The Catskill Chronicle

HARRIS, NY -  Catskill Regional Medical Center (CRMC) announced today that eight “Kimmie Cares” cancer dolls were recently donated to CRMC’s Oncology Department by Girl Scout Troop 731 of Liberty, N.Y.  The dolls will be distributed to patients and their families

The troop, made up of 15 girls ages 8 to 11, sold candy and nuts to raise money to purchase the dolls as part of a Bronze Award project focusing on cancer awareness.

The project was initiated because one of the troop’s scouts was diagnosed with leukemia in 2006, increasing awareness of the disease among the group’s members. (The girl’s leukemia is now in remission.) Because of this personal experience, the troop’s members purchased the “Kimmie Cares” dolls to help other children with cancer, as well as children who have a relative receiving cancer treatments.

The dolls come with removable hair and scarves so they can reflect the side effects of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. Books called “Mommy & Me” were included with the dolls.

Cancer Care at CRMC includes a well-developed oncology program that offers a multidisciplinary team approach combined with quality care. The program continues to be distinguished by the excellent, compassionate care provided to its patients. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact the Hematology/Oncology department at 845.794.3300, Extension 3233.

An affiliated member of the Greater Hudson Valley Health System, Catskill Regional Medical Center is dedicated to providing the highest quality healthcare to residents in the Sullivan County region. For more information, call 845-794-3300 or visit www.crmcny.org.

To learn more about Kimmie Dolls visit – http://www.kimmiecares.com/store/pc/home1.html

Photos courtesy of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

BETHEL, NY – On Saturday, July 10^th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Museum at Bethel Woods invites you to enjoy a day of family-friendly activities celebrating the rich culture of Vietnam, inspired by the special exhibit, Eddie Adams: Vietnam. 

Family Day at Bethel Woods features art activities, storytelling, music and more for just $30 per family (including up to 2 adults and 4 children, $5.00 for each additional person) which also includes museum admission. 

Schedule of Events

10 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. – Museum galleries open

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - 

Mask Making

Design your family tree

Dragon Decoration

Create your own dragon

Picture frame decoration

Zodiac woodblock prints

Special Performances:

12:00 & 2:00 pm
Storyteller Lisa Lipkin

1 and 3 p.m.
Vietnamese Dances by the New Jersey Vietnam-American Community Association

Elliott Landy will be signing copies of his book Woodstock Vision in the museum lobby from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Bethel Woods is committed to being a strong community and educational partner, bringing together a diverse array of people and experiences that add to a rich cultural life in our region and providing enriching, engaging and educational experiences that broaden exposure to history, the arts and culture.  In 2009 Bethel Woods’ Community Outreach and Education programs benefitted over 35,000 people, and this year exciting programs are planned through the fall, which include opportunities for individuals of all ages, as well as through area schools and community organizations.

For more information about this event and others coming up visit: http://www.bethelwoodscenter.org/

MONTICELLO, NY - Sullivan County Manager David Fanslau has issued a Flash Flood Watch associated with Heavy Rain Potential today through Saturday.

Fanslau said, “The National Weather Service (NSW) has issued a Flash Flood Watch and has advised County officials of a potential for isolated areas of very heavy rainfall. Most areas likely will see beneficial rains on the order of 1-2 inches. The NSW models continue to suggest that there will be a few areas of much heavier rains. Even with the dry soil conditions, a slow-moving thunderstorm could easily drop enough rain to overwhelm drainage ditches, poor drainage areas and small streams.

Last evening, there was a slow-moving thunderstorm in the Catskills that dropped an estimated 6-7 inches of rain in a few hours which caused flash flooding along Route 206 near Colchester, NY.

The atmosphere has a lot of deep tropical-like moisture so thunderstorms that form with an approaching cold front later today and tonight will have a lot of moisture to work with. If this front slows down or stalls, even for a few hours, the result could easily be 4-5 inches or more of rain.

Since the NSW cannot pinpoint where the heaviest rain will fall at this time, residents should pay attention to the later forecasts and listen for flash flood watches, flash flood warnings and flood advisories. Be ready to respond to rapid flooding. Be watchful and looking for NY Alert messages.

