Exodus, & Expiration?

Three Daily Mail journalists are almost out the door. Assistant Editor Terez Limer is leaving because her job has been eliminated. Soon to follow (by resignation; out of disgust over recent and foreshadowed changes, we hear) are veteran reporters Deborah Travers and Christopher J. Smith. Those departures revive suspicions that GreeneLand’s only daily newspaper will be folded into Columbia County’s Register-Star. Fortifying that forecast are these other events: the Coxsackie office was closed a few months back; amid growth in population and commerce, D.M. readers and revenues have continued to decline; GreeneLand content has been chopped even more (no Yesteryear column, no Karl Collection photo, no Ray Beecher column last Sunday); the paper’s new Executive Editor (Theresa Hyland) also is Executive Editor of what Hudsonians call the Rag-Star; and that publisher Roger Coleman has not responded to inquiry from Seeing Greene. THE LOSS. If The Daily Mail ceases to exist, we would lose, in addition to valuable information, our home-grown trove of sentences such as * “He [Greg Sager] is also pleased to be working alongside new Police Chief Dave Darling, who both share the same high standards for the police department in the community.” **“Actually, the lack of rain has been the single most complaint of the summer.” ***“Lipstein said Valentin had been repeatedly warned that he wanted to take down someone big in the police department.” **** “’We know first-hand this motivation is undertaking taken completely at the dispense of and without absolute disregard of our neighborhood, our safety, our health and the quality of our lives,’ said Kinneary.” ONGOING: “Lark in the Park,” a ten-day four-county celebration sponsored by the State Dept of Environmental Conservation and by many groups. It’s happening now. Hiking, pedaling, paddling, picture-taking, crafting, fly-casting, harvest-celebrating….. It’s well under way but to learn what’s left to see and/or join, punch www.catskillpark100.org. IMMINENT: Ginseng & Medicinal Herb Festival, from 10 am. Sunday, at Catskill Point. All you ever wanted to know about buying, cultivating and using gingseng, and about antler velvet & bee stings (arthritis relief) & herbal vinegars and potions & body mists & herbal teas &--get the idea? Sponsored by Cornell Co-operative Extension (Bob Beyfuss, 622-0820 or rlb14@cornell.edu), Greene County Tourism Promotion, & Heart of Catskill Assn (943-0989). AND THEN, from 5 pm. at the Brik Gallery (473 Main St, Catskill): a concert by Trilogy (Garfield Moore, cello; Richard Gordon, piano; Kathryn Kienko, violin) of works by Beethoven, Loeillet and Lalo. $10 donations (including wine and mixing) go to relief of hurricane victims. [This item is a late (Sunday, 10 am.) addition. It should have been here from the start] HAPPY BIRTHDAY to GreeneLand’s Arts Council, born 30 years ago at a meeting in what then was the home and shop (“Antiques & Eccentricities”) of Kay Stamer: historic Salisbury Manor in Leeds. And that’s where the event was celebrated Saturday night. About 110 “country chic”-clad revelers were given a tour of the stunning 1730-built manor house by the present owners, Hugh and Clementine Butts, assisted by their grown, charming, talented triplet daughters. Then we strolled to the capacious tent to dine (catering by Glen Sanders Mansion), to quaff, to hear short charming speeches, to dance (Glen Miller/Johnny Mercer-era music of the 16-piece Swing Docs—who are indeed doctors, as are their svelte vocalists) and to schmooze. In the words of one guest, referring to the soft light and the warmth of spirit, “It was like Tinker Bell was in the tent.” Many happy returns of the day. SEND-OFF. When dental hygienist Mary Cloke retired after many years of service in a GreeneLand practice, she decided that a good way to start her new life would be to head for a fetid, crime-ridden, poverty-plagued village in Guatemala. She chose to join one of the semi-annual expeditions organized by the Glens Falls Medical Mission. On October 21 she’ll fly south, with 45 volunteers and tons of supplies (medical stuff, book, toys, food), bound for the town of Nueva Santa Rosa. There the physicians, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists, optometrists, translators and all-terrain volunteers will put in a series of 12-hour work days in the eye clinic, women’s health clinic, pediatrics clinic, general medicine clinic, dental clinic, and so on. They are strongly advised to shun the local food and to go out only with armed escort. Many of them are returnees. They pay their own way. Mary’s expenses, though, are being covered by her erstwhile employers: Catalano, Leifer & Bruno of Catskill. That’s her chosen retirement party. RETURN. The historic Catskill building at Bridge & Franklin streets has gone back to the law. Built back in 1813, it was for nearly a century our County courthouse and the nerve center of GreeneLand government. For 80 years thereafter, it was a Masonic Temple and then the headquarters of Community Action. Now it’s the property and main office of Nancy and Ted Hilscher—eminently suitable custodians, since both are lawyers and Ted is a keen student of GreeneLand history. Come June 2006, we understand, the refurbished building will be part of the County Historical Society’s tour of Catskill sites. And Ted will be armed with stories about visits by generals Lafayette and Thumb (as in Tom) and by Martin Van Buren and Teddy Roosevelt, about phrenologists and octagonists and hangings and…. TWOFER. On a Wednesday (9/21), Maceo Jones, 52, was arrested, arraigned, and released on payment of $100 bail. He was charged with making criminal use of a Social Services Benefit card, namely, selling his $100 card for $35 to his sister. Then on Friday (9/23) he was riding in Catskill in a car driven by Victoria Arnold (aka Vicky Roe). The vehicle was stopped by a police officer who recognized Ms Arnold as the recipient of three active suspensions. When Jones was instructed to exit the car, along with Ms Arnold—he too had no valid driver’s license, so the car had to be towed away—he made a fuss about undergoing the customary pat-down. The ensuing proceedings occasioned his second arrest in two days. This time the charges included resisting arrest and being in possession criminally of an illegal substance, namely, crack cocaine. SQUATTERS. Two laborers who’d been working by day on the former Oren’s Furniture warehouse in Catskill decided to take up residence there by night. By means of multiple extension cords, according to police report, they installed a refrigerator, microwave and television set near their mattresses. After failing to heed instructions to vacate, Greg Blair, 39, and John F. Kormaru, 45, were arrested (9/21) on trespass charges. They were given tickets requiring them to appear on October 20th in Village Court. BUSY DAY. On a recent Sunday, GreeneLander Bert Coons won his flight in a club golf tournament, won the Seniors championship as well, and then went home to find his house engulfed in flames.