WGXC Newsroom moving again

WGXC Newsroom has moved for the final time:
http://newsroom.wgxc.org/

Catskill Farmer’s Market

Interviews from East Durham Irish Festival

The scene at the East Durham Irish Festival last weekend. Photo by Tony Fallon.

WGXC’s Tony Fallon was on the scene last weekend at the East Durham Irish Festival, and contributes these photos and interviews:

Click on this sentence to hear an interview with East Durham Irish Festival Director Tom McGoldrick or paste this url into your computer’s media player:

All shades of green.

Click on this sentence to hear an interview with young performer Sheena Mullin, or paste this url into your computer’s media player:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/06
/TonyFalloninterviewsSheenaMullin.mp3

Click on this sentence to hear an interview with Frankie Curran, or paste the following url into your computer’s media player:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/06
/WGXCsTonyFalloninterviewsFrankieCurran.wav

Three generations of Irish at the Festival.

Click on this sentence to hear an interview with Sgt. Michael Roy, one of the soldier’s memorialized with bricks at the festival. Or paste the following url into your computer’s media player:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/06
/WGXCsTonyFalloninterviewsfriendofSgtMichaelRoy.mp3

Click on this sentence to hear an mp3 recording of an interview with http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/06 Shioban at the East Durham Irish Festival, or paste the following url into your computer’s media player:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/06
/WGXCsTonyFalloninterviewsShioban.wav

Tony Fallon interviews Debbie Jones of Irish Village USA, about the memorial bricks, at the festival, click here to listen or paste this url into your computer’s media player:

Audio from Athens Cultural Center reading series

This recording by WGXC volunteer Ira Sher of the Athens Cultural Center reading series May 15, 2010, features poets Brenda Coultas and Christopher Stackhouse and fiction writer Lynne Tillman. Click here or on the ACC logo to listen to an mp3 audio recording of the reading, or paste the following url into your computer’s media player:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/06
/poetry_AthensCulturalCenter_051510.mp3

Recording of Cairo Open Mic

Claude Haton and Harry Gottlieb at the Cairo Open Mic, May 28, 2010 at Gallagher's.

WGXC’s Debra Kamecke recorded the Cairo Open Mic, sponsored by WGXC and Cairo Library, as the monthly event finished its seasonal run inside Gallagher’s on Main St. last Friday (it moves to Cairo town park Fri. June 18), with performances from acapella singing group The Cats, poet Tony Fallon, and guitarist Mike Ryan among the performances. This recording got cut off at the end, so the performance of Claude Haton and Harry Gottlieb (pictured) is not included. Click here to listen to an mp3 recording or paste the following url into your computer’s media player:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/06/
CairoOpenMic_052810.mp3

Borchert wins striper contest

River Basin’s Striper Contest ended today with Eric Borchert bringing in the winner, a 47″-er from the Hudson River.

Let the long weekend begin

This weekend:

THU-SAT
Upstate II at Nicole Fiacco Gallery. Melora Kuhn, Catherine Mosley, Erik Schoonebeek, and Allyson Strafella. Tue-Sat, noon-6 p.m.

Dots, Lines and Figures at Carrie Haddad Gallery. Michael McLaighlin, Ben Shecter, Donise English, and Jeff Briggs.

“Maii:” The Wonder of Water by Diata Diata International Folkloric Theatre with the Hudson Opera House, an original play by Pamela Badila at 7 p.m. at Hudson Intermediate School.

FRIDAY
Cairo Open Mic sponsored by WGXC and Cairo Library. 7-9 p.m., with jam until 9:30 p.m. at Gallagher’s, 513 Main St. in Cairo.

FODfest jam honoring Daniel Pearl at 8 p.m. Club Helsinki, Hudson.

SAT-SUN
33rd Annual East Durham Irish Festival includes the Elders from Kansas City; Black 47 and Shillelagh Law from New York City; Barleyjuice from Philadelphia; and Hair of the Dog from Albany, N.Y.; Contemporary Irish Music featuring The Andy Cooney Band; the New York Showband with Tommy Flynn and Jameson’s Revenge from New York City; Searson from Ontario, Canada and the Kitty Kelly Band from Albany, N.Y. are just a few of the bands that will be performing. Pipe Bands and Irish Step Dancing Schools are an added feature each day.

SATURDAY
Tannersville Rubber Duck Race, Crazy Boat Race & Festival 11 a.m.- 4 p.m., Gooseberry Creek in the Village of Tannersville ending by the Rip Van Winkle Lake. Free admission.

Pine Smoke Lodge/Cruudeuces/Fossils From the Sun/Jefferson Pitcher at Upstate Artists Guild, Albany.

Just Wear White Memorial Day party from Trixie with DJ Gio at Red Dot, Hudson. 10 p.m. – 2 a.m., $10 includes free drink.

SUNDAY
Memorial Day Parade, 2 p.m., Main St., Catskill.

Music From China, a New York-based ensemble that specializes in both traditional and contemporary Chinese music. 2 p.m. at Hudson Opera House. $7 per person or $20 for the entire family!

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus at 8 p.m. at Club Helsinki, Hudson.

Bella’s Bartok performs at Blue Plate Restaurant in Chatham at 9:30 p.m., $5.

MONDAY
Cairo Memorial Day Observance
Sponsored by American Legion Post #983, Town of Cairo, and WGXC.
9 a.m.: WWI Monument Wreath-Laying, Main St. Fountain.
9:15 a.m.: WWII Monument Wreath-Laying on Library Lawn.
9:30 a.m.: Doughnuts and coffee at Cairo Fire House.
11 a.m.: Parade steps off near Great American.
Noon: Memorial Service in Angelo Canna Park.
12:30: Refreshments and music at Pavillion.
WGXC will provide sound system.

Oatts/Locke Duo performance in Athens

Dick Oatts/Joe Locke Duo performed May 22 at the Athens Cultural Center via Planet Arts.

Greene Dems nominate Woodin for County Judge

The Greene County Democratic Committee picked David E. Woodin as their candidate to succeed retiring Daniel K. Lalor as Greene County Judge in a meeting held tonight at Lange’s in Acra. Woodin has clerked for Hon. John J. Fromer, Hon. James J. Battisti, Hon. George J. Pulver and, for the past 19 years, for Judge Lalor. Woodin also leads the Catskill Community Orchestra.

