tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57237097016841737082024-03-19T04:48:42.753-04:00The Gossips of RivertownCarole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.comBlogger13088125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-91159922732952957872024-03-18T13:16:00.000-04:002024-03-18T13:16:51.480-04:00Meetings and Events in the Week Ahead<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This week we will likely learn the difference between the first day of spring and the first spring day. Some may feel we've already had our first spring day, but Tuesday, which is the first day of spring, is expected to be mostly cloudy with a high temperature of 44 degrees. Meanwhile, here are some other things that are happening.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">On <b>Monday, March 18</b>, at 4:00 p.m., Center for the Living City presents "A City Cannot Be a Work of Art: Learning Economics and Social Theory from Jane Jacobs." The event is a conversation between <a href="https://fee.org/people/sandy-ikeda/">Sanford Ikeda</a> and Roberta Brandes Gratz. To register for the virtual event, go to <a href="http://centerforthelivingcity.org">centerforthelivingcity.org</a>.</span></li></ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYsfP_N12QrxZjC-_dQ_ot66D-Sl8dtubV9gCnuMVkdy3L4rzm8Anr-cMiiAFadYLbp7rRk5TZRUMl8YOnx0FCqvaKy-3vALEG58u2JDKKHldlkFP2lxUyglECZRfhh8J1I8DkigWi6TzR3FrozyP9bCGLh6t2im47jNiENVnuyZIMteZd5ecP_taeUuK/s921/lecture%203-18-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="328" data-original-width="921" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYsfP_N12QrxZjC-_dQ_ot66D-Sl8dtubV9gCnuMVkdy3L4rzm8Anr-cMiiAFadYLbp7rRk5TZRUMl8YOnx0FCqvaKy-3vALEG58u2JDKKHldlkFP2lxUyglECZRfhh8J1I8DkigWi6TzR3FrozyP9bCGLh6t2im47jNiENVnuyZIMteZd5ecP_taeUuK/s320/lecture%203-18-24.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">At 6:00, p.m. on <b>Monday, March 18</b>, another reinstated Common Council committee, the Finance Committee, meets for the first time. The committee is made up of five councilmembers: Lola Roberts (Third Ward), Vicky Daskaloudi (Fifth Ward), Shershah Mizan (Third Ward), Margaret Morris (First Ward), and Rich Volo (Fourth Ward). The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Microsoft Teams. Click <b><a href="https://www.hudsonny.gov/calendar.php?view=day&month=03&day=18&year=2024&calendar=&id=193">here</a> </b>to find the link to join the meeting remotely.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Also on <b>Monday, March 18</b>, at 6:00 p.m., the Hudson Housing Authority Board of Commissioners holds its monthly meeting. As always with this meeting, there is the chance more information will be revealed about HHA's development plans. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person in the Community Room at Bliss Towers, 41 North Second Street, and on Zoom. Click <b><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83079664569?pwd=ZEZHVmx0QmZGT3lJc0UrejB5eGpmUT09">here</a> </b>to join the meeting remotely.</span></li></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAe5pq587oDTeWAaHt03o8C792wUoaCpjYmAngiahwobc7CfMvleOiLiMt2jKMMDruZup6JeCWPWnGVD4_eHZSe5c2yUCbR2dftCtppHNMme2XkEc6pXjS5iWoNnI_iJ_s0uBszVIgoebPmsWhJft46Z-GGUpOnzFkONkAqgYfvo0DU7AgFx47bW3yEaG1/s843/HHA%20current%20Google%20aerial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="843" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAe5pq587oDTeWAaHt03o8C792wUoaCpjYmAngiahwobc7CfMvleOiLiMt2jKMMDruZup6JeCWPWnGVD4_eHZSe5c2yUCbR2dftCtppHNMme2XkEc6pXjS5iWoNnI_iJ_s0uBszVIgoebPmsWhJft46Z-GGUpOnzFkONkAqgYfvo0DU7AgFx47bW3yEaG1/s320/HHA%20current%20Google%20aerial.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">On <b>Tuesday, March 19</b>, the Common Council holds its regular monthly meeting at 6:00 p.m. New on the agenda for the meeting is a <a href="https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/Common%20Council/Agendas%20Meeting%20Documents/2024/March/Home%20Rule%20Resolution%20-%20Lodging%20Tax%20Rate%203-19-24.pdf">resolution</a> authorizing the submission of a Home Rule request to raise the lodging tax in Hudson from 4 percent to 5 percent. Council president Tom DePietro has twice mentioned in public meetings the intention to increase the lodging tax by 1 percent, proposing that the revenue from that 1 percent increase be dedicated to the Housing Trust Fund. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Microsoft Teams. Click <b><a href="https://www.hudsonny.gov/calendar.php?view=day&month=03&day=19&year=2024&calendar=&id=194">here</a> </b>to find the link to join the meeting remotely. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">On <b>Wednesday, March 20</b>, the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) meets at 6:00 p.m. The agenda for the meeting indicates there are two projects before the ZBA, both requiring area variances. The first is a proposal to build a two-story residential structure behind 456 Union Street; the second is the proposal to construct two attached houses at <a href="https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2024/03/coming-to-state-street.html">309 and 311 State Street</a>. The meeting takes place in person only at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street.</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jg2IyyzjsgejggLIjvy0GpkjIG0fuMDq-GgRXpZFoyImEUsAEzXyRaxTCYb4CoMLHFM5C6qmzWmLBPIrKx-Wpxd58NPiL5elQLMcaReh_BQ90kN-ykdQvjLkkd3hXkGyzHEKYA2Bg4lNiAkmP_t3N817VjJUjTUIB_yrKjC5roubHP7JC5xTNvZjQgJw/s1286/309%20and%20311%20State.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1286" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jg2IyyzjsgejggLIjvy0GpkjIG0fuMDq-GgRXpZFoyImEUsAEzXyRaxTCYb4CoMLHFM5C6qmzWmLBPIrKx-Wpxd58NPiL5elQLMcaReh_BQ90kN-ykdQvjLkkd3hXkGyzHEKYA2Bg4lNiAkmP_t3N817VjJUjTUIB_yrKjC5roubHP7JC5xTNvZjQgJw/s320/309%20and%20311%20State.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">On <b>Thursday, March 21</b>, The Olana Partnership holds its monthly free Third Thursday event from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Olana State Historic Site. This month's event includes, at 11:00 a.m., a free Lunch & Learn talk entitled "Women of Olana," exploring the untold histories of Olana's female residents, their social circles, and their artistic contributions. Beginning at 1:00 p.m., there is a free drop-in printmaking workshop that allows participants to experiment with technologies used in the late 19th century: letter press, engraving, woodcut, and lithography. For more information, visit <a href="http://olana.org/ThirdThursdays/">olana.org/ThirdThursdays/</a>. </span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0Pi1Q4ioLmb9c4C-g3FztPKTBHeMHa2y8Jx8zQRXOLdeq1FgGwgtxbv_2AA0RdvS9RoblKzsrzVU2IB99drjJJ0_613fc-MvWxyLQnpCHpPlYT6GJmW92VZsApEkz2P5QPpjijaAheDUz5yduhpsFkflZYf3I-KRbnPl-G_VCX3UoWZpBA50byw0opK7v" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="532" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0Pi1Q4ioLmb9c4C-g3FztPKTBHeMHa2y8Jx8zQRXOLdeq1FgGwgtxbv_2AA0RdvS9RoblKzsrzVU2IB99drjJJ0_613fc-MvWxyLQnpCHpPlYT6GJmW92VZsApEkz2P5QPpjijaAheDUz5yduhpsFkflZYf3I-KRbnPl-G_VCX3UoWZpBA50byw0opK7v" width="314" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">On <b>Friday, March 22</b>, the Historic Preservation Commission holds its second meeting of the month at 10:00 a.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Microsoft Teams. Click <b><a href="https://www.hudsonny.gov/calendar.php?view=day&month=03&day=22&year=2024&calendar=&id=196">here</a> </b>to find the link to join the meeting remotely.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-63449457323874797762024-03-17T13:32:00.000-04:002024-03-17T13:32:34.347-04:00Population Change Since the Last Census<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Last week, the <i>Albany Business Review </i>had an article about population loss in New York State: <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/albany/news/2024/03/14/new-york-county-populations-census.html?utm_source=st&utm_medium=en&utm_campaign=EX&utm_content=al&ana=e_al_EX&j=34699098&senddate=2024-03-15">"New Census data show NY's population decline mostly coming from downstate."</a> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Between 2020 and 2023, the population of New York State dropped by 631,104. The chart below, taken from the article, shows the population change since the 2020 Census in the counties of the Capital Region. According this information, Columbia County's population decreased by 1,090 between 2020 and 2023.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjYzvCDMB-Epw_C4Sg_rLBIUIu9S8FMp1ncq_mZQxLTE-ZJVG5H7sV1lM-jzg5m6Z2kQjQT5-iCNwkcc8fRNXkkxGAtHnyrpM58RhoubfUbiYFWboMZFl6_dOMkSUO_wUgf_4eIvqiAQEBh4mTW8USMrny1WNj50C5XLHvjDyAXb_waMHd8qOH2Hjui4P/s941/population%20change%202020-2023%20ABR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="941" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjYzvCDMB-Epw_C4Sg_rLBIUIu9S8FMp1ncq_mZQxLTE-ZJVG5H7sV1lM-jzg5m6Z2kQjQT5-iCNwkcc8fRNXkkxGAtHnyrpM58RhoubfUbiYFWboMZFl6_dOMkSUO_wUgf_4eIvqiAQEBh4mTW8USMrny1WNj50C5XLHvjDyAXb_waMHd8qOH2Hjui4P/w400-h254/population%20change%202020-2023%20ABR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-54388499970731754242024-03-16T16:29:00.000-04:002024-03-16T16:29:01.367-04:00Art and Commerce: Then and Now<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Olana Partnership and Carrie Haddad Gallery collaborate for a closing conversation marking the end of the exhibition <i><a href="https://www.olana.org/SPECTACLE/">SPECTACLE: Frederic Church and the Business of Art</a>. </i>During this special panel conversation, which takes place on Thursday, March 28, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m., Carrie Haddad will speak about her more than thirty years as a gallerist in Hudson.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdqM_e5POh3B28ecN6PbqhTvU69WvE4qs3p9G9jsuFQl3vQ8hppP2KrdAkoiNDt-NOXB7bGAeY5MUgjVWD1VwOpDsahgoj0e-ZFZwbQb1dbJ9Z7oeJI6mfYKxz169cUA4x-Ghi2J-nerK15UhnhwtvYxCSjwxNmWCSb5O7pRKeErP5lZC21w9y_SqDc_M/s800/carrie-haddad-headshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdqM_e5POh3B28ecN6PbqhTvU69WvE4qs3p9G9jsuFQl3vQ8hppP2KrdAkoiNDt-NOXB7bGAeY5MUgjVWD1VwOpDsahgoj0e-ZFZwbQb1dbJ9Z7oeJI6mfYKxz169cUA4x-Ghi2J-nerK15UhnhwtvYxCSjwxNmWCSb5O7pRKeErP5lZC21w9y_SqDc_M/s320/carrie-haddad-headshot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"I have always been so drawn to artists for their ability to see things differently. And an a gallerist I feel so lucky to be a supporter and a collaborator to help them bring that vision to the public," said Haddad.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Inspired by Frederic Church's own relationship with the art market, this informal conversation will examine how art and commerce shape the way artists relate to their work and their environments. Hear insights about the contemporary state of the market with gallerists Lena Petersen and Linden Scheff and artists Carl Grauer (Poughkeepsie) and Jane Bloodgood-Abrams (Kingston). