Numbers Game

125=number of seats at Historic Catskill Point, in the park and in the warehouse, for this weekend’s opening performances (Friday and Saturday nights, from 7 pm.) of the modern classic play by Anton Chekhov, “The Seagull” by carefully selected local cast. RECOMMENDED. 943-2680. (Not to the exclusion, of course, of “Catskills on Broadway” benefit—music, jokes--at Hunter Mountain, 8 pm.; 263-4908 ext. 202). 4=number of acts in “The Seagull,” all to be performed each performance night (Aug. 5 & 6, 12 & 13), notwithstanding Daily Maul Events Calendar item of Wednesday (8/3) saying “first act” will be performed Friday night, “second act” Saturday…. This was ‘corrected’ in Thursday’s and Friday’s Mauls to say “first act of four acts” and “second act of four acts….” 141,000=dollars saved by Greene County legislators by putting their general insurance out to bid. That’s according to Legislator Keith Valentine, himself an insurance expert, as reported in 8/2 Daily Mail. The accepted price was $504,124, vs. $620,000 in 2003 and $645,000 in 2004. 235,093=dollars likely to be spent by Hudson Common Council on new Fire Dept rescue truck. At recent meeting of Hudson’s Fire Committee, speakers compared this figure with $425,000 likely to be paid by Catskill Trustees for a new rescue truck. According to Catskill Fire Chief Randy Ormerod, Hudson’s version would be akin to a Ford Pinto. And Catskill’s prospective r.t. will cost a bit less than $425k. Submitted bids are now being vetted for compliance with specifications. 7500=dollars reportedly (Daily Mail, 8/1) raised for Coxsackie Rescue Squad at Coxsackie Challenge golf tournament at Catskill Golf Club last Friday (7/29), organized by Gunderpersons. 5302=dollars spent by GreeneLand Kiwanians so far this year on good local causes, mostly having to do with youngsters. That’s about half, we’re told, of what ultimately will be outlaid. And does not include the $4336 cleared from the 7/17 golf tournament in support of Catskill Community Center. 14=reputed age of GreeneLand student reputedly impregnated by a now-former school custodian. No prosecution (yet?) for the criminal acts. 18,000+ =dollars raised for Thomas Cole National Historic Site (Cedar Grove, in Catskill) at July 31 summer party. That’s a 20% gain over last year’s summer fund-raiser and it demonstrates, as Site Director Elizabeth Jacks told Seeing Greene, increase in “one of our greatest treasures: the support of this community.” …….."It was only a few years ago that this house was saved from near collapse by a caring group of people, and their love of this place clearly continues. With the funds we have raised, Cedar Grove can continue to serve as an inspiration to all those who love the landscape." ….. Following a cocktail party at the Site, graced by presence the famous artist’s great-granddaughter, Edith Cole Silverstein, 200 participants joined 20 pairs of hosts at dinner in private homes (and an art gallery) in Greene and Columbia counties. Members paid $75 apiece for the goodies; non-members paid $100 which included membership. Most of what they paid went into the treasury thanks to contributions from in-kind sponsors (Douglas Koch, Frank Racette, Ruder-Finn Inc., Brian Branigan, Patricia Decker, Michel Goldberg, Domaney Liquors of Great Barringon) and to the generosity of the hosts, who absorbed the full costs of the dinners (and libations) they served, (including, in some cases, the costs of caterers and servers). In addition, the Site’s operations and programs, devoted to the founder of the Hudson River school of landscape painting, benefited from a substantial cash contribution by Rip Van Winkle Realty. Of 20 host couples, four were Columbia County patrons, and four were veteran GreeneLanders. 90=per cent probability that Catskill’s new police chief will be Dave Darling; and that his chief deputy will be Greg Sager; and that they’ll do a great job. Darling (one of multitudinous GreeneLand Darlings), is due for mandatory (and cushy) retirement, two years hence, as Chief Investigator of local troop of State Police. He’s not ready to give up law enforcement. May never be ready. Could run for Sheriff in a few years. 85=per cent likelihood that Catskill’s Community Theater will soon be the property of PJ & Jessica Maisano, youthful New Jersey residents (and live theater fans) who will soon be GreeneLanders. 5=years elapsing between time that Florence Liberatore (a k a Mrs Damon Pouyat) took up golf and the time she first became Albany Country Club champion. (First time of many). 4.8 million=number of old tires (give or take a few thousand) that Lafarge Co. proposes to burn as fuel in its Ravena cement kiln. Yearly. Whole tires, not shredded. Lafarge is a Paris-based globe-girdling building materials company (cement, roofing, aggregates, concrete, gypsum; 77,000 people in 75 countries). It bought the plant in 2001 from Blue Circle Cement, shortly after the latter was fined $276,000 for air permit violations. Its proposal has triggered apprehensions hereabouts over toxic effects (Parkinson’s disease? Rheumatoid arthritis? Autism?) of fallout. Friends of Hudson members, led by GreeneLand’s Susan Falzon, say the Ravena plant, even without burning tires, “has long been known a one of New York’s dirtiest.” They are circulating petitions calling on Governor Pataki and other public officials to

(1) Fully address the serious, long-standing compliance problems at the Ravena plant, which State regulators have failed to act upon, before moving forward with any consideration of tire-burning at this troubled facility; (2) Require Lafarge to explain why it seeks to burn whole tires as fuel, a practice even riskier than burning shredded tires; (3) Explain why State regulators have not yet even considered the need for a test burn before moving forward on this proposal; (4) Explain why New York State regulators would encourage the incineration of tires, when the State and U.S. EPA agree that there are more beneficial forms of re-use which address the State's tire management problem; (5) At minimum, extend the comment period on this project by at least 90 days, to give the general public and scientific experts a proper opportunity to participate meaningfully in the review process.

Check it out at http://www.PetitionOnline.com/lafarge. 40=years to pass until we have thousands of old ladies running around with tattoos.