"Thus feeding his mind with many sweet thoughts and “sugared suppositions,” he journeyed along the sides of a range of hills which look out upon some of the goodliest scenes of the mighty Hudson. The sun gradually wheeled his broad disk down in the west. The wide bosom of the Tappan Zee lay motionless and glassy, excepting that here and there a gentle undulation waved and prolonged the blue shadow of the distant mountain. A few amber clouds floated in the sky, without a breath of air to move them. The horizon was of a fine golden tint, changing gradually into a pure apple green, and from that into the deep blue of the mid-heaven. A slanting ray lingered on the woody crests of the precipices that overhung some parts of the river, giving greater depth to the dark gray and purple of their rocky sides. A sloop was loitering in the distance, dropping slowly down with the tide, her sail hanging uselessly against the mast; and as the reflection of the sky gleamed along the still water, it seemed as if the vessel was suspended in the air." 

Get outside. Take a hike. And if you play with fireworks (which should be legal as far as I'm concerned) take care, be safe, don't drive drunk and hug someone you love.

Into the Future

Wednesday, July 8

Ribbon Cutting to Kick Off “Creek Week”

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY - A ribbon cutting event hosted by the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce will kick off of Dutchess Watershed Awareness Month and “Creek Week” on Wednesday, July 8 at 1:30 PM at Malcolm X Park on Mansion Street in the City of Poughkeepsie.  (In case of rain, then event will take place instead in the Catharine Street Community Center in Poughkeepsie.)  Youth participants in the Catharine Street summer program will then begin cleaning up Malcolm X Park as part of an “Creek Week” Adopt-A-Spot sponsored initiative. Afterwards, Jennifer Rubbo, Fall Kill Watershed Coordinator at Clearwater, will host a short education program on “Creek Critters” as part of the the Casperkill - Fall Kill “Creek Week.”

Other highlights of “Creek Week” include the unveiling of the “Reviving the Fall Kill – Creating Treasure from Trash” glass sculpture on Saturday, July 11th, 11 AM at the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum in Poughkeppsie, a marking of storm drains along the Main Street Corridor in Poughkeepsie on Thursday, July 9 at 10 AM, and several guided walks—along the Fall Kill in the City of Poughkeepsie on Thursday July 9; at Val-Kill in Hyde Park and at Maple Grove in the Town of Poughkeepsie on Friday, July 10; and a bird walk at Vassar Farms on Saturday, July 11.

For more information about the Casperkill- Fall Kill Creek Week contact Jennifer Rubbo at 845-454-7673 or jen@clearwater.org.

Saturday, July 11

Jeff's Annual Picnic and Garden Party at the Asylum - Everyone is Invited! 3PM - Onwards. Come celebrate the beauty of the highlands in western Kent. Rain or Shine! Bring some food for the pot luck and drink for the coolers, a blanket and/or some chairs, or just wear light, comfortable clothes and hang out on the grass in the field. We'll have plates and forks and knives and spoons and cups so you can leave those at home. Don't forget your sunscreen. There's afternoon shade near the edge of the forest so you can set up over there if you like. Last year the kids had a massive water fight to stay cool. No adults were harmed in the battle. When the sun goes down the fire-pit becomes the place for gathering and we'll be sure to have it blazing once it's dark enough for the after-party which ran until 6AM last year. What you could do: Bring along some friends, the extended family, the neighbors, your kids, the dogs... pretty much anything and anyone that walks or rolls. Bring your musical instruments, your talents and yes, even your accordions and kazoos. But be prepared to play them. If you're traveling from away or taste testing the barleycorn, bring your tent. There's plenty of room to camp. Handicap parking is available! More info and direction are here.

Sunday, July 12

Thursday, July 23

Hudson River Watershed Alliance

10AM - 3PM At this meeting, we will learn about the current activities of each watershed group and what new issues you are facing in your efforts.  In addition, we will collectively chart a course for organizing quarterly or semi annual watershed roundtable meetings. The goal of this meeting is to find new ways in which you can learn from one another and move your local watershed
efforts forward! In preparation, please consider these questions and be prepared to discuss your related activities:

1.  Since our last meeting (July 2008), what aspect of watershed planning protection has your group focused on?

2.  What challenges have you faced and how has your group addressed these issues?

3.   Is their mutual consent to commit to more frequent roundtable meetings?  If so, how should we structure these events?
 
Please RSVP by Thursday, July 16, to katy@hudsonwatershed.org or 845-486-1556.

Rather, what they should have done is used their political capitol and taken the hard road: The Quality in Education Act, (QEA) which would have shifted the burden of school funding from property taxes to a progressive graduated income tax. The end result would be that somewhere around 90% of property owners would see an actual and real decrease in their overall tax burden. But in order to pay for the QEA the state income tax rate would have to be broadened from a low of 2% to a high of 15% which would raise enough money to pay for education at the state level.

Right now, NY has an essentially flat tax rate running from 4% to around 8% (for earnings over $2 million!) where you reach the standard 6.85% at as little as $20,000 a year all the way up to the high six-figures, a system about as fair as property assessments done by a blind man. When we moved from the graduated income tax to the flat tax system we have now, the super-rich paid $8 billion LESS each year while the middle classes (that's most of us) had to make up the difference... and we have.

Over the past year I've worked with fellow Kent resident Vic Tiship to get the Kent Town Board and the Putnam County Legislature to pass non-binding resolutions (for the county it was the second time) in support of the QEA and it's property tax relief system but the problem lies not with the town or the county but with, well, those three men (now four, I guess) in that room in Albany. But the problem also exists with the PTR groups for not taking a definitive position on the only bill (currently locked in committee) that actually solves the problem. And, why is that bill locked in committee? Two words: Sheldon Silver. For reasons I will never understand, PTR groups think they can work with Mr. Silver but time and experience has shown that no matter what they do he, and Albany, will fail them.

Now it's time to play hardball but I fear the PTR  groups just don't have the chutzpah to do it and Vic and I are just about out of [legal] ideas. We'll keep working though and will encourage all of you to write your state reps and let them know that there's a real solution out there, Assemblyman Kevin Cahill's Quality in Education Act, and that you want that bill out of he education committee and on the floor for debate and ultimate passage.

In other words, while Albany fiddles, newspapers fill with foreclosure notices and those four men in that room? They just don't give a damn.

Many communities in the Hudson Valley are canceling their 4th of July celebrations due to economic constraints

It strikes me that the main argument in opposition is that we might get stuck with a bum Supervisor for four years. The Town of Kent is known for such and people do remember. So what's needed is a way to elect someone who becomes a consensus candidate, not a pularity candidate. In a multiple field race it's entirely possible, under our current system, for someone to win with less than 40% of the vote - and it happens all the time. The winner-take-all system we have isn't working very well as the winning candidates often do not have the support of the majority of voters. What's needed then is a change and Instant Runoff Voting is one option that is catching on across the nation and around the world. Read more about IRV here.

