Gov. Kathy Hochul’s announced $268 billion state budget is drawing criticism from environmental advocates who say it would weaken a key law that gives residents a voice on major projects planned near homes, streams, wetlands and forests. At stake is the State Environmental Quality Review Act, which Hochul wants to amend to help spur badly […]
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Covers all current events, investigations, and updates.
Boiceville Bridge, Trailhead Project May Take Months Longer to Complete
A $33 million infrastructure project in Boiceville that began in 2021 and includes road, bridge, and trailhead upgrades near the Ashokan Reservoir may not be completed until this fall, about a year after New York City officials first estimated, a local official said. The revised timeline came from New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection, […]
Tannersville Culinary Hub Breaks Ground at Fromer Market Gardens
A $1.2 million culinary education center planned for Fromer Market Gardens in Tannersville broke ground April 29, launching a project meant to train local students and adults in agriculture, hospitality, and food service. The Fromer Market Gardens Culinary Hub, a joint project of the Hunter Foundation and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties, […]
Onteora Names 2026 Valedictorian, Salutatorian, and Principal’s Award Recipient
Onteora High School announced its 2026 valedictorian, salutatorian, and Principal’s Award recipient on Wednesday, with all three students planning to pursue STEM fields in college. Valedictorian Shelby Buryk, of West Hurley, will graduate with an Advanced Regents Diploma with Distinction and the New York State Seal of Biliteracy in French. She is the treasurer of […]
Michael Berg Family of Woodstock’s Founder to Retire After 56 Years
Michael Berg said the decade he spent working weekly overnight shifts for Family of Woodstock’s crisis hotline, starting in the mid-1970s, was transformational. “It changed me,” said Berg, Family’s 81-year-old executive director. “I got to be really in touch with the pain and the stuff that people were going through.” For about six months, the […]
Kaaterskill Trolley Comes to a Stop After Four Seasons
The Kaaterskill Trolley will not return this summer, ending a four-season run that carried visitors to some of Greene County’s most crowded outdoor destinations just as the state considers new limits on access to Kaaterskill Falls. Ryan Chadwick, who started the shuttle service in 2022, said last week that the trolley had ceased operations indefinitely. […]
Long-Stalled Plastics Bill Draws Support After NY Lawmakers Soften Key Sections
Shandaken conservationist Karen Lee said she remains hopeful that a long-stalled state effort to restrict plastic packaging is moving forward, even after lawmakers softened key sections of the proposal this week. “They’re softening the bill to get something on the books,” said Lee, 66, a member of the town’s Conservation Advisory Council who has lobbied […]
Windham Town Board Hears Comments on First Zoning Law
Windham residents raised questions Thursday about how the town’s proposed first zoning law would affect existing lots, small businesses, housing, and future development, as the Town Board considers whether to revise the draft before taking action. The April 30 public hearing at Town Hall in Hensonville followed a three-year drafting process tied to Windham’s 2022 […]
The Overlook Wins Five New York Press Association Awards
The Overlook won five awards in the New York Press Association’s 2025 Better Newspaper Contest, including first place for photographic excellence. The awards were presented April 23 and 24 at the association’s spring convention in Saratoga Springs. This year’s contest drew 2,732 entries from 150 publications across 67 categories, with members of the Michigan Press […]
Windham Mountain Club and Windham Foundation Pledge $60,000 to Fire Companies
Windham Mountain Club and the Windham Foundation of New York will contribute $60,000 over three years to support equipment upgrades for the Windham and Hensonville volunteer fire companies, aiming to help emergency responders keep pace with growth on the mountaintop. Windham Mountain Club and Windham Foundation will each contribute $10,000 a year for three years, […]
Hunter Supervisor Calls for Stronger Warning Signs at Fawn’s Leap After Teen’s Death
Hunter Supervisor Sean Mahoney said the town is in talks with the Department of Environmental Conservation about possible changes to signage at Fawn’s Leap after a 15-year-old Brooklyn boy died there Saturday, saying that warning signs don’t properly convey danger at the popular swimming spot. “Signage needs to be improved,” Mahoney said. “There should be […]
