Good Friday Morning,
The weather report was something along the lines of gusty
windy, driving rains, falling trees and power lines. Instead, it
has gently snowed and snowed enough that I was throwing snowballs last
night. It's still snowing outside this morning.
The Town Board in Kent, in its tentative budget, proposes
to give itself a raise. Putnam Valley, so I hear, is intending
to do the same thing. Raises for elected officials when foreclosures
are higher than ever, unemployment is reaching 10% and everyone else is
cutting back?
 Looking for a hike this weekend? Take
a walk around the Wiccopee Reservoir
on Wiccopee Road in Putnam Valley (about a mile west of the Taconic
State Parkway. The Wiccopee Reservoir holds water for the City of
Peekskill, releasing it into the Hollow Brook as it flows on its way to
that city on the Hudson. This 500 acre property, backed by the scouting
reservation and Fahnestock State Park, offers an easy 3 mile loop hike
(on a serviceable road) around the lower reservoir and a walk along a
beautiful portion of the upper. It takes you across the top of one, and
then along the base of the other dam. Using this facility as access you
can cross into Fahnestock State Park and hike the easements at the boy
scout camp. In other words, it's easy to alter this 3-mile loop into as
many miles as you'd like. Boats are forbidden in the reservoir.
Maps and photos are at PlanPutnam's Outdoor
Recreation pages.
Today:
Road Salt:
Impacts to the Environment and Human Health
9:00 am – 12:00 pm. To promote safe winter driving
conditions, deicers
are applied to roadways throughout the Northeast. The most commonly
used deicer is sodium chloride, otherwise known as road salt. This
inexpensive deicer comes with hidden costs to both the environment and
human health. Join the Cary Institute and Cornell Cooperative
Extension of Dutchess County for a management-based forum about the
impact that road salt has on natural areas, drinking water supplies,
and health conditions, and weigh in on a lively discussion about how
municipalities can improve policy decisions in the future. Free and
open to the public; reservations are appreciated, but not required.
For more information, contact Claudia Rosen at (845) 677-7600 x171 or ros...@caryinstitute.org.
Location: Cary Institute of Ecosystem
Studies Auditorium, 2801 Sharon Turnpike (Rte. 44) in Millbrook, New
York.
Performance:
The Dumb Waiter
 Arts on the Lake is partnering with the
Liberty Free (NY) Theatre to present Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter's
play The Dumb Waiter at the Lake Carmel Cultural Center, 640
Route 52, for three performances, Friday through Sunday, October
16-18
The Liberty Free Theatre returns with the play that established Pinter
as a master of "comedy of menace." The Dumbwaiter is about two hit men,
played by Michael Frizalone and Paul Jannicola, holed-up in a dingy
basement kitchen, waiting to be sent out on their next job. The play is
one of the first that established Pinter as a master of what would
become known a "comedy of menace."
English playwright, screenwriter, actor, director and political
activist Harold Pinter (1930-2008) was awarded the Nobel Prize for
Literature in 2005. Beginning with his first play, Pinter's writing
career spanned over 50 years and produced 29 original stage plays, 27
screenplays, many dramatic sketches, radio and TV plays, poetry, one
novel, short fiction, essays, speeches, and letters. His best-known
plays include The Birthday Party, The Caretaker, The Homecoming, and
Betrayal, each of which he adapted to film. His screenplay adaptations
of others' works include The Trial and Sleuth. He directed almost 50
stage, television, and film productions and acted extensively in radio,
stage, television, and film productions of his own and others' works.
 Mike Frizalone is an
actor/writer/singer who has performed on stage and film from Bangor,
Maine to New York City. He recently played in a new film by Peking
Productions that was shot in Sullivan County. His work at the Liberty
Free Theatre includes Goods and Guns, Off The Wall, and last season’s
Kinfolks and Mountain Music.
Paul Jannicola is a singer/songwriter and multi instrument musician.