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Olana's <i>SPECTACLE </i>exhibition, highlighting Frederic Church's own business acumen, provides the perfect occasion to highlight longtime Hudson gallerist Carrie Haddad," said Carolyn Keogh, director of education and public programs for The Olana Partnership. "This lively program will examine the contemporary state of the market and highlight Carrie's important work with artists of the Hudson Valley for more than thirty years."</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The event will take place at 127 Union Street in Hudson. Further details will be sent upon registration. Participants will be invited to share their own questions for panelists during a moderated question-and-answer session. The program will be followed by a reception with light refreshments.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Space is very limited, and registration is required. To register to the event, visit <a href="http://www.olana.org/programs-events/">www.olana.org/programs-events/</a>.</span></div></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-74957273332762418732024-03-15T13:18:00.001-04:002024-03-15T13:31:34.638-04:00News of the Comprehensive Plan<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It's been six months since <i>Gossips </i>reported anything about the comprehensive plan, but apparently that doesn't mean there was nothing to report. It only means that City Hall has been releasing no information about the work that is going on. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In September 2023, Celeste Frye, the CEO of <a href="https://publicworkspartners.com/">Public Works Partners</a>, the consultants hired to help with the new comprehensive plan, shared this timeline in her presentation to the Common Council.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAA6Q32DzfwRD1IoR2GajfVGdRsNarFtxokxcpQhRHsarzWPfaLF8OwDrbGuMWX2hXjyI06Cld4gh7jFuz11TVvFJftwbWwlKxDn7MlLKAMYk4VIezVITX4vGmtBwXoJhbB8abVC4yjMHLZ1meccARawA3t-3Nnm7tRPFCHzf8CtnjNVFNXtWekbBBYmP/s1224/comp%20plan%202023%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="1224" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAA6Q32DzfwRD1IoR2GajfVGdRsNarFtxokxcpQhRHsarzWPfaLF8OwDrbGuMWX2hXjyI06Cld4gh7jFuz11TVvFJftwbWwlKxDn7MlLKAMYk4VIezVITX4vGmtBwXoJhbB8abVC4yjMHLZ1meccARawA3t-3Nnm7tRPFCHzf8CtnjNVFNXtWekbBBYmP/w400-h223/comp%20plan%202023%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Six months in, we should be well into the public engagement phase, but that doesn't seem to be the case. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Reporting to the Common Council at its informal meeting on Monday, Michelle Tullo, Hudson's housing justice manager, said she was "heading up" the comprehensive plan, saying there have been "internal meetings" with Public Works Partners. Questions from councilmembers elicited the information that those present at those internal meetings were Mayor Kamal Johnson, Council president Tom DePietro, mayor's aide Michael Hofmann, and Tullo. It was also revealed that a steering committee has been established, but it has not been revealed who is on that steering committee. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In July, <i>Gossips </i>reported that a <a href="https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2023/07/city-hall-in-palm-of-your-hand.html">call for volunteers</a> for the steering committee appeared on the app Hudson Hub and nowhere else. Whether or not the steering committee was drawn from those who volunteered is not known, but it seems unlikely given what DePietro said on Monday. According to DePietro, the steering committee is made up of twelve people "who are not involved in politics at all." He elaborated, "The idea was to reach out to a demographic that doesn't normally show up to these kinds of meetings." DePietro described the goal of the comprehensive plan by saying, "A big part of this is smart growth--how do we grow smartly rather than letting things happen randomly."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Hudson's previous comprehensive plan was adopted in 2002. That plan can be found <a href="https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/document_center/Business/126.pdf" style="font-weight: bold;">here</a>. The new comprehensive plan is costing $208,000, one third of which is covered by a grant. Presumably the rest of the money is coming from the general fund. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-9696572381373408532024-03-15T11:29:00.004-04:002024-03-15T13:56:55.282-04:00Spring Parking News<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mayor Kamal Johnson first made the announcement last night on his Facebook page and on the "Unfiltered Hudson" Facebook page.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2n8BuBfgifPeNhqiNQvgx_6Izr2GVHNHX5L_iiPN5nUGsysr2YtH4IbN6aprpDLOVUzrVwxMU5JZcPo8EoI2HdFDvJK3l8w8cg1oSPsTGpclqN_ztwq4VJ401CgYOvTN-_GCeECAWdLFCEeKicfw3Wmi4k6u6MGlKUp4jmRMNtA1WrHGdTC3W-Lik6UVX/s729/parking%20spring%202024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="729" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2n8BuBfgifPeNhqiNQvgx_6Izr2GVHNHX5L_iiPN5nUGsysr2YtH4IbN6aprpDLOVUzrVwxMU5JZcPo8EoI2HdFDvJK3l8w8cg1oSPsTGpclqN_ztwq4VJ401CgYOvTN-_GCeECAWdLFCEeKicfw3Wmi4k6u6MGlKUp4jmRMNtA1WrHGdTC3W-Lik6UVX/w400-h93/parking%20spring%202024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Now, the news also appears on the <a href="https://www.hudsonny.gov/news_detail_T10_R638.php">City Of Hudson website</a>. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Beginning tonight, alternate side of the street parking rules for overnight parking are suspended on weekends until further notice. </span></div></div></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">From Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday, cars parked on the street overnight can be parked on either side of the street.</span></p>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-44087910004148590312024-03-14T16:00:00.002-04:002024-03-14T16:03:30.072-04:00Promises, Promises . . .<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A listing on <a href="https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/356-Union-St-1-Hudson-NY-12534/2075328495_zpid/">Zillow</a> posted on a Facebook community board this morning raised quite a stir. It was for a one-bedroom apartment at 356 Union Street. The rent for the unit is $2,300 a month.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5-lgOILultdCIjX492UnNZxTXQelYYKhG6vawknRffafiAA0VoDPGd-zHwCUAl76V4w61hbSl_u2X8pbSp8_osZxPM7zijHEdXiDvMrcV_KYve_gUzzYEzrvil0-h2UBOgFC_r6lNYO5ddA3INBN-bExVSPjxtgWaQ_u4M75YUD6ZDXBb-34LwZYC61H/s909/356%20Union%20Zillow.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="909" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5-lgOILultdCIjX492UnNZxTXQelYYKhG6vawknRffafiAA0VoDPGd-zHwCUAl76V4w61hbSl_u2X8pbSp8_osZxPM7zijHEdXiDvMrcV_KYve_gUzzYEzrvil0-h2UBOgFC_r6lNYO5ddA3INBN-bExVSPjxtgWaQ_u4M75YUD6ZDXBb-34LwZYC61H/w400-h311/356%20Union%20Zillow.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Photo: Zillow</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;">What is most interesting to <i>Gossips </i>about this apartment in the mansion that was originally the <a href="https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2018/09/properties-identified-with-historic.html">home of Dr. H. Lyle Smith</a>, one of Hudson's luminaries in the decades following the Civil War, is not what many would consider the exorbitant rent but the building's recent history with the Galvan Foundation and its many iterations.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Galvan acquired the building in July 2004. At that time, the building had been carved up into a rabbit warren of apartments. It is not known how many people lived there, but after Galvan acquired it, the building was emptied of tenants and would remain so for almost two decades. In 2012, ownership of the building was transferred from Galvan Partners to Galvan Initiatives Foundation, and in 2018, ownership was transferred to Galvan Civic Housing LLC.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In May 2017, at an <a href="https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2017/05/news-from-affordable-housing-forum.html">Affordable Housing Hudson forum</a>, Jason O'Toole, then a Galvan Foundation factotum, announced Galvan's commitment to creating 20 to 25 new units of affordable housing in the next three years. The units would be for families with incomes from 50 to 80 percent of the area median income (AMI), which at the time was $74,900. <a href="https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2018/03/more-housing-units-to-come-from-galvan.html">The next year</a>, in March 2018, O'Toole increased the number of apartments to 29. Each time, seven two-bedroom units at 356 Union Street were part of the commitment. The following list of promised Galvan units is from Hudson's 2018 Strategic Housing Action Plan:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8i6pxcwyaFoYjC4w2gxe-dm01Twv8JS01FgIr449ermk-jJ-C4TzdKgKVqULUQx6MV-xAyYr0nOxfmeD3QpZxlYqHutkIH9H8HJlKSlaYxsE8C74XVHMWdM-F6Q9Q2Ccb1-tunQ96FHNW0LZ5Dv4DOOCAWhMH4GIiIk3m4rWfMmAwtNjDXeWXPZfa6dmF/s400/SHAP%20Galvan%20detail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8i6pxcwyaFoYjC4w2gxe-dm01Twv8JS01FgIr449ermk-jJ-C4TzdKgKVqULUQx6MV-xAyYr0nOxfmeD3QpZxlYqHutkIH9H8HJlKSlaYxsE8C74XVHMWdM-F6Q9Q2Ccb1-tunQ96FHNW0LZ5Dv4DOOCAWhMH4GIiIk3m4rWfMmAwtNjDXeWXPZfa6dmF/s320/SHAP%20Galvan%20detail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The first sign of any progress toward restoring the building came in March 2012 (eight years after Galvan acquired it), when the pinkish asphalt shingles that had been on the house were removed to reveal the original clapboard.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NBVf2xTG-x9Sx5i_jwMteu1Q0dK5Lna53mwn55G0ewm92ALWBk16hl3Lzv13-DKx-bfyrhEvgzZRR0J4n8_bQ_Q5JfCxEaomGSffw6DN9R0Y0bQWjhEuRQ3QbDpjHBUaGuMYiG1IFp8ZIvryoc5R1gjgjl21uazjcHjrXKZuhVxRwzzp3UsmTQ6EtcH4/s400/356_Union_unveiled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="400" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NBVf2xTG-x9Sx5i_jwMteu1Q0dK5Lna53mwn55G0ewm92ALWBk16hl3Lzv13-DKx-bfyrhEvgzZRR0J4n8_bQ_Q5JfCxEaomGSffw6DN9R0Y0bQWjhEuRQ3QbDpjHBUaGuMYiG1IFp8ZIvryoc5R1gjgjl21uazjcHjrXKZuhVxRwzzp3UsmTQ6EtcH4/w400-h303/356_Union_unveiled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div>After the shingles were removed, another six years passed before any further work on the house was undertaken. </span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEX_AzWyFaz5Xglkk664wBRS99Nxqy8kW52YLqVYfnBkq5gajhFofeMWcaHdRn3AfLOQ1gFArBkqSDqrUDPnyNb1-uf1GjfpmeM2Sfyk7hrvnqe3D-UPK0rwOIBnPCQtUniYiVhyphenhyphen7WwPYW9DdZzxkwsKrcRCYNyJ4JVmBBB01AAaqZ_f2FVvzSbsAilHe/s400/356%20Union%20roof%20work.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEX_AzWyFaz5Xglkk664wBRS99Nxqy8kW52YLqVYfnBkq5gajhFofeMWcaHdRn3AfLOQ1gFArBkqSDqrUDPnyNb1-uf1GjfpmeM2Sfyk7hrvnqe3D-UPK0rwOIBnPCQtUniYiVhyphenhyphen7WwPYW9DdZzxkwsKrcRCYNyJ4JVmBBB01AAaqZ_f2FVvzSbsAilHe/w400-h300/356%20Union%20roof%20work.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">In July 2019, when <a href="https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2019/07/progress-report-galvan-housing.html"><i>Gossips </i>did an update</a> on the 29 apartments Galvan had committed to providing, Dan Kent, then as now the spokesperson for Galvan, said they expected the restoration of 356 Union Street to be completed by the fall of 2019.