We are now 452 days into President Trump’s second term. As many Americans observed Easter or Passover this month, the president again chose vulgarity, menace, and spectacle. In remarks about the Iran war, he went so far as to warn that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” He also […]
Perspectives
Perspectives is a space for voices from across The Overlook Region, featuring columns, commentary, and letters to the editor that spark conversation and deepen understanding of our communities. We welcome diverse viewpoints, thoughtful analysis, and engaged dialogue—because local news isn’t just about what happens, but what it means. For submissions and inquiries related to Perspectives, including columns, commentary, and letters to the editor, please reach out to letters@theoverlooknews.com.
Posted inOpinion
Woodstock
Talkin’ the Walk: The Times They Are A-Changin’
So I’m walking down Route 212, from Bearsville into town. And, yes, I must have a death wish. But I do want to preserve a memory of it as it is before the Complete Streets effort grabs it by the throat and changes it for the rest of our lives. And I’m thinking: Whoever said […]
Posted inLetters
Shandaken
Letters: Community Resilience in Phoenicia
I moved here last February. I’m 72 and don’t own a car. Phoenicia ispretty quiet, except for tourists on the weekends. I have manyneighbors who have lived in the area a long time, or their wholelives. It is true that Phoenicia is not in its heyday, but I love thePlayhouse, and the Library. And the […]
Posted inPerspectives
Overlook
One Year In, The Overlook Deepens Its Roots in the Catskills
Exactly one year ago today, The Overlook began publishing weekly with a simple mission: to provide rigorous, community-rooted journalism to the Catskills. I’ve never been sentimental about birthdays, but this feels different. We launched in the belief that Hunter, Hurley, Olive, Saugerties, Shandaken, and Woodstock deserved consistent, independent reporting. The kind of journalism that asks […]
Posted inOpinion
Saugerties
Democracy Dies in Darkness. Indeed!
As I write this, I am reading follow-up stories and posts about the dismantling of The Washington Post newsroom by Jeff Bezos, the billionaire who bought the paper in 2013. In 2026, he appears far removed from Washington’s former paper of record—a publication that stood as a voice of conscience during the eras of Joseph […]
Posted inOpinion
Overlook
A War Against Press Freedom
In recent weeks, it has become harder to ignore what is happening to American journalism. Reporters have been arrested while doing their jobs. The home of a Washington Post journalist was searched. Public-records requests—the backbone of public accountability— are increasingly delayed, denied, or allowed to wither through bureaucratic indifference. At the same time, major newsrooms […]
Posted inOpinion
Overlook
Columbia’s X-Snow Project Aims to Enlist Citizen Scientists as Climate Warms
Snow is more than frozen water. It’s a regulator of climate and weather. Its bright surface reflects much of the sun’s energy back to space, helping keep regional and even global temperatures cooler. As snowpacks accumulate and melt, they smooth the annual water cycle, delaying runoff that might otherwise arrive as damaging winter rain and […]
Posted inOpinion
Overlook
2026: Hope Comes With Responsibility
Typically, when one year ends and another begins, we look back—cataloging disappointments, tallying progress and resolving to do better next time. There’s nothing wrong with that ritual. But this year, I want to try a different tack. Rather than rehash the negatives of 2025, I want to focus on something that feels increasingly scarce in […]
Posted inOpinion
Saugerties
What It Means to Raise Good Kids
Just this week, the world woke to yet another report of violence. On Saturday, a mass shooting occurred at Brown University. Two students were killed. Nine others were injured. As if one were not enough, news followed of a shooting during Hanukkah celebrations in Australia. Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, were murdered too. The […]
Posted inLetters
Shandaken
Remembering Mike Ryan
Santa. That’s what I often heard him called. He was a mountain of a man with a long white beard. I saw him every time we went to Phoenicia to assist with fires, accidents, or rescues. He had a strong grip and no complaints as we sweated together on mountain rescues carrying tourists with broken […]
Posted inLetters
Overlook
Letter: When Will We Learn?