Residents are advised to not drive your vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway. The water depth may be too great to allow your car to cross safely. Move to higher ground

I strongly urge any resident who lives near a stream, creek or river to be prepared and alert as this storm progresses, and to take preventative measures to protect their property through sandbags, etc. Outdoor, moveable property should be secured, and indoor property should be put up in case of flooding in the home. Furthermore, in case of emergency, all residents in these areas should make preparations to vacate their home if conditions warrant, and are strongly urged to comply with any and all reasonable requests from law enforcement or emergency responders during an emergency.

County residents, particularly those in flood-prone areas, are also urged to have enough flashlights and extra batteries, canned goods and bottled water for 48 hours, in case of power outage or emergency. Residents are encouraged to make arrangements to check on elderly neighbors, and arrange for pets to be housed either inside, or with proper shelter.

During the storm all County residents are urged to remain indoors and off roadways whenever possible. If residents must drive, they are advised to exercise extreme caution when driving through this storm, and to pay special attention not to drive through pooling or standing water. If there are flood conditions on a roadway, please do not travel through the water.

Sullivan County officials will be in contact with all towns, village and fire departments in the flood-prone areas, to ensure all precautionary measures are being taken, and implementing contingency plans in case of flooding. County officials will remain in contact with these towns, village and volunteer first-responders throughout the storm, as they monitor the situations in their own communities.

Should flooding occur in Sullivan County, residents and visitors are urged to visit the County website, www.co.sullivan.ny.us, for current news and information.”

For more information about this press release, please contact David Fanslau, County Manager, at 845-807-0450.                                                                                                                                   

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MONTICELLO, NY – On Thursday, July 8, at 7:45 p.m. Sullivan County Manager David Fanslau issued a Flash Flood Warning for the Roscoe and Upper Beaver Kill area:

Fanslau said, “The National Weather Service in Binghamton has issued a Flash Flood warning for the Roscoe area. The Doppler radar indicated an area of excessive rainfall due to a cluster of thunderstorms over the warned area. Locations in the warning include but are not limited to

Corbett, Downsville, and Roscoe. Roads in this area include State Route 30, County Route 206, Beech Hill Road and Barkaboon Road. Creeks that may be flooded include, Springbrook and the Upper Beaver Kill. Rapid flooding of streams, creeks, urban, and poor drainage areas is likely in and near these locations. When you can do so safely, please report flooding to the National Weather Service by calling toll free at 1-877-633-6772…or by email at .stormreport@noaa.gov.

Residents are advised to not drive their vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway. The water depth may be too great to allow your car to cross safely. Move to higher ground.

I strongly urge any resident who lives near a stream, creek or river to be prepared and alert as this storm progresses, and to take preventative measures to protect their property through sandbags, etc. Outdoor, moveable property should be secured, and indoor property should be put up in case of flooding in the home. Furthermore, in case of emergency, all residents in these areas should make preparations to vacate their home if conditions warrant, and are strongly urged to comply with any and all reasonable requests from law enforcement or emergency responders during an emergency.County residents, particularly those in flood-prone areas, are also urged to have enough flashlights and extra batteries, canned goods and bottled water for 48 hours, in case of power outage or emergency. Residents are encouraged to make arrangements to check on elderly neighbors, and arrange for pets to be housed either inside, or with proper shelter.

During the storm all County residents are urged to remain indoors and off roadways whenever possible. If residents must drive, they are advised to exercise extreme caution when driving through this storm, and to pay special attention not to drive through pooling or standing water. If there are flood conditions on a roadway, please do not travel through the water.

Sullivan County officials will be in contact with all towns, village and fire departments in the flood-prone areas, to ensure all precautionary measures are being taken, and implementing contingency plans in case of flooding. County officials will remain in contact with these towns, village and volunteer first-responders throughout the storm, as they monitor the situations in their own communities.

Should flooding occur in Sullivan County, residents and visitors are urged to visit the County website, www.co.sullivan.ny.us, for current news and information.”

**Editor’s Note – The Catskill Chronicle has added a button (located at the right hand side of the page) for the NY-ALERT system. For up-to-date information on storm activity, road closures and more simply click on the button and readers will be taken to the NY-ALERT site.

