Olive voters on Tuesday will decide whether to approve a nearly 50% funding increase for the Olive Free Library. The referendum seeks to expand the taxpayer contribution to the library’s budget from the $193,142 to $289,642, a jump of $96,500. The increase, which would amount to about $59 a year for the average Olive household, […]
News
Covers all current events, investigations, and updates.
Posted inNews
Saugerties
Advocates Brace for Rise in Domestic Violence Amid Threat to Federal Aid
Local advocates, already grappling with a recent spike in domestic violence incidents, are bracing for even higher demand on their services as the federal government shutdown threatens to worsen conditions for at-risk families through the loss of vital assistance programs. According to Karen Storch, program director for domestic violence services at Family of Woodstock, the […]
Posted inObituaries
Woodstock
Jack DeJohnette, Musician with Towering Legacy Stretching from Miles Davis to Levon Helm, Has Died
Drummer, pianist, and Woodstock resident Jack DeJohnette, a towering figure and anchor of Woodstock’s enduring artistic legacy who dazzled, inspired, challenged, and delivered creative resolution to audiences across decades, performing with everyone from Miles Davis to Levon Helm, has died. He was 83. DeJohnette, a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master […]
Posted inDevelopment
Saugerties
Ulster Planning Official Called Winston Farm Design Goals `Woefully Short’ in July
Three months after Ulster County officials criticized the latest plan to develop Winston Farm as “woefully short on design goals and standards to support these goals,” the project’s developers have not yet responded publicly to the county’s concerns. The criticism came in a July 25 letter to the Saugerties Town Board from the Ulster County […]
Posted inPolitics
Shandaken
Meet the Candidates: Barbara Mansfield on Communication, Cell Service, and Preparing Shandaken for the Future
The Overlook is conducting a series of interviews with candidates running for office in the Nov. 4 election, offering readers the opportunity to hear directly from those seeking to shape their communities. In this installment, senior reporter Jim Rich sits down with Barbara Mansfield, the Democratic nominee for Shandaken supervisor, who is running against incumbent […]
Posted inPolitics
Shandaken
Meet the Candidates: Supervisor Peter DiSclafani on Affordable Housing, Government Efficiency, and Shandaken’s Future
The Overlook is conducting a series of interviews with candidates running for office in the Nov. 4 election, offering readers the opportunity to hear directly from those seeking to shape their communities. In this installment, senior reporter Jim Rich speaks with incumbent Shandaken Supervisor Peter DiSclafani, who is seeking reelection on the Working Families Party […]
Posted inPolitics
Overlook
2025 Election Guide: Who’s on Your Local Ballot
As voters across the Catskills prepare to head to the polls, The Overlook has compiled sample ballots and candidate listings for towns throughout Ulster and Greene counties. Click here to find your polling placeClick here for Ulster County Sample BallotsClick here for Greene County Sample Ballots The early voting period will be from Saturday, October […]
Posted inEducation
Overlook
Onteora Board Votes to Close Woodstock Elementary
The Onteora Central School District Board of Education voted 7-0 on Tuesday to formally close Woodstock Elementary School at the end of the 2027-2028 school year and gave final approval to place two capital propositions totaling about $42 million before voters on Dec. 10. In addition to taking decisive action to close Woodstock Elementary, the […]
Posted inNews
Shandaken
Wellington Hotel Secures County Funds for Affordable Housing
The historic Wellington Hotel project in Pine Hill—led by local residents and the nonprofit RUPCO—has been awarded $700,000 through Ulster County’s Housing Action Fund to support the creation of 10 affordable rental units within the 19th-century landmark. The funding, approved Oct. 21 by the Ulster County Legislature as part of a $3.15 million round for […]
Posted inNews
Shandaken
Shandaken Seeks Road Safety Help After Second Major Route 28 Crash in Two Years
Shandaken voted to seek safety help from the Department of Transportation after a three-car accident injured four people this month near the intersection of Route 212 and Route 28, the site of a crash that killed two Kingston High School students in January 2024. Two people were airlifted to Albany Medical Center for treatment and […]
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Shandaken
The Leeway Motel Wins Narrow Approval for Weddings. Obstacles Remain.