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8z6H8KV933jOfx2F8TgdN49VjtNitYjFwns8BzBfPzaPq5W5gPF_F_pUvl-LKMsYz2pZl24wZkP9MQtAc6s_QeXMRRf0BgySKWKCIHz4qOerGefx6siZbhABD5Iia1I0axv0373N4dmccs4tNmd-N1G9T2cljKGpO9ooy4Zifo43GK5PbWu9pIfwpuzRx/s400/356%20Union%2007-02-2019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8z6H8KV933jOfx2F8TgdN49VjtNitYjFwns8BzBfPzaPq5W5gPF_F_pUvl-LKMsYz2pZl24wZkP9MQtAc6s_QeXMRRf0BgySKWKCIHz4qOerGefx6siZbhABD5Iia1I0axv0373N4dmccs4tNmd-N1G9T2cljKGpO9ooy4Zifo43GK5PbWu9pIfwpuzRx/w400-h300/356%20Union%2007-02-2019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">It is not clear exactly when the restoration was completed, but in November 2020, the <a href="https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2020/11/another-galvan-property-for-sale.html">house was on the market</a> for $1.25 million. There were not seven two-bedroom apartments, as Galvan had promised, but only five apartments. And, of course, the new owner would be under no obligation to make them affordable.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kIMfuKdl7HOfItuf1mTNUYzgN05ntXWFnl2GKkTx0pIfsXxgKMV87s70h68HynzjuHg4kjMHyGK1hWMRXyYhjKnZI1XkasByFDyVtyO1VUyzwDR-1iRp7gMYyt5HlQ0x1eLhHlNWiZmgPpHDm8GkzlEuH8chEDNygjhr-3MeTjdEs3vxFWWM752OOGwy/s400/356%20Union%20Nov%202020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kIMfuKdl7HOfItuf1mTNUYzgN05ntXWFnl2GKkTx0pIfsXxgKMV87s70h68HynzjuHg4kjMHyGK1hWMRXyYhjKnZI1XkasByFDyVtyO1VUyzwDR-1iRp7gMYyt5HlQ0x1eLhHlNWiZmgPpHDm8GkzlEuH8chEDNygjhr-3MeTjdEs3vxFWWM752OOGwy/w400-h300/356%20Union%20Nov%202020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div>According to tax records, the building was sold in March 2021 for $1.1 million. Since then, the apartments have been rented, but one of them </span><a href="https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/356-Union-St-1-Hudson-NY-12534/2075328495_zpid/" style="font-family: georgia;">will be available starting April 1</a><span style="font-family: georgia;">. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-36869945333985114792024-03-13T16:04:00.002-04:002024-03-13T16:04:51.840-04:00Coming to State Street<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">At last night's Planning Board meeting, which went on for close to three and a half hours, the project of greatest interest (because it hasn't been before the Planning Board for several months already) came at the very end: the proposal to subdivide the lot at 309-311 State Street into two lots of equal size on which will be constructed a pair of attached houses. The person proposing the subdivision is the owner of the house at 307 State Street, which recently underwent an amazing restoration and transformation.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMHljJiU3Sj6C6Z6_lNxJXAJ-0Bwp0nUQwi1JiRbEGuDd5kkbO5TIEQFHZGgs9F_iUWxch1BtvXXUOinb4uHEwar2Edv9yBRapX2XIbUqQaq5GWZ6gKT4W4oed0aUVVkYVlUolLHf5B60UEnbBF5dEYQhI95WB2IbS6SO-oULsaVqvXC7iscFask-Xt3f/s990/307%20State%20Street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="990" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDMHljJiU3Sj6C6Z6_lNxJXAJ-0Bwp0nUQwi1JiRbEGuDd5kkbO5TIEQFHZGgs9F_iUWxch1BtvXXUOinb4uHEwar2Edv9yBRapX2XIbUqQaq5GWZ6gKT4W4oed0aUVVkYVlUolLHf5B60UEnbBF5dEYQhI95WB2IbS6SO-oULsaVqvXC7iscFask-Xt3f/w400-h211/307%20State%20Street.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The plan is to build two houses of similar design to 307 State Street at 309 and 311 and re-create the streetscape close to what it once was. (The building that once stood at 309-311 State Street was destroyed by fire 25 years ago.)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa33fCGQZAn1IKzUjAIL3_65LHgc82WslEYI0EkqVtGl8VeQ9KmYp4KwuDymZrfXbxs9nU_Zkf-xiH5_hMVj_zF3r1l-zIVZz2pomcjySbBOwn58riT8A0BMhn2Vj1zEbcH1erRfTEQHfBhk10FmDzNxRRxM0K0Jrdaf2sBjqxGpDg8lskIKeYZIUaZG_/s1286/309%20and%20311%20State.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1286" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa33fCGQZAn1IKzUjAIL3_65LHgc82WslEYI0EkqVtGl8VeQ9KmYp4KwuDymZrfXbxs9nU_Zkf-xiH5_hMVj_zF3r1l-zIVZz2pomcjySbBOwn58riT8A0BMhn2Vj1zEbcH1erRfTEQHfBhk10FmDzNxRRxM0K0Jrdaf2sBjqxGpDg8lskIKeYZIUaZG_/w400-h246/309%20and%20311%20State.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Because the new structures are to be single-family homes, site plan approval is not required. The Planning Board only needs to approve the lot subdivision. The project also needs to go before the Zoning Board of Appeals for area variances. It was decided that the project should go to the ZBA first to get the needed variances and then return to the Planning Board for approval of the subdivision. The next meeting of the ZBA is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 20, at 6:00 p.m.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-28904333240018651242024-03-13T14:11:00.000-04:002024-03-13T14:11:03.326-04:00Looking Ahead to the Weekend<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This weekend, the Friends of the Hudson Area Library are holding their Spring Book & Bake Sale in the Community Room at the library, 51 North Fifth Street. The sale begins on Friday and continues to Sunday. Here are the hours:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><ul><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Friday, March 15: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Saturday, March 16, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sunday, March 17, 1:00 to 3:3o p.m.</span></li></ul></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5S_HLTeXGyk7Is_rSPP9QstwCVQbAQK3s96rqCzOc5JokN661ioMUxFdXGB_2MMYmHibYgz7I11blyzMFQ_6H9DREKopCHS4WBcGaSOBnO18OpxgZ35eHQmBchavovp2IEQZteT7DGWqCmrPuZV2TeZrL6MOpLAIWz2GR583cuZhyphenhypheno7ZXRBO6G550T4h/s2182/Book%20Sale%20sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1298" data-original-width="2182" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5S_HLTeXGyk7Is_rSPP9QstwCVQbAQK3s96rqCzOc5JokN661ioMUxFdXGB_2MMYmHibYgz7I11blyzMFQ_6H9DREKopCHS4WBcGaSOBnO18OpxgZ35eHQmBchavovp2IEQZteT7DGWqCmrPuZV2TeZrL6MOpLAIWz2GR583cuZhyphenhypheno7ZXRBO6G550T4h/s320/Book%20Sale%20sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div>Included in the sale are new and gently used books for children and adults, homemade baked goods, and Vasilow's chocolate bars. Cash, checks, and credit cards are accepted. All proceeds from the sale will be used to support the Hudson Area Library and its community programming.</span>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-33864943322876968052024-03-12T13:46:00.000-04:002024-03-12T13:46:59.601-04:00What Happened at HCSD<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Yesterday, the Hudson Police Department issued the following press release regarding an incident that took place last week at Hudson High School.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at approximately 5:32 p.m., the Hudson Police
Department received a report from a concerned mother and her juvenile daughter regarding
disturbing physical threats received on the daughter's cell phone. The unknown sender conveyed
intentions to harm the 17-year-old female and her friends, referencing a recent altercation on the
school bus. The 17-year-old female received text messages stating she was going be “poked” and
“stab all of ur friends” and “I’ll jump u in school.” The suspect further escalated the situation by
sending images of a knife and a black long rifle, threatening violence at the victim's school. </span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Immediately responding to the gravity of the situation, the Hudson City School District was
informed to ensure the safety of students. The HPD patrol division transferred the case to the
Detective Unit, who collaborated with the New York State Police Major Crimes division to trace
the origin of the threatening text messages. </span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Subsequent to a coordinated effort involving the Haverhill Police Department (Haverhill,
Massachusetts), New York State Police, Massachusetts State Police, and the Hudson Police
Department, a search warrant was executed on March 8, 2024. The operation successfully led to
the recovery of the mentioned long gun and knife at a residence in Massachusetts. A person of
interest, a juvenile, was interviewed by the police, and charges are pending. </span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">During the investigation, it came to light that the juvenile had a history of making bomb threats
to a Massachusetts school, leading to a previous investigation by the Haverhill Police
Department. </span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Chief Mishanda Franklin of the Hudson Police Department issued the following statement: "This
incident is a stark reminder of the importance of swift and collaborative action in ensuring the
safety of our community. The dedication and professionalism demonstrated by all law
enforcement agencies involved exemplify our shared commitment to protecting the well-being of
our residents and students." </span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The New York State Police, Major Crimes, Troop K, Massachusetts State Police, JTTF (Joint
Terrorist Task Force), Haverhill Police Department, and the Hudson City School District have
collectively played vital roles in the ongoing investigation. </span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Hudson City Police Department encourages anyone with additional information related to