Pictured above are – Top row (l to r) Max Fiedle, Don Hasbrouck, Frank Delozier, Philip Coombe III, Jim Garigliano, Lee Osterhout and Jim McCarthy. Bottom row (l to ) Mike Mickleson, Richard Coombe, Chris Mickleson, Out of Town Volunteer, Mort Delozier, Mike Mickleson and Philip Coombe.

GRAHAMSVILLE, NY - A joint project between the Time and the Valleys Museum and the Daniel Pierce Library has proved that people can move mountains – or at least houses! On July 3^rd dozens of hard working dedicated volunteers joined together to move an old farmhouse located on St. Rt. 55 in Grahamsville up a hill and then behind the recently built addition of the Daniel Pierce Library.

This move began as a vision of the Time and the Valleys Museum to create an outdoor Museum Village to complement the Museum’s exhibitions, to be located in a three floor wing of the Daniel Pierce Library. The first of several buildings to be moved behind the library, the other buildings include a sap house, blacksmith shop and outhouse. An old barn that was donated to the Museum was taken apart board by board, and is now in storage waiting to be restored at its home on the hill.

In an age when good homes are routinely torn down to make room for progress, this one hundred year old house in Grahamsville will live to see another day. The Arnold and Marion Robinson home was slated for demolition and located right next door to the newly expanded Daniel Pierce Library, which needed a parking lot. The Time and the Valleys Museum had plans for a museum village to be located on the hill behind the new building project.

Phil Coombe, Jr. chairperson of the entire building project, came up with a “what if” scenario. What if the building could be moved up the hill? Could it be part of the Museum Village?

This past Saturday, a determined crew of volunteers headed up by Phil Coombe, Jr., and four bulldozers gave the old homestead new life as they achieved their goal of moving it to a new location, awaiting restoration and the ultimate goal of educating visitors about the past.

The Time and the Valleys Museum is a living and interactive resource that preserves the past, educates the present and ensures the uniqueness of the Rondout and Neversink watersheds for all generations. Currently located in the Neversink Town Hall, the Museum provides educational programming for the public and is actively raising funds to install exhibitions in the Museum’s future home, co-located in the new addition to the Daniel Pierce Library. Please call us at 985-2262 x 313 for more information or go online at www.timeandthevalleysmuseum.org.

LIBERTY, NY – The organizers of the Liberty’s ‘Movies in the Park’ series regret to inform that, effective immediately, they have to suspend the showing of free outdoor movies in Liberty’s LaPolt Park until further notice. This is due to unresolved licensing issues. Says Heinrich Strauch, the Liberty CDC’s Executive Director: “We thought we had the proper license in place to cover our activities but we’ve learned over the last couple of days that there appears to be a license monopoly in place for the outdoor showing of movies. In order to protect our individual organizations from potential legal action, we decided to suspend movie nights until we have the situation cleared up. We sincerely hope to get going again later in the summer.”

Movies in the Park is a joint initiative of the Liberty Community Development Corporation, the Liberty Public Library, the Town of Liberty Parks & Recreation Department, and Floyd & Bobo’s Bakery. For more information contact the Liberty CDC at (845) 292-8202.

Story and photos by Carol Montana

LIBERTY, NY – What better place to celebrate our nation’s independence than in a town whose very name invokes what we were fighting for during the Revolutionary War?

The Annual Liberty Festival in Liberty, NY took place on Sunday, July 4, and was a day-long festival, which included entertainment, arts, crafts, antique cars, a parade and plenty of food and fun. 

More than two blocks worth of vendors lined Main Street, selling everything from fancy flip-flops to flea-market treasures, along with food and drinks and sweets.

At noon, the 17th Annual 4th of July Parade took place showcasing fire trucks, antique cars, politicians and community groups. Prior to and following the parade was plenty of entertainment featuring dance, music and even a watermelon eating contest.

The event was sponsored by: The Village of Liberty, The Catskill Shopper, The Liberty Chamber of Commerce, The Town of Liberty Parks and Recreation Department and The Liberty Community Development Corporation.

Here’s a small sampling of photos from the event. More photos can be accessed by clicking the link below.

