Letters to the editor: September 18, 2024 (debate, gun violence, new climate normal and more)

The views and opinions expressed in our letters section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Hudson Valley One. Submit a letter to the editor at deb@hudsonvalleyone.com.

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Faux debate

Of course, it appeared as if Harris won the debate.  The bar and expectations were so low for her that she survived the night simply by not spewing any of her infamous word salads.

We’ve always known that debates are between two people who answer questions and explain their views and plans, in detail, and moderated by a person who remains neutral and objective.  However, none of this actually happened.  In this “debate,” three people were debating Trump.  These “objective moderators” were anything but.  They grilled and fact-checked Trump on a number of occasions, even one when Ms. Davis was dead wrong on her slip shod “fact check.”  Yet, Harris uttered five significant lies, two of which were debunked quite some time ago (the bloodbath and Charlottesville nonsense), and the two heavily biased moderators refused to fact-check Harris on ANY of her lies!

Then, to no one’s surprise, Harris didn’t answer even one question directly, honestly, or intelligently … the classic one being “are we better off now than four years ago?”  This easy yes or no question would not stump any person possessing a conscience, morals, or an upstanding character.  What was her answer? … “My plan is one of an ‘opportunity economy’,” then spinning into “I was raised as a middle-class kid and my mother worked hard … yada, yada, yada.”  When asked about the absurd cowardly Afghanistan withdrawal unnecessarily costing 13 U.S. soldier’s lives, she said she didn’t regret her choice to rubber stamp the fiasco, while accepting no responsibility or expressing any remorse.

When Harris was asked, “why did you wait until six months before the election to address the border,” her immediate non-answer went right into her repeated bragging about how, as California AG, she was the only one to prosecute transnational criminals.  That was more than seven years ago and has absolutely nothing to do with answering the question or addressing today’s real problems.

The day after the debate, she graced a local Philadelphia reporter with her first solo interview following Biden being thrown under the bus.  He asked Harris “what are your specific plans to reduce all costs for Americans?”  Her brilliant reply? … again “I was raised as a middle-class kid, my mother worked hard, and we lived in a community that was proud of their neighborhood and lawns!”

Suffice it to say, the issues most important to everyday people — inflation, the economy, prices, crime, the border — have the people saying that Trump is much more equipped to handle them than Harris, by a long shot.

John N. Butz
Modena

A compliment or

A response to a statement on Facebook was: “Bill McKenna is much more like our own Tim Walz!” In case you did not know, Tim Walz is Kamala Harris’ choice for vice president and according to numerous news outlets, he misconstrues facts. Based upon McKenna’s responses to, among other issues, the town’s water problem and the pollution on Shady Lane that might explain the “much more like.”

Howard Harris
Woodstock

Support congressman Pat Ryan in ending gun violence

The facts are stark.

Monday, September 9: At least seven counties in Kentucky were locked down after the third day of a manhunt for a shooter who seriously wounded five people driving on an interstate highway, apparently with an AR-15. The suspect had purchased the rifle and 1000 rounds legally on Saturday morning. Many schools were closed due to concern for children’s safety.

Friday, September 6: A 16-year-old fatally shot a 15-year-old schoolmate in a bathroom in Joppatowne High School in Harford County, Maryland. The sheriff reported that “we’ve had more than ten incidents since 2022 where the suspect was either the victim, witness or the suspect.”

Wednesday, September 4: A 14-year-old fatally shot two schoolmates and two teachers, wounding nine others, with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle at Appalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. The shooter is in custody. Police have arrested his father on charges of murder and manslaughter. The boy had been interviewed by the FBI a year earlier for having made online threats but did not find enough evidence to take further action. While the family is clearly beset by personal, economic and social problems, understanding this will never bring back the dead, who are irreplaceable.

The epidemic of gun violence must stop. As a parent, I cannot imagine a worse phone call than to learn my children had been shot and killed at school, the ultimate safe space, or anywhere else.

Congressman and army veteran Pat Ryan has cosponsored legislation to ban assault weapons, require safe storage of firearms at home, require effective background checks and enhance federal laws that prohibit dangerous individuals from purchasing or possessing firearms.

His opponent in the 18th Congressional District race is Republican Alison Esposito. Her campaign website says nothing about the epidemic of gun violence. That’s both because she has no answers and because the Republican Party is in the pocket of the gun industry.

