11/5/2009

Lower It!
The Shandaken Zoning Board of Appeals has rendered a verdict in a long standing dispute over the height of a newly built garage, and has voted to force the owner to actually lower the height of the structure.
For Brian Scism, the owner of the garage, this means having to cut over three feet of the walls off and somehow lower the roof system. Scism, who has been battling the zoning board for over two years, was at least granted a setback variance to legalize the problem of the garage being built too close to the property line.
This long festering case of a Phoenicia landowner allegedly building a massive garage illegally took a turn for the worse one year ago. Ten months after being told he must tear down the garage, Old Plank Road resident Brian Scism faced legal action in October 2008 by the town of Shandaken. At that time the Town Board authorized Supervisor Peter DiSclafani to hire an attorney to legally force the removal of the building. Gina Reilly, the town’s Code Enforcement Officer, said that when she took office in January, 2008 she notified Scism that the garage, located just a few feet off the shoulder of the Old Plank Road in Phoenicia, must be torn down. The building, which is larger than Scism’s house, is built too close to property lines, town officials have long said.
In 2007 the courts decided that the garage, already framed and partially sheathed, was in fact in violation. An appeal of that decision by Scism was unsuccessful, but the building remained despite the order to remove it. Scism not only failed to remove the structure but continued building it in an attempt to protect the structure from the elements. More sheathing was installed and a new overhang was built on the side of the garage to protect an RV that Scism parks there.
Scism, who could not be reached for comment, appeared last year before the Shandaken Zoning Board of Appeals in an attempt to get that board to grant him relief from the law but was unsuccessful.
This time around he was.
The ZBA also required that Scism screen the property lines with plantings to protect neighbors from the view of the garage.

Budget Stuff…
Bennett, Kielson accounting consultants are going over Ulster County Executive Michael Hein’s proposed 2010 budget with a fine tooth comb after the county legislature hired the company, which does similar work for most other area counties, asking that they present their findings and recommendations in the next few weeks.
County Legislature Chairman David Donaldson has said is hopeful lawmakers will be able to save some of the 30 jobs that are slated for layoff at the present moment.
Projected sales tax projections are also being looked at for possibly being higher than reality.
Hein’s proposed budget comes in at just under $350 million with a tax levy increase of less than 3.5 percent.
Stay tuned… especially as the state continues wrestling with its figures and our local towns finalize their own spending plans for the coming year within the coming week, with last looks showing Shandaken wrestling in a figure of about 2 percent in terms of taxpayer increases over last year, and Olive’s a little over 6 percent, depending on how much unexpended balance gets used.

What’s With Flu?
According to the county health department, testing for the influenza-like illness is not being conducted by the State for every person who has flu like symptoms, at the moment, because the NYS Department of Health has chosen instead to monitor the prevalence of the disease through test sampling at designated medical practices and facilities around the state. For this reason, pinpointed local data is not available; however, there is statewide data to provide trend information on various fl strains, including the H1N1 type commonly known as Swine Flu, showing so far that the overall level of flu activity is currently moderate but appears to be increasing when compared week to week. The number of people hospitalized with flu is currently low, according to records, but also appears to be increasing.
As of this time, the health department has added, H1N1 vaccine supplies are still far below potential demand, with only 700 does administered countywide to date, although it is noted that we are still early in the “flu season” so this is not deemed a serious problem yet. Going forward, the Ulster County Health Department has added that they do not expect that there will be a shortage of the vaccine, even though exact availability and demand numbers are not predictable. They will publicize the availability of vaccination clinics as soon as adequate vaccine supply is confirmed.
As more vaccine becomes available, it is added, the initial doses available will be given to five target groups, as established by the federal Center for Controlled Diseases: Pregnant women, health care workers and emergency medical services personnel, persons who live with or provide care for infants under six months of age, children and young people ages six months through 24 years, and persons age 25 through 64 years old who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for serious illness and influenza-related complications.
For additional info. Visit www.UlsterCountyNY.gov/health. And hold tight. Be patient…

