Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado served as the keynote speaker at Tuesday's event. He expressed his frustrations with the current party's status quo and inability to connect with his motivation to challenge Gov. Hochul for the state's highest office, offering a message of action and moral, rather than political decision-making.
Remember to Subscribe!
By Heather Skinner
CARLISLE — During a 2-week Albany Medical Center stay 6 months ago, Carl Perez was nicknamed “The Miracle Boy,” “The Wonder Child,” and “The One Who Came Back.” Rebecca Guarino recounted, “We were just having a gathering for Christmas Eve (at Lamb of God Worship Center in Carlisle) and very suddenly Carl went down.”
On a separate occasion on May 10th, Little Deb’s in Richmondville shared on Facebook, “Thursday night our business experienced an unexpected medical emergency on-site. We are incredibly grateful to the first responders who arrived quickly and provided expert care. We want to extend our deepest thanks to the customers who stepped in, your quick thinking and willingness to help made a meaningful difference during a critical time.” The post ended with, “We’re relieved to report that the individual involved is doing well. We are truly grateful to have such amazing people in our community.”
Guarino (now a registered nurse), Christian More, and Ariana Nero from the Worship Center, and a Cobleskill-Richmondville Little League Coach at Little Deb’s were all CPR certified before witnessing these medical emergencies. They attended Fulton Montgomery Community College (FMCC) American Heart Association (AHA) Heartsaver First Aid, CPR, and AED classes taught by Nursing Instructor Lisa Rendina and Skills Lab Coordinator James Stasack.
Brought to Albany Med. in his 1st ever helicopter ride, Perez was awake for one of 3 defibrillations and spent 1 week in intensive care & 1 week in rehab. His healing continued at home with a walker and nurse and physical therapist visits.
Perez doesn’t need a walker anymore, goes to the gym, and says he feels better than before! Perez’s wife, Lorraine, shared she’s grateful for being able to have this 2nd chance with him.
During a July 26th CPR class Perez’s friends and fellow churchgoers completed to learn training that saved him, Perez said, “When I was in the hospital, many people endeavored to save my life, and I would thank them all endlessly, and they all said, ‘we did not save your life, the people that saved your life are the instantaneous appliers of the CPR, people who knew what they were doing and instantly reacted.’ ” Perez also credited, “It was the hand of God.”
An EMT told Perez there’d been 5 cases like his, his being the 5th, and Perez was the only one who made it.
Stasack stated, “The odds of the person walking out of the hospital later drops about 10% every minute that nobody’s doing CPR.”
When Guarino visited Perez at the hospital, an EMT told her, “Congratulations on being one of the 10%.” Guarino said, “It wasn’t just me; it was everyone here who helped that day,” and explained 90% of adults who have cardiac events in the community don’t come back to baseline level of function after, but the EMT encouraged, “Even if there’s a chance that that is going to be that one person out of 10 that’s going to come back, it’s worth it to get trained to know CPR and be able to step in and help.”
Guarino pointed out that she, More, and Nero provided Perez with CPR for about 15 minutes and that even 4 minutes straight of CPR is tiring, “But when you learn it the right way and more and more people know how to do it, then we’re going to do it right and we’re going to increase our chances.” Adding that training through someone like Rendina is so important because, " You really do have to do it correctly in order for that person to get to the hospital and still be able to be brought back.”
Guarino expressed, “It was an amazing experience, and I think that’s why so many people in our church family are so excited about doing CPR. Because we all witnessed what happened, but we also witnessed the good that came out of responding quickly.”
On June 4th, Little Deb’s Facebook page shared photos from a CPR certification class their employees completed. The post expressed pride in their team, “…not just for completing their CPR and first aid training, but for the dedication and care they show every single day. Knowing they’re prepared to step up and save a life if needed is comfort beyond words. Here’s to a team that goes above and beyond- every day, in every way!”
Debbie Winnie confirmed the medical emergency in May prompted their team to take the class saying, “I do believe workplaces should have their team CPR and first aid certified.”
In Little Deb’s post’s comments, Kathy Moller expressed, “Wow, friendly service with a smile, amazing ice cream and goodies, and caring for the community. You guys are the BEST!” Little Deb’s is located at 1524 State Route 7 in Richmondville; they share menu specials and upcoming events on their Facebook page.
