News Briefs 7/17/2008

Local Robbery!
The Ulster County Sheriff's Office says it is looking for a man who stole about $18,000 in cash from the Bread Alone bakery on state Route 28 in Boiceville. According to a prepared statement from the Sheriff's Office, witnesses told deputies that a white male wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt with the Bread Alone name on it, as well as a red baseball cap, approached the loading dock of the business about 4:30 a.m. Monday and took a metal locker in which cash deposits are kept. The suspect then fled with the locker, deputies said, though they did not know in what direction or whether he used a vehicle.
Witnesses described the man as being 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-9 with a square build and short-cropped reddish-brown hair and no facial hair, deputies said. They also said he appeared to be 25 to 35 years old.
Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at (845) 338-3640.

Subdivision...
The Olive Planning Board had a Public Hearing on Charles Davis' application to subdivide his home parcel to accomodate his children who already live on the multi-house parcel. The subdivision conforms to the already existing conditions and was approved with no objections.

Heating Summit
The Ulster County Legislature will convene a “Home Heating Summit” on July 25th at 10:00 A.M. in the Legislative Chambers, 6th Floor, County Office Building, 244 Fair Street, Kingston, New York. With skyrocketing home heating fuel costs, Ulster County residents are being hard hit financially and also face potentially serious health and safety risks. This summit is designed to initiate a coordinated community response to this pressing national issue. The upcoming heating season will present unprecedented challenges throughout the Northeast, and the summit is designed to proactively address these extremely serious issues. Invitees include Federal, State and local representatives, local fuel oil companies, Central Hudson, multiple not-for-profit agencies, regional faith base organizations, and numerous County departments.
“In New Orleans they knew about Katrina five days in advance,” said Ulster County Administrator Mike Hein, who called the meeting. “In the Northeast, we know three months in advance we’re going to face a serious potential crisis. You shouldn’t have to choose between heating and eating.”
For further information please contact (845) 340-3800.

Rail Trails!
Ulster County has created a Countywide Trails Advisory Committee (TAC) in response to “the need for new opportunities for fitness and recreation in Ulster County,” and is set to coordinate trail development and management in Ulster County and implement the County’s new Non-Motorized Transportation Plan, which calls for linking existing trails and constructing new linear parks, including a nature trail along the Ulster & Delaware Railroad. In the late 1970s, Ulster County purchased the U & D Corridor, which stretches from Kingston to Highmount along scenic Route 28, for use as a railroad and other recreational activities.
“It is now time to utilize the U & D Corridor for the wider benefit of the general public and to promote physical fitness while enjoying the picturesque views of the Catskill Mountains. Promoting healthier lifestyles is my top priority and this initiative will go a long way towards reaching that objective,” said Legislator Robert Parete.
In December of 2007, the Ulster County Legislature approved a multi-year capital plan to develop a hiking and biking trail along the U & D. The new TAC will use the capital plan, as submitted by Legislator Robert Parete, as a blueprint to accomplish this goal. Trails, which are becoming increasingly popular venues for recreation and enjoyment, are pathways often created along former railroad corridors. Users of this trail will be able to appreciate the dramatic natural beauty and unique historic value of the Catskills area.
A resolution establishing the Trail Advisory Committee was unanimously approved at the county legislature’s most recent Health Services Committee meeting and came before the full Legislature for ratification July 9.