this incident to contact the Detective Division at (518) 828-3388.</span></blockquote></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-38407483897742106702024-03-12T13:08:00.001-04:002024-03-12T13:08:27.753-04:00Acknowledging an Anniversary<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This morning at the dog park, a fellow dog owner opined that there would be a heavy snowfall before spring was actually here. My response: "Bite your tongue."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">When I got back home to my computer, I was reminded that the Great Blizzard of 1888 occurred on this day: March 12. It actually started on March 11 and didn't end until March 14. The picture below, showing the north side of the 400 block of Warren Street, was taken after the worst of the blizzard was over.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBfGDUqO1zstXbR0MwuMO7TBBOayIWHSqH2tjcZPnCb0Uafe3E3BMU8Qv7lPngLhvXG2Iem1VY8OQlHVUJF0lSLlkIh7-yl8YsKD1o3X5SDfXAAL1BqqhVEjpTuwl29BQc0hE00McGyblmqkdnAu9f_5Laah5LX7tR8KMdFL-9y0k2Irc6mqYtr5BuKkX/s400/Blizzard_1888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBfGDUqO1zstXbR0MwuMO7TBBOayIWHSqH2tjcZPnCb0Uafe3E3BMU8Qv7lPngLhvXG2Iem1VY8OQlHVUJF0lSLlkIh7-yl8YsKD1o3X5SDfXAAL1BqqhVEjpTuwl29BQc0hE00McGyblmqkdnAu9f_5Laah5LX7tR8KMdFL-9y0k2Irc6mqYtr5BuKkX/w400-h320/Blizzard_1888.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />The following is quoted from the <i>Hudson Evening Register </i>for March 12, 1888.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><blockquote><b>A March Storm.</b></blockquote></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A terrible storm of wind and snow set in last evening and continued throughout most of the day. The snow was light and dry and flew through the air like smoke. The streets and highways are drifted, and the storm was the most severe of the season. Trains and mails were delayed and out-door business generally suspended. Why not let Dakota into the Union and stop all this bluster?</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><blockquote><b>Accident on the Hudson River Railroad.</b></blockquote></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A dispatch to this office this morning says at 8 o'clock this morning in a blinding snowstorm the Atlantic express bound south on the Hudson River railroad, ran into the rear of another Atlantic express at Dobbs Ferry, demolishing the cars. Four persons are known to have been badly injured. Both tracks are badly obstructed. All south-bound trains are held at Tarrytown.</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The snowstorm commenced yesterday afternoon is the heaviest in several years. It is still in progress with a heavy wind. The snow is between twelve and eighteen inches deep. All trains on both the West Shore and Hudson River railroad are much behind.</span></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">So today, as you go about enjoying the sunshine and the warmth, think about what was happening 136 years ago and be grateful.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span></div></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-64728193070947250602024-03-11T15:52:00.001-04:002024-03-11T15:52:58.678-04:00Property Tax Breaks for Some Homeowners<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">There are three proposed local laws before the Common Council that would provide property tax breaks to three different groups within the community. One group is volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers. The <a href="https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/Common%20Council/Agendas%20Meeting%20Documents/2024/March/Local%20Law%20Amending%20Chapter%20275%20Article%20III-firefighters%20and%20ambulance.pdf">proposed law</a> would provide them with an exemption from City property taxes of up to 10 percent of the assessed value of their home.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A <a href="https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/Common%20Council/Agendas%20Meeting%20Documents/2024/March/Local%20Law%20Amending%20Chapter%20275%20Article%20II%20-%20Exemption%20for%20Real%20Property%20Owned%20by%20Senior%20Citizens%20(1).pdf">second proposed law</a> would raise the income level for senior citizens seeking a tax break to $42,399. The amount of the exemption depends on how much less than $42,399 one's household income is, as shown below. Homeowners with a household income of $34,000 or less could see the assessed value of their home, used for determining the amount of property tax owed, reduced by 50 percent.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHhJXnqReJ54o4EbKCMVgvIqwepg1llNjQiAao_7V2E-8C829dJDh5LNG4SOWfxlxeyfu4oC-nc4iHIUZR_k7-7CmswoOQBqDc4v99QaxWMZMH6Ij4B1um0LEciQyg1ICDn5LOo1tyGutHQ50d5M4nuEiAb7-TyTljVY_SqajeniwVYlaIvCOBXdT80bo/s676/income%20caps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="676" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHhJXnqReJ54o4EbKCMVgvIqwepg1llNjQiAao_7V2E-8C829dJDh5LNG4SOWfxlxeyfu4oC-nc4iHIUZR_k7-7CmswoOQBqDc4v99QaxWMZMH6Ij4B1um0LEciQyg1ICDn5LOo1tyGutHQ50d5M4nuEiAb7-TyTljVY_SqajeniwVYlaIvCOBXdT80bo/w400-h201/income%20caps.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />A <a href="https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/Common%20Council/Agendas%20Meeting%20Documents/2024/February/Local%20Law%20Amending%20Chapter%20275%20Article%20IV-%20Exemption%20for%20Real%20Property%20Owned%20by%20Persons%20with%20Disabilities%20and%20limited%20incomes.pdf">third proposed law</a> provides the same exemptions offered to people over 65 to people with disabilities and limited incomes.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">All three proposed laws were introduced last month. The Council is expected to vote on enacting them at the regular meeting on Tuesday, March 19.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2014 CAROLE OSTERINK</span></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-49530567346237254282024-03-11T14:04:00.000-04:002024-03-11T14:04:56.824-04:00About Trucks in the City<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This morning, Councilmember Margaret Morris (First Ward), who chairs the ad hoc Truck Route Committee, issued this statement, "to clarify what the status is and what the definitions are."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Status
of Special Dimension Vehicles Within the City of Hudson</span></blockquote></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;">Following
communication with the NYSDOT, the following has been determined.</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;">Special
Dimension Vehicles (SDVs) are defined as trucks greater in length than 48’ or
tandem trucks.</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;">SDVs
are not legal on 9G/23B north of the L&B Products (now Antique Warehouse).
Access to this depot was established to allow SDVs to access the depot from
route 23. Per the NYSDOT:</span></blockquote></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;">“If a special dimension vehicle, such as a 53’ tractor
trailer, is traveling on a road or segment of road that is not designated as an
access highway, then the driver risks getting pulled over by law enforcement.”</span></blockquote></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;">SDVs
are only allowed on road that is </span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"><i>not</i></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"> designated as an access
highway if that road is within one road mile of a qualifying highway. Again,
per the NYSDOT:</span></blockquote></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;">“There are no qualifying highways in the immediate vicinity
of the City of Hudson.”</span></blockquote></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;">The City</span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"> <i>is </i></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;">required to provide access for through traffic SDVs entering
the City from the south on route 9, from the north on route 9, from the east on
23B, or from the north on 66. These SDVs need to be provided access to exit the
City on one of these routes.</span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;">Please
feel free to contact Margaret Morris at </span><a href="mailto:margaret.morris@cityofhudson.org" style="font-family: helvetica;">margaret.morris@cityofhudson.org</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: helvetica;"> for any further information.</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-15497290959101088112024-03-10T17:55:00.003-04:002024-03-12T09:12:43.450-04:00Meetings of Interest in the Week Ahead<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Daylight saving time has returned! As the light continues longer into the evening, here are the meetings that are taking place.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">On <b>Monday, March 11</b>, the Common Council holds its informal meeting at 6:00 p.m. Of interest among the resolutions on the agenda so far is a <a href="https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/Common%20Council/Agendas%20Meeting%20Documents/2024/March/Police%20Department%20Therapy%20Canine%20Program%2003%2007%202024.pdf">resolution</a> authorizing Chief Mishanda Franklin to initiate a <a href="https://cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/04-2023/photo_contest_winner.html">therapy dog program</a> for the Hudson Police Department. The resolution describes the program as a "proactive measure to enhance community relations, officer well-being, and assist children victims."</span></li></ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjx0UYfk4GipjH7MEMR7PvAVwckBNkm-X3UiLjQBrReOLH3DgdM94uNvyTAe69bPJAedKjOZoZR0dLjGwSkMrRz8ZSPjipZPfWkJTfsDMzQXt13cAij048H1x-Fv2FaLY-X8iad1GM-_he7-AoyTrLbOwtrMwxV_yeDyPmKbQlS7OpWwuCzbZEovNqysFU7" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="455" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjx0UYfk4GipjH7MEMR7PvAVwckBNkm-X3UiLjQBrReOLH3DgdM94uNvyTAe69bPJAedKjOZoZR0dLjGwSkMrRz8ZSPjipZPfWkJTfsDMzQXt13cAij048H1x-Fv2FaLY-X8iad1GM-_he7-AoyTrLbOwtrMwxV_yeDyPmKbQlS7OpWwuCzbZEovNqysFU7" width="290" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Photo: Community Policing Dispatch</span></blockquote></blockquote></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: georgia;">Also on the agenda for Monday's meeting is a <a href="https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/Common%20Council/Agendas%20Meeting%20Documents/2024/March/big%20towel%20-%20common%20council%20march%20(3).pdf">presentation by Big Towel</a>, whose mobile saunas have spent the winter on the beach at Oakdale Lake. According to the terms of the original agreement, the saunas will stay at Oakdale until the end of March. It appears Big Towel is now seeking approval to install its saunas in Henry Hudson Riverfront Park for the months of April and May and to return them to Oakdale for the fall and winter. </span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnydxwhm7kBHphS4VwItn9F_7lU3oDS7B-FkBvNZRyuGbasEr8Htbj5mWsT4OlXBSpXp_-f_5YGP972ieJ-_gZokCCrNZyLxFQZlLYiyL9vvh_2z208bo86FpacaF7g3Pb99YZVpHbbq7xcFb9ZzvFZz5p5RjySZ5AaQDgiQE91UWrBptIU8_vJfhUIh3u/s1184/big%20towel%20at%20HHRP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1184" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnydxwhm7kBHphS4VwItn9F_7lU3oDS7B-FkBvNZRyuGbasEr8Htbj5mWsT4OlXBSpXp_-f_5YGP972ieJ-_gZokCCrNZyLxFQZlLYiyL9vvh_2z208bo86FpacaF7g3Pb99YZVpHbbq7xcFb9ZzvFZz5p5RjySZ5AaQDgiQE91UWrBptIU8_vJfhUIh3u/s320/big%20towel%20at%20HHRP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><blockquote><span style="font-family: georgia;">The meeting is a hybrid, taking in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Microsoft Teams. Click <b><a href="https://www.hudsonny.gov/calendar.php?view=day&month=03&day=11&year=2024&calendar=&id=138">here</a> </b>to find the link to join the meeting remotely.<br /></span></blockquote><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">On <b>Tuesday, March 12</b>, the Planning Board meets at 6:00 p.m. The <a href="https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/Boards%20and%20Committees/Planning%20Board/2024%20Agendas/PB%20Agenda%203.12.2024.pdf">agenda</a> for the meeting includes a lot of projects that have been before the Planning Board for a while: the proposed subdivision on Hudson Avenue; the redevelopment of 735 Columbia Street as the new site of Lil' Deb's Oasis; and the proposed redevelopment of 601 Union Street, once the Elks Lodge, as a boutique hotel. The proposal to build a 28-unit apartment building on Fairview Avenue between Parkwood and Oakwood boulevards is also on the agenda.