At Onteora…
The Onteora High School Guidance Department will be hosting their annual College Fair on Friday, November 13th from 9-11am in the High School Gymnasium. Admissions counselors from approximately 50 regional colleges and universities will be available to provide information and to answer questions about their schools. All Onteora High School students and their parents are welcome to attend. For further information, please contact the Onteora Guidance Department at 657-2373.
Meanwhile, “Proactive!” is the new buzzword being utilized in our and other Ulster County districts as Ulster BOCES Instructional Services starts pushing its new Supportive Learning Environments and Positive Youth Development (SLE/PYD) protocol, which is seeking to better instill Positive Behavior Systems in students via new behavior patterns.
According to the program, negative consequences for inappropriate student behavior – detention, removal of privileges, and other punitive measures – do not address the cause of the behavior, nor do they provide incentive for students to change underlying attitudes. Constructive steps begin with a philosophical overhaul – what is being called a “Systems Change” where the new goal is to inspire a climate of cooperation, constructive discussion, and a problem-solving approach to behavior.
The comprehensive SLE/PYD process may require a commitment of three to five years to fully impact a cultural change in the system, BOCES is adding. Fundamental is the conviction that individuals are life-long learners, meaning that teachers and students learn from each other, encouraging young people to form intellectual partnerships and mentoring relationships with positively minded adults while the adults work to ensure that students feel respected by the learning community.

Casino Update
A decision on the future of Native American casino gaming in the Catskills could be known in the coming weeks according to U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, who has said that he got the word from Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. If the blanket ban set by former Secretary Dirk Kempthorne is overturned or modified, the senator is also urging the Interior Department to evaluate the applications that have already been submitted instead of forcing interested parties to go through a reapplication process.
“I am hopeful that they will allow Indian tribes to do casinos even if it’s not on their reservation,” he said. “They didn’t tell me that, but I am just getting some vibes that we might, might get a good decision.”
The Stockbridge-Munsee seeks to build a casino in the Town of Thompson and the St. Regis Mohawks sought to build one at Monticello Raceway, both in Sullivan County. Years ago, there was also conjecture, and state legislation, that called for a third casino within Ulster County that has not been discussed in recent years.
In January 2008, Kempthorne denied the Sullivan County applications along with 21 other off-reservation land-into-trust applications.
In related news, the Ellenville-based Nevele Grande Resort and Country Club, which has long been rumored as a potential casino site, is back on the auction block after a deal for the purchase of the property fell through.
Steve Kutner, director of marketing for AuctionAmericaRealty.com, said the sale was canceled when funding didn’t arrive in the country in time to meet the sale deadline and Town Supervisor Edward Jennings of Wawarsing, where the property is located, said he was disappointed by the news.
The financially troubled resort closed abruptly after the Fourth of July weekend, putting more than 100 people out of work. AuctionAmericaRealty.com had been hired to sell the closed hotel through a public auction. The auction was canceled after a buyer for the property came forward.
Kutner said the deal fell through when the funding, which was coming from overseas, was delayed due to the Patriot Act. But he added that there is interest by other bidders in the facility and he expects that the property will be sold.
In 2000, Stratford Business Corp., also of New Jersey, purchased the facility for a reported $15 million. During the following three years, the new owners put about $11 million into improvements at the facility. When the work was done, the property boasted 682 guest rooms, 70,000 square feet of meeting rooms, hundreds of acres of recreational lands, five swimming pools, weight and exercise rooms, 15 outdoor and eight indoor tennis courts and 27 holes of golf. And that’s all just nearby several other similarly-sized resorts in the area.
Prior to the recent deal falling through, most of the overdue taxes for the property were paid off to county, town and local school district recipients.

