News That Matters - August 31, 2009

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Good Monday Morning, In an op-ed piece this morning in the NYJN, State Assemblyman Greg Ball (NY99) calls for health care reform that mirrors what has been proposed in HR3200 almost word for word. What? Wasn't he running all over the place leading mobs of the misinformed and decrying "socialized medicine", warning about the coming apocalypse? Indeed. No, no, no. I'm down on the Assemblyman (other than wishing he'd get some legislation passed in Albany or, you know, something that has to do with being an Assemblyman), I'm just jealous that as a campaigner I don't have the golden touch that he has ~ the ability to confuse and befuddle voters into believing their bread is equally buttered on both sides. Sheriff Donald Smith has released a report claiming Putnam County is the second safest county in the State of New York and the safest in the Hudson Valley. At last I checked we still have incumbent politicians and so I'm not so sure his numbers are correct. Still, it's nice to know the only safer place in NY is Hamilton County up in the 'daks with a population of a mere 5000 people, most of whom are, no doubt, related. Here's the chart: Website Watch: Font Capture: At fontcapture.com you can create a font from your very own handwriting. There's no software to download and install, all you need is a printer and a scanner. Simply fill in the font template, scan and upload it to their website, and download your completed font. The fonts you create using fontcapture.com can be used on both Windows and Mac computers. Culture Watch: What happens when you mix a live performance with soprano Kristin Chenoweth, alto Patti Lupone, tenor Paul Groves(!) and baritone Sir Thomas Allen with the New York Philharmonic conducted by Marin Alsop and toss them all together into the middle of a Voltaire classic directed by Lonny Price? You get a concert version of Leonard Bernstein's "Candide" good enough to convince you that opera, at least spoofs on opera, are true entertainment worth gathering the family and setting aside two hours for some knock-your-socks-off entertainment. Just watching Chenoweth toy with "Glitter and be Gay" is the worth the price of the Netflix rental alone and Groves' long, lingering notes are, as a friend of mine would say, "to die for". After viewing the DVD you will agree that this was the best of all possible worlds. And now, The News: Putnam seeks state's OK to build Kent senior center Putnam sheriff, Carmel candidates meet for issues forum Former Richwood (LA) mayor released on bond from OCC What’s Next, Sidewalk Tolls? Area residents rally for national healthcare plan The Kennedys paid for Greg Ball's (AD-99) health care Botanist’s aim: revive New York ecosystems Study Warns of ‘Energy Sprawl’ Some Buildings Not Living Up to Green Label Bacteria Desalinate Water, Generate Power Putnam seeks state's OK to build Kent senior center Michael Risinit mrisinit@lohud.com KENT - Putnam County's plan to build a senior center off Ludingtonville Road in Kent is awaiting the permission of the state Legislature. The approximately 1.6 wooded acres where the center would sit, next to Drew Lake and near Interstate 84, is designated as parkland. By law, county-owned public parkland can't be used for other purposes unless the state Legislature signs off. The Putnam Legislature recently passed a resolution to formally ask state lawmakers for that permission - one of the few remaining steps before a groundbreaking could be held, possibly as soon as this year. Read More Putnam sheriff, Carmel candidates meet for issues forum Ernie Garcia elgarcia@lohud.com MAHOPAC - Candidates for Carmel supervisor, Town Board and Putnam County sheriff spent three hours yesterday talking to voters about their goals if elected or returned to office. Ten candidates assembled in Temple Beth Shalom's Max L. Shulman Meeting Room to describe their visions for the county and the town. They responded to attendees' questions about increasing levels of crime and drunken driving, building development, traffic congestion, open government and illegal immigration, among other topics. Putnam County Sheriff Don Smith said that he has increased drunken-driving enforcement, which gives the appearance that more people are driving drunk. In fact, he said, Putnam County has New York's second-lowest county crime rate. Read More Former Richwood (LA) mayor released on bond from OCC By Zack Southwell zsouthwell@monroe.gannett.com Former Richwood Mayor Ed Harris surrendered to Ouachita Parish deputies Wednesday and was booked into the Ouachita Correctional Center on a malfeasance in office charge. Following the indictment, Judge Carl Sharp issued an arrest warrant Tuesday for Harris, who was given 24 hours to surrender to authorities. Harris, 67, of 2813 Robinson St., Richwood, was released on a $1,000 bond. A Ouachita Parish grand jury indicted Harris on Tuesday. The indictment stems from payments the mayor made to some city employees and himself during the last hours of his administration in June 2008. Read More What’s Next, Sidewalk Tolls? By DAVID KOCIENIEWSKI Kelsey Graham and his wife were on their way to Lincoln Center when they decided that à la carte government had gone too far. For years, the Grahams had driven from their home in Nyack, N.Y., availed themselves of the free weekend parking at the Tarrytown train station, then taken the train into Manhattan. But this spring, the village of Tarrytown began charging nonresidents $8 to park on Yankee Stadium game days — a fee that startled, and infuriated, the Grahams. “It’s ridiculous — we’re supposed to keep track of when the Yankees are playing?” said Mr. Graham. “Every time you turn around, the government is charging you for something. It’s just another way to nickel and dime people.” His lament is hardly unique. With the economy floundering and tax revenues falling, governments and public authorities have tried to patch holes in their tattered budgets by