PARADE LINE-UP

As far as I can remember, I cant recall a more beautiful day to have a parade and a shout out to the AOH for another job well done!

I thought it would be fun to get some pictures of some of the notables who joined me in the festivities.

Shots of the Rondout crowd later. Have a happy St Patrick's Day this Tuesday!

Pictured below is Shirley Whitlock and Bill Reynolds with Charlie Landi in the left background.



















Pictured below is UC Chairman Dave Donaldson chewing on Brian Cahill's ear with Legislator Ken Ronk looking on. (not sure what to say)


















Pictured below is Al Teetsel embracing Thomas Hoffay who is wearing the most dapper suit of the elected entourage. One person thought he had channeled Harry Truman before leaving his house.

8 MIN FILM TO TAKE YOUR MIND OFF YOUR DAY

YARD WASTE TIME AGAIN!

Let me say right away. DPW will not collect your yard waste in plastic bags.

I don't know how many times the staff has to tell everyone as the season carries on, but the bags pile up at the curb, year after year. They split open due to weather and UV exposure, until the curb is littered with a mouldy lump of partially composted grass and clippings.

The picture above is the first yard waste combatant here on Brewster Street. He makes a point of using plastic bags every spring just to irritate the neighborhood. It will sit there for months unless I finally break down and barrel it one Sunday night.

You don't necessarily have to purchase the yard waste bags from City Hall or Herzog's either. You can continue to fill and curb your 32 gallon cans as most of us do. It's less work and contributes less of a footprint on the ecosystem.

Collection of yard waste and wood starts this Monday March 16th. with your regular trash pick-up schedule.

For more information: call dispatch at: 338-2114

PATERSON UNCORKED A BIG ONE!

The glass is half empty! The glass of wine anyway.

Governor Paterson has proposed in his budget, a provision that would allow wine to be sold in grocery, drug and convenience stores across New York State. He's looking for that one time shot of revenue from the tidal wave of liquor licenses from all those stores to help with this year's financial shortfalls.

What he doesn't understand is that the traditional liquor stores, even if you disagree with alcohol consumption, tends to be small, family owned, establishments in our struggling business districts. Districts we are scrambling to support in these tough times.
[Madden's Spirits on Rondout pictured left]

Imagine a Big Box store having a fine Merlot. Yeah right. now imagine the young, untrained cashiers at WalMart responsible for keeping the goods out of the wrong hands on a Saturday night. It's not going to happen!

What's better; you're expecting someone in the produce section to help you pick the right wine to go with your Duck?

This issue came up at this months County Legislative meeting, where the memorializing resolution to dissuade Paterson from implementing this crazy scheme, got a unanimous vote.

Liquor and wine store owners across New York State have united against this proposition. For a one time $100 million shot in revenue for the state in the first two years, thousands of jobs would be lost and businesses would close as liquor stores became unable to compete with big chain grocery stores.

Gary Bischoff of Saugerties went into a dissertation on this ill-conceived budget proposal, imagining a colorful exchange between he and an employee at Sam's Club and asking about the selection. Jon Decker of Lloyd chimed in saying what selection? It would be all Chinese like everything else in that store.

The place broke out into laughter.

Humor aside, Governor Paterson's attempt to balance this years budget with these thinly veiled gimmicks have got to be an embarrassment to those who saw so much potential in his accidental leadership.

The County may only have authority to send Dave their plea to rethink this one, but at least they are showing us they understand the threat to small business.

OUR SOUTHERN BORDER DRUG WAR

We have a serious drug problem in this country. Nothing you didn't know already. But the WAR is escalating at a near uncontrollable pace.

About 87% of all the illegal drugs coming into this country are through the southern border. You know, the one with the unfinished fence and understaffed border patrol units.

Well, just the other day, Mexico suffered a moral setback in the continued struggle to battle these cartel. They lost 10 of their soldiers execution style, their heads were found in plastic bags fifty feet from their bodies. This was an attempt to demoralize the efforts of the Calderone Military.

We all express sympathy for the families of these brave soldiers. The state of Guerrero in Mexico is missing valued community servants, and while these executions have hit the U.S. mainstream news only lately, some of us have heard the lonely voice of reason on CNN for several years through the barking voice of Lou Dobbs.