Interim Director
The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, the regional non-profit environmental group that’s currently celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, named an interim director while a search gets underway for a new executive director to succeed Lisa Rainwater, who will be stepping down from the position later this month after a year and a half on the job.
Rainwater began her tenure at the Catskill Center in July 2008; her last official day as Executive Director will be November 16. The Board of Directors has hired Dr. Dan Palm as Interim Director, who will take the helm officially on November 17.
A search committee to find Rainwater’s successor has been assembled, co-chaired by Sibyl Golden and Frank Sanchis. But a press release announcing the hiring of Palm came out soon after.
“The board of the center accepts her resignation with regret,” Golden said in a prepared statement. “She and her leadership of the center will be missed.”
The search committee leaders have sent a statement to leaders and organizations in the Catskills seeking input. The job description refers to the Catskill Center’s territory as “a mosaic of many small and picturesque communities striving to provide a high quality of life for residents and visitors.” It notes that the region is home to New York City reservoirs and the Catskill Park and Forest Preserve and features landscapes of unmatched scenic beauty.
The job description also states that the Catskills present a national model of the effort to successfully balance the many competing interests, such as New York City, the state, the federal government and numerous local jurisdictions.
The search committee leaders say the Catskill Center is looking for a chief executive with outstanding leadership, communication and fundraising skills and that the candidate must be enthusiastic and prepared to apply entrepreneurial thinking and skilled follow-through to support the organization’s approach to conservation and development.
At a 40th anniversary celebration in July, Rainwater, who became executive director in June 2008, said the Catskill Center’s mission has, at times, been a precarious balancing act.
“This hasn’t been an easy mission,” she said. “In fact, it has often put us at the center of controversy. But controversy often opens the door for dialogue, and with dialogue comes a better understanding of the needs of the community and who we are as an organization. We are privileged to have operated in this wonderful region for four decades.”
“When Lisa joined us some 15 months ago, The Center had been spending much of our energy and resources over the previous 5 years on the Belleayre Resort controversy,” said Board President H. Claude Shostal in a release this week. “We asked Lisa to focus on rebuilding our connections to the communities we serve, upgrading our administrative and financial procedures and revitalizing and integrating our community planning, education and cultural programs. Lisa has made great progress in all of these areas. We are sorry to see her depart. We wish her well in all of her future endeavors.”
Palm comes to The Catskill Center from a recent position as Interim Director for the Watershed Agricultural Council (WAC), also based in Delaware County. Dr. Palm holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Economics from Pennsylvania State University. He has also served as Staff Economist for the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and Regional Director of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. He has worked in similar Executive Director capacities for the St. Lawrence-Eastern Ontario Commission, Executive Director of the New York Forest Owners Association, and as Interim Executive Director for the WAC in 2003.
“Dr. Palm understands life in the Catskill Mountain Region and is committed to the mission of The Catskill Center,” noted Shostal. “His experience as a professional management consultant will assure a smooth transition at The Catskill Center during our search for a new Executive Director.”
The deadline for applications and nominations for a new executive director is Dec. 11.

National Park?
In a move that could bring elevated national prestige and levels of federal funding to the region, Congressman Maurice Hinchey has unveiled new legislation he’s authored that would initiate the process for the Hudson River Valley special resources study by the National Park Service via a bill that would authorize the NPS to conduct a study of the Hudson River Valley to determine if the area could benefit from NPS programs and to make recommendations to Congress on what further action should be taken.
Hinchey emphasized that what is envisioned would not affect private property, or the ability of counties and municipalities to continue to control their own planning and growth. The legislation explicitly states that any future NPS designation must respect the rights of private land owners. There would be no forced land acquisition activities permitted.
“We’re not creating a public national park, here, or anything like that,” he insisted. “What we’re creating is an understanding, and recognition and enhanced responsibility of the federal government on the importance of the projects, and on buildings, and on the history of this region.”
Hinchey made the announcement on Nov. 2 at the Hudson River Maritime Museum, on the Rondout waterfront, accompanied by museum officials and several government and private agencies, including the DEC and Scenic Hudson.
Already, the NPS is involved in funding and management at several sites within the valley and region, including the Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park and Thomas Cole House in Greene County.
In order for the Hudson River Valley to become part of the National Park System, a congressionally-authorized NPS study must be conducted. Hinchey’s legislation would authorize such a study from Fort Edward in Washington County down through Westchester County. The study would entail significant outreach to local communities and extensive research and cataloging of the region’s resources. If the NPS’s study finds that the Hudson River Valley would be a good fit as part of the National Park System then subsequent legislation would be needed to make that designation.
While the NPS would have a lot of discretion during the study process, Hinchey’s bill outlines specific guidelines to ensure that the study recognizes the realities of the Hudson River Valley, similar toi the ways in which the Catskill Park acknowledges specific landowner realities. These guidelines require the NPS to closely examine park unit models, in particular national river and recreation areas, as well as other landscape protection models, that encompass large areas of non-federal lands within their designated boundaries, foster public and private collaborative arrangements for achieving NPS objectives, and protect and respect the rights of private land owners.
Designating the Hudson River Valley as a unit of the NPS, would dramatically increase the level of funding and attention that the NPS could invest in the region. Historic sites would be eligible for new aid, local communities would be able to work more effectively with the NPS to protect natural resources, and recreational resources, such as trails, would be enhanced.
As a National Heritage Area, the region receives about $1 million in federal funding annually.
Hinchey said as the region celebrates the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s historic voyage, he believes it is fitting to consider how to protect and promote the landscape into the future in an area in which much of the Revolutionary War was fought, aspects of the U.S. Constitution were debated, and the first successful steamboat was launched.
Jeff Rump, executive director of Clearwater, described the proposal as a “new paradigm” for looking at national parks that goes beyond the wilderness.
Hinchey said the region’s inclusion into the national park system could be modeled after the Mississippi River’s, which was establish in 1998 and includes 72 miles of the Mississippi River stretching from the cities of Dayton and Ramsey to just south of Hastings, Minn.
In addition to authoring legislation to designate the region a National Heritage Area, Hinchey noted when he was a state assemblyman he was behind legislation that led to the creation of the Hudson River Greenway, which created a process for voluntary regional cooperation among 264 communities within 13 counties that border the Hudson River.