The Leeway, a Mount Tremper boutique motel at the flashpoint of a debate of a battle between homeowners and venues seeking to profit from the Catskills wedding boom, took a step closer toward hosting events that critics say could disrupt the delicate balance between commercial entities operating in residential neighborhoods. Shandaken’s planning board voted 4-3 […]
Posted inNews
Overlook
Onteora School Board Pushes Ahead with Scaled-Back Capital Spending Plan
The Onteora Central School District Board of Education moved closer Tuesday to finalizing plans for a December referendum on a $42 million capital spending proposal—far smaller than the $70.5 million plan rejected by voters in May—as the district continues preparing for an eventual consolidation at its Boiceville campus. The board is expected to formally vote […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Woodstock Town Clerk Jackie Earley Announces Retirement Effective Oct. 31
Town Clerk Jackie Earley announced Tuesday she will retire at the end of the month after 39 years with the town, surprising members of the Town Board during its Oct. 14 meeting. “I am writing to formally announce my retirement as town clerk for the town of Woodstock, effective October 31st, 2025,” Earley said via […]
Posted inEducation
Overlook
Onteora Board Tables Resolution to Close Woodstock Elementary
The Onteora Central School District Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday night to indefinitely table a resolution that would have closed Woodstock Elementary School at the end of the 2027-2028 school year, after more than an hour of heated public comment and repeated disruptions from the crowd. The decision marked another hurdle in the district’s […]
Posted inNews
Hurley
Hurley Enacts Moratorium on Battery Storage Projects
After months of debate in the neighboring Town of Ulster over a proposed $200 million battery storage project—and amid fractures among Democrats—the Town of Hurley this week became the latest municipality in New York to enact a moratorium on ion-battery storage facilities. Hurley’s Town Board voted unanimously Tuesday to impose a six-month pause on proposals […]
Posted inNews
Saugerties
Winston Farm Debate Turns to Water Rights in Saugerties
The saga of Winston Farm, the 840-acre property best known for hosting Woodstock ’94, entered a new phase this week as the Town Board heard dueling studies on whether a proposed $274 million to $539 million mixed-use development would imperil local water supplies. The proposal, originally submitted in 2021, calls for rezoning the site as […]
Posted inNews
Shandaken
Catskills Wedding Boom Spurs Backlash in Shandaken
In recent years, the Catskills have become a popular destination for weddings, with venues charging anywhere from $15,000 to $100,000 for events billed as “a world away” or having “rustic sophistication and welcoming warmth.” Now, some Shandaken residents say the growth of wedding venues has brought unsafe traffic and disruptive noise to their neighborhoods. A […]
Posted inNews
Saugerties
Saugerties Sex Offender Arrested, Released Without Explanation
Just weeks after Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji assured Saugerties officials his office would not allow child sex abuse cases to be “shuffled under the rug or papered over,” a registered sex offender has been arrested and released from custody without explanation. James M. Benson, 42, of Saugerties, was accused of forcible sexual contact […]
Posted inEducation
Overlook
Woodstock Parents, Advocates Push Back Against Elementary School Closure Vote
Proponents of keeping Woodstock Elementary School open will make their case once more on Sept. 30, when the Onteora Central School District Board of Education meets at the Woodstock Elementary School at 6 p.m. The board is expected to vote that night on a resolution to formally close the school. Leaders of the community group […]
Posted inNews
Olive
Olive Free Library to Open Shokan Branch Sept. 27
The Olive Free Library Association will celebrate the grand opening of its new Shokan Branch on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to noon at the American Legion Hall on Mountain Road. The event will include a ribbon cutting, music, food and community festivities. The branch, more than a decade in the making, comes in […]
Posted inNews
Olive
Shokan Warehouse Proposal Nears Approval Despite Opposition
After months of pushback from residents who raised environmental and traffic concerns, a proposal to repurpose a former aerospace site in Shokan for warehouse use is advancing toward approval. The Olive Planning Board said Wednesday that the project’s most contentious issue —truck traffic—appears to have been addressed. KSE Suppliers, a wholesale linen provider based in […]
Posted inEducation
Overlook
Onteora Board Considers Resolution to Formally Close Woodstock Elementary
