SAFE Act Remains Unpopular

Almost eighteen months after the controversial passage of Governor Andrew Cuomo's signature "NY SAFE Act" legislation, opposition remains strong across significant portions of Upstate New York to the gun control law, with emotions running particularly high in Schoharie County. 

Since it was signed into law, the NY SAFE Act has been the target of two Board of Supervisors resolutions; several displays of citizen protest; verbal assaults from politicians representing both political parties, and most recently, dozens of pointed yard signs dotting the local landscape.

From the Village of Middleburgh to the Town of Seward and every community in between, these signs are being proudly displayed on the yards of residences and highways, signifying the continued resolve of local voters to the unpopular law, even a year and a half since it was passed.

Mr. Cuomo, who came within thirty votes of carrying Schoharie County in the 2010 Gubernatorial election, is likely to cede large swaths of Upstate New York to Republican Rob Astorino because of the law this fall, but as of the latest poll - is leading his challenger by thirty points statewide. 

Still many residents share County Sheriff Tony Desmond's sentiment that the NY SAFE Act is, "another step toward total gun control," and as such, public opposition is likely to remain substantial for years to come. 

Minor Oil Spill in County Courthouse Causes Court Headache

Over the weekend a valve gave way on one of two boiler systems located in the penthouse of the Schoharie County Courthouse, causing oil to leak through the floor and into the elevator shaft and ceiling tiles of lower floors, staining carpeting and tiles in the process. 

No one was harmed during the minor spill, which was estimated by a county official to be somewhere between five and twenty gallons. County court however, was forced to relocate to the Board of Supervisors meeting room in the nearby county building due to the toxicity of the fumes. 

Ironically enough, contractors were set to install two spillway containment barriers around the van sized boilers this very week on recommendation of Flood Recovery Coordinator Bill Cherry, who made the suggestion to supervisors at the May county board meeting. 

According to Mr. Cherry, who told the Schoharie News that both boiler systems are approximately three decades old and the valve simply decayed after years of use, the county currently has no dollar amount on how much the necessary clean-up process and repairs will cost at this time. 

It is unknown precisely when regular court proceedings will commence once more in the courthouse, with current estimates between five and seven days at the earliest. 

Vote in Our New Poll: What is Your Favorite NFL Team?

Over the weekend we asked our readers on facebook who their favorite National Football League team was; the response was varied between the three franchises that call New York home - the Bills, Giants and Jets - to the regional powerhouse New England and several teams spread across the nation.

Inspired by the impassioned debate, our new poll is concerned with the question of which professional football team is Schoharie County's favorite to root for on the gridiron. Now, we can't list all thirty-two teams, but our survey will feature the area's four regional franchises that each received strong support.

The poll is located on the right-hand sidebar of the website and will be open until Monday afternoon. 

Schoharie In Line for Dry, Warm Weather (June 4, 2014)

After facing an onslaught of severe weather Tuesday afternoon that brought lightning, hail, and a flash flood warning to the region, Schoharie County is settling down for a quieter forecast the next seven days with predominantly warm temperatures and low chance of precipitation. 

Graphic credit: WNYT

Rainfall is possible both Thursday and Friday, but the weekend is shaping up to a beautiful sunfest that will keep highs in the low to mid eighties. Despite the storm yesterday, it was primarily a beautiful day that only turned ugly towards the latter part of the afternoon and cleared soon afterwards. 

According to WNYT's weather almanac, the area has received approximately 13.8 inches of rain thus far this year, which is roughly 1.37 inches below average levels of precipitation for early June. Not that it is particularly concerning at this time, but definitely something worth observing closely. 

Letter to the Editor: Wu Questions Rville's Maranatha Priorities

"Richmondville officials are demanding that Stella McKenna tell them about plans to sell her closed Maranatha gym in Warnerville."