</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xEI5Tv5a_oRS8LxgY3f6c9SguJsUaiXNvMZL3j3J_XFdJUDgGXPSIV5K6kxmFV_W6cMfAmT1kqqjD8sFMFm2DUa3BbvJMJHPDaAIUKWyXTEhT0xJfYZtuY7Tr04qsSZ2fVzYeDhL8hm589gBer7D3c45STAR5zDYmqnBiSJb1aidKaid76EQFS4616nS/s12500/Boulevards%20Renderings-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7029" data-original-width="12500" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xEI5Tv5a_oRS8LxgY3f6c9SguJsUaiXNvMZL3j3J_XFdJUDgGXPSIV5K6kxmFV_W6cMfAmT1kqqjD8sFMFm2DUa3BbvJMJHPDaAIUKWyXTEhT0xJfYZtuY7Tr04qsSZ2fVzYeDhL8hm589gBer7D3c45STAR5zDYmqnBiSJb1aidKaid76EQFS4616nS/s320/Boulevards%20Renderings-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpRuqN184YVeYwaveXdveXhHhbPw0Mk4R-pSDqKpF1Ncw1de_iWL1Ng8-DNRTTXHWOJChyHTCeYtR5khTrFD5A1LNHQPq4S4FmV8G_r5Fp74_7ZcgGs_-uFkHjw-8LktsOSnLSaXBJfQtZSD0YZ-_L5d74ByL6lZ7f63CUuPL3LO6mNo3HK8Q14eOSUUA/s12500/Boulevards%20Renderings-5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7029" data-original-width="12500" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpRuqN184YVeYwaveXdveXhHhbPw0Mk4R-pSDqKpF1Ncw1de_iWL1Ng8-DNRTTXHWOJChyHTCeYtR5khTrFD5A1LNHQPq4S4FmV8G_r5Fp74_7ZcgGs_-uFkHjw-8LktsOSnLSaXBJfQtZSD0YZ-_L5d74ByL6lZ7f63CUuPL3LO6mNo3HK8Q14eOSUUA/s320/Boulevards%20Renderings-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: georgia;">A new project to come before the Planning Board at this meeting is a proposal to construct two attached townhouses on the vacant lot at 309-311 State Street.</span></blockquote></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ym5mLKSyCXl1tgHFfUATRpi2htKFN6kn79rpaTVltcQnk4hW9d4WNDWdr_EFukL2rfWgG9AdDy0jaSB2OxpzpMyQWfDawIhPnbMA_QIN2yFRZ9hvkyPpmrxm08Ccuv29SujCYMiw1fCZ5pK-Ec3HaaSw8zbUO1Q3uSGww_kpbI2u7cZ4sYD2uz4LkAf3/s1313/309-311%20State%20Street%20Google.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1313" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ym5mLKSyCXl1tgHFfUATRpi2htKFN6kn79rpaTVltcQnk4hW9d4WNDWdr_EFukL2rfWgG9AdDy0jaSB2OxpzpMyQWfDawIhPnbMA_QIN2yFRZ9hvkyPpmrxm08Ccuv29SujCYMiw1fCZ5pK-Ec3HaaSw8zbUO1Q3uSGww_kpbI2u7cZ4sYD2uz4LkAf3/s320/309-311%20State%20Street%20Google.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Planning Board meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Zoom. Click <b><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83325404645">here</a></b> to join the meeting remotely.</span></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And those are the meetings for the week. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span></div></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-5743206416247253002024-03-09T17:29:00.003-05:002024-03-09T22:59:41.499-05:00Update on Sidewalk Improvement Efforts<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A year ago in February, the City enacted <a href="https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/Common%20Council/Agendas%20Meeting%20Documents/2023/Jan/SID%20Legislation%20Amended%201-17-23%20FINAL%20with%20attachment%201%2023%202023.pdf">Local Law No. 2 of 2023</a> to address the problem of substandard sidewalks in Hudson. The law established a five-member Public Works Board tasked with the following responsibilities:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Recommending an annual budget and schedule of sidewalk construction or repair.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Undertaking a search for a Project Manager to administer sidewalk improvement activity. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Reviewing and making determinations on appeals related to past work reductions on fees to property owners.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Holding regular public meetings to review the status of sidewalk improvement activity and reporting such activity to the Common Council.</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASVxehhKbn0_FMTC64HEzbZHudPBASJiyJXesOgHO8MtsUmiZmU9Cb7lzH0ZHvhtySAbgrdn5emuJiMLVWO_eIUdouVmWqs6yjN-Ekb6ivjs2p_SeYLTyLcDAr2CbKiOWbP7wa8RRxDpfolyTg5Fwa72hHep_M8vZG_OHc076De20-HhmFk3jBGHXTcB0/s400/sidewalk%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="400" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASVxehhKbn0_FMTC64HEzbZHudPBASJiyJXesOgHO8MtsUmiZmU9Cb7lzH0ZHvhtySAbgrdn5emuJiMLVWO_eIUdouVmWqs6yjN-Ekb6ivjs2p_SeYLTyLcDAr2CbKiOWbP7wa8RRxDpfolyTg5Fwa72hHep_M8vZG_OHc076De20-HhmFk3jBGHXTcB0/w400-h189/sidewalk%207.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">According to the law, the Public Works Board is made up of the Commissioner of Public Works (now Jason Foster), the ADA Coordinator (now Michael Hofmann), one member of the Common Council, and two community members, one appointed by the Common Council and one appointed by the mayor. In May 2023, the City made an <a href="https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2023/05/volunteers-needed.html">appeal for volunteers</a> to fill the two slots designated for community members.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkth0nq5_8P-pmRaQwEtZmqXItwGwOi7WzVnvnVeRsDEd8gcZTqdhA2OFS1qj90S-4lu6K2gKHiLFc2Y72HFMdCRECDxeqjQjcAnvyniVeJF3yKBsuVr7a6cJQkt9sc8lyJwvNNqSYv-I1MB_jbfT8am_0IxggyBISgexqSdXCQmG265aQd8p40MGUcLI/s400/sidewalks%209-28-22%20courthouse%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="400" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkth0nq5_8P-pmRaQwEtZmqXItwGwOi7WzVnvnVeRsDEd8gcZTqdhA2OFS1qj90S-4lu6K2gKHiLFc2Y72HFMdCRECDxeqjQjcAnvyniVeJF3yKBsuVr7a6cJQkt9sc8lyJwvNNqSYv-I1MB_jbfT8am_0IxggyBISgexqSdXCQmG265aQd8p40MGUcLI/w400-h189/sidewalks%209-28-22%20courthouse%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Last month, a year after Local Law No. 2 of 2023 was enacted, the Common Council approved the <a href="https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/Common%20Council/Agendas%20Meeting%20Documents/2024/February/2024-02-20%20Resolution%20-Marston%20PWB%20Appointment.pdf">appointment of David Marston</a> to the Public Works Board. Marston served two terms on the Common Council as a First Ward alderman, from 2012 to 2015. Neither the councilmember nor the community member appointed by the mayor has been made known. An email sent to mayor's aide Michael Hofmann on Monday, March 4, inquiring about the makeup of the Public Works Board has so far not been answered.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-15021296383611355982024-03-09T15:10:00.001-05:002024-03-09T23:02:21.085-05:00Coming Soon . . . <div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The first day of spring is just ten days away, and in less than twelve hours daylight saving time returns. With longer days and the promise of sunny skies and warmer weather, it's not too early to start thinking about ice cream. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Starting in April, Hudson will have a new source of ice cream: a Supreme Soft Serve truck stationed for the season at Upper Depot Brewing Company at State and Seventh streets.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYaJFmaD4M75_vzXPcXxA3beK8-MXyMbZ7d1JilLf7NOxZQ9Y3gTdtDT5Gl7hDDViECaP_nj4zn1XQONGywiGtn7IjqjTE_k3N6du4vax_Eb_TwqWx8wHLa6oqB9J9G-JcpV_ihPfgqbkNFVR7cFzOz6QFXxRlHU84buCbQMw3ZrLNuohinDY2jZfoAl0/s1024/Supreme%20Soft%20Serve.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYaJFmaD4M75_vzXPcXxA3beK8-MXyMbZ7d1JilLf7NOxZQ9Y3gTdtDT5Gl7hDDViECaP_nj4zn1XQONGywiGtn7IjqjTE_k3N6du4vax_Eb_TwqWx8wHLa6oqB9J9G-JcpV_ihPfgqbkNFVR7cFzOz6QFXxRlHU84buCbQMw3ZrLNuohinDY2jZfoAl0/w400-h400/Supreme%20Soft%20Serve.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know about pairing wine and Girl Scout cookies (useful knowledge at this time of year), but pairing beer and ice cream is new to me. It definitely seems like a gustatory experience to be explored. </div></span></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-72078556444492303502024-03-09T13:26:00.001-05:002024-03-09T13:26:51.537-05:00GPS Made Me Do It<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Bizarrely, yesterday another truck ended up on South Second Street with the only recourse being executing a turn onto Allen Street. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqEeVhLVJFraI3ZhceL4Lfqs3vX0hu807MuRVEXiitmNtGcVsb6_vMH8SvrtHoNdiNHBtufN6Lxd8-Z2qTupwIuU5ZTTWXWuMDBTbCZGRCwtoLnC5DPJzJ6XRI92Cp4AGqt_7qAJW-Qw2gquHlaQvbWXBGf6tpQuErO_BrFy25vnd4oCXXmliexFULHHQ/s1089/truck%20on%202nd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1089" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqEeVhLVJFraI3ZhceL4Lfqs3vX0hu807MuRVEXiitmNtGcVsb6_vMH8SvrtHoNdiNHBtufN6Lxd8-Z2qTupwIuU5ZTTWXWuMDBTbCZGRCwtoLnC5DPJzJ6XRI92Cp4AGqt_7qAJW-Qw2gquHlaQvbWXBGf6tpQuErO_BrFy25vnd4oCXXmliexFULHHQ/w400-h266/truck%20on%202nd.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Photo: John Cody</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Something similar happened <a href="https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2022/06/comeuppance-for-straying-off-truck-route.html">in the summer of 2022</a>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCEtC4HVU91NAeiD3huYPFUg-KdKwOZwgNqOX9LVlO0HBsDkGfMSVeacCz4aGe7A-cQhe683NgrK6MMHpXlnaHzGIgLevacnzSj1iThHr208_7K74V-__XRyhKtQtyrbH_hBnYuMgamR4zK0ldIV4hVTII0tdBFJBuaKG3pFe8FkZLcHA2SjZV1Qy7T4F/s400/truck%205%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="154" data-original-width="400" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCEtC4HVU91NAeiD3huYPFUg-KdKwOZwgNqOX9LVlO0HBsDkGfMSVeacCz4aGe7A-cQhe683NgrK6MMHpXlnaHzGIgLevacnzSj1iThHr208_7K74V-__XRyhKtQtyrbH_hBnYuMgamR4zK0ldIV4hVTII0tdBFJBuaKG3pFe8FkZLcHA2SjZV1Qy7T4F/w400-h154/truck%205%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />In that case, the truck was able to execute a left turn onto Allen Street, after a parked car was moved. Yesterday, encountering the barrier that prevents vehicles from rolling down the hill beside the Second Street stairs and unable to manage either a left or right turn, the truck simply backed up. How far it backed up and how it ultimately found its way out of the city is not known. Also unknown is what the truck was doing there in the first place. It was transporting vehicles, and since there are no car dealerships--new or used--within the city limits, it's pretty clear that is was <u>not</u> making a local delivery. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-25640457570361921092024-03-08T15:07:00.000-05:002024-03-08T15:07:25.219-05:00News from the Truck Route Committee Meeting<span style="font-family: georgia;">The information contained in the <a href="https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/Boards%20and%20Committees/Truck%20Route/2024/DOT%20Communication%2003%2006%202024.pdf">communication from the NYS Department of Transportation</a> (DOT)--that it was illegal for tractor trailers to proceed beyond the turnoff to the building that now houses the Antiques Warehouse--was, <a href="https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-word-from-dot.html">as predicted</a>, the main topic of discussion at the meeting of the Common Council ad hoc Truck Route Committee last night.</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYie0Qv3TQ4xcWAzvmCePuPq7QfWg7-0oyHUKX6w5sxvIBcMYaP9HWbDfuXojI88p2Q4FwgD60hLjjN5HG1VyZqnMYrUW7y1KxiH6Mi9sJaP10cocTY0FMjVUCJzpRZTXNye0bVr8zWlDeY7SaAq75DpGcW3xOQLcLsRXOmefHur3sGFvpADDYcBqjDETV/s487/End%20of%20truck%20access%209G.