President Calderone said in the AP: “Organized crime, filled with panic, has turned to all kinds of cowardly acts. They do this in the last throws of their power!" Can I disagree with Calderone?

It's the escalation of violence along the border, creeping into U.S. cities that has caused other news sources to suddenly wake up to the drug and human trafficing that now threatens American lives.

Over five thousand people have died this year! Some innocent villagers, but many killing each other in the fight for larger pieces of the $15 billion trade in cocaine, heroin and amphetamines bound for the U.S.

Where does this crap end up? In our upstate New York Cities: Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Kingston, even Saugerties, where one restaurant owner I know is looking for someone to drive to Arizona to pick-up someone and a package.

And to think they locked up Border patrol agents Ramos and Campeon for doing their job. Now that their sentences have been commuted, I think they should be treated as heroes.

I have this awful feeling that with our sagging economy, unaffordable healthcare and lacking border security, the temptation of our youth by this criminal element will continue to increase, and it will affect our quality of life locally.

I honestly dont know how our police departments do it.

YOU'LL GET THE BOOT!

Here is just one more reason you should put your quarter in the parking meter when parking in the commercial districts. The BOOT!

The hassle of getting a parking ticket alone is enough to ruin your whole day, and for what: to save a quarter? Amass enough of these and the BOOT patrol will now be after you.

What is quite common in other cities like New York City and Albany, the high-tech plate scanner has finally come to Kingston. What shocks me, is that for the longest time, the police department refused to get involved with parking violations. This left the burden of street maintenance to our limited daytime personnel.

Now, KPD is willing to engage the issue at the tail end of the crime: when you have collected enough violations to get them in the hunt.

Cheif Keller said in the paper: "The cameras, which were purchased using a $22,000 state grant, have been used for other matters such as detecting wanted criminals, recovering stolen cars, unregistered vehicles, or those driving with outstanding speeding tickets or other traffic infractions".

So the scope of criminal DATA collection is broader than just the parking tickets, but it's nice to have them looking for the "Cheapskates" too.

The Cheif mentioned that this would be an action that didnt stop with just one shift. That this would be 24/7. That's where they are going to get you. When you are parked infront of Snapper McGees on North Front St. and you head for the car at 3am. Oops! "Theres a boot on my wheel!" Well, I doubt you should have been driving anyway.

I had to laugh when I read: City Comptroller John Tuey said 400 license plates have been put into the program. I'm going to have to stop in the office and make sure I'm not on that list! I've had my encounters with the authorities down in NYC, so I dont need that adventure up here.

Tuey was not certain how much in the way of unpaid tickets were involved. Could I add that the unpaid amounts could be thought of as uncollected fees owed to the city that could be considered revenue. This does affect the budget and your taxes. Violators who DON"T pay their fines are costing you valuable services.

DiBella, Senor and the whole Council were in favor of the Boot Legislation and you know we are all thrilled when we hear of any buttoned up measures to bring violators into compliance, but the revenue is where we get the charge.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not looking to punish anyone unnecessarily. But this should be a wake-up to everyone who thinks parking at prime spaces without engaging the meter is fun-and-games. It's not. Long term parking has always been an issue regarding best use of limited resources. Our merchants need you to free up the curbside spaces for the customer.

Thanks for stepping up.

CATSKILL MOUNTAIN RAILROAD

Anyone familiar with the region knows there used to be an active rail system here in Kingston. The railbed spans Ulster County east to west and quite a distance into Delaware County.

Here in Kingston, you'll notice the new loading ramp at the Kingston Plaza. It's located close to Westbrook Lane and enables train fans of all ability to climb aboard the newly refurbished "weekender". During certain holiday weekends, the volunteers bring out the passenger car for short trips through midtown Kingston.

Last week, I found a crew from CMRR trimming brush and cutting down pine trees next to Holiday Inn near Washington Avenue. I stopped by and had a quick chat with one of the guys, telling me that the pace of track repair is picking up, but the prospects of connecting the line all the way to the operating Alaben Station, west of here, depends on a serious influx of funding.

There are a few bridges that need a complete overhaul; one in Boiceville. Either through a generous endowement or through a state transportation grant. Considering the conditions of the common commuter methods, that funding is in doubt.