charging new or higher fees for a broad range of services — including taking a civil service exam and operating a nuclear power plant. The purpose of the many microcharges is to help avoid, or at least limit, broader tax increases. But with escalating fees for things like tanning bed inspections, pistol permits and marriage certificates, daily life can start to seem like a labyrinth of public-sector panhandlers. There are increased payments required from cradle (birth certificates) to grave (plots in municipal cemeteries); in the workplace (licenses for private investigators, lifeguards and tax preparers) and at leisure spots (entrances to parks and public golf courses). Read More Area residents rally for national healthcare plan TOWN OF WALLKILL – People came from Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties Sunday afternoon to line up on the entrance road to the Galleria mall in the Town of Wallkill in a rally to support the proposed national healthcare plan. Theresa Dickson of New Paltz said as far as she is concerned, it is the one concept that will work to fund health care in the US today. “It is the best thing on the table and when all the other ideas are wrenched, then they will based on single payer and I think they will go for it,” she said. Read More The Kennedys paid for Greg Ball's (AD-99) health care by: cliffweathers Sun Aug 30, 2009 at 13:20:39 PM EDT Not only has Republican Assembly member Greg Ball (who's running for Congress against Democrat John Hall in NY-19) been getting government-paid, single-payer health care for most of his adult life via the Air Force and now the State Assembly, he also fondly recalls how the Kennedy family paid for his health care when he was a child. >From the article in Hindu Business Line a publication in India: Ball narrates an incident from his childhood that sowed the seeds for his passion. "My godmother was personal secretary to Joseph Kennedy, the father of Jack Kennedy. As an infant I had cat-scratch fever, and Jean Kennedy- Smith, Jack Kennedy's sister, asked my parents to take me to a hospital. When my parents said they couldn't afford it, she said she would take care of everything. And, within five minutes, there were 10 doctors around me. I think those little interactions that I had as a kid with that family in particular showed me how well power could be used." He feels that people should use their abilities to impact others positively, because there is both good and evil in this world. "Evil exists, and we have to fight it at every turn." I must say, what a compassionate clan the Kennedy family has been, and despite their wealth they took it upon themselves to care for a small baby who was, at the very best, tenuously connected to them. And this interaction with the Kennedy family taught Ball to demonize a healthcare system with a public-option? I'm not sure how such compassion teaches someone to be so selfish and uncaring. Read More Botanist’s aim: revive New York ecosystems By Moises Velasquez-Manoff  |  Staff Writer of The Christian Science Monitor/ September 11, 2008 edition Paul Mankiewicz, a biologist, botanist, and erstwhile philosopher, has a vision for New York City. He calls it “zero discharge”: Not a drop of water should escape from the city without first making something grow. Rainwater should be caught and used to cultivate greenery. “Gray water” from showers, baths, and sinks should irrigate rooftop gardens. Trees dotting streets are good, but a belt of grasses and shrubs lining roadways would better catch and utilize runoff. Restored wetlands around the city would filter any water that escapes. All water entering the city should pass through a natural system on its way out. “What you have to do is bring the land to life,” he says. “Our footprint is not an abode for life. It’s the opposite; it’s sterile.” Read More Study Warns of ‘Energy Sprawl’ By Kate Galbraith The Associated Press Biodiesel made from soybeans, the burning of energy crops to create electricity, and ethanol production have the highest “sprawl” potential, a study finds. A paper published on Tuesday by the Nature Conservancy predicts that by 2030, energy production in the United States will occupy a land area larger than Minnesota — in large part owing to the pursuit of domestic clean energy. “Saving energy saves land. There’s a real link there.” — Robert McDonald The Nature Conservancy The authors call it “energy sprawl” — a term meant to draw attention to habitat destruction, and to warn that biofuels in particular will take up substantial amounts of land. “There’s a good side and a bad side of renewable production,” said Robert McDonald, a Nature Conservancy scientist and one of the authors, in a telephone interview. Read More Some Buildings Not Living Up to Green Label By MIREYA NAVARRO The Federal Building in downtown Youngstown, Ohio, features an extensive use of natural light to illuminate offices and a white roof to reflect heat. It has LEED certification, the country’s most recognized seal of approval for green buildings. But the building is hardly a model of energy efficiency. According to an environmental assessment last year, it did not score high enough to qualify for the Energy Star label granted by the Environmental Protection Agency, which ranks buildings after looking at a year’s worth of utility bills. The building’s cooling system, a major gas guzzler, was one culprit. Another was its design: to get its LEED label, it racked up points for things like native landscaping rather than structural energy-saving features, according to a study by the General Services Administration, which owns the building. Read More Bacteria Desalinate Water, Generate Power Eric Bland, Discovery News   Aug. 25, 2009 -- Bacteria can be used to turn dirty salt water into electricity and drinkable water, according to new research from scientists at Penn State University and Tsinghua University. The research presents a new spin on microbial fuel cells, which have been used in the past to produce electricity or