NOV '09 - The Nyack Villager

TheNyack Villager ®
An independent monthly news magazine celebrating life and the arts in the Hudson River Villages
November
2009
Photo by Jorge Madrigal © 2009 Madrigal Studios, Nyack, NY
Pumpkin Picking
PRST STD
US Postage
PAID
permit no.
5432
WHITE PLAINS NY

2 The Nyack Villager November, 2009

In this issue
Departments
3 REPORTER AT LARGE
• Frances Pratt Receives F.O,R, Peace Prize
• Film Society Loses Its Home
• Moose On the Loose
• Nyack’s Soup Angels
• ACADA’s October Street Fair
• Nyack Rallies For Health Care Reform
• On the Ballot November 3
• Cell Phone Numbers Go Public
• Agent Orange Revisited
• Vote Tuesday, November 3
7 NOVEMBER ABUNDANCE Art & entertainment this month
14 COMMUNITY NOTES What else is happening in November
16 HEALTH NOTES Sometimes David Beats Goliath
21 LETTERS to The Nyack Villager
22 CALENDAR Highlights in November
25 OP-CALENDAR PAGE Useful local phone numbers
26 HOUSES OF WORSHIP Religious services in the river villages
Columns
6 REMEMBER THE DAYS? Jim Leiner on Nyack’s Medal of Honor sailor
7 MENTAL HEALTH NOTES Daniel Shaw on anxiety
13 NATURAL HEALING Dr. Greenberg on deceit in the drug industry
14 VIVIANE’S KITCHEN Viviane Farre with maple-glazed Brussels sprouts
15 FROM TOWN HALL Tax savings & Sacred Cows by Thom Kleiner
20 PET CARE Peter Segall, DVM on the health benefits of keeping a pet
22 UNDER EXPOSED Shel Haber on Health In This Land
27 THEY GOT WHAT?! Donna Cox on current trends in real estate
Features
15 BOOK TALK: three good new books on food prep
15 JUST THE RIGHT WINE The Villager gets some tips from The Village Vintner
23 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
On our November cover
Pumpkin Picking by Jorge Madrigal of Madrigal Studios, Nyack
© 2009 by Jorge Madrigal and The Nyack Villager, Nyack, NY
Moose On the Loose
see page 4
Pete Seeger at Nyack’s
Heath Reform rally
see page 4
JUST
THE
RIGHT
WINE
Just the Right Wine
see page 9
Food Prep Books
see page 15
Viviane With
Brussels Sprouts
see page 14
Vote Nov 3
see page 6
The Nyack Villager
November, 2009 Vol. 16 No. 3
Mailed on or near the first of each month to every residential address in eight river villages—Upper Nyack,
Nyack, Central Nyack, South Nyack, Grand View, Upper Grandview, Piermont and Palisades NY.
On the Internet at www.nyackvillager.com
E-mail news releases to us at info@nyackvillager.com Deadline for our December issue is November 15.
Please include a contact name and telephone number
REPORTER
at large
by Joyce Bressler & Jan Haber
Frances Pratt Receives Peace Prize
On October 11, the Nyack Area Peace Prize
was awarded to Frances Pratt by the Fellowship
of Reconciliation. e awards ceremony
took place during a banquet cruise aboard e
Bateaux in New York Harbor.
In the presence of 130 people, including Mrs.
Pratt’s supporters and family members, Rev.
Patricia Ackerman bestowed the award. She
spoke about Mrs. Pratt’s training as a nurse,
her many years of service in the emergency department
of Nyack Hospital, and how she was
called back in 2001 after a short retirement.
Her work continues today, as she manages onthe-job
physical health concerns of 1700 hospital
employees.
photo: Villager Archives © Shel Haber
She was also highly recognized for her role as
President of the Nyack Branch of the NAACP.
Under her leadership the group has received
dozens of honors for their hard work in the
struggle for civil and human rights. In an interview
in the Banquet Journal, Mrs. Pratt
said what has always been of first importance
to her is helping individuals, such as getting
scholarships for students and helping people
coming out of prison. “People are worthy and
you have to let them know by encouraging
them,” she said.
In accepting the Peace Prize, she made her audience
laugh by saying, “I don’t deserve this
honor, but then again, I have arthritis and I
don’t deserve that either.”
e publishers and staff of this publication
add our congratulations. Frances Pratt has
been e Nyack Villager’s Community Advisor
since our founding.
Two other awards were also presented—the
International Pfeffer Peace Prize, to an Iraqi
grassroots peace coalition called La’Onf, (no
violence in Arabic) and the Martin Luther
King Jr. Peace Prize to Cynthia Brown, of
Reporter at Large continues on page 4
The Nyack Villager November, 2009 3

Greensboro, NC, for her work toward reconciliation
related to the Klan shootings there in
1979.
e Fellowship of Reconciliation (F.O.R. to
its friends), headquartered in Upper Nyack, is
the oldest interfaith peace and justice organization
in the United States. For more information
about the award winners and the work
of the FOR, browse www.forusa.org
Film Society Loses its Home
e Rivertown Film Society is out of a home in
Nyack—at least temporarily. When Riverspace,
until recently a functioning theatre, suspended
operations, the film society lost its base of operations.
Superior quality movies had been shown
there on Wednesdays for some years.
Founded in 2001, e Rivertown Film Society
often played to large, appreciative audiences.
Now, according to film society insiders, November
and December screenings must take place at
the Lafayette eatre, 97 Lafayette Avenue, in
Suffern, NY. ose who have been there know
e Lafayette as a little jewel-box of a theatre, an
ornate, 1920s-style movie palace on a miniature
scale. e price of a ticket at the door remains
the same—$9 general admission, $7 for students,
seniors & general members, $6 for student
& senior members. For info, call (845)
353-2568.
Starting in January, Rivertown Films intends
to return to Nyack for a once a month Saturday
screening.
e Rivertown Film Society asks you to show
continued support by sending your e-mail address
to (enews@rivertownfilm.org) to stay informed
of upcoming screenings and events.
Moose On the Loose
Vehicle crashes involving deer are frequent and
can happen anywhere and at any time, but motorists
should be especially alert on the road during
low-light mornings and evenings throughout
Autumn, when most of these crashes occur. Use
extra caution. Slow down and watch for deer
and moose that may suddenly enter the roadway.
According to the Dept. of Transportation, of the
900,000 deer inhabiting NY State, 60,000 to
70,000 of them are involved in deer-vehicle collisions
each year. Most of these collisions occur
from October through December, two hours
prior to sunrise and two hours following sunset.
Moose populations have grown in New York
State in recent years and moose-vehicle collisions
are on the increase. eir dark color makes them
especially hard to see at night and, because of
their height, their eyes typically do not reflect
headlight beams.
4 The Nyack Villager November, 2009
Reporter at large
Reporter at Large starts on page 3
Readers are asked to report moose sightings by
e-mail to MO-MooseSiting@dot.state.ny.us
Nyack’s Soup Angels
e Soup Angels’ soup kitchen, founded in
2006 by Kathie Rife and Katie Berry, will host
its 4th annual Come To the Table anksgiving
Feast on Wed, Nov 25, from 4 to 7 pm. Anyone
who needs a meal is welcome to enjoy a
sit-down turkey dinner and all the trimmings,
at Nyack’s First Reformed Church, 18 South
Broadway, Nyack. e Soup Angels, a non-denominational
group of volunteers, serve meals
every Wednesday at 5:30pm throughout the
year at the church.
Soup Angels will once again send more than
1200 take-out meals to those in Rockland
County who need a meal.
If you can help Soup Angels defray the cost of
these anksgiving dinners, or donate to help
give December holiday gifts of toiletries and
warm clothing to our guests, please send a
check payable to—
Soup Angels, P.O. Box 565, Nyack, NY.
If you have items to donate, please contact
soupangels@gmail.com or visit the website,
www.soupangels.com
ACADA’S October Street Fair
e Art, Craft & Antiques Dealers’ Autumn
Street Fair, traditionally the busiest of the year,
did not disappoint last month. e weather
was superb, with abundant sunshine & bright
blue skies. Happy shoppers & browsers of all
ages filled Broadway & Main Street in Nyack
for the annual ACADA Fall Street Fair. One
resident told us, “It must be the biggest turnout
in years. I loved it. I met Nyackers I haven’t
seen in forever!” One vendor said, “Compared
to last year, our sales are up and the crowds are
much larger.” Another vendor added that
there was plenty of browsing—but more real
shopping and buying. Local restaurants and
cafés told us they were busy all day,
Credit for all this goes to the Art Craft and
Antique Dealers of the Nyacks, a self-help
group of local shop owners who, through
thick and thin for forty years, have presented
these popular street fairs. is year it is with
the help of P.J. Promotions, ACADA’s new fair
organizer.
Back in the early 1970s, ACADA set out to
save Nyack, then suffering the ravages of
ruway construction and what was called
“urban renewal,”—in reality, the destruction
of whole neighborhoods. e fledgling group
tirelessly promoted the village, becoming the
only group to advertise regionally, attracting
patrons to Nyack’s shops and restaurants.
Many people who live in the river villages say
they discovered the Nyacks at an ACADA
Street Fair.
Nyack Rallies for Healthcare Reform
On Sunday October 4 in Memorial Park in
Nyack, Alan Levin, a local psychotherapist
used Margaret Mead’s famous quote—
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has,
as he introduced the many speakers and performers
who addressed hundreds of people
gathered under the banner, Health Care for All
Now.
A few weeks ago, frustrated by the misinformation
and lies being spread about health care
reform proposals, Alan and eight other Rockland
activists formed a grass roots group to do
something about it.
ey brought on board seven co-sponsoring
organizations to help spread the word: e
Hudson Valley Fellowship of Reconciliation,
Nyack NAACP, Spring Valley NAACP, Rockland
Progressive Dems, WESPAC Foundation,
Organizing for America & the Rockland
Women’s Political Caucus. e result was an
afternoon and evening of rousing speeches,
poetry and fine music performed by Wally
Glickman, e Rouse Brothers, Tom Chapin
and many others, with one clear message:
health care is a human right. e spirited
crowd waited until after dark for Pete Seeger
who, at age 90, arrived in the light of the full
moon over his beloved Hudson, his banjo and
guitar on his back, apologizing for being late
after a full day of performing elsewhere.
On the Ballot November 3
Two amendments to NY State’s Constitution
and three amendments for Orangetown
Township appear on the upcoming ballot.
AMENDMENT No.1 would allow the Legislature
to acquire 6 acres of forest preserve land
along State Rte 56 in St. Lawrence County
from the National Grid for the construction
of a power line. In exchange, the National
Grid will return at least 10 acres of land to St.
Lawrence County for the forest preserve.
AMENDMENT No. 2 would authorize the
Legislature to allow inmates in state and local
correctional facilities to voluntarily perform
work for nonprofit organizations, defined as
those exclusively for religious, charitable and
educational purposes, in which net earnings
don't benefit any shareholder or individual.
In Orangetown you have the opportunity to
vote on the following three amendments:
1. Extend the term of the Town Supervisor to
4 years (from 2 years, to take effect in 2012,
after the next election), 2. extend the term of
the Supt. of Highways to 4 years (from 2 years
to take effect in 2010, after the 2009 election),
3. Extend the term of the Town Clerk to 4
years (from 2 years to take effect in 2010, after
the 2009 election).
Reporter at Large concludes on page 6