In each AHA Heartsaver class, Rendina and Stasack alternate between watching videos, then practicing what you learned. Manikins are equipped with digital report systems providing helpful feedback on technique. Within about 2 hours, you leave certified in Adult and Infant CPR and with a skillset including identifying scene safety, medical information jewelry, and symptoms of heart attacks, stroke, Epilepsy, and anaphylaxis. Also, using AEDs and helping choking infants, adults, and those who are pregnant or in a wheelchair. Common foods that are the highest choking hazard include grapes, hot dogs, and popcorn.
They bust myths about administering CPR and teach about nasal spray Naloxone Kits for overdoses that can take place after surgeries, etc. and Stasack mentioned grant funding for Naloxone Kits is available.
They suggest talking to those in your life with Diabetes to understand what they have in their toolkits in case of an emergency and becoming familiar with your first aid kits to add CPR tools maybe not included like portable face masks and a razor.
You use disposable face shields and masks during the class and receive a keychain face shield to take with you. The instructors are thoughtful with accommodation, bringing kneepads for your time spent on the floor and manikins can be used on raised surfaces as needed. It’s true that Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees is the perfect metronome for chest compressions, and it is highly likely you will get to hear it played during class!
Rendina hopes to be able to nominate the Little League Coach who used their CPR certification skills during the Little Deb’s medical emergency for a Heartsaver award as she did with Guarino after the Worship Center emergency.
It was also confirmed that a Richmondville Soccer Club Coach who recently got CPR certified through Rendina’s class, “Had to administer Narcan and felt comfortable doing so after receiving their first aid/CPR training.” She highlighted three saves from participants of these Heartsaver classes in Schoharie County within only a year’s time.
Those 3 saves aren’t including Rendina’s time as a Camp Nurse at Schoharie’s Community Camp, where she saw a girl with known anaphylaxis start having a reaction. Rendina was ready to administer the Epinephrine injection, but realized many people hesitate in that scenario out of fear of hurting the patient and warned that shying away in those moments is how people die. Rendina includes EpiPen trainers in her Heartsaver classes.
In Rendina’s CPR classes for athletic clubs, she also includes how to pay attention and respond in situations with ice packs under armpits, etc. for overheating and dehydration when kids can’t find the words to explain why they are “feeling funny.”
Rendina is excited to share lifesaving knowledge and see successes in medical emergencies within Schoharie County having a trickle effect that’s inspiring businesses and friends of survivors to learn CPR and be prepared for anything. She said FMCC just got certification to also teach Stop Bleed Training, and Richmondville EMS House allows them to teach courses there to host bigger class sizes and train their staff. Rendina said, “So many people have come together between Ellis being our training hub, then FM purchasing the equipment, empowering the instructors, allowing us to reach out not just as Nurse Educators but promoting health, which nurses should do. Our students and graduates from the program are continuing to do that and then people we train are just saving lives, and in rural communities that’s a big deal because every minute counts.”
They keep their classes affordable, so cost doesn’t become a deterrent to learn. Rendina expressed, “I’m not a big corporation looking to get rich. We’re truly stemmed from FM as educators planting seeds, reaching out, letting them know FM exists in their backyard.”
Rendina explained that Heartsaver CPR is for people in the community who want to learn lifesaving CPR, and those who complete the class will be emailed an official AHA Heartsaver certification that is good for 2 years and useful, “For employment, coaching, babysitting, etc.”
Individuals, businesses, athletic clubs, those nearing your 2-year recertification, schools, and teachers (Rendina’s AHA CPR training fits standards for Governor Kathy Hochul’s recent legislation requiring every public school in New York to have a cardiac emergency response plan in place), email Lrendina@fmcc.edu to schedule your CPR certification class.
Remember to Subscribe!
The Middletown History Center, 778 Cemetery Road, Margaretville welcomes visitors August 1 and 2 from 10 to 2. Sit by the pond, bring lunch to enjoy on the picnic table, view an exhibit on the work of two local folk artists, and check out the genealogical and historical documents in the Nicholas J. Juried Archives.
Basket maker Karl Amor (1906-1992) and metal sculptor Joseph Schoell (1907-1993) are highlighted in the season’s exhibit.
The History Center’s hall is available for event rental. Stop by to check it out and find out about the Historical Society of the Town of Middletown’s upcoming programs, including the Armchair Cemetery Tour August 23 and 24.
SUMMIT — Check out these upcoming events happening in Summit in the coming weeks.
FREE! Sunday 7/27/25 Pat Fowler Country music & 50's-80's music 12:30- 1:30. 2861 Rte 10, Summit, upper parking lot. 518-287-1660
FREE! Sunday 8/3/25 A Hytop View. Popular favorites- humorous songs 12:30- 1:30. 2861 Rte 10, Summit, upper parking lot. 518-287-1660
FREE! Sunday 8/10/25 12:30- 1:30. Don Williams Finger style guitar & voice. 2861 Rte 10, Summit, upper parking lot. 518-287-1660
Remember to Subscribe!