store it as hydrogen or methane gas. "The idea of a microbial fuel cell is based on taking organic waste and turning it into a source of energy," said Bruce Logan, a scientist at Penn State and co-author of a paper in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. "In this newest discovery, we figured we would desalinate water by modifying the electricity generated by the bacteria." The researchers start with a cup full of water from a pond or other natural source. Among the millions of microbes in the sample, some of the bacteria (scientists haven't identified the specific species) will naturally produce electrons and protons inside their cells and transport them outside themselves. Other bacteria scavenge those free electrons and protons and use them as fuel to create hydrogen, methane or other chemicals, which can serve as energy sources. Read More	Sign up to have News That Matters Delivered to your email inbox! Email: Support Our Sponsors! Joe Greico's Out On A Limb All types of tree work, all aspects of lawn maintenance, snow plowing, lot clearing, excavation, retaining walls, stump grinding. 82 Hortontown Rd. Kent Cliffs, NY 10512 greico@verizon.net T- (914)224-3049 F- (845)231-0815 TaconicArts.com Interior/Exterior House Painting by someone you can trust. (845) 225-2104 jeff@taconicarts.com
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News That Matters - August 28, 2009 - Things to Do Edition

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Good Friday Morning, I'm sorry we're late this morning but campaigning takes more time than you could imagine. When you're working on a shoestring budget creativity kicks in and well, creativity takes time - especially if you want to get it right. Winter is coming on believe it or not and now is the time to begin weatherizing your home against the cold and to protect your pocketbook from what should be pretty expensive heating costs. Over the next few weeks I'll be including some common-sense tips on what you should be doing now to get your place in shape. But one important and often over looked project is to refinish the outside of your home. Believe it or not, a good house painter will take the time to secure the outside of your home, re-caulk windows and doors and tighten up the external structure. If you're living in an older home an investment in a good exterior paint job could save you money this winter. Oh, and unless you have a very special exterior situation, don't let anyone spray the house. It does not give a solid finish and makes everything look like, well, it's been sprayed. Last night the Summer Concert Series at the Lake Carmel Cultural Center finished its inaugural season with Vaneese Thomas, soul and R&B singer. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of R&B legend Rufus Thomas, Vaneese has cultivated her own style by blending all the influences of her background-R&B, gospel, blues and jazz. Regarded by many industry insiders as an accomplished performer, songwriter, producer, and actress, Vaneese is above all, a vocalist extraordinaire! And, combined with a most excellent band, she had the Lake hopping and the crowd dancing. It was a fine completion to a successful series produced by Kent's own Kati Mac. The annual Tour de Putnam comes careening into Putnam County tomorrow (Saturday). It's going to be a wet one as tropical disturbance Danny works his way up the coast. Expect rain this afternoon and into tomorrow but Sunday looks to be warm and tropical as the storm pulls north and east and away from us. It's getting to be harvest time and you're going to see local corn at the farmer's markets you've been shopping at all summer long. A quick, easy way top prepare the corn is to simply cut off the ends with a sharp knife and remove just a few of the outer husks leaving the bulk on the corn then put the ear in the microwave and heat for 60 seconds. When you take out the corn strip away the rest of the husks (Beware! The cob will be much hotter than you think!) and silk and enjoy. This leaves the sugars intact and the kernels crunchy. As well, corn is best within a few hours of being picked so shop wisely. The Dutchess County Fair finishes its 2009 season at the County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck this weekend. Hours are 10AM - 10PM. Admission is $12 and worth every penny. Where else can you find an entire midway full of stomach churning rides powered by bio-diesel? If you've not ever been to the DC Fair, I really encourage you to make the 45 minute trip up the Taconic to see this event. You will not only be impressed by its size, scope and reach but you'll become an instant fan and will return year after year. And no, I don't work for the fair but I've been there and am now a convert. I'll be up there on Sunday afternoon and you should be too. At 4PM on Sunday you will not want to miss the Rooster Crowing and Chicken Clucking contest in the Livestock Pavilion. Trust me on this. No, I'm not in it, I'll leave that for other candidates, but it is fun. If you don't see your organization's event listed here there's a simple reason: you didn't tell me. Send your events a week or so in advance to: jeff@planputnam.org. Please, do not write it out in ALL CAPS SINCE I HAVE TO REWRITE IT AND ODDS ARE I'M NOT GOING TO since it's a pain in the ass and no one can read ALL CAPS anyway. I know, I know, you think ALL CAPS draws attention. It does, but not the positive attention you're seeking. As well, please remember to *type out your notice* since I cannot pull your copy from a graphic image. Include prices (and I get comped, right?), dates, times, and most important, contact information. Tonight: Arm-of-the-Sea Theater Quadricentennial Celebration Saturday: Clearing Fishkill Creek for New Water Trail – Volunteers needed! Home Garden Vegetable Swap Mozart's Requiem Sing-Along Small Potatoes Maggie Seligman at the Clinton Art and Music Festival Sunday: Summer Concert Series at the Old Southeast Church Tour De Putnam Bicycle Ride Into the Future: