A new essay collection published by Purple Mountain Press highlights an unexpected connection between the Catskills and one of literature’s most enduring characters: Peter Pan. “Peter Pan in the Catskills and Other Historical Essays,” released last month, gathers 33 essays first published in Catskill Tri-County Historical Views, a journal of the Gilboa Museum and Juried […]
Mia Quick
Posted inNews
Hunter
Hunter Supervisor Urges DEC to Reject Plan to Cap Kaaterskill Visitors
Hunter Supervisor Sean Mahoney urged the Department of Environmental Conservation to reject a proposal that would cap daily visitors to Kaaterskill Falls at 1,000 and require reservations, saying it would hurt local businesses, restrict public access, and be difficult to enforce. Mahoney said in an April 6 letter to DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton that the […]
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Woodstock
Woodstock Teen Advances to Quarterfinals in Bob Ross Art Contest
A national art competition inspired by Bob Ross has brought a Woodstock teenager within striking distance of the semifinals. Rose Mills, 13, is competing in the quarterfinals of Bob Ross’s America’s Most Artistic Kid Competition, where the top public vote-getter advances to the next round. The contest’s winner will receive $20,000, appear on a special […]
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Saugerties
Malden Turnpike Bridge Closes in Saugerties for $8.2 Million Replacement
A bridge carrying about 2,000 vehicles a day over the New York State Thruway in Saugerties has closed for replacement and is expected to remain shut until fall 2026. The Malden Turnpike bridge closed to all traffic last week, as construction began on an $8.2 million project to replace the 78-year-old structure with a new […]
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Overlook
Ulster County Launches Private Well PFAS Testing, Rebate Program
Ulster County residents with private wells can now apply for free PFAS testing and, if contamination is found, rebates to help cover the cost of treatment systems through a new state pilot program. The Private Well PFAS Testing and Mitigation Rebate Pilot Program makes eligible property owners and some tenants eligible for free testing for […]
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Overlook
“I Voted” Sticker Contest Launches for Voting Season
For the sixth year in a row, the Ulster County Board of Elections is inviting artists ages 9 to 18 to enter its “I Voted” sticker contest. The winning design will be distributed to voters during the Nov. 3, 2026, general election, including throughout early voting from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1. Submissions should include […]
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Woodstock
Woodstock Land Conservancy’s Hoerrner Chases Sustainability in Italy
Keisha Hoerrner is leaving the Woodstock Land Conservancy, where she’s served as its communications and outreach manager for two years, for a new and more sustainable life in Bologna, Italy, seeking to cut her carbon footprint, better healthcare, and “a place where science is valued.” “I want to go from just educating people about this […]
Posted inCommunity
Overlook
What a Year: Check Out Our 10 Most-Read Stories
In the year since The Overlook launched, we’ve covered everything from real estate sales (and scams) to heartbreaking fires and the precarious economic state of what was once one of our liveliest towns. You, our readers, voted with your fingertips to create our most popular stories. Here they are! 10. Firefighter’s Death on Panther Mountain […]
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Saugerties
Local Author Donates Portion of Proceeds from Book to Saugerties Animal Shelter
Maryanne Kalin-Miller moved to Saugerties after 42 years in Chicago to be closer to her granddaughter. It was a love for animals, even backyard pests, that inspired her to write a book – and donate some of the proceeds to the local animal shelter. For each copy sold of “Like Magic: Science Saves Small Town […]
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Woodstock
Woodstock Jewish Congregation Launches Support Program for Immigrant Families
The Woodstock Jewish Congregation has launched a volunteer-driven program to support immigrant families facing detention, financial strain and other hardships. The initiative comes as federal immigration enforcement operations have drawn national attention. This week, federal officials announced the end of a high-profile immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota that resulted in thousands of arrests and sparked […]
Posted inCulture
Woodstock
Molly Farley Keeps Jazz Alive at Rock City Vintage
Molly Farley traces her love of music to her parents. The quiet sound of her father’s saxophone and the gentle voice of her mother filled the family home in Mound, Minnesota, where Farley and her five siblings gathered after dinner to sing and play. “The town I grew up in did not have much culture,” […]
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Overlook
Greener Living, One Roof (or Loaf) at a Time
Making a move towards sustainability can look like Melissa Gibson’s promotion of biodegradable hemp products at HERbal Woodstock or the installation of green roofs by Hudson Valley Green Roof’s Nicholas DePalma. It can be through a community push via the composting program by Woodstock Farm Festival or the gradual shift towards reusable and efficient housing […]
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Overlook
Independence Day Celebrations Offer Parades, Fireworks
Saugerties, Tannersville, and Phoenicia are among the local towns celebrating Independence Day with a mix of fireworks and parades this weekend, starting at 10 a.m. Friday. Plan ahead—you just might be able to make it to more than one event, or even all four. Saugerties: Fireworks and Parade on Friday A full day of events […]
Posted inOutdoors
Overlook
Seven Local Hikes With Views, Fire Towers—and the Occasional Snake
