remove the covered protection against rain and snow, they are arrogantly going against the wishes of the majority of Kingston residents and against common sense.
Ralph Mitchell
Kingston
Tough week doesn’t stop our staff
If you need something positive, you can feel good about the tremendous individuals on our village and town water teams who are doing their absolute best to provide us with drinking water under tough conditions. Last week was especially difficult with water main breaks and resulting brown water that then needed to get flushed.
For years, we have been working on New Paltz’s largest-ever upgrade to our drinking water conveyance system. The biggest section includes replacing 1.3 miles of watermain from Southside to Sunset Ridge via South and North Chestnut streets. For a moment, we even considered excluding the section on South Chestnut because costs have skyrocketed, but in the end decided to borrow additional money and take on the whole $3.88 million project of 1.3 miles.
Our agreement with a third-party contractor for the Chestnut Street sections was signed last spring and the North Chestnut Street section was supposed to start in June and be done by fall 2024. Through no fault of New Paltz staff or village and town governments, we have experienced frustrating delays. We are entirely too familiar with how temperamental our system can be when it is cold. Our local team has been holding their breath, while keeping North and South Chestnut patched together.
Now we’re in the middle of the winter season and the project has been paused, rightfully so, by the NYS DOT. Each break can create pressure imbalances in the system leading to more breaks and a cascading phenomenon of headaches. Our local staff has been scrambling to rectify a difficult situation.
Thank you village and town water teams for continuing to go above and beyond.
Mayor Tim Rogers
New Paltz
Let’s give immigrants a hand
Do you dine out? Have you put in a new roof or a fence? Who mows your lawn? Are you considering home health care? Chances are you’re employing an undocumented immigrant.
By undocumented, that means people born outside the US who lack legal status, but who may or may not have permission to be here via various programs, which may soon be eliminated.
Many have temporary work authorizations and social security numbers. They pay taxes. Whether they live in Woodstock or commute to work here, they’ve come to undergird our community.
I watched a house go up near Maverick this fall. Built by undocumented immigrants, it sold quickly. The workers are scared for their lives now.
In January 2018, the Woodstock Town Board voted to approve a policy which limits local police assistance to federal immigration agents.
We in Woodstock Immigrant Support encourage the police to adhere to it.
And employers? For tips, read the National Immigrant Law Center’s “Guide for Employers: What to do If Immigration Comes to Your Workplace” at www.nilc.org.
Other towns nearby are vowing to protect their immigrant members. But they could face great pressure.
A bill before the state legislature, “New York For All “(A. 5686 / S. 987) would preclude local law agencies from fully cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in identifying and detaining immigrants. Another bill, Access to Representation, would provide legal help to those facing deportation.
Unfortunately, Gov. Hochul seems to have drunk the Trump Kool-Aid, and asked for seconds. She’ll need persuading.
So why resist? It’s not only about basic human rights for people who fled misery to get here. Our immigrant neighbors have also boosted the local economy with their brains, commitment and labor. Let’s give them a hand.
Susan Manuel
on behalf of Woodstock Immigrant Support
Woodstock
Don’t jump the gun
Poor planning for Andy Lee Field in Woodstock.
A properly written survey needs to be sent (via postal service) to every resident and taxpayer.
Do the majority of taxpayers want to foot the bill? How many taxpayers and residents will be using all the facilities? Isn’t this for outsiders to come and use our facilities for free, spend no money at the shops or restaurants and then go back to their homes? These plans are outlandish and not necessary.
How many seniors use the community center and what would they like improved? They would probably rather have an emergency walk-in clinic instead of having to drive to Saugerties, Kingston, or the Town of Ulster — in lieu of a huge overhaul and an increase to their taxes.
How much more will the insurance be? Who will maintain the facilities, new hires? Lifeguards? And numerous other costs for which no one is discussing.
The few who live here, who would actually use the facility, would be happy with a few upgrades. And of those I have spoken with are more concerned with keeping Andy Lee Field a “FIELD.”
How many youths at the Youth Center actually live in Woodstock? How many are from out of town?
How many youths participate in the summer program? How many are residents and how many are non-residents?
The committee states “to bring more families to town” — where will these families live? Our natural resources are already threatened so how many more people can we sustain? Young families only move to areas where jobs are in abundance, where are the jobs? Families move to areas because of the schools — with the discussion of no town elementary school why would they move here?
This plan has not been well thought-out from all sides and is being rushed through.
Natalie Cyr
Woodstock
Preserve the natural and precious environment
We live beside a natural field, an open space, where wildlife thrives. It’s a beautiful sight. It was threatened to become 100 acres of solar panels, but the company withdrew.
This need not be another issue of polarization – those for and against solar. All we are saying is let’s encourage solar in places already devoid of nature – paved over, industrial zones, etc.
As presented in a recent letter, we have the choices. And the right thing to do is preserve the natural and precious environment.
The great Vietnamese teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, would say about the war, “We bombed the village to save it.”
Joan Monastero
Saugerties
Join the family! 