His compositions have been featured in the award-winning animated
short, Hardly Workin', the acclaimed episodic web series, Tra5hTa1k and
MTV's comedic Life in the Virtual Hills. Paul and Director Kerria
Seabrooke won Best Machinima Series for the Grid Review in the
Machinima Film Festival 2007 in Leicester, UK. In addition to music,
Paul is an animation cinematographer whose work has been seen on the
Jumbotron at 1 Times Square.
Director Paul Austin's many TV appearances include Law and Order and
West Wing. Recent films include Tune in Tomorrow and Sommersby.
(Photo Credit: Ted Waddell)
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Come Back To The Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
8 PM - Confronting illusions about oneself is never
easy but ultimately cathartic when done in the company of those that
know and love us best. In Ed Gracyzk’s deeply affecting memory play,
Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, past collides
with present as members of the Disciples of James Dean fan club come
together for their 20th reunion. Presented by the Brewster Theater
Company, show dates are October 16th, 17th, 23rd and 24th at 8 p.m. at
The Melrose School, 120 Federal Road, Brewster, NY.
The time is 1975 and the locale is a dusty Texas town nearby the site
where Dean filmed his last movie, Giant. Club president Mona, who
clerks in the run-down Woolworth’s where the fan club gathers, has
enjoyed a sort of celebrity status all these years as her (now teenage)
son is alleged by her to be the illegitimate son of the late actor. As
she and the others reminisce, however, they come to the realization
that the paths their lives have taken were shaped by their past
experiences. What also becomes painfully obvious is that memories can
become clouded by things that we want to believe are true.
Produced and directed by Debbie Levin, this play features Rachel
Benjamin (Brewster), Angela Bowman (Carmel), Matt Compo (Brewster),
Barbara Disraeli (Brewster), Michele Dugan (Brewster), Laurel Lettieri
(Mount Vernon), Suzanne Ochs (Dobbs Ferry), Karen Pope Olshansky
(Putnam Valley), and Donna White (Putnam Valley).
Tickets for this show are $15 for adults and $13 for students and
seniors. Go to www.brewstertheatercompany.org or call 845-598-1621 for
reservations and additional information. Please note that this play has
mature themes. This show has been presented with special arrangement
with Samuel French, Inc.
This event has been made possible in part with public funds from the
NYS Council on the Arts Decentralization Program administered in Putnam
County by The Putnam Arts Council.
Saturday:
NY/NJ
Trails Conference Annual Meeting
8AM - 3PM - All members of the Trail Conference are invited to attend
the Annual Meeting of the Trail Conference on Saturday, October 17 at
Lower Twin Lake Camp in Harriman State Park. More information and a
complete agenda is here.
Mini Book
Sale
The Friends of the Kent Public Library will be
holding a series of mini
book sales this fall in the Community Room. Come and browse a fine
selection of bargain priced books! A great way to stock up for holiday
gift giving and support the Friends of the Library. Additional days:
Saturday, November 21, 10am--2:30pm and Saturday, December 12,
10am--2:30pm.
Putnam County
Hazardous Waste Drop Off Day
Need to get rid of that old drain cleaner, old paint
thinne
r or the old
chemsitry kit you just found in the attic? This is the day for you.
Call the county at (845) 278-6130 to pre-register. The event takes
place at the Canpous Beach parking area at Fahnestock State Park from
9AM until 1PM.
If you have electronics that need to be disposed of
(computer monitors,
etc.,) each town will have a drop-off location today as well. Call your
town to find out just where.
“Where the Wild Things Are: The Woods of Fred Dill Park”
Carmel
3 PM - 5PM - Attendees will take part in some light
hiking as they explore the reforestation at this Park; once a pig farm,
then a sprawling mecca of showgrounds, race tracks and homes. Today, it
is a source of plentiful forest and wildlife renewal! On this guided
trek we will learn about what animals live here and how Park habitat
accommodates them. Bring a snack for a light picnic under a pavilion
where there will be a poetry reading, reflections on the hike and
storytelling for all ages to appreciate. All are welcome!