What gall they have, to "demand", that Maranatha be sold, when in fact, it was they who stopped the gym from being sold, open for business, and from all debts, both to the local government and all B2Bs, being paid in full. With that said, before all of the 'Good Ole Boys', as well as their rable-rouser cohorts, start claiming that I neither had the capital nor a business plan to bail the club out, please let it be known that the investment that I made purchasing fitness equipment in my Sharon Springs location is both more advanced, as well as more costly and greater in both quality and quantity than what was in Maranatha, and, that I also paid for all of it up-front, so there is zero debt. In addition, not only am I renting a commercial location in Sharon Springs, I have also been paying bills on a domicile in Cobleskill for the past year, as well as paying for a residence in Sharon Springs for my whole family since April, since, they are now managing the that location. Lastly, I recently had a code review on the Grand Union building in Middleburgh done by a well-known architect from the city, Jim Lagone, specifically, to open my second location, as I was denied the opportunity to open a club in the Maranatha building. At least in Middleburgh, the mayor of that village--who was the one who invited me to so--and the supervisor of that town, both have the foresight to provide something beneficial for all of their constituents.

Everyone in the county needs to watch Schopeg or access the Richmondville town board minutes for December. They spent 45 minutes discussing asking the state for a waiver of the recapture agreement for the $2.3 million dollar grant, which is the same EXACT waiver which I asked them to ask the state for in September, October, and November, to which they refused each time, even though the state told them many times to ask for it as well. In fact, the state became so exasperated with the whole situation, that they asked them to only write one sentence, and one sentence only: "Please waive the recapture clause of the grant agreement so that Da-lai Wu can invest in, and re-open, the Maranatha Fitness Center". Simple...no? However, they would not ask for said waiver, which, totally protects only them and their constituents, since, after receiving the waiver, the state can never come after them for any part of the $2.3 million dollars. So how do they say 'no'? 

Please be advised that now that the town has the waiver, the club's founder can sell the building and the property to anyone, and does not have to notify anyone about anything. The town's 'demand' can, and should be, ignored. So why did the town turn down the opportunity to have their water bill and audit fees paid, as well as the village's electricity bill? Why did they turn down free office space on the undeveloped second floor of the club's building, which they could have built to their specifications, preferring to assume that the state would give them a grant for their offices, which they were subsequently denied last month? How is it that they believed that the waiver that the state and I both asked them to ask for, was different from that which they themselves asked for and received in December, and after the business model was already totally untenable--not to mention the fact that without a plan, carte blanche with regards to selling the property became a reality?

I lived though this past winter here in Cobleskill, and there is not a lot of things to do besides hibernate, nor, many places to recreate, even though, our state taxes pay for a huge facility in Cobleskill. However, we cannot access the gym, pool, fitness center, nor indoor tennis courts, which is a standard perk at other institutions where they rent facilities to the community at large to earn revenue for their own in-house community, and by doing so, they make real money, hand-over-fist. So what is up with the mentality in these two towns? Why does no one want to receive additional revenue, no strings attached, and to have all arrears paid in full? Why does no one there wish to provide for their neighbors in the community? And why, do residents even allow this situation to occur? 

IMPO, it's time to act. It's time to put the pedal to the metal, and make these 'Good Ole Boys' in both towns, act responsibly, and for the benefit for all. What do you think???

Da-lai Wu

Poll: Readers Approve of Gibson Job Performance

The latest Schoharie News poll has found that readers overwhelmingly support the job performance of incumbent Congressman Chris Gibson. He has represented Schoharie County and the rest of the 19th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since January, 2013.

Congressman Gibson was first elected to the House in 2010 over incumbent Democratic Congressman Scott Murphy in the 20th congressional district, and was subsequently re-elected to his second term in the 19th district following the redrawing of congressional districts in 2012. 

According to the survey, which one hundred and twenty two readers participated in, 67% (82 votes) approved of the Congressman's job performance, while only 25% (31 votes) disapproved and the remaining 7% (9 votes) remain undecided at this time.

Gibson is currently seeking his third term in office against Democratic challenger Sean Eldridge.

