LEGISLATURE STUFF - Daffodils and Dollars

By Michael Ryan

CATSKILL - Springtime daffodils have been fully blooming which apparently is an inspiration for the Greene County Legislature to authorize the acquisition of multiple, fairly big-ticket items.

Lawmakers, at their regular monthly meeting in mid-April, approved the purchase of a new vehicle for the Department of Social Services.

A 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Select all-wheel drive will be bought from Ferrario Auto Team, based in Elmira, for $42,858.80, utilizing the New York State Office of General Services competitive mini-bid process.

Funding for the new Chrysler was included in the 2025 county budget. The department will surplus an older Ford Escape to another county agency.

Lawmakers, upon the recommendation of the county highway and solid waste superintendent, authorized the purchase of a quartet of 4-wheel drive Ford regular cab F-250 trucks.

The 2025 model rigs will be secured from Schultz Ford Lincoln Inc., based in downstate Nanuet, for $184,796.80, paid upon delivery, with the funds already set aside in the 2025 budget.

There were nine bids, again using the State Office of General Services competitive mini-bid process, ranging from the next lowest, which was roughly $3,000 more than the accepted offer, to a high of $194,000.

Lawmakers, after advertising for offers in the official county newspapers, including the Mountain Eagle, awarded fuel oil bids for the time running from June 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026.

Two bids were received. The lowest responsible bidder was Bottini Fuel, headquartered in Wappingers Falls who will deliver to several sites.

One site is the county office building, located in Cairo, where the cost per gallon will be $2.545 (including the tank car price of $2.286 and delivery charge of $0.259, the legislative resolution shows.

Fuel oil shall also be trucked to “any other subdivision” within the county with a cost per gallon of $2.555, factoring in the tank car price of $2.286 and delivery fee of $0.269, the legislative resolution shows.

The second bid was whisker close, having the same basic Port of Albany tank car price of $2.286, separated only by a slightly higher delivery fee ($0.350) for a total cost of $2.636, the legislative papers show.

It is forewarned that, “the bid price shall be subject to increase or decrease during the contract period corresponding with the changes in the reseller’s posted tank car price at the Port of Albany as published in the Oil Price Daily (formerly The Journal of Commerce) for the date of delivery.”

Lawmakers authorized the purchase of one new Pipe Jetter for the highway department. A suitable one will be secured from Cyncon Equipment in Dixon, Illinois, at a cost of $82,948.46.

The pipe jetter is needed for the cleaning and maintenance of bridges and culvert pipes. The necessary money is part of the 2025 budget.

Lawmakers also gave the okay for the highway department to obtain four new Reversible Plate Tampers, available from Finke Equipment through Sourcewell Contract #060122-BA.

Finke Equipment, based in Selkirk, will provide the reversible plate tampers at a charge of $9,663 each (a base price $9,034 plus freight, etc.) for a grand total of $38,652, the legislative resolution states.

For those who may not know, plate compactors are, “essential in the realm of construction and landscaping, [serving] to establish a firm foundation and an even terrain,” according to an Horizont Machinery website.

“These devices come in two primary variants: forward plate compactors and reversible plate compactors,” the website states.

“Forward plate compactors are configured to advance linearly, finding their use chiefly in the compression of soil, sand, and gravel. Their operation involves a substantial metallic plate that oscillates swiftly, thus compacting the underlying material,” the website states.

“Reversible plate compactors distinguish themselves with a pivotable plate, enabling operation in both forward and backward directions. This versatility renders them suitable for confined areas or scenarios unsuitable for a forward plate compactor,” the Horizont Machinery website states.

Lawmakers authorized the purchase of one 2025 model, Ford F-250, four-wheel drive, crew cab truck for the county solid waste department.

At the risk of being redundant, funding for the cab truck, totaling 50,039.97, was earmarked within the 2025 county budget.

The lowest responsible bidder was Metro Ford Sales Inc., operating out of Schenectady. The next low offer was $50,313, with bids ranging up to $52,423, the legislative resolution shows.

Lawmakers authorized the purchase and installation of a new snow plow and sander for the Solid Waste Department’s new F-250 truck.

