Sunday, December 24, 2006

On the Eve

RUMORED AND FALSE: * That Dunn Builders Supply’s Catskill operation is for sale. The sprawling creekside property is not for sale, says company president Steve Dunn. Retail business dwindled somewhat when Home Depot opened, and it may dwindle more with the advent of Lowes Home Improvement at Catskill Commons. That could prompt a termination of Saturday trade at Dunns. But business with contractors is flourishing, and it will continue to flourish amid the local building boom. The false rumor hurts business a bit, by making regular customers nervous about ongoing and future commitments. Could it be coming from competitors? *That the Freehold Country Inn has closed, owing to financial problems of purchaser Sophia Goshal. Unanticipated problems have been encountered, but the gracious, popular, restaurant is OPEN. *That a historic riverside estate, where a Republican bigwig lived for decades before the place passed on to Hillaryians, is on the market. Trust Seeing Greene on this. *That the Catskill Masons are moving from their present lodge on Route 9W. The “building for rent” sign at the bottom of the lodge’s driveway, along the highway, is just an invitation to rent the place (fully equipped kitchen & all) for special functions.

RECOMMENDED, by Human Events, the proudly “conservative” magazine, as one of 10 ideal Christmas-gift books: Strategery: How George Bush is Defeating Terrorism, Outwitting Democrats, and Confounding the Mainstream Media.

ESTIMATED: that $500,000 will be the likely cost, to Town of Catskill taxpayers, of adapting the former Auto Parts Unlimited building, at 82 West Bridge St, for use as ambulance service headquarters. That would in addition to the $425,000 acquisition cost. And that is why two Councilmen Robert Antonelli and Joseph Leggio have opposed the whole deal. And well might they wonder. The building already is plumbed, wired, heated, roofed, solid-boned. It contains office space, a kitchen, toilets, storage space, and garage space enough to house several ambulances. Here’s hoping that Mr Antonelli and Mr Leggio get assigned to supervising the renovation.

SENTENCED, to a State prison term of up to 51/2 years, for peddling crack cocaine: school teacher Jodi Parker, 29, of Broome St, Catskill.

SALUTED, by various commentators, and by The New York Times (12/14 editorial, “Congress and the Benefits of Sunshine”) for her decision to “post details of her work calendar on the Internet at the end of each day so that constituents can tell what she is actually doing for their money,” thereby attaining “a rare level of transparency”: GreeneLand’s U.S. Representative-elect, Kirsten Gillibrand. Meanwhile, the freshwoman has been appointed to the powerful Armed Services Committee of the House. She’ll take her seat after formal swearing-in as a new Congressperson on Jan. 6.. That will be preceded by a ceremonial swearing-in at the Columbia County courthouse on Jan. 2, with neighboring Representatives (and fellow Democrats) Mike McNulty and Maurice Hinchey in attendance.

ARRESTED, on suspicion of embezzling $45,000-plus from the Order of Red Men, while serving (so to speak) as treasurer of that lodge’s New York chapter: John Walde, 60, of Catskill. As reported in The Daily Mail (11/30; Andrea Macko), the fraternal Red Men take their name from the Sons of Liberty, who disguised themselves as Mohawks while perpetrating, in 1773, the Boston Tea Party.

REVOKED, following a long-delayed Department of Motor Vehicles hearing, at Columbia County courthouse, as required by law, for anyone who refuses to submit to a chemical test after being charged with driving while intoxicated, on Wednesday (12/20), as reported in The Daily Mail: the driver’s license of Greene County Sheriff Richard Hussey. That action is independent of the pending trial on the misdemeanor DWI indictment.

RUMORED: *That downtown Catskill will soon acquire a bookstore. *That a venerable, big, decayed Victorian mansion near Rams Horn/Livingston sanctuary will be converted into a Bird & Breakfast. *that a county legislator is waging a punitive campaign against people in his district who supported his opponent at the November 7th election (from signing the opponent’s petition to be placed on the ballot, to more active support). *that Bank of Greene County has scored a coup by hiring First Niagara’s star commercial loan officer. *that serious people, with serious backing, are seriously pursuing the project of making GreeneLand a citadel of the fine arts. Of performance and training. Summer long and beyond. At several sites. Seriously. *that the Big Boxes at Catskill Commons will be opened soon—Lowes on Saturday, Jan. 6, and Wal-Mart at 6 pm. on Thursday, Jan. 18. *that Catskill Commons shoppers will be offered free bus rides to downtown Catskill and back. *that, contrary to empirical meterological evidence, winter has not been canceled. So:

“Summer is gone! – the summer days are ended!” A voice mysterious struck my wakeful ear, As o’er the hills through the vales I wended. Rejoicing in the glory of the year.