Lizzie Vann Targets 2027 Finish for First Phase of Project Regeneration
Woodstock developer Lizzie Vann said she hoped the first phase of Project Regeneration, her proposal to remake the former Woodstock Library and Lasher Funeral Home properties, could be finished in 2027, with the full project completed by 2029. Vann outlined that timeline on April 19 at a public meeting that drew about 100 people to […]
Mountain Top Library to Host Eighth Annual Earth Day Celebration in Tannersville
Visitors to Mountain Top Library’s Earth Day Celebration on April 25 will be able to plant a tree, learn about protecting the local watershed, watch short films, and meet a falconer — all in one afternoon. The library’s eighth annual Earth Day event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Main Street in […]
Onteora School Board Seeks Approval for 4.5% Budget Increase to $66.5 Million
The Onteora Central School District Board of Education agreed to increase its 2026-27 budget by 4.5% to $66.5 million, citing increased costs, and will seek voter approval on May 19. The spending plan, which covers the fiscal year from July 1 to June 30, is about $2.89 million more than this year’s budget. The budget […]
Windham Sets Public Hearing on Zoning Law to Replace Piecemeal Regulations
Windham is nearing the final stage of implementing its first zoning law, a proposal in the works since 2022 that would replace piecemeal regulations and split the town into five districts with separate rules governing what kinds of development can happen where. The plan would fold land-use laws such as site plan, setback, and sign […]
Bearsville Taken Off Market Months After Being Listed for Sale
Bearsville Center in Woodstock, home to the historic Bearsville Theater, is no longer for sale, months after owner Lizzie Vann put it on the market for $7.995 million. “We have had a re-think about Bearsville and we are taking it off the market for a period while we work out what to do,” she said. […]
Teen Boy Dies at Fawn’s Leap in Hunter
A 15-year-old boy from Brooklyn died Saturday after he was pulled from the water at Fawn’s Leap in Hunter, where authorities said he became trapped by a powerful hydraulic current at the base of the falls. The apparent drowning happened at about 11:57 a.m. April 18 at the popular but unsanctioned swimming spot on Kaaterskill […]
Support Grows for Poet Stripped of County Role Over Social Media Posts
Greene County will not have a poet laureate this year. On Wednesday evening, the Greene County Legislature voted unanimously, without discussion, to rescind the January appointment of writer Esther Cohen as the county’s first poet laureate. The vote formalized a decision outlined in an April 3 letter by Patrick Linger, chairman of the legislature, to […]
Hurley Set to Start Converting Former Library Into Community Center
The town of Hurley expects to soon start converting its former library into the Hurley Heritage Community Center, redeveloping a building that has been empty for two decades. The town, which approved the $500,000 conversion last May, picked a contractor and is completing financing, most of which is in the form of a grant from […]
Carnegie Funds Saugerties Library Events Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary
The Saugerties Public Library will host a range of events celebrating libraries, local history and America’s 250th anniversary thanks to a $10,000 gift from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the same group that paid $12,500 in 1914 to build the town’s library. Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish immigrant who made his fortune in steel, benefited […]
Lawyer IDs Haines Falls Man Detained by ICE in Tannersville, Second Man Detained in Windham
One man detained by ICE agents in Tannersville on Wednesday morning was identified as Francisco “Pancho” Marmolejo-Silva, a longtime local contractor, according to local lawyer Greg A local lawyer identified the man detained by ICE agents in Tannersville on Wednesday as longtime local contractor Francisco “Pancho” Marmolejo-Silva, while the Greene County Sheriff confirmed a second […]
Greene County Rescinds Poet Laureate Appointment Due to Facebook Posts
The chairman of the Greene County Legislature is revoking the appointment of Esther Cohen as the county’s first poet laureate, citing two of her Facebook posts that lawmakers said appeared to celebrate the prospect of President Donald Trump’s death. In an April 3 letter, Patrick Linger, chairman of the Republican-majority Legislature, told CREATE Council on […]