With one heat wave done and summer in full swing, it may be time to venture into our local wilderness for hikes that range from adventurous to family-friendly, offering your pick of stunning mountaintop views and the serenity of deep forest. Just pack plenty of liquids, be sure to haul out all your trash, and […]
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Overlook
Locals, Day-Trippers Flock to Big Deep as Temperatures Soar
This week’s record-setting heat wave drew flocks of visitors and their furry friends to Big Deep, Woodstock’s best-known and sometimes overused swimming hole, as well as county-designated cooling centers such as the town library. Cars lined up on the street next to the watering spot as visitors crossed the road in flip flops and bathing […]
Posted inGardening
Hurley
It’s Domesday for Two Local Gardeners Betting on Geodesics
A former New York City real estate agent and a retired medical center engineer say the future of gardening is here—and it’s round. Joe’l Moss and Harold Castellano, who met when Castellano visited her property while serving as Hurley’s building inspector, have turned to geodesic domes—half-sphere structures invented for a German planetarium more than a […]
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Woodstock
Juneteenth Marked in Woodstock With Food, Art—and a Call to Action
Woodstock celebrated Juneteenth, the day three years after the Emancipation Proclamation that America’s last enslaved people learned they were free, with poetry, music and, great food. “Writing is a release for everything that we are absorbing in this time,” said poet Khe Charles, a speaker at the Village Green event, which included a miniature concert. […]
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Woodstock
Woodstock Library Hopes `Generous’ Donors Will Plug Funding Gap for New Site
The new 12,000-square-foot Woodstock library, triple the size of its longtime Library Lane home, is counting on donations to plug a $295,000 shortfall caused by federal budget cuts that it needs to complete a project more than three years in the making. “We will get that money,” said Marcia Pattern, secretary of the library’s board […]
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Shandaken
Flood-Prone Shandaken Works to Shore Up Support from Threat of Rising Waters
Shandaken is working to educate residents about what to do if a town named for rising waters lives up to its moniker. Environmental groups invited by the town’s Conservation Advisory Council this week told people who live on Shandaken’s floodplain to sign up for emergency alerts, look into flood insurance and consider raising their homes […]
Posted inGardening
Overlook
`Moon Gardens’ Bloom as Gardeners Cultivate Nocturnal Pollinators
An alarming quiet has replaced the familiar buzzing from pollen to petals as populations of honey bees and other pollinators rapidly decline. Nothing, it seems, can bring them back, not even colorful, nectar-rich flowers that greet the morning sun with open petals and should lure bees and butterflies. In response, and perhaps in quiet defiance, […]
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Overlook
Village Apothecary Weighs Ending Loss-Making Scrips, Citing `Predatory Reimbursement Practices’
Village Apothecary, Woodstock’s independent pharmacy, is telling some customers that it can’t survive if it keeps filling the 15% of prescriptions that it sells at a loss, asking them to consider paying for medicine out of pocket, using a big-box outlet, or buying a store membership to get discounted prices. In an email reviewed by […]
Posted inCulture
Woodstock
Woodstock Pride Celebrates Visibility and Belonging
The flowing fabrics of dancers dressed as butterflies, drag queens, and local businesses, along with bands playing “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan, filled the streets on Sunday, June 8, for Woodstock’s Pride Parade—a festive march from Comeau Drive to Colony. “It’s not common in Pride parties that there’s so many families. That is very […]
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Olive
Olive Free Library Hosts Fourth Annual Fair
The Olive Free Library celebrated its fourth annual Library Fair on June 7 with live music, a bustling plant sale, and a performance by juggler and beatboxer “Jester Jim,” drawing families and community members for a day of entertainment and connection. Jester Jim’s high-energy set—featuring juggling, beatboxing, and comedy—was a standout. Many attendees called it […]
Posted inEnvironment
Catskill 3500 Club Marks Fifth Trail Stewardship Program With Outside Grant
The Catskill 3500 Club hosted its fifth trailhead steward season over the Memorial Day weekend, pushing forward with efforts to promulgate safe hiking and environmental stewardship as federal budget cuts stir concern. The club, formed in 1961 to note summiteers of the 33 accessible Catskills peaks above 3,500 feet, is supported this year for the […]
Posted inNews
Olive Free Library Wins $52K Grant to Build Makerspace and Art Hub
The Olive Free Library has been awarded a $52,000 grant from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) to develop a new makerspace and exhibition area in its lower level. Melissa McHugh, the library’s director and grant writer, said the funds will help transform the downstairs space by upgrading the flooring, ceiling, and […]
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Shandaken
Shandaken Opens Public Hearing on Verizon Cell Tower Proposal
The Shandaken Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing June 18 at 7 p.m. to consider Verizon Wireless’ request for a zoning variance to build a new cell tower in Phoenicia. Verizon is seeking a variance to expand the site’s permitted area by an additional 55 feet to account for slope and topography. […]
Posted inArt
Where Stone Remembers: Brunel Park Reimagined
The 19th-century French immigrant portrait photographer Emile Brunel churned clumps of concrete in preparation for his Indigenous-inspired sculptures, influenced by his time traveling through the western states. After immigrating to the United States in 1904 in search of frontier adventure, Brunel supported himself as a nomadic artist and later a commercial photographer, documenting the lives […]