Help With Homes
Rural Ulster Preservation Corporation, based in Kingston, has started a new foreclosure prevention program that will offer outreach, education, counseling and access to legal services to those facing foreclosure. Start- up funding of $20,000 has been provided by four local and regional banks that will allow RUPCO to hire a Housing Counselor to provide foreclosure prevention services. The funding came as a result of a meeting convened by County Administrator Michael Hein in May to solicit support for a local response to this growing crisis. The program will help homeowners facing default, many as a result of the practice of predatory and sub-prime lending that became widespread in recent years.
Financial institutions supporting the program include JPMorgan Chase, Ulster Savings Bank, TD Banknorth and Empire State Bank.
Also on the foreclosure front, it was recently reported that Ohio election officials are worrying that the state’s home foreclosure problem will pose a problem this November for voters still registered at their former address because any voters with outdated addresses are expected to face possible pre-election challenges and trips to multiple polling places from GOP activists. They also are more likely to cast provisional ballots that might not be counted.
“It’s a real issue,” said Daniel Tokaji, an Ohio State University law professor who specializes in elections. He wonders whether foreclosures might explain the increasing percentages of provisional votes cast between 2004 and Ohio’s latest election, the presidential primary in March.
Ohio provided President Bush with an 118,000-vote victory in 2004, giving him the electoral votes he needed to win the election.
In 2004, the Ohio Republican Party challenged more than 31,000 newly registered voters statewide after letters it mailed out came back as undeliverable. The challenges failed, but Brunner said a new state law requiring counties to mail their own notices to all registered voters could lead to another round of pre-election challenges.
Other battleground states rank high in foreclosure filings as well: Nevada led the nation in May with one filing for every 118 homes, while Florida was fourth, Michigan fifth, Georgia sixth, Colorado seventh and New Jersey 10th.
As it did in 2004, the Ohio Democratic Party is putting together a “voter-protection” plan to fight eligibility challenges.

County Crunch
The four biggest departments in Ulster County government have been asked to come up with two percent budget cuts for the remainder of the year, with the county administrator noting that state revenue shortfalls are to blame for the possible budget crunch.
County Administrator Michael Hein noted that part of the problem is that the state passes its budget later than the county, making for such errors in calculations.
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Alan Lomita said this comes on top of an already very tight county budget. If the departments don’t come up with cuts on their own, Hein and an ad hoc subcommittee made up of Alan Lomita, Majority Leader Brian Cahill, Minority Leader Glenn Noonan and former Majority Leader Jeanette Provenzano will impose the cuts.
Hein also asked for a two-week pushback on the deadline for presenting the 2009 budget proposal, in October. He said he needs that time to prepare “the most detailed and accurate budget moving forward”.

Arts Funding…
A number of key county cultural institutions were pegged to receive nearly $400,000 in state arts funding recently. Among the announced grants are $26,000 to the Arts Society of Kingston, $4,500 to the Belleayre Conservatory, $4,500 to the Byrdcliffe Theater Company, $4,500 to the Center for Creative Education in Kingston, $45,300 to the Center for Photography at Woodstock, $16,800 to the Deep Listening Institute in Kingston, $5,000 to High Meadow Arts in Stone Ridge, $20,000 to the Huguenot Historical Society of New Paltz, $15,700 to Maverick Concerts, $12,300 to the Kingston-based nonprofit publisher McPherson & Company , $4,500 to New Paltz based Pone Ensemble for New Music, $9.800 to Ellenville-based Shadowland Theater, $28,900 to Transart & Cultural Services, focused on the African diaspora to this area; $28,300 to Upstate Films of Rhinebeck; $126,100 to Women’s Studio Workshop outside of Rosendale, $26,500 to the Woodstock Film Festival, $5,500 to the Woodstock Guild, and $4,500 to Woodstock Fringe.
The New York State Council on the Arts, or NYSCA, makes an average of 2,500 grants each year to arts organizations in every arts discipline throughout the state. NYSCA’s goal is to bring high-quality artistic programs to the citizens of New York.
Congratulations, everybody!

Halcott Crime
A Halcott Center man is facing felony charges following a year-long investigation into allegations he had sexual contact with a girl starting in 2005, when she was 10 years old, and later offered the girl money to have sex with him.
Raymond B. German, 61, was sent to Greene County Jail Wednesday after his arraignment in Halcott Town Court on charges of felony sexual abuse, two counts of patronizing a prostitute, a a felony, and two counts of misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child, misdemeanor, according to state police at Sidney.
According to police, German’s run of sexual abuse started in January 2005 and continued through July of 2007, when the girl was 13. Police said German engaged the girl via the Internet. The investigation started in May 2007, when state police in Endwell first learned of German’s activities, police said.