Election Day is coming. Vote to re-elect Pat Ryan. Support the Blue Wave down the line, and gift Kamala Harris with a Democratic House and Senate. Let’s create an America for all Americans.

When we fight, we win!

William Weinstein
New Paltz

Housing market filtering theory and competitive universities

Imagine New Paltz if the university was shrinking dramatically or closing? There is a proposal before the village planning board to build approx 250 new residential units south of, and contiguous with, the campus. The project includes a combination of one-bed units, two-bed units and many four-bed units. The developer has said they plan to market to students, but legally anyone could apply to live there.

The project will be subject to the village’s affordable housing law, meaning 15% of its ~250 units will be required to be affordable. See Village of New Paltz law §132-4 “Income Eligibility.”

It is commonly believed that “adding housing at different price points helps with affordability by increasing the overall housing supply and allowing more people to find options that fit their income level, especially when combined with policies that support affordable housing.” This “filtering” or “migration chain” theory has been studied and reported on globally in the US, Sweden, Finland, etc.

Some who are critical of the current proposal to build south of campus off NYS Route 32 wish the developer was not marketing units to university students.

The internet includes numerous articles about the nationwide crisis involving public and nonprofit colleges and universities closing, merging, or shrinking their program offerings.

A 2024 article from the The Hechinger Report included: “About one university or college per week so far this year, on average, has announced that it will close or merge. That’s up from a little more than two a month last year, according to the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association.”

NYS is not immune and the statewide SUNY system is facing significant financial shortfalls.

There is no question that a vibrant SUNY New Paltz is vitally important for area businesses, employment opportunities and New Paltz’s overall community character and welfare.

The planning board is responsible for reviewing this land-use application and the village board will ensure fair contributions for our community are made, like help towards sewer system upgrades, since the developer will be seeking annexation.

This current proposal for ~250 new units, unlike 2014’s similarly-sized multi-family complex called Park Point, is not pursuing a PILOT. A PILOT would have adversely impacted our community, as was determined by my planning board colleagues and me in our planning board’s 2014 findings statement.

Imagine if there weren’t entrepreneurs wanting to build housing to market to university students because they were worried about SUNY New Paltz’s future? Maybe we would become more like Woodstock? We might have fewer young people, fewer people overall and more second homes than we do now. Which upstate NY community would you compare New Paltz to if SUNY New Paltz shrunk or vanished?

Mayor Tim Rogers
New Paltz

Is the Wallkill Valley Land Trust missing the point of the bridge vandalism?

The purpose of this letter is to offer an alternative perspective for the recent vandalism on the rail trail bridge at the end of Plains Road in New Paltz. Vandalism at its core is unacceptable.  In this case, however, I suspect that this vandalism was used in the hopes of expressing a message, and not for the purpose of destroying public property.  The Wallkill Valley Land Trust (WVLT) opinion of the bridge vandalism, as per their recent notice located on the bridge, is that the vandalism is nothing more than willful destruction of public property. However, I feel that the WVLT may be missing the message behind the vandalism.  The message is a plea that the present wood railing highly distracts from this bridge’s beautiful and contemplative view. As someone who morns the loss of this exceptional view, I would like to offer a possible solution. I would like to suggest a modification that would restore the view and not compromise user safety. It would seem much more agreeable to the public that morns the loss of this view, that the length of the top wooden railing on the west side of the bridge be replaced with strong plexiglass or a strong steel cable to both restore the view and be in compliance with safety standards. Therefore, I implore the Wallkill Valley Land Trust to consider this solution for future remedies to maintain the beauty of our natural landscape.

Albert White
New Paltz

Effn insane swirled ‘round n ‘round in my conscious thoughts

I wish that God could administer a seriously painful moment to every public official who uses the phrase “thoughts and prayers.”

This demagoguery of sleazy notions — it’s hard not to “hate ‘em” for that phrase. Also, when reacting, there’s an implied “effing” in there somewhere to these asshole do-nothing legislators. “I don’t know what word in the English language — I can’t find one — that applies to people who are willing to sacrifice the literal existence of organized human life so they can put a few more dollars into highly overstuffed pockets. The word “evil” doesn’t begin to approach it” — Noam Chomsky.