1. Putnam lawmakers vote not to pay MTA its payroll tax
2. Questions raised over candidates' plan
3. Summer Slots Still Available at DEC Camps
4. Month of activities to put spotlight on watersheds
5. Flesh out Dover plan but keep it moving
6. Create Bike-Only Roads
7. Isolated Forest Patches Lose Species, Diversity
8. Betraying the Planet
9. Venus and Mars in High Contrast
10. God, Firearms and America Come Together at a Church in Kentucky

Putnam lawmakers vote not to pay MTA its payroll tax

Questions raised over candidates' plan

Summer Slots Still Available at DEC Camps

Month of activities to put spotlight on watersheds

Flesh out Dover plan but keep it moving

Create Bike-Only Roads

Isolated Forest Patches Lose Species, Diversity

Betraying the Planet

Venus and Mars in High Contrast

God, Firearms and America Come Together at a Church in Kentucky

Arts on the Lake's Visual Arts Committee chair Roy Volpe redesigned the space for the show using drapes and cloth in pastel hues which allowed Leo's vibrant and intricately complex collages to stand out in stunning detail. Some of the works displayed were featured in an award winning short documentary, The Literature of Junk, which ran in the theater space during the show.

On Saturday evening Leo's son Daniel acted in a role Leo created in the one-man play, Rattlesnake in A Cooler. Rattlesnake.... was originally written by Frank South and directed by Robert Altman in 1982 for television and earned Leo a Best Actor nomination for his work. The question was, could a young, 29 year old actor pull this off? The answer was, yes he can, and for the most part he did.

With GUTWorks Theater company's director Jonathan Maloney and stage manager Kali Quinn at the helm, the Bluehorse Repertory production of  Rattlesnake.... portrays the journey of a man raised in Kentucky but who finds the experience of the road a more appealing - but ultimately more dangerous place. While on the way to a rodeo in Colorado an accidental murder takes place and now, awaiting his death by hanging, we hear his story.

For an hour and fifteen minutes Daniel Burmester commanded the space as a polished professional of longer years. From the effective costuming to his strong command of the emotional state of the prisoner we were brought into his world and held there... when we weren't laughing - or crying. It was, without question, one of the best performances at the Cultural Center since its inception two years ago.

The art exhibit (with video presentations) will continue tonight, Tuesday, and Wednesday, June 29-July 1, from 7-9 p.m. at the Cultural Center so there's no excuse not to drop in.

1. Foreclosure Fiasco
2. Board weighs 4-year terms for town officials
3. Sales-tax revenues put county on solid footing
4. Newburgh begins legal actions to protect its watershed
5. Many Floors In U.S. Homes Have 'Measurable' Levels Of Pesticides
6. Internet posting can lead to privacy claim, court finds
7. Greens, libertarians team up

Foreclosure Fiasco

Board weighs 4-year terms for town officials

Sales-tax revenues put county on solid footing

Newburgh begins legal actions to protect its watershed

Many Floors In U.S. Homes Have 'Measurable' Levels Of Pesticides

Internet posting can lead to privacy claim, court finds

Greens, libertarians team up

Regular readers will be familiar with my constant calls of support of Kevin Cahill's "Equality in Education Act" and wonder why the solution is not 'on the table' in Albany. It's easy: Sheldon Silver. Oh, and the super-rich who would actually have to start paying a fairer share of their income in taxes and who control state government through their financial largess. Any questions?

While we're talking about Southeast's town government, just keep in mind that it's a result of what happens when a handful of vocal naysayers, people who only seek the worst in others, for whom politics means digging into people's closets, get control of things. As election season approaches keep an ear out for those type of folk. You'll hear them, alright. They're the ones who become morally outraged at others but for whom life would be empty if they couldn't target someone to make themselves feel better about themselves. It's a shame we've allowed those people to control the discussion and the failure of government to effectively govern is the result.

The Country Store at Boni-Bel Farm

Tonight:

Leo Burmester Retrospective

7PM – 10 p.m. – Cultural Center on Lake Carmel. Opening Reception – “We are such stuff as dreams are made” Retrospective continues with 8 p.m. Kent resident Leo Burmester, who died in June 2007, was an accomplished actor who appeared in 37 films, made 32 television appearances and had roles in 9 Broadway plays.  He was nominated for a Tony as Best Actor in Robert Altman's production of playwright Frank South's "Rattlesnake in a Cooler", which opened at the St. Clement's Theatre in 1981. Burmester won the New York Fanny award for Best Supporting Actor for his Lincoln Center performance in "Ah, Wilderness!"

The retrospective highlights Leo Burmester's work as a collage artist and will include a showing of his unusually large and thought-provoking collages. Burmester began making his collages while working in a shed outside his Kent home in the 1980's. His pieces were often made on plywood bases and contained glass, seeds, trinkets, cloth, sting, beads and an assortment of other knickknacks, and his pieces evoke the adage, "one man's trash is another man's treasure." Burmester and his art were featured in the May 2007 issue of Hudson Valley Magazine.

Burmester's art work is featured in "Leo Burmester and The Literature of Junk" which won best documentary at the Westchester Film Festival and will be shown during the Retrospective.

Saturday:

Wild Edibles Walk

9:30AM -Noon.  Mohonk Preserve. Explore wild plants at the Mohonk Preserve. Learn to identify plants that can be used for food and medicine. Registration through the Mohonk Preserve. 845-255-0919. Led by Aleese Cody, LMT, NCTMB.  www.aleesecody.com  email: coyotefarms@att.net. Cost: Free to members. Non-members must buy a day pass.

Hike to Anthony's Nose

10 AM - U-Bend parking area Route 202 and 6 one mile south of the Bear Mt. Bridge. Anthony's Nose - It should be a beautiful morning to join Geof Connor of the New York-New Jersey Trails Conference for a 2.5 mile return trek up to Anthony's Nose.  At approximately 900 feet, its summit offers sweeping views of the Hudson River, where one of the liberty chains stretched during the Revolutionary War and the Bear Mountain Bridge stands today.  Meet: 10:00am U-bend parking area, Route 202 & 6, one mile south of Bear Mt. Bridge Duration: 2.5 hrs. Level: Moderate/Difficult (500 ft. climb) Sponsored by the Hudson Highlands Land Trust

Rattlesnake in a Cooler

8 p.m. performance by Daniel Burmester (GUTworks Theatre) of Rattlesnake in a Cooler, reproducing Leo Burmester's landmark, Tony nominated performance from 1982. At the Cultural Center on lake Carmel (the old firehouse on Route 52 just south of the 311 causeway)

GUTWorks newest performance follows the story of a man finding the dark side of his dreams. Daniel Burmester, Jonathan Maloney and Kali Quinn will be collaborating once again to bring the gut-wrenching, play Rattlesnake in a Cooler to life. Distinguished playwright Frank South has been known to create folksy, Middle American characters and then squeeze them until they start to spurt blood. Daniel Burmester will portray Souths character of the young doctor in this one-man powerhouse play that will grab hold of the audience and leave all wondering if they have a dark side of there own.