A suitable snow plow ($8,300) and sander ($6,700) were available from Toad’s LLC, in Cairo, for $14,200 (reduced from $15,000 with a nifty municipal discount), the legislative papers show.

Lawmakers okayed a budget amendment for the acquisition and installation of six Xybix Systems Inc. dispatch workstations, two general management and support desks and carpet tiles compatible with the raised floor system for the Emergency Services 911 Center.

One bid was received and accepted from Xybix Systems Inc., in Littleton, Colorado, in the amount of $205,891, the legislative papers show.

The county treasurer is therefore authorized to move $210,000 from Fund Balance “to cover the project in advance of the grant funding projected to be received from New York’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services,” the legislative papers show.

 

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Windham Chamber of Commerce Music Concert Series

By Michael Ryan

WINDHAM - It doesn’t take a bunch of rocket scientists to figure out what sounds will come from Hillbilly Parade, the featured band at the maiden event of the Windham Chamber of Commerce Music Concert Series.

Four shows were announced by Chamber president Lisa Jaeger, last week, starting on June 13 at C.D. Lane Park, from 6 to 9 p.m.

That opening date will be followed by performances on July 11, August 8 and September 5, all with…wait for it…no charge for admission.

“We’re very excited about this and we hope everyone is as excited as we are,” Jaeger said during a Chamber meeting, last Thursday night.

“This is something we’ve been thinking about since Windham Mountain interrupted their concerts which were very popular.

“We wanted to do something for the whole community which is why we chose the park,” located in the Big Hollow valley, Jaeger said.

“It’s pretty far from downtown but there are public bathrooms and parking and a playground for the kiddos so the whole family can come.

“There will be delicious eats from local food trucks, lawn games, beautiful mountain views, great vibes and plenty of space to relax.

“We have everything we need to get this off the ground. We have a permit from the town and there will be local police onsite,” Jaeger said.

“We will be continuing music by the people for the people. There will be music, laughter and memories so bring your lawn chairs, your blankets, picnic baskets and your dancing shoes as we rock the Hollow.”

The one thing there won’t be is missile engineers, grabbing their computers and slide rules - slide rules? - to deduce the music that will be played.

Hillbilly Parade is a pop-rock country party band, established in 2014,” according to their website.

The country-bumpkin cavalcade, “has become one of the most sought after Top 40 Country Cover Bands in the Hudson Valley,” the website states.

They are in demand, “playing more than 250 shows a year including private parties and weddings with a collective 30 plus years of experience in music; both live performance and professional training.

“Most known for their witty stage humor, line dancing and their high energy tuneful sets, Hillbilly Parade is sure to get any crowd’s attention,” doing hoedowns, corporate functions, weddings, etc.

“Hillbilly Parade isn't just your regular cover band. They've walked on stage before notable acts like Rodney Atkins, Eric Paslay, and Jerrod Nieman, striving to be more than just background music,” their website states.

Jaeger noted the Chamber continues being productive, hosting their annual Maple Fest pancake breakfast fundraiser at Christman’s Windham House, in February, benefitting Windham-Ashland-Jewett student scholarships.

They are also having their Cabin Fever Dance on May 2 at the Windham Country Club with a DJ spinning ‘80’s tunes.

Not that anyone asked, especially anyone in the Chamber,  but just in case they are needed, there is a band named the Rocket Scientists.

Of course there is. They are a progressive rock band formed in the late 1980’s, releasing albums such as “Supernatural Highways” (2014), “Earthbound” (1993) and “Oblivion Days” (1999).

 

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BETTER THAN HEARSAY - If Consultants Could Chuck Wood

By Michael Ryan

CATSKILL - There is starting to be a plethora of reports floating around out there on the dire present and undetermined future of emergency medical services in Greene County and across New York State.

They all seem perfectly wonderful to someone not educated enough to make a guess about whether they make a lick of sense or not. 

On the other hand, nothing much seems to be happening despite all that analysis, with one person very knowledgable of the situation suggesting nobody wants to be the one pulling the trigger on change.