The Nyack Villager November, 2009 5

6 The Nyack Villager November, 2009
Reporter at large
Reporter at Large starts on page 3
Cell Phone Numbers Go Public
is month, all cell phone numbers are being
released to telemarketing companies and you
will start to receive sales calls.
You will be charged for these calls.
To prevent this, call the following number
from your cell phone: (888) 382-1222.
It is the National do not call list. It will only
take a minute of your time and it blocks your
number for five (5) years. You must call from
the cell phone number you want to block. It
will not work if you call from a different
phone number. —anks to Will Kiesel
Agent Orange Revisited
Some good news for Vietnam vets, many of
whom have struggled for decades with the effects
of exposure to Agent Orange, a defoliant
used by the US in combat in Southeast Asia.
Since the late 1970s and ‘80s, US soldiers affected
by contact with the toxin have been
asking for help with serious sickness. Fot the
most part, these claims were denied. More recently,
some claims began getting accepted.
Agent Orange is the name given to a blend of
dioxin herbicides used in the Vietnam War
from ‘62 to ‘71. Using aircraft, the US military
sprayed millions of gallons of Agent Orange
and other herbicides to remove the leaves
from trees that provided cover for enemy troops.
Last month, the new VA Secretary Shinseki
agreed with the vets and established lines of
help for Vietnam vets with B-cell leukemias,
Parkinson’s disease and ischemic heart disease.
His decision was based on independent studies
by the Institute of Medicine showing these
diseases are associated with exposure to Agent
Orange. Vietnam veterans with these and
other diseases may now be eligible for disability
compensation and health care benefits they
always deserved.
Incredibly, because of the power of the giant
multi-national chemical companies, the same
deadly herbicides (2,4-D) and (2,4,5-T) still
turn up in products approved for use on crops
here and abroad. ✫
Vote Tues, November 3
People often overlook local
elections, but they affect our
daily lives more directly than
the highly-publicized national
elections. Local election issues are
close to home, like property tax, roads, schools,
police, sidewalks, and our environment. Your
one vote is important. In a Rockland election
two years ago, there was a six-vote difference.
In Wisconsin recently, balloting ended in a
dead tie. Elections in Rockland tend to be
close, so instead of complaining—vote. ✫
Remember the days?
by James F. Leiner
Nyack’s Medal of Honor
Sailor
Growing up just after the Civil
War, John Auer learned to swim
in the Hudson River off Nyack.
His father, Joseph Auer owned a
harness shop and livery stable on
lower Main Street, where the
family also lived when there were
few buildings West of Broadway. During the
warm summers John and his older brother,
Joseph Jr., would take a dip in the cool waters
of the Hudson after finishing their chores around
the livery stable. When Nyack was a growing
village with steamboats
docking just down the street,
there were few opportunities
for a young man. When his
older bother took a job in a
shoe factory, John decided he
wanted to see the world beyond
the Hudson, so he enlisted
in the Navy when he
turned sixteen.
After completing his basic
training, John was assigned
as an Ordinary Seaman to
the flagship of the US Navy’s
European Squadron, the
USS Lancaster. While technically
this was peacetime,
the United States military
was becoming concerned
with relations with Spain and this period was
officially called the Mexican/Vera Cruz Interim,
the period leading up to the Spanish-American
War. e Lancaster, along with a
squadron of five smaller ships, was assigned to
the northern European waters and the coast of
Africa to protect American citizens and commerce.
Under the command of Rear Admiral Charles
H. Baldwin, the Lancaster steamed to Kronstadt,
Russia, and on May 27, 1883 he and his
staff attended the coronation of Tsar Alexander
III in Moscow. Returning to their assigned
area, the USS Lancaster stopped for supplies
and fuel at Marseilles, France in November of
1883. On November 20, with the wind and
the sea rising. Auer was sent aloft to pass a sea
gasket around a loose main topgallant sail because
gale winds had blown it free.
“It was a pretty strenuous job and in the middle
of it, I stopped to rest a bit,” he wrote for
e Nyack Evening Journal fifty years later,
“Happening to glance down towards the stern
of the ship I noticed a young boy
standing near the edge of the
breakwater. As I watched he was
swept off the stone quay wall and
dropped into the churning water.
I sat and watched for a moment
then, realizing the boy was not
coming up for air, I grabbed my
hat and bunched it up to protect
my hands and jumped onto a
support wire and slid down to the
deck. I yanked off my shoes and hopped up
on the railing and looked down into the water.
ere was nothing in sight. I ran towards the
back of the ship and dove overboard to where
I thought I saw the boy disappear.”
John Auer, just seventeen
years old, jumped overboard
into a rising and dangerous
sea. He successfully rescued
the young French boy, who
could not swim and would
have drowned had it not
been for John’s heroic efforts.
e US Navy originally requested
and awarded the
medal for “seamanlike qualities”
in addition to bravery
above the call of duty. e
Congressional Medal of
Honor was authorized for
Auer on February 2, 1884.
While John Auer continued
to serve in the Navy, his
medal was stolen, but he still
had the citation and the ribbon from the
medal and would often wear it on the lapel of
his coat.
John Auer, Winner,
Congressional Medal of Honor
John realized his dream of seeing the world,
but decided to return to Nyack after five years
of service. When he returned home, his
brother Joseph was working as a mail carrier.
e post office started free home delivery in
1889 and needed postmen, so John signed up
and worked the mounted route in Central
Nyack for more than twenty years. John
Auer, passed away in March of 1951 and was
laid to rest in Oak Hill Cemetery. His headstone
commemorates the high honor he was
awarded. Of the thousands of men and
women from the Nyack area to serve their
country, John F. Auer is the only recipient of
the Congressional Medal of Honor. A postman
and the son of a harness maker—the
stuff heroes are made of.
The Nyack Villager thanks Jim Leiner for helping us
all ‘Remember the Days.’ ✫

Mental Health Notes
by Daniel Shaw, L.C.S.W
Anxiety
Being human, we naturally all have
quite a bit to worry about. For
starters, we may be the only species
that has to deal with knowing for
sure that we are mortal. Back when
existential humanism was mainstream,
Ernest Becker wrote a book
worth reading called The Denial of Death.”
He noted our difficulties with the hard cold
fact that we really have zero control over how
and when the grim reaper arrives. Becker felt
that denial of our impotence,
when it
comes to mortality,
could bring out either
the best, or the worst,
in us. is impotence
in the face of death
could lead us to delusions
of omnipotence
(think dictators,
charismatic cult leaders),
on the one
hand—or to benign
uses of power, such as
the empowerment of
others (think, say, civil
rights).
is was what the
Buddha, centuries ago,
was trying to work out:
how do you live if you’re not wearing blinders?
if you actually see the suffering all around you,
and the impermanence of everything—how
do you bear the pain, why do you even
bother? e Buddha’s solution was the attainment
of equanimity—the opposite of anxiousness—and
countless volumes of elaborations
on that idea, including countless workshops
and seminars, have mushroomed ever since.
Controlling anxiety is not just a matter of philosophy
and faith, though; it’s biological and
it’s psychological, too. It’s built in
to the most ancient part of the
human psyche-soma, a survival
mechanism meant to alert us and
heighten our responsiveness to danger.
In other words, it’s in our nature,
and it’s not always a bad thing.
For some, anxiety is all over the
place; they know it and everyone
around them knows it. For others,
anxiety is more subtle, and may be disguised
as irritability, anger, moodiness. Obsessive
anxiety can be persistent and highly resistant
to being explained away. Often, there are
deeper reasons for obsessive
anxiety, rooted in the
ways we were brought up,
the things we learned
about anxiety from our
parents. is kind of
anxiety is depressive, and
can lead to panic; the
feeling of never being
able to have enough control.
If it’s really chronic,
and not just about this or
that situation, it’s a good
idea to talk to a mental
health professional to get
some help with understanding
and managing it
better.
One thing that may be
good to bear in mind as
you try to deal with your anxiety, whether it’s
mild and occasional, or persistent and debilitating,
is that you are not the only one. It’s
something that challenges all of us, and something
we can spend a lifetime learning to understand
and regulate. ese days, there is
climate change and economic downturn, not
to mention that old standby, nuclear proliferation;
they are just no help at all when it comes
to anxiety. It’s probably easier to go ahead and
sweat the small stuff, than to fully confront
the big stuff that really makes us feel helpless.
But even with huge things that are worth worrying
about, we somehow have to go on living,
as creatively, as lovingly as we can, don’t
we? It’s a conundrum —there are some things
we should actually be worrying about more,
not less. But then what about everyday life,
family, friends—shouldn’t we be trying to
make the most of what we have? If you have
this all figured out, let me know.
e mid-century Protestant theologian, Paul
Tillich, wrote a fine book called, e Courage
to Be, in which he referenced a medieval drawing
by Albrecht Durer, titled e Knight, Death
and the Devil.” When I read about this drawing,
I got a print and hung it in my office.
ere’s the knight in his armor, on his horse,
looking straight ahead, resolute, determined to
reach his goal. To his right is Death, an ancient
man holding an hour glass, following the
Knight, not letting him forget the dark, terrible
fears that the future might hold; a constant
reminder of the ultimate annihilation. And
behind him, a horned beast, the Devil. I think
of the Devil as metaphorical for the demons,
all the guilt and shame, that so many of us drag
around behind us; the feeling of never being
good enough, worthy enough. With fear of
what’s ahead, guilt about what’s behind, shame
about what is—it’s hard to go anywhere.
Death, the Devil, fear, guilt—that’s life. ey
follow the Knight every step of the way. But
he keeps looking forward, eyes on the goal,
unswerving, committed, determined. He’s an
ideal, the Knight—quixotic, mythically possible—but
maybe not humanly possible. Nevertheless,
he certainly can be an inspiration.
Daniel Shaw, LCSW, practices psychotherapy in
Nyack and in New York City. He can be reached at
(845) 548-2561 in Nyack and in NY City at
(212) 581-6658, shawdan@aol.com or online at
www.danielshawlcsw.com ✫
November Abundance
Art & Entertainment
HISTORY &
Community
Piermont
Historical Society
• 1940s USO Dance with
live band, coffee and donuts.
At the Reformed Church of Piermont.
Sat, Nov. 14 at 7:30pm. Reservations required.
$25 per person. Veterans in uniform free.
• In December: Camp Shanks, Piermont & WWII
Embarkations: a lecture by Jerry Donnellan at the
Piermont Village Hall. Sat, Dec. 12 at 3pm.
Orangetown Historical Museum
• A Holiday Open House
e historic Salyer House has completed a massive
renovation and is ready to celebrate with its
neighbors and friends. Come and enjoy our holiday
decorations with a cup of mulled cider and
ginger cookies with the museum staff.
e following exhibits will be on view—
• A Spy in Our Midst—Maj. John André
• At Home in Orangetown
• Our Dutch Sandstone Houses
Surprises are planned to delight young and old;
local singing groups are invited to carol on the
new stone courtyard. Take home a pine cone;
plan a visit with your family to our local past.
e Orangetown Historical Museum & Archives
213 Blue Hill Road, Pearl River, NY. Open 1 to
4pm on these Sundays: Nov 22 & 29, and Dec
6, 13, 20 & 27. Donations gratefully accepted.
Info: (845) 398-1302.
VISUAL ART
Rockland Center for the Arts (RoCA)
Rockland Center for the Arts, 27 South Greenbush Rd.
West Nyack (off Exit 12 NYS ruway. Info: 845-358-
0877 or visit www.rocklandartcenter.org
CLASSES
New programs for the fall—woodworking at
GAGA, jewelry classes in Nyack, painting for beginners,
pastel drawing and more. Workshops
include Precious Metal, Clay, Dichroic Glass
Pendants, and Raku Firing Ceramics. New
classes for children include Anime & Manga,
Imaginary Worlds, preschool art and more.
Call (845) 358-0877 for info & free catalog or
view the catalog & register online at
www.rocklandcenter.org
November Abundance continues on page 9
The Nyack Villager November, 2009 7