Basin Studies…
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has received funding from New York State and the U.S. Government to begin flood and other studies of the Willowemoc Creek basin in Ulster and Sullivan counties. Their first efforts will be to model existing conditions in the basin to document past flood damages with high flows and rain events. The majority of the study funds will be needed for this modeling effort as well as comparing any potential alternatives later in the study. They are currently gathering all existing data and identifying data gaps. Survey crews will be in the area around the first of November to get the remaining data needed for the models. During the study, sources are saying, there should be no reason for residents to be concerned that they may be prioritizing restoration over flood damage reduction. The restoration alternatives will be analyzed along with flood damage reduction alternatives but restoration alone isn’t driving the study. ACE will hold public meetings later and send out newsletters to ensure the community is involved and informed throughout the process.
Word is the rest of our Catskill creeks will both benefit from these studies, and be up for similar flood reduction alternatives over the coming decade. Especially given the changes in climate...

Parting Ways
After 6 years in the area, Reverend Richard McSherry has announced he’ll be leaving the Phoenicia-based United Methodist Church in the coming weeks, to take a new post further upstate. A native of southern Vermont, McSherry is moving back to that region to help care for his elderly mother and expects to relocate by November 20.
“I’ve had a great experience here, in the church and in the community.” said McSherry.” “I’ve made some really wonderful connections, reaching out to the Methodist and Catholic community. It’s been terrific, and I’m going to have a very difficult time saying goodbye.”
McSherry didn’t know at this point who the Conference of United Methodist Churches might be planning to have assume his duties at the three local UM facilities, though he expressed confidence they’ve got great people to choose from and the community would be very well served.

Go, Efficiency!
Local municipalities and public schools are being urged to apply for Recovery Act funding currently being made available through NYSERDA to improve efficiency through renewable energy, clean fleet projects, and other alternative energy initiatives.
Through a new state legislative budgeting act, NYSERDA has made $6.8 million available to entities located in the region. The deadline for applications is November 23.
“Energy costs make up a significant percentage of the budgets of our local governments and schools,” said Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, a sponsor of the new funding. “By helping to implement cost saving efficiency measures we can reduce the burden on property taxpayers and contribute to the development of the clean energy economy.”
Altogether, Governor David Paterson has announced that $24 million in funding has been awarded to support 87 energy conservation projects to counter recent cuts in his budget. The projects, which were competitively selected under the State Energy Program and include the NYSERDA monies, represent the first round of funding this program. Primary selection criteria includes technical viability, cost-effectiveness, demonstration of compliance with program requirements, and cost sharing. Measures funded this round include installation of lighting and lighting controls, photovoltaic systems, high efficiency biomass boilers, solar thermal and small wind generators and alternative-fuel refueling stations and vehicles. For more information about these programs visit http://www.nyserda.org/funding/1613rfp.asp.

Stimulus Update
The federal stimulus package, which has been passing billions of dollars through the states for distribution to counties, is expected to spend over $1.2 billion in the Hudson Valley, Governor David Paterson also announced this week. Pattern for Progress President Jonathan Drapkin, head of one of the region’s key “large picture” economic development organizations, said in answer to the Gov’s announcement that the funding program should not have been called the stimulus package, but rather a stabilization program.
“The categories of spending for individuals from food stamps and unemployment, or for county governments in the areas of Medicaid and education, are really helping in the sense of stabilizing the economy, although, as we know from watching the increase in unemployment rates, which still have grown dramatically over the last 18 months, that it would have been worse had this money not been put into the economy,” Drapkin said.
The report released the day before Election Day, which includes spending that is administered by the state as well as spending that flows directly from federal agencies to local governments, institutions and individuals, showed totals of $153.2 million for Dutchess County to date, $23.9 million for Greene, $221.8 million for Orange, $57.7 million for Sullivan, $103.6 million for Ulster, and $552 million for Westchester county to date, with more yet expected.