The county legislature is currently considering creating a county ambulance system to replace a municipal-based network widely considered fated for failure, due to increasing costs and worker shortages.

County lawmakers, at the behest of all six mountaintop town supervisors, hired a consultant, in December, 2023, to assess today’s status of ambulance service and develop possible options, if needed.

Since the fall of 2024, lawmakers have hosted a continuing series of talks that sometimes appear headed toward a consensus county plan and at other times appear to be bogged down in territorial mud.

Two more sessions are planned for May and June, including government officials and EMS professionals from the various towns and county.

At that point, everyone should have a pretty good idea of how much more the shift to a county system would cost above today’s operations.

That number has already reached $3.2 million with more likely to come. A bitter pill to swallow, but the tradeoff touted by proponents is ultimately having a much more efficient and financially sustainable system.

Shortly after those dollars are bottom lined, a vote is anticipated by the legislature’s 14 members, needing 8 votes for ratification on 2 levels.

First is the straight-up question of whether to shift to the county system or not, requiring a simple majority for passage. 

Second is the okay to exceed the State-limited 2 percent tax cap as part of what would be a fatter county budget, requiring a super-majority.

Meanwhile, there have been at least three major studies done, two that have been released, one that has inexplicably not been made public.

One is the aforementioned consultant’s study conducted for the county by Fitch & Associates, released in the summer of 2024.

They offered four “Pathway Forward” options, stating, “a single-provider,  [county system] offers the most affordable and efficient option to maintain acceptable system performance with the least tax burden.”

In their conclusion they state, “without active intervention, the cost of the EMS system in Greene County will continue to rise to unsustainable rates.”

A second report is titled, “New York State 2023 Evidence Based EMS Agenda for Future,” written by a State EMS Sustainability Technical Advisory Group (TAG).

TAG included experts from across the EMS field and, explaining the reason for their existence, cites a presentation made to the NY State Emergency Medical Services Council called, “EMS in Crisis, A New York State Perspective.”

That presentation was given on October 20, 2021, leading to the formation of TAG, whose members were then charged with writing a White Paper.

The White Paper summarized “the crux of the problem” as “every day we see new headlines across this State and the nation on EMS Coverage.”

Those problems were, “staffing shortages, the decline of volunteerism, stagnant reimbursement, hospital over-crowding, inadequate coverage, use of mutual aid, pay disparities, absence of consistency in the EMS model and the lack of EMS educational opportunities.

“Yet we have not developed a comprehensive approach to addressing our crumbling EMS system,” the White Paper states, sounding unsettlingly similar to, if not precisely the same as, what the Fitch study found. 

A third report is the handiwork of a special Task Force established by Governor Kathy Hochul to give an overview of rural EMS services.

Their report was finalized in May, 2024, offering 35-plus recommendations for pulling EMS services back from the brink.

But the report has remained inexplicably hidden, apparently tied to the politics surrounding the State budget which is well past deadline and contains multiple EMS matters that would deeply impact the issue.

And now the New York State Association of Counties, in its opposition to portions of that State budget, is recommending that, “the State should be required to do a statewide EMS Plan through the SEMSCO (State Emergency Medical Services Council).”

“Our position is the State should take a comprehensive look and figure out what is going on,” a NYSAC spokesperson said. “It is very different in every community. It makes more sense for the State to do this.”

That is four separate reports about the same thing, unless you count a fifth, which is the study done by a special Greene County Task Force, a decade or so ago, on the troubles within local ambulance service.

Similar again to the Fitch study, they concluded the way to go was a county system. Back then, the towns voted it down, sticking with a network that many of those same towns now say is doomed.

Does that mean there should be a county ambulance system? This column has neither a dog in that fight nor the brilliance to know what’s right.

The lingering issue, however, does bring to mind the Mother Goose nursery rhyme that asks, “how much wood could a woodchuck chuck If a woodchuck could chuck wood?” 

Which begs the further question, “how many consultations could consultants consult on if consultants could consult?”