By Elizabeth Barr
COBLESKILL — There was a beautiful day and warming gathering at Locomotions in Cobleskill on Monday, June 21. Wall to Wall people inside and a long line extending all the way around the front of the building and several people deep were all here to honor and reminisce about the life of a dear friend, Son, co-worker and really special person, Tyler Shoemaker from Richmondville. Tyler drowned swimming in Schroon Lake during a late Fourth of July Celebration.
Tyler was an only child and is a father of two with Alyssa, three-year-old Killian and a daughter on the way in January. He had so many friends at the Celebration that his mother was overwhelmed by the beautiful stories and warm condolences she received. He was passionate and full of energy and was the life of the party with many people in the crowd. Tyler’s mom, Nadine Garreau, said he was a gentle soul and just one of a kind. People she never met before came up to her and shared stories about how Tyler touched their life. His friend Tina said he was a good kid and well loved.
Tyler was one of the characters at Night Terrors Haunted Farm in Central Bridge and previously worked for AT & T, and he also traveled with the fairs and worked for I Got It. Tyler was a music buff. Dave Matthews and the Grateful Dead were his favorite bands. One of his friends’ said Tyler was a character in a great way, he loved to have fun, he was like a brother from another mother. All I can say is The Party will never die, we will keep it going for him! Literally for his life, the party will never die with him.
Remember to Subscribe!
HOWES CAVE — As you may have heard, we are having a special fundraising event with author Robin Wall Kimmerer on Saturday, September 20 at the Iroquois Museum on Caverns Road in Howes Cave, titled Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World. This event will begin at 5:30 pm. Robin is an indigenous author and Botanist from Syracuse. She has written Braiding Sweetgrass and The Serviceberry. We are also taking pre-orders of the author's books. We are charging $15.00 to members and $25.00 to nonmembers.
Since there is limited seating, we offered this event to our members first. On August 1, we are opening this event to the general public; so if you are interested in reserving your seat, please contact us at 518-296-8949 or visit iroquoismuseum.org/robinwallkimmerer.
Remember to Subscribe!
SCHOHARIE COUNTY — It’s 1988, and people in a rural community have been suffering grotesque fates, leaving a slime trail of bodies and a mystery no one can solve. After stumbling on the gruesome death of local drunk Ron Bell, health worker Mike Brady has a hunch, an admittedly wild one, about what might be happening. Brady is convinced that the bodies popping up all over town are not the work of a deranged serial killer, but murderous slugs with a taste for humans! Local authorities laugh off Brady’s theory (and who wouldn’t?!), but the carnage continues. Mike and his co-worker realize the locations of the murders line up precisely with the town’s sewer system, a fact augmented by the many animal carcasses they have discovered clogging up the sewers. Could it be that chemicals from the nearby abandoned toxic waste dump have created some kind of mutant slug?! Time is running out, and if the town wants peace, they may need to believe Mike’s crazy idea before it’s too late!
So goes the plot of Slugs, also known as Slugs: The Movie, a campy 1988 horror film directed by cult-film director Juan Piquer Simón based on a 1982 book of the same name by Shaun Hutson (who reportedly hated the movie so much that he never again allowed a film adaptation of any of his books). The English language Spanish production lists two official locations for its productions: Lyons, New York, and Madrid, Spain. However, rumors have swirled since the 1980s that Slugs also used parts of Schoharie County for its rural, small-town scenes, including storefronts and woods near Middleburgh and Cobleskill. Now, certainly, Lyons (in Wayne County) could offer the same small-town Upstate New York vibe as Schoharie County, but adding to the lore are accounts from residents who claim to have seen film trucks around and strange and mysterious props in the woods.
The full movie can be viewed on Hoopla, a free streaming service that requires a library card for access, and on YouTube through a less-than-stellar upload from a VHS, which might appeal to those nostalgic for the days of video rentals (and is perhaps fitting for the vibe of Slugs!). Do you remember seeing Slugs being filmed in our area in 1986? Can you identify a specific location by watching the film? If so, email me at mountaineaglebradley@gmail.com and let’s get Schoharie County added to the official location list of Slugs!
Remember to Subscribe!