Songs for the River

8PM - Mills-Norrie State Park, Staatsburgh. With Betty And The Baby Boomers. Announcing their latest CD "Where the Heron Waits". Sponsored by the DEC Hudson River Research Reserve, Margaret Lewis State Park (Norrie Point Environmental Center), Staatsburg. Free. Wheelchair accessible (845)300-0010. beebuggy@hotmail.com

Sunday:

Maps and Dreams

5:30 PM - Paramount Theater, Peekskill. "Maps & Dreams" is a unique, one-hour, one-man show that launches off from Samuel de Champlain's dream of amity, and his mapmaking activity, to inspire the audience to do their own 400th anniversary dreaming and mapping. Starting from a consideration of Champlain and Hudson's experiences on their journeys in 1609, the performance ranges over the last 400 years of history in the two valleys, contemplating the changing nature of both, mapping and dreaming, and the unchanging nature of what both activities can help us discover our individual, regional, and national destiny. Presented by Dr. Kevin Dann, an author, musician and professor of history at SUNY Plattsburgh beloved by his students for his dramatic, humor-filled and heart-centered approach to the sacred art of learning, this educational and entertaining presentation will offer stories, music, slide show images, audience participation, and most importantly, the gift of wonderment. Admission is free.

Into the Future:

Monday, June 29

Garden Forum at Millbrook

7PM - 9 PM Farm and Home Center, Millbrook, NY. The Gathering of Gardeners. The first hour will be a tour of the gardens followed by questions for the Master Gardeners. Sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County. Farm & Home Center 2715 Rt. 44, Millbrook. Contact Nancy, 845-677-8223 x115 nh26@cornell.edu Cost: $5.

Saturday, July 11

Jeff's Annual Picnic and Garden Party at the Asylum - Everyone is Invited! 3PM - Onwards. Come celebrate the beauty of the highlands in western Kent. Rain or Shine! Bring some food for the pot luck and drink for the coolers, a blanket and/or some chairs, or just wear light, comfortable clothes and hang out on the grass in the field. We'll have plates and forks and knives and spoons and cups so you can leave those at home. Don't forget your sunscreen. There's afternoon shade near the edge of the forest so you can set up over there if you like. Last year the kids had a massive water fight to stay cool. No adults were harmed in the battle. When the sun goes down the fire-pit becomes the place for gathering and we'll be sure to have it blazing once it's dark enough for the after-party which ran until 6AM last year. The weather report projects 80º and partly sunny so we'll have lots of ice and cool, non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated beverages on hand. What you could do: Bring along some friends, the extended family, the neighbors, your kids, the dogs... pretty much anything and anyone that walks or rolls. Bring your musical instruments, your talents and yes, even your accordions and kazoos. But be prepared to play them. If you're traveling from away or taste testing the barleycorn, bring your tent. There's plenty of room to camp. Handicap parking is available! More info is here.

Sunday, July 12

Thursday, July 23

Hudson River Watershed Alliance

10AM - 3PM At this meeting, we will learn about the current activities of each watershed group and what new issues you are facing in your efforts.  In addition, we will collectively chart a course for organizing quarterly or semi annual watershed roundtable meetings. The goal of this meeting is to find new ways in which you can learn from one another and move your local watershed
efforts forward! In preparation, please consider these questions and be prepared to discuss your related activities:

1.  Since our last meeting (July 2008), what aspect of watershed planning protection has your group focused on?

2.  What challenges have you faced and how has your group addressed these issues?

3.   Is their mutual consent to commit to more frequent roundtable meetings?  If so, how should we structure these events?
 
Please RSVP by Thursday, July 16, to katy@hudsonwatershed.org or 845-486-1556.

For reasons I'll never understand, voters like to be lied to. No, scratch that. Voters like to believe promises told them by people running for office even though they know they're largely hooey. "I'll keep spending under control!" Uh huh. Oh, and they love the term, "fiscal conservative". But I'm wondering, isn't the current mess we're in the result of electing fiscal conservatives? It must have been! They said they were such, we voted for them and now they have to take out a contract on us? Huh.

A universal health care system akin to that had by every other developed nation on the planet is not going to happen in my lifetime, nor probably yours. So, if you're currently out of work or cannot afford preventative health care for yourself or your family, tough noogies. Or, so says the health insurance companies government.

Johnny Depp, in between shooting "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" and "Alice..." is working on another interesting role, that of Paul Kemp, Hunter S. Thompson's foiled reporter in "The Rum Diary", also schedule for release next year.

1. Persistent rainfalls have farmers groaning
2. Senate discord hits sour notes in duet
3. For Lincoln, shock and awe in Cold Spring
4. How a 20-Minute Walk Can Solve the Obesity Epidemic
5. Toronto's new green roof law a first for North America
6. Highways to Nowhere
7. Under Misspelled Banner, Buchanan And White Nationalist Brimelow Argue For English-Only Initiatives 
   

Persistent rainfalls have farmers groaning

Senate discord hits sour notes in duet

For Lincoln, shock and awe in Cold Spring

How a 20-Minute Walk Can Solve the Obesity Epidemic

Toronto's new green roof law a first for North America

Bylaw requires some new developments to devote almost 60% of roof space to vegetation.

Highways to Nowhere

On Saturday, Pat Buchanan hosted a conference to discuss how Republicans can regain a majority in America. During one discussion, panelists suggested supporting English-only initiatives as a prime way of attracting “working class white Democrats.” The discussion ridiculed Judge Sotomayor for the fact that she studied children’s classics to improve her grammar while attending college. The panelists also suggested that, without English as the official language, President Obama would force Americans to speak Spanish.

One salient feature of the event was the banner hanging over the English-only advocates. The word conference was spelled “Conferenece.”

Read More

Patterson could use a Camarda park too, and the developer owns about 100 acres in that town. Think of the tax write-off!

Why do fireflies glow?

"Environmentalists want to halt the growth of human development, even the growth of the human population. They claim to want to save mother earth, but they would do so at the expense of those who will inherit this world, our children. There are reactionaries who prophesy the end of progress, and preach survivalism to the masses. They claim to oppose the ugliness of Mc-Mansions, and mini-malls. In truth, they hate prosperity and seek to make people good by making them poorer."

Huh. I had no idea.