The broadcast blared. A spectral voice offered menace coupled with overpowering gloom. Gunfire was implied over the obscene and garish TV landscape. It was as if a terrible burden had fallen over the victims. Again, they were lied to, believing what they were told. And that was, the children would be safe. Students and staff are dead and it’s like pulling teeth for even a modicum of measures to maybe prevent this outcome. Jeezus, what is wrong with these Republican-elected officials? There are absolutely zero excuses. Both political sides must sit down and come up with a compromise that will save lives. Anything less is unacceptable.

A good old-fashioned, Old Testament smiting is in order, to my way of thinking. “Thoughts and bzzt. Ouch! Thoughts and bzzt. Ouch! Thoughts and bzzt. It’d take a few tries for some of them to stop triggering the electrical shock, probably.

“Stop the murderous GOP!” I am tired of our citizens whether they are adults or our baby’s being gunned down by weapons of war. We as a nation choose to live this way. Or, we have allowed these corrupt, repulsive elected officials to choose for us. And they are the usual suspects. Republicans with high grades and campaign donations by the NRA. Every elected Republican who doesn’t support gun safety must be voted out of office at our first opportunity.

Neil Jarmel
West Hurley

Ballad of a deposed POTUS

 The anticipated debate is over and Donald Trump allowed VP Harris to get under his skin and — despite Kamala’s failure to directly answer most of the questions from the moderators and her having embraced the endorsements of “war criminal” Dick Cheney and his like-minded daughter, Liz — the overwhelming perception (to the great relief of TDS twins Jarmel and Cherwin) is that Harris “won” the contest. However, it should be noted that the reason Kamala attained her lofty debate position in the first place was because Joe Biden informed the public that he would only end his bid for a second term, if he received a direct message from “The Almighty” to do so. Since, apparently, this message was received by Joe, it’s time to consider how “T.A.” pulled this communication miracle off. With this in view, the following parody of Bob Dylan’s “Ballad of a Thin Man” attempts to show that “The Almighty works in mysterious ways his communication wonders to perform.” (Note to reader: Since CNN’s coverage of RFK Jr’s. presser, announcing his support for Trump, ended abruptly when he began to criticize the Biden administration and the biases of the media; the reader should imagine RFK Jr. singing this to Barack Obama.)

(Stanza)

You walked into the room your cell phone in your…hand

You’re reading a text by a worried, frightened fan

She ridicules Joe Biden; you type “You must…understand;

I’m as troubled as you are” as you drop your new cell…phone

‘Cos the debate just happened and Joe’s been exposed:

 And you know his cover…has been blown

(Stanza)

Now Joe gave an interview to prove the debate was just a “bad night”

But the way he answered questions made your chest get very tight

You hoped that he’d shut up ‘cos your head was getting light

and you thought: “it’s so embarrassing I feel like I’ve been bulldozed”

‘Cos you know something must happen and this is what it is:

Joe has to be…be deposed

(Stanza)

When, the interview was over you couldn’t leave what you saw…behind

‘Cos all hopes of a restored legacy vanished from your…mind

Your fears of what’s ahead made you think something…unkind:

“Joe should be placed in an old age home”

‘Cos something must happen and you know just what it is: Joe must be…overthrown 

(Bridge)

You made contacts with Joe’s donors to gather facts

to find out if his decline was all in your…imagination

But those folks said “with all due respect: 

we just ripped up our checks for Joe’s tax-deductible po-lit-i-cal organization”

(Stanza)

A-a-a-h, you’ve been with college students who’ve read both your…books

with great chefs you’ve discussed gangsters who were…cooks

You’ve talked of songs that have the…very best…hooks

You wish that you were less well…known

‘Because, something has to happen and you know what it is…Joe: must be…overthrown 

(Stanza)

We-e-ell…Pelosi came to you and clicked her high…heels

And then she said “I prayed and The Almighty told me how he…feels”

She denied she’d come to make some crass political…deals

as she said “It’s time Joe paid back all his…loans:

We’ve got to make something happen and The Almighty told me just what it is: 

We’ve got to tell Joe he’s been…deposed”

(Stanza)

You’re at the Convention and it’s nomination time…

You’re feeling naked and wish you were a street performing…mime

You’re introduced and then you read your very first…line

“Let’s help Kamala win” while wishing you were dining 

with Emmanuel Macron

‘Cos the worst thing is happening and you just hate what it is: 

You’re helping Kamala gain…the throne

George Civile
Gardiner

Adjusting to this new climate normal

Mudslides in Vermont, roads washed away by catastrophic flooding in Connecticut, wildfires in the west and in Canada (as well as closer to home), record-breaking heat across the country causing schools to close. This summer has brought home the reality that these extreme weather events are now, unfortunately, the norm. Here in the Hudson Valley, we all are having to adjust to this new climate normal as best we can. 

