Manor Ink March 2021

MARCH 2021

MAJOR DONATION

Funds allow CAS

to restart 2nd floor

renovation work

PAGES 12, 13

DEVELOPMENT?

Hospitality firm

eyes Slawson Mt.

resort property

PAGE 8

FREE

MI

MANOR INK

MANORINK.ORG

LOST IN THE FOG

1934 air crash near Manor PAGES 16, 17

Sullivan County’s youth-driven, community-supported nonprofit newspaper

Plague year: 12 months with COVID

An overview of

the pandemic’s

affect on us all

By Nicole Davis | Manor Ink

PANDEMIC

YEAR ONE

Livingston Manor, NY – One

whole year has passed since the

original March lockdown and the

beginning of a traumatic experience

known as the Coronavirus pandemic.

Three different COVID-19 vaccines

have been released within the

past few months, yet people continue

to struggle with

the uncertainty of

catching the deadly

virus. As citizens

continue to wear masks, abide by

safety protocols and stay safely distanced,

many have faith that normal

pre-COVID life will ensue within the

next 12 months.

Livingston Manor Central School

Superintendent John Evans, Peck’s

Market manager Evan Irwin and

Town of Rockland Councilman

Andy McRell have provided insight

into the educational, economic and

political future of Livingston Manor

Continued on pg. 4

SAFELY SHIELDED Livingston Manor Central School junior Sean Nichols checks his phone while protected by a mask and by specially fabricated Plexiglas

barriers. The school, like all other shops, restaurants and public facilities throughout the country, has had to adapt to the precautionary realty imposed

by COVID-19. While Sullivan County has been spared the worst of the pandemic, it has suffered 66 deaths as of Feb. 27. Nicole Davis photo

2 | MAR. 2021 | MANOR INK

VOLUME 10, ISSUE 92

IN THIS ISSUE

LOCAL NEWS

One year of COVID-19 ...........................1, 4-6

The Walk In opens ..................................3

Catskill Park forum .................................7

Slawson Mountain development? ......................8

Red Hill Fire Tower upgrade ..........................10

Town and school board reports .......................11

CAS renovation to restart ....................... 12, 13

FEATURES

LMCS Insider ....................................15

Legendary 1934 air disaster ..................... 16, 17

Inkwell of Happiness ........................... 20, 21

Back Page Profile: Guerilla Toss .......................24

SPORTS

King of the Ice ....................................22

EXTRAS

Inklings Calendar .................................23

Tight Feb. deadlines, but the Ink made it

Good day, Inklings! I hope you’ve had a fantastic February

and welcome the new month with open arms. With

fewer days last month to prepare this issue, the pressure

was on to meet our deadline. But we still

managed to assemble an amazing lineup of

articles for you to check out!

To start, this month marks the one-year

anniversary of the emergence of COVID-19,

an occasion no one feels like celebrating.

Osei Helper

Editor-in-chief

But reporter Nicole Davis spoke with local

officials to get their assessment of the ways

in which the coronavirus has changed our

world. She also assembled a timeline tracking 12 months of

important virus-related events.

Our newest Inker, Nicholas Warren, offers a write-up on

the long-planned changes now happening at the Catskill

Art Society. Warren spoke with Sally Wright, executive

director of CAS, about the

IF YOU’RE A student in

grades 7-12 and are interested

in partcipating in

Manor Ink, let us know at

editor@manorink.org.

We meet on Zoom

every Wednesday from

3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

expansion on the gallery’s

second floor.

Also included is Associate

Editor Eddie Lundquist’s intriguing

piece about a 1934

plane crash in the Catskills

that left wreckage that still

can be found today in the

mountains near Mongaup

Pond.

Word is that there may be a new, large-scale development

in the works for Slawson Mountain, a vast tract of

land that once was slated to become a ski resort. We have

what details there are at this point, but this is a story that is

FROM THE EDITOR

ECLECTIC ROCKERS Nadine Osborne chats with Peter Negroponte,

drummer for Geurilla Toss, for our back page Artist Profile.

Negroponte lives near Livingston Manor. geurillatoss.com photo

sure to big news in upcoming months.

Finally, you can read my own take on Netflix’s “Cobra

Kai,” the most recent installment of the “Karate Kid” series.

In preparation for the review, I watched all the earlier movies

– something I recommend that you do before diving

into this latest iteration. And don’t miss reporter Michelle

Adams-Thomas’s sampling of the Thai cuisine at Sweet

Basil in Liberty. Her recipe for Thai ice cream is hecking!

You can see that we have quite the list of articles, plus

many more interesting reads to dig into. With only 28 days

in February to prepare, we still pushed through to bring

you this March issue of Manor Ink. We hope you enjoy it,

and have a great day!

In the

Aro Tradition

via Zoom

Free one-on-one

Meditation instruction

Call or write:

Naljorma Chatral A’dze

(845) 439-4332

khajong@gmail.com

MANOR INK STAFF

Osei Helper

Editor-in-Chief

Demi Budd,

Edward Lundquist

Associate Editors

Jessica Mall

LMCS School Advisor

David Dann

Art & Photo

Production Editor

Amy Hines

Business Manager, Mentor

Art Steinhauer

Sales Manager, Mentor

Stacey Tromblee

Library Director

Kelly Buchta, Robin

Chavez, Diana Fredenburg,

Marge Feuerstein,

Audrey Garro, Taylor

Jaffe, Les Mattis

Mentors

Michelle Adams-Thomas,

Nicole Davis, Zachary

Dertinger, Luca Larizzati,

Michael McKinley,

Nadine Osborne, Tyler

Roberts, Winter Sager,

Jenson Skalda, Nicholas

Warren

Manor Ink Reporters

Carolyn Bivins, Peggy

Johansen, Jamie Helper

Founders

Manor Ink, a program of the Livingston Manor Free Library, is published monthly. Reach us at editor@manorink.org.

Our mailing address is Manor Ink, 92 Main St., Livingston Manor, NY 12758. Letters and story suggestions welcome.

Manor Ink is on the air

Hear your favorite Ink reporters share stories from the

latest edition of the paper on WJFF Radio Catskill 90.5 FM

Tune in at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month to Radio Chatskill

Teen Edition, featuring 30 minutes of news, interviews and features from

Livingston Manor’s award-winning, youth-driven community newspaper.

Or check us out on the WJFF archive anytime at archive.wjffradio.org.

LEGACY BISCUITS

FEATURED ITEMS ON the Walk In’s

menu are Lily Blackburn’s traditional

Southern buttermilk biscuits, given a

contemporary treatment. Blackburn

was Lily Price’s great grandmother,

and her secret recipe means the Walk

In’s fare won’t be a secret for long. A

butter ‘n’ jam tops a bacon, egg and

cheese combo, above; below, its a

pimento cheese variation.

A taste of the South comes north

NOW OPEN

Walk In coowner

Lily

Price serves

up a latte

on the cafe’s

opening day,

above, while

her partner

Erin Ellis does

prep in the

kitchen, right.

Art Steinhauer

photos

instagram.com/thewalkinmanor photos

By Manor Ink Staff

Livingston Manor, NY – The Walk In

opened on Friday, Feb. 12. The new café,

offering a variety of salads, sandwiches,

coffees, teas and daily specials, is located

on Upper Main Street with the entrance on

Pleasant Street. The current hours of operation

are Thursday through Sunday, 8 a.m.

to 4 p.m. While only doing take-out service

on opening day, Lily Price and Erin Ellis,

owners, intend to utilize the front of the

premises as a market with limited seating.

They are also owners of Neon Croissant,

the former Brandenburg Bakery, which

they expect to open in the spring.

NEWS

MANOR INK | MAR. 2021 |

Local father-to-be

killed in explosion

Liberty, NY – On Sunday, Mar. 21,

just before noon, Christopher Pekny,

28, was killed while building a

“gender-reveal device” for his child’s

gender reveal party. The father-to-be

and his brother, Michael Pekny, 27,

were caught when the device exploded.

The younger Pekny was

injured and treated at

Garnet Medical Center

in Middletown, according

to police.

Trooper Steven Nevel

of State Troopers Troop

F in Liberty, explained

that the device wasn’t

Christopher

Pekny

meant to be explosive. It was to act

as a “popper,” releasing blue or pink

powder signifying the baby’s gender at

the party.

As stated in a press release from

Troop F, “This incident remains under

investigation by the New York State

Police and the New York State Police

Bombs disposal unit.”

The Pekny family has owned and operated

the landmark Robin Hood Diner

in Livingston Manor since the 1980s.

The death of Christopher has come as a

shock to the entire community.

“We are deeply saddened and must

inform you all of the loss of our dear

[and] beloved Christopher. We appreciate

the overwhelming display of love

and support that you have all shown,”

said a post on the diner’s Facebook

page. As of now, the diner is closed

indefinitely, with more details to be

posted in the future.

Manor Ink offers its condolences and

support to the Pekny family and to

those affected by this tragedy.

Ink editor on WJFF

journalism webinar

3

Jeffersonville, NY – Edward Lundquist,

Manor Ink’s associate editor of

news, joined a prominent panel of Sullivan

County journalists for a discussion

of local news hosted by WJFF Radio

Catskill. Called “The Challenges and

Future of Local Radio,” Lundquist contributed

to a discussion that included

Paul Cheung from the Knight Foundation.

To hear to the presentation, visit

tinyurl.com/3rbfcxu9.

4 | MAR. 2021 | MANOR INK NEWS

A year of learning to live

with the threat of illness

Continued from pg. 1

in addition to reflecting on the past year’s

turmoils.

PANDEMIC

YEAR ONE

A long way to go

Councilman Andy McRell believes that

one year from now the United States will

be pandemic free, but he also stresses that

we have a long way to go. Hygiene and

safety restrictions will remain in effect for

quite a while as people gradually

begin to feel safe and become

accustomed to a new way of life.

That life will certainly be altered

as a result of this one-of-a-kind year, but

McRell hopes a change will come.

“In five to ten years there will be a larger

tax base with an increase in job and business

opportunities for younger people,”

ECONOMIC FALLOUT Early product shortages were

a challenge for Peck’s Market Manager Evan Irwin.

Recently, though, business has improved due to an

influx of second homeowners. Nicole Davis photo

he said. McRell feels families working in

the hospitality industry or with school

age children have unquestionably been

the ones most affected by the virus in the

past year. The Town of Rockland councilman

adds, “With remote

learning, those families

take the brunt of the pandemic.

I hope people who

have lost their jobs were

able to get the assistance

Andy McRell

needed to get by.”

Throughout the past

year, McRell noticed that Livingston

Manor residents did not seem to be very

receptive to the influx of New York City

people. That he feels is a major concern,

as the morale of the town is hugely affected.

“The sooner the town accepts the new,

evolving changes occurring in Livingston

Manor, the better,” he said. McRell believes

one upside of the devastating pandemic

is the increase in Livingston Manor

residents and the ensuing housing boom.

Local businesses and markets he feels

will flourish with the new customers.

Financial losses, market fluctuations

Peck’s Market Manager Evan Irwin

discussed the financial effects on the Livingston

Manor supermarket resulting

from the pandemic with Manor Ink. In late

May, a projected loss of $10 to $20 million

in tax revenues to Sullivan County’s $200

million budget due to the coronavirus

was reported by county Director of Communications

Dan Hust. That has led to

a cataclysmic economic fallout throughout

county villages and hamlets. Even

though the labor market has recovered to

some degree, thousands of county residents

still face financial troubles.

Irwin looks forward to the day when he

will be able to greet his customers with a

friendly smile without needing to wear a

mask. He said that the beginning of the

pandemic in April was very difficult, with

customers trying to come in without a

masks. “But people are now falling into

the routine of mask wearing,” he said.

“There is no longer an issue with customers

entering the store without one.”

Before rules were mandated, Peck’s

employees all wore masks. “The staff has

been very good at adapting to the new

situation,” Irwin said. He also noted an

increase in business. “As a result of many

second homeowners moving to the area,

we are getting a lot more business and I

hope it continues.” With the influx of the

On Mar. 13, LMCS students,

staff and faculty went to school

not knowing that it would be

the final ‘normal’ day ...

new clientele, organic and natural products

are more in demand. The produce

section is in constant flux attempting to

keep up.