Onteora Central School District Board President Cindy Bishop said this week she is asking the district’s attorneys to draft a resolution explicitly stating the board’s intent to close Woodstock Elementary School. The move revives a districtwide debate that intensified on May 20, 2025, when voters rejected “Proposition 2,” a $70 million consolidation plan to expand […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Former Woodstock Supervisor Candidate Moran Says McKenna Left ‘Creepy’ Note on Car
A summer-long debate over the leadership of Town Supervisor Bill McKenna took a bizarre turn as former supervisor candidate Erin Moran—who lost her bid for the Democratic nomination to town board member Anula Courtis in June—accused him of leaving an envelope on her car containing a Ten of Swords tarot card, a glass knife, and […]
Posted inNews
Shandaken
Shandaken Residents Push Back on Verizon’s Plan for Phoenicia Cell Tower
Emotions ran high at two meetings this week in Shandaken as officials considered a Verizon proposal to construct a cell tower in the hamlet of Phoenicia. Close to 200 residents, public officials and emergency service workers attended separate public hearings at Town Board and Planning Board meetings. While most speakers acknowledged the need for better […]
Posted inNews
Saugerties
Saugerties School Superintendent Put on Leave Amid Fallout from Sex Abuse Claims
Saugerties Central School District Superintendent Daniel Erceg was placed on paid leave by the Board of Education on Tuesday amid fallout from two recent sex misconduct cases involving students and former town employees and accusations of a “coverup” culture. Ex-Saugerties police officer Sydney Mills was indicted in July on charges he sexually abused a girl […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Ulster County DA’s Attempt to Cool Woodstock’s Heated Debate Muddies Water Even Further
Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji stepped up at a packed Woodstock Town Board meeting Tuesday to urge residents and officials to cool a summer-long fight over the hiring of a convicted sex offender. By supporting the town’s attorney, he may have instead muddied the waters even further. “I do not want this tearing the […]
Posted inNews
Saugerties
‘The Children Matter Too Much’: DA Vows Action in Sex Abuse Cases
Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji promised “accountability” at Wednesday’s town board meeting as he addressed residents’ and officials’ concerns over two recent child sex abuse cases that have shaken the Saugerties community. “We want to make sure future cases and complaints are not shuffled under the rug or papered over,” Nneji said. “The children […]
Posted inNews Analysis
Overlook
Rural New Yorkers Face Growing Health Care Gaps
Medical deserts are expanding across New York as its population declines and ages, leaving rural counties like Greene and Ulster among the hardest hit. For residents of the Overlook Region, just finding a doctor—or securing an appointment within a reasonable timeframe—has become a daunting challenge. An August report from State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli confirms […]
Posted inNews
Hurley
Ulster Battery Project Draws Split Among Democrats
The dispute over a proposed 250-megawatt battery storage facility at the former John A. Coleman Catholic High School in the Town of Ulster has reached the state level, drawing a split among Democrats. State Sen. Michelle Hinchey and Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha this week sent a letter supporting the project and downplaying safety concerns, while Hurley […]
Posted inNews
Saugerties
Saugerties Animal Shelter Faces Rising Costs, State Mandates, Drop in Adoptions
On any given day, the Saugerties Animal Shelter is a happy, somewhat chaotic cacophony of barks and yaps and the occasional meow, bustling with staffers and volunteers who ensure every dog gets a walk and each cat—even permanent resident Frankie Knuckles—gets attention. Yet a closer look inside the converted garage adjacent to the municipal dump, […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Woodstock Library Is a Closed Book This Week as New Space Prepares to Open
The Woodstock Library will close Friday for about a month before reopening in a larger space that will feature more room for children’s programs, archives and community events, the final phase of a $3.3 million project that has showcased both the promise of expanded services and the financial strains that small-town libraries face across the […]
Posted inNews
Hurley
Hurley Officials Oppose Proposed Ulster Battery Storage Facility
A proposed 250-megawatt lithium-ion battery storage facility at the former John A. Coleman Catholic High School has ignited strong opposition from the neighboring Town of Hurley, where officials warn the project is too close to homes, schools, and churches. The dispute underscores a broader tension playing out across New York as the state pushes to […]