Last week someone wrote that I might be "too green" (among other things, "loose cannon" was my favorite!) I can't believe people still hold the belief that this planet will provide for them regardless of what they do to it. Are they genuinely willing to destroy our environment for short-term profit or are they just blind to the obvious? How myopic and hubristic can people be? Why is it so difficult to reach these people and why do we so often elect them? How many more question marks do I need to use in the paragraph before someone has an answer that makes sense?

What’s On My Food? is a searchable database designed to make the public problem of pesticide exposure visible and more understandable. How does this tool work? We link pesticide food residue data with the toxicology for each chemical, making this information easily searchable for the first time. Use the tool, share it with others: we built it to help move the public conversation about pesticides into an arena where you don’t have to be an expert to participate.

1. Two North Salem residents donate major easement
2. A (Radical) Way to Fix Suburban Sprawl
3. A Big Day For Clean Water
4. House panel approves $15M for L.I. Sound preservation
5. A huge gamble on Markham Asian mall
6. How to Reduce Light Pollution
7. Out of the woods

Two North Salem residents donate major easement

A (Radical) Way to Fix Suburban Sprawl

A Big Day For Clean Water

House panel approves $15M for L.I. Sound preservation

A huge gamble on Markham Asian mall

How to Reduce Light Pollution

Out of the woods

While at first glance this seems quite extraordinary, Mr. Fusco has a point when he says that the information he's seeking should have been readily available to him. There's nothing he's asked for (police records, video-tapes, etc.,) that is private or even controversial and regardless of what you think about this particular event, Mr. Fusco's actions will make county government better, more transparent and accessible in the end. But if not, maybe they really are hiding stuff from us.

How, he asked, can 11 million votes be stolen? How, everyone else asks, can millions of paper ballots be counted in four hours? He blamed then blamed "western influence" for the troubles and told the Iranian people to sit down, shut up and behave.

There's another national demonstration schedule for tomorrow which has been expressly banned by the government. The troops are out and the army has been mobilized. You can most certainly expect a good deal of violence and bloodshed - on the part of the government.

If you're interested in following events from Iran point your web browsers to Facebook, You-tube, Twitter and Flickr. So far these venues are still open. If you can read Persian, here's the "official" news.

Tonight:

5th Annual Juneteenth Celebration

6 - 9PM at Family Partnership Center Lateef Islam Auditorium, 29N Hamilton St., Poughkeepsie.  From Freedom Schools to After School, dedicated to Civil Rights workers of the early 60s, including Jane Van de Bogart. This program will include musical and spoken work performances by Real Skills Network, African Drumming by The Keblulan Drumming Circle, ReadNex Poetry Squad,  and others, with awards ceremony and a tour of the Sadie Peterson Delaney African Roots Library collection and displays. 845 452-1110 x 3343.

Saturday:

Butterflies at Bylane With Charlie Roberto

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Bylane Garden, 35 Todd Road, Katonah. Expert naturalist Charlie Roberto will present a slideshow of local butterflies and then lead a walk through the meadows of Bylane, where more than 60 species of butterflies have been recorded. This is unique chance to learn to recognize local butterflies. Bring binoculars, insect repellent, and plenty of cool drinks. Degree of Difficulty: Easy. Register with Joan E. Becker by e-mail or by telephone at (914) 232-4806.

Eleanor Fitchen Memorial

3:30PM - Old Southeast Church, Route 22. Family members from around the world and the country and friends of Eleanor will be acknowledging her life: a life that had a lasting impact on Putnam County, the Town of Southeast and the Village of Brewster; a life that left its mark in the founding and seminal life of several of its conservation, preservation and historical organizations.

Eleanor Fitchen has been called the single most significant preservationist in Putnam County's history.  Her work in her hometown of Southeast and across the county began after retirement. Paul and Eleanor Fitchen moved permanently to a longtime family property in Southeast when they both retired in the late 1960's-- a time when Putnam County was undergoing dramatic change. When Putnam County was virtually overhauled by the dramatic population growth and land development of the 70's and 80's --Eleanor and Paul Fitchen became leaders in helping their communities combat environmental degradation and loss of history.

Thanks to Denis Castelli for posting this event in another forum.

Montgomery Delaney & Marc Von Em

8PM - Tilly Foster Farm, Southeast. PAC is pleased to host another evening of great live music at the Lodge at Tilly Foster, 100 Rte 312, Brewster, NY on Saturday June 20th, at 8pm. Join us to hear the artistry of musician/songwriters Montgomery Delaney & Marc Von Em who will deliver their wonderful bluesy folk/rock tunes in our intimate 60 seat venue.

Monty Delaney, “a thoughtful and provocative poet” is known for his gift of touching the hearts and minds of his listeners with the wonderful pictures he present through his lyrics. His friend, Marc Von Em is also a well known and respected Hudson Valley songwriter who has frequently appeared at venues ranging The Bottom Line and The Living Room in NYC to spots throughout the region selling 10,000 copies of his debut CD. Since his connecting with Matchbox 20, he has toured the world for the last 4 tears, performed on numerous TV shows, including Jay Leno,David Letterman, Ellen DeGeneres and more, while still attending to his solo career.

PAC asks that you make reservations as our space is limited; suggested donation only $20.00 ($15.00 for members & full time students). For more info, or to RSVP, please visit our website: putnamartscouncil.com or call 845.278.0230

Sunday:

Pan Fish Derby

8AM - Noon - Beach 4 at Lake Carmel. Registration starts at 8:00AM. All fish must be weighed in by 11:30AM. Weigh-in Volunteers will be available during the contest. Ages from 2 - adult. Prizes and Trophies awarded! Only Park District Residents and guests are eligible - Proof required. All NYS & Park District fishing rules must be obeyed. Anyone 16 yrs or older must have a valid NYS Fishing License.

Bicycle Tour of Olde Fishkill

Noon - Van Wyck Homestead, Route 9 (at I84), Fishkill. Join the Fishkill Historical Society, and the community of Fishkill for a Historic Bicycle Tour of Olde Fishkill, and spend a moment with some of America's greatest people!  View PDF Map here. Contact Ann. Family Tour: Registration at Van Wyck (Village) Hall, 1095 Main St, Fishkill, NY begins at 12pm. Kickoff at 12:30. There are a total of 8 sites to visit, all within 4 level blocks (0.6miles). Walkers are welcome if you don't have a bike!  Medium Tour: Registration at Van Wyck (Village) Hall, 1095 Main St, Fishkill, NY begins at 12pm. Kickoff at 12:30. There are a total of 15 sites to visit, some level with a hill along route 52 that will challenge you! 4 miles.  Extended Tour: Registration at Van Wyck Homestead, 504 Route 9, Fishkill, NY begins at 12pm. Kickoff at 12:30. There are a total of 26 sites to visit on this tour. 24 miles, with some hills - and a tough one towards the end. Start training! Community Picnic: There will be a community picnic on the grounds of Van Wyck Homestead to close out the event from 4pm to 6:30pm. More info coming soon.