8 The Nyack Villager November, 2009

November Abundance starts on page 7
TWO EXHIBITIONS AT RoCA
Fraction of Sight: Contemporary Photography
curated by Rebecca Loyche, features the works of
artists who utilize the camera to capture their
own vision of reality and illusion and Snowspace,
open icy paintings by German artist Vivian
Kahra depict images of snowy travel and sport
using white space as the focal point.
Of special interest is Lauren Orchowski's Diorama
Rocket Science, an interpretation of playgrounds
below star studded night sky contained
within a large walk-in black box room.
On view through Dec 2
Art Students League
• mARa Bloom: Mixed Media Collage
In this imaginative course, spontaneity & willingness
to embrace surprise is a prerequisite to
success and artistic growth. Materials for collage
collected by each student allow vision of a personal
nature to arise authentically with guidance and a
supportive environment.
Sunday, Nov 15 from 10am to 4pm.
$90 per session, with lunch included.
• Classes: Drawing. Painting: (Figurative, Still
Life, Plein Air, Abstract). Sculpture (in Clay,
Stone, Wood, Metal). Mixed Media. Forging.
Portfolio Development. Technical Sessions for
Welding & Casting. Bronze Pours: (check for
dates). Open Sketch with Model: Evenings:
Uninstructed drawing from the model, short and
long poses, every Tues & Wed evening from 6:45
to 10. $15 per session, $10 for members.
• Class News: Popular painting teacher, Karen
O’Neil’s class will be followed by a new student
and blogger; if you’ve wondered about taking a
class, check out Betty Ming Liu’s blog:
http://web.me.com/boopliu/e_Blog/Home/En
tries/2009/10/16_Art_lesson__Who_knew_pain
ting_white_objects_could_be_so_profoundly_in
sane.html
For more info please visit the website:
wwww.theartstudentsleague.org come by for a
visit, or call Vytlacil at 845-359-1263. Please preregister
at least 3 days before all events.
Miniature & Dollhouse Show
e Historical Society of Rockland County, 20 Zukor Road
New City. Show Hours: Tues thru Sun, noon to 4pm.
Info: www.rocklandhistory.org or call (845) 634-9629.
Opening reception for the 34th Annual Miniature
& Dollhouse Show will be Sun, Nov 22
from 1 to 4pm. Entitled A Serendiptiy! the show
runs through Sun, Feb 14, 2010.
Serendipity is defined as the accidental discovery
of something fortunate, while looking for something
entirely unrelated.
Young people of all ages and their families are invited
to find serendipitous moments among the
dollhouses, miniature train sets and other treats
in two galleries. Showcased will be works by the
Clarke Dunham Studio, with a complete smallscale
train set. Dunham is well known for his
fantastic trains and landscapes exhibited at Citi
Corps in New York City. Miniatures by artists
Sandra Mirque, Susan Farni and others will be
on view. is year’s curator is Joanne Potanovic.
Don’t miss the Museum Shop with its treasure
trove of unique holiday gift items. Enter the
museum raffle for fabulous prizes.
Admission: $7 adults & HSRC members; $3 kids
under 12. Price includes free Sunday admission
to the 1832 Jacob Blauvelt House from noon to
4pm. Half-price for groups of 10+ by reservation.
Hopper House in November
Edward Hopper House Art Center, 82 N. Broadway,
Nyack. Gallery hours: urs-Sun, 1-5 pm. Info online at
www.hopperhouse.org e-mail info@hopperhouse.org
phone (845) 358-0774.
• Family Sing-Along
Ages 2 thru 6 with adult. Sukey Molloy sings
original & traditional songs. Tickets in advance
or at the door, $10 adult, $5 child. Call (845)
353-2268 or e-mail info@playmovesing.com
Sat, Nov 7 at 10am
• Readings
Painter & photographer Stanford Kay and Buzz
Spector consider the book as subject, object and
material. Reception Sun, Nov 1, 2—4pm.
Oct 31 thru Dec 6
WORKSHOPS
• School Vacation Art Workshop
Prints from Nature: Autumn Leaf Monoprints. Fee:
$15 HH members, $17 non-members; supplies
included. Contact Hopper House to register.
Wed Nov 11, 11-12:30 for 8 to 11 year olds.
• Hopper House Art Club for Teens
Create an attention-getting portfolio. is course
focuses on figure drawing, painting and mixed
media for High School juniors, seniors and others
planning to enter college as an art major.
Taught by Elizabeth Sayles, illustrator of more
than 25 books for children. Meets second Sat,
10:30—noon. Details: www.HopperHouse.org
• Songwriters’ Workshop
Meets Mon, Nov 9 at 7:30—9:30pm (2nd Mon
each month). Details: www.HopperHouse.org
• Weekly Monitored Figure Drawing
Every urs (except anksgiving) 7:30—10pm.
Details: www.HopperHouse.org
Why Clay?
An exhibition exploring the rich history of pottery
at the Art School at Old Church opens Oct
30 and runs through Nov 20.
On display: works by 25 distinguished ceramic
artists whose functional pieces represent techniques
and processes of contemporary ceramics—handbuilding,
wheel-throwing; specially
formulated glazes and firing techniques carry the
artist’s individual voice through the process, to
the finished pots.
A documentary film on the life and work of
Karen Karnes, will be screened on Fridays, Oct
30 and Nov 13 at 10:30am. Both the exhibition
and film screenings are free and open to the public.
ough none of the works on exhibit will be
for sale, many of the potters will be part of the
35th Annual Pottery Show & Sale in December.
Info: please call (201) 767-7160.
Women In Photography
Varied Viewpoints, a showing of the works of
seven women in photography, including Sally
Savage, of Piermont, will be on view from Nov 8
through Dec 13 at the Azarian McCullough Art
Gallery, St. omas Aquinas College, 125 Route
340, Sparkill, NY.
An artist’s reception is planned for 3 to 5pm,
Sun, Nov 15.
Islamic Arts Lecture
• Social Change & Islamic Culture: the relationship
between art and society detailing the culture
and political history of Dubai by Dr. Rosanne
Martorella, Prof. Emerita from William Patterson
University. With photos & artwork.
Tues, Nov 17 at 7pm
PERFORMANCE ART
Gamelan Son of Lion at GAGA
GAGA, 55 Railroad Ave, Garnerville, NY in the Village of
West Haverstraw, Rockland County. Info (845) 947-7108.
Founded in 1976, Gamelan Son of Lion is a
composers' collective performing on a combination
of Javanese-made and American handmade
percussion instruments, presented here with
works by dancers and other artists. e public is
invited. ere is no charge for admission.
Sun, Nov 8 at 3pm.
The Rogue Players perform
In a playfully updated version of Shakespeare’s
Much Ado About Nothing, the rock band Aragon
takes a rest from their tour at the home of Mr.
Leonato; two of the band members fall in love
with girls who live there. A lively comedy set in
1978 with songs from Foreigner, Earth Wind
and Fire, and Donna Summer. For children over
eight years of age & their families.
Much Ado About Nothing will be presented at five
performances on Fri, Nov 6 at 8pm, Sat, Nov 7
at 8pm, Fri, Nov 13 at 8pm and at two performances
on Sat, Nov 14 at 2pm & 8pm at Palisades
Presbyterian Church, 177 Washington Spring Rd,
Palisades, NY
Poetry & Music Performed
Jane LeCroy and collaborators perform poetry &
music at Piermont Reformed Church, 361 Ferdon
Ave. in Piermont. Info: janelecroy.com or
piermontchurch.org
8pm on Sat, Nov 7
First Friday Film Series
• e Lives of Others
Set in East Berlin five years before the fall of the
Berlin Wall, e Lives of Others (2006) is a riveting,
profoundly human spy film with several
twists—including a powerful emotional shock at
the end. A supremely intelligent, unfailingly
honest film, featuring a haunting performance by
the late Ulrich Mühe.
Free showing Fri, Nov 6 at 7:30pm at Piermont
Library, 25 Flywheel Park West, Piermont. Info:
(845) 359-4595.
November Abundance continues on page 10
The Nyack Villager November, 2009 9

November Abundance starts on page 7
Rivertown Film Society
NOTE—screenings in November will be at the
Lafayette eatre, 97 Lafayette Ave, Suffern.
Info: (845) 353-2568 or www.rivertownfilm.org
Tickets at the door: $9 general admission
$7 for students, seniors and general members
$6 for student and senior members.
• Wed, Nov 4 at 8pm
IN THE LOOP
Director: Armando Iannucci, with Peter Capaldi,
Tom Hollander, James Gandolfini. UK, 2009,
106 min, unrated.
In the Loop deals with the power games at the
heart of political endeavor. In this satire, done in
mock-Cinéma vérité style, governments of both
US & Britain gear up to invade an unspecified
Middle Eastern country.
e dangerous incompetence of these warring factions
will strike you as more than familiar. at's
why the laughs stick in the throat. But laugh you
will, loud and often.. e whole cast is stellar. And
it proves that smart and funny can exist in the same
movie. —Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
• Wed, Nov 11 at 8pm
CHERI
Director: Stephen Frears, with Michelle Pfeiffer,
Kathy Bates, Rupert Friend. 2009 UK, Germany,
France. 86 min, rated R.
Based on the 1920 novel by the great Colette,
this melodrama is about a savvy courtesan and
her eyebrow-raising relationship with the young
son of her best friend.
Plenty of terrible movies know how to work your
tear ducts. Here's a weepie that, in Pfeiffer's performance,
touches you on the highest levels. Grade: A.
—Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor
• Wed, Nov 18 at 8pm
IL DIVO
Director: Paolo Sorrentino with Toni Servillo,
Anna Bonaiuto, Italy/France, 2008,110 minutes,
in Italian with English Subtitles, unrated.
e true story of the scandal-ridden, seven-time
Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti. Employing
the tone of a blood-soaked comic opera,
the complicated relationship among politicians,
the Mafia and the Vatican are laid bare, as are the
Prime Minister’s connections to a stream of political
assassinations and killings. A riveting character
study.
An intensely political film so wildly inventive and
witty that it will become a touchstone for years to
come ... a masterpiece.
—Jay Weissberg, Variety
• Tues, Nov 24 at 8pm
YOO-HOO, MRS. GOLDBERG
Director: Aviva Kempner, USA, 2009, 92 min,
documentary, unrated
Broadcast pioneer Gertrude Berg was a beloved
radio and TV star who rose to fame on the radio
during the Depression with e Goldbergs, a
show she wrote, produced and starred in, Berg
and her show established the domestic sitcom as
a TV staple, and paved the way for I Love Lucy,
e Honeymooners, and all that followed. A charming
portrait of a gracious grande-dame with a
dry sense of humor.
ere's far more to this groundbreaker who built an
empire in the face of formidable challenges. So why
would you miss it? Go already.
—Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
• Wed, Dec 2 at 8pm
TAKING WOODSTOCK
Director by Ang Lee with Demetri Martin,
Emile Hirsch, Liev Schreiber. USA, 2009 ,110
min, rated R.
Opportunity knocks when a man returns home
to the Catskills to help his parents with their
struggling motels, and he becomes involved with
promoters of a Woodstock Arts Festival, encountering
the colorful cast of characters who begin
massing and making history, loosening social
barriers, finding enlightenment.
“Taking Woodstock” has the freshness of something
being created, not remembered.
—Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
MUSIC
Soirée Society
In the Carnegie Room at Nyack Library, 59 S. Broadway,
Nyack NY. Info: www.carnegieroom.org
• Carnegie Room Concerts Saturdays at 7:30pm
Nov 7: Chopin & Ragtime Mas Ikemiya, piano.
Nov 14: Spanish Music Luiz Castro, piano.
Nov 21: Great Romantics Corbin Beisner, piano.
10 The Nyack Villager November, 2009

Nov 28: Chopin & Schumann Pavel Gintov, piano.
Tickets: $20/$17 senior/$12 young adult/ $10 child.
Nyack College Concerts
Concerts at Nyack College, Pardington Hall 45 South
Blvd., Nyack NY. Info: musicoffice@nyack.edu or (845)
675-4687. Free admission to all concerts.
• Italian Chamber Ensemble
La Follia Barocca, a 12-member chamber orchestra
from Milan, Italy, performs music of the 17th
and 18th centuries by Fiorenza, Locatelli, and
Vivaldi. e ensemble features solo players from
prestigious baroque instrumental groups.
urs, Nov 5 at 7:30pm
• String Orchestra Concert
Nyack College & Sarah Lawrence String Orchestras
directed by Prof. Sungrai Sohn.
Friday Nov 6 at 8pm
• Wind Ensemble & Handbell Choir Concert
Directed by Dr. Glenn Koponen & Prof. Jennifer
Scott
Fri, Nov 13at 8pm
• Fall Chamberfest
Students perform vocal, keyboard & instrumental
chamber music.
urs, Nov 19 at 7pm
Young People’s Concert
Winners of the Rockland County Music Teachers’
Guild Concerto Competition, solo division
will perform Camille Saint-Saens’ Violin Concerto
in b minor and the first movement of Schumann’s
Piano Concerto in a minor. e program
includes a variety of other music.
Sun, Nov 1, 3pm at SUNY Rockland Cultural
Arts Center, 145 College Road, Suffern, NY.
Tickets (at door) $20 adults; $15 for senior adults;
$10 students. Info (845) 942-2574 or visit
www.rocklandsymphony.org
Morning Music Club
e season’s opening concert of the Morning
Music Club will feature soprano Korliss Uecker
and cellist Jerry Grossman, both of whom appear
with the Metropolitan Opera, and accompanist
Fredrica Wyman, artistic director of GraceMusic
in Nyack. Admission free; donations gratefully
accepted.
Tues, Nov 10 at 10:30am at the Nauraushaun
Presbyterian Church, 51 Sickletown Road, Pearl
River. Info: (845) 359-1432.
Rockland Camerata
e Rockland Camerata, under the direction of
Sheila Schonbrun, will perform a program of
French music, featuring the Fauré Requiem with
chamber orchestra and soloists.
Sat, Nov 14, at 4pm at St. John’s Episcopal
Church, 365 Strawtown Rd, New City. Tickets:
$20, $15 students and seniors. Info: call (845)
947-1520 or (845) 634-5562.
Music at Christ Church
Celebrated pianist Taka Kigawa will perform this
month at Christ Church in Sparkill. A reception
follows in the adjacent St. Mary’s chapel. Tickets
are $30pp. Info or reservations call 359-2858 or
e-mail info@christchurch-sparkill.org
Sat, Nov 14 at 7 pm at Christ Church, New
Street in Sparkill.
Salsa at Best Western Inn, Nyack
e West Gate Lounge has continued it's support
of Salsa music for over 20 years. On Saturday
evenings, the West Gate Lounge offers Salsa
dance lessons from 8-10pm. At 10pm, enjoy the
sounds of live Latin music from around the
world. In November—
Nov 7 Conjunto Imagen
Nov 14 Pulpo Gilberto Colon Jr.
Nov 21 Tipica Novel-Mauricio Smith Jr.
Nov 28 Latin Giants (former Tito Puente All Stars)
Schedule: http://www.westgatelounge.com/
Jazz at The Red Hat in Irvington
Jazz is performed Wednesday nights from 6pm
by bassist, Bill Crow, who has been featured with
Gerry Mulligan, Benny Goodman, Stan Getz &
Marian McPartland.
On keyboards: Hiroshi Yamazaki, a composer
and arranger who has played throughout the
world with many notable jazz artists. His New
York gigs include dates at e Village Gate, Birdland
& e Bluenote. Hiroshi is on the faculty at
the Music Conservatory of Westchester.
Vocalist Glenda Davenport has played with Bill
& Hiroshi and other jazz greats. She recently released
her debut CD, Sophisticated Lady.
November Abundance continues on page 12
The Nyack Villager November, 2009 11