Tuesday, September 1 Southeast Candidate's Forum Friday, September 4 The Bereznak Brothers Band September 5-7, 12-13, 19-20, & 26-27, 2009 2009 Hudson River Valley Ramble Wednesday, September 23 Fall Art Classes Tonight: Arm-of-the-Sea Theater Quadricentennial Celebration 6:00PM - Habirshaw Park on the Hudson. Arm-of-the-Sea Theater Quadricentennial Celebration in Yonkers, Westchester County –Take advantage of a great opportunity to learn about the history and ecology of the Hudson River with educators from the Beczak Environmental Education Center. Then sit back and enjoy a special performance of “Mutual Stranger: Henry Hudson & the River that Discovered Him” by the exciting Arm-of-the-Sea Theater. Contact Anthony Coneski, 845 473 4440 Ext. 273, www.scenichudson.org/events. Saturday: Clearing Fishkill Creek for New Water Trail – Volunteers needed! Members of the MidHudson Chapter of the Adirondack Mtn. Club (ADK) and the Fishkill Creek Watershed Committee are carrying out plans to open a canoe and kayak trail on the Fishkill Creek.  The new water trail will provide a superb recreational resource, and will be nearly 5 miles long and include portions of the creek from Rte. 9 in the Village of Fishkill to Glenham, with the possibility of extending from Hopewell Junction to Fishkill.  It is essentially an easy moving-water route, with the exception of the couple of miles between Brinckerhoff and Rt. 9, which has some Class I rapids (which could easily be avoided if desired).  To prepare the establishment of the water trail, organizers are planning two creek clearing days, August 29th and Sept. 12th.  Volunteers are needed!  No particular skills are needed.  For more information or to register, please contact Russ Faller at 845-297-5126 or russoutdoors@yahoo.com. Home Garden Vegetable Swap 9 am - 11 am at Tilly Foster Farm 100 Route 312, Brewster, NY. Got Zucchini or Corn? Need Cucumbers or Beets? Bring the fruits and vegetables from your garden and trade them for produce from someone else's garden. No buying, no selling, just trading Home grown vegetables and fruits only. Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators and Master Gardener Volunteers will be on hand to answer your gardening questions and share important gardening news. Sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County. For information about the Swap call 845-278-6738 www.cce.cornell.edu/putnam Mozart's Requiem Sing-Along 7:30 PM - Join the Putnam Chorale and an orchestra for a sing-along of Mozart's Requiem at the First United Methodist Church on Main Street in Brewster. Directed by Douglas Anderson - Free Admission. Bring your own score or borrow one. Food, socializing and music! Info at: (845) 279-7265 or http://www.putnamchorale.org Small Potatoes 8 PM - The Blue Horse Repertory Company presents a special reading of "Small Potatoes" a play by Bob Rogers. Greed and stupidity jump track in a small town not unlike our own. Directed by Peggity Price, the cast includes Dan Anderson, Brad Bellamy, Julien Broughton, Paul Coleman, Lora Lee Ecobelli, Susanna Hay, Ryan Katzer, Brian Keeler, Robert Stoeckle, Becky Yamamoto and Nancy Johnston. General Admission: $12 ($10 for AotL members). Reservations may be made by email: rsvp@artsonthelake.org. Maggie Seligman at the Clinton Art and Music Festival Clinton, NY - Maggie will be playing at two venues--at 1 and at 4.  Come on up, down, all around, to participate in this wonderful event.  It would be good to see friends--plus, plenty of other fine artists in performance. If you know anyone looking for a great CD, please recommend mine--"Rubato."  It's available now in two places, from www.cdbaby.com and from http://shop.melodicrevolution.com Sunday: Summer Concert Series at the Old Southeast Church 3PM - The Bearcats Jazz Band will play again this year at the Old Southeast Church on August 30th at 3 PM. One of the Northeast's favorite Jazz and Swing bands, The Bearcats were formed in 1977 by Joe Hanlon, cornet and leader of the band, for the purpose of preserving one of America's national treasures - traditional jazz - and to enjoy doing it.  The members of the BEARCATS are devoted and skilled musicians with a style firmly rooted in the New Orleans tradition and a flair also for the variations known as Chicago and West Coast. If you saw them in the past you enjoyed yourself and hopefully we will see you again this year! $15/adult, children are free. Tour De Putnam Bicycle Ride Veteran's Memorial Park (Starting and Finishing Point) Gipsy Trail Rd, Kent, NY 10512 DOWNLOAD PDF APPLICATION Designed by cyclists for cyclists. You may choose from 15, 30, 50,75, 100 mile routes and Mountain Bike loops. All routes travel through beautiful and historic Putnam County. We offer: - Full SAG support - Clearly marked, color coded routes - Easy to follow cue sheets - Bike mechanics courtesy of Bikeway (845) 621-2800 - Route sweeps - Medical support - Complimentary massages - Access from the Southeast Station, on Metro-North’s "Harlem Line" call 1-800-METRO-INFO for schedule - Free Shuttle service from the Southeast Station with (reservations only), call 800-470-4854 or 845-225-0381 Times Check in and same day registration 7:30 to 9:00 am. Food and water stations are open from 8:30 - 3:00 pm Ride Start time - 100 miles,  8 to 9 am - 75 miles,  8 to 9 am - 50 miles,   8:30 to 9:30 am - 30 miles,   8:30 to 9:30 am - 15 miles,   9:00 to 10:00 am - Mountain Bike loops   9:30 am Fees Pre-registration $25.00 Same day registration $30.00 Registration includes t-shirt, picnic lunch, and Dixieland band. No children under 12. No bike trailers or child seats. (Photo by Marty Collins) Into the Future: Tuesday, September 1 Southeast Candidate's Forum Concerned Residents of Southeast has scheduled a Candidates Forum on Tuesday, September 1st at 7:30. This debate will be held in the community room at United Cerebral Palsy at 15 Mt. Ebo Rd, off Doansburg Road. Friday, September 4 The Bereznak Brothers Band 9 PM - Towne Crier Cafe in Pawling, NY for a special labor day extravaganza on Friday, September 4th. We have been asked to split the night with some friends of ours who are known as Kinney & Storms. This will be an awesome evening of music. The Show starts at 9pm sharp and is only $15 if you reserve your tickets in advance.  