The pandemic initially caught the supermarket

industry off guard. Between

the months of March and April, shortages

of many products became a grave issue

for Peck’s. “We became paranoid when

certain products became available, ordering

a lot in case of the second wave, to

make sure the product will be in stock,”

A 2020-21 COVID-19 TIMELINE

Compiled by Nicole Davis with Diana Fredenburg

Mar. 13

Last day of

school before

closure

Mar. 27

68 COVID-19

cases reported in

Sullivan County

April 23

630 cases and 17

COVID-19 deaths

in Sullivan County

May 28

Phase 1 reopening

of the Mid-Hudson

region begins

June 27

LMCS seniors graduate in

a socially distanced ceremony

July 7

Phase 4 reopening of

Mid-Hudson region begins

Aug. 24

Cuomo announces high

school low-contact fall sports

may begin on Sept. 21

MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST

Mar. 22

Cuomo issues

mandate requiring

nonessential activity

and travel to cease

April 20

10,750 meals

delivered to

294 families

since Mar. 24

May 21

House of Representatives

ensures every county, town

and municipality will qualify

for federal coronavirus funding

June 26

LMCS teachers and

staff show appreciation

for students with

a festive parade

Aug. 18

School board

announces state aid

to LMCS reduced

by 20 percent

NEWS


5

NEW

ROUTINES

Junior Kristina

Davis uses hand

sanitizer at a

health station

inside a

doorway at Livingston

Manor

Central School.

The station also

has a device for

taking student

temperatures

and a QR code

for transferring

information via

smart phones.

Nicole Davis

photo

Irwin said.

Peck’s Market continues to thrive despite

the COVID-19 pandemic. “There

has been a major uptake in business as

people stay home and refrain from dining

in restaurants.” Irwin said. “In the

past, we have a busy season then it slows

down, and these three months are usually

the slowest time of the year. But we did

not have that this year. It has been nonstop

since March of 2020.” The silver lining

of the coronavirus pandemic appears

to be that the community supermarket

has flourished in a chaotic year.

A new approach to learning

On Mar. 13, LMCS students, staff and

faculty went to school not knowing that

it would be the final “normal” day of

school before quarantine and lockdown

protocols would be in place worldwide.

Students enjoyed a long spring break

while school staff worked diligently with

the limited time they had to provide a

safe alternative to the usual in-person

education. Students spent the remainder

of the 2019-20 school year with work assigned

via Google Classroom in online

schooling. Despite

the struggles

faced with online

schooling, students

were still

able to receive an

adequate education

and LMCS

seniors achieved their hard-earned diplomas

in an unconventional graduation

ceremony.

As the state deliberated over whether

to reopen schools during the summer

break, school staff worked to develop a

new way of teaching. With the start of a

new school year in September, students

were broken up into two groups. Group

A would attend school Mondays and

Wednesdays while Group B would go

on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Friday was

designated an online school day, allowing

students to remain in the safety of

their homes, thus guaranteeing limited

contact with other individuals.

Gradually, all students began attending

school in the building Monday

through Thursday – one advantage of the

small enrollment at Livingston Manor

Central School. Of course, students were

also given the option to remain fully remote,

attending their classes through

‘It is quite exhausting to have this

day-in, day-out uncertainty whether

or not school will be remote ...’

John Evans

Superintendent of Schools

Google Meets or Zoom. These meeting

platforms have proved very useful when

repurposed as a new form of teaching.

LMCS also implemented the use of

acrylic sheet barriers in the senior lounge

and cafeteria, mandated one-way traffic

throughout the halls and initiated student

temperature checks each morning.

Additionally, a new directive required

everyone in the building to keep their

masks on at all times.

Pandemic-inspired use of technology

Superintendent John Evans emphasized

that one positive result of the coronavirus

pandemic is new uses for technology. As

the basketball season begins, COVID-19

protocols have ruled that no spectators be

allowed to attend the games to ensure student

safety. But LMCS has enabled a way

for families, friends and community members

to watch the basketball games remotely.

They can now live-stream games,

gaining access via the school’s website.

“We plan on utilizing live-streaming technology

beyond sports with plays, concerts

and other after-school activities,” Evans

said. “We can even expand the audience

to include family members who do not

live in the area and also wish to watch the

games.” Ironically, technology will now

allow Livingston Manor Central School

to increase community engagement and

greatly aid students’ and families’ involvement

with the school.

Although it is difficult to predict, Evans

hopes school will go back to normal

life within the following year. He has noticed

the general disposition of students,

staff and faculty appears to be one of

fatigue and exhaustion with the routine

they have adopted this past year. As one

of the only schools in the county open

four days of the week, along with Roscoe

Central School, teachers have endured

a tremendous workload, but have handled

it with grace and poise. “It is quite

exhausting to have this day-in, day-out

uncertainty whether or not school will

be remote due to a new exposure,” Evans

said. “But with the vaccines and new discoveries

regarding the coronavirus, I am

optimistic that there is a light at the end

of the tunnel, and we will return to some

kind of normalcy sometime soon.”

Organizing graduation for the Class

of 2020 was anything but normal. Evans

revealed that the administration worked

frantically to figure out what would or

would not be allowed. Gov. Cuomo did

not provide information regarding social

distancing rules until a week before

the ceremony. LMCS had many different

plans for the event, but they were all up

OPTIMISTIC Supt. John Evans expects some degree

of normalcy to return by late spring or early summer.

Nicole Davis photo

in the air until the governor acted. Evans

is hopeful the situation will be different

this year. “By the time graduation, concerts

and other May and June events roll

around, these activities should be as close

to normal as possible.” He said LMCS is

planning to organize this year’s graduation

ceremony outside with limited attendance

to ensure safety.

A toll on staff and students

Remote learning is very difficult for

students and, as a result of the pandemic,

Continued on pg. 6

Sept. 8

LMCS opens

in a gradual

hybrid return

Oct. 31

After pandemic delays, the

September deadline for the

2020 Census is extended

Nov. 3

Election Day sees a large turnout in Sullivan

County despite many ballots mailed early

Nov. 11

First LMCS student

COVID-19 case

Dec. 15

Sullivan County

reaches 58

COVID-19 deaths

Jan. 14

Local COVID-19

cases

reach 353

Jan. 25

COVID-19 vaccines

offered to LMCS

staff & faculty

Feb. 26

Local COVID-19

cases fall

to 155

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY

Early Sept.

Sullivan County launches

online tool for assessing

COVID-19 risk

Sept. 26

LMCS postpones fall sports

season until the spring

Nov. 6

After no active

COVID-19 cases in

August, new cases

rise to 125

Dec. 14

2.9 million

COVID-19 vaccine

doses are shipped

Feb. 4

LMCS basketball season

begins (first sport season

of the school year)


Stressed by funding losses, added expenses

Continued from pg. 5

Evans said that attendance has greatly declined

and grades have decreased as well.

Mental health among students and teachers

also appears to be a concern. Evans emphasized

that the pandemic has taken a huge

toll on students, staff and faculty. “Our

PANDEMIC

YEAR ONE

public school system

was not designed to be

virtual,” he said. “It was

designed to be in-person,

with teachers trained to teach in an in-person

environment.” But he said the 2019-20

school year was far more challenging due

to the lack of COVID-19 knowledge and

the few tools and resources available at the

time. He believes the 2020-21 school year

will be better by comparison.

“In late March or early April 2020, the

n Sunday, Feb. 7: The moment my

mother and I landed at John F. Kennedy

Airport, we remembered how cold New

York was. As we wandered through

the eerily empty airport, devoid of its

characteristic bustle, there were a total of

three people waiting for taxis. Clumsily

juggling all of our baggage, we hailed a

cab, clambered into it and breathed a sigh

of relief. We had made it. Staring out the

window onto the fresh snow, the floodlights

illuminated everything so perfectly

as we drove past. I don’t think I’ve ever

been more appreciative of a nighttime

ride in a busted, old taxi smelling faintly

of cigarette smoke.

n Monday, Feb. 8: My first full day of

quarantine can only be described as ...

uneventful! I feared that the realization

that I was trapped inside for ten full days

would unexpectedly hit me like a ton

of bricks. But the notion of entrapment

never fully took hold. Instead of spiraling

into an existential crisis, we ordered fast

food and rotated the TV to face the table

as we ate. Domestic bliss at its finest.

n Tuesday, Feb. 9: Somehow, I prefer

attending school online when I know

the outside world is a frigid, bleak place.

In the Caribbean, every moment spent

sprawled apathetically in front of the

state was predicting a 20-percent reduction

in school funding, which is $1.6 million to

Livingston Manor,” Evans said. “This was

a huge stressor throughout summer and

early fall.” Luckily, LMCS did not see a loss

of funding to that degree. But though the

administration was able to save money by

eliminating traveling expenses for sports

teams and other activities, they did have to

pay for the new safety measures.

“If we were providing disposable masks to

every kid throughout the entire school year,

that would cost LMCS around $86,000,” Evans

said. To save money, the school chose to

give two cloth masks to each student, which

cost much less. Tens of thousands of dollars

were also spent on acrylic sheet barriers,

hand sanitizing stations and other health

precautions, greatly affecting the school’s

10 days, now standard practice

Manor Ink reporter Nadine Osborne recently returned from a trip with her family to the

island of Antigua (see her travelogue in the Jan./Feb. issue). Once back in New York, COVID-19

precautions required that the Osbornes quarantine for ten days. To supplement our overview of

the past 12 months of the coronavirus, Nadine kept this journal of her days in isolation.

computer felt torturous, like I was being

taunted by my inability to go outside and

appreciate the warmth. When I can see the

ice crystallizing on the windowpane, however,

huddling under a blanket in front of

my laptop doesn’t feel half bad.

n Wednesday, Feb. 10: I once heard a

story about a woman who walked an

entire marathon solely by pacing back and

forth in her studio apartment. I thought

for a second about attempting to break her

record, but then another second passed

and I realized that goal was hilariously

unrealistic. Instead, we set up a stationary

bike in front of the TV so that I could

pedal as I marathoned my favorite shows.

n Thursday, Feb. 11: An academically

heavy day is made infinitely better by a

dinner consisting solely of warm, buttery

beef ramen.

n Friday, Feb. 12: The first time I rode the

bike, I overexerted myself by furiously

pedaling during a tense scene in my

favorite TV show. This time, I knew better.

As I worded it in my school workout

journal, “Although there were still quite a

few difficult bits, I got the hang of it.”

n Saturday, Feb. 13: Waking up on a

Sunday feels utterly pointless. The later

you sleep, the fewer hours you have

budget. Funding is further complicated by

the 1.23-percent tax cap the school must

work with this year. That means LMCS’s

budget can only be increased by $109,000.

“Financially and economically, COVID-19

has taken a massive toll on our state and nation,

and on us locally as a school district,”

Evans said. “We are not looking to cut anything,

but finances are tight.”

This past year has been filled with oncein-a-lifetime

events and with many unknowns

regarding COVID-19. Whether

or not the vaccine is effective is a debated

question among the nation, but people

must remain optimistic and hopeful. But,

optimism alone will not stop the spread.

Social distancing, wearing masks, limiting

contact with others and staying safe

when in public are essential. Remember to

INSIDE RIDE Going nowhere fast, stationary

biking is the only way to pedal when

quarantining. Nadine Osborne photo

before you’re inevitably forced back into

the drudgery of school. Sunday mornings

have a certain bittersweetness to them that

only looms larger as the day progresses.

That is, until you remember that it’s Saturday,

and you’ve got a long weekend ahead

of you.

n Sunday, Feb. 14: More biking. This

time, my school workout journal simply

read, “I just got the hang of it.”

n Monday, Feb. 15: I went to bed at 8:30

p.m. and woke up at 3 a.m. This entry

speaks for itself.

n Tuesday, Feb. 16: According to school

regulations, I’m allowed to leave the

house on one condition and one condition

only: getting a COVID test. It

needs to be negative, and in their hands

STILL NOT THE SAME Manor Ink’s coverage

of the coronavirus pandemic began with its

March 2020 issue. Manor Ink photo

be mindful of your health as well as your

neighbor’s safety.

by Friday at noon. Otherwise, I’m not

permitted on school grounds during my

upcoming in-person week. The moment

I stumbled out of the house, the cold hit

me like a slap to the face. Luckily, I ventured

outdoors on a partly sunny day of

42 degrees, but the wind swept sharply

down the block, blowing right through

my red parka (which was meant for a

12-year-old boy). When I arrived at the

clinic, I could smell the bleach through

the ill-fitting fabric of my mask. They sat

me down, shoved a cotton swab up my

nose, and sent me on my way. I was in

and out of the world in 15 minutes, tops.