An open community forum.
Letters
to the editor
Opinions expressed are those of each
letter writer, not necessarily
those of The Nyack Villager
10 Ways to Improve Nyack
To e Nyack Villager—
In response to a letter from Lawrence Frers,
printed in the October, 2009 Villager)
1. Trees are only cut down on the advice of a
licensed arborist.
2. e DPW is on the job every day. It would
be good if merchants swept in front of their
stores. (And some do).
3. We have an Architectural Review Board
working hard to do everything in its legal
power to maintain architectural aesthetics is
the Village.
4. Taxes are assessed by the Town of Orangetown,
not the Village.
5. We are moving on. e Board recently approved
a plan for the beatification of the
downtown. e next step is finding money to
do it.
6. e police do work hard. Coverage is provided
by the Orangetown Board which decides
on the budget, and therefore, the number
of officers.
7, 8. We have been planning a renewal of the
Park for the past several years. We have had
many public meetings about redoing the park.
e Board will be asked to approve the plan,
and then we will seek money. At the same
time, in cooperation with the Nyack Rowing
Program, we are planning a new marina.
9. Summons are given. Fines are paid for violations
of Village codes. e Village follows
due process, which does slow things down.
10. Delays are not bureaucratic but rather
legal, or most often, financial. Nyack works
very hard to operate within a reasonable
budget. A main issue is that more than 30%
of our properties are off the tax roles. Nonprofits
and churches don't pay tax.
Note: Both candidates for Mayor are currently
on the Board and have worked over the
years to address the above issues. If anyone
has concrete suggestions please come to Board
meetings on the 2nd and 4th ursdays of
each month. By attending, one not only
hears about the issues being addressed but also
may have input into solutions.
—John Shields,
Mayor, Village of Nyack
Fan Mail for e Little Red Hen
To e Nyack Villager—
I am a kindergarten teacher in Las Cruces,
New Mexico. My class has just completed a
letter to Paul Galdone, author & illustrator of
e Little Red Hen. I just discovered that he
passed away in 1986 but was a long-time resident
of Nyack, NY.
Perhaps Mr. Galdone has a living relative
where I can send this class letter—or an artist
friend in the community who knew him and
can answer the childrens’ questions about his
drawings.
Your assistance is much appreciated.
—Carolyn Dietrich
e Rally For Health Care Reform
To e Nyack Villager—
e Health Care for All Rally that took place
Oct 4 in Nyack was more than a successful
event. It was an experience of communion
with like-minded souls and an inspiration for
us all to do more for the things in which we
believe. e small group who worked to put
it all together in less than a month all feel that
we gained immensely from the experience. All
of the bands and speakers, the sound technician
and other volunteers were perfect, as were
the spirits that control the weather.
Letters to e Nyack Villager continue on page 21
November Abundance starts on page 7
AT THE LIBRARIES
Nyack Library
59 S. Broadway, Nyack. Info
& reg: (845) 358-3370, ext. 14
• OPEN HOUSE INVITATION
Join us in our newly constructed library wing on
Sat, Nov 21, from 10:30am—3pm. Refreshments
will be served.
• Fiction Book Group
Netherland by Joseph O’Neil. Pick up books at
Reference Desk. Wed, Nov 4 at 7pm.
• Non Fiction Book Group
e Songlines by Bruce Chatwin. Pick up books
at Reference Desk. urs, Nov 5 at 2pm.
• Before the Bridge
Documentary about the time before the Tappan
Zee Bridge. Tues, Nov 17 at 7pm. Please register.
• For ‘Teens
Register for all ‘Teen programs at Youth Services
Desk, ext. 28.
• TGIF Programs
Movie Friday 4pm Nov 20: Fast and Furious
Gaming Friday 4:30pm Nov 6: Wii Olympics,
DDR, MarioKart or Beatles RockBand games.
• Mother/Daughter Book Discussion Read and
discuss ‘teen fiction. Books available at the ref
desk the month before each meeting. 7pm urs,
Nov 5—e September Sisters by Jillian Cantor.
12 The Nyack Villager November, 2009
• Macrame Me 4pm Wed, Nov 4
Learn decorative knots.
• Watercolor Basics - 4pm urs, Nov 12 & Wed,
Nov 18.
Piermont Public Library
25 Flywheel Park West, Piermont. Hours: Mon to urs,
10-8; Friday, 12-5; Saturday, 12-4. Info: 359-4595. Events
are free unless otherwise noted.
• In the Gallery Photos by Kerrie Sansky,
Piermont photographer, of the community of
people who fish from the Piermont Pier. Reception
Nov 15, from 2 to 4pm.
• Toddler Storytime with Agnes. Mondays at
11am.
• Friends and Neighbors with John Lipscomb,
Captain of the Riverkeeper's patrol boat, speaks
about the Hudson from the Battery to Troy
and his job searching out and deterring polluters,
working on habitat mapping and navigational
surveys and providing aid and access
to the river for researchers from Lamont and
elsewhere. Sun, Nov 8 at 2pm.
• Music Together is popular music program
introduces very young children to the rudiments
of music. Wed, Nov 18 at 11am
Valley Cottage Library
• In e Gallery
Works by Joseph Fusaro & Sean Sweeney
Nov 1-29; Reception: Wed, Nov 4, 6—8pm
• Book Discussion
Dracula by Bram Stoker. Books available a month
before discussion. Scholar led, refreshments.
urs, Nov 5 at 7pm
• Sunday Concert: Beethoven Meets Chopin
Pianist Ola Sergatchov explores what happens
when Chopin and Beethoven play together.
Sun, Nov 8 at 2pm
• Nyack Senior Center
e Senior Center provides an opportunity for
seniors to meet, participate in social & cultural
activities and take low-impact exercise.
Wed, Nov 11, 10am to 12pm
• Gardening Inspiration—Growing & Caring for
Indoor Plants
Have coffee with a Master Gardener from the
Cornell Co-op Extension; extend your gardening
season with tropical plants. Find out which grow
best at home; tips on when to fertilize, divide, repot,
more. Please Register. Sat, Nov 14 at 10:30am
• Real Reads! Nonfiction Reading Club
Shadow Divers: e True Adventure of Two Americans
Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the
Last Mysteries of World War II by Robert Kurson.
Books available a month before discussion. Please
register. Mon, Nov 16 at 7pm
At Palisades Library
19 Closter Road, Palisades, NY (845) 359-0136
• Story Time ages 3 thru K Wednesdays at 1:30pm
• Harvest Happening for ages 5 and up
Concludes upper right ➤

November Abundance starts on page 7
What was the first anksgiving really like? Make
decorations for your home. Register please.
Nov 18 at 4:30pm.
New City Library
220 North Main Street, New City, NY. Contact: Sally
Pellegrini, 634-4997, ext. 139; spellegr@rcls.org
• Rabbit Hole
M&M Productions performs this touching story
laced with lighthearted scenes. Sun, Nov 1 at 2pm.
• Stress Management
Origins, consequences and how to cope with stress
on youth. Sat, Nov 7 at 1pm.
• A Wife's Viewpoint
e compelling account of how Lee Woodruff &
her family coped with husband (ABC News anchor)
Bob woodruff long recovery from a head
injury sustained covering the war in Iraq. In her
new book, Perfectly Imperfect; A Life in Progress,
the story continues. 7:30pm Mon Nov 9.
• Life After Injury
Roles played by family, friends and community
in the life of those with brain impairments; what
happens when speech and understanding of language
are diminished due to stroke or injury and
treatment options. Mon, Nov 16 at 7:30pm.
• Harmony on the Hudson
A chorus of women of all ages from diverse backgrounds
linked together by their love of singing
4-part harmony in the a cappella style. Sun, Nov
29 at 2pm. ✫
Natural Healing
by Jerome L. Greenberg, DC
With Liberty & Justice for Some
I was under the impression that our criminal
justice system punished people with jail time
when they broke certain laws—especially
when their actions result in someone's death.
Well, I guess those rules don't apply to drug
company executives. Pfizer, the world's largest
drugmaker will have to pay a record $2.3 billion
penalty over unlawful prescription drug
promotions. It seems that the company marketed
the pain reliever Bextra and possibly
other products for medical conditions different
from their approved use.
Not only are they not going to jail, the public
will never see any of the court filings because
they are sealed! e US Justice Department,
the FBI, federal prosecutors and Health and
Human Services Department can't discuss the
"deal." On a similar note, Merck, who had
settled with 50,000 people in this country for
$4.85 billion over their painkiller, Vioxx, decided
to battle it out in court in Australia.
Dumb move.
e revelations in court testimony should be
very frightening to anyone who actually trusts
his health to these companies. Before introducing
Vioxx in Australia
in 1999, they
created an arthritis
advisory board of influential
physicians
whose ostensible purpose
was to educate
the medical community
about pain-killers.
e physicians were unaware that the unofficial
purpose was to "accept the data and positioning
of Vioxx and publicly state that Vioxx
is superior.”
ey even came up with their own fake medical
journal, Australasian Journal of Bone and
Joint Medicine to promote Vioxx. If their
salespeople ran into doctors who actually read
real medical journals which showed that Vioxx
increased the risk of stroke and heart attack,
they published the Vioxx Objection Handling
Module to deflect doctors' questions.
As I have said in the past, these guys are brilliant.
But I don't know why they would go
through all this trouble and air their dirty
laundry. Its not surprising that Rutgers University,
my alma mater, would offer a course
called Pharmaceutical Industry Ethics.
Dr. Jerome Greenberg has offices in NY City and
Upper Nyack. Reached him at 800 789 BACK. ✫
The Nyack Villager November, 2009 13

