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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.
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Thanks from the Mill Brook Preserve
On behalf of the board of directors, the Mill Brook Preserve would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who supported our fifth annual raffle fundraiser. We would especially like to thank our generous sponsors who made the raffle a success, including: Gadaleto’s Seafood Market and Restaurant, Handmade and More, The Hudson House Distillery, Inquiring Minds Bookstore, The Lemon Squeeze, Little Loaf Bakeshop, Manny’s Art Supplies, Mohonk Mountain House, Mohonk Preserve Passes, Newburgh Veterinary Hospital, Pegasus Shoes, John R. Kirk Planetarium at SUNY New Paltz, Red Maple Vineyard, Second Chance Refillery and Verde and Cocoon.
In addition to making trail improvements that ensure visitor safety, the Mill Brook Preserve is pleased to further our commitment to providing free educational programming to Duzine students, facilitating student research projects, restoring habitat for wildlife and much more. Thank you for enabling this work to continue!
Jenny Hayward
New Paltz
No support for the Winston Farm project
No, no and no. I will not be supporting Winston Farm project and “the numerous benefits it will bring.”
This is BS and the “modifications” to “enhance the community” are of no benefit to Saugerties, except to commodify and bring the circus that comes with it.
Once we destroy this parcel of life-giving land, the soil, the water, the trees; it will all be gone forever.
It cannot be replaced by housing and recreation for people looking to spend their money and an afternoon visiting what used to be the beauty they came to find.
Please let this wonder of nature and the gifts it provides, to remain untouched by human need and bring continued joy to our community.
Thank you for your attention.
Susan Towlson
Saugerties
Hudson Valley’s health divide: Challenges in our community
The new Surgeon General’s report highlights disparities in tobacco use, an issue relevant to the Hudson Valley. While New York has reduced smoking rates to 11.3% statewide, tobacco use is still related to 30,000 deaths per year in New York, and certain groups in our community are facing bigger challenges when it comes to tobacco use.
In New York: 18.4% of adults earning less than $25,000 a year smoke, 18.4% of adults with a mental health diagnosis smoke, 18% of adults who didn’t finish high school smoke and 17.5% of adults on Medicaid smoke.
These statistics reveal the connection between tobacco use and income, education and healthcare access. The tobacco industry’s targeted marketing, especially of menthol cigarettes, contributes to these disparities. The tobacco industry aggressively markets its deadly products to specific people, including members of the black community, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) communities, women, youth and people living in urban and lower-income communities. The Hudson Valley faces slightly higher smoking rates compared to New York City. Menthol cigarette use is particularly concerning, with 49% of adults who smoke in New York State using them. Usage is highest among black or African American (88%) and Hispanic (70%) adults who smoke.
This means our friends, family and neighbors are at greater risk for smoking-related health problems. Other communities have addressed these issues by: Creating tailored cessation programs, making sure help to quit is easy to find and protecting people against secondhand smoke.
Every Hudson Valley resident deserves a chance to live a healthy life, free from tobacco’s harms. Let’s use this information to build a healthier community for all.
If you or a person you know wants to quit smoking, call: 1-866-NY QUITS (1-866-697-8487) or visit www.NYSmokefree.com.
Khushbu Upadhyay
Center for a Tobacco-Free Hudson Valley/American Lung Association
Greetings
I would like to wish a joyous and healthy holiday season to the members of the Woodstock Bulletin Board New York, and to Fredo and all the members of my Fan Club, a thank you for their continuous motivating responses to my posts.
Howard Harris
Woodstock
Thanks from the New Paltz Rural Cemetery board of trustees
The board of trustees of the New Paltz Rural Cemetery would like to thank all who attended and participated in our Wreaths Across America event last Saturday. The cemetery was filled with young and old placing holiday wreaths on 1065 veteran’s graves. Cindy Dates and Kathy Mironchik again led the fundraising for this event and deserve much praise for their efforts. Kudos to Chris Nadareski for releasing two rehabilitated falcons back into the wild during the event, and also organizing a “cemetery clean-up day” in September. Pattie Steffens should be recognized for her efforts in putting together another successful Day of Remembrance held in November.
At this time, we also would like to give thanks to our hardworking staff, who help many loved ones at their time of need with dignity and thoughtfulness. Due to their diligence, the cemetery has never looked more beautiful.
We are also proud to announce that the cemetery has a received a grant from the Nyquist family to restore three Revolutionary War soldiers’ headstones who were originally buried in small family burial grounds and moved to New Paltz Rural many years ago. These headstones have been in storage and will be restored to their respective plots this spring in preparation of the semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) of the American Revolution in 2026.
Happy Holidays!
Carol Johnson, Secretary
New Paltz Rural Cemetery’s Board of Trustees
Entropy and the seeds of renewal
The world feels like it’s unraveling. Decisions about our collective future are concentrated in the hands of fewer and fewer people, while wealth accumulates astronomically for a select few. It’s tempting to see this as a sign of irreversible collapse — a system breaking under its weight. But what if this decay is part of the process? What if entropy, often misunderstood as chaos, clears the way for something new?