That doesnt mean they arent looking for more volunteers. The Catskill Mountain Railroad is an all-volunteer operation, with over 100 active members. During the heyday of IBM operations here in the Kingston area, the number of active members was much higher, with a greater level of expendable cash. Those days are gone and the downturn in the economy isnt helping thier efforts.

To the left are the passenger cars stored next to Rt 209, just north of the Trooper Barracks.

So what can you do? From train operations, to selling tickets, to clearing brush, rebuilding track, or restoring equipment, the CMRR offers a world of hands-on opportunities to get involved in running and building a railroad. No prior experience needed!

It is clearly stated on their website: As we expand our operations in Phoenicia and Kingston, we can use more help. If you would like to join us in this exciting project, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Ernie Hunt. New volunteers are always welcome!

FITCH STREET HISTORY

Fitch is one of the many small streets in the Wilbur area of Kingston. What is interesting is where the name comes from.

In the latter years of the 19th century, the Wilbur/Twaalfskill area was the major hub of Bluestone trade. One of the many companies dealing in Bluestone was the Simeon & William Fitch Quarries. Ezra, the older cousin was operating Reed & Fitch Freight at the top of the valley, when William came down from Coxsackie, to join the Bluestone firm where he served until his retirement in 1856.

Ezra's freight company dissolved and he joined the Bluestone Company as well. Leaving after a few years, Ezra entered Law School and practiced here in Kingston. The bluestone business went bust at the end of the century. But Ezra continued practice until he became interested in the special tailor shop in NYC where he purchased his suits.

David Abercrombie was operating out of a small shop on 64th st in Manhattan. He focused on clothing for the elite. Fitch invested, becoming a partner then insisted on becoming a distributer and opening the line to a wider demographic. He closed his practice in Kingston by this time.

Ezra eventually bought out David, but kept the company name A&F.
Although family members took different paths, they were occasionally seen at St Johns Episcopal Church where they were members of the congregation.

Ezra, at the age of 62, retired from the company in 1928 and died soon after in 1930, enjoying his last days hiking the [then undisturbed] Catskills. What we have left as a reminder is the small street in Wilbur that bares the family name and much of the street is missing. It used to intersect with Hamilton St, about an eighth mile south, but the quarry chewed the land from beneath the street during the 20th century.

The Fitch family is buried in the Wiltwyck Cemetery. Their impact on the early industrial development along the Wilbur waterfront should be better known to the generations to come. Considering they are paying top dollar for the A&F Brand today.

CANINE WASTE REMOVAL

Now that the weather is looking more like spring, you'll find more of us venturing outside to get some fresh air, clean the yard and chat-it-up with the neighbors.


Here in the City of Kingston, we have limited space for people to bring dogs to run free. Unless you have a fenced in yard, you have to walk your dog. This is where today's post comes in.

Over the last few weeks, I have installed the new wave of pet etiquette signage throughout Ward Nine. Although the law was in effect for quite some time, the ability to engage your non-compliant neighbor was without backing. That has changed.

Sometimes all we need is the ability to point to a sign that affirms our position when challenging an otherwise futile plea. Those of us walking our dogs, must participate in the continued cleanliness of the sidewalks and respect our neighbors. There is a fine!


I had to get and install these signs myself because we are down in personnel here in the city. It isn't the first time, it wont be the last.
To make any complaint stick, you should be armed with a picture or video of the pooch doing it's business. Most digital camera's today have a video feature. Use it!

You'll find these signs installed on Hasbrouck Ave, Andrew St, W. Chester St, W. Chestnut St, Hone St, Levan St and W. Pierpont St. More on the way!

Note: There is no parking permitted 15 feet from any corner. This signage needs no legislation and can be installed as soon as crews are able. I have also installed such signs and would ask that everyone consider trouble spots that may need attention throughout the city.

HEIN ANNOUNCES FIRST PROJECT LIST

Michael Hein has announced the list of the first wave of "Stimulus" funded projects selected in Ulster County. Just under $21 Million has been earmarked for transportation-related projects.

Most will begin as soon as the weather turns for the better since many were considered "Shovel Ready" when the financial crisis hit and thus set aside for stable times. Well, Ulster County is getting a slice of the Obama Pie in the form of road and bridge repair.