Viviane’s
Kitchen
by Viviane Bauquet Farre
As a junior in college and a new immigrant
to this country, I was quick
to adopt anksgiving as my favorite
holiday. We Americans may have
inherited this ritual of giving thanks
from the Pilgrims, but throughout
history people of all nations have
celebrated harvest time with a feast. Now that’s
where I get very excited about this special holiday.
Cooking being my passion, having the
chance to make a feast is something I anticipate
with great joy each year.
When planning my own anksgiving menu, I
follow the original spirit of this special holiday
and let the abundance of the harvest itself guide
me. Since I do most of my shopping at our local
farmers’ markets from spring through fall, I’m familiar
with the gorgeous produce they offer and
the succession of crops.
Even at the end of November,
there’s still a marvelous assortment
of fresh veggies & fruits to choose
from: Brussels sprouts, cauliflower,
gorgeous red beets, leafy greens,
pumpkins and winter squashes,
apples and pears— the list goes
on and on, and out of it my
menu takes shape beautifully.
is month, I’d like to share a
side dish that always ends up on
my anksgiving menu: Maple-
Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts. Sautéed
until their natural sugars are caramelized and
glazed with a splash of maple syrup, this dish is
truly irresistible. And for a complete anksgiving
menu (twelve recipes & wine pairing) visit my
website, www.foodandstyle.com and be inspired
to create a anksgiving feast as delicious as it is
joyful—in the true spirit of giving thanks.
Viviane Bauquet Farre is a chef, food writer and blogger living
in Piermont. She offers private, hands-on cooking
classes. You can contact her at (845) 365-1599, or visit her
website at www.foodandstyle.com for her fun and informative
cooking videos and much more. ❃
MAPLE–GLAzEd BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH CHESTNUTS serves 8
• Ingredients
1 tablespoon sea salt for the blanching water
2 lbs Brussels Sprouts, ends trimmed and cut in
half
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
6 oz roasted chestnuts in jars—broken in 1/2”
pieces (use your fingers)
3 large shallots—skinned, quartered and finely
sliced
3/4 to 1 teaspoon sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
• Method
Step 1: Fill a large bowl with cold water and
several ice cubes.
Step 2: Fill a medium heavy bottom soup pot
with water and bring to a boil. Add the salt and
blanch the Brussels sprouts for 4 minutes until
tender. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon
and transfer to the ice water bath until cool.
Drain on paper towels. Once dry, transfer to a
bowl and set aside.
Step 3: Heat a large heavy-bottom skillet over
high heat. Add the butter, olive oil and maple
syrup, stir well. As soon as the butter is melted,
add the Brussels sprouts and chestnuts and toss.
Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until golden-brown,
tossing only occasionally. Add the shallots and
sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until shallots have softened.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss again,
remove from heat and serve immediately.
© 2009 Viviane Bauquet Farre – food & style NY
LLC
14 The Nyack Villager November, 2009
COMMUNITY NOTES
Tell e Nyack Villager and we’ll tell the world
Deadline for December Community Notes: Nov 15.
e-mail to info@nyackvillager.com
PIERMONT FARMERS’ MARKET
• Migliorelli Farm Golden Delicious Apples and
pear and apple cider.
e market is on Sundays, rain or shine, thru Nov
22, 9:30am to 3pm in M&T Parking lot, Ash
St.& Piermont Ave. Info: (914) 923-4837.
NYACK FARMERS’ MARKET
Continues ursdays 8am to 2pm thru Nov 25,
rain or shine in the Riverspace parking lot on Main
St. Info: 353-2221
PALISADES CRAFT BAZAAR
Works by women artisans of the Hudson Valley
will be featured at the 3rd Annual Holiday Craft
Bazaar scheduled to take place anksgiving weekend
in Palisades, NY. Pottery, jewelry, crochet
items, children’s items, soaps, candles, holiday décor
& much more. Hearty soups, breads and pastries,
locally-grown apples and cider to enjoy at the fair
and/or to take home.
Sat, Nov 28 from 10 to 4, Palisades Community
Center, 675 Oak Tree Rd. Info: (845) 398-2521
or visit PCC@palisadesny.com
ST. ANN’S CHRISTMAS BAZAAR
Handmade jewelry, knit & crocheted items, handbags,
candles, sports items, cosmetics, local
photographs (including photos of the old Nyack
High School), homemade chocolates, baked
goods, gift baskets, raffles, door prizes, a white elephant
room and much more.
Please come and join in on the fun!
Sat, Nov 14 from 10an to 4pm at St. Ann’s
School Cafeteria, 16 Jefferson Street, Nyack.
Info: 358-4707 or stannsbazaar@gmail.com
Community Notes continue on page 16

From Town Hall
by om Kleiner, Orangetown Supervisor
Tax Savings, Planning
& Sacred Cows
We need to be prepared
to challenge the status
quo and make some
tough political decisions,
if Rockland County is
ever going to achieve real cost savings, lower
families’ taxes, and preserve our quality of life.
Two recent situations made this particularly
clear to me. When preparing the 2010 Orangetown
budget, we immediately faced a mandatory
9.8% increase in the police department due to
contractual raises, “step” increases and night differentials
before we considered any other issue in
the budget. ese increases are driven by a
flawed binding arbitration system which is tilted
in favor of the police unions, puts taxpayers at a
disadvantage and has driven up municipal costs
at unsustainable levels.
Under the current system, when a municipality
cannot reach an agreement with a police union,
the matter is then referred to binding arbitration.
An arbitrator then arrives at a decision
based partially on what other towns in the same
County have awarded their police in arbitration
or in negotiated settlements. It is a closed circle
that pushes average salaries through the roof. It
must end, and the next County Executive needs
to show real leadership to fight for its elimination.
We must also change the system that allows police
officers to use overtime and vacation payouts
to determine the “final average salary” for pension
purposes. is, in part, led to the bizarre
situation locally in which a police officer received
$548,000 in his last year which, was used
to determine his pension and which we will be
paying for decades. We need to bring back some
common sense, so that only actual salary is used
for pension determinations in the future.
Finally, we need our next County Executive to
show leadership when situations arise that potentially
pit communities against each other. As
an example, the current controversy over the proposed
chicken slaughterhouse in New Square
—which I oppose because it should never be
permitted in a residential neighborhood—could
have been avoided if the County Executive had
been willing to get involved earlier.
Changing Rockland will not be easy, and challenging
the status quo invariably upsets people
who are benefitting from the current system.
But with out-of-control spending, high taxes
and deepening ill-will among communities, the
cost of failing to act is simply unacceptable.
Supervisor Kleiner welcomes questions and comments.
Send to info@nyackvillager.com ✫
The Nyack Villager November, 2009 15

health notes
Sometimes David Beats Goliath
From Alex Beauchamp, of Food & Water Watch, a
not-for-profit watchdog organization in Washington,
DC comes this item:
“Great news! anks to (public) support ... we
had a huge victory this week. After delivering
countless petition signatures and making hundreds
of phone calls to Congress, it looks like
we've finally convinced Congress to hold
chicken processed in China to the same standards
as chicken from here in the U.S.
“After two years of calling your representatives
and signing petitions, it all came together last
week when we delivered a petition with almost
18,000 signatures to key members of Congress.
e message was clear: we don't want Chinese
chicken unless it's held to the same standard as
chicken from here in the U.S.
“We don't have the money of big agribusiness,
so our strength comes from folks who stand
up and take action. is victory is huge not
only because it makes our food supply safer,
but also because it shows the power of ordinary
individuals when we stand up together.”
Visit fwwatch@mail.democracyinaction.org
Recognizing a Stroke
A neurologist says if he can get to a stroke
victim within 3 hours, he can reverse the effects
of the stroke. He says the trick is in recognizing
& diagnosing the stroke, and getting
the patient to competent medical care.
In recognizing a stroke, remember STAT
• S=smile Ask the patient to smile
• T=talk Ask the patient to speak a simple,
coherent sentence (i.e: “It is sunny today.”)
• A=arm ask the patient to raise both arms
• T=tongue ask the patient to stick out his
tongue; in a stroke victim, the tongue may
deviate to one side or the other.
If the patient has trouble with any of these
tasks, call emergency immediately and describe
the symptoms to the dispatcher.
—anks to Joseph Adams.
Danish Pigs Thrive Without
Antibiotics
Denmark's policy of restricting antibiotic use
in animal feed has been a success, according to
the Danish government. In the United States,
livestock and poultry producers routinely add
16 The Nyack Villager November, 2009
antibiotics to animal feed to promote growth
and compensate for unsanitary conditions.
But Denmark has banned the use of antibiotics
for growth promotion. Danish government
officials recently wrote to members of the US
Congress that the policy hasn't hurt their pork
and poultry industries: Denmark remains the
world's top pork exporter, consumer prices
have not increased, and the country has reduced
overall use of antibiotics in food production
by 50 percent with no harm to animal
health and welfare. Danish officials directed
their letter to a Senate committee that is considering
legislation to restrict antibiotics in animal
feed in the United States.
Margaret Mellon, of e Union of Concerned
Scientists, wrote “Denmark has proved that it
can generate safe, plentiful food while using
antibiotics wisely and sparingly—and, contrary
to fears of the US livestock industry, producers'
bottom lines don't have to suffer.”
Visit http://www.ucsusa.org/
Cost of NOT Reforming Health Care
is week, Joseph Adams, a Nyack resident,
expressed his exasperation with “the media
crap and the political posturing” that passes
for debate on health care reform, and sent us
part of a report by the Robert Woods Johnson
Foundation entitled, e Cost of Failure to
Enact Health Reform, dated September, 2009.
We recommend that you see the whole report,
at rwjf.org/files/research/49148.pdf
In the meantime, here is an informative excerpt—
“Researchers from the Urban Institute used
their Health Insurance Policy Simulation Model
to estimate how coverage & cost trends would
change between now and 2019 if the health
system is not reformed.
• e report shows that, in the worst-case scenario,
within 10 years the number of people
without insurance would increase by more
than 30% in 29 states.
In every state, the number of uninsured would
increase by at least 10%. Businesses would see
their premiums increase—more than doubling
in 27 states.
• Even in the best case scenario, employers in
46 states would see premiums increase by more
than 60%. Every state would see a smaller
share of its population getting health care
through their job. Half of the states would see
the number of people with job-based coverage
fall by more than 10%.
Every state would see spending for Medicaid/
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
rise by more than 75%.
e amount of uncompensated care in the
health system would more than double in 45
states.”—Robert Woods Johnson Foundation ✫
COMMUNITY NOTES start on pg 14
LADIES AUXILIARY O’TOWN No. 1
A Chinese Auction, sponsored by the Orangetown
Engine Company No.1 Ladies Auxiliary, which is
part of the Nyack Fire District, will be held Nov 21
at St. Ann’s School on Jefferson Street, Nyack.
Doors open at 6:15pm. Info call Carolyn (845)
358-8286 or Dorina 358-7341.
1940s REMINISCENCES
Please come to the annual meeting of Friends of
the Piermont Library to hear sisters Anna Hickey
and Tess McCormick-Raso share their hilarious
recollections of when soldiers passed through Piermont
in the 1940s.
Sunday, Nov 15th at 3pm at Piermont Reformed
Church, 361 Piermont Ave, Piermont
BOOK FAIR IN UPPER NYACK
e Upper Nyack Elementary School holds its
PTA Book Fair Nov 16 to 20; hours: 8:30 to 4:30
daily, 7 to 9pm urs. ere will be a party and
book signing with author Elizabeth Levy on Fri,
from 7 to 9 pm. Admission is free.
336 North Broadway, Upper Nyack.
LAW OF ATTRACTION IN ACTION
Drawing on religious texts and mind-training
techniques from a variety of spiritual traditions,
author and teacher Skye Leith explores the power
of focus when joined with proactive optimism.
Nov 21 from 11:30 to 1pm, Skyelight Healing
Arts Center, 117 Depew Ave., Nyack. Info:
e-mail LOAworkshop@gmail.com Free.
NEW SPORTS NETWORK
is fall, Rockland County high school students
become co-producers and stars of the new MSG
Varsity network—a first-of-its kind multi-media
initiative dedicated to high school sports, including
a 24/7 television network, an online destination
and a groundbreaking interactive service— all
spotlighting extracurricular activities & events.
Info: visit www.msgvarsity.com
NYACK CENTER’S VIRTUAL PARTY
No need to spend time or money on fancy party
clothes, the hair dresser or babysitting. Come to
Nyack Center’s annual Legacy Gala on the Internet.
Each ticket you purchase is a direct donation
to Nyack Center’s critical programs and historic
building.
e online party will raffle off such exciting items
as a weekend apartment in NYC, golf lessons with
a respected pro, Knicks tickets and more. e
drawing will be held on the day of the event, November
6.
Find out if you won in your pajamas! Tickets cost
$45 per person (includes 1 raffle ticket); additional
raffle tickets are $5 each.
Join the party at www.nyackcenter.org
TOWARD RACIAL JUSTICE
Exploring Race, Racism & Whiteness—supportive
reading/discussion group for white people interested
in working toward racial justice. e group
meets for 2 hours, every other week for 6 weeks,
starting mid-Nov in Nyack. Facilitated by Diane
Goodman, Ed.D. Info (845) 358-9181.
Community Notes continue at right ➤