Greene gains, Columbia barely loses population

Marist College’s Bureau of Economic Research just released an “Economic Report of the Hudson Valley.” Some interesting facts: “During the two-year period ending in 2008, total migration into and out of Columbia County resulted in a net loss of 31 households and a $27.12 million increase in adjusted gross income (AGI)” and during that same time, “total migration into and out of Greene County resulted in a net gain of 247 households and $15.50 million in adjusted gross income (AGI).” Ulster and Sullivan were the only other Mid-Hudson counties with population gains from 2006-2008. H/T The Daily Freeman.

Greene County’s new news

The Greenville Mountain View Pioneer debuted this week, and the Greene County Local Courier morphed into the Greene County News, after its recent purchase by Hudson-Catskill Newspaper Corp, and it is great to read more local newsprint. Both papers are fighting for territory best covered by The Greenville Press which closed early this year, and neither has a website. With the Pioneer focusing on Greenville and the News citing Greenville, Coxsackie, and Athens as target markets, the debut and remake make for a side-by-side comparison. The Pioneer wins the first count, as this week’s issue includes results of Tuesday’s school board elections, while the News does not (both papers have Thursday street dates). Both have little news — the Pioneer reveals a new Greenville bakery, while the News covers NY State Senator James Seward‘s appearance at the opening of Coxsackie beverage distributor Empire Merchants North. The Pioneer has a much cleaner layout, though the News improves from its Courier days, and now looks more like its HCNC sister papers The Daily Mail and Register-Star. Both publications include lots of unnecessary filler with the News even printing a verbatim press release from WGXC about a radio station event with the Agroforestry Center twice, on pages 20 and 23 (extra thanks!). But the Pioneer has much larger problems. Thirteen by-lines include the name “Macko” (the publisher and former Daily Mail writer Andrea Macko authors most), while only six others contribute articles. Of those six, the owner of the new Greenville bakery writes about his own store, and another is a campaign donation in the form of an article by Greenville County Legislator Kevin Lewis. While the News makes a similar donation to the campaign of Seward with his “column,” the Pioneer gives away advertorial disguised as editorial more often. Publisher Macko also gives a free campaign ad/column to Greenville Town Supervisor Paul Macko (she is his niece). The first issue ever also has two letters to the editor about how Peter Margoulius would make a swell County Court Judge, and on the next page there is a larger press release about how one local group endorsed his campaign. Virtually no local Democrats are mentioned anywhere in the Pioneer. Both papers print an awful lot of verbatim press releases, and the Pioneer seems one-sided so far. And the Pioneer’s debut editorial makes odd boasts, saying that seeing names and pictures in a publication and an accompanying feeling of being a, “part of something bigger” is something “that you won’t find on any website.” That’s pretty funny!

Listen to the frog sound walk

Liz LoGiudice, Extension Educator at Agroforestry Resource Center, led an “Amphibian Adventure” WGXC fundraiser Friday night, giving a “frog walk” across the street at the Siuslaw Model Forest. We listened to peepers, tree frogs, pond frogs, and found tadpoles and snails.

Click here to listen to an mp3 sound recording of the “Amphibian Adventure” or paste this url into your computer’s media player:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/05
/AmphibianAdventure_AcraSoundWalk_WGXC_AgroforestryCenter.mp3

Siuslaw Model Forest.

Seeing Catskill school election

Seeing Greene blog breaks down the Catskill school elections:

That result attests to influence exerted by local teachers. The victorious newcomers were endorsed by the Catskill Teachers Association (along with Francesca Daisernia, who finished fifth). Thus, no sitting trustee evoked CTA approval, and the CTA-endorsed candidates presented themselves as agents of “change” in board operations, change in the directions of greater “transparency and accountability” of district operations, of economizing chiefly by curbing administrative costs, and of fostering greater freedom of expression for teachers and other staff under the administration of Superintendent Kathleen Farrell. The top vote-getter, however, did not dwell on those themes. Mr Bulich presented himself as a hard-headed “very conservative” trustee, sensitive to economic “tough times,” concerned about nurturing “a healthy private sector,” skeptical of non-traditional programs, keen to imbue students with firm “discipline” along with “understanding…of the true meaning of what it is to be an American,” calling for more rigorous evaluations of district employees, and condemning contracts give employees “never-ending rise[s] of salaries and benefits.” Read the entire story in Seeing Greene.

Prometheus Radio Project to host Radio Barnraising with WGXC

Prometheus Radio Project teams with WGXC to hold our 12th community radio barnraising later this year! Radio barnraisings are weekend-long radio-building and movement-building events. Individuals from the local community and participatory media folks from around the country come together to share ideas, experiences, and skills in the launching of a community radio station.

The overwhelming majority of the airwaves have been reserved for a powerful few who take advantage of the complicated technical and political system of media regulation. This inequity in our media system is a reflection of larger structural inequalities in our society. Prometheus’s mission is to build participatory radio as a tool for social justice organizing and a voice for community expression. We work for media justice, seeking to diversify control of the media as a necessary step towards a more equitable distribution of power and resources. We value radio because it is easy to produce, free to consume, and accessible to more people across the world than any other mass media, and we work to help grassroots organizations build communications infrastructure to strengthen their communities and movements.

Prometheus has supported hundreds of community organizations to apply for non-commercial low power FM (LPFM) radio licenses, as well as full power non-commercial license (full power stations). We have also helped build stations, either through providing resources and support or through radio barnraisings, where hundreds of volunteers gather to build a radio station of the course of a few days. These radio barnraisings have helped groups build their base while training a new generation of media organizers across the country. Prometheus has held barnraisings all over the county with eleven groups over the past eight years. These stations have encompassed everything from farmworker unions to civil rights organizations to rural arts groups.

WGXC: Hands-On Radio is a community-run media project in New York’s Greene and Columbia counties. Over 78,000 potential listeners will be able to receive WGXC’s FM signal on 90.7-FM once the station gets on the air with the Prometheus Barnraising in the last week of September. WGXC will be much more than just a radio station, with regular exhibitions and events, ongoing media trainings for our community’s youth and adults, a news blog, and a local calendar of events, community meetings, and resources. The station will serve a media-deprived area between Albany and New York City, a mostly rural area deeply rooted in agriculture and small industry with small urban centers, and home to a thriving music and arts community. WGXC will be the first radio station of its kind in the area created by and for people who live in the community. With local newspapers and independent media outlets rapidly disappearing from the area, this station offers a important opportunity for journalists and community members to get the training needed to produce high quality local news, as well as the outlet for that information to air.

