| News That Matters
Brought to you by PlanPutnam.Org Good Friday Morning,
And a beautiful one it is. Crisp and cool and the colors...!
There are 76 Shop Putnam Days left before Christmas but I'm warning you:
Don't waste your time indoors this weekend!
This is going to be a fine year to watch the trees turn. You can do that this weekend at some of the numerous outdoor events going on around the region, at the Collaborative Concepts Mid-Show Reception on Sunday (see below) for example. The views from the top of the hill at Saunder's Farm are spectacular and the weather promises to be sweet.
But you can go off on your own, investigating the back country here in the Highlands. Get off the beaten path and take a bushwhack hike over land to rarely visited places. But be cautious: it's hunting season out there now so unless you're wearing blaze orange stick to the State Parks where hunting is not allowed. DEP and DEC lands will be busy this weekend as hunters come up from downstate, beer and rum and cokes and guns in hand.
 Here's a few safe(r) choices for you:
You can wander around Wonder Lake State Park on the Kent and Patterson town lines.
A moderate 6 mile loop hike to Round Hill off Route 9 in Philipstown rewards you with some fine views.
A two mile (out and back) walk to a gazebo with a great view on Candlewood Hill in Putnam Valley.
If you need additional choices, visit PlanPutnam's Outdoor Recreation Guide here. It's chock full of interesting natural places in the Highlands. Some entires have maps and extensive pictures, some have natural resource inventories and others have full descriptions of suggested hikes available. It's a great resource and is the most visited page by outsiders to PlanPutnam.
Whatever you choose to do, turn off the blasted boob tube and get outside! Mark my words, if you don't, you're going to be wishing you had come the first crappy weekend.
One last thing: I'm not the Amazing Randi so if you're having an event you'd like noted here you have to tell me about it!
Tonight
There's a private party tonight for Putnam's most famous heavy punk band, They Hate Us. Maybe I'll tell you all about it on Monday.
Saturday
If you're up for a hike from 10 AM to Noon, join Lynn Bowdery, naturalist and WVLT Land Steward, for an easy to moderate walk through the special Pastyik property -- a 95 Acre preserved parcel in Shawangunk with wonderful beaver pond, woods, fields, and marshes -- appropriate for children and families, teens, and adults. Explore ecologically rich areas of three distinct environments: hayfield, woods, and pond with extensive wetlands. Paths and some bushwhacking. For reservations and directions call Wallkill Valley Land Trust 845-255-2761 Refreshments will be served.
Arts on the Lake's latest Art Show continues this weekend, Sat – Mon (Columbus Day), 1-5 pm all three days. For those whose weekends may be over-scheduled, they are experimenting with evening hours on Wednesday, October 15, 7-9 pm. The final day of the exhibit will be next Saturday, October 18, from 1-5 pm. There's some amazing art there... The Collaborative Concepts Outdoor Art Show is still going on at Saunder's Farm in Philipstown. (Old Post Road and Highland Road) This day finds the mid-show reception from 2PM until 6PM. Expect live music, beautiful weather and a stunning view of pastel tinted hillsides as a background for some truly fun art. I'll be there working the reception tent so make sure to stop by and say "hello"!
The Putnam Arts Council's 46th Annual Fine Arts Exhibition is ongoing at Tilly Foster Farms on Route 312 in Southeast. Hours are 1-4 PM on Saturday (closed on Sundays). The exhibition runs through October 25th.
Join Mike Latini and ACT III at Daniel J's on Route 22 at the foot of Thunder Ridge starting about 9PM and running until... Great Music, Great Food. Please come and share the evening.
At 7:30 pm hear Sharon Katz & The Peace Train at the Walkabout Clearwater Coffeehouse in the Memorial United Methodist Church, 250 Bryant Ave, White Plains - Audience songfest at 6:45 pm. $20 at door / $17.50 on line / children 6-12 $10/ $15 student ID. Advance Tickets at www.walkaboutclearwater.org
Sunday
Explore the Putnam County Land Trust's Laurel Ledges Preserve at 11 AM
Join Dodd Chahroudi (845 878-6869) to explore the new acreage, trails, and bridges in this beautiful preserve. From the heights it is possible to view the Great Swamp and Pine Island to the north, Cranberry Mountain to the east and Mendel's Pond and Cornwall Hill Road to the south. Rock formations, old mountain laurels, and beautiful views await. Directions: From Route 164 turn onto Cornwall Hill Road. Go 8/10 of a mile and turn right onto Couch Road. Continue for 4/10 of a mile to parking area for preserve on the right.
Riverkeeper's Third Annual New York Water Fest takes place today from 8AM to 6PM
Enjoy Water City with music, food, tents; Big Apple Splash raft flotilla, Kayak Poker Run, Floating Meditation, kayak lessons, and more. Riverkeeper. North Cove Marina, NYC. Teresa Walsh 914-478-4501 x 243. For more info, visit www.nywaterfest.org
Into the Future
Monday, October 13 (Columbus Day)
The Garrison Arts Center is hosting an Open House this Columbus Day from noon until 5 PM. You can find the Arts Center on the river side of the Garrison train station. Tell them PlanPutnam sent you.