Blenheim Appoints Deputy to Become Highway Superintendent, Remembers Felter

It was both a serious and somber occasion Monday evening, as the Blenheim Town Board moved to fill the substantial void left by longtime Highway Superintendent Gerald Felter's unexpected passing in May, and to remember his years of dedicated service to the close-knit community. 

Starting the meeting with a moment of silence to remember "Gerry," as he was known by family and friends alike, the town board voted unanimously to approve a resident's suggestion to name the town's pavilion/park area behind the town hall in his honor. An official naming ceremony will be held at a date to be determined. 

Moving on to the vacancy, town board members voted to appoint Dave Mattice, Felter's deputy in the public works department, to succeed him as Highway Superintendent. The board would also voted to grant Mattice an annual $3,000 stipend to off-set his loss in wages from accepting the position and to perform any additional duties. 

In an attempt to reduce costs for the town, which operates on a shoe-string budget at approximately $300,000 annually, town board members decided to run the department with only two employees and to rely on part-time assistance when additional help is needed in the winter, or to cover sick time and vacations.

In other action:

• The town board voted to extend Cobra health insurance coverage to Felter's wife until she can acquire public assistance. The extension was approved to August.
• The town board voted to pay for a $60 advertisement in the Maple Festival brochure, after a mis-communication led to the town historian approving the ad after the board initially voted against it.
• The town board voted to authorize Councilwoman Anne Mattice-Strauch to purchase up to $600 in materials for a local park to be built in conjunction with SUNY Cobleskill's Creating Healthy Places program. 

Woodstock Artist Opens Local Exhibit at the Schoharie Hive

On Saturday evening the Hive hosted Woodstock artist Norm Magnusson's art opening at its gallery and shop on Main Street in Schoharie. Magnusson has recently installed six sculptures across Schoharie County.

Photo credit: Bob Nied

The sculptures are cast aluminum and resemble blue and yellow historic markers but instead carry fictitious stories related to important cultural, economic, and environmental issues. They are located in in several local communities, including one outside of the Hive in Schoharie. 

A map of the markers is available here.

Magnussom discussed his motivations for creating the sculptures and took questions from visitors attending the two-hour long opening, which was presented by the Center for Sustainable Rural Communities and funded in party by the Decentralized Program of the New York Council on the Arts administered by the Green County Arts Council.

Bialkowski Acting Police Chief in Cobleskill

Following the retirement of Cobleskill Police Chief Larry Travis on Friday afternoon, who had served in that capacity for the past four years, Sgt. Rich Bialkowski assumed the responsibilities of the department as Acting Police Chief. 

The department has made headlines in recent weeks as it has announced a successful string of drug sale related arrests involving heroin and marijuana in the community. The arrests were made after purchasing illegal substances from the suspects over a three week period in May.

Bialkowski is considered to be the logical choice to succeed Travis by local law enforcement officials, due to his already prominent stature in the department and his years of service in the field; as much has already been said by village officials.

However, due to the civil service requirements of the appointed position, any replacement must first take a civil service police chief exam, which according to Cobleskill Mayor Linda Holmes, may not be available into spring 2015 at the earliest.

Mayor Holmes did confirm to the Schoharie News that Bialkowski will be scheduled for the exam. 

From US History Major to Micro-Brewer: Middleburgh Brewery Set to Open in Late June

Justin Behan didn't set out to be a micro-brewer after graduating from college, where he received a Bachelor's Degree in American History, but after years of journeying through organic farming and home brewing, Mr. Behan's Green Wolf Brewery Co. will be opening soon in the Village of Middleburgh. 

It all started six years ago when Mr. Behan began home brewing on his Cotton Hill Road property, and soon after decided he wanted to open his own establishment. At the time he was unemployed, which he described in a recent tour of Green Wolf Brewery Co. as, "kind of helpful because I had nothing to lose."

From there he joined forces with Charles Manning, his father-in-law, and the brewery took a life of its own, eventually settling down at 315 Main Street in Middleburgh. Telling the Schoharie News that he wanted to be a benefit to the valley communities, Mr. Behan was well received by both the Becker family and Middleburgh Mayor Matthew Avitabile in his endeavor. 