 

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Local History by Dede Terns-Thorpe - Hunter’s 200-Plus Years

Today’s story is aimed at the folks who haven’t had the privilege to hear of Hunter’s history. Here’s a quick little summary of the Town of Hunter’s 200 + years.

It wasn’t until the late 1700s that the first known people came to the mountaintop. History books share that even the early Indians thought the mountains haunted and only entered them for hunting.

The first known family in town was the Haines family, entering by way of Elka Park through Mink Hollow. (The area now called Elka Park was considered Tannersville until 1889 when the Elka Park cottagers formed. The cottagers knew that miles and time would be saved by making a road through the Mink Hollow Trail to Ulster County. The cottagers attempted this several times. The 1950s was the last attempt by Orville and Izzy Slutzky (at no charge to the town). A road halfway down was built when N.Y.S. shut the job down and declared it too narrow for safe travel.)

At first, the Town of Hunter was part of the Town of Windham. It wasn’t until 1813 that N.Y.S. divided Hunter into its own Township. (Hunter was originally called the Town of Greenland in 1813, but changed to Hunter in 1814). A board was appointed and progress soon began.

In 1817, Colonel Edwards arrived in Hunter Village to open a tannery in our Hemlock-filled forest. The tanneries brought numerous families to the area, many staying on after the tanneries ran out of Hemlocks, in the 1850s. Tanning ended, but brought the beginning of furniture factories, utilizing the wood products left by the tanners, rotting on forest floors.

Then came the railroads and the difficult job of clearing Route 214 through Lanesville, Edgewood, and Stony Clove. I credit Lanesville with being the true start of tourism on the Mountain Top.

The three big hotels in Haines Falls, the 1823 Catskill Mountain House attracted worldwide attention, the 1852 Laurel House built at the crest of the  Kaaterskill Falls, and Hotel Kaaterskill, built-in 1881-1882, was completed within a year and meant working throughout the cold, winter months. How were these buildings built with no electricity, no transportation, and no service of any kind?  (No laptops, cell phones, texting, and no training!)

Just after the railroads came in 1882, hotels and boarding houses popped up. Soon the private cottage parks opened: Onteora in 1887, Twilight in 1888, Santa Cruz in 1889 (?), Elka in 1889, and Sunset in roughly 1900.

The automobile, followed by prohibition, the Great Depression, and WW II took its toll.

Years ago people,( residents and visitors) could remain on the Mountain Top for all their basic needs. We even had a Red Cross Hospital in Tannersville.

The community only lacked year-round employment and that became the goal of Izzy and Orville Slutzky. Through many ups and downs, they finally opened Hunter Mt. Ski Bowl for the 1959-1960 season and accomplished winter employment.  

Being a board member of the T’ville Evergreen Cemetery has taught me that it's the people lying in our cemeteries that are to be applauded, and never forgotten. They are the ones responsible for most of what we have today. We only improve on what they gave us.

We’re a small town with a great school, multiple religious facilities, good roads, good drinking water, two theaters, two libraries, great restaurants, small groceries, good lakes, natural beauty, and so much more.

We’ll end by thanking our 50+ year-old Mt. Top Historical Society Board (thank you, Justine Legg Hommel). Justine, your volunteer board works hard to keep our rich history alive.  

Thank you for reading. Stay safe and be well.

Dede Terns-Thorpe/Town of Hunter Historian

 

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Living in Troubled Times: The Power of Community Strength and Support

By Greg Madden

HAINES FALLS — Recently a few of us were sitting around a local table pulling on some caffeine discussing the issues of our world today. As one might guess, there were both similar, and differing views, even in this small gathering.

This was a civic minded yet civil group, all of whom were concerned about the many issues of the day and where we see ourselves in our journey. Likely, nothing different than any coffee shop anywhere on the planet, or was it.

During the chat, instead of each person fighting for their own, or one’s cause, the discussion's direction moved forward to focus on the cause of the ONE unit.  The collective of the community, pulling together as "one" stronger unit.

This was the genesis of something new we call “Stronger Together” a community focused group desiring to help all who share these thoughts and feelings.  A soft place to land in challenging times.

So, why this group and the community gathering now?