Into the Future:

Tuesday, June 23

Hike along Tamarack Creek

10am - Housatonic Valley Association Office, 19 Furnace Bank Road, Wassaic, NY—- MAP Watershed: Ten Mile. Kick off the Watershed month by a hike with the Mid-Hudson ADK along one of the tributaries of the Ten Mile River. We will tour the Housatonic Valley Association office, followed by a visit to old stone furnaces and a hike along the Tamarack creek in a pristine forest with waterfalls. The trip leader will be Lalita Malik. Call Lalita, 845-592-0204, or email lalitamalik@aol.com, to confirm. Meet at the HVA office, 19 Furnace Bank Road, Wassaic, NY

Wednesday, June 24

Intro to Mobile GIS

5:30 - 9:30 pm, Marist College - Poughkeepsie. Intro to Mobile GIS (Adobe .PDF) Layers and Free Web-Based Geospatial Map Applications (Geobrowsers) Did you know that Adobe Acrobat files now enable “Layers” that can utilize and integrate spatial information as a virtual “mobile GIS”? Have you heard about the whole wave of new “Geobrowser” tools (Google Maps, Google Earth, NASA World Wind) now available online? Do you want to know more about how to use these remarkable mobile and online spatial resources to understand your neighborhood, our planet and the natural systems of the Hudson River watershed?  The Hudson River Watershed Alliance (www.hudsonwatershed.org) in partnership with Marist College (www.marist.edu) is sponsoring a half-day introductory training to support a fuller understanding of watershed management, water resource protection, sustainability, and conservation planning issues in the Hudson River watershed. Please see attached announcement for more details.  To register contact Katy Dunlap, HRWA Coordinator, at katy@hudsonwatershed.org or 845-486-1556.  Registration is limited to 15 seats and is expected to fill. Cost is $30.

Friday, June 26

Leo Burmester Retrospective

7PM – 10 p.m. – Cultural Center on Lake Carmel. Opening Reception – “We are such stuff as dreams are made” Retrospective continues with 8 p.m. Performance June 27 by Daniel Burmester (GUTworks Theatre) of Rattlesnake in a Cooler by Frank South. Additional exhibit days: Sunday, June 28, 1-5 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, June 29-July 1, 7-9 p.m. Rattlesnake in a Cooler A one man show by Frank South. GUTWorks, a NYC/Vermont-based theater & film company, will be performing Rattle Snake in a Cooler at Arts on the Lake in Carmel, NY. The performance will be on Saturday night at 8pm. GUTWorks has amazed audiences again and again over the past three years with their dynamic theatrical events. The renowned theatre and film company will be presenting another, Ingeniously creative solo theatre experience. Daniel Burmester will be performing Rattlesnake in a Cooler, the gut-wrenching story of a man trying to find himself in all the wrong places.

Saturday, July 11

Annual Garden Party at the Asylum 3PM - Onwards. Come celebrate the beauty of the highlands in western Kent. Rain or Shine! Bring some food for the pot luck and drink for the coolers, a blanket and/or some chairs, or just wear light, comfortable clothes and hang out on the grass in the field. We'll have plates and forks and knives and spoons and cups so you can leave those at home. Don't forget your sunscreen. There's afternoon shade near the edge of the forest so you can set up over there if you like. Last year the kids had a massive water fight to stay cool. No adults were harmed in the battle. When the sun goes down the fire-pit becomes the place for gathering and we'll be sure to have it blazing once it's dark enough for the after-party which ran until 6AM last year. The weather report projects 80º and partly sunny so we'll have lots of ice and cool, non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated beverages on hand. What you could do: Bring along some friends, the extended family, the neighbors, your kids, the dogs... pretty much anything and anyone that walks or rolls. Bring your musical instruments, your talents and yes, even your accordions and kazoos. But be prepared to play them. If you're traveling from away or taste testing the barleycorn, bring your tent. There's plenty of room to camp. Handicap parking is available! More info is here.

Thursday, July 23

Hudson River Watershed Alliance

10AM - 3PM At this meeting, we will learn about the current activities of each watershed group and what new issues you are facing in your efforts.  In addition, we will collectively chart a course for organizing quarterly or semi annual watershed roundtable width='100%' meetings.  The goal of this meeting is to find new ways in which you can learn from one another and move your local watershed
efforts forward!
In preparation, please consider these questions and be prepared to discuss your related activities:

1.  Since our last meeting (July 2008), what aspect of watershed planning protection has your group focused on?

2.  What challenges have you faced and how has your group addressed these issues?

3.   Is their mutual consent to commit to more frequent roundtable meetings?  If so, how should we structure these events?
 
Please RSVP by Thursday, July 16, to katy@hudsonwatershed.org or 845-486-1556.

NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Program releases The State of the Hudson 2009 Report. How is the Hudson doing?  Find out in the The State of the Hudson 2009 report, produced by the Hudson River Estuary Program.  In laypersons language, this 16 page illustrated report concisely describes progress and identifies ongoing problems. It looks at water quality, habitat, and fish and wildlife of the estuary as well as biodiversity, tributary health, and land use patterns in the Hudson's watershed. For the full report, see:  http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/51492.html

The Nature Conservancy releases report from Rising Waters scenario planning effort. Rising Waters is a collaborative effort designed to develop adaptive strategies to protect the Hudson Valley's environment, economy and quality of life from threats associated with climate change.  Using a formal scenario development process, originally created by Royal Dutch Shell, to model plausible futures in a changing climate, participants consider possible impacts of climate change on Hudson Valley communities and the environment, and how various types of human response over a 20-year period might change them.  For the full report and recommendations (on right hand side), see:  http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/newyork/science/art23583.html

This came to mind yesterday while I was taking a break sitting on the edge of a remnant field awash with wildflowers. You could smell the field quite clearly. The oxygen generated out-gassing from this bit of remaining nature reminded me that the engine which produces the oxygen we breath isn't in the Amazon or China, but right here under our very noses. And that when we remove the plants and trees there's a corresponding decrease in oxygen generation and drinking water purification, right here.

I thought that people think nothing of feeding themselves food, abundant and easily measured in our supermarkets. They clean themselves to rid their bodies of harmful bacteria. In fact, we do a lot of things - without even thinking - that are all about keeping us alive. Yet, we breath and don't choke. We open the tap and drink until full. That these last two resources are seemingly limitless and so we don't even think about them. "There's plenty of trees!" we'll say. "There's plenty of clean water!"