WGXC will serve as an on-air arena where different and conflicting points of view can come together to share perspectives, acting as a local “trading post” for historic, creative, playful, and informative content. WGXC will provide the tools to make voices heard, and become a vehicle to build understanding. The station will be uniquely decentralized with three main studios spread out across the listening range, allowing broader access and participation from residents of both counties. Partnerships are already forming with schools, music venues, and town halls to live feed from various locations, furthering the scope of the station.

WGXC’s mission is to cultivate and to preserve the unique character of our area, the voices, and conversations of Greene and Columbia county residents, especially those that are rarely heard. “Hands-on Radio” captures the essence of this project. WGXC’s participatory environment will bring to life the idea that media is not something that is fed to us, but something we create with our own hands, hearts, and minds.

Saland talks on floor fourth most of all Senators

New York State Senator Steve Saland, R-Poughkeepsie who represents Columbia County, spoke the fourth most on the senate floor according to transcripts of floor proceedings that are now posted online and crunched by NYPIRG’s Bill Mahoney. H/T Capitol Confidential. Saland spoke 9,251 words this term through April 7, while State Sen James Seward ranks 34th with 1,465 words spoken. See Capitol Confidential for complete list.

School election results

Cairo-Durham school election results: School Budget Passed 551-527; Library Appropriation Failed 477-581; Biomass heating system Failed 433-625. Board Member results: Greg Koerner-Fox – 584; Thomas Plank – 564; Beatrice Clappin – 537; Pat Ublacker – 512; Nicole Maggio – 472; Dean Pectal – 456; Sam Mozzillo – 338. The Daily Mail reports Catskill results:

Catskill Central School District’s $36.6 million budget package for 2010-11 was approved by district voters Tuesday night in a 2-1 margin of 712-375. The Catskill Public Library budget was also passed with an approximate 2-1 margin, 701-368. Elected to the Board of Education for three-year terms were incumbent Michael Bulich, who was returned to the board for his second term with 579 votes, and first-timers Christopher Van Loan and Tracy Powell, who drew 439 and 408 votes, respectively. Elected to a two-year term — the unserved balance of an existing seat from a former BOE member — was first-timer Matthew Leipman, who received 402 votes.

The Daily Mail also has Coxsackie-Athens results:

The 2010-2011 budget for the Coxsackie-Athens Central School District was adopted by voters by a margin of 738 votes to 521. Three Board of Education seats were also up for grabs in the vote held yesterday – incumbents Mark Gerrain, Russell Nadler and Beth Tailleur were all up for re-election. Gerrain and Tailleur had easy victories, but Nadler was unseated by opponent Stephen Oliveira, who won 575 votes to Nadler’s 404.

In Hudson, Register-Star reports:

The Hudson City School District budget for 2010-2011 squeaked by Tuesday by a margin of a little more than 100 votes. District voters also reelected Mary Daly (663 votes) to the School Board and brought aboard Peter Merante Sr. (717), Justin Cukerstein, 593 votes. He may still may get a board seat. Patricia Abitabile, currently in the second year of her second five-year term, is resigning from the board as of June 30. There has yet to be a resolution on how Abitabile will be replaced, but a discussion at a recent BOE meeting seemed to indicate the candidate with the third highest number of votes could garner her seat. Carrie Haddad received 422 votes and Peter Rice Jr., garnered 263.

In Taconic Hills, Register-Star reports:

The 2010-2011 budget for the Taconic Hills Central School District passed Tuesday after polls closed, with 604 yes and 377 no votes….Joseph Costa (552), a Claverack automotive business owner who said he would encourage attendance at board meetings, and Kevin Maisenbacher (511), a branch manager at Key Corp/N.A. Licensed Investment, who hopes to involve the community more deeply in board decisions, won the district’s two open school board seats, replacing incumbent board members Scott Decker and Tom Bailey.

The story does not report the other vote totals. Also: Chatham Central School District voters passed the 2010-11 budget of $26,614,687 Tuesday by a margin of 441 for and 260 against. Incumbent candidate Melony Spock, 473 votes, Gail Day, 463, elected. A $13.6 million Germantown Central School District Budget passed easily Tuesday with 274 votes for the budget and 171 against. Eric Mortenson, 327; Theresa Repko, 320; Cynthia Smith, 304.

Vote Tuesday in school board races

Voting for school board members and issues takes place Tuesday in both counties. From The Daily Freeman:

Greene County

Cairo-Durham
(Polls are open noon to 9 p.m.)
Cairo-Durham Middle School cafeteria.

Catskill
(Polls are open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
Catskill High School gymnasium.

Coxsackie-Athens
(Polls are open 1 to 9 p.m.)
District elementary schools.

Hunter-Tannersville
(Polls are open 1 to 9 p.m.)
Hunter Elementary School.

Columbia County

Germantown
(Polls are open noon to 9 p.m.)
Germantown Central School office lobby on Main Street.

Greene County Dems endorse Rice for AG

Jimmy Vielkind at Capitol Confidential says Tom Poelker of the Greene County Democratic Committee, and two other upstate county Democratic leaders are about to endorse Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice for the Attorney General race. Cindy Emmer, chairwoman of the Chemung County Democratic Committee, and Mike Kunzwiler of the Oswego County Democrats are also about to endorse Rice, Vielkind says, in her race against Sen. Eric Schneiderman.

Village of Catskill Appropriations Meeting

Next Monday May 24 at 7 p.m. at Catskill High School the Village of Catskill holds its annual Appropriations Meeting, where voters get to speak about the village budget.

Nearly all local school districts planning job cuts

Kyle Wind in The Daily Freeman:

More than 250 jobs will be eliminated in the region if voters approve school district budgets as proposed Tuesday. All the districts in the area with except Hunter-Tannersville, in Greene County, plan to cut faculty and staff members in response to projected reductions in state aid, and, in some districts, declining enrollment.