Well, we are all living in times that often feel unpredictable, overwhelming, and ever so challenging. Whether it’s the lingering effects of a global pandemic, economic instability, political tensions, environmental crises, or personal hardships, the collective burden weighs heavily on many shoulders. 

Yet, amid all the chaos, one profound truth shines through: we are stronger together. The power of community support has never been more essential, offering hope, resilience, and healing in a world that seems increasingly fragmented. At the end of the day we are all Earthlings, for all of our differences we must look for a singular focus away from the existence of several million agendas.

Living under these circumstances can foster fear, anger, and division. However, these same challenges also present an opportunity.  A call to rediscover and strengthen the bonds of community, compassion, and mutual aid.

At its core, a community, our community is not just a group of people living in the same place; it is a network of relationships grounded in trust, mutual respect, and shared responsibility. Communities provide emotional support, practical assistance, and a sense of belonging that can make difficult times not just bearable, but transformational.

Our group thought that we should gather and provide open discussion on topics that our neighbors find challenging and use these discussions to strengthen our region.  Listening to all voices is key to this process.  So come and let your voice be heard and also bring a yearning to work together as ONE energy.  

So we invite everyone to join us to create a stronger “We” within our community on Saturday, May 10th, 2025 at 1pm for round table discussions on showing just how we grow stronger during challenging times, while also sharing the positives already underway that are setting the foundation of our community.

We’d like to thank Peace Village (54 O’Hara Road, Haines Falls, NY 12436) for offering to host our community event.  Peace Village is a partner in our event “Stronger Together” is community based and not one of their amazing programs.  We thank them for their generosity and the tasty meal they will provide.

Jonathan Gross and his wife Elizabeth moved here years ago because of the natural beauty of our area. They loved the outdoor life and all that it provides but they have since embedded themselves here and now deeply love the community, he offered, “Stronger Together is our way to say thank you to our friends and neighbors and to see what we can learn from each other as we try to build a stronger more inclusive community where no one is left out and all voices are heard. Hope to see you there.”

So, please join us bring your friends, family, thoughts and feelings and register/ R.S.V.P at www.tiny.cc/StrongerTogether

 

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Irish Festival May 24 & 25

EAST DURHAM — The East Durham Irish Festival is one of the longest-running Irish festivals in the USA, celebrating its 48th year in 2025! Non stop Irish performers on four stages Saturday and Sunday May 24th and 25, and a Friday free festival kick off sing song session at six in the beer garden. Michael English, I Draw Slow, the Prodigals, Irish Lassies; over 20 bands and performers for a rousing Irish Music Experience, and Father  Fragomeni will be saying Mass on Sunday at 10, his 45th year at the festival.

Plenty of food, drink and vendors too and a Kids and Irish Cultural tent with Irish Language and music lessons, Irish crafts and much more. Get your discount tickets now and see all the performers at EastDurhamIrishFestival.com. This year’s Festival honoree is the late Michael Farrell, founder of the Farrell School of Irish Dance. 

The 48th East Durham Irish Festival is Memorial Day weekend May 24th and 25th with a free kick off Friday the 23rd at 6, at the Michael J Quill Irish Cultural Centre, 2257 Route 145. Tickets at EastDurhamIrishfestival.com and at the Gate.

 

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Forest Ranger News

Town of Lexington 

Greene County 

Wilderness Recovery: On April 24 at 7:15 p.m., Forest Rangers responded to a call for an unresponsive subject approximately one mile up West Kill Mountain. The original call came from another hiker. At 8:30 p.m., Forest Rangers located the hiker, deceased. Rangers, a DEC Division of Law Enforcement Bureau of Environmental Crimes Investigator (BECI), New York State Police (NYSP), Ashland Fire and EMS, and the Lexington Fire Department recovered the subject and turned them over to the Greene County Coroner. Resources were clear at 12:15 a.m. NYSP is handling the investigation.