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="487" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYie0Qv3TQ4xcWAzvmCePuPq7QfWg7-0oyHUKX6w5sxvIBcMYaP9HWbDfuXojI88p2Q4FwgD60hLjjN5HG1VyZqnMYrUW7y1KxiH6Mi9sJaP10cocTY0FMjVUCJzpRZTXNye0bVr8zWlDeY7SaAq75DpGcW3xOQLcLsRXOmefHur3sGFvpADDYcBqjDETV/s320/End%20of%20truck%20access%209G.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div>Councilmember Margaret Morris (First Ward), who chairs the committee, reported that she and Jason Foster, now Commissioner of Public Works, met with DOT last week, and DOT was willing to put up advisory signage on Route 23, informing truckers that Route 9G was not a route through the City of Hudson. She also reported on a meeting she and Foster had that morning with Chief Mishanda Franklin and Police Commissioner Shane Bower about enforcing the illegality of trucks proceeding beyond the point at which Route 9G is no longer a designated access road. Morris reported that Franklin and Bower are willing to look at enforcing the limitation, particularly exploring at what point trucks could be pulled over and required to turn back. The question of signage for trucks traveling from north to south through Hudson was also discussed.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">The committee also took up the issue of safety measures on Park Place. Morris shared the suggestion that a bell bollard be installed at the corner of Warren and Park Place to discourage trucks from jumping the curb when making the turn off Warren onto Park Place. Photos of two types of bollards were presented to the committee. Morris commented that the bollard with the vertical element would help pedestrians know that this was a dangerous corner.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: georgia; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOYZ4-q-smx_FWH0u9J_kp3l3m17IlB9ANHlQZ9qAXkWJtMDsBYGaWG7rhuNzV_XgPerWmo29XtGt755ialbKhXb2eNDk1imGO9fmZ9BVHcjSbxQQS6586b-14o8_Z1rmkc8fZYi69ED7s92kKhUfpgjxlDkBBuRUu9keOPOAL_buwFCxwFiSEVDyG-HP/s3028/bell-bollard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2005" data-original-width="3028" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOYZ4-q-smx_FWH0u9J_kp3l3m17IlB9ANHlQZ9qAXkWJtMDsBYGaWG7rhuNzV_XgPerWmo29XtGt755ialbKhXb2eNDk1imGO9fmZ9BVHcjSbxQQS6586b-14o8_Z1rmkc8fZYi69ED7s92kKhUfpgjxlDkBBuRUu9keOPOAL_buwFCxwFiSEVDyG-HP/s320/bell-bollard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: georgia; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBY7_HKjFHshrqXh3bDEU7JH0aDxD_aMjD0tULygAyUqq44AGxIc-pAW74mUZGPJu_W8HaIUDXxCqz-7J2NsKwU0Ha9p8Q9hRgPGLUxBygOYa1fm4WedYgm10WY0_rXYD8dt7e_NSw4ijVLOMhq7iRYpcy4iqwr4yO8pPz7D_eUgIPuy4W4204f-9QyIPv/s1862/Bell-150-with-CAP100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1388" data-original-width="1862" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBY7_HKjFHshrqXh3bDEU7JH0aDxD_aMjD0tULygAyUqq44AGxIc-pAW74mUZGPJu_W8HaIUDXxCqz-7J2NsKwU0Ha9p8Q9hRgPGLUxBygOYa1fm4WedYgm10WY0_rXYD8dt7e_NSw4ijVLOMhq7iRYpcy4iqwr4yO8pPz7D_eUgIPuy4W4204f-9QyIPv/s320/Bell-150-with-CAP100.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">Councilmember Dewan Sarowar (Second Ward) asked, "If there is an accident from a truck hitting the bollard, who is liable?" Morris responded, "The bollard is on the sidewalk. A truck shouldn't be there."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span></div></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-21693891306025941332024-03-08T12:10:00.000-05:002024-03-08T12:10:50.488-05:00Celebrate the Day<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Today is International Women's Day, and if you are looking for a way to observe the day, you can go to Wylde on South Third Street, where Perfect Ten is hosting an event honoring the women of Hudson from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDF6NWbGltLncT-jZ7CEgMSSPFlm0ZN3L9d4T29enh6pgAw8c3IGNUoj-mht_J8YsB_vvbt2E1g50QP2X69E1GB1yqh3IWRfJlwl-NPlmmu890RQ8hanoDJug2rwaWpD-GCzQwoldxZLdQ9Ny4B44Pot-m62yAyzvgW6blFmUJi26EoLn4i0-K1Red8zu7/s843/Perfect%20Ten%20Internatioanl%20Women's%20Day.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="675" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDF6NWbGltLncT-jZ7CEgMSSPFlm0ZN3L9d4T29enh6pgAw8c3IGNUoj-mht_J8YsB_vvbt2E1g50QP2X69E1GB1yqh3IWRfJlwl-NPlmmu890RQ8hanoDJug2rwaWpD-GCzQwoldxZLdQ9Ny4B44Pot-m62yAyzvgW6blFmUJi26EoLn4i0-K1Red8zu7/w320-h400/Perfect%20Ten%20Internatioanl%20Women's%20Day.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div></span></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-51609565939057015272024-03-07T11:39:00.002-05:002024-03-07T13:52:42.370-05:00The Word from the DOT<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In advance of the Truck Route Committee meeting tonight, a document has been posted on the City of Hudson website: a <a href="https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/Boards%20and%20Committees/Truck%20Route/2024/DOT%20Communication%2003%2006%202024.pdf">letter from the NYS Department of Transportation</a>. The first paragraph of the letter contains some very interesting information:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Trucks over 48 feet in length, for example 53’ tractor trailers (special dimension
vehicles), are only allowed to travel on roads designated as access highways for special
dimension vehicles. . . . If a special dimension vehicle, such as a 53’ tractor trailer, is traveling on a
road or segment of road that is not designated as an access highway, then the driver
risks getting pulled over by law enforcement. For instance, a 53’ tractor trailer traveling
on Route 9G / 23B to the L&B Products Terminal cannot travel north of the L&B
Products Terminal. . . . </span></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The big takeaway here is that Route 9G, which becomes Third Street in the City of Hudson, is not a designated access highway beyond the turnoff to the building that was once L&B Furniture and now houses, among other things, the Antiques Warehouse.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGfyZBb2MF5eCI4uepJA8GP5qfz41q1eqSbj_uTVoNVlhcA_4Vy4lO5RfWbaWKUHfLi44A2sqMRRfQWY1VuGEHD6PVDgDkF4xfw69JI5KyYqLqAd7-sZMEraa_okp0PW0KyIpkJfBATofShWdxtwY6nIMtyN3W5Y1RvRvArMbelIh8BEcpgekFMqodQZk/s487/End%20of%20truck%20access%209G.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="487" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGfyZBb2MF5eCI4uepJA8GP5qfz41q1eqSbj_uTVoNVlhcA_4Vy4lO5RfWbaWKUHfLi44A2sqMRRfQWY1VuGEHD6PVDgDkF4xfw69JI5KyYqLqAd7-sZMEraa_okp0PW0KyIpkJfBATofShWdxtwY6nIMtyN3W5Y1RvRvArMbelIh8BEcpgekFMqodQZk/s320/End%20of%20truck%20access%209G.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div>Apparently at some point, forty or so years ago, the City of Hudson made the choice to allow trucks to proceed beyond that point and travel through the city by way of Third and Columbia streets to Green Street, but if the City made that decision, it would seem the City can reverse it. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtxdRAfOdXjTkjO8e3hx1Yn8VwJrmRvlrFCIEpWtjmrdOflgepnYNPmYH_MpZez4FaaS1ALgD4YC_SISdnENXeKKy-W93rXC5GjMHx55zuRd2NMALxtbeL_Y0rhYDZBLfNtKjntDdh9EgAEZ_rSZ1yUt0VwpkfGKXuyZ6Jfhn83jOlZQDsvkgeIRcbU60/s400/truck_on_Third.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="400" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtxdRAfOdXjTkjO8e3hx1Yn8VwJrmRvlrFCIEpWtjmrdOflgepnYNPmYH_MpZez4FaaS1ALgD4YC_SISdnENXeKKy-W93rXC5GjMHx55zuRd2NMALxtbeL_Y0rhYDZBLfNtKjntDdh9EgAEZ_rSZ1yUt0VwpkfGKXuyZ6Jfhn83jOlZQDsvkgeIRcbU60/w400-h264/truck_on_Third.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div>This is the biggest news yet in the ongoing struggle to eliminate trucks passing through Hudson on their way to someplace else. It will be interesting to see what happens tonight at the Truck Route Committee meeting. The meeting, which begins at 6:00 p.m., is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Microsoft Teams. Click <b><a href="https://www.hudsonny.gov/calendar.php?view=day&month=03&day=07&year=2024&calendar=&id=178">here</a></b> to find the link to join the meeting remotely.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span><br /></div></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-74387729242226152212024-03-06T15:35:00.002-05:002024-03-07T09:05:12.591-05:00Another Step Forward for North Bay<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In May, <i>Gossips </i>reported that the Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC) was seeking to <a href="https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2023/05/clc-seeking-to-acquire-land-in-north-bay.html">acquire land in North Bay</a> that belonged to the Hudson Industrial Development Agency (IDA). The plan is to build trails to connect Charles Williams Park with the Greenport Conservation Area and the network of trails that go all the way north to Harrier Hill. At its meeting this morning, the IDA approved the contract of sale, which will convey the parcel to CLC for $1. The heavy black line on the map below shows the perimeter of the parcel.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55fbG7JCU_yHOf0CQ3znGY68nfzN5ld2lHrtKPMFLUK2nHa7URX8LgW7hSyjPe3pqkjD3_qGUHfdLTk7IElL4ahJonCuG6YPXDFkSr565xPDwOFi6dln-stG5Z4tTNlkk-G_a0Iabhb0vxdGEo4kWN2Mh6w526woL5r_jNy6S3qb-VD-r-ZJoapxKdH2V/s3300/IDA%20CLC%20parcel%203-6-24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="3300" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55fbG7JCU_yHOf0CQ3znGY68nfzN5ld2lHrtKPMFLUK2nHa7URX8LgW7hSyjPe3pqkjD3_qGUHfdLTk7IElL4ahJonCuG6YPXDFkSr565xPDwOFi6dln-stG5Z4tTNlkk-G_a0Iabhb0vxdGEo4kWN2Mh6w526woL5r_jNy6S3qb-VD-r-ZJoapxKdH2V/w400-h309/IDA%20CLC%20parcel%203-6-24.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div>The parcel runs along the north edge of the Hudson Dog Park, and the dog park hopes to work with CLC to develop a trail from the dog park to the river, to give dogs and their humans a nature trail walking experience in addition to the dog park experience.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkspgjgrdKm7f589Kf21qaIdc0p4plcK1dvpxFh1HdeZNlLOmishaqDvnl3uYIZ4z_tgugb2jmhd8IbKQKbKRzYAo6hUwrLsriGnqSQpd69TmsW_TzP-KxrSVZsyX2eoue7bgY6z5LrzLz81zyKnjz86-XS-QbYmjhYpiq0g9yVjpmzOvaEfKdMO03DPvX/s1329/drone%20photo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="1329" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkspgjgrdKm7f589Kf21qaIdc0p4plcK1dvpxFh1HdeZNlLOmishaqDvnl3uYIZ4z_tgugb2jmhd8IbKQKbKRzYAo6hUwrLsriGnqSQpd69TmsW_TzP-KxrSVZsyX2eoue7bgY6z5LrzLz81zyKnjz86-XS-QbYmjhYpiq0g9yVjpmzOvaEfKdMO03DPvX/w400-h223/drone%20photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Photo: Jonathan Simons</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span></div></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-10246463562680129232024-03-06T14:59:00.004-05:002024-03-06T15:55:40.692-05:00The Entrance to Cedar Park: Past and Future<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Cedar Park, the newer part of Hudson's cemetery, was developed in 1896. According to research done by the late Mary S. Hallenbeck, when she was serving on the Historic Preservation Commission in 2006, the entrance to Cedar Park was landscaped by local notable Dr. John Conover Smock. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKCS04lOo7GRIAidsEvuW3f_3-LiaHMiapP75DXADdEql_qVhrpLR2ZNjs0uUoP4xlD6Fw4rpeK32LmLoSBHxU95Te4LURAoJBryySercv28beeuQqReRbC3FFQKzKL2cBC_l-rqeLDsBYLoVOVRCH4mTc3DQxU_DqDCud5ls9cdAU8qlhA0YESA84pDF/s400/Central%20Park%20Cemetery%20original%20entrance.