In Need…
The Shandaken Food Pantry, located at the Methodist Church Hall in Phoenicia, is in need of cash contributions and food donations. It recently had to change its schedule from every Thursday to the last Thursday of the month, from 10 am to 12 pm. Jane Todd, who runs the Food Pantry, says the need for food has grown tremendously in the past year and they had to cut the hours because of diminishing funds and contributions. She hopes this will be a temporary cutback in services.
To donate money, send a check made out to Shandaken Food Pantry to: Shandaken Food Pantry, c/o Town Clerk, PO Box 67, Allaben, NY 12480. You can drop off a donation of food, etc., at the Methodist Church Hall in Phoenicia.In addition to food, you could donate items that are not covered by Food Stamps: toilet paper, paper towels, detergent, and personal hygiene articles such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap. The pantry also accepts pet food.
In related news, UPAC, located at 601 Broadway, will be collecting non perishable food items as well as paper/cleaning products (soap, detergent, toilet paper, etc.) to be distributed to the community via Queens Galley located at 254 Washington Ave, a not for profit organization providing relief, awareness, education and prevention of food insecurity throughout the county. UPAC attendees will be able to bring food items when they attend performances as well as during UPAC box office hours (11am – 5pm Wednesday through Friday).
For more information contact the UPAC Box Office at 339.6088 or Queens Galley at 338.3468 in Kingston.
Finally, food stamp benefits known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) can now be applied for online or over the phone, instead of by having to go to Kingston, by calling 334-5200 or visiting www.myBenefits.ny.gov

ATV Death
An Ellenville man was killed on a recent morning when the all-terrain vehicle he was riding went off a road in western Ulster County and struck a tree, state police said.
Troopers at the Ulster barracks said Jason Lark, 23, was riding the ATV westbound on Greenville-Sundown Road in the town of Denning about 8:30 a.m. on Halloween morning when he lost control of the vehicle, went off the shoulder and hit a tree. Lark, who apparently was wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Troopers said they were alerted by friends of Lark’s whose home he had left just before the accident. The crash site was about 3 miles north of the Rondout Reservoir.

Honoring Chet
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County (CCEUC) and Ulster County Farm Bureau will host an evening of celebration with fine food and live entertainment for their annual dinner and silent auction at the Twin Lakes Resort, 198 Heritage Drive in Hurley, on Friday, November 13, at 6:00pm. Among the individuals being honored for their countless hours of volunteering and dedication to community-minded programs this year will be Phillies Bridge Farm in New Paltz, Peggy Lapp of High Falls, Lucky C Stables, Inc. in New Paltz, SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge and Chester “Chet” Karwatowski of West Shokan.
In a related release, Cornell Cooperative has announced that its popular Master Gardener Horticulture Hotline will be changing their hours of service to 9:00am to 12:00pm on Fridays only from November 1, 2009 through March 1, 2010. The Hotline number is 845-340-DIRT. Messages can be left at anytime but will only be returned on Fridays from 9:00am to 12:00pm.
The Master Gardener hotline provides the public with free gardening advice. Other services offered are pH soil testing and Insect/Disease Identification.
Master Gardeners are volunteers trained by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County experts in the art and science of gardening. They provide the public with gardening programs and activities that draw on the horticulture research and experience of Cornell University.
If interested in learning more about the Master Gardener Program call Dona Crawford at 340-3990 or visit www.cceulster.org.