The news that a second community school, Woodstock Elementary School, will now close at the end of the 2027-2028 school year is beginning to feel like a pattern. As if shutting down Phoenicia Elementary School two years ago was not harsh enough for one community, here comes another loss. I feel a deep sense of […]
Posted inLetters
Overlook
Letter: From Pumpkins to Pollution
I am writing in response to the article on the “giant pumpkin” on Route 212. Specifically in relation to microplastics. Although I understand the point of the article was human interest, not science, it seems a glaring omission to ignore this subject especially after reading these sentences: “Everybody thought it was the garlic clove for the Garlic […]
Posted inLetters
Overlook
Letter: Resident Urges Voters to Reject “Bigger Bennett” Bond Proposal
To the Editor: The Onteora Board of Educationhas voted to close Woodstock School.I am pretty sure Woodstock School parentsdon’t think that is very cool. They talked of dismal outlooksand things that look so dire,DiNapoli reports that saydownward financial spire. Then right away they say:let’s expand the last elementary school —bigger, bonded Bennett —but who are […]
Posted inOpinion
Overlook
Choosing Civility After the Fatal Shooting of Charlie Kirk
Where is America headed? It’s a question we all must confront amid the political violence shaking the very core of our country. Wednesday’s assasination of the conservative influencer Charlie Kirk lands like a shockwave across an already fragile America. Each headline of another shooting—whether it claims a public leader, schoolchildren, or someone walking down the […]
Posted inOpinion
Overlook
From Epstein to the Catskills: A Pattern of Power and Abuse
While the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking drama continues to unfold on the national stage, local communities in the Catskills—from Saugerties to Woodstock to Earlton—are contending with their own troubling cases of sexual exploitation. Saugerties is facing two significant matters. In one case, a town police officer has been charged with multiple felony counts alleging he […]
Posted inOpinion
Overlook
Reclaiming the Rattlesnake on Flag Day
I love flags. Betsy Ross designed one for our country but that is not the only one you might want to celebrate on Flag Day this Saturday, June 14. How about the yellow one with the snake? My favorite. Or it was until someone waved it above a crowd at our nation’s Capital on Jan. […]
Posted inColumns
Overlook
Pride Marches Onward in the Catskills
Pride Month is here! May the freedom bells ring, and may our communities come together to celebrate the beauty and dazzling glow of diversity. June reminds us of the LGBTQ community’s history—of the progress we’ve made and the challenges still ahead. This year, that reminder is especially urgent. This Pride Month arrives under the weight […]
Posted inPerspectives
Overlook
A Glyph by Ed Sanders: Moments of Heartbreak Hotel
Ed Sanders is a poet, historian, and founding member of the Fugs. He and his wife Miriam, a writer and painter, have lived in Woodstock for 50 years. Ed chaired the committee that drafted the town’s current zoning law and remains active in civic and creative life. Some of his papers and writings are archived […]
Posted inColumns
Woodstock
An American Pope and the ‘Maverick’ Novel That Saw Him Coming
With the surprise election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the first-ever American pope, the United States is witnessing what was long considered a historical impossibility. The ascension of an American bishop—so trusted by his predecessor, Pope Francis, as to leap over a host of more likely candidates—has stirred global fascination and sent viewership soaring […]
Posted inColumns
Beyond the Screen: New York’s School Policy Bans Phones, Not the Feed
Last week, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that New York will become the largest state in the country to adopt statewide restrictions on smartphone use during the school day. Under the new policy, included in the fiscal year 2026 state budget, students from Buffalo to Long Island will be required to keep phones out of reach […]
Posted inOpinion
America on the Brink
The easy thing for all of us to do is ignore what’s happening in the world around us. After all, there’s only so much control we have as individuals, right? Not exactly. Each of us has a voice—and those voices are stronger when combined with others to take a stand on important issues. A key […]
Posted inPerspectives
Protestors Speak Up for Democracy
As Trump’s second term unfolds, citizens in Saugerties and across the Overlook Region rally for democratic values, food security, and political courage.
Posted inOpinion, Perspectives
Congressman Ryan Urges Action Amid Democracy Concerns
Addressing local leaders, Ryan calls for civic engagement and bipartisan solutions to national issues under Trump 2.0.
Posted inPerspectives
Local Health at Risk Amid Federal Cuts
Warning: Your health may be at great risk. We are being inundated with news these days coming out of Washington as the Trump administration—spearheaded by Elon Musk and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—begins its purge of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and […]
Posted inColumns, Perspectives
Maher Balances GOP Agenda With Local Budget Wins
Make no mistake: Assemblymember Brian Maher (R-101) is a Republican and supports significant parts of former President Trump’s agenda. But when you look closely at his priorities in the New York State Assembly, it’s clear he is also a strong proponent of increased funding for key infrastructure tied to human services, highways, and education. While […]
Posted inColumns, Perspectives
Trump 2.0 and the New Age of Fear
In just two months, the Trump administration has reshaped America with sweeping changes. As institutions face mounting pressure, will leaders speak out—or stay silent?
Posted inPerspectives
Love in the Age of Overthinking
Dear Anonymous, I’m hesitant to even write you, but I need some help. My husband of 25 years is a man I love dearly. We’ve built a life and family together, but recently I don’t recognize him as the man I married. His political views are getting in the way of our marriage. He has […]
Posted inColumns, Perspectives
Hinchey Warns of Medicaid Cuts, Urges Action Amid Washington Gridlock
State Senator Michelle Hinchey (D-41) is sounding the alarm over what she calls “confusion” and “ineptitude” unfolding in Washington, placing blame squarely on President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. In a video interview, Hinchey expressed deep concern over the House-passed budget framework that calls for $2 trillion in spending cuts over the next 10 years—reductions […]
Posted inPerspectives
Overlook
Shrestha Pushes Progressive Policies While Acknowledging Democratic Challenges
These days, Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha must keep her focus on three fronts: her district, which comprises most of The Overlook Region (TOR), the State Capitol in Albany, and Washington. Shrestha, who represents New York’s 103rd Assembly District, talks and thinks like a progressive Democrat, but she says she also appeals to some Trump voters. “In […]
Posted inColumns, Perspectives
Beyond the Screen: Onteora High’s Phone Ban in Full Swing
Effective this school year, the Onteora Central School District’s new policy bans phones to curb distractions, sparking a debate among students on balancing digital connectivity with practicality and real-life engagement. A student reporter investigates.
Posted inColumns, Perspectives
40 Days In: Is America Asleep to the Trump-Musk Overhaul?
As sweeping changes reshape the federal government, local leaders and activists question why Democratic resistance remains muted.
Posted inPerspectives
Love in the Age of Overthinking
Do you feel like an alien trying to calculate what normal human behavior is? Ever look at that one seemingly perfect couple in your friend group and think, “How in the hell do they do that?” If soul mates aren’t real, then how do you know when a relationship feels right? And when it comes […]