Meet at the Fair Street parking area. If the Fred Dill parking area is
full, park in the Carmel High School parking lot and walk down to the
park entrance. Putnam County Land Trust program fees are $5 per person
but they are free for members. Those who take out a membership at the
event will be eligible to attend other programs as members. Children
under five years of age attend free. For more information or for
questions, please call 845-278-2808 to leave a message.
Fishing the River" at Norrie Point
 3PM - The New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation's Hudson River Research Reserve and I
FISH NY program continue their monthly fishing demonstrations at Norrie Point
Environmental Center in Staatsburg, N. Y. This family-friendly
program, open to all age groups, will be held on Saturday, October
17th, 2009 from 3 PM until 5 PM. Staff members will lead seining and
fishing activities while describing the seasonal movements of fish in
the Hudson River Estuary. The Hudson is home to over 200 species of
fish, including several species that migrate up the river and its
tributaries each spring to spawn."Seining" involves pulling a 30-foot
net through the water and checking out the fish, crabs, and other river
life caught in its mesh. You can watch from shore, or jump into
available waterproof waders and help pull in the net. Participants are
also encouraged to grab a rod and angle for fish off the wheelchair
accessible patio. Rods, reels, and bait will be available at no
charge. This is the last “Fishing the River†program at Norrie
Point for the season. Monthly programs will resume in April 2010. For
further information, please call (845) 889-4745 x 109, or contact
Stephanie Stanczak at sast...@gw.dec.state.ny.us. For directions to
the Norrie Point Environmental Center, go to http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/37889.html.
Putnam Arts
Council Art Show Opening
At Tilly Foster Farms. Opening Reception from 4-6PM.
Free!
Michelle LeBlanc
7:30 PM - Croton Free Library. Featuring Michelle's
jazz quartet. Pianist and arranger Tom Kohl, Bill Crow on bass, Joe
Stlluti and Ron Vincent on drums. 171 Cleveland Avenue, Croton, NY
10520. (914) 271-6612 Free. michelleleblanc.com
Performance:
The Dumb Waiter
8PM - Arts on the Lake is partnering with the
Liberty Free (NY) Theatre to present Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter's
play The Dumb Waiter at the Lake Carmel Cultural Center, 640
Route 52, for three performances, Friday through Sunday, October
16-18 (See Friday)
Come Back To The Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
8 PM - Confronting illusions about oneself is never
easy
but ultimately cathartic when done in the company of those that know
and love us best. In Ed Gracyzk’s deeply affecting memory play, Come
Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, past collides with
present as members of the Disciples of James Dean fan club come
together for their 20th reunion. Presented by the Brewster Theater
Company, show dates are October 16th, 17th, 23rd and 24th at 8 p.m. at
The Melrose School, 120 Federal Road, Brewster, NY. (See Friday)
Sunday:
Ten Mile
River Cleanup / Housatonic Day Trip
 8 AM - On Sunday, October 18 we will conduct a
cleanup of the public fishing access areas along the Ten Mile River in
Dover. We will meet at 8:00am at the Dover town park in Wingdale. This
is the park just north of the Ketchum Fire House at the intersection of
Routes 22 and 55. Its the park with all the ball fields, you can't miss
it. We'll consolidate ourselves into a couple of vehicles and stop at
the public fishing access areas to pick up litter. We should be done by
11:00am. Gloves and garbage bags will be provided. Keep in mind that
some of these areas are adjacent to busy streets so it might not be a
good idea to bring small children along. Call Don Jiskra, 845-855-7357
or email dji...@comcast.net with
questions. Please send Don a note if
you plan to attend.
Kick off the Vine-Cutting Season
 9:30 AM - Invasive vines are
killing the trees that protect the banks along the Saw Mill River.