F.O.R. FILM
On November 22nd there will be showing of For the
Next 7 Generations, 13 Indigenous Grandmothers Weaving
a World that Works, a film that documents the
teachings of 13 elder women from many parts of the
world. e film and following discussion will be
from 2-5pm.
At Fellowship of reconciliation, 521 No. Broadway,
Nyack. Info: Alan Levin at (845) 353-8332.
AT BIRCHWOOD CENTER
85 S. B’dway, Nyack Info / to register (845) 358-6409
• Merging Movement & Meditation Workshop
Betsy Ceva guides you through a creative yoga asana
practice, movement improvisations and meditations
in motion. Create a Moving Mantra composition
embodying a word or intention to chant with the entire
body and the mind. Open to all levels.
Fri, Nov 20 from 6-8pm. Fee: $25
• anksgiving Day Yoga
Join Charlene Bradin and Betsy Ceva on anksgiving
morning for two mixed level Hatha Yoga classes.
All proceeds will go to People to People.
urs, Nov 26 from 8:30-10am. Donation: $20
• Moving Mantras Performance Group Fundraiser
What started as inspiration has grown into a troupe of
beautiful dancers and yogis committed to the integration
of yoga, meditation and dance.
Please help us grow from the grassroots into a professional
performance company. e evening will include
a Silent Auction. Moving Mantras
Performance, Drinks, Appetizers & Good Times.
Sat, Nov 21, from 6 to 9pm. Tickets: $40
SUKEY MOLLOY & THE BAND
At the Pearl River Library, Wed, Nov 18 at 10:30am.
Tickets available through Pearl River Library only.
Call children's librarian for details (845) 735-4084.
PARENTING LECTURE
Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of
Less to Raise Calmer, Happier and More Secure Kids—
an evening with author & educator Kim John Payne
discusses his newest book.
e author is a counselor, educator and consultant/researcher
helping children, adolescents and families
explore social difficulties, attention and
behavioral issues at home and school. Following the
lecture there will be an opportunity to purchase Mr.
Payne’s books and a book signing.
Wed, Nov 18 from 7 to 9pm, hosted by Blue Rock
School at Nyack Center, 58 Depew, Broadway at
Depew in downtown Nyack. Admission $7pp.
Reservations recommended; call (845) 627-0234.
Info on K.J. Payne, visit www.thechildtoday.com
MUSICWORKS RUMMAGE SALE
Music Works, a group of parents of High School
youngsters, will again host a giant rummage sale to
benefit the music programs at Nyack High. Your donations
of “quality clutter” are needed.
On Fri, Nov 6, from 4 to 9pm—
• Drop off of Rummage Sale Donations at Nyack
High School Cafeteria
On Sat, Nov 7—
• Come to the Giant Rummage Sale in the Nyack
High School Cafeteria from 9am to 2pm.
Community Notes continue on page 18
The Nyack Villager November, 2009 17

Book Talk
How to Slice an Onion
by Bunny Crumpacker
A longtime Valley Cottage resident, Bunny
Crumpacker has credentials in catering, is the
author of at least two other delightful books
on food: e Sex Life of Food and Old-Time
Brand Name Cookbook, and writes book reviews
that appear in e Washington Post. e title
of her newest book, How to Slice an Onion, derives
from her belief that, if you can slice an
onion, you can cook almost anything—and
deftly demonstrates how it’s done.
In addition to demystifying the art of cooking,
witty Bunny fills her book with fascinating details
about food. Banana milk, she reminds
us, is the ancestor of all smoothies and that, if
you make a pinhole in the large end of an egg
before you boil it, you give the trapped air inside
the shell an escape route. e egg, she
says, “responds with gratitude” and goes through
the boiling process without cracking.
is is really a cookbook for every cook—new
and experienced and there are fascinating details
about food on every page. Who knew
Katherine Hepburn’s family brownie recipe
keeps turning up without attribution? e
funny stories will keep you chuckling even if
you never cook.
Indexed, with a useful glossary. Available in
bookstores and from St. Martin’s Press $25.99
COMMUNITY NOTES start on page 14
Russian Festival
Enjoy traditional Russian music, food, crafts
and gifts at the colorful Annual Holiday Boutique
à la Russe. Visit the parish book & gift
shop filled of imported handcrafted items
from Russia. During the festival the beautiful
18 The Nyack Villager November, 2009
Raw Food—Quick and Easy
by Mary Rydman
Here the author, a nutrition consultant, offers
raw food enthusiasts and curious others a
wealth of information, with more than100
recipes for smoothies, seasonal salads, dressings,
soups, hearty meals, snacks, and desserts.
Ms. Rydman, like many others, came to her
healthy eating choices after a serious illness,
regaining her health after she changed her diet
and lifestyle. She offers her philosophy and
life lessons along with the recipes she developed
during her healing process. Once a commuter
airline pilot, she holds a black belt in Korean
Martial Arts and teaches Radiant Life Qigong.
For more of her story, see her website,
www.originalradiance.com
Raw Food—Quick and Easy includes information
on preparing raw ingredients using techniques
like sprouting, soaking, dehydration
and warming to low temperatures. It takes
some planning, but Ms. Rydman suggests that
once you get in the groove it is easy. She provides
resources on how to obtain high quality
raw foods.
Even though vitamins and natural enzymes
are preserved when foods are eaten raw, Ms.
Rydman recommends that people not be rigid
about what they eat, and to listen to their bodies.
Even if you’re not planning to eat an exclusively
raw diet, this book has plenty to offer
in its unique salads, sauces and gravies that
work well on meats and cooked vegetables. It
is worth a look for raw food enthusiasts as well
those who enjoy exploration.
Available from Hatherleigh Press, on the web at
www.haterleighpress.com Softcover $15
gold domed church will be open for tours.
At the Holy Virgin Protection Church Hall, 51
Prospect St (cor. Cedar Hill Ave), Sat, Nov 21
10am to 6pm & Sun, Nov 22, from 11:30 to
7pm. Info: (845) 353 1155.
RCDS JOINS GREEN ALLIANCE
Rockland Country Day School is among the
newest members of Green Schools Alliance (GSA),
Hudson Valley Mediterranean
by Laura Pensiero
e author is the chef-owner of Gigi Trattoria,
a restaurant and market in Rhinebeck, NY and
a registered dietitian. Her book includes
recipes for more than 120 dishes she serves in
her restaurant, which specializes in local and
seasonal foods. In her book, she highlights
local farms with poetic narratives such as:
When I visited the Sky Farm in Millerton, NY,
tucked in a beautiful nook of land between
rolling hills…I saw a haze of purple amaranth,
typically grown for its grain, but interesting
…because of its taste and color. Lovely color
photos accompany the recipes.
Ms. Pensiero recommends using seasonal foods
when they are available in the Hudson Valley
region. Recipe titles include Mead Orchards
Chilled Peach Soup, Maple Pumpkin Polenta,
Seared Salmon Over Spring Trifolati and many
others. Ms. Pensiero spent several years in
Italy helping to run a restaurant—and it shows
in her book and its title. Hudson Valley Mediterranean
is a cookbook with a plus: recommended
reading for both literary and culinary delights—
and to get you up to speed on the local and
seasonal food movement happening throughout
the US. You will want to rush to the
kitchen and take out the pots and pans.
Available from William Morrow, Hardcover $30
If you will mail us a review copy of your book,
e Nyack Villager will try to include a brief review
in Book Talk. Preference is usually given to
books by authors who live in or near the villages
of the Hudson River Valley. Our mailing address
is 19 Mercury Drive, Pearl River, NY 10965. ✫
working with and through pre-K to grade 12
worldwide to empower youth, raise environmental
awareness, build global community, and support
school leadership to meet climate and sustainability
goals. Head of School Brian Mahoney
commented, “Our association with GSA will
help us drive our green initiatives forward.”
Community Notes conclude on page 22

JUST
THE
RIGHT
WINE
I
n the never-ending quest
for the just the right
wine, we enlisted the expertise
of John Stickler, of the
Village Vintner, in Nyack.
We asked for his choice of
some wines, one a good daily
wine, a dinner wine and finally,
a wine for a special occasion.
He came up with some suggestions
we thought we
would share with our readers—in
order of price, not
necessarily quality.
• Bodegas Olivares Altos de
la Hoya Monastrell Old
Vine Jumilla 2007 $13.99
Bodegas Olivares's vineyards
are in the northernmost zone of La Hoya de
Santa Ana in Spain. is cool zone has some
of the oldest vines in Spain, with sandy, limerich
soils, hot days and cool nights that produce
intensely aromatic wines. It has the concentration
and texture of a much more expensive
wine.
• Berger Gruner Veltliner 2008: 1-liter bottle
$14.99
e trendiest dry white wine among sommeliers
in America's high-end restaurants is the
Austrian grape called gruner veltliner. But
Berger’s gruner veltliner is meant not as a special
occasion wine like some of the much more
expensive ones that sell for upward of $50.
e quality of this wine is neither average nor
everyday. No other gruner veltliner this good
sells this cheaply.
• Finca Decero Malbec
Agrelo Remolinos
Vineyard 2007
750ML $19.99
Finca Decero, once a
bare patch of soil in
the Argentine foothills
of the Andes, is now
a one-of-a-kind vineyard,
where each vine
is nurtured by hand
and winemaking is
without compromise. e unique natural attributes
of the Remolinos Vineyard shine
through in their single-vineyard wines, handcrafted
from scratch.
• Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Blanc $23.99
is smart port east of Marseille, sheltered by the
Cap Canaille, among the highest cliffs in France,
has just 430 acres of vineyards. Most of this wine
is consumed locally. A little gem of a wine, this is
a bold white full of spices—a classic with bouillabaisse
or other full flavored seafood.
• Dutton Goldfield Chardonnay Dutton Ranch
2006 $29.99
A classic California Russian River Valley
Chardonnay, this is a wine of balance, freshness
and personality. Enjoy it on its own to
start an evening or with anything from hors
d'oevres to roasted fowl, sauteed fish or grilled
pork.
• Flor de Pingus 2007
$79.99
Peter Sisseck, a Dane,
went to Ribera del
Duero, Spain in 1990,
when the region was little
known. He aimed to
produce top quality
wines in small quantities
and sought land with
ancient vines. Pingus
was the first wine he produced and it was a triumph
for his reputation as a truly gifted winemaker.
Flor de Pingus then followed, from
different plots of land and slightly younger
vines. Dense plantation forces the vines to
compete with one another; their roots travel
deep into the soil for nutrients, adding further
complexity. Both wines are in great demand.
Enjoy!
Find John Stickler at e Village Vintner, 85 South
Broadway, Nyack (845) 348-0110. ✫
The Nyack Villager November, 2009 19

Pet care
by Peter Segall, DVM
Why can’t I keep my
pet in my new home?
I can’t imagine a sadder scene than
seeing an elderly person being
forced to abandon a loved pet due
to an adverse housing situation. How many
times have you read in the paper or saw a TV
story about somebody forced to give up a pet?
Many apartments, condos, coops and assisted
living facilities do not allow any kind of pet.
Sometimes there is a choice for the owner to
have their pet adopted by a relative, friend or
neighbor, but often the only alternative is a
shelter. ese animals may be easily adoptable
or they may be sick, old or ill tempered and
therefore unadoptable—and candidates for
euthanasia.
As a veterinarian & animal lover I have thought
that our legislators should get involved in this
issue—especially in public housing situations.
ere could be laws to allow an animal companion
for an elderly tenant. Many small dogs
and cats can learn to use a wee-wee pad or a
litter box.
My experience has shown me
that there are reasons to try our
best not to separate pets from
their owners. e companionship
of an animal confers many
positive benefits. Sometimes a
cat or dog is the only companion
of an older or disabled person.
Just having a pet sit on your lap
or next to you on the couch or
the floor has been shown to reduce blood
pressure and anxiety. One can actually have a
conversation with an animal, even if most of it is
one way.
Sometimes, service dogs that perform multiple
tasks to help owners with disabilities are also
pets. Guide dogs for the blind are usually allowed
in any housing. More and more, dogs
are being trained to accomplish all manner of
things that are difficult or impossible for disabled
people to do by themselves. We would
hope that the no dogs rule could be altered so
that these dogs would be able to live anywhere
the owners lived.
Jan Haber, your editor, e-mailed me to tell me
of a friend who was bitten by her own dog
and developed a very serious infection. is
friend thought that a dog’s mouths does not
harbor dangerous bacteria. e textbook,
Small Animal Internal Medicine, states that
dogs and cats are subclinical carriers of multiple
bacteria in the oral cavity. Local swelling
can occur after a bite, followed by evidence of
deeper tissue infection. Fever, lethargy and
weakness are common and death can occur in
immune-deficient individuals. Treatment consists
of local wound management and antibiotic
therapy.
Annie had her 11th birthday this summer.
She got some new chew toys and another Frisbee.
She has started to show her age, mainly
some arthritis in her hind legs and she’s sleeping
a lot more. It has not slowed her Frisbee
catching, however. She still loves chasing
them and she’s great on the catching part.
Oliver escaped when the family was visiting
and we were hoping he wouldn’t disappear
overnight, like last year. is time he came
back quickly by himself. Laura bought him a
hanging mouse with an elastic string. He
used to love pulling it and letting it go to fly
around the room. Now he couldn’t care less.
e Segall family wishes you an easy Winter.
Bundle up.
Dr. Segall is a veterinarian practicing at the Pomona
Animal Hospital at 1545 Route 202, Pomona NY
Phone: (888) 309-2570. ✫
20 The Nyack Villager November, 2009