One major step in building community capacity to meet these challenges has been the establishment of cooling centers to combat extreme temperatures in our neighborhoods. There is another challenge, however, when providing this shelter, as we are now experiencing increased bad air quality events due to wildfires, urban air pollution and locally generated wood smoke at the same time as high heat events. This means that we now need to be able to protect ourselves from bad air quality and heat by sheltering in spaces that are both air conditioned and have clean air — because room air conditioners do not filter out air pollution — and by limiting exertion and outdoor activities.

Many of us do not have the advantage of central air conditioning or air purifiers that would make our homes safe to shelter in when air quality is bad. Sheltering in place during bad air events (closing windows and doors) is not possible for many residents of the Hudson Valley, either because they live in homes and apartments that already contain high levels of indoor air pollutants and/or rely on the outdoor air to cool their homes. At HVAQ, we think this means we must also provide clean air centers (or maintain cooling centers with clean air that remain open for use during bad air events) for our community to stay safe and healthy as we navigate our new climate normal. 

 The dangers of high particulate matter (PM 2.5) counts are serious, not unlike the dangers of extreme heat exposure. It is especially important to note that the air does not need to be visibly compromised, i.e., sickly orange, for pollution to pose a serious threat. If you smell smoke, you are at risk! High or chronic fine particulate matter exposures can be life-threatening because they are known to lead to cardiac events and premature deaths. The World Health Organization states there is no safe level of exposure to PM 2.5. 

Hudson Valley Air Quality Coalition members recognize the dangers of exposure to poor air quality and see the need for local authorities to act to protect residents’ health. Recommendations include:

• Educate residents about the risks of poor air quality and raise awareness of the existence of real-time, local air quality monitoring that people can view through the Bard Center for Environmental Sciences and Humanities: https://cesh.bard.edu/data/.

• Provide climate shelters that provide both heat relief and clean air on poor outdoor air quality days.

• Where residents live in densely populated areas, such as in the City of Kingston, ban wood burning within city limits, as residents cannot protect themselves from smoke inside their own homes and yards, and this is a matter of public health. In addition, local wood burning contributes to global warming and increases the incidence of extreme weather events. 

Eli Dueker, Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies, Bard College

Lorraine Farina
Co-founders of Hudson Valley Air Quality Coalition

F — The future regarding our present benefit state, #4

If Trump is re-elected again and if the Congress goes Republican majorities, then it is certain that Project 2025 will be put into play. That’s a big if though, especially since Biden dropped out and placed Kamala Harris as fulfilling the presidency until the election. Let’s get back to the present situation.

Donald Trump, in his four years, has appointed a large number of federal appointees to the federal judiciary. This, one can believe and accept, are all conservative, given Trump’s belief and support from the GOP party almost to a man. In others words, I don’t see him appointing men of a liberal or socialistic background not supported by Congress. And I believe that his appointments are white men, with limited minority appointments, if any. Again, his statements, previously made, “why don’t white people immigrate to the United States?” “ Why do we get all those people from s*** h***countries?” His comments regarding the border, rapists, criminals’ ,low lifes, crossing over, increasing the crime rate, don’t leave anything to the imagination either. The Biden administration had a bi-partisan bill regarding the border crisis, but Trump disallowed it?” He is an ex POTUS , a convicted criminal in an American court of law, with no official standing, but yet the GOP supported and supports his stance. He wants the glory to say the rapists, criminals and low life will be addressed in his term. This is an emotional topic with the American people, particularly the southern border states. It is an emotional election topic and he wants it as his own. Why?

The secret to my benefits, your benefits, is the supreme court decision of 1960. Let’s re-visit this once again. Arthur Flemming, secretary of health, education and welfare denied Ephram Nestor, an alien who was going to be deported, as it was believed he was a communist. The federal agency denied him his benefits that he had accumulated for a number of years he paid for working here in this country. His lawsuit went to SCOTUS, which stated Nestor does not have a contractual right for his benefits. The federal court/agency could not regulate or stipulate. Only Congress has the right to regulate, revise, amend Social Security. This means Congress, therefore, has the right to regulate, revise, amend my benefits, Social Security and Medicare! Oh, sorry, your Social Security and Medicare also.