GREENE COUNTY

Cairo-Durham school officials are planning to cut 7.2 teaching positions — half at the elementary level and half at middle and high schools — along with a psychologist and a teaching assistant. Catskill school officials are planning to cut three teachers — an art teacher, a librarian and a foreign language teacher — as well as a secondary school administrator, an assistant principal at the elementary school and 1.4 support staff positions. The district plans to reduce the assistant director of special education from a 12-month to 10-month position. In Coxsackie-Athens, planned cuts include a kindergarten class, a teacher’s aide, a high school teacher’s aide, a part-time high school Spanish teacher, an elementary special education teacher, high school academic intervention teaching assistants in science, English and the computer lab, a middle school enrichment teacher, an elementary school librarian, a middle school reading teacher, a high school special education teacher, a part-time high school math teacher, a fifth-grade section and a sixth-grade section. Hunter-Tannersville is the only district in the region not planning to cut any positions.

COLUMBIA COUNTY

In Germantown, the district is planning to cut 1.5 high school teachers, an elementary teacher, a teaching assistant, a custodian and a part-time Spanish teacher. Read the entire story in The Daily Freeman.

$200K grant to target small businesses in Greene County

From The Business Review (Albany):

A $200,000 state grant will enable Greene County to help small businesses. The grant from the New York State Office of Community Renewal will be funneled into the county’s Microenterprise Assistance Program, which provides grants to small businesses. The county will also offer training classes for small businesses. Start-up companies and existing businesses with five or fewer employees are eligible for grants of up to $25,000 to create jobs or expand their business. Applications can be submitted to the Greene County Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Planning. For more information, go to http://greenebusiness.com/economic-development/loans-incentives. Reservations are also being accepted for the Spring 2010 Microenterprise Assistance Program training class, a free, two-day intensive session that covers the basics of business planning, accounting and marketing. The class will be held June 18-19 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Greene County Emergency Operations and Training Center, One Volunteer Drive in Cairo. To reserve a seat, call the county at 518-719-3290. Reservations should be requested by June 14 at 4:30 p.m.

Seward in Coxsackie Friday

New York State Senator James Seward will join the Greene Business Alliance, members of the business community, and local elected officials at an Empire Merchants North open house at 11 a.m. Friday, May 14 at Empire Merchants North, 16 Houghtaling Rd., West Coxsackie, NY.

Fireworks in Catskill

Dick May practiced some citizen journalism at the April 26 Catskill Village meeting, forcing the town trustees to go on the record with their decision to move the July 4 fireworks from the Hudson River waterfront to downtown Catskill. He writes, “the Trustees of Catskill Village almost made a controversial decision by stealth. And they made a decision without making a case.” And then recalls the manner the decision was announced.

“After that business had been well under discussion, a spectator (this correspondent) ventured to ask whether the Board had made a decision on the fireworks launch site. Mr. Seeley acted surprised—as if the answer was evident from the trustees’ remarks. The Trustees then proceeded to resolve formally that the July 4, 2010, fireworks shall be launched from a “downtown” site, ‘yet to be determined.’ That resolution did not stem from anything remotely resembling a systematic or comprehensive cost-benefit analysis. The Trustees acted without affirming, much less determining, that the change of launch sites would be popular, would be economical, would produce a net gain of public safety, would enable the fireworks to be more spectacular, would make the viewing population bigger, or would produce an increase in local business. Read the entire story in Seeing Greene.

Catskill school candidates meet tonight

Catskill School Board candidates Michael Bulich, Catskill; Carthette Burnett, Catskill; Francesca Daisernia, Leeds; Ronald Frascello, Palenville; Randall Griffin, Leeds; Matthew Leipman, Catskill; Tracy Powell, Palenville; Carol Schilansky, Leeds; Christopher Van Loan, Catskill; and Lisa Warner, Catskill will answer questions at 7 p.m. tonight at Catskill High media center, according to The Daily Mail’s Jim Planck. The ten candidates compete for three three-year terms to the three highest vote-getters, and the fourth place seat is a two-year unexpired term of a seat vacated by resignation. The Catskill School District website says, “The candidate forum will be streamed ‘live’ on the Catskill website.”

Senate, Assembly approve extender budget

From Casey Seiler at Capitol Confidential:

The Senate approved the one-week extender on a straight party-line vote, 32-29 [which means Columbia County’s representative Steve Saland and Greene County’s James Seward both voted against the measure], while the Assembly vote was slightly more mixed: 82-56.

From Rick Karlin and Jimmy Vielkind at the Albany Times-Union:

Assemblyman Tim Gordon told the protesters he would vote against a budget extender. He had been undecided about the vote; by tying the furlough provision to a measure that funds the government, Paterson has jammed several legislators, particularly Capital Region representatives whose constituencies include large numbers of state workers. “If it’s not legal, it’s very difficult to vote for,” said Gordon, I-Bethlehem. “I’ve been deliberating all weekend, and I’ve come to my conclusion: I’m voting no.”

Catskill farmer’s market will close a portion of Main Street on Saturday mornings this summer

Instead of completely closing down Main St., or putting stalls in parking spaces, the Village of Catskill will close one block of Main St. between Thompson Street and the entrance to the municipal parking lot at Willard Alley from 7:30 a.m. to at least 2 p.m., for the Catskill Regional Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market Saturdays from June 19 to Oct. 30, Susan Campriello in The Daily Mail reports. The farmer’s market had been held at Dutchmen’s Landing on the Hudson River, rather than downtown, and Village President Vince Seeley is also spearheading a similar move of the town’s July 4 fireworks, both in an effort to stimulate downtown business. WGXC Radio Council member Hudson Talbott is curating the non-farmer’s booths at the market.

State Senator Seward is a ‘Tenther’

New York State Senator James Seward, a Republican who represents Greene County, is co-sponsoring J4716, a resolution in the State Senate’s Finance Committee to, “Re-Establish our State’s Sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment.” This Legislative Resolution affirms, “the sovereignty of the of the people of the State of New York pursuant to the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.” The resolution requests, “Congress cease and desist from enacting mandates that are beyond the scope of the enumerated powers granted to Congress by the Constitution of the United States.” The legislation also seeks to establish a joint committee on the constitutionality of acts, orders, laws, statutes, regulations and rules of the government of the United States of America in order to protect state sovereignty.” The so-called “Tenther” movement is similar to the pre-Civil War nullification movement (that grew out of the 1832 dispute between the United States and the state of South Carolina over the latter’s attempt to nullify a federal law), and an attempt to make all sorts of programs — Social Security, Medicare, health care reform, etc. — unlawful. H/T The Albany Project.