According to Hein's office: about $18 million will be spread around 10 highway, bridge and pedestrian projects while another $3 million will end up in eight transit projects.

There are bridges in Ellenville, Lloyd and Kerhonkson that need serious attention while Marbletown will see some street scapes attended to.

Our own City of Kingston will get a small portion to offset the already large sum needed to make the Pedestrian Waterfront Walkway a reality. Breaking ground this spring!

Also mentioned was the new hybrid UCAT buses that, according to some, will lessen the cost of operation. It will be nice to have an active example to point to when scouts for potential "Green" companies visit Ulster County.

I do alot of renovation work west of Kingston so when I heard Route 28 will get paved from Route 375 to the Delaware County Line, I was both elated and upset. Elated because that highway has needed a new surface for a long time, upset because I will now have to endure the year long traffic delays to and from work everyday.

I'll deal with it because I remain thankful to have a job to go to.

ASSEMBLY SETS JUDGES FREE

In an amazing display of trust, the New York State Assembly today passed a bill that would bring back sentencing discretion to judges. How would they do this? By finally stripping the Rockefeller-era drug laws from the books.

Its been 35 years since the Rockefeller Drug Laws were enacted, the rigidity of the laws left no room for judges across the state to dictate offence appropriate sentences that fell below the minimum options. Many people who handled small amounts of pot, were placed in the same conditions as hardened criminals.

It is also quite obvious to everyone that mandating imprisonment for even lower level offenders like potheads, hasn't diminished the rampant incidences of violent crime in New York. It's just cost taxpayers alot of money.

Assemblyman David Townsend of Oneida County, told the Poughkeepsie Journal; “This legislation is letting them off the hook!” He went on to say measure would allow drug dealers to escape serious punishment.

Nonsense. Nowhere in the new legislation does it let dealers pedal their goods with impunity. Most of the Bill continues to mandate prison time for those who sell drugs while having a loaded gun, adults who sell to children and “kingpins” involved in numerous or large-scale transactions.

What's different about this years proposal? The leadership of the State Senate. The Assembly passed this Bill with the usual 96 to 46. The Senate would always let it die in committee before having to deal with this hot potato.

Many people who were merely addicted to illegal substances were sentenced to severe punishments at the Felony level, when most could have been issues a misdemeanor and shuffled through recovery programs, usually at 1/3 the cost to taxpayers.

According to the article: About 13,400 of the roughly 62,599 state-prison inmates are serving time for drug offences, 80 percent of whom have never been convicted of a violent crime. About 2,000 of them could get their sentences reduced if the bill becomes law.

If I recall correctly, this was a front page discussion during the DA race of 2007 and repealing the ROC Laws the central component. Giving judges the discretion over whether a drug offender should serve time in prison or get treatment still seems rational.

It would be foolish to avoid the other element of this issue...the cost of incarceration. This state has been saddled with this expense for too long. We must find an alternative to the costly housing and healthcare we provide for inmates in the system. Hell, it's better than what we offer the regular taxpayer. Where's the logic in that?

I'm hoping Malcolm Smith and Company get their act together and pass this bill so that the rest of us can get back to paying our own bills, not theirs.

BARE BUDGET MY A$$

One of the annual rituals we experience in the first few months of each year, is the internal budget transfers. Almost every Department is guilty of this phenomenon.

This month we received an internal request from the Rec Dept. asking permission to shift $130K back and forth throughout their current budget.
I'm having difficulty understanding, If the financial needs of the Rec Dept surpassed the amount of money the Council offered in the way of a working budget, how is it they found this much scattered throughout their existing budget to shift?

We asked if the leaders of the Rec Dept would please come to Caucus, or at least the next Finance Committee, to explain how it is that they found extra/expendable funds in any accounts to pull money from for the purpose of suring up other accounts?

Didn't we hear the cries of poverty during the budget process? Didn't we lose a few positions?

There's more...$31K is expected to come out of the Fund Balance to sure up these accounts. Bob Senor made the right complaint when he said: "When the Council tapped into the Fund Balance last fall to provide some resemblance of tax relief, we were scolded by the Mayor for doing such, but here we are allowing the Rec Dept to do the same with his permission! Who's running this ship?"

