Above, join our live blog at 6pm covering tonight's DEP forum in Ulster County.
Tonight, a long-anticipated public meeting will be held at 6pm at SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge, for Ulster County officials and residents to share grievances with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Both city and state officials are expected to attend, the Daily Freeman reports.
Greene County landscape by Flickr user Gail Dedrick. Used under Creative Commons license.
Thanks to anonymous donors, 25 acres of land has been donated to the Wildlife Land Trust, part of the Humane Society of the United States. The land, which will now be known as the Ponderosa Wildlife Sanctuary, contains several fragile ecosystems, according to the WLT.
The Ponderosa Wildlife Sanctuary contains both natural forests and wetland areas. The woods are primarily northern hardwoods, such as pine, oak and hemlock. The wetlands, which are state regulated freshwater wetlands, occupy approximately 3 acres of the property and are connected to a series of adjacent wetlands. These wetlands hold unparalleled value as wildlife habitat and the perpetuation of scores of species depends on them. There is also a 1-2 acre man-made pond that provides vital water for wildlife.
Above: Peter Ames posting with his memorial to late Andes resident Kevin Roney, which was installed in the Andes Hotel tavern on January 19, 2012. Photo by MJ Donnelly.
A year ago today, Kevin Roney died. Roney was a beloved fixture in the town of Andes -- his obituary in the Daily Star describes his distinguished military record, his passion for partying with his Andes friends, and his pet project, the construction of the "largest tool shed" in Delaware County.
In a small town, a man like Roney is remembered and celebrated for a long while. Yesterday, Peter Ames, an Andes resident who makes his living doing web design but has a well-developed artistic side, unveiled a memorial he made in Roney's honor on the wall of the Andes Hotel.
Peg Ellsworth, the director of the Roxbury-based MARK Project, asked us to get the word out this week about several new grant programs for small businesses and commercial properties in Delaware County. Two press releases about the new programs as well as existing ones are below.
A few noteworthy items: There will be a meeting at the Roxbury Motel Conference Room on February 1 at 3pm to discuss funding for Roxbury to discuss grants for Roxbury-based building owners.
Also, the MARK Project is working on a "large grant" program for Middletown business owners, and expects to launch it at the end of January. The press releases ask that interested business owners contact the MARK Project directly with questions. (845-586-3500.)
Here are the full press releases:
Rental, Business Funding Programs Announced by MARK Project
The National Weather Service has announced snow and winter weather advisories across much of the region for tonight and tomorrow.
Ulster County: Winter Weather Advisory from 1am through 3pm tomorrow, 3-6 inches of snow.
Delaware County: Winter Weather Advisory from 10pm tonight through 1pm tomorrow, 2-4 inches of snow.
Sullivan County: Winter Weather Advisory from 10pm tonight through 1pm tomorrow, 3-6 inches of snow.
Click each individual link for more details. And stay safe on the roads, Catskills drivers.
Greenville has just written the next chapter in the ongoing story of bringing expanded cell service to the region. The Daily Mail is reporting that the Greenville town board unanimously voted down a proposal from T-Mobile to install a cell tower atop a water tower in town. The vote took place at the board's monthly meeting on Monday.
The proposal, which was submitted by T-Mobile and would have included lease terms for use of the water tower, was ultimately doomed by concerns over the age and structural soundness of the water tower itself.
Greenville Maintenance and Water Supervisor Leroy Bear also expressed reservations: “The water tower probably wouldn’t even support a cell tower,” explaining that due to the age of the water tower (it is between 30 and 40 years old), any welding done to it would cause damage. “For the amount T-Mobile is offering us, it’s just not a possibility” said Bear.
On Saturday, January 21, Congressman Paul Tonko (D, NY-21) will host a town hall meeting in the village of Schoharie to discuss flood recovery in the region.
The meeting will be held from noon to 1:30pm in the Schoharie High School Auditorium, 136 Academy Drive.
Before the meeting, Tonko will also tour Middleburgh and Schoharie to talk with business owners and volunteers.
The schedule, according to a press release issued today by Tonko's office:
MIDDLEBURGH TOUR
SCHOHARIE TOUR
Photo of Route 28 road signs by Daniel Case. From Wikimedia Commons, published under Creative Commons license.
Above: Helen Mitchell standing with Glen and Rachel Gaetano, the brand new owners of Barlow's, a general store that has been operating continuously in Treadwell for 171 years. Photo by Cheryl Petersen.
Cheryl Petersen, a reporter who writes for the Delaware County Times, was on hand for the sale of Barlow's, Treadwell's venerable local grocery store, on January 6. She sent us the photo of the handoff, which we've posted above.
Petersen tells us that Helen and Joe Mitchell, who have operated the store since 1991, are retiring. After a long search, the Mitchells had given up looking for a buyer for the property, which has been running continuously as a general store since 1841. At the last minute, Glen and Rachel Gaetano stepped in to buy the store and keep it open.
To see more of Cheryl's story, check out the Delaware County Times.