To view more photos or to purchase prints from Liberty Festival 2010, visit The Catskill Chronicle on Zenfolio.

Stories and photos by Stephen Lavelle

ROSCOE / HURLEYVILLE, NY – No one could argue this past July 4th weekend had some of the nicest weather of the century thus far.

Aside from the need to have a fresh supply of sun block, all cares were diminished as communities around the county provided family activities to bring on the summer and celebrate our nation’s independence. 

George Bernard Shaw once said "Liberty is the breath of life to nations." Roscoe’s street fair was exactly this slice of Americana Shaw may have been referring to. Saturday’s street fair in Roscoe afforded some 30 merchant booths, many fine food options, and line dancing for kid’s of all ages.

More importantly, it was a gathering place for light hearted Americans to simply enjoy.

FRANCIS CURREY DAY

Meanwhile, over in Hurleyville, the Town of Fallsburg once again honored its own, Medal of Honor recipient, Sgt. Francis Currey.

The 7th annual event held at Morningside Park began at 1:00 p.m. with family activities and a special appearance by the guest of honor. Park Director Henry Lashinsky said that the event, which began its life as a parade in Hurleyville seven years ago, is now in the form of a family day with plenty of parking, music and a carnival setting.

The event concluded with fireworks at dusk.

SULLIVAN COUNTY — The Second Annual Garden Tour of private gardens in Sullivan County will end with a reception at ECCE Bed & Breakfast in Barryville on Saturday, July 10. This award-winning mountain house is perched on a bluff 300 feet above the Upper Delaware River with panoramic views of the river valley and the surrounding mountain ranges of Pennsylvania and New York.

The tour is sponsored by SullivanArc and Sullivan Renaissance to benefit the SullivanArc Horticultural Program.

A limited number of tickets will be sold on the day of the event. Cost is $25 per person. They are available between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. at the following locations along with self-guided garden tour maps [with addresses and directions to each of the gardens].

· Catskill Harvest Market, Route 52 and Ferndale-Loomis Road, Liberty

· The Cutting Garden, Route 52, Youngsville

· Delaware Valley Farm & Garden (Agway), Callicoon

· Everlasting Spring, 3195 Route 52, White Sulphur Springs

· Hillside Greenhouse, 1 Kaempfer Lane, Liberty

· Stephenson’s Garden Center, Route 52, Liberty

· Vita’s Farm Market, 4789 Route 52, Jeffersonville

Tickets may also be pre-purchased at these garden centers or directly from SullivanArc at (845) 796-1350 ext. 1003.

The gardens are open for visits between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. They are located throughout western Sullivan County and feature rock gardens, pools, and water views as well as traditional designs. Individuals may follow the route or select their own — visiting as many or as few gardens as they prefer and time allows. A wine and cheese reception for ticket holders and garden owners follows the tour at ECCE.

SullivanArc is a not-for-profit agency dedicated to providing support and services to over 800 individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and to their families. Sponsorship for the tour is provided by Key Bank. Sullivan Renaissance is a beautification and community development program principally funded by the Gerry Foundation with additional funding secured by U.S. Representative Maurice D. Hinchey, NYS Senator John J. Bonacic, and Assemblywoman Aileen M. Gunther.

MONTICELLO, NY – County Manager David P Fanslau will commence visits to each County Office on Wednesday, July 7, 2010 to have a dialogue with County staff on the Lean Government initiative that he announced last month.

“The visits will begin with the Division of Health and Family Services Wednesday afternoon, and will continue throughout the summer until all offices throughout the County have had an opportunity to discuss ideas on reforming Sullivan County’s systems and processes to reduce the cost of operating the Sullivan County Government,” said Fanslau.

The Lean Government initiative will focus on a value-stream mapping process, with a goal of eliminating systems and processes that provide either a neutral or negative impact to the County’s General Fund.

“Property taxes in New York State are driven by the unfunded and underfunded mandates imposed by the State Government. While the State Legislature must seriously be tasked to eliminate those unfunded and underfunded mandates, Sullivan County will examine all options to reduce the cost of County Government,” added Fanslau. “However, there also must be a clear understanding that the level of benefit for the mandated programs are set in Albany, and Albany must reel in those levels of benefits that are simply unaffordable to continue to provide,” Fanslau said.