Entropy, rooted in the Greek word tropos, meaning “turning,” is not destruction but transformation. It’s the slow dismantling of rigid systems, making space for renewal. History is full of examples: the collapse of empires, the upheaval of revolutions and the rise of movements born from ashes. Each moment of unraveling was painful, yet necessary to pave the way for something different.
This process is not just collective — it’s personal. Entropy shapes our inner worlds, too. Relationships end, careers shift and identities evolve. We find the raw material to rebuild by dismantling what no longer serves us. As Carl Jung suggested, the collective unconscious holds a blueprint for transformation, uniting individual and societal renewal.
Today’s narrowing of influence and rising inequality feel like the end of something. But entropy reminds us that endings are not final. They are transitions, the soil in which seeds of change are planted. Like a wildfire clearing a forest, the collapse of old structures creates space for new growth.
I think of a friend who lost everything in a financial crash. At first, he fought against the collapse, but in time, he let go. Rediscovering his love for art, he rebuilt a life that, while different, was more authentic. “It wasn’t the life I wanted,” he said, “but it was the life I needed.”
As we face the weight of entropy’s hand on our world, we must remember this truth: within every ending lies the seed of a beginning. The systems crumbling around us are not the final chapter but the prelude to something unseen. If we embrace the process, we might find, like my friend, that the life we rebuild is what we’ve all needed.
Larry Winters
New Paltz
Good German
How does our great nation send billions in weaponry to a country that is committing the worst genocide of the 21st century? The slaughter of civilians is beyond any description. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been bombed, burned and starved to death. Tens of thousands more have been crushed beyond recognition under mountains of twisted concrete and ash. The children who have survived are almost unrecognizable in their rags and wasted bodies. They carry empty pots, looking for food and water amid the massive rubble. Amid the charnel house that is now Gaza.
Should I mention our two party, one genocide political system that pays for these horrors? Or the tens of millions that our weapons makers use to bribe our elected representatives? Or the even greater amounts that the Israel Lobby stuffs in each Congressional pocket? Or the Zionist media that helps us look the other way?
Or should I focus on you who have read this far? Yes, we have a system that only serves the rich, be they political leaders, weapons manufacturers, or billion dollar religious fanatics. Most people like you want to end the Israel/American genocide. Most can’t believe our national leaders are acting like members of another murderous regime that killed six million in their ovens. Is our political class criminally insane?
And am I absolved by writing this short letter? Or am I still that “good German” who knew something was happening, but did nothing to end the continuous slaughter of the innocents?
Fred Nagel
Rhinebeck
Sadly, they are accomplishing their goal
Elon Musk’s deep involvement in the bipartisan funding agreement, warning about the future of American politics as billionaires begin to interfere in political matters, raises concerns about the future of the United States. He owns every elected Republican in Congress
I know that some are making snide jokes and comments to let off steam, but this is no laughing matter. We need to listen to the few reasonable and sane politicians and follow their lead or we may never recover from this. Billionaires will be in control of your life, think about that, and you have just one.
After you buy a president aren’t you supposed to lay low for a while? Bottom-line: Of the billionaires, for the billionaires, by the billionaires.
Elon Musk’s power,
Influence reaches far.
Warning signs are clear.
Bipartisan deal,
Billionaires in control.
The future looks grim.
Politicians bought,
By the highest bidder now.
Where does it end?
American dream,
Slowly slipping away now.
Wake up, people, wake.
Musk’s deep involvement
In politics, a threat looms.
Will we ever learn?
Money talks so loud,
Billionaires have their say.
We must resist now.
Corruption runs deep,
In the veins of our nation.
Can we break free?
United we stand,
Against the tide of money.
Will we prevail?
We don’t want coal in our socks, we cannot be bound in their gold handcuffs/chains.
Happy Holidays y’all!
Neil Jarmel
West Hurley
Let’s bring Woodstock cheer back into our town offices
After reading Nick Henderson’s reporting of the recent town meeting I’m appalled at the disappearance of civil conduct and the ability to air dissent without rancor and open hostility. In my opinion whatever you might think about Bill McKenna, Bennet Ratcliff continues to bring nastiness, vengefulness and vitriol to every meeting. Nothing is being accomplished.
I, for one, would like to see Anna Womack run for town supervisor. Let’s bring Woodstock cheer back into our town offices.
Happy Holidays!
Linda Fisher
Woodstock
The right stuff
Is it Fascism yet?
Sparrow
Phoenicia
A hurtful letter
Reply to Chris Finlay’s letter:
1. Goebbels inspired Genocide against the Jewish people.
2. Netanyahu (with all his faults) is preventing Genocide by Iran and its proxies:
Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.
The comparison you made is not only incorrect; it is also hurtful.
Shame on you, Chris.