Reentering society after days trapped

indoors has never been less appealing.

n Wednesday, Feb. 17: Today is the last

full day of quarantine. Saying that would

be positively thrilling if I was overflowing

with the desire to go outside. Honestly

though, I might stay in a little while

longer. I’m unashamed to admit that I

take perhaps a little too much comfort in

the warmth of the indoors. This time of

year, the earth has frozen solid, lying dormant

in anticipation of spring. The world

is cold, and it’s going to stay that way for

quite some time. I would call it cold and

dark for dramatic effect, but that’s hardly

true. In New York City, cloudy nights are

the brightest; while the smog conceals the

moon, it also reflects the light pollution,

creating a blanket of artificial brightness.

Nighttime in the country is really cold

and really dark. In the city, however, you

can always count on the floodlights to

illuminate the freshly fallen snow.

Nadine Osborne

Mountainkeeper hosts

elite panel on state parks

By Art Steinhauer | Manor Ink Mentor

Katherine

Nadeau

Albany, NY – A virtual panel discussion

brought together by the Catskill Park Coalition

and moderated by Katherine Nadeau,

Deputy Director of Catskill Mountainkeeper,

kicked off the 2021 year in lieu of the

usual in-person Catskill Park Day in Albany.

Attended by over 200 participants, the event

featured a panel that included Department

of Environmental Conservation Commissioner

Basil Seggos, State Senator Michelle

Hinchey, Assembly members Aileen Gunter

and Chris Teague, and Jeff Senterman, executive

director of the Catskill Center and

chair of the Catskill Park Coalition.

Nadeau opened the webinar by highlighting

the greatly increased usage of the park

last year (estimated to be up by 70 percent)

due to the pandemic and

the need to “get outdoors.”

This led to many challenges,

particularly at high-use areas

such as Kaaterskill Falls.

Gunther noted the importance

of the park to the local

economy, explaining that

visitors generate an estimated

$115 million to the local economy. She

also commented on the negative impacts

that could take place unless park management

is well funded by the state.

Teague echoed this concern saying that

while the DEC invested over $5 million only

five or six years ago to upgrade parking and

trails at Kaaterskill Falls, the surge of visitors

strained the ability to maintain the trails

and keep the areas clean. He noted that the

Catskill Park is uniquely positioned to continue

to attract more visitors from New York

City, but the state must ensure that the DEC

has the resources to protect the environment

and visitors. Commissioner Seggos agreed

and said, “Our Parks – Adirondacks and

Catskill – are our economic future and we

must manage and preserve them carefully.”

“The Catskill Coalition now consists of

35 organizations that collaborate on park

priorities, notwithstanding their different

focuses,” Assemblyman Teague said. “Its

objectives are threefold – safety and maintenance;

full funding for the DEC, supportive

groups and related initiatives; and support

for local economies.” He noted the 2020

completion in Belleayre of the third mountain

bike trail in the Catskill Park, a boon to

GREAT OUTDOORS A forum hosted by the

Catskill Mountainkeeper on the future of NY

state parks addressed numerous funding

issues while stressing preservation. greatnortherncatskills.com

photo

both visitors and local businesses.

All panelists agreed on the need for more

DEC rangers, even with the budget challenges

that the state faces this year. Teague

stated with gratification that Gov. Cuomo’s

proposed 2021 budget sustains the state’s

Environmental Protection Fund at the same

$300 million level as last year.

Director Nadeau challenged the panelists

when she said, “What will the park be in 25

years, and what do we have to do now to

get there?” Commissioner Seggos noted that

this is the 50th anniversary of the formation

of the DEC and said that because the next 25

years will bring increasing environmental

problems, preserving the ecology of the park

“must be job no. 1.” He also noted the need

to foster the economic sustainability of the

communities within the park and the small

businesses that serve its visitors.

“We don’t want to simply become the

museum of the Catskills,” Teague said. “We

need to be part of our communities and preserve

the unique partnership we have between

the public lands and private owners.”

Gunther agreed, adding, “We need to

ensure that the park continues to be used

and embraced by local residents.” Hinchey

noted that increasingly visitors will not

look like us. “We will need to be welcoming

of them and address the challenge of educating

newcomers how to preserve, protect

and respect the Park,” she said.

Teague closed by thanking the panel’s

legislators for their support, and acknowledged

Commissioner Seggos, his staff and

our local DEC rangers.

Livingston Manor, NY – The hamlet’s

Chamber of Commerce will launch

a pocket-sized town directory this coming

summer. Aimed at directing visitors

and homeowners to local businesses and

amenities, the directory will feature those

shops and businesses that are members of

the Chamber and be distributed for free

through those shops, hotels and restaurants.

Businesses wishing to join the Chamber

and thus be included in the directory

are asked to contact livmanorchamber@

gmail.com no later than April.

NEWS


Manor Chamber to publish business directory

PARTNER SPONSORS

Charter Communications, Inc.

Community Reporting Alliance and the Ottaway Foundation

Lazare and Charlotte Kaplan Foundation

Livingston Manor Central School

Barbara Martinsons • Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation

Sullivan County Youth Services Bureau

ADVOCATES

Apple Pond Farm • CAS Arts Center

Foster Supply Hospitality • Red Cottage/Country House Realty

Rolling V Bus Corp. • Upstream Wine & Spirits

CHAMPIONS

Chatral A’dze • Sue Barnett & Jeff Christensen • Carolyn Bivins

Rose Brown & Lester Mattis • Catskill Abstract Co., Inc.

Catskill Brewery • Catskills Food Hub • David Dann

Dette Flies • Vic Diescher • Carole Edwards Realty

John Fawcett • George Fulton • Linda Hartley & Bruce Cobb

Amy Hines & Dave Forshay • Inside the Blue Line

Marilyn Kocher • Livingston Manor Teachers Assn.

Gina Molinet, RM Farm Real Estate • Main Street Farm

Van Morrow, Mountain Bear Craft

Peck’s Markets • Sheila & Terry Shultz • Snowdance Farm

Don & Vinny Simkin • Beth Sosin • Art Steinhauer

Town of Rockland • Barbara Trelstad • Upward Brewing Co.

Remembering Bud Wertheim (and the Giant Trout)

Manor Ink thrives on community support! Please consider becoming a supporter at one of

the following levels: Partner, $1,000 and above; Advocate, $500; or Champion, $250. We

also welcome and are grateful for contributions of any amount. Manor Ink is a program of

the Livingston Manor Free Library, a nonprofit 501(c)3. Please send your gift or pledge to

Manor Ink, 92 Main St., Livingston Manor, NY 12758. Thank you!

7


MOUNTAIN RETREAT Land surrounding Slawson Mt., located in north eastern Sullivan County, may be under consideration

for a large-scale luxury resort. A ski slope, cleared during an earlier effort to create a ski resort, can be seen in the

middle distance. Art Steinhauer photo, above; sixthsenses.com photo, right

Firm looking into Slawson Mt. land

Willowemoc, NY – Rumors have been

circulating recently about plans to develop

a large parcel of property on Slawson

Mountain.

Purchased some 30-plus years ago by foreign

investors, the land has remained undeveloped

since the owners’ original plans to

construct a ski resort were shelved. Because

the Town of Neversink where the property

is located was at the time a “dry” municipality,

meaning that the sale of alcohol was

prohibited, the developers decided that a

resort would not be feasible.

Since that time, however, the town has

rescinded the prohibition. The sale of alcoholic

beverages is now legal in Neversink.

Keriland, Inc., the holding company that

owns the nearly 3,000-acre parcel of land,

is currently assessing the property for possible

development. “We’re updating its

surveys and undertaking some water and

exploratory well drilling in preparation for

HIGH-END DESTINATIONS

Offering its guests the opportunity to “reconnect with six

senses,” Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas caters to those who

desire luxurious getaways in exotic locales. Working with

host resorts in Bhutan, Fiji, Oman, Portugal, Vietnam, Israel,

the Maldives and other locations, including Kaplankaya,

Turkey, above, the company’s objective is rejuvenation. “We

hope that our unique collection of rituals, reconnection experiences

and wellness days reignites your curiosity and passion

for travel,” their website at sixthsenses.com states.

“From breakfast with the monks to fire circles and dancing

like no one’s watching (save a few Fijian warriors), come on

a vacation that promotes relaxation, pushes the reset button

and opens up some new possibilities.”

determining what might be feasible to do

with the property,” said Steve Hettleland, a

Keriland representative.

Nevertheless, some area residents have

heard that a possible large-scale development

could be in the offing, a complex that

would include luxury homes and a resort,

perhaps in partnership with Six Senses Hotels

Resorts Spas, a hospitality company

based in Thailand which operates 11 resorts

and 29 spas in 20 countries. There are, however,

many requirements a development of

any size would have to meet before construction

could begin. Local and environmental

approvals would likely be needed,

especially as the lands border New York

City’s protected watershed area.

As of this writing, no plans have been

filed with the Town of Neversink Planning

Board. However, both the developer and

the town are retaining engineering firms in

anticipation of future work.

The Kaatskeller | 39 Main St., Livingston Manor | 845-439-4339

Promote and Protect The Catskills • Join Mountainkeeper Today.

catskillmountainkeeper.org

NEWS


9

An ‘old fashioned’ winter

Storms leave Manor,

county snowbound

By Manor Ink Staff

DIGGING OUT

Mike Konecni, above,

shovels the sidewalk

in front of Dette

Flies on Main Street.

Konecni, a fishing

guide, also works at

the shop. At right,

a plow clears snow

from East Hill

Road in White

Sulphur Springs.

Kelly Buchta photo,

above; Manor Ink

photo, right

Sullivan County, NY – Frigid temperatures

and days of low barometric pressure

caused by, among other things, the polar

vortex, have combined in the last two

months to bury this county, its villages and

hamlets, under an ever deepening blanket

of white stuff.

Will it ever stop snowing?

It doesn’t seem like it will. Since Dec. 16,

when a major storm dropped 14 inches of

powdery snow on municipalities across the

Hudson Valley and the Catskills, residents

here have seen at least seven significant

“weather events,” including one on Feb.

1 that triggered a state of emergency. The

condition was declared by Gov. Cuomo,

who urged citizens in New York City and

nine other counties, including Sullivan, to

hunker down. “I want New Yorkers to hear

me loud and clear,” Cuomo said. “Stay

home and off the roads.” Most New Yorkers

wisely obeyed.

That first storm of February left an additional

20 inches of snow behind when it finally

blew over. Since that time, the county

has received another four inches on Feb. 9,

five on Feb. 19, four on Feb. 22, with Feb.

DRIP, DRIP Icicles created by sun-warmed

snow hang like stalactites from a roof on

Dahlia Rd. Manor Ink photo

23 delivering an extra two inches for good

measure. It seems that every two or three

days, the winter of 2020-21 drops another

few inches on recently cleared roadways

and driveways.

In Livingston Manor, business have remained

open despite the onslaught. But

snow piles are approaching five and six

feet high in Peck’s parking lot and a bucket

loader was recently spotted freeing up

parking spaces along Main Street with its

massive scoop. Shop owners can routinely

be seen shoveling sidewalks leading up to

their doorways.

Sullivan County averages 61 inches of

snow per year, more than double the US average

of 28 inches. But in the last two months

alone, the county has already tallied 57 inches.

That number is certain to grow by winter’s

end – if that should ever come!