“The value-stream mapping and Lean Government initiative will produce substantive measures that will be recommended, not only to reduce the cost of County Government, but to provide our workforce with the tools to be more efficient. Any process that wastes the resources of the County workforce, must be eliminated, as those resources will be needed to provide the core services that the County Government is expected to provide,” concluded Fanslau.

Photos by Tracy Ketcher

BETHEL, NY  – Grammy Award winning artist and Road Recovery supporter Peter Frampton engaged teens at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on Friday, June 18^th, when Bethel Woods and Road Recovery joined forces to organize “Meeting and Music” at the site of the famed 1969 Woodstock festival.

Youth from Road Recovery’s New York City Performance Workshops program kicked off the day with a one hour interactive presentation which included an unplugged performance of original songs by their band TYPE II, and sharing their life experiences, struggles and triumphs with the group of local teens attending the event from Recovery Center and Dynamite Youth, located in nearby Monticello, NY.  The powerfully honest and inspiring innovative presentation empowered the teen audience, who were engaged and inspired by their fellow teens and were able to express their experiences and support for each other.

Road Recovery’s highly-respected *‘Master Class Series’ followed the daytime events. Frampton then took over with a rare opportunity for all the young people to sit in on his sound check, then witness the power of his live performance onstage in front of a packed house. The evening culminated backstage in a closed-door gathering with Peter Frampton and his son Julian where both shared their musical life experiences. Teens had the opportunity to ask questions and make comments to both. 

Everyone involved in the day’s events was given access to the award-winning Museum at Bethel Woods, which captures the story of the Sixties and Woodstock.

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is committed to being a strong community and educational partner, bringing together a diverse array of people and experiences that add to a rich cultural life in our region and provide enriching, engaging and educational experiences that broaden exposure to history, the arts and culture. 

Elaine Muscara, Bethel Woods’ Community Outreach Coordinator explained, “Road Recovery’s passion and commitment to empowering young people to make positive choices in their lives is remarkable. With Road Recovery reaching out to serve the youth in our community, it was a natural fit for Bethel Woods.  It was a rewarding experience to see the kids connect with their peers, the artist and the music and we look forward to working with Road Recovery again.”

Peter Frampton shared “The staff of Bethel Woods foster an environment of caring and giving to the local community plus kids and staff of Road Recovery that embodies that spirit of love for one another achieved from the Woodstock Concert days.”

Road Recovery is grateful for the support of: Peter and Julian Frampton, Lisa Jenkins, Donnie Lewis, Jordan Usner, and Bethel Woods Center for the Arts — Darlene Fedun, Elaine Muscara, Robyn Gerry, Jim Reily, Matt Cecchini, Shannon McSweeney and Duke Devlin; Road Recovery staff – Elisa Street, Owen Comaskey and Glen Carter; and Elizabeth Dworkin (Dworkin & Company). Special thanks to the staff and kids from the Recovery Center and Dynamite Youth.

Road Recovery’s * ‘Master Class Series’ attracts entertainment industry professionals who wish to provide young people access and insight to life experiences by sharing their personal and professional knowledge and wisdom in an interactive forum with interested young adults. Past ‘Master Class Series’ guests have included; Trey Anastasio, Cynthia Phelps, Tony Bennett, Slash, Eric Clapton, Denis Leary, and many others.  Its celebrity participants have remained connected to Road Recovery in many ways, developing relationships with participants, performing at its annual benefit in New York City, giving additional master classes and more.

For more information please visit: www.BethelWoodsCenter.org or www.roadrecovery.org

Photo caption for above right – (l-r) The team behind a day of music & outreach! Road Recovery’s Gene Bowen, Bethel Woods staff – Robyn Gerry, Peter Frampton, Bethel Woods’s Community Outreach Coordinator – Elaine Muscara, & Road Recovery’s Jack Bookbinder.

MONTICELLO, NY –  The Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce is bidding farewell to Lisa Miller, Vice President of the Chamber, who has been working with the Chamber since 2006. Miller plans to work in a family venture in the State of Florida. 