Well, I'm just looking at two pages of account numbers and dollar amounts showing credits & debits. Some lines as high as $15K and $10K. What lines in their budget had that much fat?

That Finance meeting, March 18th, is going to be interesting!

BEVERLY BECKER: OUR LOSS

My sincerest condolences to the family of Beverly Becker.

Beverly was one of the welcoming residents of Yosman Towers here in Ward Nine.
For the few years that I got to know her, I witnessed her support and encouragement to the other residents in the building as well as her large family.

Beverly always gave me the "Go Get Em" that I needed whenever I visited and her door was always open. Although my interaction with her was professional, I have to say she, and a select group in the "Towers" always made the Mayor and I feel like family whenever we visited.

Bernie and the staff at Leahy Funeral Home provided a fine service where I got to meet her family members who confirmed all that I concluded. Beverly was a great lady.

Ward Nine has suffered a great loss in her departure.

BEAM ME UP SCOTTY!

I think you'll get a kick out this weird news. You know there has been a trend in the last few decades where famous actors jump into politics. Most notably Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Well, one actor wants to boldly go where no actor has gone before: Canada. To run for Prime Minister, that is. Against Stephen Harper, who lead the successful shift toward Conservative control in Canada in 2006.

William Shatner, famous for his role as Captain Kirk on Star Trek, is about to make the big leap into politics. He may find that fighting Klingons to be a much simpler task, since you know where their allegiance lies.

Shatner’s ambition came to light in response to a letter from a fan who suggested he put himself up for the post of governor general of Canada. I'm sure one letter wasnt enough of a trigger to create a "Shatner4PM PAC". He must have been thinking about this before.

When contacted by the AP, Shatner responded, “My intention is to be prime minister of Canada, not governor general, which is mainly a ceremonial position.”

He added, “As prime minister I can lead Canada into even greater exploits.”

I dont know what affect star power has in Canada, but if it's anything like what we experience here in the US, Shatner has a chance. Love 'em or hate 'em, famous people have sought and won elected positions throughout our history. They dont always have the qualifications needed to do a good job. Some learn on the job.

But considering the cast of charactors running some of the most corrupt and lethal regimes today, I expect Shatner, if he runs & wins, will do just fine.

I wonder if Celene Dion would accept the Secretary of State position?

DEATH WITH DIGNITY

Washington State is the next state to offer lethal medication to terminally ill patients with less than six months to live. A triumph for those who believe in the right to clinically controlled suicide.

The law takes effect Thursday, but some doctors are conflicted or not willing to write the life-ending prescriptions; in addition, many doctors are hesitant to talk publicly about where they stand on the issue.

There has been a continual awareness campaign here in the Hudson Valley by friends of mine. William See and the rest of the Hudson Valley Chapter of "Death With Dignity" have championed this delicate subject for over a decade.

Once the issue is studied a little closer, the scary image of rampant death squads running through nursing homes disappears and the unbearable pain & suffering of the individual becomes the focus of each case.

Compassion & Choices, lead by Dr. Thomas Preston, was the strongest support group of the legislation and they are of course thrilled that this option for terminal patients is now available.

I jumped around the Internet and found that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2006 that it was up to states to regulate medical practice, including assisted suicide, and Washington's Initiative 1000 was passed by nearly 60 percent of state voters in November.

Washington follows Oregon and Montana in allowing this procedure. Under the Oregon and Washington laws, physicians and pharmacists are not required to write or fill lethal prescriptions if they are opposed to the law.

Just like our local Yellow Pages here in the Hudson Valley, Compassion & Choices of Washington is compiling a directory of physicians who aren't opting out of the law, as well as pharmacies willing to fill the prescriptions. Perfect for that last desire of convenient service.

I didn't know that already, since the measure passed and was enacted, more than 340 people [mostly ailing with cancer] have used this avenue to end their lives at their own hands. [Including this patient to the right]

You know the odds are against the newly merged Benedictine/Kingston Hospital jumping on the support wagon to introduce this option to New Yorkers. As I noted in the last posting, the lobbyists who represent the insurance and pharma industries would object to any legislation that would decrease their steady stream of income. Never mind the philosophical opposition locally.

Would you want the option of Physician Assisted Suicide in New York State?

http://www.compassionandchoices.org/

http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/