But as was mentioned previously, for 89 years, various administrations, the checks and balances of our government, has prevented a butchering of these programs of long standing. This means that either one party or both parties have refused to go along with any attempt to demolish, amend, revise our benefits. And in addition, there was also the third branch of our government: the executive branch who could and would, (Reagan and Tip O’Neil) buck the trend. In other words, the checks and balances worked. Not now. It is different. Why is it different? Stay tuned to the next letters forthcoming and I will explain.

Robert LaPolt
New Paltz 

Criminal support ticket

That Harris/Walz ticket is just outstanding. I saw it pointed out that they harmonized in 2020 during the George Floyd riots. Walz let Minneapolis burn at the start of the riots. Then Harris tweeted calling for donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund so they could bail out the rioters. Like a shot and a chaser.

Harris did get an endorsement from someone who sings about her bad choices, Taylor Swift. Just like in her songs, she’ll regret this.

Tom McGee
Gardiner

It’s really that simple

Josh Riley is fighting for a seat in Congress against the Republican, Molinaro. It should be straightforward. Josh favors a woman’s right to make her own health-care decisions. Molinaro has received a 100% rating from National Right to Life which opposes abortion even in cases of rape or incest.

Josh works to protect Social Security, Medicare and Affordable Care. Molinaro has aligned himself with arch conservatives in Congress to cut funding for these earned benefits.

For those who want to protect the natural beauty of the Catskills and the Hudson Valley, it should be easy-peasy to support Josh who is endorsed by Sierra Club. Molinaro has co-sponsored anti-environmental legislation with Lauren Boebert.

Molinaro’s wives are both nurses; Josh Riley is endorsed by NY State Nurses and Nurses of America.

Josh rejects corporate PAC funds.

What complicates it? The Weasel Factor. Weasel: “a sneaky, untrustworthy, insincere person.” Mole-inaro has burrowed into MAGA world with the likes of Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Green. He’s weasel-like in trying to be something he is not.

Molinaro weaselly promises he would restore women’s abortion rights. But he opposed the Reproductive Health Act in NY, blocked the Women’s Health Protection Act in Congress, and voted to make it harder for military women to get reproductive healthcare. “I’m pro-choice; he’s anti-choice,” Josh Riley says, “It’s really that simple.”

Molinaro votes “Present Not Voting” on controversial issues to avoid seeming to vote in lockstep with the MAGA crowd.

Molinaro claims he supports seniors, but he gets a mere 10% rating from The Alliance for Retired Americans and votes against seniors alongside extreme right-wing zealots. He wins the Weasel Award for promising one thing and voting for another.

On November 5, vote for Josh Riley to rebuild the middle class, protect women’s rights and fight corruption.

Dee Peterson
Shokan

Waste

Waste is something that I define as subtracting from a good life. Going to school and getting a lousy education is waste. Becoming an alcoholic is waste; being raised in a drug-filled home is waste. So are the well-intentioned government programs that we are told create benefits but don’t work.

UCAT, and its equivalent in Dutchess, and the loop buses in New Paltz are waste, (and big polluters). For the past eight years I have made a study of the ridership of these well-intentioned, unkillable gas/diesel guzzlers and one thing is very obvious: they are empty. No, not zero ridership you GD do-gooders, but they never have more than a couple of riders. And they are huge!

Add to this waste, how does a cripple like me get to one of their ‘stops’? to get on? And then how do I get from their stops to my destination?

These are politician’s feel-good, look-good, do-nothing wastes of money.

When I need a ride, taxis and Uber drivers pick me up in my driveway and take me to my exact destinations on my life schedule. As we move along, we don’t choke up traffic with our stops…where often not one soul gets on or off. The UCAT driver stops because he is trained to stop.

It does nothing for the many of us who actually need help. And our local government does nothing to stop this waste and provide those without cars in our society with the logical alternative: low cost taxi rides.

Call them Cab Credits, like SNAP (previously food stamps).