HOWES CAVE – The Iroquois Museum in Howes Cave, NY, hosts its annual fundraiser Roots, Rhythm & Ale, on Friday August 1 from 5 to 9PM. The evening starts off with Becca Frame and the Tall Boys playing from 5 to 6. Dance lessons will be held from 6:00-6:30, taught by Ron Bruschi. From 6:30 to closing, the featured band RubberBand performs. High on the Hog, The Creative Connoisseur, and Serious Brewing will be supplying the food and drink. A silent auction runs from 5 to 8. Local artisans and organizations will be set up on the grounds. This event is rain or shine.
We thank Midtel for sponsoring the Rubberband. Thanks to Schoharie County Arts for funding Becca Frame and the Tall Boys and artists Casey Beal and Laura Milak, who will demonstrate their art forms.
This will be the Iroquois Museum’s 6th year! It is a fundraising event for our education department. With these monies, we buy supplies for the interactive area of the Museum and invite Haudenosaunee to teach special programs.
General public admission is: Adults are $10, and kids under 18 are free. For a $20 ticket, you receive a commemorative cup and a free beer. Admission includes the Museum.
Remember to Subscribe!
SHARON SPRINGS – Jean Hanff Korelitz, noted novelist, playwright, and essayist, will be talking about her latest thriller, The Sequel, as well as her other writings on Sunday, July 27 at 1PM at 204 Main, a bistro on Rt. 10 in Sharon Springs.
In 2024, The New York Times named her novel The Plot one of the 10 Best Thriller Novels. The Sequel, published in October 2024, is a continuation of that thriller. Her novels are thrillers, mysteries or puzzles and often feature writers or academia. Her plots are complex; she plays with ethical dilemmas such as plagiarism or identity; and her work can be suspenseful, satiric, and provocative.
Her first novel was a legal thriller, A Jury of her Peers, published in 1996. Other novels include The White Rose, Admission, You Should Have Known, The Devil and Webster, and The Latecomer. Admission was the basis for a film. You Should Have Known was adapted as an HBO’s limited series known as The Undoing and The Plot is in development for a Hulu limited series.
Jean Korelitz was raised in New York City and graduated Cum Laude from Dartmouth College. Before writing novels, Ms. Korelitz wrote poetry. She received a postgraduate degree from Clare College, Cambridge, England and won a major award for her poetry. She holds pop-up author gatherings, and she participates in many book festivals, podcasts, and interviews.
Authors Hour is presented by Schoharie County Arts. The afternoon includes time for questions and book signings. Refreshments will be served.
The mission of Schoharie County Arts (SCA) is to broaden and enrich the quality of life in the county by developing and strengthening the arts through promoting cultural and arts-related activities, educating the public, advancing individual artists and arts organizations, and utilizing arts-related technology while contributing to the cultural and economic growth in the County.
For More Information contact Lisa Ovitt, schohariecountyarts@gmail.com
Remember to Subscribe!
A Time honored practice with humiliating and sometimes lethal results was a favored form of punishment in the American Colonies.
Submitted by Louis Myers
Benjamin H. Irvin Brandeis University
In the spring of 1766, John Gilchrist, a Norfolk merchant and ship-owner, came to believe that Captain William Smith had reported his smuggling activities to British authorities. In retribution, Gilchrist and several accomplices captured Smith and, as he reported, "dawbed my body and face all over with tar and afterwards threw feathers on me." Smith's assailants, which included the mayor of Norfolk, then carted him "through every street in town," and threw him into the sea. Fortunately, Smith was rescued by a passing boat just as he was "sinking, being able to swim no longer."
Tar and feathers was a very old form of punishment, but it does not appear to have ever been widely applied in England or in Europe. Why Gilchrist and his allies chose to resurrect tar and feathers on this particular occasion historians can only surmise. Whatever their reasons, these Virginians inaugurated a new trend in colonial resistance, a trend that their New England neighbors would eagerly follow. Throughout New England, tar and feathers soon became the "popular Punishment for modern delinquents."
By March, 1770, at least thirteen individuals had been feathered in the American colonies: eight in Massachusetts, two in New York, one in Virginia, one in Pennsylvania, and one in Connecticut. In all of these instances, the tar brush was reserved exclusively for customs inspectors and informers, those persons responsible for enforcing the Townshend duties on certain imported goods. Indeed, American patriots used tar and feathers to wage a war of intimidation against British tax collectors.
During this period of economic resistance, the practice of tarring and feathering began to take shape as a kind of folk ritual. The participants in this ritual usually consisted of sailors, apprentices, and young boys---those members of society who could be readily mobilized by protesting merchants. In these early days the victim was sometimes fortunate enough to be "genteely" tarred and feathered, that is, over the outer garments. Within Whig ideology, these personal assaults were warranted only because the colonists had been denied all legal avenues of redress, and they were justified only to the extent necessary to deter enforcement of customs duties.