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 […]
Town Tinker Tube Rental, on Market Seven Years, May Have a Buyer
Town Tinker Tube Rental, shuttered and for sale since the pandemic, may have finally found a buyer. “I do have someone in the pipeline who has been talking to me since last October,” said Town Tinker owner Harry Jameson, 72, who opened the business in 1980. “He has not responded for a couple weeks now, […]
Second Annual Saugerties Earth Day Week Set for April 20-26
Plans are underway for the second annual Saugerties Earth Day Week, set for April 20-26, featuring a lineup of nature tours, expert talks, award-winning films, and hands-on activities aimed at informing and inspiring individual and collective action on sustainability. The spirit of this year’s theme is reflected in the Jane Street Gallery event, “The Joy […]
Douglas Kadow, Catskills Railroad Historian, Dies at 63
Douglas Kadow, a railroad historian and longtime telecommunications and tech consultant, died while working a shift at the Haines Falls Stewart’s Shop on Tuesday, April 7, according to the company. “We don’t have a lot of information on what happened,” said Robin Cooper, manager of public relations at Stewart’s Shops. “He was at work yesterday […]
Part of Tannery Brook Road to Close for Two Months for Bridge Replacement
Tannery Brook Road north of Ohayo Mountain Road in Woodstock will close for about two months beginning April 14 as Ulster County replaces Sully Bridge over the Saw Kill. Drivers will be detoured east on Millstream Road, north on West Hurley Road, west on Route 212, and south on Tannery Brook Road, according to an […]
Silvia Owners Plan New Tavern and Cafe on Former Gemela Property
The ownership group behind the restaurant Silvia is preparing to open two new businesses on Mill Hill Road in Woodstock, taking over the property formerly occupied by Gemela. The larger building on the site will be called The Penny Tavern, while the smaller building will be called The Penny Cafe, according to Silvia co-owner Craig […]
Phoenicia Library’s Angling Collection Marks 30 Years of Catskills Fishing History
An intensely quiet Scrabble match was underway on the first floor of the Phoenicia Library. Upstairs, Violet Snow led a writing class on discovering ancestors through photos, letters, and keepsakes. In another room, musician, author, and educator Robert Burke Warren worked on a new novel. For 30 years, the library has supported an eclectic mix […]
Bread and Puppet to Perform in Woodstock for Stop Zena Fundraiser
Bread and Puppet Theater will perform at the Woodstock Playhouse on April 18 in a fundraiser organized by Stop Zena Development, a coalition opposing the proposed Zena Homes project. The 30-lot subdivision, planned on about 626 acres spanning Woodstock and Ulster, has become a flashpoint in a broader fight over environmental review, emergency access and […]
Maverick Concerts Announces 2026 Season
Maverick Concerts has announced its 2026 season, a summer lineup that will run from June 27 through Sept. 13 at the historic Maverick Concert Hall in Hurley, with a free community open house planned for June 6 ahead of the season’s start. This year’s festival will mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence […]
Saugerties Sports Hall of Fame Welcomes Five New Inductees at 61st Banquet
The Saugerties Sports Hall of Fame inducted five new members Saturday evening at Diamond Mills, honoring athletes whose accomplishments spanned generations of Saugerties High School sports. Before a crowd of about 200 guests, the organization welcomed Lars Hauck, Kevin Beaver, Bobby Francello, Shane Geisler, who was inducted posthumously, and Ruben Lindo during its 61st induction […]
Buzzing Bee Market Opens on Route 212 in Saugerties
Like many people during the pandemic, Conchi Perez of Saugerties picked up a hobby. For Perez, a native of Mexico, that hobby was backyard gardening. She started with vegetables. Then she discovered dahlias. “I fell in love with dahlias,” she said. The hobby also gave Perez something else: confidence. She set up a flower stand […]
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 […]
Woodstock Library UCAT Stop in Limbo as County Seeks Drivers
Ulster County’s plans to add a bus stop for Woodstock’s new library, a mile and a half east of its former location, are in limbo as officials seek to hire more drivers to expand its network. Ulster County Area Transit’s Route Z includes stops at the corner of Route 212 and Rock City Road, within […]
Four Hikers, Dog Rescued on Blackhead Mountain in Windham