Plea Bargains?
Legislation headed to Gov. David Paterson’s desk would authorize state troopers to plea-bargain traffic tickets in local courts, ending a nearly 2-year-old ban on the practice. The measure, approved by lawmakers last month before they adjourned, would undo the state police policy implemented on Sept. 1, 2006. Previously, in some courts, troopers directly discussed with drivers reducing tickets to lesser infractions in return for guilty pleas.
“What happened is the state police ceased appearing in traffic courts across the state of New York to listen to people who had received tickets,” said Assemblyman Stephen Hawley, a Republican from Batavia. “And they were no longer able to plea-bargain with local courts.”
State police issued 1 million traffic tickets in 2007, most answered in municipal courts that count on revenue from the fines.
The legislation would allow troopers to appear in court, when authorized by district attorneys, and would prohibit the state police administration from making regulations or otherwise limiting their ability to modify petty traffic charges. Hawley said it would help municipalities financially because some had to hire prosecutors or designate lawyers to handle traffic cases. It also should make it easier for drivers to settle cases and with fewer trips to court, he said.
Sgt. Ken Swoboda, spokesman for the state police, said policy never prohibited plea-bargaining itself; it only kept troopers from going to court and plea-bargaining tickets. “Cities, towns and villages have the authority to prosecute those tickets,” Swoboda said. “They also have the right, as part of their prosecutorial responsibilities, to accept plea bargains. That’s not our responsibility.”
Hawley said town justices urged him to push the legislation, and he suggested there might be a way for the 5,000-member state police to manage schedules to avoid overtime.

Help Onteora?
The Onteora Central School District Board of Education is seeking volunteers for the audit committee who have a financial background. Qualifications include: 1) an understanding of technical and complex financial reporting issues; 2) ability to communicate with auditors, public finance officers and the Board of Education; 3) knowledge of internal controls, financial statement audits and management/operational audits. Contact: Audit Committee; Onteora Central School District; P.O Box 300; Boiceville, NY 12412

Big Power…
Former secretaries of state James Baker III and Warren Christopher say the next time the president goes to war, Congress should be required to say whether it agrees. The co-chairmen of a bipartisan study group have proposed legislation that would require the president to consult lawmakers before initiating combat lasting longer than a week, except in cases of emergencies. In turn, Congress would have to act within 30 days, either approving or disapproving of the action.
The plan, outlined by Baker and Christopher in an essay published Tuesday in The New York Times, would not necessarily prevent future debate on the so-called “war powers” issue. Instead, it would create a new consultative process between the White House and Congress to help prevent a potential constitutional showdown.
Congress’ involvement in approving combat operations became a central issue in the Iraq debate last year, when Democrats tried to force President Bush to end the war. After taking control of Congress in January 2007, Democrats tried to cap force levels and set a timetable for withdrawals. They lacked a veto-proof majority to put the restrictions into law, and the White House argued that such legislation would have violated the Constitution by infringing upon the president’s role as commander in chief to protect the nation. Democrats disagreed, contending there was ample precedent.
Baker, who served as secretary of state in the first Bush administration, and Christopher, who served under President Clinton, were to discuss their findings at a news conference Tuesday morning. The panel has been studying the issue for more than a year and consulted more than three dozen experts. Other members of the panel include former Democratic Rep. Lee Hamilton, who in 2006 led the Iraq Study Group with Baker; former Attorney General Edwin Meese III; and Strobe Talbott, former deputy secretary of state.
Meanwhile, Iraq’s national security adviser says his country will not accept any deal with the United States unless the agreement sets specific dates for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces. The comments by Mouwaffak al-Rubaie come a day after Iraq’s prime minister first said publicly that he expects the pending troop deal with the United States to have some type of timetable for withdrawal.
President Bush has said he opposes a timetable.
Al-Rubaie told reporters Tuesday the country “will not accept any memorandum of understanding that doesn’t have specific dates to withdraw foreign forces.”