Posted inNews
Olive
Olive General Contractor Detained by ICE After Immigration Interview
Antonio Lopez, 52, a longtime local resident who owns Lopez Construction & Landscaping in Boiceville, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Aug. 8 during a routine immigration interview in Albany, according to his cousin, Abril Lazaro. Lopez, who was born in Mexico and has lived in the U.S. since the early 1990s, was […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
When a Tree Falls in Woodstock, Everyone’s Got an Opinion
The removal of a 125-year-old silver maple in front of the Old Forge building on Tinker Street has renewed debate about Town Supervisor Bill McKenna’s singular leadership style, Woodstock laws, and how to balance public safety with preservation. J&J Tree Works of Saugerties cut down the tree on Thursday after Highway Superintendent Donald Allen determined […]
Posted inNews
Saugerties
Safety, Aesthetics Worries Resurface for Proposed Saugerties Cell Tower
Saugerties residents again raised concerns about safety and aesthetics stemming from a proposed 80-foot Verizon cell tower at the Cantine Field sports complex. “The tower is close to school and children,” resident Misha Jolly said Tuesday at the planning board’s second public hearing on the issue, citing research on radio frequency radiation. Yet the tower, […]
Posted inNews
Olive
Party Switch in Olive Clerk Race Exposes Political Divides
Politics have never been more local than the race for town clerk in Olive, where the 12-year incumbent flipped to the Republican ticket after losing the Democratic primary in June by a 3-to-1 margin. “I’m not a liberal and I’m not a conservative,” said Dawn Giuditta, 58, who has worked for the town in various […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Shrestha Touts CenHud Takeover Plan at Woodstock Town Hall Meeting
Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha brought her six-town tour to push a Central Hudson takeover to Woodstock on Saturday, five days after the utility won rate increases and guaranteed executive bonuses that sparked immediate pushback from frustrated customers and politicians. Shrestha is trying to gain traction for a bill that she introduced with state Senator Michelle Hinchey […]
Posted inEnvironment
Shandaken
Pollinator Fest to Bloom at Catskills Visitor Center
The Catskills Visitor Center in Mount Tremper will host its first Pollinator Fest on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., celebrating the center’s new pollinator garden. Director Katie Palm described the event as “a new, one-day celebration designed to highlight the importance of native pollinators and inspire our community to protect and […]
Posted inNews
Olive
Suspended Olive Cop Accuses Police Chief of Misconduct
Suspended Olive police officer Jason Huppert accused Police Chief Sean Ryan of falsifying or destroying documents relevant to Huppert’s disciplinary proceedings in retaliation for his discrimination complaint to the town supervisor. Huppert, who is on unpaid leave while facing accusations of flashing his gun and badge at construction workers while off duty in 2023, filed […]
Posted inNews
Shandaken
Phoenicia Minigolf, Shandaken Playground Offer Creative Play for Families
A new minigolf course in Phoenicia and playground in Shandaken aim to widen recreational opportunities for children and families, taking some of the sting out of the closure of the Phoenicia Elementary School in 2024, town officials said. “Updating our parks is a bittersweet win for our town, given the recent closing of Phoenicia Elementary […]
Posted inNews Analysis
Woodstock
Union Rules at Center of Woodstock Standoff Over Rehiring of Sex Offender
For all the outrage that accompanied Woodstock Town Supervisor Bill McKenna’s success in rehiring a convicted sex offender, the dispute at this stage comes down to a simple question: Is Michael Innello’s employment protected by his union? Residents already seething over McKenna’s decision to hire Innello without informing the town board or Woodstock police got […]
Posted inNews
Hunter
Tannersville Enlists Border Collies to Keep Geese Off Rip Van Winkle Lake
With the grand opening of the nearly completed Upper Lake Redevelopment Project just days away, the Village of Tannersville has launched an effort to keep Canada geese—and their droppings—out of the revitalized park. The redevelopment expands recreational space by roughly 6 to 8 acres, reviving a site that, in the late 19th century, drew visitors […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Woodstock’s McKenna Moves to Reinstate Sex Offender on Town Payroll
Woodstock Town Supervisor Bill McKenna filed paperwork to reinstate maintenance worker Michael Innello, the Level 3 sex offender whose hiring sparked weeks of pushback by town board members and calls by residents for the supervisor’s resignation. McKenna, asserting that Innello had been wrongfully terminated, sent reinstatement paperwork to Ulster County’s personnel department last week. After […]