Green Wolf's two-barrel electric brewery
can produce up to 120 gallons of beer daily

The brewery, which has begun production and is aiming to have an official opening in either late June or Fourth of July weekend, can make up to two batches of beer per day, which is the equivalent of one hundred and twenty gallons. It takes approximately three to four weeks for the final product to be ready. 

With several varieties of locally crafted beer to choose from, including Pindar's Imperial IPA and Ravens Black IPA, patrons of the brewery will be able to enjoy the selection in a pub styled lounge area that features an on-tap bar.

But even six years after first entering the growing home brewing trade, and perfecting his craft during a six month apprenticeship with the Good Nature Brewing Company in Madison County, Mr. Behan still enjoys the thrill of brewing his own beer as he prepared to ferment his second batch of the day when we spoke recently. 

Years in the making, Justin Behan's
brewery is weeks from opening.

A batch that will be making its way through Middleburgh in just four weeks.

Lopez Faces Easy Path to Fifth Term in Assembly

With local political attention focused primarily on the 19th congressional district election between incumbent Republican Chris Gibson and Democratic challenger Sean Eldridge, Schoharie's adopted son, Assemblyman Peter Lopez, has flown mostly under the radar as he prepares for his own re-election bid.

Lopez, who had served on the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors and as Schoharie County Clerk before his election to the Assembly in 2006, is currently running for his fifth term in the state legislature. As of this publication, there have been no confirmed opponents to the Assemblyman's campaign. 

According to queries into the incumbent's re-election committee, Lopez 4 NY, on the New York State Board of Elections Campaign Finance Reports database, Lopez has amassed a formidable $23,175.32 campaign war chest, possibly discouraging potential challengers from entering the race. 

The Schoharie County Republican Committee is expected to endorse both Lopez and State Senator James Seward at the GOP's upcoming nominating caucus on Wednesday, June 4th at the county building. 

After first being elected to the Assembly with 58% of the vote over Siena Professor Scott Trees, Lopez has subsequently cruised to re-election his past three electoral campaigns; two of which he ran unopposed in and last he carried with nearly a two-thirds margin during a national election cycle.

Cobleskill Fire Department Readies for 150th Anniversary

With events planned all day at the Cobleskill Sunshine Fairgrounds, a parade scheduled to march down Main Street at 10 am, and live music performances by Chicken Herders (5:00 pm-9:00 pm) and Skeeter Creek (9:00 pm-closing), the Cobleskill Fire Department is readying for its 150th anniversary celebration on Saturday, June 14 from 10:00 am until midnight. 

The Cobleskill Fire Department serves approximately nine thousand people in a one hundred and fifty square mile area and its origins, dating back to 1864, pre-date the Village of Cobleskill's incorporation in 1868, making it one of the municipality's oldest public institutions. 

Sheriff's Office Arrests Fugitive from Justice on Laundry List of Charges

The Schoharie County Sheriff's Department has announced the arrest of forty year old Jameson L. Perrotti and his girlfriend Johnnie Venzke of Sharon Springs after a traffic stop in the Town of Carlisle Friday morning, where Perrotti was charged with Criminally Possessing a Hypodermic Instrument after being in possession of hypodermic needles upon his arrest.

According to a press release issued by the Sheriff's Office, a vehicle operated by Venzke was stopped after Perrotti was observed as a passenger in her vehicle; there were several outstanding warrants for his arrest from both law enforcement agencies in Schoharie County, New York and Orange County, Florida.

Perrotti 

Perrotti was wanted by local law enforcement stemming from an incident on May 18, in which the suspect failed to comply during a traffic stop in the Town of Sharon by fleeing officers at the scene on foot. He was charged with Vehicle and Traffic misdemeanors of Reckless Driving, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation in the Second Degree and Failure to Comply with a Police Officer along with eight other Vehicle and Traffic violations. Additionally, he was also wanted on Penal Law charges of Reckless Endangerment and Criminally Possessing a Hypodermic Instrument in the Town of Sharon. 