These plant species were brought into our watershed where they have no
natural predators. Oriental bittersweet and porcelainberry, the two
most common invaders, crowd out native plants, steal their water, and
slowly strangle trees, eventually creating canopies that block the sun
from trees and under-story plants. This significantly diminishes the
value of wildlife habitat, in terms of food sources and nesting areas,
and has a negative impact upon the number of species that can use the
river corridor.
The Saw Mill River Coalition and the New York State Department of
Transportation, in conjunction with the Westchester County Department
of Parks, Recreation and Conservation have been working together since
2005 on the Free-A-Tree project, which organizes and supports
volunteers in their efforts to remove the invasive vines, rescue native
vegetation, restore the stream buffer, and preserve the area's
biodiversity. Garbage bags, gloves, and vine-cutting tools are provided
as well as protective gear if needed, but bring your own vine-cutting
tools and gloves if you've got them! Wear warm clothes, long sleeve
shirts and sturdy shoes (no flip flops). Children under age 16 require
adult supervision. Community Service credits available for high school
students. For directions or for more information, contact Emily Eder,
Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator at (914) 375-2151 or click
here. Location: Farragut Avenue Site, Meet in Parking Lot at Exit
13 (Farragut Avenue), off Saw Mill River Parkway (going North)
An Appalachian Trail Blazer
2 PM - Southeast Museum, Main Street, Brewster. A
free lecture on the late Ned Anderson, a Sherman resident and subject
of the book "Ned Anderson: Appalachian Trailblazer and Small Town
Renaissance Man" is set for Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. at the Southeast Museum
in Brewster, N.Y. The book, published by the Sherman Historical Society
will be discussed by author and Brewster resident Doris Tomaselli.
Nestell Kipp "Ned" Anderson (1885-1967), early naturalist,
environmentalist, hiker, spelunker and adventurer, was one of the
pioneers who embraced "the dream" of an Appalachian Trail and lent his
heart and muscle to the task of its creation. For nearly 20 years, he
maintained more than 50 miles of trail that run through bucolic
northwest Connecticut. The presentation and excerpted reading will be
about a half-hour long, followed by a book signing. The Southeast
Museum is located at 67 Main Street, Brewster, N.Y. For information,
call 845-279-7500.
Performance:
The Dumb Waiter
3PM - Arts on the Lake is partnering with the
Liberty Free (NY) Theatre to present Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter's
play The Dumb Waiter at the Lake Carmel Cultural Center, 640
Route 52, for three performances, Friday through Sunday, October
16-18 (See Friday)
Into The Future:
Tuesday, October 20
Community-Based Climate Change Strategies
 A program to help concerned citizens,
environmental advocates and municipal officials work effectively with
their local governmental bodies in addressing climate change; hosted by
The League of Women Voters of the Mid-Hudson Region, and partners The
Nature Conservancy, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Sustainable Hudson
Valley, and others. Participants in The Nature Conservancy's Rising
Waters Project will explain what is (or will be) happening here in our
region as climate change continues. Other speakers will talk about
cost-effective ways to work with local officials to address climate
change right now as well as in the long-term. They will also discuss
employment and economic development opportunities applicable to the
mid-Hudson region that the climate change crisis presents. The Climate
Smart Communities program, a partnership of state and local governments
whose goal is to combat climate change, will be highlighted. The
program provides a comprehensive approach for communities to decrease
energy use, incorporate climate protection and sustainability into land
uses and economic development plans and take steps to adapt to climate
change. Representatives of towns who are leading the way in taking
action on climate change will make presentations, including a
representative of the City of Kingston, where the Common Council passed
a climate smart pledge on October 6.
Among the confirmed speakers are Mark Lowery, the Climate Change
Coordinator of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation;
Betsy Blair of the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve;
Melissa Everett of Sustainable Hudson Valley; Julie Noble of the
Conservation Advisory Council of City of Kingston; and Leo Wiegman of
the Croton-on-Hudson.