 

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Ashland Speaks

By Lula Anderson

May is here!  Is it really the start of the warm weather? or another joke?  I had all of my windows open, vented my dryer back outside, shut down the oil burner to have work done on the thermostat, then on Sunday had to take out the portable heater to get worm. On Monday, I reopened the windows and went outdoors.  I do love this time of year, though, as one can actually see the coming of summer.  Everyday there is new green appearing in the mountains.  The lilacs have buds, tulips are blooming.  Listen to the sounds of the lawnmowers as our neighbors start spring cleanup.  The downside is the pollen in the air.  I wake up sneezing every morning.  Pity the poor souls that travel down the  mountain this time of year.  Their bodies don't have time to adjust to the different pollens in the air and most are miserable.  Just a few more weeks and we will catch up to them.

Peg R took me to Dinner Church in Lexington last week, and she didn't know the back roads (County Rt 13 and Merwin St) back to Ashland, so my boys and I directed her.  It was unbelievable how many deer we saw.  I don't understand the Conservation Dept.  Come deer season, they are so stingy issuing doe permits.  If every hunter killed just one doe, it still wouldn't decimate the population.  In a couple of weeks we will be seeing the newborn fawns come out, two or three per doe.  How many have hit deer at least once this year?  How many gardens are overrun with deer?  Yet, we can't kill them.  Go figure.

Another warning, bring in bird feeders at night, including your hummingbird feeders, plus don't put your garbage out the night before pickup, wait until that day.  Yes, the bears are out in full force.  Almost everyday there is a bear in the trailer park.  Judy forgot to bring in her bird feeder one night and the next day it was squashed. Going up Airport road on Monday there were overturned garbage pails all over.  Judy and Jay saw the biggest Tom turkey with at least 5" beard. AT Conifer Lake, the grouse are starting to appear.  

Did you notice Kenny Hunt's Mother's house has been torn down.

Good reports from the Ashland Roast Beef Dinner.  

So much sickness. It seems that so many have bronchitis or pneumonia.  Prayers for Gerry Loucks, Greg Beckmann and Jeannie Scotti.  

AS I REMEMBER IT

You might have noticed the bushes and trees just popping out their leaves and flowers.  The Forsythia is coming into bloom, and along the road is the earliest of all blooming trees:  the Shad Bush.  Little white puffs of flowers along the road and in the hills. We always knew that this signaled the start of Shad fishing season in the river, and the arrival of the dreaded Shad Flies--those pesky, nasty little biters that got in your hair,ears,nose and mouth when you were trying to weed your garden bed.  This was the time of year that my parents loved to take us on Sunday rides.  After church, chores and dinner, we would all jump in the car and take a ride along the back roads to check for winter damage, see what changes occurred during the winter, and just enjoy the countryside.  Check out the wild leek patches, see if they were in bloom,  May flowers starting to bloom, birds chirping and building nests.  We'd see the deer eating the first green shoots after the dry grass of winter, See the groundhogs scurrying across the road or eating.  Guesses as we approached Mt Pisgah.  Is there still snow in the shadows and crevices?  In the Spring of 1956 it was still there until June.  Sometimes we'd stop for ice cream, or to have tea with a relative and not get home until dusk.  Remember going through the Jewett woods, over the corduroy road by Biff Goslee's saphouse and listen to the joyful sound of the peepers welcoming spring..

Spring has always been the time to forage the new greens. Dandelions would be dug, washed very carefully for salads, or to cook down like spinach.  Many used them for medicinal purposes.  The roots, leaves and flowers all have different uses.  Bees bring back the pollen to heal the swarm after the winter. Burdock is very tender now, and is said to be good eating.  

Spring is the time to start dreaming of planting your garden.  Remember  Dreaming.  Except for peas and lettuce, don't get fooled by the hot days.  Remember how fast the weather can change.  Very few remember Tessie Gallagher or Dorothy Slutzky.  They used the moon phases along with the calendar to plant.  On a good year, peas were planted on St Patrick's Day, although most years the date was Good Friday.  For years I followed this advice, now I just go to the store and buy  my peas.  

 

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Hike the Hotel Kaaterskill Site with MTHS

HUNTER — The Mountain Top Historical Society of Greene County invites you to Hike the Hotel Kaaterskill site with us! HIKE HOTEL KAATERSKILL with MTHS Chief Archivist Bob Gildersleeve and George Hewitt, Saturday, May 17th at 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.