Letters
start on page 12
On the same day, Pete Seeger, age 90, performed
in New York City, then back to Beacon for a
parade, then back in the city for an ecological
festival and then to Nyack for our rally.
He does all this for free because he is moved to
and at 90 he moves, sings and glows like a much
younger man. In my letter thanking him I wrote,
"As the full moon rose over our beloved Hudson
River, the sight of you walking down the
hill, banjo and guitar strapped over your
shoulders, was a transcendent experience for
us all. You are, for many of us, a hero and an
inspiration. at you continue to work so
hard, as you did that day, to go so many extra
miles in support of the people and causes that
bring positive change to this world, moves us
all to do more. I feel in my heart that the
hundreds who waited to see you and sing with
you will be braver in their commitment to
continue the struggle. Certainly, I can say this is
true for me."
— Alan Levin, Nyack
On Petersen’s Boatyard
To e Nyack Villager—
Why is it that zoning laws seem like just so
much paper these days?
e Upper Nyack Board of Trustees is considering
a new Village Law to allow residential
development (through Special Permit) in areas
which are currently zoned for commercial use
only. at seems generally harmless, until one
realizes that the primary target is, as usual, Petersen’s
Boatyard. For at least 15 years, the
owners of the Boatyard have advocated for the
allowance of residences on their property.
And now it seems the Trustees are considering
such an allowance, despite zoning, a 1999 Village
Comprehensive Plan, and 200 years of a
history of making boats on the Hudson.
ere’s a bit of irony in that as we celebrate
400 years of the Hudson River, a crucial link
to that heritage may soon be lost to the forces
of development.
At a recent workshop meeting, the Board of
Trustees admitted that at least part of their
concern was the threat of litigation. One such
threat, uttered by legal representatives of the
current owners in a previous meeting, was the
possibility that a next owner might be someone
who would seek to develop “student housing”
under the Religious Land Use & Institutionalized
Persons Act (RLUIPA). One would
hope that the force of local zoning law, and
the will of the people would help the Board to
resist this kind of “blackmail,” but recent developments
alarm us.
We write this in the hope of alerting residents
of the river villages of a pending attack on our
mutual heritage and in the hope that many
will realize that yet again we are in danger of
losing a part of our history to unnecessary development.
—Hilarie Blumenthal & Ken Rothchild
Upper Nyack ✫
The Nyack Villager welcomes letters on all subjects
from our readers.
The address to which to send your letter appears opposite
the calendar—page 25 in this issue.
Housekeeping
With the Experts
Candlewax Removal
To remove spilled candlewax
from carpet or upholstery,
plug in a steam
iron set to moderate. Fold
and place layers of paper towels over the wax
and lightly glide the iron on top of the paper
towels. As the heat of the iron melts the
wax it will be absorbed into the paper toweling.
e iron only touches the paper towels,
never the affected fabric. Continue until all
the wax is absorbed. ✫
—anks to Ed Roth, of Merry Maids
(845) 634-9000 or visit
www.merrymaids.com
The Nyack Villager November, 2009 21

Under
Exposed
by Shel Haber
Health In is Land
e sound of hundreds of voices
singing came out of the early evening darkness.
eir song,
is land is your land, this land is my land,
from California to the New York Island ....
this land was made for you and me.
e song could be heard for blocks around
Nyack’s memorial park. It came at almost the
end of the 5-hour rally for Health Care for All.
During the afternoon hundreds of people had
gathered on the lawn to demonstrate their
support for health care reform. Many speakers
demanded that, as a nation, we must have
universal health care, and that no American
should be cast aside because of inability to pay
or because of a past or present heath problem.
No American should be driven into bankruptcy
to pay for a child’s hospital care.
Between speakers, singers sang the music of
America’s past, present and future.
Our US Congressman, Eliot Engel, said, “e
insurance companies like the way it is right
now—they compete against themselves. It's
collusion. We need the public option.
ree-quarters of the states
have only one insurance company
—maybe two. So they jack up the
rates ... If we had the public option
with a low premium, insurance
companies would be forced
to keep their premiums low in
order to compete. ey don't
want it. at's why they're against
the public option.” He said, “I will fight until
this country has health care for all its citizens.”
A local business woman said that, in the river
villages are hundreds who are self-employed.
Many small shops and businesss owners cannot
find the money to buy health insurance.
Alan Levin of Nyack, one of the ten original
organizers of the rally, said health care is a
human right, but that the existing for-profit
health insurance system has failed to keep
down costs and failed to deliver quality care to
all the people. Mr. Levin urged people to
“move forward and to recognize the love we
have, the caring we have for each other.”
A elderly lady held up a small handwritten
sign that read, “Would Jesus deny health care
to anyone?” A tall slim young man, from
Piermont, a stranger to her, leaned over and
kissed her cheek.
Shel Haber, a stage, film and television art director,
is co-publisher of e Nyack Villager. ✫
22 The Nyack Villager November, 2009
COMMUNITY NOTES start on page 14
ASSOC. OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN
• AAUW Book Club discusses e Dew Breaker
by Edwige Danticat at the Nanuet Barnes &
Noble. Call 535-3331 if you plan to attend.
urs, Nov 5 at 1pm.
• Great Decisions at New City Library will discuss
Cuba On the Verge. urs, Nov 5 at 7pm.
GREEN MEADOW WALDORF SCHOOL
307 Hungry Hollow Rd, Chestnut Ridge, NY.
More info: (845) 356-2514 or online at
gmws.org
• Nursery/Kindergarten Tea and Play
Wednesdays, Nov 4 & Nov 18, 1 to 2pm
• All-School Open House Families welcome.
Sun, Nov 8, 2 to 4pm.
• Saturday Story Hour
Register at lwolfe@gmws.org
Sat, Nov 14 from 10:30 to 11:30am
• High School Open Day
Tues Nov 17 from 8 to 11:30am
• Walk rough the Grades
For adults only; contact Patricia Owens.
Wed, Nov 18 from 9 to 11am
• All-School Introductory Session
For adults only; contact Patricia Owens. Register.
Starts promptly at 9am.
Fri, Nov 20 from 9 to 11am. ✫

NEW KIDS
Renée E. Comack of Edward Jones
ON THE BLOCK
Renée E. Comack, a 35-year Rockland County
resident, is a financial advisor who has worked
30 years in the industry, six of them with the
Edward Jones company.
A full service firm dealing with investments,
long-term care and life insurance, Edward
Jones caters to a large local clientele, setting
the tone with its welcoming office. When you
call you don’t get somebody’s voice mail.
Ms. Comack’s main work is to help clients
achieve their financial goals, remaining committed
to a long-term philosophy of emphasizing
quality and diversification. Bound to
no special interests, she is free to fulfill the
needs of each client, using resources available
through the company’s national headquarters.
Before joining Edward Jones, Renée Comack
served as a Senior Technology Manager for
Fortune 500 companies developing applications
for financial services. She has a computer
technology certificate from Columbia University,
studied accounting and economics at
Brooklyn College and is an Accredited Asset
Management specialist, specializing in retirement
planning.
Founded in 1922, Edward Jones has over ten
thousand offices across the US, each with a
single financial advisor and one administrator.
e company is community-based with a
focus on attention to the needs of each client.
JD Power Associates, an independent survey
company, gave Edward Jones their highest rating
in investor satisfaction. Ranked No. 2 by
Smart Money Magazine they are rated No. 1
by Fortune Magazine, among great companies
to work for.
e Edward Jones company will soon expand in
Rockland County. ey plan to pay for personnel
training and office set-up. ere is no competition
among advisors; they do whatever they can
to help each other succeed. Speak with Renée if
you’re interested in a position. Contact:
www.edwardjones.com or call 639-9383.
:) Smile
• Politics is not a bad profession.
If you succeed there
are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you
can always write a book.—Ronald Reagan
• Everything is changing. People are taking
their comedians seriously and their politicians
as jokes.—Will Rogers 1928
Gail Rossi of My Buddy-N-Me
Years ago, Gail Rossi, a longtime Nyack resident,
worked for a distributor of dog and cat
food products. As she learned about the pet
food industry, she became increasingly horrified
by the poor quality and chemical content
of what people commonly feed their pets. Her
own dog was sick much of the time and began
his recovery only after Gail changed his diet,
giving him what he needed to fight off recurring
infections.
She says the average commercial pet food diet
is what an exclusively junk food diet would be
for a child—with predictable results: obesity,
low energy, poor health. “A healthier pet is a
happier pet,” says Gail, “and a happier pet is a
happier owner.”
Leaving an industry she despised, Gail worked
for a time with Metro City Tails, a publication
that supports rescue and adoptions. When she
found a shop space for rent in Nyack, she
jumped at the opportunity. In a natural progression
in her passion to help animals, Gail
opened her store, My Buddy-N-Me, on South
Broadway, in Nyack.
A beautiful, welcoming shop, its shelves are
filled with almost everything a pet needs to be
well fed, well groomed, well dressed and well
entertained. e pet foods she recommends
are not the big brands available in giant chains.
Gail cautions pet people to stay away from really
cheap foods. “ey may appear to cost
less at first,” she says, “but end up costing more
in vet bills.” e only foods she recommends
are high in both quality and nutritional value.
Gail bakes fresh treats daily, sells toys, holistic
oils and much more, with one-on-one attention
to her customers. Gail makes up personalized
gift baskets for your friend’s pet or for
your own pet. She will work around your
budget, for the holidays or anytime. Stop by
and have a look.
My Buddy-N-Me, 85 South Broadway, Nyack
Hours: Tues thru Sat 10-7; Sun 11-5.
• Crime does not pay ... as well as politics.
—Alfred E. Newman
• e whole aim of practical politics is to keep
the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous
to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless
series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.
—H. L. Mencken 1906—1948
The Nyack Villager November, 2009 23

Birthstone:
TOPAZ
symbol of
fidelity
h November 2009
SUN MON TUES WED THU FRI SAT
new moon
1 2 D 3 4 5 6 7
Nyack Justice Ct
Young People’s Nyack PB meets Nyack Justice Ct
Rogue Players
9:30am
Concert 7:30
5pm
present
see page 11
MUCH ADO
see page 9
Piermont
Farm Market
see page 14
first quarter
8 9 R 10 11 12 13 14
JOHN
LIPSCOMB
at Piermont
Library
see page 12
GAMELAN at
GAGA
see page 9
full moon
15 16 S 17 18 19 20 21
Women in
Photography
see page 9
Gardening
Inspiration
see page 12
last quarter
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Dollhouse
show at
Rockland
Historical
see page 9
29 30
Harmony on
the Hudson
see page 13
Nyack ZBA
meets
7:30pm
Nyack Housing
Auth 3pm
Nyack Justice
Ct 5pm
Nyack Justice
Ct 5pm
i
R
closed for
VETERANS
DAY
Nyack ARB
7:30pm
Parks Commission
meets 7pm
Thanksgiving
Yoga
at Birchwood
see page 17
Nyack Justice Ct
9:30am
Nyack water bd
4:30pm
Nyack Village
Board meets
7:30pm
Nyack Justice
Ct 9:30am
First Friday
Film
see page 9
Flower:
CRYSANTHEMUM
symbol of optimism
Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has ever known. —Oscar Wilde 1854-1900
Nyack Justice Ct
5pm
Morning
Music Club
see page 11
Baroque
Chamber
Music
At Nyack
College
see page 11
Happy
Thanksgiving
Day
Sing-Along
w/Sukey at
Hopper House
see page 9
Musicworks
SALE
see page 17
1940s
USO Dance at
Camp Shanks
see page 7
Rockland
Camerata
see page 11
Holiday
Boutique
a la
RUSSE
see page 18
Palisades
Craft
Bazaar
see page 14
24 The Nyack Villager November, 2009