This event is a lead-up to the international day of action on October
24, 2009, led by Bill McKibben's movement, 350.org. Free and open to public. For
additional information, contact LWV Program Co-Chair, Dare Thompson, at
845-236-3074 or dareth...@gmail.com. Location: At the Ulster BOCES
at 175 Route 32 North, New Paltz, NYÂ 12561
Wednesday, October 21
Less Than One Pound Per Person Per Year: Is It Possible?
 On Wed., Oct. 21, at 7:30 pm , the Mid-Hudson
Group Sierra Club will sponsor a free program featuring Chris W.
Burger, whose family has reduced their waste to less than one pound per
person per year. A former Broome County Legislator, Mr. Burger was
instrumental in developing Broome County's recycling program and chairs
the Sierra Club's NY State solid waste committee. Author of two books
and many articles on the subject of waste reduction, he has been
featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not, many newspapers and magazines,
and numerous times on national TV and radio.
Burger will give a powerpoint presentation on the issue of reducing
solid waste, followed by practical "how-to" suggestions for families,
businesses, and communities.
The meeting will be held at the Hudson River Rowing Association
boathouse,
270 N. Water St. , Poughkeepsie (at the very end of the road). For
detailed directions, see www.hudsonriverrowing.org. For more
information about this or other Sierra Club programs, see
www.newyork.sierraclub.org/midhudson.
Friday, October 23
The City, the Country, and the Changing Environment
 7 PM - What do the city of
Poughkeepsie and a family farm in Claverack have in
common? How do their histories reveal both the power of place and the
dynamic exchange between the city and the country? Professor Emeritus
of Vassar, Dr. Harvey Flad, and award-winning author Leila Philip, will
discuss their recently published books: Main
Street to Mainframes: Landscape and Social Change in Poughkeepsie,
and A Family Place: A Hudson Valley Farm, Three Centuries,
Five Wars, One Family.
The lecture will document both the history of Poughkeepsie and the
story of one of the oldest surviving family-owned farms in the Hudson
Valley. A Q&A session will engage the audience in dialogue about
how lessons from the past can help shape a strong future for the Hudson
Valley. This event will meet in our auditorium, located at 2801 Sharon
Turnpike (Route 44) in Millbrook, New York. Merritt Bookstore will be
offering books for sale.
Come Back To The Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
8 PM - Confronting illusions about oneself is never easy
but ultimately cathartic when done in the company of those that know
and love us best. In Ed Gracyzk’s deeply affecting memory play, Come
Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, past collides with
present as members of the Disciples of James Dean fan club come
together for their 20th reunion. Presented by the Brewster Theater
Company, show dates are October 16th, 17th, 23rd and 24th at 8 p.m. at
The Melrose School, 120 Federal Road, Brewster, NY.
Saturday, October 24
Come Back To The Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
8 PM - Confronting illusions about oneself is never easy
but ultimately cathartic when done in the company of those that know
and love us best. In Ed Gracyzk’s deeply affecting memory play, Come
Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, past collides with
present as members of the Disciples of James Dean fan club come
together for their 20th reunion. Presented by the Brewster Theater
Company, show dates are October 16th, 17th, 23rd and 24th at 8 p.m. at
The Melrose School, 120 Federal Road, Brewster, NY.
Sunday, October 25
 Artist's Walk and Talk
The Cary Institute will be displaying landscape artist Rebecca Allan's
current exhibition, Tributary, through January 17th, 2010. Encompassing
large canvases as well as works on paper, the paintings represent
wetland habitats, including the Wappinger Creek—a tributary of the
Hudson River that runs through the Cary Institute’s campus. Viewing
hours are Monday through Friday (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m) in our
auditorium lobby. Artwork in the exhibition is available for purchase;
a percentage of the proceeds will help support the Cary Institute.
Interested in meeting the artist? On Sunday, October 25th Allan will
present an artist’s talk followed by a short walk to the Fern Glen, a
site of inspiration for one of the central paintings in the exhibition.
To RSVP for this special event, please contact Pamela Freeman at (845)
677-7600 x121 or e-mail free...@caryinstitute.org.
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