The Historical Society has gathered a vast amount of material on the Hotel Kaaterskill in the past several years that really brings the Hotel to light. An 1883 survey of the building apparently created for insurance purposes allows us to pinpoint everything from the elevator shafts to the location of the ice house, bowling alley, water tower barns, and more. Photos donated to the society by the great grandson of Hotel Kaaterskill owner George Harding (also named George) give images of the hotel not seen elsewhere. The photos of the grounds and hotel interior were taken in the 1920s when the Harding family was preparing to sell the building and are the most extensive interior shots that we have seen. They include the only known shot of the interior of the bridge between the main building and the annex and others of the courtyard.  We will take the carriage road used to take Hotel visitors from the railroad stop at South Lake to the Hotel Kaaterskill grounds. Elevation Gain approximately 500 ft. Distance 3 to 4 miles round trip (depending on optional excursions). Meeting place will be established closer to the date of the hike. A per-car day use charge may be charged on entering the campground.

• Meeting time: 9:00 AM May 17th, 2025. We will return at approximately 3:00 PM.

• Difficulty: Moderate (some rock scrambles possible)

• Limited to 20 participants. Registration is required. For more information or to register, please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER. Email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

The Mountain Top Historical Society mission is to discover, preserve, interpret, and share the Greene County Mountain Top’s unique history, culture and geology with residents as well as visitors from around the world. The mission is reflected on our website, www.mths.org, our Facebook page and our Instagram account where we share the latest information about our programming, hikes and archival activities. Registration required. Please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

Submitted by Jessica Kimmel, Office Manager for the Mountain Top Historical Society        

 

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Schoharie Valley Singers to Present Joyful Spring Concert

CENTRAL BRIDGE – The Schoharie Valley Singers are ready to fill the air with music, laughter, and heartfelt joy at their Spring Concert, Sounding Joy, this weekend!

The first performance will be on Friday, May 2, at 7:30 PM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Church Street in Central Bridge. If you can’t make it Friday, don’t worry — a second performance will take place on Saturday at 4:00 PM at the Duanesburg Reformed-Presbyterian Church. Tickets are available at the door or can be purchased ahead of time from any Singer.

This delightful program features a blend of familiar favorites and exciting new works by composers like Wilberg, Bruckner, Parker, Walker, LaBarr, Paulus, Silvey, Pederson, and many more.

Adding extra sparkle to the concerts, a wonderful lineup of guest artists will join the Singers:

• Betsy Meredith will enchant on clarinet for For This Joy.

• Burke Herrick will step up as guest conductor for Locus Iste.

• Vincent Marotta (bass) and Issac Nokes (drums) will bring a lively energy to Kyrie from Jazz Missa Brevis, followed by Credo from Gospel Mass, where they’ll be joined by the soulful voice of guest soloist Alexa Rahman.

• In the second half, Sarah Wright will grace the piano for Saints Bound for Heaven, Adrienne Canterbury will move hearts with her solo in The Road Home, and Elizabeth Hopkins will accompany the group on Homeward Bound.

The Schoharie Valley Singers have a rich and beloved history. They began in 1979 as the Depot Lane Singers under the leadership of Frances B. Tripp, a cherished Schoharie High School music teacher. Over the decades, they have evolved, changed names, and grown stronger, always carrying forward their mission of sharing beautiful music with the community.

In 2005, the baton was passed to Mitch Haverly, who was later honored as Director Emeritus when Benjamin April stepped into the role of Artistic Director in 2018. That same year, the group adopted the name Schoharie Valley Singers and officially became an independent nonprofit organization.

Exciting new chapters continued in 2023 with Rae Jean Teeter — a retired Guilderland High School music director — becoming the Singers’ fourth Artistic Director, and Mark Pracher, a retired Schoharie High School music director, joining as accompanist.

The Schoharie Valley Singers invite you to come share in an evening (or afternoon) of joy, music, and community. It promises to be a celebration you won’t want to miss!

 

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