Watch The Lyme!
Ulster County Public Health Director Dean Palen said lastweek that 20 cases of Lyme disease were confirmed in April in Ulster County, up from 12 in April 2007. And June is looking even worse, he added, according to preliminary statistics, with more than 140 “probable” and “suspected” cases of Lyme disease recorded in that last two months that still need to be confirmed. So far, he said, 15 of the May cases and four of the June cases have been confirmed.
“We expect those number will rise,” Palen said. “It undoubtedly will go up.”
Palen said increased awareness is needed because July typically is the worst month for Lyme disease in Ulster County. There were 121 local cases in July 2007, 91 in July 2006 and 143 in July 2005, he said.
Palen said he does not endorse the use of insect repellents, because of possible health risks, and noted that the best way to avoid being infected by a tick is to stay out of tall grass and wear long pants.
Lyme disease results in a rash, typically looking like a bullseye, in 60 to 80 percent of cases. Other symptoms are fever, fatigue and headache. In serious cases, arthritis, neurological problems (including muscle weakness, numbness and memory loss) and heart problems are possible.
According to the state Department of Health, a three-year study, results from which were released in 2005, found Ulster County had the fifth-highest rate of Lyme disease in New York with 182.5 cases per 100,000 people. Columbia County topped the list with 874.3 per 100,000; Dutchess County was second statewide, with 426.8 per 100,000; and Greene County was ranked fourth, with 229.7 per 100,000.
Palen said the numbers can be affected by weather and ground conditions.
“If it turns very dry, I would expect the tick population to go down and the number of Lyme cases might actually decrease,” he said. “But so far, everything is nice and green, nothing has browned up, and each year there are a few more people living here or visiting here.”

Deeds Indeed!
Property owners are asked to be aware of a recent solicitation regarding certified copies of deeds. Ulster County residents are receiving letters from New York Record Retreival, Inc, offering individuals the ability to obtain a certified copy of their deed recorded in the Ulster County Clerk’s Office for a cost of $59.50.
In an attempt to address this problem, Nina Postupack, Ulster County Clerk reminds individuals that a certified copy of a deed is available from the Clerk’s Office at one tenth of the cost that New York Retrieval, Inc is charging. The County Clerk urges individuals to come into the County Clerk’s office to obtain a copy of their deed. Mrs. Postupack said, “Individuals can request a copy of their deed or any public record recorded in the Ulster County Clerk’s office by mail or in person.” District Attorney, Holley Carnright emphasizes to residents of the County when a solicitation is received that may appear questionable please contact the Consumer Fraud Department of the District Attorney’s Office at 340-3260. The staff is available to assist in determining the legitimacy of any company or organization.
According to Nina Postupack, County Clerk the charge for a certified copy of a deed is sixty five cents per page plus $5.00 to certify the document. County Clerk employees are available to assist customers in person or by phone, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is important to remember all public records are available for inspection. Copy fees are set down by New York State statute for all County Clerks throughout the state.
County residents with questions about this or any other related matters to contact 340-3040 (County Clerk) or 340-3280 (District Attorney).

Ah, ‘Shrooms!
Scientists have reported that when they surveyed volunteers 14 months after they took the drug psilocybin, otherwise known as magic mushrooms, most said they were still feeling and behaving better because of the experience. Two-thirds of them also said the drug had produced one of the five most spiritually significant experiences they’d ever had.
The drug is illegal, but it has been used in religious ceremonies for centuries.
The study involved 36 men and women during an eight-hour lab visit. It’s one of the few such studies of a hallucinogen in the past 40 years, since research was largely shut down after widespread recreational abuse of such drugs in the 1960s.
The project made headlines in 2006 when researchers published their report on how the volunteers felt just two months after taking the drug. The new study followed them up a year after that.
Experts emphasize that people should not try psilocybin on their own because it could be harmful. Even in the controlled setting of the laboratory, nearly a third of participants felt significant fear under the effects of the drug. Without proper supervision, someone could be harmed, researchers said.