But if we had to count, measure and pay for each green, oxygen generating engine or for each plant whose roots filter our drinking water we'd begin to think differently about their abundance and treat them as a commodity instead. We'd think less about profit and more about basic , individual survival. We'd all become "too green".

We have to find a way for those who think I'm "too green" to understand that wantonly paving over the land and mowing down our forests is akin to cutting off your nose to spite your face.

When it comes right down to it, Americans expect those we elect to be more perfect than Christ. We want them pure and clean and morally absolute and to be a Poster Child for the Disneyesque lifestyles we made believe we had in 1955. And when we find out they're simply human and have all the foibles that each of us has, we lambaste and condemn, criticize and ostracize.

We tend to vote for those who play the game best, hoping that no one finds out they have sexual appetites or like the barleycorn, or pick their noses or scratch themselves in all the places men scratch themselves. And once the facades come tumbling down we go through all kinds of outrage and conniptions, moving from disbelief to anger to revulsion, and all of it ultimately fake. All of it for the sake of covering our own imperfections, hoping no one finds out that we, too, are human.

The way around all that is simple: we can stop lying to ourselves and cast our votes based on issues and policies and not rely on the professed moral purity of our candidates and their campaign promises to walk on water.

Koogle used to be this noodle concoction your family forced you to eat on Jewish holidays. Sometimes it was sweet and soft and other times, especially when it came from your Aunt Ruth who couldn't boil water, it was inedible though covered in cinnamon and you could break a tooth on the burnt noodles. But that was then and this is now.

Now, koogle isn't just for eating anymore and it's been reconstituted as a kosher search engine for the orthodox Jewish community. Click on the image over there and give it a try. Did you know there's a Boro Park Pizza in Ashdod, Israel?

Iranians who still have access to the internet have flooded the world with short bursts of information that, while on the surface have been confusing and often contradictory, once weeded through, a concrete picture of mass arrests at Universities and of political opposition party members and civil rights activists has emerged.

Imams have promised a partial recount of the votes but in order for there to be a recount, doesn't there have to be a count in the first place?

1. House Panel Approves Hinchey Request of $150,000 for Sloop Clearwater
2. Beacon and Clearwater reach agreement on University Settlement Camp
3. Providing Health Insurance For US Children Would Be Cheaper Than Expected, Study Says
4. Taking Comfort in Small Joys
5. In Some Swimming Pools, a Nasty Intestinal Parasite
6. The Secret Life of Mosquitoes
7. Pennsylvania town fights big coal on mining rights
8. Can Countries Cash In by Leaving Oil Untapped?

House Panel Approves Hinchey Request of $150,000 for Sloop Clearwater

Beacon and Clearwater reach agreement on University Settlement Camp

Providing Health Insurance For US Children Would Be Cheaper Than Expected, Study Says

Taking Comfort in Small Joys

In Some Swimming Pools, a Nasty Intestinal Parasite

The Secret Life of Mosquitoes

Pennsylvania town fights big coal on mining rights

Can Countries Cash In by Leaving Oil Untapped?

400 man-hours were required to construct the 300 individual pieces that make up this historic plaything with mahogany and cedar used for details and injection molded plastic used for windows and other parts. Learning from history, so long as you float your boat in warm weather, you'll get more than a single use from it. The craft is $2500, does not come with a pre-recorded tape of 1500 screaming and wailing men, women and children and batteries are also not included.

Immediately, opposition party members and supporters of former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, took to the streets demanding the tally be recounted polling place by polling place. The government refused. But there's no way they can recount the votes. Iran has no independent election commission nor were foreign observers allowed access. Even Hugo Chavez' Venezuela allows independent verification. It's not that unlike the old Nassau County/Town of Hempstead single-party machine whose corruption was so widespread it eventually came tumbling down under its own weight.

Opposition supporters took to the streets in peaceful demonstrations which turned violent after government troops used concussion grenades and tear gas and began beating women and children and marking buildings from which opposition slogans were chanted. After eye-witnesses reported the beatings from police forces, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said they were similar to nothing more than issuing a traffic ticket.

Then, in an effort to show how magnanimous the government was, they began expelling foreign press. As of this morning, the only news out of Iran is coming over the 'net from residents who have not yet had their internet connections cut as is happening across the country. Hundreds of opposition leaders have been arrested and beaten. It's a mess.

The true test of Iran's commitment to democracy would be at 4PM Tehran time today when Mousavi's green clad supporters take to the streets in demonstrations that have already been outlawed by the government. It's after 5PM there now and as of this moment (08:45) there are no reports coming from Tehran.

If you're interested in following events from Iran point your web browsers to Facebook, You-tube, Twitter and Flickr. So far these venues are still open. If you can read Persian, here's the "official" news.

1. Putnam lawmakers, county exec may end up in court over septic money
2. Hudson River: Celebration, but commitment is vital
3. Hudson River makes great strides in cleanup, says EnCon commissioner
4. Mass. looks to landfills, military for wind power
5. Let's Create Housing Policies Young People Can Afford
6. Coal Ash Spills Too Dangerous To Reveal To Public, Says DHS
7. New DEC regulations adopted and effective May 13, 2009
8. Military Hush-Up: Incoming Space Rocks Now Classified
9. CIA chief believes Cheney almost wants US attacked

Putnam lawmakers, county exec may end up in court over septic money

Hudson River: Celebration, but commitment is vital

Hudson River makes great strides in cleanup, says EnCon commissioner

Mass. looks to landfills, military for wind power

Let's Create Housing Policies Young People Can Afford

Coal Ash Spills Too Dangerous To Reveal To Public, Says DHS

New DEC regulations adopted and effective May 13, 2009

Military Hush-Up: Incoming Space Rocks Now Classified

CIA chief believes Cheney almost wants US attacked

As if you haven't noticed it's been raining for the past week or so

But it's the perfect time to look at your streets and roads for signs of stormwater problems which will be evidenced by grit and sand spread out in 'alluvial fans' across the pavement. While seemingly innocuous, that sand (which is carrying other pollutants) will end up in a lake or creek and have a negative effect on the quality of our recreational and drinking water supplies. So if you see a problem, call your town's stormwater committee and let them know where it is. Take some photographs (like Brian's in Wednesday's column and again to the left) to document the problem and then let's get them fixed.

Tony Caravetta and the Kent highway guys have been out in western Kent these past few days sweeping the streets which has made a marked difference in the amount of silt and sand flowing into local streams. Has your highway department been out? If not, call them and ask them why.

A friend of mine pointed me to an article about how the nation is gearing up to be a lot healthier - whether it wants to or not. His main intent, not missed by these aging eyes, was that *I* should get in better shape for the upcoming election season in the belief that voters are more likely to vote for the better-looking candidates rather than the slothful ones. Okay, I got the hint. I'm guessing "pear-shaped" is out even though our planet is so shaped!