Posted inNews
Overlook
Catskills Socked in as Canadian Wildfire Haze Triggers Statewide Health Alert
The Canadian wildfire haze that blanketed much of the Hudson Valley this week is an eerie portent of a future where local fire departments must do much more than extinguish blazes: They’ll need to prevent them in the future. “The plan is we get dispatched and we put it out,” said Greg Meola, a firefighter […]
Posted inNews
Shandaken
Shandaken Eyes Affordable Housing at Shuttered Phoenicia School
The Shandaken Town Board voted unanimously on Monday to pay a symbolic $1 for the former Phoenicia Elementary School and transform it into affordable housing, aiming to address surging home costs that have pushed out workers, young families, and retirees. Officials said the town would probably work with a developer—possibly the Kingston-based housing nonprofit RUPCO, […]
Posted inNews Analysis
Woodstock
Woodstock Supervisor McKenna Ending Final Term With Legacy Marked by Sex Offender Controversy
Bill McKenna’s eight-year tenure as Woodstock’s top elected official is ending much as it began, amid disputes about how the job should be done and how he’s carried them out. His fifth and final term will be remembered less for his years of municipal stewardship than for hiring Michael Innello, a Level 3 sex offender […]
Posted inNews
Olive
Shokan Residents Raise Concerns Over Warehouse Proposal on Contaminated Site
Shokan residents packed an Olive Planning Board meeting for a third month to decry a proposed warehouse development on DuBois Road, citing traffic and environmental concerns. KSE Suppliers, a wholesale linen provider based in Hillburn, N.Y., wants to turn a 100,000-square-foot structure at 167 DuBois Road into a storage and distribution hub. Residents said developing […]
Posted inBreaking News
Woodstock
Woodstock Fires Michael Innello, Level 3 Sex Offender at Center of Governance Crisis
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Aug. 6 at 7:20 p.m, and originally published on Aug. 6 at 5:10 p.m. Woodstock fired Michael Innello, the sex offender whose employment as a maintenance worker sparked weeks of public outcry and a governance crisis, an Ulster County official said. “The Town of Woodstock terminated Michael Innello’s […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Hiring of Sex Offender Sparks Governance Crisis in Woodstock
Tensions escalated between Woodstock Supervisor Bill McKenna and the town board during a special meeting Thursday morning, intensifying a crisis that has disrupted municipal services, jeopardized summer programming, and shaken public confidence. What began as a personnel controversy has grown into a broader governance breakdown—raising questions about transparency, fiscal management, and community safety. At the […]
Posted inNews
Olive
Olive Officer to Contest Dismissal Over Off-Duty Gun Incident
The Town of Olive is engaged in an ongoing legal dispute with a former town police officer who was put on unpaid administrative leave following an alleged confrontation with a local construction crew in 2023. Officer Jason Huppert, an eight-year veteran of the Olive Police Department at the time, is accused of getting into an […]
Posted inNews
Hurley
Internet Outages Cripple Hurley Town Work, Isolate Residents
Daily internet outages throughout July disrupted local government operations and left Hurley residents without reliable phone or web access, town officials said. “We’re losing Spectrum every single day,” said Supervisor Michael Boms. “All of July, we kept losing it—either part of the day or intermittently.” Planning Board Clerk Maggie Colan said the outages made basic […]
Posted inNews
Olive
Olive Downplays Risk of Higher Taxes as Property Assessments Spike
The town of Olive has a blunt response to homeowners worried that the third reassessment in five years means higher taxes are coming this fall: It’s just wrong. “These are never done with that intention,” Olive Town Assessor Diana Carchidi said in an interview. “It’s really about how it’s apportioned—making sure that everybody is paying […]
Posted inNews
Olive
New Bridge Opens at Ashokan Reservoir, Replacing 1913 Structure
Boiceville residents and patrons of the Ashokan Rail Trail got an unexpected addition to the landscape last week: a new bridge. Construction was completed on the new crossing that replaces the existing bridge—known locally as the Five Arches Bridge—at the west end of the Ashokan Reservoir over the Esopus Creek near the intersection of Rt. […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Woodstock Board Votes to Terminate Town Employee Amid Uproar Over Sex Offense Conviction