Murphy in Greene County Monday

Congressman Scott Murphy (NY-20) will visit several Greene County fire stations, present a USDA infrastructure grant to the Town of Ashland, and host a town meeting in Windham on Monday, May 10. Details:

Murphy at Prattsville Hose Company, Main Sreet, Prattsville, 11:15 a.m.

Congressman Murphy and USDA officials to present a grant to Ashland for improved water and sewer systems at Ashland Town Hall, 12094 Route 23 Ashland, noon.

Rep. Murphy hosts town meeting at Windham Center Church, Windham, 12:45 p.m.

Murphy tours the Leeds Hose Company, Route 23 B, Leeds, 2:15 p.m.

Murphy tours Athens Volunteer Fire Department, Third St., Athens, 3 p.m.

All events are free and open to the public. Murphy faces Republican Chris Gibson in an election this fall.

Palenville’s pagans

In The Watershed Post, Julia Reischel has an excellent, long feature about Cathryn Platine and The Maetreum, a three-story former inn once known as Central House, is run by a non-profit called the Maetreum of Cybele, Magna Mater (MCMM). While the IRS recognizes the Palenville pagan enclave as a non-profit religion, the Town of Catskill wants the $12,627.35 in property tax on The Maetreum, and Platine is taking them to court. Reischel’s story can be boiled down to a few paragraphs:

“We’re not saying they’re not a religious organization,” [Catskill Town Assessor Nancy] McCoy says. “We’re saying the property’s use does not meet the requirement for full tax exemption.” To qualify, a religious group has to show that it is using the property primarily for religious purposes — and that’s where the Maetreum fails, she says. According to [Town lawyer, Daniel] Vincelette’s report, the Maetreum is really a gender-bending housing project: “The primary purpose of the property is residential, to house and shelter transgendered individuals,” it concludes. “I read through that document and felt strongly that they were not entitled to the exemption,” McCoy says. Platine doesn’t deny that before formally becoming the seat of the Maetreum’s faith, the inn was used as an emergency shelter for homeless transsexual women. (Platine herself is intersexed, and has been a transgender activist for decades.) But the inn ceased functioning as a shelter years ago, she says, and now only three people, all priestesses of Cybele, live there. Vincelette says that the Maetreum isn’t the only religious group to have its land taxed; last year, he says, the town put land owned by the Catholic church that wasn’t being used for religious purposes on the rolls as well. “Every single religious group in the town of the Catskill is being treated the same,” he says. “Unfortunately, I think there is a lot of anger on Cathryn’s part. I don’t think she fully understands the legal issues.” Read the entire story in The Watershed Post.

Greene weekend

FRIDAY

Sheila Jordan/Cameron Brown (photo, at right) Duo perform jazz at 8 p.m. at Gallagher’s, 513 Main St., Cairo. $25.

SATURDAY

Hudson Farmer’s Market reopens for the season from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at parking lot at Columbia and 6th Sts., Hudson. WGXC will have a table at the market.

Lex Grey and John Pinder with Crooked Toe at Wine and Cheese Festival (fundraiser for Catskill Village parks) 1-6 p.m. at Beattie Powers House, Catskill.

Smokin’ Aces at the Prattsville Tavern’s Pig Roast and BBQ at 2 p.m., $10 donation to Ashland Fire Department.

Avondale Airforce, Billy Mitchell, Naked on the Woodstock green, free, May 8, at 3 p.m.

Catskill gives Wal-Mart tax break

This Greenport Wal-Mart is empty since the new larger store opened down the street last year.

Town, Wal-Mart settle dispute
—The Daily Mail, 05.05.10

Wal-Mart in Catskill gets break on tax bill
—The Daily Freeman, 05.06.10

Catskill is reducing the property tax assessment on the local Wal-Mart $1.67 million, reducing their total to $13.5 million, covering the years 2010 through 2012, effectively granting the giant corporation from Arkansas a large tax break. The Daily Mail first says Catskill is giving Wal-Mart the tax break, “avoiding a costly legal battle.” Then Supervisor Peter Markou reveals a bit more: “We’ve already spent $75,000 in assessment cases,” Markou told The Daily Mail, or said during the meeting. “That’s more than I’ve budgeted for.” Then Colin DeVries, The Daily Mail scribe writes, “The town’s 2010 budget included $40,000 for assessment litigation.” William J. Kemble in The Daily Freeman writes, “the reduction, approved at a Town Board meeting Tuesday, is a step toward settling a grievance by the retail giant. Officials said the settlement, which still requires a judge’s approval, was recommended to avoid further court expenses.” Then he quotes Markou — looks like he said it in the meeting — “This town has already spent $75,000 (since 2008) in assessment cases,” said town Supervisor Peter Markou. “That’s a lot of money. That’s way beyond the budgeted (amount) that I had in there.” Kemble’s story is a day late, but no dollars short. He spent the day following the money:

Town Assessor Nancy McCoy said Wednesday that Wal-Mart paid $530,00 in town, county and school taxes in 2009, and this year is expected to save about $62,000 with the reduced assessment. McCoy said the town has spent $10,100 since January to appraise and defend assessments against five major business. “It’s all ‘big boxes,’” Markou said. “They are all going to challenge their assessments. It’s a good year to do it. The economy is in the crapper.” Besides Wal-Mart, the following companies are also seeking assessment reductions:

• Holcim Cement Co., on U.S. Route 9W, from $10,135,700 to $1,650,00. The case was filed in 2008.

• Home Depot, on state Route 23B, from $8,995,100 to $4,060,000. The case was filed in 2009.

• Lowe’s, on state Route 23A, from $7,099,000 to $3,480,000. The case was filed in 2008.

• Rite Aid, on Route 23A, from $1.8 million to $500,000. The case was filed in 2009.

“You have to pick and choose your battles,” McCoy said. “You do the analysis to see if the assessment is supportable and then weigh the cost of supporting assessment versus the possibility of losing it; what it costs versus what you could save by not going to court and settling.”