"The Chamber has been like a second home to me over these past four years.  My time spent here has been invaluable and I will cherish the experience and connections as a result of my work.  Working for Terri Ward, our Chamber CEO and President, has been phenomenal. I appreciate her encouragement to grow as a professional and I look forward to working with the Chamber in the future. “

Miller added, “The Chamber is a valuable asset to this community; working here has opened my eyes to the importance and value of the entrepreneurial spirit in our community." 

Jeremy Gorelick, Chairman of the Board of Directors stated, "During her time with the Chamber of Commerce, Lisa has played a vital role in the organization as an event facilitator and as an advocate on behalf of the entire business membership." He added, “The search committee will be hard pressed to find a similar replacement with as much knowledge and passion for all things Sullivan County.”

Miller’s last day of work will be July 30^th giving the Chamber the opportunity to bid her farewell and work toward interviewing possible replacements for her position.

LIBERTY, NY – County Manager David P Fanslau, reminds Sullivan County residents to know the signs of heat-related illness and to protect themselves during this heat wave that is expected to continue through this week. “Summer time heat can be dangerous. Some people can be at risk of serious health effects from heat exhaustion or heat stroke,” said Fanslau.

Those who are most at risk from the heat are:

• Older adults

• Young children

• People who are overweight/obese

• People who do not perspire normally

• People with some chronic medical conditions such as history of dehydration, heart problems and respiratory or lung problems

• People who work outdoors or in hot settings

“People who take certain medications that cause sensitivity to the sun or interfere with the body’s ability to sweat and stay cool, should take precautionary measures. Some medicines that affect the body’s cooling system include antihistamines, antidepressants, over-the-counter sleeping pills, anti-diarrhea pills, beta blockers, anti-Parkinson’s drugs and psychiatric drugs. Do not stop taking medication unless instructed to do so by your doctor,” said Carol Ryan, Sullivan County Public Health Director.

The warning signs of heat exhaustion include:

Heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, fainting. The skin may be cool and moist. The pulse rate will be fast and weak, and breathing will be fast and shallow. If heat exhaustion is untreated, it may progress to heat stroke. Seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or last longer than one hour.

If you see any of these signs, you should call for immediate medical assistance while you begin cooling the victim. Do the following:

· Get the person to a shady area.

· Cool the person rapidly, using whatever methods you can. For example, immerse the person in a tub of cool water, place them in a cool shower, spray them with cool water from a garden hose; or sponge the person down with cool water and a fan.

Here’s what you can do to keep cool.

• Use air conditioning to cool down or go to an air-conditioned building.

• If you don’t have air conditioning in your home, open windows and shades on the shady side and close them on the sunny side to try to cool it down.

• Drink plenty of fluids but avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks.

• Beat the heat with cool showers and baths.

• Take regular breaks from physical activity.

• Avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day (between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.).

• Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing to help keep cool.

• Stay out of the sun as much as possible.

• Wear sunscreen and a ventilated hat (e.g., straw or mesh) when in the sun, even if it is cloudy.

• Never leave children, pets or those with special needs in a parked car, even briefly. Temperatures in the car can become dangerous within a few minutes.

• Check on your neighbors, family and friends, especially those who are elderly or have special needs. For more information, contact your health care provider, call Sullivan County Public Health Services’ Health Information Line at 292-5910, Option 2, or visit www.health.state.ny.us

Photos by Carol Montana

MONTICELLO, NY – Every year on the 4th of July weekend, Monticello Casino & Raceway treats the public to a fireworks display that thousands of people come from miles around to watch. People bring picnic baskets and lawn chairs, and wait patiently till after the last race for the show to start.

And this year, it started pretty close to its promised time of 11:00 p.m. The “oohs” and the “aahs” followed shortly after as the sky lit up with fireworks in green, blue, purple, white, yellow and more vibrant colors. It was a virtual rainbow of fireworks in both aerial and ground displays. 

Enjoy a few photos here and then click on the link below to see more.

To view more photos or to purchase prints of Fireworks 2010 at Monticello Casino & Raceway visit The Catskill Chronicle on Zenfolio.