The Nyack Villager
Founded in 1994, The Nyack Villager is published monthly, mailed on or about the first of each month to every postal address in eight Hudson River villages—Nyack,
Upper Nyack, Central Nyack, South Nyack, Grand View, Upper Grandview, Piermont & Palisades (zipcodes 10960, 10964 & 10968).
Editor
JAN HABER Columnists • PETER SEGALL DVM • JEROME GREENBERG DC
Contributing Editor
SHEL HABER • RIC PANTALE • DUNCAN LEE, ESQ • JON FELDMAN • JIM LEINER
Correspondent
FRANK LoBUONO • THOM KLEINER • DONNA COX • JANET BROOKS CNM, MPH
Publishers
JAN & SHEL HABER • DAN SHAW, LCSW • VIVIANE BAUQUET FARRE • TIM BARTZ
Community advisor
FRANCES PRATT • HOLLY CASTER •DOROTHY GOREN Ed.D • NAN GUNDERSEN
Office Manager
JOYCE BRESSLER • GEORGE MANIERE • MICHAEL HOUGHTON
NYACK VILLAGER ADDRESSES PO Box 82, Nyack, NY 10960-0082 e-mail: info@nyackvillager.com
• Editorial / advertising phone (845) 735-7639 • Fax (845) 735-7669
on the Internet at www.nyackvillager.com The Nyack Villager is on the Internet courtesy of Devine Design.
Published monthly by Nyack Villager, LLC © 1994—2008
All rights reserved. Reproduction without written permission is forbidden.
Phone Numbers
exchange numbers 845
unless otherwise noted
AMBULANCE CORPS 911
non-emergency 358 4824
TO REPORT A FIRE 911
POLICE EMERGENCY 911
non-emergency 359 3700
POISON CONTROL 1-800 + 336 6997
RPT CHILD ABUSE 1-800 + 342 3720
BATTERED WOMEN 634 3344
HOSP EMERGENCY 348 2345
➤Nyack VIllage Hall, Nyack 9 N Broadway
OFFICE OF VILLAGE CLERK
MAYOR'S OFFICE
OFFICE OF TREASURER
BUILDING DEPT
DEPT PUBLIC WORKS
FIRE INSPECTOR
JUSTICE COURT
PARKING AUTHORITY
WATER DEPT (non emerg)
WATER PLANT EMERG
HOUSING AUTH 15 Highvw
SECTION 8E
➤South Nyack VIllage Hall 282 S B’wy, S. Nyack
OFFICE OF VILLAGE CLERK
BUILDING DEPT
JUSTICE COURT
POLICE NON EMERGENCY
➤Upper Nyack VIllage Hall N. Bdwy, U. Nyack
OFFICE OF VILLAGE CLERK
➤Grand View VIllage Hall 118 River Rd
OFFICE OF VILLAGE CLERK
BUILDING INSPECTOR
JUSTICE COURT
➤Piermont VIllage Hall 478 Piermont Ave
OFFICE OF VILLAGE CLERK
JUSTICE COURT
MUNICIPAL GARAGE
YOUTH RECREATION
THE NYACK VILLAGER
358 0548
358 0229
358 3581
358 4249
358 3552
358 6245
358 4464
358 3851
358 0641
358 3734
358 2476
358 2591
358 0287
358 0244
358 5078
358 0206
358 0084
358 2919
348-0747
358-4148
359 1258
359-1258 ext. 310
359-1717
359-1258 ext. 326
735 7639
NYACK PUBLIC SCHOOLS
S. ORANGETOWN CENTRAL SCHL DIST
NYACK PUBLIC LIBRARY
PALISADES FREE LIBRARY
PIERMONT PUBLIC LIBRARY
NYACK POST OFFICE
PALISADES POST OFFICE
PIERMONT POST OFFICE
NYACK CENTER
HEAD START OF ROCKLAND
NYACK YMCA
COMMUNITY GARDEN
FRIENDS OF THE NYACKS
ART CRAFT & ANTIQUES DLRS
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
353 7013
359 7603
358 3370
359 0136
359-4595
358 2756
359 7841
359 7843
358 2600
358 2234
358 0245
358 1734
358 4973
353 6981
353 2221
Starting on the first of each month and while they last, free copies of The
Nyack Villager are available at Nyack, Piermont, New City & Valley Cottage
Libraries, Best Western Inn Nyack, Koblin’s Pharmacy, Runcible Spoon,
Hogan’s in Nyack, Nyack Village Hall, Lanie Lou’s Café in Blauvelt, Orangetown
Town Hall, Rockland Center for the Arts.
Advertisers—
The Nyack Villager is the only
magazine that is MAILED every
month exclusively to every resident
of all eight river villages
from Upper Nyack to Palisades
NY—very choice territory!
Everybody reads every issue
cover to cover so you know
your ad dollars are working
hard for you. Ad prices start
as low as $112.
And, if you want us to, we’ll
design your first ad for
you—at no extra cost.
Call (845) 735 -7639
The Nyack Villager November, 2009 25

HOUSES OF WORSHIP in the River Villages
Reformed Church of Nyack
Corner South Broadway and Burd Street, Nyack NY
(845) 358-5518 e-mail to frchurch@optonline.net
Pastor Tom Danney
SCHEDULE FOR NOVEMBER
Sunday Worship Services 10:30am
Casa de Oracion Para Las Naciones 2pm Sun, 8pm Tues
French Speaking Seventh Day Adventists - Saturday 10am
First Haitian Church of Rockland Sunday 11am and 6pm
Soup Supper—Wednesdays 5:30pm
Wed at Noon: Sanctuary open for silence, meditation, prayer
Nov 24 Interfaith Community Thanksgiving Svc at St. Ann’s
Temple Beth Torah
330 North Highland Ave, Nyack NY; Rabbi Brian Beal;
on the Internet at www.TempleBethTorah.org Info:
358-2248
NOVEMBER SERVICES
11-6 Fri, 7:30pm—Erev Shabbat Family Service
11-7 Sat 9:15am—Taste of Torah 10:30am Shabbat Minyan Svc
11-13 Fri 6:45pm—Tot Shabbat 8:00pm Erev Shabbat Service
11-14 Sat 9:15am—Taste of Torah 10:30am Shabbat Morning Svc
11-15 Sun 10am—Rabbi's mini-course: God Talk (Revelation)
11-20 Fri 8pm—Erev Shabbat Service/TBTYG Creative Service
11/21 Sat 9:15am Taste of Torah 10:30am Shabbat Morning Svc
11/-22 Sun 10am—Rabbi's Mini-Course: God Talk (Revelation)
11-24 Tues 8pm—Interfaith Thanksgiving Service at St. Ann's
11-27 Fri 6:30pm—Erev Shabbat Service (note early time)
11-28 Sat 9:15am—Taste of Torah10:30am Shabbat Minyan Svc
Unitarian Society of Rockland
130 Concklin Road, Pomona, NY 10970,
opposite Exit 12N, Palisades Parkway
845 354-1789 administrator@fusrc.org
Sunday worship services 10:30am followed by fellowship hour.
Religious education classes 10:30am unless otherwise noted.
11-1—Tracey Hancock, Day Of the Dead *
11-8—Rev. Harry Green: Value Above All Price
11-15—Jane Herold: Art & Beauty in the Face of Overwhelming
World Problems
11-22—Rev. Harry Green: AGAPE Time To Celebrate Thanksgiving *
11-29—Panel of UUs: Cradle UUs: A Special Path to Unitarian Universalism.
(No RE classes—all ages program)
* denotes intergeneralional service
Piermont Reformed Church
A center for spiritual development, cultural events, and service to
the community: visit piermontchurch.org
361 Ferdon Ave., Piermont 845-359-4637
Rev. John VandenOever
Saturday Worship: 5pm
Sunday Worship: 11am
We can only be said to be alive in those moments when
our hearts are conscious of our treasures.—ornton Wilder
Grace Episcopal Church
130 First Avenue, Nyack, NY 10960
The Rev. Richard L. Gressle, Rector
The Rev. Emily Sieracki, Assistant to the Rector
(845) 358-1297; website—www.gracechurchnyack.org
Worship Schedule: 8am Holy Eucharist (Rite One)
9:30am Holy Eucharist (Family Service, followed by Church
School and adult programs/refreshments)
NEW TIME 11am Holy Eucharist (Choral Eucharist)
(2nd & 4th) 6:30pm French Creole Mass
• Every Month
2nd Saturday at 10am—Midnight Run meal preparation
2nd & 4th Thursdays at 7am—Men's Prayer Group
• In November:
Sun, Nov 1—All Saints Sunday
Tues, Nov 24 - 7:30pm Interfaith Thanksgiving Service at St.
Ann's Roman Catholic Church, Nyack (see website)
Congregation Sons of Israel
300 N. Broadway, Upper Nyack 358-3767
November 2009
Friday evening services, time varies.
11/20, 6pm Family Shabbat *
Sat services, 9:30am 11/21, Junior Cong & Tot Shabbat *
Sun morning services, 9 a.m. *
* Call CSI office for times, 845-358-3767.
Savior Community Church of Nyack
Love God, Live Community, Be Servants.
Pastor Frank DeLalla (845) 702-2445
11 Division Ave., Nyack (The Iglesia Mission building)
e-mail pastorfrank@saviorcc.com
Info / blog, Podcast & more at www.saviorcc.com
Sunday Worship at 9am, with Little Lambs Children's Church
and Nursery Community Groups throughout the week.
Palisades Presbyterian Church
Washington Spring Road, Palisades, NY (345) 359-3147
Pastor: Reverend Angela Maddalone
www.ppc10964.org
Sunday worship service: 10am, Sunday School: 10am
Communion Sunday: Nov 1
Bible study: Wednesdays 12:15
Choir Rehearsal: Thursdays 8 pm
Lecture & Book Signing
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, the host of the national TV show,
Shalom in the Home on TLC and an international best-selling
author of twenty-one books, appears in person at New City
Jewish Center, 47 Old School Road, New City. Tickets: $36 per
person in advance, $40 per person at the door. RSVP: Gail
Sanders at 845-634-6643. ✫
26 The Nyack Villager November, 2009

y Donna Cox
Many people have
called to ask if I think
they should put their home on the market in the winter or wait until spring.
In my opinion, winter is one of the best times to have your home on the
market. Because there are fewer homes on the market during the winter
months, the laws of supply and demand can work in your favor with more
concentrated exposure for your home and less competition for buyers’ attention.
What’s more, buyers who are looking in winter are usually serious
and motivated—not just casual lookers. What about taking your chances
with next year’s market? Forecasters are mixed on what next year will hold,
with a lot riding on overall economic conditions and interest rates. Interest
rates are currently hovering just under 5%, the lowest they’ve been in 30+ years. is has increased the
“affordability index” of buying a home and appears to be enticing more buyers to move forward with
buying now with the thought that interest rates are likely to rise. With serious buyers, decreased competition
and low interest rates, now just may be the perfect time to sell your home. With that, here are
the homes that sold during the month of September.
• THE HOMES LISTEd BELOW WERE SOLd BY A VARIETY OF BROKERS PROUdLY SERVING THE RIVER VILLAGES.
Colonial
Colonial
Two Story
Co-op
Co-op
Co-op
Contemporary
Townhouse
Contemporary
Condo
Colonial
Raised Ranch
They got what?!
STYLE LOCATION ADDRESS BEDROOMS BATHS LIST PRICE SALE PRICE
U.Nyack
U.Nyack
Nyack
Nyack
Nyack
S.Nyack
U.Grandview
Piermont
Piermont
Piermont
Palisades
Palisades
109 Larchdale Ave
306 Front St
6 Sickles Ave
38 Fourth Ave #2K
38 Fourth Ave #1K
4 Salisbury Pt #3B
7 Tweed Blvd
201 Erie Ct
82 Orchard Ter
51 Harbor Cove
755 Rt 340
6 Iroquois Ave
$ 879,000
499,900
350,000
214,900
189,900
349,000
675,000
995,000
945,000
599,000
829,900
565,500
$ 850,000
495,000
350,000
190,000
183,450
335,000
675,000
912,000
860,000
575,000
795,000
530,000
Summary Source: GHVMLS YTD Comparison Report
August 2009 vs. August 2008 YTD - Single Family Homes
New inventory (the number of homes going on the market) decreased 4.3% (177 YTD 2009 vs. 185 YTD
2008). ere was a 36% decrease in the number of sales (37 YTD 2009 vs. 58 YTD 2008). e average
sales price of homes that have sold decreased 12.5% to $612,509. Overall, the average sales price for single
family homes that have sold in Rockland County (inclusive of the river villages) was $445,214, down
13.3% over the same period last year.
August 2009 vs. August 2008 YTD - Condos
New inventory (the number of condos going on the market) decreased 19% (75 YTD 2009 vs. 93 YTD
2008). e number of sales decreased 7% (27 YTD 2009 vs. 29 YTD 2008). e average sales price of
condos that have sold increased 5.8% to $455,611. Overall, the average sales price for condos that have
sold in Rockland County (inclusive of the river villages) was $281,287, down 3.8% over the same period
last year. ✫
5
3
3
1
1
3
4
3
3
2
4
2
3
1.2
1
1
1
2
3.1
3.1
2.1
2
3.1
2.1
For the Birds
Project FeederWatch begins on November 14 and runs
through early April. Taking part is fun and easy. Anyone
can count the numbers and kinds of birds at their
feeders and enter their information on the FeederWatch
website. Participants submitted nearly 117,000 checklists
last season. Since 1987, more than 40,000 people
from the United States and Canada have taken part in
the project.
Next month e Nyack Villager will help you and the
kids get started tracking birds with Cornell University.
The Nyack Villager November, 2009 27

28 The Nyack Villager November, 2009