Amphibian Adventure

Amphibian Adventure!
A Fund-Raiser for WGXC Community Radio

May 21, 2010: 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Greene County Agroforestry Resource Center
6055 Route 23, Acra, NY 12405
518-622-9820

Support your local community radio station and listen to the sounds of our resident frogs – all in one, fun evening! This family-friendly program will include a brief, indoor presentation on frogs and salamanders by Dr. Richard Wyman and an evening walk to the ponds at the Siuslaw Model Forest to hear the dulcet tones of spring peepers and other evening sounds. This program will be recorded for broadcast on WGXC!

Current leader

23rd annual River Basin Sports Striper Contest update.

Rural Democrats choose Dinallo for AG

Tom Poelker with Nancy Pelosi.

Jimmy Vielkind of Capitol Confidential was at the Democratic Rural Conference this weekend in Niagara Falls:

As expected, Eric Dinallo won the straw poll for attorney general here at the Democratic Rural Conference with Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice finishing second and Sean Coffey finishing third. Dinallo had the support of 21 county chairs entering the straw poll, and earned 166 votes. Rice earned 79 votes, Coffey 52, Sen. Eric Schneiderman 33 and Assemblyman Richard Brodsky 22 votes.

He also reports that Tom Poelker, the Greene County Democratic chair, and June O’Neill, the St. Lawrence County Democratic chair, nominated Andrew Cuomo for Governor in abstenia.

Opening events

Recommended happenings.
FRIDAY
Sideshow clothing store opening at 7 p.m. with Bleeding Hearts belly dancers, Evan Randall, and Stephen Bluhm. 707 Warren St., Hudson.
Avondale Airforce and Battle Ave Tea Club at 9 p.m. at Market Market Cafe, Route 32 North, Rosendale. $5.
Mick Taylor Band and Voodelic at 9 p.m. at Bearsville Theater, 291 Tinker St. (Rt. 212), Woodstock.
SATURDAY
Hudson’s Children’s Book Festival, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., with hundreds of authors and WGXC, Hudson High.
“Upstate II” opening, 6 p.m. with Melora Kuhn, Catherine Mosley, Erik Schoonebeek, and Allyson Strafella at Nicole Fiacco Gallery, Hudson. Through June 5.
“Double Duos” 7 p.m. talk, 8 p.m. performance featuring Michael Benedict (vibes), Keith Pray (alto sax), Mike Lawrence (bass) and Brian Patneaude (tenor sax) at the Athens Cultural Center, 24 Second St, Athens.
RE:Vision Forward Motion Theater 8 p.m. at Hudson Opera House.
Club Helsinki in Hudson opens at 9 p.m. with Spottiswoode & His Enemies.
SUNDAY
“Remember the Ladies” open house at noon at Thomas Cole House. Free.

Hunter officials ask to keep park open

From Colin DeVries in Windham Journal:

In an effort to save a key piece of the Mountaintop’s economic puzzle, county and local officials are rallying to keep the Devil’s Tombstone Campground open through 2010. A county resolution was unanimously approved Wednesday requesting that New York State reconsider closing the Devil’s Tombstone Campground in Hunter….The campground, located amidst Route 214’s Stony Clove, has been slated for closure along with six others throughout the state due to a massive $8 billion state budget deficit. “The North-South Lake and Devil’s Tombstone campgrounds bring people here from outside of region and the state,” said Michael McCrary, president of the Town of Hunter Chamber of Commerce. “If they close the campground we can’t put it in any of our promotions.” Officials are now rallying to come up with solutions to keep the campground open… Another alternative posed was the use of national service groups to maintain the campground and keep it operating, particularly the federal Corporation of National and Community Service’s AmeriCorps program. Read the entire story at Windham Journal.

Deadline for WGXC program applications

MAY 1 IS DEADLINE FOR WGXC PROGRAM APPLICATIONS

WGXC Program Application
Download PDF to apply to host a show on WGXC.E-mail or mail them in to info@wgxc.org or WGXC, 5662 Rt. 23, Acra, NY 12405.

Program Applications received:

JoAnn Piazzi and Peter Lerner (Windham)

Interview show: Politicians, officials, volunteers, activists.

John Cleater (Columbiaville)

Music: international psychedelic music from 1969.

Matthew Slaats (Staatsburg)

Arts Talk: Hudson Valley arts.

Max Goldfarb (Hudson)

“Incident Report”: soundworks, talks, interviews.

Terence Doyle (Delhi)

“Imprint” regional music show.

Chrissy Budzinski (Catskill)

Music: local music.

Laura Kunreuther and Max Goldfarb (Hudson)

Jeffrey P. Moore (Copake)

Music: alternative, electronic, chill.

Bear (New Baltimore)

Kaleidoscopic quilt of sonic ear and mind candy.

Tony Fallon (Durham)

Music: Irish.

Jason Costello (Freehold)

Music: hair metal bands.

Linda Karlsson (Catskill)

Health and wellness.

Jim McCabe (Claverack)

Music: “The Tiki Bar”: Cocktails, tropical drinks, entertainment, always a relaxing island atmosphere.

Ted Banta (Cairo)

Local real estate.

Christina Malisoff (Hudson)

Interview show: authors, artists, activists, unnoticed.

Sandy McKnight (Hudson)

Talk/music with local guests from the arts.

Andrew Amelinckx (Catskill)

History, art, literature.

Studio Stu (Kingston)

Music: jazz improv.

Barbara Sturman (Lexington)

Teen radio, interviews, etc.

Steve Charney (Saugerties)

Children’s/family comedy show

Bill Schmick (Hillsdale)

Business and finance.

Randy J. Hinz (Columbiaville)

Sonny Rock (Windham)

Music: local and national independent bands.

Susan Robinson (Hudson)

Music: House, international, ’70s + ’80s new wave.

Francis Robles (Athens)

Music: Dance, electro, techno, turntablism.

Agroforesty Center (Acra)

“Living with the Land”: regional farming and forestry historical and current.

Susan Arbetter (Albany)

“The Capitol Pressroom”: state government news.

Jackie Thomas (Hudson)

Music: “Sunday Afternoon” with local, national, and international music.

Matt Harle (Beacon)

Found sounds, field recordings, music from the Hudson Valley.

Cairo Library (Cairo)

Children’s reading program, music, and more.

Rob Johanson (Hudson)

Music: Live recordings from the Red Dot Open Mic (Wednesdays), and other local and regional music and recordings.

Brian Branigan (Hudson)

“The WGXC Flea” on-air flea market.

Dominic Merante (Hudson)

Music: Local and national country music.