Four hikers from New Jersey and their dog were rescued the evening of March 20 after becoming lost on Blackhead Mountain in Windham, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. One member of the group reported feeling woozy, and all four hikers were cold and wet when rescuers reached them. Members of Hensonville Hose […]
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 […]
“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 […]
Wrong-Plot Burial at Woodstock Cemetery Prompts Audit and Reforms
It was the kind of brilliant October day that speaks to life, not its end. The temperature was in the mid-60s and the sky an unblemished blue as Jim Reynolds gathered with family and friends on the second Saturday of the month at Woodstock Cemetery to bid farewell to his life partner. It was only […]
‘Smell Something, Say Something’: Second Home Propane Accident in a Year Prompts Safety Warnings
For the second time in a year, a residential propane explosion is prompting officials to urge residents to inspect their systems and install gas detectors in homes heated by propane, a fuel used by more than 11 million Americans for heat and hot water. “Sometimes it’s human error,” said Olive Fire Chief Chris Winne. “Sometimes […]
Platte Clove Bridge Overhaul Pushed Back Until Next Year as One-Lane Traffic Limit Stays in Place
A $1.2 million overhaul of the Platte Clove Bridge has been pushed to next year, leaving the crossing restricted to one lane while officials await state environmental approval. The Greene County Highway Department carried out preliminary repairs last year on the historic 1895 stone arch bridge above Bridal Veil Falls as a first step in […]
Woodstock Plans Its First Earth Week in April
Woodstock will mark Earth Day this year by multiplying it sevenfold. From April 18 to April 25, the town will host its first “Earth Week,” a series of events that aims to bring together the community’s many environmental efforts. “I was thinking about all the different groups in this town that are fighting so hard […]
As Summer Approaches, Concern About Crowds Resurfaces at Big and Little Deep
Woodstock officials are raising concern about mounting safety risks at Big Deep and Little Deep, the local swimming holes that draw swarms of local and out-of-town visitors in the summer months. Members of the Woodstock Environmental Commission said at their March 18 meeting that visits to the sites off Zena Road and Route 212 last […]
Former Lodge and Pinecrest Property Faces Zoning Hurdles as Future Remains Uncertain
Bill Murray once wanted to take a late-night swim at The Lodge in Woodstock. The actor, who was in the area while filming the 2019 movie “The Dead Don’t Die” in Fleischmanns, became a regular at the bar, hotel, and restaurant tucked behind Woodstock Elementary School. He showed up at Levon Helm Studios, dropped by […]
Adaptive Sports Foundation Closes Winter Season With Annual Tribute Cup at Windham Mountain Club
The Adaptive Sports Foundation closed out its winter season this month with its annual Ralph Hartman Tribute Cup at Windham Mountain Club, drawing 43 skiers and snowboarders with physical and cognitive disabilities for an end-of-season race on the Whiteway trail. The event, held March 14, marked the culmination of the foundation’s winter adaptive sports program, […]
Woodstock Steps Back from Potential Hike in Summer Camp Fees, Citing `Hardship’
Woodstock officials stepped back from a potential hike in summer camp fees, saying they want to avoid a “hardship” for families even as the program’s budget gap widens. “What I want to start off with is to assure the public and parents that the town board has heard that increasing the cost of the camp […]
Olive Home Explodes, Leaving One Resident Hurt, Minimal Fire
A separate building on the property of a one-bedroom home at 16 Mulrooney Road in West Shokan exploded on Monday, injuring a person who was inside at the time, local firefighters said. The person’s condition wasn’t immediately available after the 12:20 p.m. explosion. It caused only a minimal fire and the cause hasn’t yet been […]
Windham Mountain Club Early-Bird Prices Substantially Exceed Peers’
Priced at $2,000, Windham Mountain Club’s early-bird season passes were roughly twice as expensive as similar passes at other resorts in the region. These high prices are fueling concerns about access to Windham slopes for Catskills locals. Passes at other popular resorts in The Overlook region have either remained stable or risen less in recent […]
Community Fridge Opens in Saugerties