Carol Super Gold
Woodstock
Health risks from the use of artificial turf
There are major health and environmental concerns associated with the use of artificial turf as a sports surface. Aside from the increased cost, maintenance and incidence of injuries, the crumb rubber infill used with most artificial turf is known to contain over 300 chemicals that have been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as neuroendocrine and cancer-causing toxins with 52 classified as known, presumed or suspected carcinogens. Some of these chemicals include: Benzene — known human carcinogen, arsenic — known human carcinogen, cadmium — known human carcinogen, chromium — known human carcinogen, crystalline silicon — known human carcinogen, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons — suspected human carcinogen, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — suspected human carcinogen and zinc – neurotoxin phthalates — reproductive toxin.
Artificial turf is also known to absorb excessive heat and harbor infectious agents. Children are especially vulnerable to the toxic effects of these chemicals. While we can’t easily control exposure outside our school district, we should certainly not add to it. Many school districts are beginning to recognize these risks and are reverting to natural grass as they are doing in professional sports.
We should also consider the environmental impact on our air, food and water supply from the runoff of toxic chemicals and the hazards associated with the disposal of artificial turf. It is better to be safe rather than sorry and minimize exposing our student athletes as well as the community at large to the many toxic effects of artificial turf by voting NO for proposition 2.
Yvonne Posey
New Paltz
National anthems
Once upon a prouder time,
We wanted to substitute
“America the Beautiful”
For “The Star Spangled Banner”
(“And the rockets’ red glare,
The bombs bursting in air”:
Donald Trump’s “Fight!” cheer
Dolled up as a national anthem).
But then there fell upon our land
Election Day ’24, and when it was over
America no longer seemed beautiful.
Because what befell us but isn’t over—
Our future’s “bombs bursting in air”—
Is what America apparently wanted,
And perhaps what we even deserved:
The ravenous rich circling above us,
Atop dark clouds of carbon dioxide,
The weather the wealthy’s puppet,
Polluting our spacious skies,
Rotting our waves of grain,
Melting our mountain majesties,
Swamping our fruited plain—
Drowning our ode to America
(“O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!”),
Then defiling the washed-up corpse
Of our love song to our country
And tattooing it with a cruel jest
(“America, America!
God shed His grace on thee,
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free”).
Ha! Selfish gain is the banner itself.
Were we ever “America the Beautiful,”
Or is “the Ugly American” our true pedigree,
As we decree rapacious wolves our rulers,
Debase the sacred and deify the profane,
Desensitize ourselves to the uncaring,
Deflower our planet in an act of rape
And declare “Drill, Baby, Drill!”
Our new national anthem?
Tom Cherwin
Saugerties
Thank you, Mayor Rogers
I have been a longtime admirer of New Paltz Village Mayor Tim Rogers. Instead of wasting his time writing about the fact that we have a president who is a convicted felon or getting caught up in the pettiness of local politics, he has spent his time concentrating on issues that improve the lot of local citizens. He has had the foresight to work on projects involving the replacement 100-year-old sidewalks or upgrading the leaky ancient water pipes. He has worked cooperatively with the town officials to modernize our water meters and written grants requesting the funds needed to generally improve the town and village infrastructure. He has not hesitated to take on controversial issues, like town/village consolidation or bike paths that involve infringing on private property.
I am 82 years old and have lived in New Paltz since 1967. I have witnessed and read in the local newspaper about all sorts of petty political infighting. It is nice to have a political leader who recognizes the value of all of the people, who works hard every day for all of our benefit. He calls out the value of the local firemen, rescue squad staff and the village employees. Our local paper is half the size it used to be because the reporters and readers don’t have political intrigue to write and read about.
Thank you, Mayor Rogers, for always taking the moral high ground and working tirelessly to improve all of our lives.
David Miller
New Paltz
Will polygamy make America great again?
Growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah, I was aware of an odd neighborhood near a large municipal park. An entire square city block consisted of homes bordered by whitewashed cement walls — monotonous but tidy. I came to learn that the inhabitants were polygamous families, not exactly secret but apparently tolerated in the Mormon-dominated community that had long ago dispatched the practice.
This quirky enclave came to mind when I read about the purchase of a $35 million compound in Austin, Texas by Supersperm Elon Musk. (12 children, 3 mothers) https://nyti.ms/405pcKF. He apparently wants to house all of his children and two mothers in a couple of mansions there, a convenient walk from where Musk himself often resides in another mansion. To address his deep concern that worldwide de-population threatens humanity, he does his best to fight the danger.
Musk just might succeed in giving the planet a boost. Our co-president-elect last week flexed his muscle with a torrent of posts on X (his special baby) and cowed the United States Congress into defeating a bill that would keep the federal government running for three months. His effort turned out to be a misfire when a group of representatives and the public at large declared a preference to maintain the government and send the politicians home for the holidays.
Still, the world’s richest man showed he’s got a lot of power and a willingness to use it, whether or not voters in November chose to give it to him. Given his obsession about diminished populations, can we expect him to lobby on X for strict regulation of contraceptives, abortion bans, and — a bold move — relaxation of laws against polygamy? No need to shoot rockets to colonize Mars when we can do it right here.
Tom Denton
New Paltz
Join the family! 