The Woodstock Town Board voted 3-0 on Tuesday to fire a convicted sex offender hired earlier this year as a maintenance worker—capping weeks of turmoil that prompted a petition drive and calls for the resignation of Supervisor Bill McKenna. Board members Bennet Ratcliff and Maria-Elena Conte seconded the motion introduced by their colleague, Anula Courtis, […]
Posted inNews
Shandaken
Pine Hill Finds No Lead Pipes, but Questions EPA’s Communication on Federal Mandate
The dangers of lead pipes in municipal water systems is an issue the United States has been grappling with for nearly half a century. In 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency took steps, under the Safe Drinking Water Act, to require all towns and cities in New York State to conduct and submit an inventory of […]
Posted inEducation
Overlook
Onteora School Board Weighs Next Steps After $70 Million Bond Fails
After voters in May rejected a $70 million capital spending proposition to redevelop a central school campus in Boiceville and close Woodstock Elementary School, the Onteora Central School District Board of Education continues to wrestle with what to do next. In the nine weeks since the failed May 20 vote, the board has considered two […]
Posted inNews
Saugerties
Saugerties Wrestling Coach Indicted on Rape Charges Involving Students
A former Saugerties Central School District employee and wrestling coach has been indicted on 18 counts of felony rape, following allegations that he engaged in sexual conduct with two underage students while working in the district. Reid Kappler, 32, who now resides in Connecticut, pleaded not guilty in Ulster County Court on Thursday. Prosecutors say […]
Posted inNews
Hurley
Hurley Appoints Tracy Kellogg to Fill Town Justice Vacancy
The Hurley Town Board voted 3-0 on July 22 to appoint attorney Tracy Kellogg to the Town Justice seat left vacant by the death of longtime resident and sitting judge Roy Hochberg. Councilmen Joseph Letendre and Gregory Simpson were absent from the meeting. Kellogg, who chairs the Hurley Planning Board and served as town clerk […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Woodstock Library Eyes $250K Bond as Costs Rise on New Building
At a Woodstock Public Library District board meeting on Thursday evening, trustees said they will ask voters this October to approve a $250,000 bond to cover a funding shortfall on the district’s new library at 10 Dixon Avenue. Town Supervisor Bill McKenna appeared early in the meeting to express conditional support for the plan. “The […]
Posted inNews
Saugerties
Residents Weigh In on Multimillion-Dollar Development Plan for Winston Farm
More than 100 people gathered at the Greco Senior Center in Saugerties on Wednesday for a public hearing on a proposed zoning change that would allow large-scale development at the 840-acre, underdeveloped Winston Farm property. The proposal would rezone the site as a planned development district, enabling a mix of residential, commercial and light-industrial uses. […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
McKenna Stays Quiet as Woodstock Board Seeks Answers on Sex Offender Hire
One week after it was revealed that a man hired by the town is a registered Level 3 sex offender, Woodstock Supervisor Bill McKenna has neither responded to requests from the Town Board for hiring records nor convened a special meeting to address the issue. “Several members of the Town Board have asked the supervisor […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Woodstock Board Members Say They Weren’t Told New Hire Was a Level 3 Sex Offender
During public comment at Tuesday’s Town Board meeting, Michael Veitch, chair of Woodstock’s tree committee and a survivor of child sexual abuse, stood and read a prepared statement. “I’m requesting that the Town Board act tonight to inform any parent whose child may be using town facilities or programs that they may come in contact […]
Posted inNews
Olive
State Acquires 900 Acres in Olive to Protect Watershed, Expand Forest Preserve Access
New York State has acquired 900 acres of forestland in Olive, marking the largest expansion of the Catskill Forest Preserve in more than a decade and reinforcing the state’s effort to conserve 30% of its land and water by 2030. Governor Kathy Hochul announced the acquisition on Wednesday alongside the completion of safety and accessibility […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Who Owns the Village Green? A New Sign Tells the Story
A new historical display now stands at the edge of Woodstock’s Village Green, quietly correcting a common misconception: the land is not entirely public. Most of it is owned by Woodstock Reformed Church, whose congregation has shared the green with the town for over two centuries. Installed to mark the 20th anniversary of a formal […]
Posted inNews
Overlook
Voter Turnout, Competitive Races Signal a New Chapter for Ulster Democrats