Local law enforcement has been attempting to locate Perrotti for approximately on month on an outstanding warrant from the state of Florida. The warrant was issued by the Orange County Sheriff's office in Orange County, Florida for Theft in the Third Degree, a felony. The suspect was additionally charged with being a Fugitive from Justice for the outstanding warrant from Florida.

The suspect was arraigned in the Town of Sharon and remanded to the Schoharie County Jail in lieu of $5000 cash bail or $10, 000 bond on the local criminal charges. He was also arraigned in the Town of Sharon on the charge of being a Fugitive from Justice and was remanded without bail to reappear in Schoharie County Court at a later date pending extradition.

Venske was charged with Obstructing Governmental Administration in the second degree for knowingly assisting Perrotti and knowing there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest. She was arraigned in the Town of Sharon court and remanded to the Schoharie County jail in lieu of $500 bail or $1000 bond to return to the Town of Carlisle court at a later date.

Cobleskill Town Board Unanimously Backs Howe Caverns Casino

Cobleskill, NY - In a crystal clear and decisive statement of support, the Cobleskill Town Board unanimously passed a resolution backing a casino to be specifically sited at Howe Caverns.

“We are pleased to continue to show unprecedented community support for our project.  I would venture to say that we have the most community support of  any proposal in the region and possibly the State,” said Emil Galasso, President of Howe Caverns Development Corporation.

The specific resolution, undoubtedly favoring the Howe Caverns Casino, is one of the required steps in the process to be considered for selection by New York State.  The resolution also mentions several additional benefits and reasons for New York State to select the Howe Caverns site.

Calling Howe Caverns “a true destination” and “an important historic landmark,” the resolution states that the Town of Cobleskill Board believes that bringing a casino to Howe Caverns will be “economically transformational for a region that suffered Hurricanes Irene and Lee.”

“The Howe Caverns Casino proposal is consistent with the Governor's stated goals to target areas in need and build destination resorts in communities that express local support.  I think it is becoming clearer each day that Howe Caverns is the best site with least obstacles for the quick, successful development of a casino,” Galasso said.

“We have a great location, we have ample space ready to built on, and we have overwhelming support.  Why would New York State choose another site, when the community here welcomes this development?” Galasso continued.

Howe Caverns has been in operation since 1842.  In 2007, businessmen Emil Galasso and Charles Wright purchased Howe Caverns and since that time, have updated the original facility and added outdoor attractions such as the Howe High Adventure Park. 

Howe Caverns sits on a beautiful mountainside with spectacular views overlooking the Helderberg Plateau.  It is located just off Interstate 88, about 30 minutes from Oneonta and Cooperstown to the west, and 30 minutes from Albany to the east and 2.5 hours from NYC. 

Opinion: Convene Committee to Study Administrator, County Government

In a letter to the editor last week, Conesville Town Supervisor Bill Federice wrote that he agreed with the county board's vote against a county administrator because he felt that they, "simply did not have all the facts yet to conduct a final vote on the subject."

We feel that there has been a substantial and meaningful amount of debate on the subject, but that Mr. Federice made a valid point later in his letter that, "More information such as salary, job description, expectations of an Administrator, qualifications, etc. need to be discussed with specificity."

To this point in time discussion of adopting an administrator has largely centered around the need of adding an additional layer of oversight to a county government run amok, but has not yet touched on the finer details of the proposed position or, and perhaps more importantly, the structure of government as it stands with a Board of Supervisors system. 

Discounting the system's often inadequate and antiquated functions in the twenty-first century, one has to look no further than the Supreme Court's 1964 Reynolds v. Sims decision to realize the current board's configuration is wholly out of step with the principle of "one person, one vote" and that we have operated under a questionable charter for five decades.