Please make an effort to come out for this event if you can. We will be debuting a few new songs and giving you even more of a "blow your doors off" show than before. We will have CD's for sale and bumper stickers to hand out. Truthfully, you don't want to miss this show!!! September 5-7, 12-13, 19-20, & 26-27, 2009 2009 Hudson River Valley Ramble The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, Hudson River Valley Greenway and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River Estuary Program is encouraging residents of the Hudson Valley and beyond to get ready for the Tenth Annual Hudson River Valley Ramble, scheduled weekends through September.  Nearly 300 events for the 2009 Hudson River Valley Ramble have been posted on the Ramble website so be sure to visit www.hudsonrivervalley.com/ramble to find an event near you!  Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy guided walking, hiking, kayaking and biking experiences, estuary explorations and historic site tours that highlight the significant historical, cultural and natural resources found throughout the Hudson River Valley.   This year, the 2009 Hudson Fulton Champlain Quadricentennial Commission has partnered with the National Heritage Area and the Historic House Trust of New York City to inaugurate the state’s first ever New York Heritage Weekend which will be held during the second weekend of the Ramble, September 12-13.  During this special weekend, museums, historical societies, heritage areas, historic places, parks, and recreation areas of the Hudson and Champlain valleys will welcome visitors free of charge or at significantly reduced rates for exploration and participation in special events.  Heritage Weekend event listings can be found on the Ramble website or by visiting www.heritageweekend.org.   For more information on the Hudson River Valley Ramble, see  http://www.hudsonrivervalleyramble.com/home.aspx Location:  Throughout the Hudson Valley Wednesday, September 23 Fall Art Classes The Putnam Arts Council is pleased to present the new schedule of art classes for all ages and ability levels. Bring out the artist in you and your family. Watercolor, oil or acrylic painting classes for adults at beginner to advanced levels, pottery for adults and kids, and printmaking are offered as well as a new Saturday drawing and painting  class called “ Famous Artists for Kids”. Also new this fall, a full schedule of ballet instruction will be offered for students from pre-school to adult. In October and November, adults will want to try outdoor (plein air) painting workshops utilizing the beautiful Tilly Foster landscape in fall colors. There will also be one-time workshops in painting critiques, monotype prints, understanding abstract art and stoneware bowl/tray making for all levels including  complete beginners. Registration is now open, so don’t delay.  www.putnamartscouncil.com or (845) 278-0230 for details, schedule, and registration.	Sign up to have News That Matters Delivered to your email inbox! Email: Support Our Sponsors! Joe Greico's Out On A Limb All types of tree work, all aspects of lawn maintenance, snow plowing, lot clearing, excavation, retaining walls, stump grinding. 82 Hortontown Rd. Kent Cliffs, NY 10512 greico@verizon.net T- (914)224-3049 F- (845)231-0815 TaconicArts.com Interior/Exterior House Painting by someone you can trust. (845) 225-2104 jeff@taconicarts.com
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Vaneese Thomas - Tonight at Arts on the Lake

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Vaneese Thomas Women of Soul R & B Thursday, August 27, 6-8 pm. The Lake Carmel Cultural Center's Summer Concert Series finishes its first season with Vaneese Thomas, renowned blues and soul singer. The show takes place indoors or outdoors (depending on the weather) and tickets are available at the Arts on the Lake website. http://www.artsonthelake.org The show starts at 6PM and you should be there!  From Segue Records:     Born in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of R&B legend Rufus Thomas, Vaneese Thomas has cultivated her own style by blending all the influences of her background-R&B, gospel, blues and jazz. Regarded by many industry insiders as an accomplished performer, songwriter, producer, and actress, Vaneese is above all…a vocalist extraordinaire!     Vaneese has worked with an array of internationally known performers including Sting, Luciano Pavarotti, Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Gloria Estefan, Marc Anthony, Chaka Kahn, Luther Vandross, Joe Cocker, k.d. lang, Jonathan Butler, Jewel, Celine Dion, Joan Osborne, Annie Lennox and Patti Austin. Vaneese has produced recordings, created vocal arrangements, and/or written songs for Austin as well as Freddie Jackson, Bob James, Larry Coryell and Melba Moore.     In 1987 Geffen Records released Vaneese, which included the Top Ten R&B hit, "Let's Talk It Over," followed by Many Voices in 1993. Vaneese's movie soundtrack credits include Mighty Aphrodite (1995), The First Wives Club (1996), and the Oscar-nominated, Seraglio (2000), among others. In 1995, Diana Ross scored a Top Ten hit in the UK with "One Shining Moment," a song written by Vaneese. In 1999, Vaneese's When My Back's Against The Wall, a gospel/crossover record, was released on her own Peaceful Waters Music label. Billboard Magazine hailed the record as, "A small label masterpiece that begs for attention from savvy majors."     From 1990 to 1996, Vaneese appeared as Grace the Bass on the PBS series Shining Time Station, and in 1997 was recruited to be the singing/speaking voice of Clio, Goddess of History, in the Disney production Hercules. Her other TV appearances include the Late Show With David Letterman, Late Night With Conan O'Brien, The Rosie O'Donnell Show and NBC's Today.     Discover Vaneese Thomas's 2003 recording A Woman's Love and you'll know immediately that Vaneese is an exciting and multi-talented artist who sings it like she feels it, with heart, soul and effortless grace.	Sign up to have News That Matters Delivered to your email inbox! Email: Support Our Sponsors! Joe Greico's Out On A Limb All types of tree work, all aspects of lawn maintenance, snow plowing, lot clearing, excavation, retaining walls, stump grinding. 82 Hortontown Rd. Kent Cliffs, NY 10512 greico@verizon.net T- (914)224-3049 F- (845)231-0815 TaconicArts.com Interior/Exterior House Painting by someone you can trust. (845) 225-2104 jeff@taconicarts.com
