Overall, Archer came out well. Paraphrasing Bush 41’s “vision thing,” she called for development of connecting walking trails to a county trail system. She finds Bernardo lacking vision, a fault for high government position.
Bernardo, on the other hand, has been working these hustings for the better part of four years, which on the grassroots level, tends to be rewarded on Election Day.
Footnotes
Former Rochester town supervisor Harold Lipton, 87, is one of the few World War II vets campaigning for public office this year. Hale, hearty and nostalgic to a fault, Lipton says he wants to bring Kerhonkson back to what it was when he joined the service, in 1943.
Independent candidate Tim Bunch drew some hisses from anti-frackers in the crowd when he suggested another side of that controversy. “I saw my friends die for oil,” said the Army combat veteran from Desert Storm.
I liked Sherry Chachkin for town council, but then I’m a softy for ex-newsies seeking public office. Chachkin covered the town for the weekly Bluestone Press. She could find things different from the other side of the table.
Here and there
County Exec Hein, Mr. Casino Gambling in these parts, might have lost a few votes after anti-gambling forces were muzzled at a pro-gambling rally organized by His Excellency at the county office building. Memo: Free speech is still the law of the land, even in Executive Central.
Some insiders are now forecasting the race for Woodstock supervisor between Democrat Jeremy Wilber and Republican Lorin Rose could come down to the absentees. Not so in Saugerties where former supervisor Greg Helsmoortel is expected to complete a successful comeback against Kelly Myers, who beat him in ’11.
Greg Helsmoortel.
Give Myers credit for getting her picture in the paper, like the one last week featuring her, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Hein (once again) lamenting muddy conditions in the Esopus. When I see three politicians standing on a dock overlooking a creek — Myers was pointing off in the distance, perhaps at a departing duck — one word comes to mind: Jump!
If people wanted a little less theater in New Paltz they’d probably switch horses for supervisor. But that’s not likely.
The Colonial Health Food Store on North Front Street in Kingston will be closing after 52 years of operation next month. Customers will miss personable counterperson Liz Hoffmann.
An article in last week’s paper regarding wages paid workers in old Rondout was only off by a factor of 10. We said eight cents an hour. It was between 80 and 90, I’m now told.
And thanks to author Bob Steuding for loaning his in-depth fascinating book on Rondout.
Finally, belated condolences to the family of Eleanor Barringer, mother of legislative clerk Krista Barringer, who died last month at 68. A child immigrant from war-torn Germany, Mrs. Barringer, a remarkable woman, was the first enrollee at Ulster County Community College, where she studied nursing.
And let’s have a good turnout on Tuesday’s election. Our service members are fighting and dying to preserve a right only about half of us exercise.