Paul Raymond
New Paltz

Kamala never mentions the end of the Ukraine War

Kamala never mentions the end goal and ceasefire terms for the Ukraine War. Maybe she doesn’t want the war to end, or she is told by arms merchants to keep the war going forever. She seems oblivious to Russia’s nuclear weapons. She may not care, but we citizens worry that the US will be drawn into an escalating nuclear war with Russia.

Trump’s promise and ability to end the Ukraine-Russia War quickly is alone enough for RFK, Jr. to support Trump. The Ukraine War’s 500,000 Ukrainian deaths, 100,000 Russian deaths, billions of wasted USA dollars and the threat of a nuclear war are enough reasons to support Trump to stop this Ukrainian tragedy.

Ralph Mitchell
Kingston

Without compassion, no solution will be humane 

There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in George Civile and John Butz’s philosophy, so I don’t expect them to recognize the complexities that challenge and — in George’s words, meant mockingly — “anguish” thoughtful, compassionate people.

Pope Francis recently said: “Be it the one who kicks out migrants or the one who supports killing babies, both are against life.” In the Bible, we are told: “Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner….Love them as much as you love yourself.” But George and John, in observing the overwhelming numbers of dark-skinned foreigners fleeing horrors in their homelands and seeking a safe haven in historically-welcoming-to-the-stranger America, see only threats — most recently, thanks to their susceptibility to Trump and Vance’s constant fear-mongering, to our cats and dogs.

I have never heard a whisper of sympathy, let alone “love,” tendered toward immigrants from any of these men. I don’t know what the solution to the dismaying math of mass migration is — who does? — but without compassion, no solution will be humane. I trust Kamala’s and Gus’s expressions of compassion, but I don’t trust George, John, Donald, or JD, who seemingly lack any measure of that capacity, to know how to recognize it.

Then there’s abortion. I’m pro-choice, but recognize it’s a no-win, complicated, heartbreaking dilemma. For pro-lifers like Pope Francis, whom I respect, the matter is simpler. For John and George, the matter is simpler still, as indeed every issue is in their black-and-white world: e.g., the high cost of things — Biden’s (and Kamala’s) fault; immigration — ditto. In fact, everything is the Democrats’ fault, and Trump and Vance are well-intentioned, trustworthy men.

Not. Donald Trump is dangerously damaged, and to fail to recognize this — to vote for him! — is more dangerous still. JD Vance, seemingly driven by conscience-free ambition, is prone to cruel disparagements and to flip-flops more acrobatic than John and George “credit” Kamala with.

Astoundingly, Trump told himself and all who’d listen that he won the debate! Equally astoundingly, John and George may return to feedback next week defending that delusion, claiming (in true Trump style) that I’ve unfairly maligned them and blaming it on — in John’s words — my “unbalanced and out-of-control Trump hatred” and promising that Trump-Vance is the ticket.

But I’ll be around too, urging thoughtful, compassionate people to do all they can to make sure that on November 5, America doesn’t punch that ticket.

Tom Cherwin
Saugerties

Dark Navigations 

If we were blind

it wouldn’t matter:

these mismatched socks.

If we were blind

we wouldn’t see them:

the variegated colors

to human skin like

flowers in a garden.

If we were blind

we wouldn’t see

the hair lip, the receding

hair line, the glass half

empty, the night not over.

We wouldn’t make false

claims like: It’s a pleasure

to see you. If we were blind

there’d be truth in our dark

navigations. We’d learn

to live with rubble, stubble

and peeve.

Patrick Hammer, Jr.
Saugerties

Elting Memorial Library Fair will take place on September 28

The world-famous Elting Memorial Library Fair is coming to town!  More books, CDs, DVDs, LPs than ever.  Envy-inducing raffle prizes, including a two-night midweek stay for two at Mohonk  Mountain House.  Children’s activities throughout the day.  Toe-tapping music featuring some of the best local performers.  Food that will make your mouth water.  Beautiful toys, plants, jewelry and more.  All at very friendly prices.  Best of all, a chance to have a great time connecting with neighbors and friends while supporting New Paltz’s gem of a public library.

The fair will take place on Saturday, September 28, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Admission is free, except early birds may enter at 8 a.m. for $10 cash to get first pick of the book tent’s 30,000 volumes.  The book and toy tents will be open again on Sunday, September 29, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with everything marked at half price.  We hope to see you there!

Chris Watkins, Library fair chair
New Paltz

Read on

I read myself to sleep, and seven hours later, read myself awake.