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News That Matters - August 26, 2009

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Good Wednesday Morning, Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy has died at the age of 77. When I started knocking on doors a few weeks ago the first question asked was, "How are you going to cut my taxes?" (A 30 acre theme park built over Lake Carmel called "SybilLand" of course!) and now it's, "Wow, What great weather!" And I would agree as this week should be the nicest since April. But what happened to summer? We had spring from April into July then one week of summer and now the typical - but beautiful - late August weather has kicked in. I'm hoping winter doesn't come around until January if only to give the garden a chance to produce some food. Over in New Jersey, where municipal leaders almost always live in interesting times Atlantic City councilman John Schultz avoided prison by agreeing to plead guilty in a scheme orchestrated by former council President Craig Callaway to blackmail Councilman Eugene Robinson. The two lured Robinson to a motel room and secretly taped him having sex with a prostitute. Keep in mind, these are the people we elect through a political process that encourages such behavior. To offer more support to the placement of a composting toilet at Farmers Mills Park in Kent as opposed to an expensive fixture with plumbing, water, septic and leach fields, the Village of Cold Spring is considering their use at the West Point Foundry which is managed by Scenic Hudson. According to Scenic Hudson, the county health department has given its 'unofficial blessing' to the plan. Let's see Kent move in the same direction. It will save tens of thousands of dollars. For those of you not yet excited about the opening of our region's newest state park on October 2nd, Walkway Over the Hudson has released it's schedule of events. On Friday, October 2nd from 7-10PM the weekend kicks off with a Grand Illumination of the Walkway; 1,000 paper lanterns, River of Light Promenade, light exhibition, hot air balloon display and fireworks. Volunteers are being sought to participate in the Grand Illumination which will release 1000 paper lanterns into the sky and should be more than stunning. The new park is only 22 feet wide yet stands 212 feet above the river! More information can be found here and here. The Poughkeepsie Journal covers the story here and a complete schedule can be found here. Google Maps, the mainstay of where you are and how you're going to get there has added traffic coverage to its maps. And, not just on major interstates. Now they cover major arterials as well. As I'm writing this (about 7:45am) the map shows traffic on Route 6 in the Hamlet of Mahopac, a slowdown on northbound 684, and building traffic on Route 6 as it enters Southeast from Carmel. No surprises there, but it gets better. Built into the system is historic data(!) so you can predict when and where traffic will build to better plan your trips to save time and gas. (Ed Note: at 8:03 AM there's a slow down on the north-bound Taconic Parkway. 8:12AM - Don't even go near Route 100 through Somers.) And now, The News: Hamlet a reminder of E. Fishkill's rural past When Nature Calls at the Foundry Preserve The incredible shrinking home EPA Orders Village of Port Chester, N.Y. to Fix the Way it Handles Stormwater; Comply with Clean Water Act Swine flu precautions extremely necessary Federal Reserve loses suit demanding transparency DOJ raps NY over abuse at juvenile detention centers Dying for Affordable Health Care - the Uninsured Speak Hamlet a reminder of E. Fishkill's rural past By Anthony P. Musso For the Poughkeepsie Journal As surrounding farmland slowly transformed into large, single-family home developments, East Fishkill's Wiccopee has been the town's sole hamlet to retain the rural character it featured in the mid-1800s. A local movement began in 2004 to secure historic designation for the hamlet, which is situated on property originally owned by Beacon's Madam Catharyna Brett as part of the 1685 Rombout Patent. Named for American Indians who lived in the region, Wiccopee was also known as Johnsville for a time before reverting to its original moniker. Its historic business district ran along Fishkill Hook/Hook roads, south of Route 52. In all, 19 buildings in Wiccopee, including the hamlet's 1825 Methodist Episcopal Church, are included in the town's survey of historic structures. Read More When Nature Calls at the Foundry Preserve by Michael Mell The lead agenda item for the July 21, 2009, Cold Spring Village Board meeting was a presentation by Scenic Hudson about their plans for the West Point Foundry Preserve. Of specific concern was their desire to use composting toilets, which do not require running water or a sewer connection. Three of these fixtures are proposed, with a combined capacity of 400 uses a week. Waste would be collected for distribution to composting sites in the area. At issue is the village code requirement that any sanitary facility (toilet) within 150 feet of a sewer line is required to tie into that line and the location of the proposed toilets falls within this radius. Scenic Hudson attorney George Rodenhausen, of Rapport Meyers Whitbeck Shaw & Rodenhausen, told