Mark Read (?)

Music: music and political conversation.

Alan Skerrett (Philmont)

Music: jazz, from big band to fusion.

Nancy Annette Massey Marron (Cornwallville)

Etiquette and social skills.

Chuck Sussman (Philmont)

Music: Local music.

Reggie Madison (Athens)

Music: Jazz.

Deborah McDowell/Marc Schafler (Hudson)

Music: Live from Club Helsinki.

Peter Wetzler (Kingston)

Music: “Sound Forms” new music composers from around the world.

Dawn Collins (Stuyvesant)

Music: interview/intentional and transformational music.

Dan Seward (Hudson)

Music: “Battlefield Earth:” all types of music.

Elizabeth Hess (Spencertown)

On companion animals and farm animals.

Stephanie Hartka (Hudson)

Music: Latin American.

Michael Gogger (Coxsackie)

Psychic show.

Norman Douglas (Hudson)

Experimental, free-format series: interview and oral history, audio collage, etc.

Severine von Tscharner Fleming (?)

“Greenhorn Radio:” Hudson Valley-based show for under-40 farmers.

Vicki Lagoudis (Catskill)

Talk show on alternative healing or spiritual/psychic.

Ann Forbes Cooper (Catskill)

Interview show: arts and culture.

Hank Flick (Hudson)

Music: “Excursions with Lunar Moss:” experimental pop and rock.

E-mail applications by May 1 to info@wgxc.org or mail them to WGXC, 5662 Rt. 23, Acra, NY 12405.

Greene County Bancorp’s net income up 5% in 3Q

From The Business Review (Albany):

Greene County Bancorp Inc., [parent to The Bank of Greene County], reported a five percent increase in net income for its third fiscal quarter. The Catskill, N.Y.-based company had net income of $1.23 million, or 30 cents a share, for the three months ended March 31. This compares to net income of $1.15 million, or 28 cents a share, in the year-ago quarter. For the nine months ended March 31, net income was $3.6 million, or 88 cents a share, up from $3 million, or 73 cents a share, a year earlier. Read the entire story in The Business Review (Albany).

Catskill relocates July 4 fireworks

William J. Kemble in The Daily Freeman reports that on Monday Catskill officially moved the July 4 Dutchmen’s Landing waterfront site on the Hudson River to downtown Catskill. They will shoot the fireworks from either the Catskill High School track or a platform along the Catskill Creek. Read the entire article in The Daily Freeman.

Cairo voters approve new library

Cairo voters today approved a bond to finance a new library for the town, 53 to 47 percent. Totals: 283 yes, 248 no, 531 total voting. The vote at Resurrection Lutheran Church today determined Cairo will build a new library. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has offered the town a $3.07 million low-interest loan (4.25 percent) and a $200,000 grant with a local share match of about $100,000. The vote is for a bond for the loan. Cairo Library Executive Director Debra Kamecke is on the WGXC Radio Council.

Cairo voting now on library bond

Voters today deciding if Cairo gets a new library.

Voters in Cairo today are turning out to Resurrection Lutheran Church until 9 p.m. to determine whether Cairo will build a new library. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has offered the town a $3.07 million low-interest loan (4.25 percent) and, if the town accepts the loan, a $200,000 grant with a local share match of about $100,000. The vote is for a bond for the loan. Cairo Library Executive Director Debra Kamecke is on the WGXC Radio Council.

With Greene County, Lazio climbs to 51.5

Jimmy Vielkind in Capitol Confidential:

Greene County Republican Chairman Brent Bogardus endorsed Rick Lazio lat night, bringing to 51.5 percent the amount of the Republican delegates the Long Islander has in his corner for his question to become governor. “The Executive Committee of the Greene County Republican Party interviewed gubernatorial candidates this weekend,” Bogardus said in a statement put out by the Lazio campaign. “The members of our Committee strongly felt that Rick Lazio was the candidate best equipped to carry our message of lower taxes, less government and personal responsibility to New York’s voters this fall.” Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy remains at 27.1 percent of the weighted vote. As an enrolled Democrat, he will need over 50 percent of the Republican State Committee to support him in order to secure a slot on the primary ballot. Lazio needs just 25 percent. Carl Paladino has yet to secure any endorsements. Read the entire article in Capitol Confidential.

Feed the Radio benefit May 15 in Germantown

Germantown Community Farm

The “Feed the Radio” benefit will be held from 3 p.m. on with an afternoon of activities, workshops, and radio fun! Stay for a delicious dinner and silent auction, followed by an evening of lovely live music and a DJ dance party! This we are hosting a joint benefit party for WGXC, our new local community radio station, and to sponsor low income shares for Fog and Thistle CSA (formerly known as Germantown Community Farm CSA). Come have a great time and help us deliver homegrown radio and food to our community!
Suggested donation is $10-$25

Camping in the orchard is welcome! Bring tents, bedding, flashlights. Accomodations in the house and barn are limited; let us know if you need them. Children are welcome!

We also need volunteers to help before, during and after the event, as well as items for the silent auction. Anything you can throw in is most appreciated!

For details check out: www.germantowncommunityfarm.blogspot.com or email Kaya at kaya@wgxc.org.

The farm is located at 4872 State Rt 9G, Germantown NY. 518-537-6139.

Cairo Open Mic recording

Mark Patton

The Cairo Library and WGXC held the monthly Cairo Open Mic Fri. Apr. 23 at Gallagher’s, across the from the library on Main St. Guitarist Mark Patton; Dawn and Dick Collins; guitarist Michael Ryan, poet Tony Fallon, poet Nancy Henry, (The Daily Mail photographer) Claude Haton and Harry Gottleib (half of the band Wyld Blue), and Kayleigh all performed. Click here to listen to an audio mp3 recording of the performances or paste the following url into your computer’s media player:

http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/04
/CairoOpenMic_CairoLibrary_WGXC_042310.mp3

A vote will be held Tue. April 27 at Resurrection Lutheran Church to determine whether Cairo will build a new library. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has offered the town a $3.07 million low-interest loan (4.25 percent) and, if the town accepts the loan, a $200,000 grant with a local share match of about $100,000. The vote is for a bond for the loan. Cairo Library Executive Director Debra Kamecke is on the WGXC Radio Council.

Scott Murphy speaks to constituents in Palenville

Scott Murphy photo from April 1 at Coxsackie's Senior Center.