Photo by

Osei Helper


MARCH 2019 | MANORINK.ORG

WORKING FOR US

A conversation with

Assemblywoman Gunther

PAGE 5

TOWN MEETING

Anthony Delgado seeks

input from Rockland voters

PAGE 3

BACK ONLINE

Computer network now

restored for LMCS students

PAGE 8

MI

FREE

MANOR INK

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

BATTERY POWER

Electric cars now

IN THIS ISSUE

have charging

stations in Roscoe

PAGE 3

WEATHER-PROOF

Public pantry

doors get a needed

seasonal upgrade

PAGE 8

FREE

By Osei Helper| Manor Ink

Take a momen to close your eyes. Imagine

it’s some 60 years ago and you’re in

Livingston Manor during the boom years

of the hotel business, as we l as during an

era when automobiles came through our


MAKING A CASE Firelight Camps co-founder Robert Frisch presents the company’s plan for a 100-tent “glampground” – a glamorous

campground – to be located on Little Ireland Road in Livingston Manor. He did so a the Town of Rockland’s Planning Board meeting on

Feb. 5, before a capacity crowd of concerned citizens. Photo by Les Ma tis

Campsite or canvas hotel?

‘Glampground’ remains controversial

By Emily Ba l | Manor Ink

MI

MANOR INK

Livingston Manor, NY – On Tuesday,

Feb. 5, members of the Livingston Manor

community came to the Town Ha l in the

hamlet ready to state their concerns about

the proposed Firelight campsite project

to the Planning Board. Even before the

meeting began, the room was fi led to capacity.

Firelight Campgrounds is a “glamp-

town regularly with travelers and co lege

students and their parents on the way to

schools in upstate New York, a time when

many people were visiting for business and

recreational reasons so hotels were very

popular a the time. Interesting as that may

be, it’s not wha this story is about. No, this

SAFE HAVEN

ground” that Firelight Camps wants to

open in Livingston Manor on Little Ireland

Road. Firelight is origina ly from

Ithaca, NY, where they have one such

camping facility. They propose a bigger

site here in Livingston Manor with 100

tents, but some community members

have concerns with the plan.

Some classify the “glamorous camping”

approach not as camping at a l, but

as accommodations more closely resem-

Extensive rennovations required for Willowemoc to reopen

story is about motels. More specifica ly, it’s

about the history of the Wi lowemoc Motel,

no too far from downtown Livingston

Manor.

Now, for those of you who don’t know

what a motel is, it’s kind of like a hotel but

designed for a short stay. So, consider the

MANORINK.ORG

Manor family lives grid-free PAGE 5


LONG EMPTY

The Wi lowemoc

Motel at Exit 96 on

Rte. 17 was built

in the early 1960s,

fo lowing completion

of the Quickway.

The Livingston

Manor landmark

fe l on hard times

in the 1990s as

tourism declined

and repeated

floods caused

water damage and

mold growth in

many of its rooms.

The motel’s current

owner has received

several o fers for

its purchase, but no

deal has yet been

finalized.

bling those provided by conventional

hotels. “Firelight is classifying itself as a

campsite for the sole purpose of building

in an area where campsites are given

a special use waiver, but hotels, motels

and inns are genera ly prohibited,” stated

Nan Gough, a resident on Little Ireland

Road.

Others fear the impact of increased water

usage might lower the water table and

impact neighboring we ls. Local resident

Douglas Lee expressed concerns about

how sewage from the site might affec the

water quality in the stream that Page 7

Fate of local motel still uncertain

situation: you’re on a long road trip and

you’re getting tired. A motel would be a

perfect place to stop and rest for the night,

and the Wi lowemoc Motel was pretty popular

and successful. It was erected right at

the entry to Livingston Manor, taking fu l

advantage of its location. We l, if that’s

so, then why is it now run down? That is

what I wi l answer, along with some details

about its current state and what its Page 6

Did you know you can get Manor Ink

delivered to your mailbox? Request

a subscription by sending a check to

made out to Manor Ink for $30 to:

Manor Ink Subscriptions

92 Main Street

Livingston Manor, NY 12758

Red Hill Fire

Tower facility

gets upgrade

By Manor Ink Staff

Claryville, NY – In conjunction with

the annual Catskill Park Day, Department

of Environmental Conservation Commissioner

Basil Seggos announced the opening

of the new Red Hill Fire Tower trail and

parking lot.

The newly constructed lot, trail and an

information kiosk are located on Denning

Road in the hamlet and will greatly improve

access to the tower, which has been

constrained by the relative inaccessibility

and limited capacity of the current parking

area on Dinch Road. Tahawus Trails

constructed the new 1.4 mile trail that traverses

New York City Department of Environmental

Conservation land and the State

Forest Preserve through rocky outcroppings

and hemlock forests, connecting it to

the existing trail near the Red Hill summit,

an elevation of 2,953 feet.

Jeff Senterman, executive director of the

Catskill Center, said, “The new trail offers

year-round access to Red Hill for those

who wish to enjoy one of the best views of

the southern Catskills, along with a larger

GRAND VISTAS Just in time for the spring

and summer season, the DEC has added a new

trail and expanded parking to the Red Hill Fire

Tower hiking destination. Art Steinhauer photos

parking area to accommodate the growing

number of visitors.”

“The Town of Denning is happy to have

partnered with the NYSDEC and NYCDEP

in establishing the new parking lot and

trail,” said Town of Denning Supervisor

Dave Brooks. “The new parking area will

provide enhanced safety for our local residents,

as well as visitors, when the seasonal

access from Dinch Road is closed.”

The NYS Environmental Protection Fund

provided $134,500 to construct the new

parking lot and trail. For more information

about the tower and new trail, visit catskillmountaineer.com/SD-redhill.html.

Call for laureate applicants

Sullivan County, NY – The Sullivan Public Library Alliance

is seeking the next Sullivan County Poet Laureate, a

one-year appointment with a modest honorarium.

To be eligible, applicants must reside in Sullivan County

full- or part-time, have a body of literary work and be

available for year-round engagements from May 1 to April

30. Engagements will be remote or in-person, with respect

to health and safety.

Application information is available at mamakatinglibrary.org

and at each of the public libraries in Sullivan

County. Deadline for submissions is midnight Mar. 31.

Seminar on ‘curb appeal’

Liberty, NY – Sullivan Renaissance and Dorene Warner

of W. Design in Barryville will offer a free online seminar

on the importance and impact of curb appeal for marketing

local businesses. The program will premiere on Wednesday,

Mar. 3, at 6 p.m., via Zoom. Pre-registration for the

seminar is required. Business owners may register at SullivanRenaissance.org

or by calling 295-2445.

TOWN & SCHOOL BOARD UPDATES

MANOR INK | MAR. 2021 | 11

Tax payments received by town exceed $3.7 million

By Marge Feuerstein | Manor Ink Mentor

TOWN BOARD MEETING OF FEB. 4

Minutes: The minutes of the previous

meeting on Jan. 21 were unanimously approved.

Correspondence: The Catskill Art

Society is having a “Tiny House Project”

exhibit at the Laundry King on Main St.

Old Business

Sullivan Renaissance project applications

must be completed by Mar. 1.

The Roscoe and Livingston Manor sewer

treatment plant disinfection projects are

continuing.

New Business

The Industrial Development Plan pilot

payment was received in the amount of

$2,989.56.

Tax payments continue to be received.

A complaint of damage to the corner of

Highland Ave. in Roscoe was received.

The following resolutions were required

and passed by the board:

n Appoint Dan Smith to the Zoning

Board to replace Phil Vallone.

n Appoint Emily Casey as an alternate

on the Zoning Board.

n Reappoint Bob Lee to the Board of Assessment

Reviews.

n Approve the Court Clerk working

three more hours a week, up to 40 hours,

for one month to correct issues for the

auditors.

By Marge Feuerstein | Manor Ink Mentor

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OF FEB. 17

Superintendent’s Update

Diversity and Equity Concerns: The

district received a letter from recent

graduates and current parents expressing

concern about diversity and equity. Supt.

John Evans has invited the group to meet

with the administrative team, either in

person or by Zoom, to discuss the issue

and to share initiatives that are underway

to address the problem, including

the School Climate Transition Grant and

professional development for Trauma

Informed Schools. The latter program has

been implemented by faculty and staff.

Diversity and equity at LMCS is a top priority,

Evans said, but there is always room

for improvement.

PILES OF WHITE The Town of Rockland

highway department has been hard at work in

recent days clearing away heaps of snow from

the Manor’s roadways. Manor Ink photo

Winter Sports: On Jan. 2, Gov. Cuomo

approved the start of winter sports.

LMCS’s administration and athletic director,

working with local and public health

guidance, developed the necessary protocols

for Boys and Girls Basketball to take

place. The games are closed to spectators

but are being live-streamed so family and

friends can still watch.

Budget Discussion: Evans and Business

Manager Timothy Maguire provided an

update on the 2021-22 school budget, using

information currently available. Funding

will depend on how federal aid will be

earmarked for education. The current tax

cap limit of 1.23 percent is the lowest since

the 2016-17 school year and provides for a

$109,000 rise on the tax levy. The goal is to

prepare a rollover budget to maintain current

funding without adding new projects

Department Heads: Ted Hartling, Highway

Superintendent: Hartling requested

that the board approve Deputy Superintendent

Jamie Parsons’ attendance at

Highway School in June. A resolution was

required and passed by the board allowing

both the superintendent and deputy to

attend.

Glenn Gabbard, Code Enforcement Officer:

Gabbard submitted detailed year-end

reports. He also said he will need part-time

help in the coming months.

Public Comment: Supervisor Rob

Eggleton stated that the Zoning Review

committee will need to start up again

to discuss what days work best for all

involved. Sheila Shultz asked about the

planned Broadacre Farm development, but

Eggleton replied that there was nothing

new to report.

Approval of Bills: Bills on Abstract #3

were unanimously approved.

Details of all dollar amounts can be

found on the town website at townofrocklandny.com

under the minutes of Feb. 4.

TOWN BOARD MEETING OF FEB. 18

Minutes: Minutes of the previous meeting

of Feb. 4 were unanimously approved.

Correspondence: Notification was

received that the Catskill Art Society will

be closed for construction. Current exhibits

will continue at the Laundry King. A

Zoom seminar on “curb appeal” will be

held by Sullivan Renaissance on Wednesday,

Mar. 3, at 6 p.m.

Old Business

A Zoning Review committee meeting

was held with 16 people attending mainly

via Zoom. The next meeting will be on

Wednesday, Mar. 10.

New Business

The following resolutions were required

or extras. Evans will attend a meeting on

Feb. 19 with Sen. Martucci and Assemblywoman

Gunther to discuss funding.

Use of Emergency Days Update: The

2020-21 academic calendar included ten

emergency closing days. To date, the district

has used three for COVID-19 related

closures and four that are weather related.

Once emergency days are exhausted,

LMCS can provide remote instruction during

additional closings in order to meet the

180 school day requirement.

BOCES: Sullivan BOCES has announced

the transition from a two-day hybrid

schedule to a four-day schedule beginning

in March for most students. Those who

attend the Special Education MS/HS, CAP

and 12:1:1 programs and Career & Technical

Education will remain on the two-day

schedule until April 1.

and passed by the board:

n Accept the town clerk’s submission

of taxes received in the amount of

$3,770,986.72. All future payments will go

to the county treasurer.

n Accept the resignation of Kaitlen

Madison as cleaner for town offices.

n Modify the budget to increase funds

to cover a new valve for the sewer department.

A presentation to the board was made

by Dave Bodenstein of New York Municipal

Insurance Reciprocal.

Department Heads: Ted Hartling, Highway

Superintendent: Clearing snowbanks

along main streets is proceeding. A section

of sidewalk on River Rd., left over from the

60 Main St. demolition, should be removed

for safety reasons before the parking area

at the location is finalized. The railing on

the Main St. bridge over the Little Beaverkill

may have to be extended, but that

would be done by the county. A snow

plow truck was hit, and Prestige Towing

and Recovery will be called for a repair

estimate.

Resolution required: The board passed

a motion to grant a work clothing allowance

of $300 for the town’s highway

mechanic.

Approval of Bills: Bills on Abstract #4

were unanimously approved.

Details of all dollar amounts can be

found on the town website at townofrocklandny.com

under minutes of Feb. 18.