Drugs R US?
The United States leads the world in rates of experimenting with marijuana and cocaine despite strict drug laws, World Health Organization researchers said this week. Countries with looser drug laws have lower rates of abuse, the researchers report in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine. The survey of 54,000 people in 17 countries found that 16 percent of people in the United States had used cocaine in their lifetimes - far higher than the next highest rate, found in New Zealand, where 4.3 percent of people reported having used cocaine. More than 42 percent of Americans admitted to having tried cannabis, closely followed by 41 percent in New Zealand. Americans were also the most likely to have smoked, with 74 percent saying they used tobacco at some time in their lives, although current smoking rates are far lower at 21 percent. The next-highest lifetime smoking rate was found in Lebanon at 67 percent, with 60 percent of Mexicans and the 61 percent of Ukrainians having ever smoked.
"Globally, drug use is not distributed evenly and is not simply related to drug policy, since countries with stringent user-level illegal drug policies did not have lower levels of use than countries with liberal ones," the researchers noted..
Alcohol was by far the most common substance used, the researchers found in their face-to-face interviews with people.
"Alcohol use by age 15 years was far more common in European countries than in the Middle East and Africa," they wrote.
By the age of 21, up to 99 percent of Europeans, 92 percent of Japanese, 94 percent of New Zealanders and 93 percent of people in the Americas had tasted alcohol.
"Estimates were lower in the Middle East and Africa (40 percent to 63 percent)" the researchers wrote.
"In the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, and New Zealand, more than 60 percent of young people had started to drink by age 15 years," they added. "These findings add to our understanding of substance abuse world-wide, and suggest that drug use is still a major problem in this country, pointing to the need for more effective prevention interventions.”.
"The United States, which has been driving much of the world's drug research and drug policy agenda, stands out with higher levels of use of alcohol, cocaine, and cannabis, despite punitive illegal drug policies, as well as (in many U.S. states), a higher minimum legal alcohol drinking age than many comparable developed countries," they added.
"The Netherlands, with a less criminally punitive approach to cannabis use than the U.S., has experienced lower levels of use, particularly among younger adults."

Flood Buyouts
Homeowners whose residences are in areas that are vulnerable to flooding may be eligible for state funding to move, Governor David Paterson announced this week. Eligible counties in the Catskills and Southern Tier regions may submit proposals under which they would receive funding to purchase and demolish eligible homes that have been damaged by floods since April 1, 2004, and are determined to be at risk. Those counties are Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Herkimer, Montgomery, Orange, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan, Tioga, and Ulster.
“Over the last four years, nine flood events occurred in New York State that resulted in major federal disaster declarations,” said Governor Paterson. “It’s critical that we help people out of these flood zones so that they can begin rebuilding their lives. The government can then work to revive these areas and protect neighborhoods from future flood damage.”
In order to qualify for the program, a home must be the primary residence of the owner with a family income up to 150 percent of the Area Median Income, as defined by US Housing and Urban Development.
Funding will be administered through the state Housing Trust Fund Corporation / Division of Housing and Community Renewal.

Watermelon?
A slice of cool, fresh watermelon is a juicy way to top off a Fourth of July cookout and one that researchers say has effects similar to Viagra. Watermelons, it turns out, contain an ingredient called citrulline that can trigger production of a compound that helps relax the body’s blood vessels, similar to what happens when a man takes Viagra, said scientists. Found in the flesh and rind of watermelons, citrulline reacts with the body’s enzymes when consumed in large quantities and is changed into arginine, an amino acid that benefits the heart and the circulatory and immune systems.
The nitric oxide can also help with angina, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems, according to the study, which was paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
More citrulline - about 60 percent - is found in watermelon rind than in the flesh, but that can vary. But scientists may be able to find ways to boost the concentrations in the flesh, he said.
Citrulline is found in all colors of watermelon and is highest in the yellow-fleshed types.
Scientists added that though the research is valid, it comes with a caveat: One would need to eat about six cups of watermelon to get enough citrulline to boost the body’s arginine level.
Watermelon is a diuretic and was a homeopathic treatment for kidney patients before dialysis became widespread.

Infrastructure!
The latest U.S. natural disasters are triggering fresh rounds of concern and debate about how to repair America’s aging infrastructure. The worst Midwest flooding since 1993 has generated images of swamped towns, cracked roads, washed-out bridges, overwhelmed dams, failed levees, broken sewage systems, stunted crops and water-logged refugees. The losses are in the billions of dollars and still mounting, as the costs of crop losses alone send shocks through the inflation-wracked world food system and threaten insurers.
The disaster has reminded policymakers of the decrepit state of U.S. infrastructure, stirring concerns similar to those following the deadly Minneapolis bridge collapse in 2007 and the flooding of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Even before the latest flooding, a group representing engineers said the United States needed to spend about $1 trillion more than it does now to bring infrastructure up to par with modern needs and standards.
“The patch-and-pray approach simply won’t succeed,” said David Mongan, head of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
But the group also said its five-year cost estimate was outdated and does not count the price of new roads, rails, and sewers required by a growing population, nor the cost to repair damage inflicted by the recent Midwest floods.
Two federal commissions since Katrina have tackled the issue and Congress is mulling proposals for a full-scale assessment of the nation’s infrastructure needs and an infrastructure “bank” to loan money for projects. The nation also may have to reconsider its lukewarm commitment to passenger rail service, experts said.
Government funding for some infrastructure needs has declined, such as for wastewater plants. Municipalities hike taxes or fees to repair ancient pipes prone to bursting.
“Everybody is drinking somebody’s waste water,” said Susan Bruninga of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies.