A community refrigerator outside a Main Street shop in Saugerties softly launched this week, offering a simple premise: take food if you need it, leave food if you can. The 24/7 fridge sits outside Enoki at 190 Main St., where owners Shirley Lim, 29, and Tommy Lam, 30, hope it will become a community-run resource […]
Not Fade Away Seeks New Woodstock Home After 35 Years in Town
In October 1983, Marty Leffer was in a Lake Placid hotel, waiting for an elevator. He had two tie-dyed shirts from a bundle he hoped to sell to thousands of Deadheads, fans of the Grateful Dead, who had descended on the upstate village that had hosted the Winter Olympics about four years earlier. Nearly 8,000 […]
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 […]
Ulster Delays Decision on Environmental Review of Zena Homes, Plans Site Visit
Ulster officials delayed a decision on whether to recommend a deeper environmental review of the contentious Zena Homes development, opting to visit the site first. The Town of Ulster Planning Board on Tuesday deferred its decision on whether to issue a positive or negative declaration under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, or SEQR, pushing […]
Shandaken Takes First Step to Develop Shuttered Phoenicia School as Housing
Shandaken took its first formal step Monday toward redeveloping the shuttered Phoenicia Elementary School into a mixed affordable and market-rate housing project that could include community space. The Town Board voted 4-0 to authorize Supervisor Barbara Mansfield to sign a memorandum of understanding with RUPCO, a Kingston-based nonprofit developer. The agreement allows RUPCO to begin […]
Shandaken, Tannersville, RUPCO Win $343,250 Smart Growth Grants from DEC
Shandaken, Tannersville, and RUPCO won $343,250 of so-called smart growth grants from the Department of Environmental Conservation, including funding for a town zoning plan, design work around Gooseberry Creek and Rip Van Winkle Lake, and infrastructure tied to an affordable housing project in Pine Hill. The three awards account for more than half of the […]
Saugerties to Use $155,000 State Housing Grant to Examine Affordability
Saugerties aims to use a $115,750 state grant to determine who’s being shut out of the housing market as costs surge throughout the Hudson Valley. The town, one of three so-called “Pro-Housing certified” municipalities in Ulster County that received a share of $5 million in grants last month, will probably hire its planning consultant, Nelson […]
Winston Farm Developers Craft Responses to Questions on Proposal
Developers behind a proposal to transform the historic 840-acre Winston Farm property in Saugerties say they’re preparing to respond to more than 500 public comments that Town Supervisor Fred Costello said include questions about water quality and usage, protecting wildlife and preserving open space. “Winston Farm is carefully reviewing each question and crafting responses, both […]
Hurley School Sale Closes, Five Years After Approval and $250,000 Short
The Onteora School District finally completed its sale of the former West Hurley Elementary School to a Brooklyn developer that wants to turn it into housing, five years after the Planning Board approved the deal and 30 percent short of the initial price. Cedar East Development sealed the $800,000 deal with the district on Feb. […]
Woodstock School of Art Pursues $700K Barn Rehabilitation
The Woodstock School of Art is undertaking a $700,000 rehabilitation of its historic barn, a project its executive director said will expand programming, improve public access, and lower long-term operating costs at the historic Route 212 campus. The renovation will convert the oldest building on the property from seasonal use to a year-round facility, allowing […]
DEC Seeks Public Input on Sundown Wild Forest Expansion in Olive
Residents gathered at the Town of Olive Meeting Hall in Shokan on Feb. 24 as the state Department of Environmental Conservation began the process of incorporating a newly acquired 900-acre parcel in Olive into the Sundown Wild Forest. The session marked the beginning of the amendment process. DEC officials described it as a scoping meeting […]
Woodstock to Update Residents on Plan to Extend Pedestrian, Bike Path Between Village and Bearsville
Woodstock’s Complete Streets Committee plans to hold a public meeting on March 24 at 6 p.m. at the Mescal Hornbeck Community Center to update residents on a plan to extend village sidewalks into a pedestrian and bike path stretching as far as Bearsville. The village is already working with the Department of Transportation on a […]
Windham Supervisor Hoyt Endorses Molinaro in 102nd Assembly Race
Citing health concerns after heart attack, Hoyt steps back from campaign and backs former congressman for open seat.