MONTICELLO, NY – Sullivan County District 6 Legislator Jodi I. Goodman (R), Chair of the Management and Budget Committee announced that she has scheduled a series of six special meetings of the Management and Budget Committee to focus on the County Budget. The meetings will be held at 1 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month, commencing on July 15, 2010.

“In order to provide for a legislative review of tax revenues and budgetary expenditures, it is prudent for the Management and Budget Committee to more closely review the fundamental impacts to the budget preparation process,” said Goodman.

“It is of particular concern, that the New York State Legislature adopted a State budget that may not be balanced, and shifts costs to County governments,” added Goodman.

“All of my colleagues would love to cap or reduce property taxes, but Albany needs to reform its ways, starting with putting an end to counties paying a local share of Medicaid. Sullivan County will be required to send nearly $20 million in local tax revenues to Albany for Medicaid next year. New York State is one of only two states in the nation that require counties to fund Medicaid,” concluded Goodman.

MONTICELLO, NY – Sullivan County Manager David P. Fanslau announced that the Sullivan County Ferndale and Mamakating Solid Waste Transfer Stations will be open to both residential and commercial customers from 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Monday, July 5^th. Station(s) scales will close to inbound traffic at 2:30 p.m. All transfer stations will be closed on July 4^th in observance of Independence Day.

“The opening of the transfer stations on Monday, July 5^th, will provide a service to our citizenry, by providing the ability to dispose of their solid waste on a day that would otherwise be a holiday observance,” said Fanslau

The Highland, Rockland, Western Sullivan and Monticello transfer stations will be closed Monday, July 5^th and will return to their normal respective schedule thereafter.

Story and photos by Carol Montana

LIBERTY, NY – Anyone who wondered why there was a tent in the parking lot of the Colonial Square Mall on June 25, needed only to tune their radio to 102 FM to find out.

The local country music station known as Thunder 102 was sponsoring the Colgate Country Showdown, “America’s #1 Country Music Talent Search.”

In its 29-year history, the Colgate Country Showdown has had a hand in the careers of: Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, LeAnn Rimes, Brad Paisley and many others. 

Over 450 local shows take place around the country, followed by more than 45 state finals, five regional finals, and a national final. Grand Prize is $100,000 and, of course, the National Title.

This year, Thunder 102 decided to hold the event in the parking lot next to their studio on Route 52 in Liberty, and simulcast it on the radio. So morning show host, Paul Ciliberto of “Ciliberto and Friends,” was the host, while Mike Sakell of “Sakell in the Afternoon” ran the controls, while eight different acts competed to be the next country music superstar.

And speaking of friends, lots of people turned out to watch and cheer on their favorite singer.

Performers included: Erin Slaver and Her Pop’s Country Band who performed an original song called “Rushin’ to the Trains”; Tonya Sahlstrom sang the Patsy Cline classic “Crazy”; TJ Sacco performed “In Color” (Jamie Johnson); Nicole DiCarlo sang “I Hope You Dance” (Leeann Womack); 17-year old Anna Rose Mongiello entertained with “Jesus Take the Wheel” (Carrie Underwood); 13-year-old Rheanna Fiddle sang “Broken” (Lindsey Haun); 10-year-old Mikki Zip performed “The Climb” (Miley Cyrus); and 12-year-old Madison TerBoss sang “Undo It” (Carrie Underwood).

After each song, morning host Paul Ciliberto interviewed the performer, giving the judges time to fill out the scoring sheets. Contestants were judged on five categories: Marketability in Country Music, Vocal/Instrumental Ability, Originality of Performance, Stage Presence/Charisma, and Talent. Additional points could be awarded for original songwriting.

Even some of the judges were local celebrities: Matt McNeil, Sr. Director of Sales and Programming at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts; Big John Davis from the country music band Iron Cowboy; Alan Keston, owner of Yellow Cab; Kevin Dowdell, Director of Sales and Marketing for Villa Roma Resort; and Lynn Reich, Marketing and Community Development Coordinator for Crystal Run Healthcare.

Once the performances were over and the score sheets tallied, Ciliberto announced TJ Sacco as the local winner. Sacco will go on to the New York State final being held at the Peek’n Peak Fall Fest on October 16 in Clymer, NY in Chautauqua County.