Catskill Center!
The public is invited to the 39th Annual Membership Meeting of The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development on the grounds of the historic Erpf House in Arkville on Saturday, July 19th from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Olive native and noted author Bob Steuding will speak about the social history of the High Peaks from his forthcoming book being published by Purple Mountain Press, The Heart of the Catskills.
The Alf Evers Award for Excellence will be presented to legendary Catskills botanist and author Dr. Michael Kudish. A renowned forest biologist and professor emeritus of Paul Smith’s College, Dr. Kudish is author of several volumes about the Catskills and the Adirondacks – including forest and railroad history.
Following the award presentation will be the lively music of Ira and Laurie McIntosh and a picnic lunch of wonderful Catskill fare. The event is free and open to the public.
Board President Claude Shostal will be introducing Lisa Rainwater, The Catskill Center’s new Executive Director. Join the staff and board members for a special day at its headquarters in Arkville. To RSVP and for more information: 845-586-2611 or membership@catskillcenter.org. For directions visit: www.catskillcenter.org.

Online Bugs
Executives from major Internet players - Microsoft Corp., Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. - are due for a grilling about online privacy in a Senate committee, but the company likely to get the most scrutiny is a small Silicon Valley startup called NebuAd Inc.
NebuAd has drawn fierce criticism from privacy advocates in recent weeks for working with Internet service providers to track the online behavior of their customers and then serve up targeted banner ads based on that behavior.
According to Ari Schwartz, vice president of the Center for Democracy & Technology, a civil liberties group, NebuAd’s business model raises many of the same concerns as an earlier generation of “adware” companies. Those companies developed software programs that - when downloaded to a computer - could track where a user went on the Internet and mine that information to deliver customized online ads. Several NebuAd executives in fact were once employed by Gator Corp., an adware company that later renamed itself Claria Corp.
Privacy activists say adware companies duped many Web surfers into downloading their software programs by bundling them with free screen savers, online games and other Internet applications. But NebuAd has a new twist: It works directly with Internet service providers to scan their customers’ Web surfing habits and deliver ads presumed to be of interest to them. By injecting its monitoring in between consumers and the Web sites they visit, NebuAd’s technology could violate a 1986 federal wiretapping law that requires at least one party to a communication to consent to a wiretap, according to an analysis released by the Center for Democracy & Technology. British technologists have leveled similar criticisms against a NebuAd-like system being prepared in that country by Phorm Inc.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military is looking for a contractor to patrol cyberspace, watching for warning signs of forthcoming terrorist attacks or other hostile activity on the Web. In a solicitation posted on the Web last week, the U.S. Army’s Fifth Signal Command said it was looking for a contractor to provide “Internet awareness services” to support “force protection” — the term of art for the security of U.S. military installations and personnel.
“The purpose of the services will be to identify and assess stated and implied threat, antipathy, unrest and other contextual data relating to selected Internet domains,” says the solicitation.
The solicitation says the successful contractor will “analyze various Web pages, chat rooms, blogs and other Internet domains to aggregate and assess data of interest.”
Oo-ee-oo.

Bridge Fall
An Illinois woman died Monday, July 7 after falling from a bridge abutment after exploring a maze on the Erpf estate in Arkville, according to the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office.
Lynne N. Jaeger, 26, of Caseyville, Ill., fell from a bridge abutment near state highway 28 and Elliot Hill Road as she and her husband, Kevin Jaeger, formerly of Saugerties, were leaving the estate, according to the Sheriff’s Office. She was taken to Margaretville Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
A veteran of the United States Navy, Jaeger was a student in the nursing program at the State University of Illinois. Her survivors in addition to her husband include a son, Isaiah N.