This first tar and feathers campaign proved very successful. In conjunction with the nonimportation movement, tar and feather terrorism reduced Townshend duties' revenues below the costs of enforcement. In 1770, the British government recognized that the program was an abysmal failure, and it repealed the taxes on all imports but tea. As a result, the tarring and feathering of these loathed individuals came to a virtual halt. This is not to suggest, however, that the practice of tarring and feathering ceased entirely. To the contrary, tar and feathers had proven an effective deterrent, and patriot leaders quickly devised a new use for it. Before the repeal of the Townshend duties, when the colonists began to galvanize in their opposition to British taxes, Whig merchants coordinated a series of nonimportation agreements. To enforce these agreements, they then invoked the threat of tar and feathers. During this second phase of tarring and feathering, the practice changed significantly. Most notably, Boston mobs began to tar and feather an individual's property and effects rather than his body. Several persons' homes were tarred and feathered, as was at least one merchant's store. In Marlborough, a crowd went so far as to tar and feather the horse of merchant Henry Barnes.
As the possibility of war grew imminent, however, Boston leaders began to feel that they could no longer control the violent impulses of the mob. In the wake of the incendiary Tea Party, tarring and feathering mobs nearly killed a crotchety old British official named John Malcom, and they also assaulted four men who had stolen hospital blankets. Meanwhile, back in England, King George III watched indignantly as impertinent colonists abused his agents and officials. In Parliament, where debates raged over how best to punish the Bostonians, one member argued that "Americans were a strange sett of people, and that it was in vain to expect any degree of reasoning from them; that instead of making their claim by argument, they always chose to decide the matter by tarring and feathering."
Recognizing that unrestrained violence could only bring the American cause into ill repute, Boston leaders called a halt to the practice of tarring and feathering. The town that contemporaries called a "seminar[y] in the art," and the "Focus of tarring & feathering," now laid the practice to rest.
Remember to Subscribe!
HOWES CAVE – Schoharie County Arts will be presenting a local rock group and two Schoharie County artists at the Iroquois Museum’s Roots, Rhythm and Ale fundraiser on Friday August 1, from 5 to 9PM.
To start off the evening at 5PM,, Becca Frame and the Tall Boys from Richmondville will be playing for the first hour. Becca has an incredible and powerful voice which is combined with the improvised guitar work by Brian Shafer, intoxicating dynamic rhythm by Steve O'Connell and Daniel Colón, and captivating keys by Brian Mangini. They blend rock, soul, and blues into electrifying live performances.
Meanwhile, Casey Beal and Laura Milak, both from Middleburg, will be demonstrating their art forms. Casey is well known for her hand painting and block printing on cloth as well as fine art paintings and murals. “I am constantly inspired and influenced by the study of the flora and fauna of rural upstate New York - from the native varieties that inhabit the landscape to the agricultural livestock and crops that sustain its human population. My exploration of our human ties to the environment tries to go beyond casual observation, to create items that not only celebrate the beauty of nature, but also encourage others to play an active role in its preservation. “
Laura is a felt artist creating 3-dimensional sculptures depicting mushrooms, fairies and gnomes all from naturally dyed wools. “My love of felting has evolved from my life experiences such as a career in horticulture, and pastimes like spinning wool and painting. I love processing fleeces from many different sheep breeds and then hand dyeing them in the delicious earth-tone colors that are found in nature. My felting goals for the next year are to increase my skills and explore new art forms such as bird making and wildlife wool paintings. It is my upmost desire to keep creating one of a kind pieces that seem to fuel my passion for felting artistry.”
The event takes place at the Iroquois Museum in Howes Cave, NY. Due to construction on the bridge over Cobleskill Creek, follow the yellow detour signs to Iroquois Museum. Besides music, the event features local artisans, tasty food, and a silent auction. Admission is $10 for adults, kids under 18 are free and that includes admission to the Museum. For a $20 ticket you receive a commemorative cup for a free beer. All proceeds benefit the Museum’s education programs. Rain or shine, we’ve got you covered!
The mission of Schoharie County Arts (SCA) is to broaden and enrich the quality of life in the county by developing and strengthening the arts through promoting cultural and arts-related activities, educating the public, advancing individual artists and arts organizations, and utilizing arts-related technology while contributing to the cultural and economic growth in the County.
For more information, contact Heather Livengood, heather@iroquoismuseum.org
Remember to Subscribe!
Posts
All Comments