Wednesday, October 15
8th Annual Southeast New York Stormwater Conference at Dutchess Manor, Route 9D, Beacon; hosted by the Lower Hudson Coalition Conservation District (LHCCD). Contact Jennifer Lusk, District Secretary Dutchess County Soil & Water Conservation District, 845.677.8011 ext. 3, jennifer.lusk@ny.usda.gov , www.dutchessswcd.org
Radiant Floor Heat for Home Builders 6:30 to 9:30 pm, Learn about installation methods, applications and equipment in radiant heating systems, SUNY Ulster, BRC, Kingston, Register at 845-339-2025, www.sunyulster.edu, $39
Thursday, October 16
10am-12:30pm Ranger led hike to Mount Beacon, Beacon, (Dutchess County) Join a Scenic Hudson ranger for a strenuous 3 miles hike to the top of Mount Beacon. Contact: Anthony Coneski 845 473 4440 ex 273 www.scenichudson.org/events
Saturday October 18
Hawk Watch on Fishkill Ridge,a Scenic Hudson Fall Outing from 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. While hawks and falcons soar overhead, enjoy spectacular views and challenging rock scrambles during this five-mile trek across Fishkill Ridge to a magnificent view of Mount Beacon. MEETING PLACE: Parking lot at Fishkill Ridge. Sunnyside Road, Fishkill. PLEASE BRING: clothing appropriate for weather, sturdy, closed toed shoes, (hiking boots or similar) Binoculars, water and a snack, but no pets, please. Event will be held rain or shine.
Thursday October 23
Hudson River Fish Advisory Outreach Project
Newburgh from 9:30 - 11:30 AM at the Quality Inn, 90 Route 17K Newburgh NY 12550 and in Poughkeepsie from 2 - 4 PM in the Community Room of the Galleria Mall
New York State Department of Health invites you to participate in the Hudson River Fish Advisory Outreach Project community meetings. In October 2008, NYSDOH is hosting meetings at a number of locations along the Hudson to discuss the project and opportunities for grant assistance.
The Hudson River Fish Advisory Outreach project is a multi-year initiative of the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). The goal of the project is for all anglers and others who eat fish from the Hudson River to know about and follow the New York State fish advisories. The project area extends from Hudson Falls to the New York City Battery.
For more information on the Hudson River Fish Advisory Outreach project,
please click here:
NYSDOH wants to build partnerships to promote outreach on the Hudson River Fish Advisory. In addition to outreach at the state level, we want to work in partnership with local agencies and other groups that
share our goal.
One aspect of the project will be a small grants program. We hope the "mini-grants" will encourage partner organizations to propose innovative ideas that come from their understanding of local people and their customs.
We are reaching out to potential partner organizations and will update the website site soon with the flyers for the community partner meetings. Please check the website, or join our outreach partner list through hrfa@health.state.ny.us
October 28, 2008
11:30am-1pm, Cornerstone Park, 1 Fair Street, Carmel
Share your ideas about improving transportation for seniors, people with disabilities and low income New Yorkers. An upcoming Community Planning Workshop Will Help Prioritize Spending
New York (10/6/08) – Millions of federal grant dollars will become available in New York City, Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley for community transportation services for older adults, people with disabilities and low income individuals. As part of its efforts to determine priorities for these funds, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) will hold a series of community workshops to seek public input as it updates its coordinated human services transportation plan, and to discuss available funds through the Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC), New Freedom and 5310 vehicles programs. The workshops are open on a come as you can basis during the hours listed.
NYMTC is an association of governments, transportation providers and environmental agencies that is a collaborative forum for regional transportation planning in New York City, Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley.
Joel Ettinger, executive director of NYMTC, said “These community planning workshops will allow us to hear directly from the people who provide – and the people who use – coordinated human transportation services. We want to ensure that Federal dollars are going to provide services where and when they are needed, and that seniors, people with disabilities and low income New Yorkers are able to get where they need to go, when they need to go there.”
For more information or to view the October 23, 2008 webcast, please visit www.NYMTC.org.
November 1
Tree Planting -- Hudson Highlands Gateway Park from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Protect the Hudson River watershed – help Scenic Hudson plant 300 native trees and shrubs provided through the DEC Hudson River Estuary Program’s Trees for Tribs initiative, which works to restore lands along tributaries, reducing erosion and improving water quality. Meet at the Doris Lee Drive entrance. Bring gloves, shovels and drinking water. Participants are not required to stay the full four hours. MEETING PLACE: Parking lot at Hudson Highlands Gateway Park on Sprout Brook Road in Corrlandt. Rte. 9 north, 0.5 miles past Annsville Circle. Right on Roa Hook Rd. Straight on Sprout Brook Rd. Right into parking area for Sprout Creek baseball fields. | |