Former students, parents voice concern over diversity at LMCS

Action Items: The following items were

voted on and unanimously passed:

n Minutes of the previous meeting, treasurer’s

report, revenue status and budget

appropriation reports.

n Warrant #A-12 in the amount of

$603,569.83.

n CSE-CPSE and Section 504 recommendations.

n 2021-22 academic calendar.

n Budget development timeline.

n Nomination of Linda Fisk as board

representative to BOCES for a three year

term, commencing July 1.

The Consent Agenda was approved as

presented.

All dollar amounts and the specific

details of all Action Items can be found at

lmcs.k12.ny.us on the Board of Education

website.


LION OF A RAFFLE

Benefactor’s big donation

restarts CAS expansion

Delayed 2nd floor upgrade now to begin

By Nicholas Warren | Manor Ink

QUILTING FOR A CAUSE The Tri-Valley Lions will hold a fundraising raffle for a beautiful

quilt donated by Sally Abrams, president of the Calico Geese Quilters group, which has 45

talented members and meets at the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Ferndale. The quilt,

held by Abrams and Gene Froehlich, a director of the Lions, is a 60-by-70-inch bed topper.

“I hope that everyone opens their hearts and wallets to support the Tri-Valley Lions,” she

said. The drawing will beheld on June 1, and participants need not be present to win.

Raffle tickets are $5 for a single ticket or $10 for three. Tickets are available from Froehlich

at 439-4921, Mary Lou Vernooy at 434-7781 or from Terry Delaney at 434-8696. All funds

raised go to support Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Cancer Awareness, five local food pantries,

eye tests and many more causes. Tri-Valley Lions photo

Livingston Manor, NY – After delays

due to the pandemic, the Catskill Art Society

is now ready to move forward with

its second floor expansion, and to make

improvements to its Main Street location’s

front facade, gallery windows and studio

space.

The building, which had been a movie

theater until the 1970s, was purchased by

CAS in 2008 and, according

to Sally Wright, Executive

Director, “CAS has always

had aspirations to expand

into the second floor.” The

second floor expansion will

add 2,000 square feet to the

building and make its 4,000

Sally Wright

square feet of open space the largest in the

Manor.

Plans had been developed more than

two years ago, but the project was put on

hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak and

the state’s budget crisis, as Albany’s support

for arts programs was suspended last

year. This suspension included a state grant

NEW LOOK A rendering of the modified

facade of the Catskill Art Society building after

its planned expansion. CAS illustration

that Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther had

helped procure to aid in the CAS construction.

Recently, a loyal benefactor of CAS

agreed to make a large donation to replace

the state grant, enabling the project to proceed.

“We are quite grateful for this momentous

gift that allows us now to move forward,”

Wright said.

The new second floor will contain a

large gallery/exhibit space in the front and

a multi-purpose room in the back for lec-

NEWS


SPACE TO SPARE A plan view of the CAS building’s second floor has a large exhibition space on the street side, a multi-purpose space

in back and a small gallery in between. At right, front and rear elevations show expanded window treatments. Plans courtesy of CAS

tures, film showings, and music and dance

performances.

The expectation is that CAS will be closed

for eight months during the construction.

The architects for the project are Brooklynbased

Bade Stageberg Cox, and Woodchips

Construction of Pine Bush will be the contractor.

While the CAS building is closed, the

Laundry King at 65 Main Street will be

used for administrative offices and small

exhibits and programs. Wright conducted

the interview with Manor Ink “from a back

closet that is now my office” in the space.

For this year, CAS plans to sponsor outdoor

exhibitions, including the commissioning

of another sculpture for the Farmer’s Market

area on Main Street. Its initial installation

was a piece by artist Matthias Neumann,

erected behind the market space in

June 2020. The Laundry King will also feature

an exhibition by Nancy Bowen in the

spring, followed by a mult-artist show later

in the year.

By the end of 2021, Wright hopes to be

able to reopen the CAS building to the public.

The reopening is expected to feature a

major exhibition in the new gallery of the

works of James Terrell, a well-respected artist

known internationally for his large scale

works often involving light show projections.

MEET HOMER!

Homer is a three-yearold

donkey. He helps at

the farm by providing

companionship and

protection to our goats

and sheep. If a predator

comes sniffing around,

Homer will charge it

or scare it off with a

very loud bray. Donkeys

form strong bonds with

other animals, including

humans.

Fine Upstate Vacation Rentals

Since 2007

redcottageinc.com

14 | MAR. 2021 | MANOR INK LMFL NEWS

LMFL: BOOKS AND MORE

WHILE THE MEMBERS of the library book

club rethink how they want to move

forward during the COVID-19 pandemic,

I thought I would reintroduce you to

your wonderful library and what it has

to offer.

In last month’s issue, our new director

offered a terrific endorsement of

the nonfiction offerings by writers of

fiction, and this month she suggests

two excellent biographies. To help

you get through these dreary days of

winter, here are some other things the

library has on hand.

When you enter the LMFL, you pass

a table in the children’s room offering

copies of Manor Ink, bags of crafts

and hand sanitizer. Then you enter the

adult collection room. On your right are

comfortable chairs and a carousel with

magazines. If you are an avid gardener,

Mother Earth has a story about building

a spacious potting shed. There are

copies of Time, Harpers, The Atlantic,

Consumer Reports and National Geographic,

as well as many others.

Not there to read a magazine? In the

middle of the room is a small table with

the Sullivan County Democrat, the New

York Times, the River Reporter and

this newspaper. If it’s books you came

for, shelves to the left hold our newest

arrivals, both fiction and non-fiction.

You will also find books with Christian

themes and books in Spanish. Then our

fiction collection starts, alphabetically

arranged. Mysteries, books on tape and

in large print are against the wall to the

left. Biographies, junior adult, graphic

novels and an extensive collection of

DVDs are to the right. On the back wall

is our non-fiction collection.

Of course, you can come to the

library because you need to use one

of our computers, make copies or fax

something. Our staff is always there to

help you. So take a break and come

into the library. Just remember, a mask

is required. See you at the library – of

course, from a safe distance!

Marge Feuerstein

If you are interested in any of these offerings,

please visit the library at 92 Main

St. For information, call 439-5440.

RUSSIAN WINTER The World War II siege of Leningrad did not prevent Dmitri Shostakovich

from premiering his heroic seventh symphony in that city. M.T. Anderson’s Symphony for the City

of the Dead is one of two books about adversity in winter now at the LMFL. wikimedia.org photo

Two books to ease the chill

In February, a fresh perspective helps

one “buck up” and tackle the inevitability

of our winter challenges here in the

Catskills, and I do this by reading books

set in colder latitudes than

ours.

Nestled comfortably in

“these United States,” we

are constantly reminded

of how important health,

Stacey

Tromblee

home and our own safety

is. Many of us “soft sorts”

view the recent news about

Alexei Navalny’s battle with the Russian

government with real trepidation and feel

tremendous empathy for his plight. This

defiance by a Russian citizen in the face

of impossibly difficult odds reminded me

LIBRARY

NOTES

of other stalwart citizens of

Russia I have read about:

the composer who wrote his

now famous symphony during

the siege of Leningrad and the child

pianist who grew up to be a journalist in

the United States. I read these two excellent

books last February and I would like

to share their titles with you: Symphony for

the City of the Dead by Dmitri Shostakovich

by author M.T Anderson and Mastering the

Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and

Longing by Anya von Bremzen.

Both books are part biography and part

political history. Both these nonfiction

titles allow us to travel back in time to

glimpse these citizens’ longing for home

and normalcy while trapped within a dangerous

and often brutal landscape.

They also allow us to experience the

true, life affirming value of classical music

across cultures and continents. Artistic

expression can transcend cultural boundaries.

The incorruptible beauty that music

can provide in a dark land, that is war-torn

and then post-war Russia, cannot be overlooked.

The Symphony No. 7, also titled

“Leningrad,” was finally performed in this

besieged city only after being successfully

airlifted to the world.

Both the composer Shostakovich and

the young pianist von Bremzen brilliantly

create their art with a strong sense of place

and a relentless will. Leaving Russia seems

impossible for either of these citizens or

their families who lived in fear of being

purged in one of the late night raids which

continued even after the death of Stalin. A

thrilling mini history course on perseverance

in Russia during World War II and

the two decades that followed is provided

within the covers of these books.

As you already have guessed, I cheer for

the common citizen and I am fascinated by

the heroism depicted by their daily striving

to complete their art while surviving

amid the turmoil and uncertainty of Russia.

Dissonance dominates these pages.

If reading about a girl growing up in

a Soviet communal apartment down the

street from Stalin or the famous composer

writing a symphony during the siege of

Leningrad is too bleak for you in February,

and you prefer fiction, I highly recommend

these two novels also set in Russia:

City of Thieves by David Benioff and Our

Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

Both of these books travelled the book club

circuit in the last decade and are available

at your local library. As the say in Russia:

Приходите читать с нами! (Come read

with us!)

Stacey Tromblee is the director of the

Livingston Manor Free Library. Reach her at

livcirc@rcls.org.

INSIDER


NEWS STORIES BY MANOR’S JOURNALISM CLASS

HELP WITH WINTER BLUES

By Grace Heintz

There is no denying that the past

year has been nothing short of historic.

The stresses of the pandemic, political

tensions, seasonal depression and issues

caused by simply being a teenager can

negatively affect one’s mental state. If

this is the case for you, it is important

to understand that there is absolutely

nothing wrong with reaching out for

help.

Despite common stigmas, asking

for help is something that is deserved

because it’s difficult to face today’s

chaotic world alone. Depression is as

STUDENT

PERSPECTIVES

common in teenagers as

it is in adults, and there

are resources available

to aid anyone who is going through a

difficult time. At LMCS, there are three

counselors available to help students

– Mr. Towsley, Ms. Edwards and Mrs.

Dalcero. They can be reached by email

or by a visit to the guidance or elementary

offices. They are willing to help in

any way that they can.

Many people may feel uncomfortable

reaching out to someone they know;

therefore, it is important to know there

are other people available to help.

Although students may feel their problems

are not important enough, or that

they can handle them on their own, asking

for help can lighten the burden of

concerns and the emotions that go with

them. All persons should know that

their struggles and feelings are valid,

and that they are worthy and loved.

To contact an LMCS counselor, please

visit lmcs.k12.ny.us/domain/38.

Call for student videos in $1K contest

By Cameron Hoag

The year 2020 caused tremendous

heartbreak for students because of opportunities

that were taken away due to

the COVID-19 outbreak. But as 2021 begins,

the outlook has brightened because

more events are appearing for teens to

participate in.

One amazing opportunity for Livingston

Manor Central School students offers

a chance to win $1,000 in a contest sponsored

by the Rural Schools Association

of New York State. The objective of this

competition is to make a video showing

how rural communities and schools

interact, depending upon one another to

ensure the success of their students.

Because LMCS is a rural school, it’s

an excellent candidate for such a video.

Many local businesses and groups are

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

By Louis Conklin

Many students do not understand how

to apply to college, or think the application

process is too complex. Here are a

few tips to help with the process.

Before beginning a college application,

determine your interests and the career

you might want to pursue. Once you’ve

selected a career, choose a college which

offers a program of study that includes

that major. You can research those colleges’

campuses virtually or schedule a

tour to look into their communities.

There are many college degrees, beginning

with two-year programs that award

Associate degrees. There are also a fouryear

Bachelor’s degrees. Most students

graduate from college with those degrees,

but if they want to continue, there are

already involved in the school, with

collaborations that include Livingston

Manor Renaissance, Band/Chorus,

Rotary’s Interact Club and A Single Bite,

among others.

The rules for the competition specify

that the video can be no longer than three

minutes and must be uploaded to the

RSANY YouTube Collaborator Playlist by

Friday, April 2. There are few restrictions

on videos, as long as content presented is

appropriate for public viewing. Students

may submit music videos, narrated videos

in documentary style, even material

presented in the form of short plays.

After all the work is done, a student

must be the one to submit the video. The

contest is open to students in grades K

through 8 and 9 through 12, thus giving

everyone a chance to compete. The grand

prize is $1,000, but there are also a $500

six-year awards called Master’s degrees.

Really ambitious scholars can spend additional

years earning Doctorate degrees.

Attending college is very expensive, a

factor that might make some students reluctant

to apply.

STUDENT

JOURNALISTS

These stories are

reprinted from

the February

issue of LMCS’s

Manor Monthy.