the board that composting toilets have been successfully used at other parks operated by Scenic Hudson and that they "have no odor . . . and will not damage the site." He further acknowledged that this is "an alternate way to deal with sewage," but one that is consistent with "the message of the site." The conflict with village code arose during an earlier presentation made to the Cold Spring Planning Board. According to Rodenhausen, the Planning Board agrees in theory with Scenic Hudson's arguments, but cannot move until the code issue is resolved. The Department of Health, Rodenhausen said, has given its "unofficial blessing" to the project. For planned events, where large numbers of people are expected, additional conventional portable toilets would be used. "If the sewer department signs off," asked Mr. Rodenhausen, "can the board consider this?" He concluded his arguments by offering to assist the Board in writing an "amendment to the code," if they chose to move in that direction, and also stipulated that Scenic Hudson would pay any required sewer fees. Read More The incredible shrinking home The size of newly built homes fell in 2008 for the first time in almost 15 years. Is the McMansion era on the wane? By Les Christie, CNNmoney.com staff writer Last Updated: August 11, 2009: 3:03 PM ET NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- For the first time in almost 15 years, the size of new homes built in the United States is shrinking. New homes are now 7% smaller -- or the size of one average-sized room. To be precise, the median square footage of newly built homes fell to 2,065 square feet in the first three months of this year, compared with the same period last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This caps off 2008, when home size fell every quarter, marking first year of declines since 1994. That could indicate that the romance between Americans and morbidly obese McMansions has finally cooled. "A new ethic is arising right now that will become commonplace -- as commonplace as is recycling today, when just a few decades ago it was rarely, if ever, done," said Sarah Susanka, author of the book, "The Not So Big House." "As more and more people build or remodel homes that satisfy in quality rather than quantity, there will be a huge shift in what we perceive as desirable." Read More EPA Orders Village of Port Chester, N.Y. to Fix the Way it Handles Stormwater; Comply with Clean Water Act Release date: 08/24/2009 Contact Information: John Senn (212) 637-3667, senn.john@epa.gov (New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered the village of Port Chester, N.Y. to improve the way it handles run-off from rainwater and correct violations of the federal Clean Water Act after EPA sampling revealed high levels of two types of bacteria in village stormwater. Stormwater, which is from rainfall or melting snow, can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt and other pollutants from surfaces before it flows into a waterbody. Port Chester discharges stormwater into the Byram River, which empties into Long Island Sound. “Improper management of stormwater can have serious environmental consequences for our harbors, rivers, lakes and streams,” said EPA Acting Regional Administrator George Pavlou. “Long Island Sound is already a stressed waterbody, and run-off is one of the bigger culprits, so it’s important that EPA remains vigilant in holding accountable anyone who doesn’t handle their stormwater properly.” In June 2008 and April 2009, EPA sampled stormwater at several locations around Port Chester and both times found levels of the bacteria fecal and total coliform that exceeded New York’s state water quality standards. Both bacteria can lead to health problems in people and many aquatic species. Port Chester’s failure to control discharges of the polluted stormwater violated requirements of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System, a program under the federal Clean Water Act that regulates stormwater discharges associated with sewer systems. Port Chester also failed to fully implement its stormwater management plan, which New York State requires of municipalities that discharge stormwater. Read More Swine flu precautions extremely necessary The watchwords on dealing with swine flu come down to this: Be alarmed but don't panic. Certainly, a special presidential advisory panel just reported some frightening numbers: The group cited a "plausible scenario" of wide-scale infections later this year in the United States leading up to possibly 30,000 to 90,000 deaths, mostly among young children and young adults. Schools throughout the country, including the mid-Hudson Valley, are taking these matters seriously. On Sunday, the Journal reported on the preparations going on in local schools, ranging from reviewing cleaning procedures, communicating with health officials and educating parents and students about hygiene and prevention. School officials also have talked about contingency plans in the event of a pandemic and will be meeting with Dr. Michael Caldwell, the Dutchess health commissioner, to continue to coordinate an overall strategy geared to prevention. But Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was quick to note Tuesday that massive school closings wouldn't stop the spread of the virus, touting vaccinations as the best defense against H1N1 flu, more commonly known as the swine flu. Confirmed cases have continued through the summer months when schools are typically closed, but there is a concern that once schools are back in session there will be renewed opportunity for the virus to spread. Read More Federal Reserve loses suit demanding transparency Mon Aug 24, 8:39 pm ET NEW YORK (Reuters) – A federal judge on Monday ruled against an effort by the U.S. Federal Reserve to block disclosure of companies that participated in and securities covered by a series of emergency funding programs as the global credit crisis began to intensify. In a 47-page opinion, Chief District