Ulster County Lifts Travel Ban After Winter Storm Hernando
Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger banned all non-essential vehicular travel on public roadways Sunday, Feb. 22, at 9 p.m., as Winter Storm Hernando threatened to bring over a foot of snow and wind gusts as high as 50 mph to the region. The restriction, originally set to run through 10 a.m. Monday, was lifted early […]
Barclay Heights Residents Urge Town to Curb Speeding
Residents in the Barclay Heights area of Saugerties are calling on town officials to help hit the brakes on what they call an epidemic of speeding in their tiny neighborhood. Barclay Heights, also known as Saugerties South, is a square-mile swatch of closely built homes connected by about two dozen narrow suburban-style roads tucked between […]
Olive Board Rejects Plan That Could Clear Path for Shokan Affordable Housing
In a surprise move Tuesday, the Olive Town Board voted unanimously against a resolution that could have eased restrictions on workforce housing development in the hamlet of Shokan. The proposal would have withdrawn the town from an agreement with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection that limits development of land it acquires. The […]
Metzger Pitches 10% Tax Break for Full-Time Residents, Seeks to Unmask Local ICE Agents
Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger used her annual State of the County address on Wednesday to propose a 10% cut in property taxes for full-time residents, aiming to shift more of the levy to the part-timers who flocked to the Hudson Valley in the wake of the pandemic. The county is working with State Senator […]
Q&A: Henri Rivers IV Reflects on His Olympic Debut
Henri Rivers IV trained since toddlerhood for his Olympic start. His first run lasted only moments. Competing for Jamaica in the slalom at the 2026 Winter Games, the 18-year-old Windham Mountain alum lost an edge early on the Stelvio course and skied out, registering a Did Not Finish as deteriorating weather knocked out more than […]
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 […]
Tainted Wells Near Saugerties Landfill Leave 62 Households on Bottled Water
Tracy Bouvette spent decades looking for his dream retirement property. He found it on John Joy Road on the Saugerties border in 2017. “It’s magical up here. Just really lovely,” Bouvette said. By July 2019, construction on Bouvette’s home was almost finished. The final step was digging a well. Two weeks later, the State Department […]
As Debate Around Battery Storage Intensifies, Saugerties and Hurley Become a Tale of Two Towns
The towns of Saugerties and Hurley have become focal points in one of the Catskills’ most divisive debates: whether lithium-ion battery storage projects are necessary, and whether they are safe. The issue was front and center again this week. In Saugerties, officials held a nearly three-hour presentation and question-and-answer session on battery energy storage systems, […]
Assa Sacko-Zarcone Steps Into General Manager Role at Radio Woodstock
With thousands of attendees, multiple stages and a sometimes frenetic pace, the Mountain Jam Festival often developed a rhythm of its own, one that built steadily over several days and rivaled the tempo of the nationally known acts that drew crowds to the Catskills over the years. Staged by Radio Woodstock (WDST 100.1 FM) owner […]
Tannersville Gets $1.2 Million Grant to Build Highway Garage With Hunter
The Village of Tannersville got a $1.2 million state grant to help pay for a highway garage in collaboration with the Town of Hunter, bringing to $2.45 million the amount of funding for a structure that’s also expected to be used by the Hunter-Tannersville School District and possibly as a substation by the Greene County […]
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 […]
Windham’s Hoyt May Postpone Assembly Run After Heart Attack Made Him `Reevaluate Life’
Windham Town Supervisor Thomas Hoyt said he may postpone his run for state assembly after a mid-January heart attack prompted him to “reevaluate life.” “I’m beyond fortunate,” Hoyt, 59, said in an interview on Feb. 10. He was released from Albany Medical Center on Feb. 5 after suffering a heart attack while driving from Cairo […]
A Death by a Thousand Cuts in Phoenicia
In February 2011, Phoenicia looked like a town on the rise. The tiny Shandaken hamlet was home to about 388 residents and had just been named the “sixth-coolest small town” in the country by Budget Travel magazine. Its half-mile Main Street, a two-lane strip of restaurants, shops and music venues tucked beneath Tremper Mountain, buzzed […]
From Windham to the World: Henri Rivers Heads to the Winter Olympics
On winter weekends, it was common to see Karen Rivers navigate Windham Mountain’s base village while steering a triple stroller as her crockpot warmed lunch for ski school students. Her triplets, who hopped onto skis when they learned to walk, spent weekends racing, then doing homework alongside instructors and the many others who treated Windham […]