But it is helpful

to know that

scholarships are

available in most

colleges. Scholarships

are given

to qualifying

students to help

pay for expenses.

ROLL ’EM Students have an opportunity to

compete in a video contest sponsored by the

Rural Schools Association. adobestock photo

first prize and a $300 second prize. For

more information, visit the RSANY website

at rsany.org. To submit an entry, go

to bit.ly.com/RSAVideoContest2021.

Applicants can also apply for financial

aid. Financial aid is a government-funded

program that helps with tuition, room

and board, and provides funds for books

needed for classes.

Once a student decides to attend college,

an application must be completed.

These forms start off with basic information

like a person’s name and the year

they graduate, and then ask about the major

the student wishes to pursue, clubs the

student would like to participate in and

what scholarships the student would like

to apply for. To learn more, here’s a guide

to the process: tinyurl.com/4k4aczld.

If college is not an option, there are

other ways that students can obtain the

skills they need to enter the workforce.

One is to join the military. There are

several branches that students can choose

from, depending on their future plans.

Another option is to go to a trade

school. Trade schools teach students

the hands-on skills needed to get a job

in whatever field they’re interested in.

Whichever path one chooses, preparation

and research are the key to success.

‘BRIDGERTON’

By Jamie Hopkins

COVID-19 quarantines still restrict people

from going out and enjoying forms

of entertainment. To cure the boredom

blues, there is no better way to pass time

than to catch up on season one of “Bridgerton.”

The series is ranked number one

according to its host Netflix.

“Bridgerton” is set in the mid-1800s in

London. The series centers around the

experiences of a widow and her eight

children, detailing how they make their

GIRL MEETS BOY “Brigerton” brings romance

to a reluctant couple. netflix.com photo

way through the Regency era while

dealing with drama, secrets and scandals.

Because all girls of age must attend

formal balls and parties if they wish to

find a husband, young men and women

of the period both struggle to figure out

their identities while learning the rules of

proper society.

A central figure in the story is an

anonymous writer who goes by the name

REVIEW

of Lady Whistledown. She

publishes articles that reveal

the dirty secrets of every person in town.

While no one knows who the writer is, she

is disliked by everyone for her invasion of

their privacy. Lady Whistledown’s articles

soon focus on Daphne Bridgerton, a

young woman whom the Queen has titled

“lady of the season.” Daphne has no desire

to get married, and it is not until she

meets the Duke of Hastings that she actually

wants to be courted. Unfortunately, he

has no interest in marriage.

Despite their resistance to serious

relationships, both fall in love with one

another and begin a complicated love

story. Will they marry? The full season of

“Bridgerton” must be viewed to find out!

Viewers should be aware that the show

is meant for mature audiences because of

its vulgar language and sex scenes.


Winters

past and

present

WHILE THE WINTER of

2020-21 may seem

endless, piles of snow

NOW &

THEN

FEATURES

are

nothing

new in Livingston Manor. A view of Pearl Street from the corner of Main,

a postcard picture taken more than a century ago, shows the hamlet just

as snowbound then as it is today. The only differences are the absence of several shops,

including the Hoos building, seen on the right in the older image. That structure, one of

the Manor’s oldest, was destroyed by fire in 2012. Manor Ink photos

Legendary last flight over

Last Chance Mountain

1934 crash brought notoriety to Manor

By Edward Lundquist | Manor Ink

In 1934, the Catskills experienced one

of the most interesting, and tragic, occurrences

in Livingston Manor’s history. In

early June, a 16-passenger biplane plummeted

from the sky, crashing into one of

the peaks near Mongaup Lake known as

Last Chance Mountain. The plane struck

the hillside, launching three passengers

clear of the metal coffin, and erupted into

flame.

At 4 p.m. on a Saturday, the American

Airlines Curtiss Condor took off from

Newark, en route to Chicago. The crew

was comprised of pilot Clyde Holbrook,

copilot John Barron and Ada Huckeby, the

stewardess. The passengers were Harry

Pinsley, a booking agent; Harold Coppins,

a factory superintendent; William Cass, an

executive of the same company; and E. W.

B. Bader, a chemical engineer.

On that unlucky day, when all of these

strangers came together, a worst nightmare

became a reality. Flying through a

storm mixed with fog, conditions were

such that even an experienced pilot

couldn’t handle them without modern

technology. To quote a contemporary

report in the Sullivan County Record, “The

tragedy again proves that while the air

has been conquered, storms and fog still

remain the undefeated enemy of aviation

and cannot be safely penetrated.”

W. H. Hallock was the first to discover

the plane’s crash site, spotting a brown

scar on the side of the mountain at around

11 a.m. on the following Monday. Dropping

as low as possible in his own plane

and confirming the wreckage location, he

flew to the Manor to tell the news. The

first to investigate were the captain of state

police and two officers, along with Hallock

and the town coroner. Following them

were about one hundred searchers.

Upon arriving at the site, they found the

charred corpses of the passengers. Thrown

from the plane were Coppins, Pinsley and

Huckeby, the latter two of which had both

been engaged to be married to their respective

fiances within a few months. As though

through some dark irony, the flight was to

have been the last plane trip Huckeby made

before quitting her job as a stewardess.

Also scattered in the 80-foot scorched

swath from the crash’s subsequent fire

Now showing

The Tiny House Project

See the display of houses in the windows of

the Laundry King, 65 Main Street

CAS Annual Appeal

Can you support the arts in the Catskills with a donation?

Please visit catskillartsociety.squarespace.com/donations-1

FEATURES


ILL-FATED CRAFT Passengers board American Airlines NC12354, the Curtiss T-32 Condor airliner

that crashed on June 9, 1934, into Last Chance Hill near Livingston Manor, killing all seven

on board. Manor Ink photo

were two mailbags, one burned and one

intact, and Bader’s personal luggage. Inside,

the coroner identified several bottles

filled with picric acid crystals, highly

explosive, which had been completely

undisturbed in the crash, along with some

documents, which, to the untrained eye,

were thought to be “secret government

documents.” They were not, just papers for

the factory, which alongside the crystals

were asked to be returned.

Following the discovery of the crash,

Livingston Manor and the surrounding

area were thrown into turmoil, with press

AIRBORNE TRAGEDY

The ill-fated American Airlines

aircraft left Newark on Saturday

afternoon bound for Syracuse and

Chicago. While overflying the state of

New York at an altitude of 2,000 feet,

the crew encountered bad weather

conditions and visibility that was

reduced by heavy rain fall and clouds.

The aircraft hit Last Chance Mountain,

located in the Catskills mountain

range some 17 miles northeast of

Livingston Manor. The whereabouts

of the plane unknown at first, rescuers

only arrived on the scene two days

later and no survivors were found

among the debris. The aircraft was

totally destroyed by impact forces and

a post-crash fire.

A local official attributed the accident

to an error caused by the pilot

who had deviated from the prescribed

flight route and apparently had tried

to fly over hazardous terrain at an altitude

too low for adverse meteorological

conditions.

From the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents

Archives, baaa-acro.com.

and sightseers coming from far and wide

to witness what had happened.

Some wreckage may still be found on

the mountain if you know where to look,

or know someone who does. To read more

about the crash, visit livingstonmanor.net/

PlaneCrash/index.htm.

Literacy Week touts

Sullivan’s dairies

Sullivan County, NY – Agricultural

Literacy Week has been celebrated by

New York Agriculture in the Classroom

for the past 17 years as a way to promote

agricultural literacy and learning

to students across New York State. Each

year, with the help of county-based coordinators,

thousands of volunteers visit

schools to read an agriculture-themed

book to elementary students. This

year, this state-wide event will be held

through virtual engagement. Volunteer

readers will read to students via video

feed from Mar. 15 through Mar. 19.

The dairy industry will be supported

in 2021 as Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish (Tales

of the Dairy Godmother) by Viola Butler

will be read to students. This is a unique

tale of agriculture with vivid illustrations

and an engaging storyline. For more

information about Agricultural Literacy

Week, visit agclassroom.org/ny.

Join or renew your membership online today! Take a tour of fly fishing history at our

museum, visit us for a trail walk, or sign up for an education program on our website.

1031 Old Rte. 17, Livingston Manor, NY • 845-439-4810 • www.cffcm.com

Real Estate & Custom Modular Homes

“If we can’t find your dream home, we’ll have it built for you.”

CAROLE

EDWARDS REALTY

(914) 799-5075 Mobile

cedwardsrealty@gmail.com

(845) 439-3620 Office

On the web: LivManor.com

Your “Local” Source

for Your Bucket List

Alaskan

Adventure

Don & Vinny

Simkin

&

7 MAIN STREET , LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY 12758

ifishhainesalaska.com | glacierviewlodgealaska.com

18 | MAR. 2021 | MANOR INK FEATURES

Rosselini opens 2021 HPAC

season with a fundraiser

By Manor Ink Staff

Hurleyville, NY – Despite heaped snow

in parking lots and frigid winter temperatures,

the arts are beginning to thaw out

and heat up in this hamlet.

Friday, Feb. 12 marked the occasion of

a “Virtual Ribbon Cutting” event for the

Hurleyville Performing Arts Center to announce

its upcoming season. Founder and

Artistic Director Janet Carrus, along with

board members and staff were joined by

Fallsburg Town Supervisor Steve Vegliante

and a total of 54 participants on Zoom.

“It’s been a rough year for staff and the

community,” asserted Carrus. She added,

UPCOMING HPAC EVENTS

n “Sex and Consequences”

Live stream fundraiser starring Isabella

Rossellini; Friday, Mar. 5, 8 p.m.

n Hula for the Family

Virtual workshop in the song and

dance of Hawai‘i. All ages and levels

welcome. Mar. 14, 21, 28, 4 p.m.

For more information and to register,

visit hurleyvilleartscentre.org.

“Hold on to your hats, because we’re going

to make it.” Executive Director Erin

Dudley explained, “We made it through

and are launching our new season with

Naturecultures, a series of performances,

workshops, and discussions that offer new

perspectives on environmental conservation.”

HPAC’s first fundraising and event of

the season will take place online Mar. 5,

at 8 p.m., in partnership with the Wildlife

Conservation Society. “Sex and Consequences,

“ featuring Isabella Rossellini

dressing up live from her home on Long

Island as fantastic creatures, will run for

40 minutes “for mature audiences.” The

live-streaming production’s director,

Paul Magid, is a co-founder of the Flying

Karamazov Brothers, the comedy juggling

group. Tal Beery, HPAC’s development

director said, “Our goal is to raise $5,000.”

The show will also include Rossellini’s

videos from her award-winning series of

shorts, “Green Porno,” “Seduce Me” and

“Mammas.” The presentation will conclude

with a question-and-answer session

with the actress.

Despite setbacks for HPAC due to

COVID-19, the staff expressed excitement

about what’s coming. “The 2021 season

REPRODUCTION PRODUCTION A scene from “Sex and Consequences,” a live-streaming

presentation starring actress and activist Isabella Rossellini. The show will benefit the Hurleyville

Performing Arts Centre. Provided photo

opens with Isabella Rossellini and will also

include free outdoor films in Morningside

Park, a celebration of Indigenous Women

filmmakers and artists, music and dance, a

series of PRIDE events, as well as a lecture

series featuring prominent scholars, artists,

and activists focused on environmental

and social justice,” said Beery.

The Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre,

located at 219 Main St., obtained its nonprofit

status as a charitable organization in

2020. It screens blockbusters and art house

films in a world class, 130-seat cinema,

hosts innovative performance events in

an elegant ballroom and offers dance and

yoga classes.

In 2021, the Tango Cafe, a restaurant, bar

and cafe as well as a teaching kitchen, is

scheduled to open and will adjoin HPAC.

It will be managed by world-famous chef

and restaurateur Tom Valenti. Valenti is

the owner of Oxbow Tavern on the Upper

West Side of Manhattan.

Individuals and organizations may also

rent HPAC spaces for private events and

film screenings.

MARYANNE LOMBARDO, D.C.