However, for the sake of not sounding repetitive, we believe that in the spirit of fostering greater awareness and knowledge of not only the proposed administrator but also the status of government, that the Board of Supervisors should appoint a committee of legislators, legal experts, public advocates, and citizens to examine the state of our county charter today. 

If such a committee is convened by the county board in June and meets over the course of the summer months on a biweekly basis, there should be no reason why a full report on the status of government and what changes, if any are deemed necessary, should not be available for supervisors to make an educated and reasonable decision on an administrator this fall. 

This, however, will only occur if the county board is willing to act and open to listening. 

Schoharie Valley Garden Club to Host "Blooms in Our Valley" Event June 28

The Schoharie Valley Garden Club, in cooperation with local gardeners, is hosting the "Blooms in Our Valley Garden Tour and Tea" on Saturday, June 28 from 10 am until 4 pm. Cost of participation is $10 per person for this drive tour of eight residential gardens in Schoharie, Middleburgh and Cobleskill. The drive tour is open from 10-4 with "tea" available from 1-4. 

Tickets are available Saturday, June 28 at the Schoharie Library, located at the Corner of Bridge Street and Knower Avenue, in the Village of Schoharie. Tickets provide admission, map and directions to gardens, plus "tea" where cool beverages and a variety of deserts will be available. 

Advance tickets are available from Garden Club members. For more information and reservations please call 872-0250 or 295-8809. The rain date has been set for June 29.

Blenheim to Host Special Meeting Today (May 29, 2014)

The Town of Blenheim will be hosting a special meeting today at noon to discuss the current vacancy in the Town Highway Superintendent position that is the result of its former occupant Gerald Felter's unexpected passing two weeks ago. 

Board members are expected to discuss possible replacements in executive session before reaching a final decision at Monday night's regularly scheduled June town board meeting.

Vote in Our New Poll: Do You Approve of Congressman Chris Gibson?

After two years of representing Schoharie County in the House of Representatives, our next poll question is concerned with whether readers of this publication approve or disapprove of Congressman Chris Gibson's job performance in Washington. 

Gibson, who is seeking his third term in office this November, won Schoharie County's vote in the 2012 election by a two-to-one margin over Julian Schreibman. He is slated to face Democratic challenger Sean Eldridge in this fall's contest.

The poll is located on the right-hand sidebar of the website and will remain open until next Thursday.

Grand Re-Opening of Cobleskill's Nick Iorio Park Set for Sunday

Cobleskill Recreation Commission and Creating Healthy Places to Live, Work and Play have been working together to create opportunities for the community to become more active.  Nick Iorio Park in Cobleskill is undergoing some major renovation including updating and increasing the offerings for all age groups and will have a grand re-opening on Sunday June 1st from 11-12:30.

Cobleskill Recreation Commission has been working with Parkitects to design an intergenerational park for the community to increase activity for all in a safe area and work has been partially funded through Creating Healthy Places as well as through community fundraisers.  An adult and teen fitness area has been added for those 13 years and up to be able to work out while younger children are at the playground or are practicing on the fields.  “Outdoor gym facilities like this are usually found in cities and are becoming more common in so that more people have access to the equipment, whether they can afford a gym membership or not.  For much of the year it is nicer to be outside than to work out indoors,” says Maureen Blanchard, Project Coordinator with Creating Healthy Places.  “When you work out, you naturally heat up so dressing in layers allows you to work out for much of the year.”  “Schoharie County is a beautiful place to live and explore outdoors, now we can exercise outside as well”.   Trainers from Fit Coalition will be on hand to demonstrate use of the fitness equipment as well as helping people become more comfortable using it.

In addition to the adult/teen fitness area, a new preschool area has been added creating a safe place for young children to play.  This area will include areas to promote climbing, a slide and some activities that are accessible to less mobile children. The preschool area also has improved surfacing, making it safer for children to play on. 

The renovated park will have a grand re-opening on Sunday June 1st at 11 am and the public is invited to attend.  The park was installed in 1990 and has been an important part of the community.  As we strive to get people to be more active, we need to update some of the facilities as we are doing here.   Further improvements will be added in the near future, but additional funds need to be raised.  In addition to the ceremonial grand opening, there will be a treasure hunt and obstacle course challenge for children, as well as face painting.