Dream Dogs Take the Westminster Stage
Local representation was on full display this week at the famed Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show—from the agility course to the breed ring. Many of the handlers and dogs competing shared a common link: Dream Dogs Training Center, a Saugerties-based facility that helps bring canine talent to the fore. The 2026 Westminster event was especially […]
Lizzie Vann Sells Former Tinker Street Cafe to Happylife for $999,000
The owners of Happylife Productions bought the former Tinker Street Cafe at 59 Tinker St. from local entrepreneur Lizzie Vann for $999,000, securing a long-term future for their Woodstock-based arts and culture store after several years as tenants. Artist Mike DuBois and his wife and partner, artist Kelly Sinclair, said their lease was nearing its […]
Shandaken Town Board Appoints Frank Cuevas to ZBA After Weeks of Debate
The Shandaken Town Board on Monday voted unanimously to appoint Frank Cuevas to the Zoning Board of Appeals, ending a month of contentious debate that included accusations from residents of “political overreach” and “hidden agendas.” Cuevas, who previously served as an alternate on the Zoning Board of Appeals, replaced Henry Williams, whose term expired in […]
Fire Destroys Tinker Street Building in Woodstock
A fire that destroyed a multi-unit building on Tinker Street in Woodstock, but caused no injuries or fatalities, remains under investigation by Ulster County fire officials and state police. The fire broke out at 117 Tinker St., with the first call coming in to the Woodstock Fire Department at 9:44 p.m. Saturday. It was reported […]
Hurley Officials Say Hochul’s RAPID Act Threatens Home Rule
Hurley officials, who in October issued a six-month moratorium on ion-lithium battery storage facility proposals, are accusing Gov. Kathy Hochul of using the RAPID Act to try to undermine municipal home rule in the name of fast tracking green energy projects across the state. The RAPID Act, short for Renewable Action through Project Interconnection and […]
Olive Warns Residents of Planning-Fee Email Scam
Officials in the Town of Olive are warning residents about a scam involving emails sent in the name of the town’s planning division requesting payment of exorbitant, fictitious fees. Supervisor Jim Sofranko said his office began fielding inquiries around Jan. 21 from residents who had received the fraudulent messages. About six people contacted the town, […]
Tannersville to Get $1.2 Million from DEC to Protect its Main Water Supply
Tannersville will get $1.2 million from the DEC to shore up a deteriorating dam that poses a “significant hazard” and protect the village’s largest water supply, Mayor Lee McGunnigle said Monday. Work on the 17-foot-high dam in Reservoir No. 3, north of the village, includes improved embankments to prevent overflowing, while its spillway will be […]
Hollywood Returns to Windham as Film Crews Revisit Catskill Mountain Country Store
She stood at the top of the mountain in a red ski suit and pink goggles, pushed off, and seconds later disappeared midair, screaming. That opening crash from the 1988 film “Working Girl,” a comedy-drama about a Staten Island secretary clawing her way up Manhattan’s corporate ladder, helped set the movie’s plot in motion. But […]
Windham to Get at Least $2.4 Million for Water Treatment Plant Upgrade
Windham is “right in line” to receive at least $2.4 million from the Department of Environmental Protection to build a septic receiving station that would allow residential discharge to flow into the town’s wastewater treatment plant without overburdening the system, according to Town Supervisor Thomas Hoyt. “It’s a big deal for the town of Windham […]
Woodstock Officials Blast Ulster Over Zena Homes Development
The Woodstock Town Board criticized officials in the Town of Ulster at its twice-monthly meeting Tuesday, citing what it described as a lack of communication and potential negligence in the handling of a proposed 30-home development that straddles property in both towns off Eastwoods Drive. The project, known as Zena Homes, was initially pitched as […]
Lizzie Vann Lists Bearsville Center to Focus on Lasher, Library Properties
Lizzie Vann’s decision to list Bearsville Center for sale is not an exit from Woodstock but rather a pivot. After listing Bearsville Center for $7.995 million last week, Vann said she is selling the landmark Woodstock complex to redirect her focus and capital toward new projects nearby, including housing, public green space and adaptive reuse […]
In Rare Move, Shandaken Boards Jointly Interview Zoning Candidates
Shandaken officials held what one Town Board member called an “unprecedented” meeting Wednesday night at which members of the Town Board and Zoning Board of Appeals jointly interviewed two candidates for a Zoning Board vacancy. “You are all part of history,” said Town Board Member Kevin VanBlarcum as he addressed dozens of residents who attended […]
Longtime Site of New World Home Cooking to Become Wedding Venue
