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Troopers Investigating Fatal Crash

By Matthew Avitabile

MIDDLETOWN — On October 28, just before 3 p.m., Troopers responded to State Highway 28 just north of the intersection to County Highway 6 in the town of Middletown for a two-vehicle crash.  An investigation at the scene determined that a 2022 Ford Edge was traveling north on State Highway 28 when for an unknown reason, crossed into on-coming traffic, directly into the path of a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado.The operator of the Ford Edge, Natasha Reed, age 36 of Delhi was pronounced deceased at Ma...

Nov 6, 2025 • 208 views

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Pine Hill Community Center Concert Series Presenting Max Wareham Saturday

By Matthew Avitabile

PINE HILL — The Pine Hill Community Center Concert Series Presents: Max Wareham Saturday Nov. 8 at 7pm at the Pine Hill Community Center at 287 Main Street.. Join us for an evening of incredible bluegrass music with Max Wareham, a banjo player, songwriter, and author from Boston, MA. He is a member of the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band and was featured on the Grammy-nominated album "Calling You From My Mountain.”After two years of touring nationally with Peter, Max recorded his own album, “Dag...

Nov 6, 2025 • 195 views

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A Conversation about … Murmurations

By Matthew Avitabile

MC Escher Sky and Water                                    Murmuration and starling by Guy Edwardes and Mark RobinsonBy Jean ThomasAs a kid, I used to sit on a hill and watch the dark, swirling shapes made by thousands of birds. They chattered and their wings rustled as they  alternately swooped over harvested corn fields and clustered in the adjacent trees. They would suddenly all land on a tree and the sky would be empty. Then a few would lift off again, followed by...

Nov 6, 2025 • 214 views

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THE CATSKILL GEOLOGISTS BY PROFESSORS ROBERT AND JOHANNA TITUS - The Red Chasm: Like a Hot Knife Cutting Through Butter.

By Matthew Avitabile

October 15th is a date of some importance for us who live in the eastern Catskills. That’s when a number of the parking lots along Rte. 23A in Kaaterskill Clove re-open to the public. If you enjoy exploring the clove, then this is the time. We always have; we can’t even remember our first visit; it was so long ago. But so too do many of our talented friends. That includes Athena Billias, a well-known Catskills landscape artist. Recently Athena showed us a painting that she did in the lower p...

Nov 6, 2025 • 186 views

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Whittling Away with Dick Brooks - Just Say It

By Matthew Avitabile

In younger days, I used to consider old people opinionated and set in their ways.  How silly that seems to me now.  I now realize that over the years you start to see things clearly and get a firmer grasp on the ways of the world and how they work.  The right and wrong of things becomes more obvious and you give up the wishy-washy ways of your youth.  You have more time to seriously consider, analyze and be annoyed by things that you took for granted or just let slip by during the more rushe...

Nov 6, 2025 • 190 views

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Revolutionary Schohary250 - Battle of the Flockey

By Matthew Avitabile

By Louis MyersAugust 13, 1777In the Summer of 1777, British General John Burgoyne advanced from Canada towards Albany, his strategy was to rely upon converging columns.One of these, the western thrust, was led by Lieutenant Colonel Barry St. Leger, who was to advance east through the Mohawk Valley. His goal was to join forces with Burgoyne near Albany.St. Leger’s success would be dependent upon Loyalist (Tory) support and the crown's Native American allies.The Schoharie Valley, a fertile and i...

Nov 6, 2025 • 203 views

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Walking on Tinker Street

By Matthew Avitabile

I remember walking on Tinker Street  without so many cars  No giving way to well-dressed groups  of tourists, crowded bars  I remember when just being here  was all you could ask for  It’s still a slice of heaven  but it’s not Woodstock anymore  I remember knowing people’s names  and where they lived before  Most from New York City  some small room, a padlocked door  We were searching for a spirit  once imagined, now ignored  It’s still a slice of heaven  but it’s not ...

Nov 6, 2025 • 186 views

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Bernat and Ratinov Presented by Friends of Music Nov. 16

By Matthew Avitabile

STAMFORD — On Sunday, November 16 at 3 PM, Friends of Music of Stamford, NY presents Nina Bernat (double bass) and Anthony Ratinov (piano). The two internationally acclaimed American chamber musicians will play works by Beethoven, Janáček, Achron, and Brahms. Double bassist Nina Bernat has carved out a distinctive career as a soloist, redefining the role of her instrument on the world stage. In 2023, Nina was honored as a recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant and winner of the CAG Elma...

Nov 6, 2025 • 201 views

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Fleischmann’s Sets the Scene for “Painted Ladies” by Alan Powell and Mike Suchorsky

By Matthew Avitabile

By Patricia WadsleyFLEISCHMANNS — Starting October 31, after the sun sets  on Thursdays through Saturdays throughout the autumn, head to Main Street  in Fleischmann’s to see a large scale public video art installation called  “Painted Ladies” and created by artist Alan Powell in collaboration with musician Mike Suchorsky.     A longtime Fleischmann’s resident, Powell is well-known in the Catskills art scene. His career spans painting,  pioneering video art and nature and urban...

Nov 6, 2025 • 187 views

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Petruccelli Retires as Postmaster

By Matthew Avitabile

“I can’t believe this,” said Windham postmaster Karen Petruccelli, overcome with emotion as Windham town supervisor Thomas Hoyt presented a Proclamation from Senator Michelle Hinchey and a Citation from Assemblyman Chris Tague on her final day of work. A surprise party was put together, last week, by postal clerks Heidi Schwarz (left) and Yvonne Mead, with Schwarz being named Officer-in-Charge, pending the naming of a new postmaster. “We will miss her,” said Elli Carpenter (right) a ...

Nov 6, 2025 • 207 views

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BETTER THAN HEARSAY - Cus and Mike

By Matthew Avitabile

“He is a kind soul,” says Lakiha Spicer, the wife of Mike Tyson, one of the most feared heavyweight boxing champions of all time. “We didn’t call it peek-a-boo,” says Billy White, longtime friend of Mike Tyson, both learning under legendary boxing trainer Cus D’Amato.By Michael RyanCATSKILL - “He is the only one I’ve ever truly loved,” said Lakiha Spicer, speaking about someone who, in his line of work, was known as “The Baddest Man on the Planet.”If that seems like an ung...

Nov 6, 2025 • 179 views

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Local History by Dede Terns-Thorpe - Veterans Day

By Matthew Avitabile

This week is special, its election time, a date for Americans to voice their thoughts, but it’s also Veterans Day, Armistice Day, the 11th day of the 11th month."Some gave away all of their tomorrows for our today." A quote by John Maxwell Edmonds (1875-1958).  A few tidbits about the six branches of the U.S. military; a little history. The Army is the oldest and largest branch of the military.The Marine Corps is a branch trained for combat operations.The Navy maintains security in the air ...

Nov 6, 2025 • 178 views