As I read the article and researched the President's agenda, I noticed the term, "nanny state on steroids" being repeated over and again from right-wing commentators stating their objections to being told that McDonald's is bad for them. But a red meat, high cholesterol, sugary/salty diet (our national  diet) will soon surpass tobacco as the number one avoidable killer of Americans and while we pay more for health care than any other nation on this pear-shaped planet, we die younger, have a higher rate of obesity and are less healthy than most anyone else mostly because of that diet. Apparently we could use a nanny.

I'll bet your kids are going to get a laugh out of saying that! But it's not funny. Quite the contrary, fewer things have come along that are as scary as rock snot, more professionally known as Didymosphenia geminata.

"Didymo" is an aggressively growing diatom that has spread from Europe to Canada, through the American west and is now making itself known here on the east coast. From an NPR report:

Serious fly fishermen may remember 2007 as the year that the invasive species known as "rock snot" turned into a national problem. For at a least decade, nasty carpets of this algae have been fouling up pristine fishing streams in the western United States. Then, last summer, it turned up in fishing streams in several eastern states.

and:

What's certain is that by the early 1990s, massive rock snot blooms were fouling cold, clear rocky mountain streams in western states such as Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado. Infestations sometimes stretched from bank to bank and covered several miles. Once the blooms appeared, it was impossible to make them go away.

Anyway, it's now here. Samples have been collected from the Esopus creek up near Kingston signaling a warning we should all heed, for if this thing gets into your lake - it's over. Didymo will spread across the bottom smothering everything in its path.

What can you do? Amazingly, it's the simple things that matter: If you're boating on one waterbody and then bringing your boat to another, wait at least 48 hours - in dry conditions - before placing the boat in the water. If you can't, thoroughly power wash the boat with a bleach solution. The same holds true for your fishing gear: If you're fishing Lake Mahopac and then want to fish Lake Carmel the next day, scrub your gear - including your lines, sinkers, bobs, boots, pants, sneakers... anything that might have come in contact with the water. Didymo can live for up to 48 hours out of water and a lot longer in as much as one, single drop.

Bringing the world to a wide audience in a new way, 360cities.net is a guide that lets you step inside. They bring the full spectrum of high-resolution immersive, virtual reality experience to the web. 360 Cities brings you closer to the reality of a place than has ever been possible before. Whether doing travel research or simply exploring what's new on one of our many city sites, we're sure you'll find something of interest on 360 Cities.

• Tonight:
  • Summer Shorts
• Saturday:
  • Cold Spring Antiques Show
  • Babes in the Woods
  • Thomas Paine and the Flame of Revolution
  • Hudson Highlands Land Trust Annual Family Festival
  • Music of The Grapes of Wrath: Readings and Songs
• Sunday: Flag Day
  • Kitty Baby Shower
  • Annual Strawberry Festival
  • Grand Opening of the Slocum - Mostachetti Preserve
  • “Drawing Revealed” – Artists in Conversation
  • Brewster Elks' Club Flag Day Celebration
• Into the Future:
  • Wednesday, June 17
    • Town of Kent CAC Meeting
  • Thursday, June 18
    • Kent Fiscal Watch
• Somewhat Into the Future:
  • Friday, June 26
    • Leo Burmester Retrospective
• Really Into the Future:
  • Saturday, July 11
    • Annual Garden Party at the Asylum
  • Thursday, July 23
    • Hudson River Watershed Alliance

Tonight:

Summer Shorts

8 PM - Depot Theater, Garrison Station - The Aery Theatre Company is proud to present SUMMER SHORTS, a series of original one-act plays about life, death, love, loss, hope, desperation, ecstasy... and every emotion in between. We've chosen these plays from the many that have been crafted at our bi-monthly workshops, held on the first and third Mondays of each month at the Depot Theatre. Production dates are June 12th - 21st at the Depot. Please contact the Depot box office at (845) 424-3900 for more info on the shows and the workshops.

Saturday:

Cold Spring Antiques Show

9AM - 5 PM Mayor's Park at Fair Street, Cold Spring. What better way to spend a June Sunday than strolling alongside the Hudson River in the shadow of the majestic Hudson Highlands? Well, here's an idea. Browse among rows of antiques dealers while you stroll. That's the inviting combination proprietor Dave Cooke provides for the hundreds of antique collectors who make Cold Spring their destination point for his Cold Spring Antiques Show. The show, which will be held on Sun., June 14 from 9-5, will be held in Mayor's Park near the end of Fair Street. Visitors to the show can ride the jolly green trolley throughout the Village and back to Mayor's Park free of charge courtesy of the Cold Spring Antiques Dealers Association who sponsor the show. Admission: $6. Children free. For further info call Cooke at: (845) 265-4414 or visit:www.ColdSpringAntiqueShow.com.

Babes in the Woods

1:00 p.m. Westmorland Sanctuary Bedfird, NY. Director Steve Ricker will lead a leisurely hike to show us the secret places where the young animals, birds, and even plants are hiding. All ages are welcome. Degree of Difficulty: Easy Register by calling (914) 666-8448. Dogs not allowed :-( .

Thomas Paine and the Flame of Revolution

2PM - Putnam Arts Council at Tilly Foster Farm. A free lecture in cooperation with Southeast Museum.

Hudson Highlands Land Trust Annual Family Festival

4PM - Garrison. This year's Family Festival is shaping up to be our best ever, with music from bluegrass band No Brakes and folk artist Margaret Vetare, as well as a musical set especially for kids with Stacy Labriola & Friends. There will be a terrific BBQ dinner and lots of fun outdoor activities. New this year: a raffle with great prizes including a kayak from Hudson Valley Outfitters, a family photo shoot from Photography by Frank Famularo, and a summer veggie bounty basket from Second Wind CSA. Tickets are on sale now at the Land Trust office. Festival admission (inc. BBQ dinner) is: * $10 in advance / $15 at the door per individual and * $25 in advance / $30 at the door per family. All proceeds from these events benefit the Haldane School Foundation and The Garrison Children's Education Fund in support of environmental programming in our schools. For more information, please contact HHLT at: 845-424-3358 or info@hhlt.org.

Music of The Grapes of Wrath: Readings and Songs

8PM - Cultural Center on Lake Carmel. The story of the Joad family in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath is well-known having been a novel, a film and a play. Tonight it is the music of the period and the novel that will come alive in the performances of Sylvia Brooks, Steve Kirkman and Maggie Seligman. Admission: $10 ($9 AotL members). Tickets may be purchased on our home page or reserved by emailing rsvp@artsonthelake.org.