Sparrow
Phoenicia

Too little too late by Woodstock supervisor

In the April 26, 2023 HV1 edition, Woodstock Town Supervisor Bill McKenna disputed any claim that Woodstock s drinking water was in any danger due to the 200 truckloads of contaminated waste that had been dumped at 10 Church Road in Shady. In previous HV1 editions, the supervisor had said that, “It was irresponsible for anyone to say that the town’s drinking water was in danger due to the dumped waste.” In a separate HV1 article, the supervisor doubled down on his belief stating that any toxins present in the contaminated fill at the 10 Church Road address would be filtered out before actually reaching Woodstock’s drinking water aquifer below.

The supervisor even went as far as obtaining a letter from the NY Department of Environmental Conservation just a couple of days before the June 2023 election for town supervisor. The DEC letter rubber stamped his opinion that the contaminated waste was no threat to the Woodstock aquifer. The supervisor’s opinion went contrary to three independent experienced hydrologist’s opinions. Paul Rubin, Jim McIver and John Conrad, all expert hydrologists, had in the preceeding years advised the supervisor that the dumped waste at 10 Church Road needed to be removed in its entirety and if it wasn’t, it would just be a matter of time before our drinking water aquifer, which supplied all public and private well water in Woodstock and surround, would be contaminated with toxins that had already been found in the dumped waste. 

Now fast forward 16 months from April 26, 2023 and that faithful date when the Woodstock supervisor against all available professional hydrological advice claimed in this newspaper that “our drinking water is not in any danger due to the dumping of the contaminated waste at Shady. And recently, on July 12, 2024, the Woodstock supervisor along with town board member Anula Courtis penned a letter to the NY Attorney General. In the letter, the supervisor requested financial help to clean up the Shady dump because the waste dumped there “could impact the town aquifer.” The bad news is that it’s been over four years since the waste was dumped and if the attorney general was to decide to help, it would probably take another four years, maybe more, for that decision to come to fruition. In the meantime, Woodstock s drinking water has recently been found to have levels of PFAS chemicals otherwise known as forever chemicals at higher than those recommended by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. Source testing is not easy and it has not yet been proven that the PFAS found in our drinking water comes from the 10 Church Road property and what’s become known as the Shady dump.

When a town supervisor takes four years and eight months before finally taking the advice of water experts having over 100 years of experience between them in the field of hydrology. And when that advice is in connection with his constituent’s drinking water. And when not taking that advice means risking the health and well-being of all, it is high time for that town supervisor to consider resigning his post.

Chris Finlay
Woodstock

No, I don’t know where the no’s have gone, Part 2

The word “no” has become a ghost, fading like the last light of day slipping below the horizon. Both parties, in their dance of “yes” and “no,” are complicit in the grand misdirection of resources, siphoning money away from those who need it most to fill the coffers of those who already have more than enough. It is a betrayal, a sleight of hand that leaves the most vulnerable with empty hands and hollow promises. The struggle between “yes” and “no” is no less profound in our personal lives. Imagine treating our relationships with the same disregard for honesty and integrity our politicians show us. Marriages would crumble, friendships would fracture, families would splinter into shards too sharp to mend.

The word game we play with each other is not so different from the one played on the grand stage of politics. It is a game of shadows and mirrors, where truth is bent to fit the shape of our desires and trust is the currency most easily spent. Yes, dear reader, this is a word game played by attorneys, news anchors, academics and campaign managers. Their words are: Weapons. We were cutting through the fabric of our society and redirecting our resources. It is eroding our faith in the very institutions that claim to serve us. Without a sincere dialogue of “yes” and “no” between the government and its people, the same fractures appear in our personal and professional lives. This disconnect breeds a culture of mistrust, where “no” is feared, “yes” is demanded, and the space between them is filled with confusion, disillusionment and a loss of the very qualities — discipline, patience, tolerance, confidence and creativity — that democracy claims to uphold. Historically, the powerful have always sought to divide us, to keep us scrambling for scraps while they feast at the table of abundance. They ignore the simple truth that if wealth were shared, even in the tiniest fraction, there would be enough for all to live with dignity. “Yes, this is the truth we all know,” but it is a truth we are too often encouraged to forget, buried beneath the endless cacophony of “no” and “yes” that drown out our collective voices.

Larry Winters
New Paltz