Neurologically Based Chiropractic • Infants to Seniors

1980 State Route 52 • Liberty, NY 12754

Phone: (845) 292-0702

Mail: P.O. Box 1210 • South Fallsburg, NY 12779

mychirocare@yahoo.com

My Mother died when I was 12. I got her poetry books,

and discovered Edna St. Vincent Millay, annotated in her

small teacher handwriting. I pored over her underlinings,

checks, exclamation points and notes. I thought I would

really study them, and come to inhabit and understand

my mother and her world – hermeneutics

long before I understood the word or the

concept.

A year or two later, my father, as a

special treat, would take me to Rizzoli on

Fifth Avenue and say, ”Pick any book.” I

knew that to really get my money’s worth

I should pick poems, because I could go

back to the good ones over and over. So I

chose T. S. Elliot, Carl Sandberg, Robert Burns and Karl

Shapiro. Also, “Chinese Love Poems;” “Sonnets from the

Portuguese,” Rilke (in English on facing pages – I didn’t

know German and still don’t) and Emily

Dickinson. And best of all – still! – Yeats.

It was a series of unschooled, hit or miss

choices. And while some sustained me

for a longer time than others, I loved them all, or some

parts of each, filling the edges of the pages with my own

annotations.

When I left for college, I took my favorites with me,

brought them home for vacations and then flew them

back again. I discovered John Donne, the French symbolists

and e.e. cummings. Boys, with whom I was or was not

in love, gave me copies of Verlaine’s “Il pleure dans mon

coeur” and Jacque Prevert’s “Barbara,” often accompanied

by a single red or white rose. Some wrote their own

poems and gave me careful copies; more single roses. I

kind of wished for the more palpable amulets that were

indications of love: fraternity lavalieres or small tasteful

things that would show on a chain around my neck.

I thought of the Dorothy Parker lines that go something

like, “Why is it no one ever gave me yet / One perfect

limousine, do you suppose?/ Ah no, it’s always just my

FEATURES


A lifetime shared with great books and their authors

Barbara

Martinsons

AGING

OUT LOUD

PLEASURABLE PAGES Mary Cassatt’s “Françoise in a Round-

Backed Chair, Reading,” circa 1909. wikimedia.org photo

In one mid-twenties year, I received, from

three different earnest young men, Shaw’s

An Intelligent Woman’s Guide to Socialism.

Ah, well, progress, maybe – or not.

luck to get / One perfect rose.” It wasn’t a car I wanted,

just something a bit less ephemeral.

By the time I graduated, I no longer carried Mallarme

or Yeats in my luggage every time I took a trip. And little

by little, I stopped receiving poems as well. Instead, in

one mid-twenties year, I received, from three different

earnest young men, Shaw’s An Intelligent Woman’s Guide

to Socialism. Ah, well, progress, maybe – or not.

Then it was novels for the next 50 years. A few years

ago, as I turned 70, I discovered the delights of short

stories – Alice Munro, Karen Russell, and Andrea Barrett,

Toni Cade Bambara, Junot Diaz and Aimee Bender – who

led me back to fairy tales. I read the stories with friends,

and we talk about them. What a fine, satisfying new

pleasure.

If novels seem too long these days, try short stories. The

best of them sum up our lives. Try “The Jilting of Granny

Weatherall” by Katherine Ann Porter. Or something by

David Constantine like “Tea at the Midland.” Or the

heartbreaking “The Angel Esmeralda” by Don De Lilo,

Alice Munro’s “Runaway” or Luis Alberto Urrea’s “The

Southside Raza Image Federation Corps of Discovery.”

Or almost anything by Edith Pearlman, starting with

“Blessed Harry.”

Somehow, short stories don’t tire my eyes the way

novels do, and I can usually finish one before I fall

asleep.

51 Main St., Livingston Manor • 6 am-10 pm

845-439-5430

MAIN

STREET

FARM

MARKET

CAFE

OPEN

DAILY

Mountain Top Landscaping

• Excavation

• Drainage Systems

• Land Clearing

• Retaining Walls

• Stone Work

• Tree & Shrub Planting

• Hydroseeding

Jacob Hathaway

Phone: 845-807-6484

Fully Insured


INK WELL OF HAPPINESS

WORD SEARCH

By Zachary Dertinger | Manor Ink

Find this month’s hidden words, selected just for St. Patrick’s Day.

Clover

Good Luck

Irish

St. Patrick

Green

Leprechaun

Ireland

Emerald Isle

Green Beer

Tam o’ Shanter

Irish Eyes

Erin Go Bragh

Jig

Parade

Shamrock

Cabbage

Corn Beef

Step Dancing

Everybody’s still karate

I think most people have at least heard

of the film “The Karate Kid,” but what

you may not know is that there are three

sequels, a cartoon series, a reboot and a

spin-off, and today I am here to discuss

that spin-off: “Cobra Kai.”

“Cobra Kai” recently

got picked up by Netflix

and rolled out the third

season after two seasons

as a YouTube Original. I

Osie Helper

will try my best to stay

light on the spoilers, but

there are no promises, so a warning:

there will be spoilers for all the “Karate

Kid” products, including the original,

Parts II and III, “The Next Karate Kid”

and, most importantly, “Cobra Kai.”

Now, without further delay, the review!

The two strongest aspects of “Cobra

Kai” are characterization and nostalgia.

Starting off with characterization, while

there is eventually a clear-cut villain of

the story, every character feels human.

Their actions are all understandable and

somewhat realistic,

given their history and

experiences. Our main

villain, John Kreese, is

a good example. While

Kreese is a typical

baddie in the original

Cobra Kai

Netflix 2020

Rated TV-14

HHHHH

HHHHH

trilogy, a purely evil villain, in the third

season of “Cobra Kai” he gets some depth

added to his character.

We already know that Kreese was in

the Vietnam War, but flashbacks of his

time as a soldier give us a more complete

understanding of his motives. In Kreese’s

mind, he’s never left the war, which is

why he continues to train his students to

be ruthless fighters.

All the important characters are like

this. Good or not, we understand them,

especially if you’ve seen the previous

movies, which segways nicely into the

next part of this review.

You do not have to watch the original

“Karate Kid” series in order to enjoy

“Cobra Kai,” but I’d be lying if I said see-

A cultural ‘snapshot’ in downtown Liberty

SWEET BASIL

This is the fifth in Manor Ink's series of

restaurant and recipe reviews.

Located on John Street in Liberty,

Sweet Basil is a small but vibrantly

authentic Thai restaurant. When walking

in, you can get a sense of something

new to come. Tucked away downtown in

the village, just off Main

Street, there’s plenty of

free parking. The restaurant’s

atmosphere offers a

pleasant family feel, and

the wait staff are friendly

Michelle

Adams-

Thomas

while the owners Ed and

Goy Williams are genuinely

welcoming.

Being so far from where

Sweet Basil’s cuisine originates doesn’t

mean guests can’t experience the vibrant

flavors of northern Thailand and ponder

how American cultural tastes differ. Serving

original dishes to satisfied customers

obviously gives the Williams a sense of

pride and accomplishment.

“Our goal is to bring cultural diversity,

a sort of snapshot of Goy’s homeland to

the community,” said Ed Williams.

Each of the selections was so alluring

in its own way. The spring rolls were

sweet and flavorful. They have just the

right amount of crunch and their aroma

RECIPE

is heavenly. The classic Thai

noodle soup really hits the

spot. The broth is savory with just a bit of

salt and the noodles have a nice texture,

while the vegetables give a colorful presentation

and freshness.

Begin with Tom Kha, or coconut

milk-laced soup, for a taste of traditional

SOUP TO

SAVOR

Tom Kha, a

traditional Thai

coconut milkbased

soup,

is one of the

authentic dishes

on the menu at

Sweet Basil in

Liberty.

Audrey Garro

photo

homestyle cooking. Then try the Drunken

Noodles, an example of Thai street food

or, when it’s offered as a special, the spicy

papaya salad, another delicious example

of inspired creativity by Sweet Basil’s

exceptional chef.

Sweet Basil is open for dining-in with

socially distanced seating and precautions,

and for take-out (which was very

brisk when this reviewer was there).

Hours are Thursday through Saturday,

11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. To learn more, go to

sweetbasilliberty.com or call 747-9823.

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

This is Goy William’s special recipe, served

at Sweet Basil.

Ingredients

3 cups coconut milk

1 cup sugar

1 cup half & half

1 cup whipping cream

yummly.com photo

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients and place in an

ice cream maker, chilled in advance.

2. Run maker until mixture begins to

thicken.

3. Pour thickened mixture into an 10-inch

square metal baking dish. Freeze for a few

hours, stirring occasionally. Enjoy!

INK WELL OF HAPPINESS


fighting – it’s still exciting

ing those films didn’t definitely supplement

the experience. Not only do you

have a full comprehension of the returning

characters, but you have a superior

appreciation for the new characters. Many

of these new characters have direct parallels

to those in the original movies.

An obvious example of this parallel is

in the character Miguel Diaz. Diaz is a

MEDIA

PROBE

REVIEW

new and major figure in the

show. He actually has parallels

to both the protagonist

and antagonist of the original

“Karate Kid.” Diaz shares

similarities with the previous protagonist,

Daniel LaRusso, because of his general

good nature and his upbringing in a

lower class, fatherless family. He shares

similarities with the previous antagonist,

Johnny Lawrence, because he is trained by

Lawrence.

Diaz eventually becomes more aggressive

due to his training an develops that

same type of mindset that Lawrence had.

This is only one example of the nuanced

similarities and differences that the characters

express.

Now, you can’t have a review without

looking at some of the downsides, and

I’d say “Cobra Kai’s” biggest downside is

its occasional sub-par writing and acting.

Even though this is supposed to be real

life, the characters are so overdramatic at

times they become downright silly, and

you often can’t take scenes seriously. It’s

sad that this seems to be what’s expected

of shows and movies directed at teens

nowadays. The drama is played up to the

maximum with little regard for realism

and acting. The performers aren’t too

bad, but you can straight-up feel that they

aren’t fully invested in some parts, even

though their excellent characterization

helps to cover that up.

One more small gripe I have with “Cobra

Kai”is with the fight scenes. I honestly

was very underwhelmed while watching

them. Maybe I watch too many high budget

and expertly directed martial arts films

and UFC events, but you’re taken out

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN A pivotal scene in “The Karate Kid” from 1984. The movie established

characters that have populated numerous iterations of the story since then, culminating in the

latest installment, “Cobra Kai,” on Netflix. Columbia Pictures photo

of the fight too much when you see that

punches are so obviously pulled or don’t

connect. That’s a shame because “Cobra

Kai’s” soundtrack is so dope (I’m listening

as I write). The fights don’t always do the

music justice.

Even so, “Cobra Kai” is a really good

show. Despite the sub-par acting, writing

and fight scenes at times, the characterization

and score help cover those holes. In

total, I would rate “Cobra Kai” a seven

out of ten stars. It’s not the best show I’ve

seen, but it has definitely got me hooked

and waiting for the fourth season. You

should definitely give Cobra Kai a watch

on Netflix!

Steinbeck’s novella: social commentary, and a great read

Edward

Lundquist

Usually I feel a bit odd about writing reviews

about books I read for class, but this

one is so interesting and special that I simply

couldn’t resist. Of Mice and Men is an

American classic. Written

by John Steinbeck in 1937,

it is a reflection of all the

evils and the unachievable

goals of American society.

It explores racism, misogyny

and discrimination

against people with mental

disabilities. It provides a

commentary on the death or removal of

the weak, and survival of the strong.

After its publication, many viewed the

book as a metaphor for and denunciation

of capitalism.

Some viewed it

as promoting the

core concepts of

PAGE TURNERS

the Communist

Manifesto and

cynically detailing the brutal, sad death

of the American dream, and Steinbeck

was widely considered to be a communist

sympathizer.

The novella follows George and Lennie.

George is a thin,

wiry man, and is

Lennie’s caretaker.

Lennie is a huge

man with a mental

disability that gives

him the demeanor

of a child. The

Of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck

HHHHH

Classic fiction/

Western/Allegory

Age 10 and up

two of them are trying to reach their

final goal of owning a ranch of their own

where they can live and work peacefully,

unaffected by the happenings of society

around them. But to reach this goal, they

first have to seek work at another ranch,

where they encounter a cast of characters.