Cool Lady!
On Saturday afternoon, Nov. 7, the Catskill Mountain Foundation will present the second program in its “Women in Film Series” at the Mountain Cinema, Rte. 23A, Hunter, from 1 to 3 PM when Iris Cahn, an editor of feature films and documentaries and longtime local resident, explores the life of pioneer filmmaker, writer, actor, and producer Helen Gardner in a special free presentation.
“It is hard not to present the story of Helen Gardner in theatrical terms. It plays as a storyline of woman discovered, woman triumphant, woman discarded and all but forgotten,” says Cahn of her presentation. “Helen Gardner has a right to be remembered, resurrected, not just as a film actress, but as one of America’s pioneer filmmakers, writers and producers.”
As the second person ever to produce a feature-length film in America, and the first woman to do so, Helen Gardner should have been assured a place in every published film history in the pantheon of directors of the silent era. Gardner produced at least 11 films and acted in more than 30. But when Iris Cahn included Gardner’s work in a lecture in 1994, she could find only two lines mentioning her in any published film text, and that was on her work as an actress. Fortunately, at least two of the films Gardner produced, Cleopatra and A Sister to Carmen, have since been restored and Gardner’s granddaughter, Dorin Schumaker is writing a book about her grandmother’s career, so that lack should soon be remedied.
For those not familiar with Gardner’s work, Iris Cahn will present a biography and overview of Gardner’s films, including clips of Cleopatra at the Mountain Cinema second floor theater in Hunter.
Visit www.catskillmtn.org for further info.

Yo, Poets!
Bright Hill Press of Delaware County has announced a call for manuscripts for its 16th annual poetry book competition. The winning poet will receive publication, $1,000, 25 copies of his/her published book, and national distribution of his or her collection of poems. Postmark deadline is November 30, and results will be announced in the summer of 2010, with publication in 2011. This year’s winner was Robert red hawk Moore of Arizona; his manuscript, “Raven’s Paradise,” was selected by poet Rhina Espaillat, of Massachusetts, and will be published in 2010.
Poets submitting manuscripts may include a padded, 6 x 9 envelope or a sturdy 9 x 12 envelope with $2.50 postage, and Bright Hill will send a free BHP poetry book.
Manuscripts will be judged anonymously. Send 48-64 pages, plus bio, table of contents, acknowledgments page, and two title pages, one with title of manuscript only, one with title and name, address, telephone, and email addresses. Poet’s name and other identifying material should not appear anywhere else on manuscript. Individual poems may have been published in journals or anthologies, but complete manuscript may not have been published elsewhere. Manuscript must be paginated and secured by bulldog or spring clip; no bound manuscripts or manuscripts in book form. Manuscripts will not be returned; include self-addressed, stamped envelope for results only. More than one manuscript may be submitted, but each requires a reading fee of $25 for non-Bright Hill members or $17 for Bright Hill members.
Manuscripts will first be read by regional poets; who will select up to 25 manuscripts as finalists; those manuscripts will be sent to the awards judge (to be announced at close of competition) for determination of the winner.
For more information, see the web site at http://www.brighthillpress.org ; or contact Bright Hill 607-829-5055.

Two Good Causes
Infiniti Family Chiropractic is offering a comprehensive spinal screening and the chance to begin chiropractic care for a minimum $20 donation which will be used to fight hunger. Proceeds will be distributed to local food agencies by the NY Giants Foundation. The program called Project HOPE, now in its 12th year, is organized by the NY Chiropractic Council and runs from November 16-21. To schedule an appointment call Dr. Emily Bobson at 679-2111.

Racing Indians
Onteora’s track teams ruled at the Mid-Hudson Athletic League cross country championships at Ogden Mills State Park last weekend.
Onteora claimed the girls crown, unseating two-time defending champion Rhinebeck and having all five of its scorers finish in the top 20 for 61 points. Behind Emily Waligurski were Kim Wiley (eighth, 20:56), Cara Ugolino (14th, 21:41), Erica Beesmer (18th, 21:59) and Alex Nichols (19th, 22:07).
“This was a hard race, but I’m so proud of my teammates,” Waligurski said. “We thought we could compete with Rhinebeck. They have some very experienced runners, but we ran our best today.”
Indians coach Patrick Burkhardt was ecstatic about his team’s win, Onteora’s first since 2003.
“I gave the girls the advice of going out there and running their race,” Burkhadt said. “I didn’t want them to let anyone else dictate how they ran. We were not expected to win this, but our five went out and collectively did their jobs. Emily’s race was especially impressive.”

Library Meetings!
The Olive Free Library Board of Trustee meetings are open to all, and the following dates are scheduled, for the coming year: November 18, 2009, January 20, 2010, March 10, 2010, April 21, 2010, May 19, 2010, June 16, 2010.
The librray’s Holiday Craft Fair will be held Saturday, December 12th, and from now on up until the 5th, their used books will be available downstairs, by the box or bagfull, all one can digest.
Hey, if you haven’;t been by in some time you’re due... call it the brainy center of Olive... a treasure!