After a tense primary season marked by blistering heat and competitive local races, Democratic voters across Ulster County backed candidates promising transparency, action, and a break from business as usual. In Woodstock, Shandaken, Olive, and Hurley, new and incumbent candidates emerged from Tuesday’s Democratic primaries with clear mandates—though one local contest remains too close to […]
Posted inNews
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 inBreaking News
Overlook
2025 Primary Election Results: Democrats Choose Nominees Across The Overlook Region
Anula Courtis clinched the Democratic nomination for Woodstock Town Supervisor on Tuesday, decisively defeating opponents Erin Moran and David Wallis in a three-way primary. With all 10 precincts reporting, Courtis earned 60.6% of the vote, outpacing Wallis at 27.2% and Moran at 12.2%. The primary drew 1,366 voters in Woodstock out of 3,609 total registered […]
Posted inNews
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 […]
Posted inNews
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 inNews
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 inNews
Woodstock
Contentious Woodstock Noise Ordinance Goes Quiet
Woodstock scrapped a contentious proposal that would have limited some outdoor musical performances because they’re too noisy, ending a debate that carved deep divisions in a community known for its vibrant artistic culture. The ordinance, which had been set for a discussion and possible vote at Tuesday’s town board meeting, was removed from the agenda […]
Posted inPolitics
Woodstock
Anula Courtis Runs for Woodstock Town Supervisor
“Transparency and collaboration are the essential ingredients,” said Anula Courtis, a Woodstock Town Board member running for supervisor. After more than a decade of civic engagement—including helping to establish the town’s first Human Rights Commission and organizing multiple women’s marches—Courtis said she’s ready to take on Woodstock’s biggest challenges from the top seat. A longtime […]
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Maverick Concerts Loses Federal Grant, Moves Forward With Community-Focused Season
Maverick Concerts, host to the nation’s longest-running summer chamber music festival, is seeking local donors and staging a free open house this weekend after losing a key grant from the National Endowment for Arts for the first time in 15 years. The NEA rescinded its $35,000 grant last month, shortly after the Trump Administration released […]
Posted inNews
Hunter
Hunter Board Backs Joint Firehouse Plan With $1 Land Offer
In a symbolic step toward consolidating the Tannersville and Haines Falls Fire Districts, the Hunter Town Board on Monday voted to sell a parcel of town-owned land for $1 to be used for a shared firehouse as part of a new municipal complex. Mike Lucey, chairman of the Tannersville Fire District, said the two districts […]
Posted inNews
Judge Rejects Woodstock’s Effort to Dismiss Lawsuit by Officer Accused of Misconduct
A state judge rejected efforts by Woodstock to dismiss a lawsuit by police officer Philip Sinagra, telling local officials they must explain in court whether the town violated a 60-day deadline to lodge disciplinary charges against him. The ruling, issued by Ulster County Supreme Court Justice David Gandin on May 22, found that Sinagra raised […]
Posted inNews
Wittenberg Road Closed Through June 10 for Culvert Work
UPDATE: A section of Wittenberg Road, about 0.2 miles west of its intersection with Route 212, has been closed since April 29 for a major culvert replacement. A culvert is a constructed channel, often a pipe or tunnel, designed to direct water beneath roads, railways, or embankments. Ulster County DPW Bridge Engineer Andrew Emrich said […]
Posted inNews
In Hurley, a New Chapter for an Old Building
A former library at 44 Main Street in Hurley, long closed to daily traffic is getting a new lease on life. Hurley’s planning board voted unanimously on May 28 to approve a site plan and issue a Certificate of Appropriateness to transform the building into the Hurley Heritage Community Center. The project, estimated to cost […]
Posted inNews
Town of Saugerties Didn’t Properly Audit $2 Million of Credit Card Purchases, State Finds
The town of Saugerties failed to properly audit $2.1 million of credit card payments, didn’t adequately authorize or document most of its card purchases and violated its own purchasing policies, according to a state review of calendar years 2021 and 2022. The town’s board didn’t perform “a thorough and deliberate audit” of any of the […]
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 Analysis
Onteora Mulls Options After Voters Reject $70 Million School Consolidation Plan
Ben Fleisher remembers debates over school consolidation when he was a student at Onteora High School. Now 46 and raising children of his own in the district, the acupuncturist and Olive resident said this week’s failed vote to centralize students at a single campus in Boiceville reflects a deeper community rupture. “The community owes it […]