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="322" data-original-width="400" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKCS04lOo7GRIAidsEvuW3f_3-LiaHMiapP75DXADdEql_qVhrpLR2ZNjs0uUoP4xlD6Fw4rpeK32LmLoSBHxU95Te4LURAoJBryySercv28beeuQqReRbC3FFQKzKL2cBC_l-rqeLDsBYLoVOVRCH4mTc3DQxU_DqDCud5ls9cdAU8qlhA0YESA84pDF/w400-h323/Central%20Park%20Cemetery%20original%20entrance.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div>Smock was a noted geologist, who retired to the mansion in Hudson now known as Cavell House in 1897. According to Hallenbeck, Smock engaged the help of Frederick Law Olmstead in his landscaping plan for Cedar Park, which is significant not so much for its funerary art as it is for its overall design.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The early picture of the entrance to Cedar Park, shown above, doesn't give much sense of the original landscaping of the entrance, but it's pretty certain the original was nothing like what is there today: a boulder, which has been there for more than thirty years, and three planters crafted from salvaged sewer pipe, introduced in 2019, arranged on a bed of gravel.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeP2Ed4il-JNtTYBz8nbtbioQddxeVahPZI6ffQVmPyKfRgaWTlFhTim8KN6KY_vCiDAV-vT5UsRSL4fxZ3BxApRAgVoa82L8KMu8itP2bNxuziYh4ZfOGNOT8xrf1lb0Ur0K33hR7kcQLvgZRmL54vcNAaTKtviAr_SFGjzH8zGOhXgSDCzgLpZUrc5e/s400/Cedar%20Park%20entrance.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="400" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeP2Ed4il-JNtTYBz8nbtbioQddxeVahPZI6ffQVmPyKfRgaWTlFhTim8KN6KY_vCiDAV-vT5UsRSL4fxZ3BxApRAgVoa82L8KMu8itP2bNxuziYh4ZfOGNOT8xrf1lb0Ur0K33hR7kcQLvgZRmL54vcNAaTKtviAr_SFGjzH8zGOhXgSDCzgLpZUrc5e/w400-h265/Cedar%20Park%20entrance.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div>Last year, the Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) encumbered about $3,800 in unspent funds to improve the landscaping at the entrance to Cedar Park. At last night's CAC meeting, Arone Dyer, the newest member of the CAC, shared a rough drawing of how she thought the landscaping at the entrance might be transformed. Among the features being suggested is a crabapple tree to replace the boulder at the center of the triangular bed. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5eli24CUqYR8RCw0Z8YwEbhT7j7q49BZF47Nyd8ijQnuf3LvtK8N_HeQukw7C7Ogvfi33v-l-uDHyYgj5IXS_5wMtRUtbTQ3DCaJvC9ZRVYIfjLUP_dgf_MaaD7sctKQv0XcNiufRw5-4XKSHU5glPeo8FUI_EX86tSkRbn1pRM5EHCO6jJ6vb4ldkpjv/s960/Copy%20of%20Cemetery%20Entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5eli24CUqYR8RCw0Z8YwEbhT7j7q49BZF47Nyd8ijQnuf3LvtK8N_HeQukw7C7Ogvfi33v-l-uDHyYgj5IXS_5wMtRUtbTQ3DCaJvC9ZRVYIfjLUP_dgf_MaaD7sctKQv0XcNiufRw5-4XKSHU5glPeo8FUI_EX86tSkRbn1pRM5EHCO6jJ6vb4ldkpjv/w400-h300/Copy%20of%20Cemetery%20Entrance.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The CAC's plans for the entrance are subject to approval by Rob Perry, superintendent of Public Works.</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-977981111516506142024-03-05T12:21:00.003-05:002024-03-05T12:21:52.701-05:00In Case You Missed It . . . <p><span style="font-family: georgia;">On Sunday, the <i>Times Union </i>published an article about the Park Theater and its production of <i>Every Brilliant Thing, </i>which opens this weekend: <a href="https://www.timesunion.com/theater/article/park-theater-sets-every-brilliant-thing-18691677.php?fbclid=IwAR0H66R0v_HvK1jmQxVqATkw94QlrKzs-oj59Vaqe1geikzRlcmlpKn4lko">"Park Theater celebrates 'Every Brilliant Thing' in renovated venue."</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ey-GTtD0VbuIf3VUwbB5xJQ7Q69vMJcVW0yGUWqXIxz9VUI2t2gIO2mFLhprehzFcUnrFAA5NdbjBhuoJGcAtVzMM4So46Bo7HLhQbxOPKvr1migcaYd8dkiSBcZ0Bpf8KCxkxgK0Ywh9pEnbSzL2eVC3vBiqWr05oTM2f45SWP0teMEjUO1lA68Ve08/s1120/Park%20Theater%203-8-2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1120" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ey-GTtD0VbuIf3VUwbB5xJQ7Q69vMJcVW0yGUWqXIxz9VUI2t2gIO2mFLhprehzFcUnrFAA5NdbjBhuoJGcAtVzMM4So46Bo7HLhQbxOPKvr1migcaYd8dkiSBcZ0Bpf8KCxkxgK0Ywh9pEnbSzL2eVC3vBiqWr05oTM2f45SWP0teMEjUO1lA68Ve08/w400-h225/Park%20Theater%203-8-2024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Described by <i>The Guardian </i>as "the funniest play you will ever see about depression," <i>Every Brilliant Thing </i>will be performed on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this weekend and next. Click <b><a href="https://www.viewcy.com/e/every_brilliant_thing">here</a></b> for more information and to purchase tickets.</span></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-38165169583372985202024-03-04T17:20:00.000-05:002024-03-04T17:20:47.966-05:00Plan Ahead and Mark Your Calendars<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Hudson City School District (HCSD) has announced a Virtual Job Fair to take place on Friday, April 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZkC_70cDPkOcuRTbp3AZs_Cj0hyphenhyphenEgd-9ZGKPcT-jJuDTZ47hITcouXmPKoJqlzY6fH7grsgrY4uT0MSqiFanIN4pKbAssmgb3tqxgcS8g2FzojQknjISqTQWMyuxevSDB2dni63q__TC8bgsT7PWNwhNVXQjVo8KJMwqzffcufsWBlFv6inToLgV0M0K/s1398/HCSD%20Virtual%20Job%20Fair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1398" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZkC_70cDPkOcuRTbp3AZs_Cj0hyphenhyphenEgd-9ZGKPcT-jJuDTZ47hITcouXmPKoJqlzY6fH7grsgrY4uT0MSqiFanIN4pKbAssmgb3tqxgcS8g2FzojQknjISqTQWMyuxevSDB2dni63q__TC8bgsT7PWNwhNVXQjVo8KJMwqzffcufsWBlFv6inToLgV0M0K/w309-h400/HCSD%20Virtual%20Job%20Fair.jpg" width="309" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The district has openings for these positions:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Certified teachers</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Clerical staff</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">School aides</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Spanish teachers</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">STEM teacher</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Substitute teachers</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Student support</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Staff, etc.</span></li></ul></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Those planning to attend are asked to register by completing the form found <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdIVM0SfCqiLzbU_bZtaAMaImo-t3zflR5fvFTTuHgS3SsHgA/viewform" style="font-weight: bold;">here</a>. On the day of the event, click <b><a href="https://us04web.zoom.us/j/79978522347?pwd=YMPW1DCYh7CAOWdAfqWcWVkubgwiRq.1">here</a></b> to access the Virtual Job Fair.</span></div><p></p>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-60179425275266357372024-03-03T23:18:00.001-05:002024-03-04T15:39:35.534-05:00Meetings and Events in the Week Ahead<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It's March, this week will end with the return of daylight saving time, and the first day of spring is just a little more than two weeks away. There's a lot of rain in store for us in the days ahead, as well as these meetings and events.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">On <b>Tuesday, March 5</b>, the Conservation Advisory Council holds its monthly meeting at 6:00 p.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Microsoft Teams. Click <b><a href="https://www.hudsonny.gov/calendar.php?view=day&month=03&day=05&year=2024&calendar=&id=187">here</a></b> to find the link to join the meeting remotely.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">On <b>Wednesday, March 6</b>, the Hudson Industrial Development Agency (IDA) meets at 9:30 a.m. This will be the first meeting of the IDA this year, since the January and February meetings had to be canceled for lack of a quorum, and the first meeting with <a href="https://cms3.revize.com/revize/hudsonnynew/Common%20Council/Agendas%20Meeting%20Documents/2024/February/Charles%20Millar%20Communication_Redacted.pdf">Charles Millar</a> who replaced Richard Wallace as the community member of the IDA. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at 1 City Centre, Suite 301, and on Zoom. Click <b><a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81734669818?pwd=ZvoBc7EJcBFO4SPeXXt4TsphJM4LZT.1">here</a></b> to join the meeting remotely.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Also on <b>Wednesday, March 6</b>, the Common Council Legal Committee meets at 6:00 p.m. No agenda is yet available for the meeting, but it is likely that revisions to the law banning formula businesses and the vacancy law will be topics of discussion. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Second Street, and on Microsoft Teams. Click <b><a href="https://www.hudsonny.gov/calendar.php?view=day&month=03&day=06&year=2024&calendar=&id=189">here</a></b> to find the link to join the meeting remotely.</span></li></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoH6HpZmE-3GbOsYcyueAg-XQrtAW1reZnwv3SwmS8DmADTFl3BEyh2zTJc-xlssTB6WXoKoPIj2rzvipYwuVEI190BCJKf7lTOczYfYVV6T81uQQUWenoLyCZJ3Q4akm8L1ZYJHRnp-YPInHkLPacXs62_qdtTf9EMJ2Sno92Dxg4SzZpMxJOZncyCByw/s1400/Hudson%20businesses.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1400" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoH6HpZmE-3GbOsYcyueAg-XQrtAW1reZnwv3SwmS8DmADTFl3BEyh2zTJc-xlssTB6WXoKoPIj2rzvipYwuVEI190BCJKf7lTOczYfYVV6T81uQQUWenoLyCZJ3Q4akm8L1ZYJHRnp-YPInHkLPacXs62_qdtTf9EMJ2Sno92Dxg4SzZpMxJOZncyCByw/s320/Hudson%20businesses.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><ul><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">On <b>Thursday, March 7</b>, the Columbia County Housing Task Force meets at 4:00 p.m. The meeting takes place in person at the offices of Columbia Economic Development Corporation (CEDC), 1 City Center, Suite 301, and on Zoom. Click <b><a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81624342325?pwd=9T9QcvFbaKjLjyxOLHUtARC1MKQcZR.1">here</a></b> to join the meeting remotely.</span></li><li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">At 6:00 p.m. on <b>Thursday, March 7</b>, the Common Council ad hoc Truck Route Committee holds its monthly meeting. This committee hasn't met for months, so it will be interesting to see what, if any, progress has been made in the interim. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Microsoft Teams. Click <b><a href="https://www.hudsonny.gov/calendar.php?view=day&month=03&day=07&year=2024&calendar=&id=178">here</a></b> to find the link to join the meeting remotely.</span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWYWPhECMhDlyM0Xg8WUrwMjLlIztQUxzaoZqgwbLinjz320_79bWeErrNw2tQ6X8sFIkZbmw1nvvg1yacTtXMCdRuO95WjsAp3O55475XqmceyDIFZ1reDwi3Yev1XdcBzNQTy5PV-tTqx1bNIYbbN9HP8tCQtOIlN5pu2Yn99RqAENbIeoWzzcO8qlM/s400/truck_on_Third.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="400" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWYWPhECMhDlyM0Xg8WUrwMjLlIztQUxzaoZqgwbLinjz320_79bWeErrNw2tQ6X8sFIkZbmw1nvvg1yacTtXMCdRuO95WjsAp3O55475XqmceyDIFZ1reDwi3Yev1XdcBzNQTy5PV-tTqx1bNIYbbN9HP8tCQtOIlN5pu2Yn99RqAENbIeoWzzcO8qlM/s320/truck_on_Third.