From epic Woodstock Film Festival parties that drew the likes of Woody Harrelson and Adrian Grenier to countless first dates and plenty of live music, New World Home Cooking was more than a restaurant. It was a scene. Now the former eatery run by local chef Ric Orlando and his wife, Ulster County Public Defender […]
Bearsville Center Is Up for Sale for $7.9 Million
Bearsville Center—the historic Woodstock property that includes the Bearsville Theater, Utopia Studios Bearsville and several other businesses—is up for sale, according to the listing agent. The asking price is $7,995,000, said Thomas Collins, managing director of SVN/Deegan-Collins Commercial Realty in Kingston, which is handling the sale. The property was listed within the past few days […]
When There’s No Car, The Queen of Windham Is There
Linda Alverson, 64, counted her commuting options one recent rainy morning in Windham and almost came up short. Her car had died and she couldn’t afford to fix it. She contemplated walking to the Windham Liquor Store, where she works a few days a week. Instead, she texted Dawn Kojac. “It’s a godsend,” Alverson said […]
Hurley Officials Receive Threats After YouTube “Audit” Confrontation at Town Hall
Editor’s note: This story contains explicit language that some readers may find offensive. Town of Hurley officials have received dozens of angry emails and phone calls—some threatening violence and calling for their removal from the country—after a self-proclaimed “First Amendment auditor” posted a YouTube video of a confrontation with town officials and law enforcement at […]
Pine Hill Arms, Belleayre Lodge Under Contract for More Than $2 Million
The Pine Hill Arms and the Belleayre Lodge, two landmark hospitality properties central to Pine Hill’s identity, are under contract to be sold to Foster Supply Hospitality, the Sullivan County hotel and restaurant company founded by Sims Foster and Kirsten Harlow Foster. “We’re in contract on the Pine Hill Arms and the Belleayre Lodge,” Sims […]
Despite Scathing Report, State Says Hurdles Remain to Replace Hudson Valley Water Company
The New York State Department of Public Service said Hudson Valley Water Company was “unwilling or unable” to provide safe and reliable service, citing years of water outages and repeated failures to notify customers during emergencies. The state investigation began in February 2024 following years of complaints from the company’s 435 customers in Ulster and […]
Dead’s Bob Weir, long a Woodstock Presence, Recalled as Band’s `Krazy Glue’
As 2008’s Mountain Jam Festival unfolded at Hunter Mountain, Radio Woodstock’s Greg Gattine remembers waiting outside Bob Weir’s hotel room as the Grateful Dead co-founder, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter returned from a workout. “There’s sweat pouring off his head, a towel around his neck,” said Gattine, 63, the radio station’s program director and morning host. […]
Scott Adams, ‘Dilbert’ Creator With Roots in Windham, Dies at 68
Scott Adams, the creator of the long-running comic strip Dilbert, whose national reputation unraveled in recent years after a series of racist remarks, died Tuesday at his home in Pleasanton, California. He was 68. Long before his rise as a corporate satirist—and decades before his public downfall—Adams grew up in Windham, graduating from Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central […]
Shandaken Supervisor Sworn In Amid Dispute Over Zoning Board Appointment
New Shandaken Supervisor Barbara Mansfield was sworn in Monday and was quickly met with accusations of “political overreach” at the first Town Board meeting of the year, as she and the board moved to pass a resolution to replace Zoning Board of Appeals member Henry Williams. Williams, 81, whose term expired Dec. 31, clashed with […]
Shandaken Explores Ways to Preserve Scarce Affordable Housing in the Catskills
Inflation, rising rents, and stagnant wages have left municipalities across the country struggling to address a persistent shortage of affordable housing. Few places have felt that pressure more acutely than Shandaken, where limited buildable land, an aging population, and a lack of multifamily housing have left officials scrambling for solutions. Two prospective projects could help […]
Phish’s Mike Gordon to Play Bearsville Theater
Mike Gordon, bass player for the band Phish, will bring his own band to the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock for a show on March 13. Gordon’s history with Woodstock runs deep. He has performed multiple times at the Bearsville Theater. He attended more than one Midnight Ramble at Levon Helm Studios; and sat in with […]
Supervisor Courtis Taps ex-Board Member Earls for Woodstock Vacancy
Woodstock’s town board voted unanimously to name former Councilman Reggie Earls to fill a vacant seat on the Town Board on Tuesday, plugging a spot left vacant when Anula Courtis was sworn in as town supervisor on Jan. 1. Before the vote, Courtis opened her first meeting as supervisor with a brief declaration that the […]