 Refreshments will be available for those attending.  Dress comfortably and be ready to try the new equipment while there. 

Creating Healthy Places is a grant funded through New York State Department of Health to address the growing problem of obesity and its effects on chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Heart Disease.  The Grant was awarded to SUNY Cobleskill in 2010 for 5 years with $875,000 coming into the community to work on access to fresh fruits and vegetables and places to be physically active.  For more information or questions, please contact Maureen Blanchard, Project Coordinator at (518) 255-5294.

Mine Kill Set for 22nd National Trails Day

On Saturday, June 7, 2014, celebrate National Trails Day at Mine Kill State Park in North Blenheim, New York.  Join Mine Kill park staff, local Scouts and community members from 10:00am to 3:00pm for a chance to experience history in the making at the park.  Volunteers will be tasked with clearing brush and debris from the soon-to-be-installed Mine Kill Disc Golf Course.  Disc golf is very similar to ball golf in that players start from a tee area and attempt to “hole out” at a target in a certain number of strokes (par).  However, rather than using golf clubs and balls, disc golf utilizes modified Frisbees or discs thrown by the player on each shot.  The sport is very easy to learn, can be played by anyone regardless of age and is a terrific way to experience the outdoors while also getting some exercise.  

A free barbecue lunch will be provided to all volunteers courtesy of Stewart’s Shops and the Friends of Mine Kill and Max V. Shaul State Parks.  Free giveaways from Adventure Medical Kits will also be available to volunteers while supplies last.  National Trails Day patrons should be prepared for a day outside being both on and off trail.  Please bring comfortable, layered clothing (including rain gear), snacks, water and hiking boots.    

Following a delicious lunch, participants will have an opportunity to explore the many miles of hiking trails at Mine Kill State Park – including the famous Long Path, which runs from the George Washington Bridge all the way to the Mohawk River west of Albany.  Take a hike down to the beautiful, 80-foot Mine Kill Falls or enjoy the views from around the historic Lansing Manor next to the NYPA Blenheim-Gilboa Visitors Center.   Please contact the Mine Kill park office at (518) 827-8690 to pre-register for this event, or email HYPERLINK "mailto:Michael.fagerstrom@parks.ny.gov" Michael.fagerstrom@parks.ny.gov for more information.      

Mine Kill State Park is located in the scenic Schoharie Valley overlooking the Power Authority’s Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Project.  The reservoir provides excellent fishing and boating opportunities.  The eight miles of trails, including trails from the Park to the NYPA Visitor Center such as the Long Path, are great for hiking, biking and birding.  Cascading 80 feet through a narrow gorge is the picturesque Mine Kill Falls for which the Park is named.  The Park also has an Olympic sized swimming pool with separate wading and diving pools.

For those who would like to extend their visit, nearby Max V. Shaul State Park is a small, quiet camping area with 30 wooded tent and trailer sites, picnic grounds, a state of the art playground and boat access along the Schoharie Creek.  In addition to the Max V. Shaul trails and fishing opportunities, campers have free access to Mine Kill State Park. 

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 180 state parks and 35 historic sites, which are visited by more than 60 million people annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter. 

About American Hiking Society - Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national, recreation-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s hiking trails, their surrounding natural areas and the hiking experience. To learn more about American Hiking Society and its mission and programs, please visit www.AmericanHiking.org or call (301) 565-6704.

American Hiking’s National Trails Day® is made possible by the generous support of Corporate Sponsors–Adventure Medical Kits, Columbia, Gregory Packs, Tilley Endurables, The North Face, and Brooks-Range Mountaineering as well as Supporters – America’s State Parks, American Park Network, Backpacker magazine, ParksByNature Network, Boy Scouts of America, REI, and Student Conservation Association, and Federal Partners – National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Federal Highway Administration, and U.S. Forest Service.