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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 […]
Posted inNews
Phoenicia Playhouse Receives $86,000 State Grant for Capital Improvements
The Phoenicia Playhouse has been awarded $86,000 by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) to fund major upgrades to its 138-year-old theater. The money will cover the full replacement of the building’s heating and cooling system, installation of five mini-split units to provide climate control in audience and backstage areas, a new […]
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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. […]
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Events and Lodging Law Up for Review
After years of revisions by local planners, a proposal to amend Saugerties’ zoning law on events and lodging is now up for public review. At its meeting Tuesday, the Town Board scheduled two public hearings—June 18 and July 16—to gather input on the proposed changes. The amendment updates a 1989 law and outlines specific requirements […]
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Overlook
Voters Reject $70 Million Onteora School Consolidation Plan
Area voters spurned Proposition 2 on Tuesday, rejecting a $70 million consolidation plan by the Onteora Central School District that officials had called crucial as enrollment declines—breathing new life into hopes that Woodstock can retain its elementary school, which has educated generations of children. The measure failed by a vote of 1,398 to 1,164, according […]
Posted inEducation
Overlook
Onteora Vote Could Reshape District with Unified Campus
Voters in the Onteora Central School District will weigh in Tuesday on two propositions that could reshape the future of local education, including a plan to consolidate all K-12 students on a single campus in Boiceville. The first proposition is a proposed $63.5 million school budget for the 2025–2026 academic year, a 2 percent increase […]
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Saugerties Residents Voice Concerns Over Proposed Housing Project
A proposed 167-unit housing development in the Village of Saugerties has sparked opposition from residents who say it could disrupt the character of their neighborhood and worsen traffic, noise, and environmental conditions. The developer, Canoe Hill Road LLC, is seeking to construct a multifamily complex known as Country Meadows on a 22-acre site adjacent to […]
Posted inBreaking News
Woodstock
Oil Truck Crash Prompts Emergency Spill Response Near Sawkill Creek
Officials say swift action limited the environmental impact from a fuel truck spill.
Posted inNews
Woodstock
Former Grossman Estate Listed for $4.99M
The Woodstock property, once home to Albert and Sally Grossman, was the setting for Dylan’s “Bringing It All Back Home” cover and decades of musical history.
Posted inNews
Shandaken
Wellington Hotel Named One of Nation’s Most Endangered Historic Places
The 1882 Catskills landmark is in danger of collapse without $1.5 million in additional funding. Residents hope national recognition will help save it—and revive Pine Hill in the process.
Posted inNews
Hunter
Repairs Begin on Historic Platte Clove Bridge Near Bridal Veil Falls
Crews stabilize shifting 1895 stone arch bridge ahead of seasonal opening; full reconstruction slated for 2026
Posted inNews
$4.2 Million Federal Bridge Project on Hold in Saugerties
Town officials weigh whether to commit $600,000 in upfront costs for a bridge replacement largely funded by the federal government.
Posted inNews
Onteora High School Names 2025 Valedictorian, Salutatorian, and Principal’s Award Recipient
Gavin Rice, Alexia Melendez, and Cocoro Asada honored for academic excellence and community impact.
Posted inEnvironment, News
Record Turnout for Tannersville Earth Day Celebration
Nearly 200 people joined the annual event, featuring gardening workshops, animal, and a call to environmental action.
Posted inEducation, News
Mock Crash Sends Stark Warning on Drunk Driving
In a visceral prom-season demonstration, students at Hunter-Tannersville Central watched classmates play out a fatal DUI crash
Posted inBreaking News
Woodstock
Stolen on Paper
A pink ribbon marked the beginning of a shocking discovery: forged documents, fake passports, and the unauthorized sale of a family’s dream property—part of a growing wave of real estate fraud targeting vacant land.
Posted inNews
Woodstock
The Woodstockers Who Speak for the Trees
In the lead-up to Arbor Day, Woodstock’s tree committee blends artistry and activism to defend the town’s trees.
Posted inNews
Saugerties Village Adopts 2025-26 Budget Amid Ongoing Fiscal Distress
Second straight year of increases reflects continued efforts to stabilize village finances.