Candy is an old man who is concerned

that he will soon be too old to work and

will be disposed of. Curley is the ranch

boss’s son, and a generally nasty person.

He uses his position of power, as well as

his objectified wife, to bully the rest of the

ranch workers. Curley’s wife – yes, that’s

the name she is given in the book – is a

sad woman who seeks attention, and is

generally spited because she is a woman

and because of her connection to Curley.

Crooks is a black man with a broken back,

and that makes him an easy target for the

TRAGIC STORY A movie poster for the first

film adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic tale

of exploitation. wikimedia.org photo

rest of them through discrimination.

Plans often go awry, mainly because

of Lennie’s infant-like fixation with soft

things, like mice, dogs, rabbits, hair and

dresses. George tries his best to protect

him, but with all of the distractions and

people who make Lennie do bad things,

that becomes a difficult (and ultimately

unachievable) task.

Steinbeck writes with great pacing.

The novella is the perfect length, includes

all the details and information needed

to wrap up everything perfectly at the

conclusion. Everything he writes means

something. All details add up, all scenery

is allegorical, all descriptions connect with

a person or situation in society. For such a

short, speedy read, Of Mice and Men provides

an incredibly detailed and profound

description of life and loss of hope. It can

serve as a great starter for a discussion of

what needs to be changed in the world. I

cannot recommend it enough. This is an

incredibly accessible story. Five out of five

stars.

To parents: The worst part of this

novella is that the story is kind of sad.

Apart from that, the only real existing issue

is an uncomfortable use of racial slurs,

although not without purpose. They serve

to intentionally highlight injustice.

22 | MAR. 2021 | MANOR INK SPORTS

REGAL EVENT Beautiful weather greeted hundreds of

bundled-up fisherman for the county’s Conservation Club “King

of Ice” contest. Taking the crown for his winning walleye was

Hayden Carnell, right. Sullivan County Conservation Club photos

Fish ‘king’ crowned

White Lake, NY – It was a great day for fishing – temperatures

in the 20s, bright sun, blue skies. Over four

hundred eager anglers braved the cold temperatures

on Sunday, Feb. 21, to spread out over the ice covering

White and Kauneonga lakes for a chance to win the Sullivan

County Conservation Club’s annual “King of the

Ice” competition.

In an ironic twist, the contest was over in less than

half-an-hour when Hayden Carnell hooked an 8.2 lb.,

26.5-inch walleye at the start of the event. Throughout

the remainder of the day, no other fisherman caught a

fish of greater size, and it was Carnell who was eventually

crowned as 2021’s “King.”

COURT ACTION

BALL IN PLAY

While Section IX

regulations did not allow

spectators to attend

LMCS basketball games

in person, hoops events

were live-streamed so

fans and families could

watch them at home.

Because there were no

playoffs, LMCS’s last boys

and girls games ended

on Feb. 27. Seen here in a

match-up with Roscoe’s

Blue Devils are, from

left, seniors Case LeRoy,

James Linko, Connor

Gorr, Austin Fulton and

Devin Gonzalez.

Photo courtesy of LMCS

MARCH

ONGOING

Livingston Manor

Free Library

Open with health precautions

from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays

except 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursdays,

10 a.m.-noon Saturdays. Storytime

for March is 11:15-11:45

a.m. Tuesdays and 10:30-11:15

a.m. Saturdays; 92 Main St.,

Livingston Manor. livingstonmanorlibrary.org

Ethelbert B. Crawford

Public Library

Now providing 20-minute slots

for browsing the collections;

also offering public computer

use for 30 minutes per day by

appointment. Call 794-4660,

ext. 4 or 5 to schedule an

appointment; 479 Broadway,

Monticello; ebcpl.org

Liberty Public Library

Open Mondays, Wednesdays

and Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.;

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10

a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 10

a.m.-4 p.m. Call 292-6070 to

schedule an appointment to

use the library for 30-minute

periods for computers, copying/

faxing, browsing/checkout, or

for a tour. Patrons can also

place holds on items via the

library’s website and pick them

up curbside. 189 N. Main St.,

Liberty. libertypubliclibrary.org

Hurleyville Arts Centre

Hula Dancing for the Family

Sundays in March, beginning

Mar. 14; 4 p.m.; register online

for Zoom class; 219 Main

Street, Hurleyville. hurleyvilleartscentre.org

Bethel Woods

Center for the Arts

Please check website for events

and updates. 200 Hurd Rd.,

Bethel. bethelwoodscenter.org

Delaware Valley

Arts Alliance

Galleries open with safety

requirements; please check

website for updates. Offering

virtual exhibits on Facebook

and Instagram; 37 Main St.,

Narrowsburg; delawarevalleyartsalliance.org;

facebook.com/

DelawareValleyArtsAlliance;

instagram.com/dvartsalliance

Inklings

A LISTING OF FUN THINGS TO DO

Send your event to editor@manorink.org

PLEASE NOTE Due to the ongoing effects of the coronavirus

pandemic and mandated social distancing, many events listed here

have new safety requirements. Please check websites for specifics.

Catskill Art Society

Open with safety requirements

at Laundry King; also offering

art activities for children online;

48 Main St., Livingston Manor.

catskillartsociety.org

Caregiver Support Groups

The third Tuesday of each month

at 5 p.m. for those who care for

a person or persons with a dementia;

every Wednesday at 6:30

p.m. for family caregivers; hosted

online by Cornell Cooperative

Extension; register at 292-6180,

ext. 122, or at sullivancce.org/

events

MARCH 1-31

Exhibit: Threadbare

Work by Sariah Park

Through Saturday, Mar. 27;

11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Loft Gallery,

Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, 37

Main St., Narrowsburg. delawarevalleyartsalliance.org

Medicare 101

Tuesday, Mar. 2; 6-8 p.m.; register

online for Zoom presentation

with James Farnham; Ethelbert

B. Crawford Public Library, 479

Broadway, Monticello. ebcpl.org

Irish Immigrants in

Sullivan County

Thursday, Mar. 4; 6-7 p.m.; register

online for Zoom presentation

with historian John Conway;

Ethelbert B. Crawford Public Library,

479 Broadway, Monticello.

ebcpl.org

Drive Through Donuts

Friday, Mar. 6; 8 a.m.-noon;

CALENDAR

Daniel Pierce Library, 328 Main

St., Grahamsville. facebook.

com/danielpiercelibrary

Spring into Seeding

With John W. Story

Sunday, Mar. 7; 2 p.m.; register

for Zoom presentation at info@

timeandthevalleysmuseum.org;

Time and the Valleys Museum,

332 Main St., Grahamsville.

timeandthevalleysmuseum.org

EXPLORE YOUR INNER THOMAS COLE

Noted artist Shawn Dell Joyce is not only a skilled painter,

she’s also a capable teacher who inspires the best in

students. She’s the executive director of the Wallkill River

School of Art, and you can take a virtual art lesson with

her on Tuesday, Mar. 9, at 6 p.m. Register online for the

Zoom presentation, hosted by Monticello’s Ethelbert B.

Crawford Public Library, at ebcpl.org.


The Battle of Minisink

With Glenn Pontier

Thursday, Mar. 11; 7 p.m.;

register online at register.

gotowebinar.com/register/7682876394452956176;

Ten Mile River Scout Museum,

Narrowsburg. tmrmuseum.org

Civil War Letters

Lecture with Diana McCarthy


register for Zoom presentation

at lib@rcls.org. Liberty Public

Library, 189 N. Main St., Liberty.

libertypubliclibrary.org

Curator Happy Hour

With Dr. Neal V. Hitch

Thursday, Mar. 11; 6 p.m.; register

online for Zoom presentation at

bethelwoodscenter.org/events/curator-happy-hour;

Bethel Woods

Center for the Arts, 200 Hurd Rd.,

Bethel. bethelwoodscenter.org

Medicare 101

Saturday, Mar. 13; 10 a.m.-noon;

register for Zoom presentation at

bit.ly/2KhU32v; Ramapo Catskill

Library System. rcls.org

Ice Fishing at

Ten Mile River

With Carl Lindsley


register online at register.

gotowebinar.com/register/1772899140575660304;

Ten Mile River Scout Museum,

Narrowsburg. tmrmuseum.org

Board of Trustees Meeting

Livingston Manor Free Library

Monday, Mar. 22; 5-6 p.m.; for

Zoom link, email Stacey Tromblee

at staceytromblee@gmail.com


FEATURES

‘I’m grateful every day

for the small success that

Guerilla Toss has had.’

Peter Negroponte

Drummer for Guerilla Toss

By Nadine Osborne | Manor Ink

The first ten seconds of Guerilla

Toss’s new single, “Human

Girl,” can only be described as a

sensory explosion. Synth tones,

rapid percussion and a smattering of

electric guitar riffs meld together into

an auditorily stunning experience that

grabs your attention and doesn’t let go.

At least, it grabbed mine. One click

after another, I found myself obsessively

listening to song after

song, including, but not limited

to, “Own Zone,” “Plants” and

“Magic Is Easy.” This unique and immersive

musical sensibility is reflected

throughout the band’s 12 albums, which

typically consist of no more than eight

songs and feature cover art that is psychedelic

in nature.

Their debut album, “Gay Disco,”

which was released in 2013, is quite

different from their most recent works,

with a rougher, more dissonant edge

and complex time signatures. It is loud,

bold and expressive. So loud, in fact,

that I had to lower the volume.

Their longest album, “Twisted Crystal,”

consists largely of gently distorted

ARTIST

PROFILE

Music inspired by dogs, ice cream, etc.

GT melds influences into immersive blend

vocals overlying strange electronic

noises. It is significantly calmer and

more palatable than “Gay Disco,” but

still quite strong rhythmically and occasionally

bold in its volume.

Each album has something new to

bring to the table, exploring a niche subgenre

of rock that isn’t easily described

with a simplistic term. Peter Negroponte,

the band’s drummer since its formation

in 2012, lives near Livingston Manor. He

describes Guerilla Toss as a psychedelicpunk-funk-noise-pop

band, an impressively

hyphenated term the likes of

which the music industry has never seen.

The band’s self-description isn’t the

only complex aspect of their brand.

GUERILLA TOSS

Selected discography | guerillatoss.com

CD releases

n Gay Disco, 2013

n Eraser Stargazer, 2016

n GT Ultra, 2017

n Twisted Crystal, 2018

n Live in Nashville, 2016

EP releases

n 367 Equalizer, 2014

n Smack the Brick, 2014

n Flood Dosed, 2015

n What Would the

Odd Do?, 2019

Each of their pieces is clearly the

product of an elaborate creative process

influenced by countless external factors.

As Negroponte puts it, “Our music is

inspired by a wide spectrum of musical

genres, movies, books, dogs, animals,

hiking, plants and ice cream flavors.”

For each four minute song, there is

a dedicated process to which every

band member contributes, with Kassie

Carlson providing lead vocals, Stephe

Cooper on bass, Sam Lisabeth on keyboards,

Arian Shafiee on guitar and, of

course, Negroponte himself on drums.

Unfortunately, this process often goes

unappreciated due to the way the music

industry functions nowadays. Instead of

HYPHENATED Guerilla Toss is,

from left, Kassie Carlson, Sam

Lisabeth, Stephe Cooper, Peter

Negroponte and Arian Shafiee.

Napping is Watley. Provided photo

paying for recorded music in the form

of a vinyl LP or a CD, listeners gravitate

toward streaming services, which Negroponte

describes as “a double edged

sword.”

The mass-distribution of music in a

compact, accessible format is obviously

a great technological advancement, but

it also greatly reduces artist remuneration

because their work is often freely

accessible to non-paying listeners. While

uploading music to YouTube or Spotify

promotes growth in popularity and,

consequently, improved name recognition

for musicians, there are also negative

consequences.

“The downside is that artists are paid

a fraction of a penny for every stream,”

Negroponte said.

There’s no shame in enjoying music

without the hassle of purchasing it, but

it’s important to remember the artists’

needs and offer them support if you

truly enjoy their work. Perhaps patronize

their official website by purchasing

merchandise or recommend them to a

friend. After all, Negroponte said, “I’m

grateful every day for the small success

that Guerilla Toss has had.” Why not

help promote that success?

Manor Ink March 2021

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