Letters: Remember the old post office?
Remember the old post office? Am I the only one who sees a parallel between County Executive Hein’s rush to rip up the U&D tracks and Mayor Garraghan’s scrapping of the old post office? Consider that both were/are motivated to grab a few easy bucks “now” for their respective budgets at the cost of destroying...
Hugh Reynolds: Four on the floor
It’s difficult for a state legislator to sum up in 15 minutes or less what’s going on in Albany, even in front of a business audience typically more tuned in than your average bear. So it’s not entirely fair to say either that local Assemblyman Kevin Cahill and state Sen. Cecelia Tkaczyk, two Democrats, bombed...
KayCee Wimbish takes the city farm’s rake
When one thinks of Kingston, one might think of historical sites and buildings, arts, music, culture, wealthy and downtrodden neighborhoods… “city-type” stuff. But how many think of slow, quiet growing time in a sunny veggie garden? How many people think of John Deere? Or kids playing in the dirt? Urban farmer KayCee Wimbish does. South...
Letters: The Common Council’s responsibility, the railroad’s untapped potential
The Common Council’s obligation Shayne Gallo represents everything that we teach our kids not to be. From bullying to morality, we preach to our children and teach them in school to have a certain level of respect for their fellow man. I was bullied for a great majority of my school life. No one back...
Hugh Reynolds: Railroad men
I guess it’s safe now to identify Ulster County’s latest dynamic duo. Ulster County Executive Mike Hein and Kingston Mayor Shayne Gallo are conducting a relentless purge of the Catskill Mountain Railroad and anybody associated with it. Some are calling their behavior abuse of power. I know, I know. It’s all for a good cause....
Letters: No casinos, Fortis concerns, level the teachers’-contract playing field
Neither moral nor healthy In “Regionalism: The new realism” the article by Susan Barnett (March 7 Kingston Times) Sullivan County Executive Scott Samuelson was quoted as saying that casinos while “no panacea, [are] a part of our tourism.” He went further to say that “regionally the economic benefit could be shared with other counties, i.e.,...
Joe LaLima sees it all from his Broadway barbershop
Joseph LaLima has had his hands in Kingston people’s heads since 1968. LaLima’s Barbershop is the oldest barbershop on Broadway, neatly tucked in at number 678 for 39 years. And still, $9 hair cuts for men. While some hair-cutting places are just that, places, Kingston is blessed with some great barbershops that serve as community...
Hugh Reynolds: Fire away
Every now and then a legislature stumbles onto an issue that really turns constituents on, and boy, then it hits the fan! That’s what happened last week at the Ulster County Legislature. Last year anti-fracking forces packed the Senate Gym at UlsterCountyCommunity College. Now gun control has taken the stage. It would appear the legislature...
Comptroller DiNapoli slams Ulster Resource Recovery Agency in audit
Editor’s note: Here’s the press release issued this morning by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office on its audit of the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency. Be interesting to see if there are connections to be found between the companies which benefited from non-competitive bidding and personages in or around county government and/or politics. – Dan...
City: No trash pickup Monday or Tuesday
From acting mayor Noble: With the potential for Hurricane Sandy to impact us locally, the City of Kingston is taking all possible steps to protect the safety of the residents of the City. As a precaution, trash pickup has been suspended for Monday, October 29th and Tuesday, October 30th. Residents are asked to please secure...
The latest from the county on Hurricane Sandy, a.k.a. Frankenstorm
The latest on the looming storm from Art Snyder, Ulster’s emergency management director: Weather forecasts continue to indicate a great deal of uncertainty about track, speed and timing of Hurricane Sandy. Since all of these variables are uncertain, trying to provide information relative to local impacts is very challenging. That said, here is the latest...
Kingston crawling with Halloween fun
With jack-o-lanterns, scarecrows, allergies, nighttime frosts and flu season upon us, Halloween is surely rounding the corner. What good stuff does the city got on tap to spook the heck outta us? Half Moon Books at 35 North Front St.will be stirring the pot with local author A.J. Schenkman, who will be doing a reading...