New Paltz Times notes
From the Feb. 20, 2020 edition: New sidewalks on Henry W. Dubois; Generator at Family Health building; Winter Tree ID walk at Burroughs; plus other local events and notes.
Community
Saugerties High School girls’ basketball team prepares for playoffs
The Saugerties High School varsity girls basketball team finished their regular season last week at 13-5, closing out the final week with three crucial wins over tough opponents. With two weeks between their last regular season game and the beginning of the playoffs, the Sawyers are maintaining their momentum with practices, scrimmages, and crossover competition.
Time Traveling at Willow Automotive
Arthur Vogel’s Willow Automotive, nestled on Route 212 in Willow, is as close to time travel as you’ll get in these parts. A couple dozen vintage automobiles in various stages of repair (or disrepair), surround the faded yellow-with-green-trim circa 1934 building. An ancient gas pump (ornamental now) stands sentinel on the cracked pavement out front. Distinguished Mount Tremper overlooks the terrain, just as it has for millennia.
Faces of Kingston: Victoria Levy
This week for Faces of Kingston it is a pleasure to talk to musician and resident Victoria Levy. Victoria shares
Book tackles early racial injustice in Upstate New York
Back in December, 1905, when Kingston still got its water from the Zena reservoirs and Cooper Lake was twinkling in the city’s eye, Oscar Harrison was murdered near the water supply. An African American man, Cornell Van Gaasbeek, in whose house the body was found, was charged with the crime and tried in Ulster County Court. He was defended by a local reformer, part politician Augustus H. Van Buren, as the trial unfolded amid the charged racial climate of the early 20th Century.
Hudson Valley women’s mentoring group needs volunteers
“It’s so satisfying to see her happy and successful and excited now about the future,” said Nancy Sweeney, who volunteers with Kingston-based Raising HOPE, designed to help women succeed despite challenges that have, in many cases, landed them in the social services system. The organization was founded in 2007 to give women who no longer needed such services the help that would keep them moving forward rather than falling back into the system. Today Raising HOPE serves a range of women from all over Ulster County seeking help with education and careers, and a recent grant from the Novo Foundation is expanding their services, increasing the need for new mentors.
What the New Paltz newspapers said 100 years ago
The ‘‘Our town’’ column is compiled each month for the New Paltz Times by Carol Johnson, coordinator of the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection. The entries have been copied from the February issues of the New Paltz Independent.
New Paltz wrestling beats Wallkill for division title
It had been a long time since New Paltz won a Division title on the mat. And this one came down to Evan Jansen, the Huguenots 285-pound bruiser wrestling Wallkill’s Jackson Faider in the meet’s final match with New Paltz up a point at 39-38.
New Saugerties library director aims for inclusivity
Evelyn Rogers, who has served as the new director of the Saugerties Library for just four weeks, says the most important quality for a local library to embody is diversity — in both its community and collection.
KHS Tiger boys seeking good seed in coming hoops playoffs
The Kingston High School boys basketball team locked up its playoff berth ages ago, and now it’s just a question