To see more photos from the Colgate Country Showdown visit The Catskill Chronicle on Zenfolio

Pictured left to right are committee members Ellen Nesin and Kathy Labuda; on the right  – next to Kate Oldfield are Jack Leshner (Club President), Martha Johnson and Rose Raimond (2nd V.P.)

MONTICELLO, NY – Each year the Monticello Kiwanis Club awards scholarships to numerous outstanding seniors of the Monticello High School at a dinner held in their honor. This year a total of $9,000 was awarded to these well deserving recipients.

The following Monticello High School Seniors and their parents were guests at the Monticello Kiwanis Scholarship Dinner held on June 21, 2010 at the Blue Horizon Restaurant. From the left, Jennyfer Franca, Daniel Cook, Briana Slutsky, Kyle Bennett, Marina Lombardi, Kaitlin Coley, Anastasia Bowden, Shamari Murray and Kate Oldfield.  Missing from photo is Lianna Hollander. 

Pictured left to right are Marina Lombardi, Kate Oldfield, Tiffany Sheerer, Monticello High School Principal Arleene Siegel, Stephen Bedik, Sierra Spechler, Fallsburg Interact Advisor Janet Kaplan, and Scholarship Committee Chairman, Marty Miller.

MONTICELLO, NY - The Rotary Club of Monticello is proud to announce that $5,000 in scholarships were awarded to five students in the Monticello and Fallsburg School Districts via the Club’s scholarship fund.

Scholarship winners were selected from a select group of students who wrote essays and interviewed for these awards via the Monticello Rotary Scholarship Committee consisting of the following Rotarians: Marty Miller (Chair), Gary Tugender, Orshii Boldis, Randy Katz, and Richard Stein.

Students were selected based on their academic achievement (minimum grade point of 3.25), their involvement in school sports and activities, and most importantly, their community service as Rotary’s motto is “Service Above Self”.

Three students from the Monticello School District were honored: Marina Lombardi, Kate Oldfield, and Tiffany Sheerer. Fallsburg School District recipients were Sierra Spechler and Stephen Bedik.

Separately, the Rotary Club of Monticello will also be giving the President of the Interact Club at Monticello High School an award of $250.

Minnette Kramer, Legislative Aide for Assemblywoman Gunther’s office attended the ceremony on behalf of Assemblywoman Gunther, who has been instrumental in getting funding for the Even Start Program. At the ceremony Angela Williams and Renene Pegram presented Ms. Kramer with a beautiful work of art in appreciation for all of the work she and Assemblywoman Gunther have done for the program.

MONTICELLO, NY – On June 23^rd, the Sullivan BOCES Even Start Program held is annual recognition ceremony to honor all of the hard work the parents and students did during the school year.

The Even Start Program helps vulnerable families succeed through educational programs and skill development. The Even Start Program, works hand-in-hand with the Recovery Center and the Child Care Council, to provide a unique educational experience for families with at least one adult with a reading and/or math grade level below 8.9 who are also below the 100% Federal Poverty Guidelines. The Program typically provides over 13,000 hours of adult education and over 22,000 hours of early childhood education the adult’s children.

This years ceremony honored: Laura Guzman and daughter Leira Concepcion, Maria Licata and daughters Lillian and Jasmine Romer, Francheska Lopez and son Avian Cruz, Abay Ramos, Gina Torres and son Juan Sanchez-Torres, Mariah Neal and daughter Nalecia Neal, Ideliz Vazquez and son Luis Merced, Marta Mangual and god son Moises Ramos, Gliceria Caycho, and sons Shane and Shaun Caycho, Renee Pegram and son Avontie Aviles, Angela Williams and daughter Zainesha Williams, and brother Niamke Armstrong, Rosita Cruz and daughters Noellia and Elizabeth Cruz, and nephew Alan Cruz, Evelyn Serrano and daughter Brittany Reyes-Serrano, Llalya Littrell and son Alex Littrell, and Carolina Escobar with her daughter Yulissa Escobar.

For more information on the Even Start Program at BOCES please contact Kathy Meckle at (845) 794-4405.