* * Yes, they are gone! Summer and Autumn too! But shall I therefore sigh the winter through? Bears he no chaplet on his frosty brow? Unfading Ivy, thou dost surely know,

And faithful Evergreens, his temples bind; Pluck them, and cast thy sorrows to the wind! Beside the hearth, when winter winds are wild, Domestic peace, and love, and friendship mild,

Those evergreens shall bloom; they flourish best When by the storm heart nearer heart is prest. Wait God’s own seasons; it would be a curse, Perennial Summer: Winter is the nurse

Of Virtue: ‘tis the hour to intertwine Holy affections, and to look within The soul; to strive to win from Time A wreath that withers not by change of clime --Thomas Cole

*that “the day is upon us on which we commemorate the Birth of our Saviour. It is a blessed day to those whose lives are steadily in accordance with the teaching of Him who in lowliness and humility took upon himself our form and nature in order that we might live. God grant that if it is permitted me and mine to see another return of this day it will find us farther advanced in holiness than this day has found us.” --again, Thomas Cole.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

To all in my friends who remain in Catskill and beyond, a Merry and Blessed Christmas.

Anonymous said...

and mr may continues to help the boys cover things up

Anonymous said...

Why is it when I called the Freehold Country Inn I was told they were closed?

Anonymous said...

They were probally closed that day.

DUH!

GreeneLanders, You just got to luv them!

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know about a rumor that Real Life Imaging in Catskill is closing? Had read a few months ago the owners name in the Police Blotter about a Larceny charge. Havent' been able to find anything on the web except in Village of Catskill website notes that they selected his company for a service contract.

Anonymous said...

DUH! yourself, jackass. The person told me they were closed for good. Done, finished.

Anonymous said...

why does mr may keep deleting the comments in refernce to vincent seeley comitting "political suicide"
and sinking himself when he discussed his lawsuit on the front page of the daily mail??????

Seeley's not too smart is he?

Anonymous said...

Dick,

Did you read how Coxsackie Rescue closed its doors and turned over all its assets to the Town of Coxsackie! (Catskill Daily Mail)

Our volunteers served the community faithfully to the end and should be applauded because they did not try and steal our community's assets like Hose 1 did in Catskill!

What a difference 10 miles can make!

The rescue squad is moving forward without the extra baggage like Hose 1 has in Catskill with its Truck 3-11. What a joke they are trying to steal the communities assets and its really pathetic that the Catskill Village Board and its legal council allowed them to get away with it!

(Did anyone check to see if the fox was in the chicken coop before they sold out?)

In Coxsackie we follow the law and we benefit from it! We luv Catskills inbred, "mightier than thou" ignorance.

Thanks for the ladder truck, its new paint job looks great and it hasn't broke down once on us! T 5-7 serving the tax payers of Coxsackie for many years to come!!!! HA HA

We cant wait to buy truck 3-1 and 3-21! You can keep the old ETA rust buckets, since we plan to purchase a big super tanker to serve our communitys needs!

Happy new years to all.

Out with the old and in with the new!

Anonymous said...

O moustachioed one,
You're right, it was a hell of a year live and in review, even in GreeneCo, and more power to the grammar Nazis who remind us how to f'ing spell. It's important. Deal.
Hopefully, next year, 2007's big step will be learning to live alongside one another without bickering on blogs like children. Failing that, the bar fights should be very entertaining. Have fun.
Yours,
Igrewupinclimax

Anonymous said...

Sorry Dick. You're wrong on this one. We, too, were turned away from the Freehold Country Inn. I had reservatons for 8, heard the rumor so decided to call for myself. A very unkind female told my they were closed and offered no apology for not calling us. I understand if they have problems, but a call to those who hold reservations and an apology for inconviniences would be appropriate. We won't go back.