In this production, we use the text and ideas presented in the “general” chapters of the book as the source of most of our readings. And while we do perform some of the songs actually mentioned in the book, we have chosen in large part to incorporate other songs that capture and portray more powerfully the tone and thematic material that inform these “general” chapters and the novel as a whole. We believe that the Joad narrative and the themes contained in The Grapes of Wrath resonate all too clearly in the issues and concerns of the present day, and thus we chose to give emphasis to them in our production.

Sunday: Flag Day

Kitty Baby Shower

11AM - Putnam Humane Society - Old Route 6, Carmel. Meet Mama Cats and Kittens for adoption. Learn about cats at our education table. Enjoy beverages and deliciuos goodies. Unique cat-themed items for sale... and more!

Annual Strawberry Festival

Noon- 5PM in Beacon Sloop Club - Rain or Shine. Come to the annual Beacon Strawberry Festival next Sunday, June 14, noon -5pm rain or shine. Free Admission and a wonderful day down by the riverside.  Info: www.beaconsloopclub.org Amazing Hudson Valley local strawberries with fresh made whipped cream on warm fresh baked biscuits. Hear Pete Seeger, Spook Handy, Dan Einbender and Room 12 Kids along with many others. Free sails on the Woody Guthrie, children's area with many activities  for the young ones, lot's of crafts and food vendors. WDST will be giving away a pair of concert tickets at this festival. A printable flyer is here.

Grand Opening of the Slocum - Mostachetti Preserve

1- 4 pm - Pleasant Ridge Road, Wingdale. Three Guided Walks through this magnificent 106 acre wildlife preserve with red cedar glades and native bluestem meadows, surrounded by the Great Swamp. Features and History of the Preserve- Dr. Jim Utter (FrOGS), Bird Walk - Audubon Society, Butterfly Walk- Billy Wallace Please Contact us for more details 845 855 5993, info@oblongland.org

“Drawing Revealed” – Artists in Conversation

4PM - Putnam Arts Council at Tilly Foster. Free Screening and discussion presented by the Putnam Arts Council and sponsored by SLS Health, Brewster, NY, Sunday, June 14, 2009, 4pm at Tilly Foster Farm, Rt. 312, Brewster, NY. www.putnamartscouncil.com (845) 278-0230. This wonderful independent film follows the filmmaker, Jaanika Perna, as she visits ten diverse and articulate artists in their studios to explore how they use conventional and non-conventional drawing as part of their creative process. The New York Times wrote “…an absorbing video”. The film was originally produced in conjunction with an exhibit in early 2008 at the Garrison Art Center. Bonus short video entitled Barbara Rothenberg: Art Out of Longing and Song” will also be shown.   Ms. Perna, along with co-producer Susan English and some of the artists will be on hand for a post-film discussion.  All welcome.  Reservations Required.

Brewster Elks' Club Flag Day Celebration

5PM - B.P.O.E. Lodge 2101 - Route 22 and Milltown Road, Southeast The Lodge will be serving complimentary hot dogs after the proceedings. Flag Day, 14 June, marks the anniversary of the adoption by Congress in 1777 of the Stars and Stripes as emblem of the nation. Celebrations of the flag began in local communities throughout the country during the nineteenth century, largely for the purpose of educating children in history. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson, and later, in 1927, President Calvin Coolidge, suggested that 14 June be observed as Flag Day. It was not until 3 August 1949 that the National Flag Day Bill became law, giving official recognition to 14 June to celebrate the flag.

Into the Future:

Wednesday, June 17

Town of Kent CAC Meeting

7PM Kent Town Center Highlights will include, the Chairman's report, Moses Farm, Hike Committee report, Bottle Bill and Cole's Mills Road.

Thursday, June 18

Kent Fiscal Watch

7:30 PM at the Lake Carmel Community Center Monthly Meeting. This will be the annual election meeting so we encourage all members to attend. 7:30PM at the Lake Carmel Community Center.

Somewhat Into the Future:

Friday, June 26

Leo Burmester Retrospective

7PM - 10 p.m. - Cultural Center on Lake Carmel. Opening Reception - "We are such stuff as dreams are made" Retrospective continues with 8 p.m. Performance June 27 by Daniel Burmester (GUTworks Theatre) of Rattlesnake in a Cooler by Frank South. Additional exhibit days: Sunday, June 28, 1-5 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, June 29-July 1, 7-9 p.m. Rattlesnake in a Cooler A one man show by Frank South. GUTWorks, a NYC/Vermont-based theater & film company, will be performing Rattle Snake in a Cooler at Arts on the Lake in Carmel, NY. The performance will be on Saturday night at 8pm. GUTWorks has amazed audiences again and again over the past three years with their dynamic theatrical events. The renowned theatre and film company will be presenting another, Ingeniously creative solo theatre experience. Daniel Burmester will be performing Rattlesnake in a Cooler, the gut-wrenching story of a man trying to find himself in all the wrong places.

Really Into the Future:

Saturday, July 11

Annual Garden Party at the Asylum 3PM - Onwards. Come celebrate the beauty of the highlands in western Kent. Rain or Shine! Bring some food for the pot luck and drink for the coolers, a blanket and/or some chairs, or just wear light, comfortable clothes and hang out on the grass in the field. We'll have plates and forks and knives and spoons and cups so you can leave those at home. Don't forget your sunscreen. There's afternoon shade near the edge of the forest so you can set up over there if you like. Last year the kids had a massive water fight to stay cool. No adults were harmed in the battle. When the sun goes down the fire-pit becomes the place for gathering and we'll be sure to have it blazing once it's dark enough for the after-party which ran until 6AM last year. The weather report projects 80º and partly sunny so we'll have lots of ice and cool, non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated beverages on hand. What you could do: Bring along some friends, the extended family, the neighbors, your kids, the dogs... pretty much anything and anyone that walks or rolls. Bring your musical instruments, your talents and yes, even your accordions and kazoos. But be prepared to play them. If you're traveling from away or taste testing the barleycorn, bring your tent. There's plenty of room to camp. Handicap parking is available! More info is here.

Thursday, July 23

Hudson River Watershed Alliance

10AM - 3PM At this meeting, we will learn about the current activities of each watershed group and what new issues you are facing in your efforts.  In addition, we will collectively chart a course for organizing quarterly or semi annual watershed roundtable width='100%' meetings.  The goal of this meeting is to find new ways in which you can learn from one another and move your local watershed
efforts forward!
In preparation, please consider these questions and be prepared to discuss your related activities:

1.  Since our last meeting (July 2008), what aspect of watershed planning protection has your group focused on?

2.  What challenges have you faced and how has your group addressed these issues?

3.   Is their mutual consent to commit to more frequent roundtable meetings?  If so, how should we structure these events?
 
Please RSVP by Thursday, July 16, to katy@hudsonwatershed.org or 845-486-1556.