Congressman Scott Murphy held a town meeting in Palenville Monday, April 19, at 1:30 p.m. at the Palenville Fire Department, 717 Rte. 32A, Palenville. Murphy is running for re-election against Republican Chris Gibson. Listen to an audio mp3 recording of Murphy answering questions from constituents (recorded by WGXC’s Debra Kamecke) by clicking here or by pasting the following link into your computer’s media player:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/04/
ScottMurphy_Palenville_WGXC_041910.mp3

Another busy Saturday

TAP New York with 30 regional breweries representing over 100 individual beers at Hunter Mountain Saturday and Sunday.

“Where We Live” by Barbara L. Walter opening at The Broderick Fine Art Gallery above Ruby’s Hotel April 24 from 5-7 p.m.

“Polaroids” show opening with William Wegman, Mark Beard, Tanya Marcuse, John Dugdale, Jeri Eisenberg, and Melinda McDaniel at Carrie Haddad Photographs in Hudson Saturday, 6-8 p.m.

The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus performs with Walking the Dog Theater Ensemble at Space360 in Hudson Saturday.

Black Lake — Hudson’s Slink Moss with two friends from NYC — perform at Spotty Dog Books & Ale in Hudson at 8 p.m.

The Tommy Sharp Experience and Evan Randall perform at 9 p.m. Saturday at Savoia, 214 Warren St., Hudson.

Mother Fletcher plays at The Black Swan in Tivoli Saturday night.

Molinaro talks in Hudson at Space360

Assemblyman Marc Molinaro (R,C,I-Red Hook) brought State Assembly Republican Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) to a public meeting of about 20 people at Space 360 in Hudson today at 5:30 p.m. The two Assemblymen mingled with the guests including Catskill Town Supervisor Peter Markou, Columbia County Planning and Economic Development Commissioner Ken Flood, and Bill Jacoby, whose NYC-based Wind Products is looking to manufacture wind-power generators in Columbia County in two years. Molinaro spoke with a WGXC reporter for five minutes before a public question-and-answer session with Kolb that lasted over 30 minutes. Audio mp3 recordings of the interview and questioning are below. The event preceded Molinaro and Kolb’s public forum to discuss the People’s Convention to Reform New York Act at the Hudson Elks Club.

Marc Molinaro

Click here to listen to mp3 recording of WGXC interview with Marc Molinaro or paste this url into your media player:

NY State Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, Catskill Town Supervisor Peter Markou, and State Assemblyman Marc Molinaro at Space360.

Click here to listen to mp3 recording of Marc Molinaro and Brian Kolb’s public meeting question-and-answer session at Space360 on Wed. Apr. 21 or paste this url into your media player:

Striper biting in Hudson River

TomG of River Basin Sports reports on the first day of the 23rd annual River Basin Sports Striper Contest tournament going on today on the Hudson River:

Well, it didn’t take too long to get our striped bass contest off to a good start. Early this morning at the crack of dawn John Munno, our past 2006 contest winner, hit the waters of the Hudson River in the vicinity of the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and discovered that yes, indeed, the stripers are here. Using herring as bait over a rock-gravel bottom in about 20 feet of water he landed a 34 incher, lost a couple of others that were hooked and then boated the first contest entry of 2010 – a 38 ½ inch beauty. Now, John knows, just as well as we here at the River Basin Sports shop do, that there is no way this fish has a prayer of finishing in the money but it was his first striper outing of 2010 and – the first contest entry of the year is always a premiere accomplishment here. Since it was the first fish to be entered we also threw it on the shop scale and saw it tip the needle at 21 lbs 13 ounces. Fishing action in the Catskill – Stockport area of the river continues to be fair to good. Slightly further south, around Germantown, decent action is also reported. We received a report from the Castleton T-way bridge area of good action there over the weekend with fish up into the low 30 inch mark. And even up in the Albany-Troy area there is decent action with a few stripers reported to be running up to around the 3 foot size although one report from there is that the herring have become a little bit spotty. Our Striped Bass Contest sign-ups concluded with a RECORD number of registrants – 604. As our participants are probably aware – we are paying back 100% of the entry monies as prizes 1 through 6 to the entrants bringing in the top six fish (length). That means that at least $9,060 will go to the winners. Read the entire article here.

Greene County Arts Council funds cultural institutions

Greene County Council on the Arts awarded 11 County Initiative Program awards: Bronck Museum of the Greene County Historical Society was awarded $2,200 to continue, expand and promote cultural, educational, and arts programming, including Music of History series, Heritage Craft Fair and Chilly Willy Tours; Catskill Mountain Foundation, Inc. was awarded $2,650 toward artist fees and related costs for year-round performing arts series, which includes dance, theater, classical music, pop music and family performances; free103point9 was awarded $1,200 for support of the online portion of WGXC (at the time of the application known as Greene/Columbia community radio station project); Greene Room Players was awarded $1,800 in support for 2010 community theater productions plus the Reel Teens film program; Horton by the Stream in Elka Park was awarded $1,000 toward artist fees for production of the 2010 season of free summer professional staged readings of plays, primarily by Horton Foote; Irish American Heritage Museum was awarded $500 for year two of the exhibit “The Irish in Battle” at the museum in East Durham; Music & Art Centre of Greene County was awarded $2,500 toward the 2010 season of summer concerts, Classical music series and Ukrainian folk arts workshops at the Grazhda in Jewett Center; Planet Arts was awarded $1,500 toward support for the 2010 Jazzone2one Series to be held at the Athens Cultural Center in Athens; Thomas Cole National Historic Site – Cedar Grove in Catskill was awarded $2,650 in support for the 2010 exhibition: “Remember the Ladies;” Windham Chamber Music Festival was awarded $2,500 in support of its 2010 concert series in Windham; Zadock Pratt Museum was awarded $2,000 in support for its 2010 season of programs and projects.

‘Where We Live’ opening Saturday in Freehold

The Broderick Fine Art Gallery hosts the April 24 opening of “Where We Live,” a show of plein air landscapes of the Northern Catskills by Barbara L. Walter. The gallery is located upstairs at Ruby’s Hotel, 3689 County Road 67 in Freehold, just off Route 32. The show runs through May 22 and gallery hours are Fridays and Saturdays from 5–10 p.m. and the opening is this Saturday from 5-7 p.m.