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Also on <b>Thursday, March 7</b>, the Hudson Area Library hosts an opening reception and panel discussion for the exhibition <i><a href="https://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2024/02/new-exhibition-opening-soon-at-library.html">A Dialogue Across Generations: Making Connections through the BLACC Collection.</a> </i>The reception takes place from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the library, 51 North Fifth Street.</span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8A6dmkrhWgGTK0un042g1jjp5y53Kvx6bNJmxNttkQc5MFFKDFVioSi1FP8pT8wXri8Y-6CXgn5Zlb8AiG2gxpOzornTLNl6HKPxiooKGAm-jtGHyqVQeZBfveiYuljQRVdCadifOi4ZYT-MnF-9_B-6NxiNLIJ9dZBHt8GwDGEbjIZOF8LPQw4jJjyaf/s1080/BLACC%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="1080" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8A6dmkrhWgGTK0un042g1jjp5y53Kvx6bNJmxNttkQc5MFFKDFVioSi1FP8pT8wXri8Y-6CXgn5Zlb8AiG2gxpOzornTLNl6HKPxiooKGAm-jtGHyqVQeZBfveiYuljQRVdCadifOi4ZYT-MnF-9_B-6NxiNLIJ9dZBHt8GwDGEbjIZOF8LPQw4jJjyaf/s320/BLACC%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">On <b>Friday, March 8</b>, the Historic Preservation Commission meets at 10:00 a.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Microsoft Teams. Click <b><a href="https://www.hudsonny.gov/calendar.php?view=day&month=03&day=08&year=2024&calendar=&id=190">here</a></b> to find the link to join the meeting remotely. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;">Also on <b>Friday, March 8</b>, at 4:00 p.m., Mayor Kamal Johnson holds a public hearing on the local law establishing a <a href="https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Clean-Energy-Communities/High-Impact-Actions/Toolkits/Community-Choice-Aggregation">Community Choice Aggregation</a> program in the City of Hudson. The hearing takes place in person only at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street. </span></li></ul><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span></div></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-61746325156668194422024-03-03T16:26:00.007-05:002024-03-03T19:30:45.530-05:00An Effective Program Comes to an End at HCSD<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Last week, Dr. Juliette Pennyman shared a <a href="https://www.hudsoncsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Families-and-Community-Letter_-Progress-Report-From-Superintendent-Dr.-Juliette-Pennyman_-My-First-125-Days.docx.pdf">letter</a> and a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nbEuoNM6QMDM0wSLbwbFQniKflFsEwvZ/view">PowerPoint presentation</a> documenting her first 125 days as superintendent of the Hudson City School District. A few days later, something happened that some might consider a bad move for the district: the junior journalism program known as School Life News (SLN)<i> </i>was expelled from Montgomery C. Smith Elementary School.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtV0lbEZUZk_hnvAx3IK_eX7SYKFUKrzo24LcMkyAQ9PLZsN77BorWLgIC9oM-VtutoAm6GQcAPCttf8kUivCmO8sc_SFr4JilRvmPIV3hO4tuNwidle6KtzM5h1pyV7PfwsO11zmnOQ6J920deF5FEMxmTfqPejWVkDpeI8f9slG9tlbD5ofZVA_ix2NW/s1080/SLN%20final%20day.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtV0lbEZUZk_hnvAx3IK_eX7SYKFUKrzo24LcMkyAQ9PLZsN77BorWLgIC9oM-VtutoAm6GQcAPCttf8kUivCmO8sc_SFr4JilRvmPIV3hO4tuNwidle6KtzM5h1pyV7PfwsO11zmnOQ6J920deF5FEMxmTfqPejWVkDpeI8f9slG9tlbD5ofZVA_ix2NW/w400-h300/SLN%20final%20day.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">"Mr. Peter" bidding welfare on Friday to fifth-graders at MCSES</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;">Since 2016, Peter Meyer and others involved with the not-for-profit </span><a href="https://www.schoollifemedia.org/" style="font-family: georgia;">School Life Media</a><span style="font-family: georgia;"> (SLM) have been teaching journalism to students in various grades in HCSD but primarily to middle grade students at Montgomery C. Smith. Designed and directed by Meyer, a former news editor for </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Life </i><span style="font-family: georgia;">magazine and the author of numerous nonfiction books, the </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">School Life News</span><i style="font-family: georgia;"> </i><span style="font-family: georgia;">program taught students how to research, report, write, edit, and publish newspapers and in the process honed their literacy skills and developed their career skills. Students in Meyer's journalism program bettered their reading and writing skills, as evidenced by higher test scores. After the first year of the program, Dr. Maria Suttmeier, then HCSD superintendent, provided this assessment:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">SLM [delivers] evidence-based instruction on gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information. After witnessing the positive impact School Life Media has had on our young students during its pilot year, the journalism program has gained strong support and respect from our teachers.</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In 2018, the School Life Media journalism program got the attention of the <i>New York Times: </i><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/22/learning/lesson-plans/reader-idea-promoting-literacy-with-journalism-education-and-the-new-york-times.html">"Promoting Literacy with Journalism Education and the <i>New York Times.</i>"</a> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuytAV905Yb2WTqDnZA2hMPKNbiGx9H7jo9iotya-TvHrXAkBg_wt-eosy4cI3DYPu_AAqFPjgl70G_5iSQeMDpfIjZ3osWpxgXhKx7oXClZoRawuLAJljC-T4zI_TLVZq4MzVqrajpWmYtagRHcxfX-cNGQM5Vfp2HPm05CQEd8IYuoE2gVJQ7-Sgrjkb/s320/School%20Life%20Media%20NYT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuytAV905Yb2WTqDnZA2hMPKNbiGx9H7jo9iotya-TvHrXAkBg_wt-eosy4cI3DYPu_AAqFPjgl70G_5iSQeMDpfIjZ3osWpxgXhKx7oXClZoRawuLAJljC-T4zI_TLVZq4MzVqrajpWmYtagRHcxfX-cNGQM5Vfp2HPm05CQEd8IYuoE2gVJQ7-Sgrjkb/s1600/School%20Life%20Media%20NYT.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div>In 2019, Michael Saltz, longtime senior producer for the <i>PBS NewsHour</i>, was invited to be a guest in one of Meyer's journalism classes. During the session, a sample of Saltz's work as a TV news producer was shown, students asked him questions in the form of a press conference, they took notes of what he said, and each wrote a news story about the event. Saltz wrote about his experience in a <i>My View </i>that appeared in the <i>Register-Star: </i>"Are you smarter than a fifth-grader?" The following is quoted from that piece:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">If you think about it, as I did for the first time after Peter told me what he was doing, the skills of a journalist or reporter lie at the entry point of every academic experience and social interaction we encounter throughout our lives. . . .</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What these fifth graders were learning wasn't merely something about me and my job, but, rather, a way to approach life, a fact-based approach.</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3af9zgV3AnSqFqQeICalc7ix1zyiGqfob61RIeRQcN8-90U14Yq3rYWGYCS_jah6M_d2LB-xHuVPaCY73Hd6WvpwbTmuQvnZzpmYKulUNdxuXuaMk9pL1JsLJn3qj53hYeTXlN9T9WcDAFhTo5YibtfM-i_Lz4WF-u5LxR5LBo3I716yJAfgzZUqzAQO/s337/Register+Star+Are+you+smarter+header.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="337" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3af9zgV3AnSqFqQeICalc7ix1zyiGqfob61RIeRQcN8-90U14Yq3rYWGYCS_jah6M_d2LB-xHuVPaCY73Hd6WvpwbTmuQvnZzpmYKulUNdxuXuaMk9pL1JsLJn3qj53hYeTXlN9T9WcDAFhTo5YibtfM-i_Lz4WF-u5LxR5LBo3I716yJAfgzZUqzAQO/s320/Register+Star+Are+you+smarter+header.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Saltz's entire essay can be found <b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rLZEKZ-W50d6vMXNxw4PpsGaU-ZOvb0Q/view">here</a></b>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The School Life Media journalism program also won the attention and admiration of Bruce Porter, retired professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Porter wrote the following letter to Pennyman praising the program and arguing for its continuance: </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I'll try not to take up much of your time, just enough to plead that you return Peter Meyer's remarkable journalism class to the HCSD curriculum. It was a brilliant idea that he proposed some six years ago, to turn the fifth grade into a team of reporters. It caught on immediately with the kids as well as the teachers and will leave a lamentable hole if you let it go.</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I've not actually witnessed Peter's class, but I've seen how the students equip themselves, sallying forth with their press passes and the notebooks, how eagerly they apply the rules of inquiring as to Who? What? When? Where? and Why? "The 5Ws are the gateway to understanding and knowledge"--this from Mike Saltz, retired senior producer of the <i>PBS NewsHour, </i>who wrote in the <i>Register-Star </i>about his grilling by Peter's little crew. "The more we learn to incorporate them into our lives the better able we are to learn, to read, and write, and do arithmetic, the better able we are to interact with our fellow human beings and the world around us."</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In having at him, Saltz wrote, the students went straight for the facts. "How long have I worked? Where did I start? How old was I? Am I married? Do I have siblings? Later, they each wrote a news story, often accompanied by pictures they drew. . . . What they were learning wasn't merely something about me, but rather a way to approach life, a fact-based approach."</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What's more, it was fun, as well as a turn-on. That's what actual learning turns into, not the dreary exercise in rote that students have come to expect. . . .</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Like Peter, I've spent much of my own life as a working journalist, and also as a journalism professor at the Columbia J-School. I retired before the current political battle began over the role that facts play in the survival of this country. We need to train the next generation in the search for truth, and it's not too early to start with the fifth grade in Hudson. For this you need to give Peter Meyer back his course!</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Since its beginning in 2016, SLN has delivered several dozen programs to more than fifty classrooms and several hundred HCSD students in Grades 3 through 6. Last year, a 9th-grade class was included.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Commenting on the current situation, Meyer told <i>Gossips, </i>"Being thrown out was quite a blow for me and the program; no warning, no explanation, no thank you. Too bad for the kids, who have been making literacy improvements all along with SLN." Meyer added, "We still have a class in 6th grade, thanks to Principal Rhode Cooper, but it's not being used for the literacy-challenged kids that the program was created to serve."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">COPYRIGHT 2024 CAROLE OSTERINK</span></div>Carole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.com8