Casino Time?
Governor David Paterson has signed the Concord development bill paving the way for the $1 billion project to move forward. Louis Cappelli’s Concord Associates and Empire Resorts are going to build a new gaming resort with a hotel, conference center, racino and Monticello Raceway. The racetrack and video slot machine operation will be relocated from their current location in Monticello to the site of the former Concord Hotel in Kiamesha Lake. Under terms of the legislation, the developers will be able to retain 75 percent of the profits from the VLTs, up from the current 50 percent.

The project is expected to bring with it 2,000 permanent jobs and an increase in the current contribution to state education from the new VLT operation.
Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, who sponsored the bill in the Assembly, said the project will stimulate the economy of the greater Hudson Valley-Catskills region. “The project will have impact on Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties,” she said. “We are going to put a lot of people to work on the project.”
Senator John Bonacic, who sponsored the legislation in the Senate, said with 14 percent of Sullivan County’s population at or below the poverty level, this project will serve as a major economic boost for the region. “The people of the county need permanent jobs, a substantial increase in education funding, and dollars invested into the regional economy.”
Construction is expected to begin in the weeks ahead with the first phase to be completed in two years.
Yikes!

Be A Kid!
Kids in the Kaatskills, a summer program for youngsters age five to 12, gets underway at four locations July 30 and runs through August 15. All Catskills kids, whether residents or visitors, are welcome. Children under five are welcome with a parent or guardian.
Morning and afternoon sessions will be offered Wednesday through Friday at Fairview Public Library, Walnut St., Margaretville; Skene Memorial Library, Main St., Fleischmanns; Andes Public Library, Main St., Andes, and at the Pine Hill Community Center, Main St., Pine Hill. Calendars are available at each location. Morning sessions run from 10:30 to noon; afternoon programs are from 1:30 to 3. Pre-registration is not necessary.
From carnival masks to colorful chemistry, puppets to paper making, beaded jewelry to book binding, the programs will keep children happily creating and making new friends. All programs are free except silk-screen and tye-die T-shirt workshops, which cost $2.
Kids in the Kaatskills is made possible by the generosity of the late Ed Scheider. Marie Vickerilla coordinates the programming, which is directed by Claudia McMurray (Margaretville), Barbara Cella (Fleischmanns), Colleen McMurray (Andes) and Ellen Stewart (Pine Hill).
This year’s workshops include yoga, “chestnut weaving,” kite-, lanyard- and mosaic lantern-making, and buffalo hide painting. Kids will make window stars and talking rock necklaces, and will learn to make beads out of fimo clay.
Story Laurie will once again enthrall young listeners with stories and songs, and Ira McIntosh will provide traditional tunes for sing along fun.

Mr. B Passes
Hubert J. “Bert” Breitenberger of Vision Path, West Shokan, died Wednesday July 2, 2008 at Benedictine Hospital in Kingston. He was 73. He was born February 8, 1935 in Ringoes, NJ a son of the late Jakob and Franziska “Fannie” Muellersberger Breitenberger. He served in the Marine Corps from 1954 to 1957. He received his bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in literature from Rutgers University and his master’s degree from Williams College. For 30 years, Mr. Breitenberger taught history at Onteora High School where he touched the lives and motivated hundreds of students who referred to him as “Mr. B.”
Mr. Breitenberger was active in the civil rights movement and taught literacy in Marian, AL in 1965. He was a member of the Catskill Mountain branch of Veterans for Peace. He was a former board member and treasurer of the Resource Center for Accessible Living and served on the NAACP education committee for local scholarships.
He was a voracious reader and scholar and an avid NY Giants and Mets fan.
He is survived by his wife of twenty one years, Sandra Sussin Miller Breitenberger; his son, Laurence Breitenberger and his wife, Stace and their daughter Elyse of Rhinebeck; his daughter Laura Gardner and her husband Frank and their son Brendan of West Park; his foster daughter, Thao Nguyen and her sons, Long and Lance of Aurora, CO; his sister, Evelyn Larivee of Rhinebeck and several nieces and nephews.
A brother, Peter Breitenberger died previously.
A memorial service was held on July 10th UCCC in the student lounge in Vanderlyn Hall. Memorial contributions may be made to the Hubert J. Breitenberger Scholarship Fund, c/o Ulster Community College Foundation, Cottekill Road, Stone Ridge, NY 12484