Judge Loretta Preska of the federal court in Manhattan said the central bank failed to show that disclosure would cause borrowers in the Federal Reserve System to suffer "imminent competitive harm," by stigmatizing them for using Fed lending programs. "The board essentially speculates on how a borrower might enter a downward spiral of financial instability if its participation in the Federal Reserve lending programs were to be disclosed," she wrote. "Conjecture, without evidence of imminent harm, simply fails to meet the board's burden." Monday's ruling comes as lawmakers and investors demand greater disclosure in how the government manages a series of programs designed to lift the economy out of its deepest recession in decades. Read More DOJ raps NY over abuse at juvenile detention centers August 24, 2009 at 4:14 pm by Irene Jay Liu Children at four of New York’s juvenile detention centers have faced excessive force and lack of proper mental health treatment in violation of their constitutional rights, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Justice made public today. The report details how staff at the four facilities — the Lansing Residential Center and the Louis Gossett Jr. Residential Center in Lansing, N.Y., and two facilities, one for boys and one for girls, at Tryon Residential Center in Johnstown, N.Y. — have “routinely” used “uncontrolled, unsafe applications of force” to gain control in every type of situation, departing from “generally accepted standards” as well as state policies determined by the state Office of Children and Families. “Anything from sneaking an extra cookie to initiating a fistfight may result in a full prone restraint with handcuffs,” according to the report. The report said the excessive use of force has led to an “alarming” number of serious injuries, including concussions, broken or knocked-out teeth, and spinal fractures. Read More Dying for Affordable Health Care - the Uninsured Speak Friday 21 August 2009 by: Ed Pilkington  |  Visit article original @ The Guardian UK In a week of claim and counter-claim about the merits of healthcare provision in the US and UK, Ed Pilkington travelled to Quindaro, Kansas, to see how the poorest survive. In the furious debate gripping America over the future of its health system, one voice has been lost amid the shouting. It is that of a distinguished gynaecologist, aged 67, called Dr Joseph Manley. For 35 years Manley had a thriving health clinic in Kansas. He lived in the most affluent neighbourhood of Kansas City and treated himself to a new Porsche every year. But this is not a story about doctors' remuneration and their lavish lifestyles. In the late 1980s he began to have trouble with his own health. He had involuntary muscle movements and difficulty swallowing. Fellow doctors failed to diagnose him, some guessing wrongly that he had post-traumatic stress from having served in the airforce in Vietnam. Read More	Sign up to have News That Matters Delivered to your email inbox! Email: Support Our Sponsors! JG's Out On A Limb All types of tree work, all aspects of lawn maintenance, snow plowing, lot clearing, excavation, retaining walls, stump grinding. 82 Hortontown Rd. Kent Cliffs, NY 10512 greico@verizon.net T- (914)224-3049 F- (845)231-0815 TaconicArts.com Interior/Exterior House Painting by someone you can trust. (845) 225-2104 jeff@taconicarts.com
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News That Matters - August 24th, 2009

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Found on the 'net: Sorbitol, a sugar alcohol, is sometimes used as a laxative in large doses. It is used in many different brands of sugar free gum. Of course, if you chew gum like a normal person, you'll probably never notice. If you go through several packs a day, well, that's a different story. Good Monday Morning, Congratulations to the Hudson Highlands Land Trust for securing a $2000 grant to help the Village of Cold Spring replace existing waterfront lighting with bollard style lighting. This will help remove much of the glare that the current lighting produces and allow better views of the river and use less electricity at the same time. Website Watch: From Transit Miami : Redefining Suburbia Back in July we alerted TM readers to Dwell Magazine’s ReBurbia competition. Well, the submissions are in, and unsurprisingly, the 20 finalists are filled with super creative, but fantastical, totally outrageous proposals. We know suburbia needs retrofitting. The 20th century was about building the damn thing, but seeing the results, we have to use the 21st century to correct all of the ills proffered by such an untenable way of organizing the built environment.  Indeed, retrofitting suburbia is likely to be  the biggest collective project for 21st century urban planners. Visit the site here. Candidate Forums: The League of Women Voters will hold a forum for candidates in Patterson this evening at 7PM at the VFW Hall in Putnam Lake. The Concerned Residents of Carmel/Mahopac (CRCM) will hold a Candidates Forum tomorrow, Tuesday, August 25th, at 7:00 PM at the Mahopac Library on Route 6. When I got into this campaign I had no idea it was so, well, strange. See, there's these two parallel universes: The first is the one we see, the one where everyone is working together and getting along. The second lies just under the first, running in parallel, and there everyone is stabbing each other in the back. Last week a young man was reported missing in Southeast. A manhunt ensued and in the end the boy was found locked away in the County jail under an assumed name. Candidates for Sheriff jumped on Don Smith demanding an explanation. How could you not even know the names of the people you had locked up? Why did you cost the taxpayers so much time and money when you had this kid all along? On and on and on... Imagine their false indignation if the Sheriff had *not* gone looking for him and something bad had actually happened. It must have been a slow news weekend since as of last evening 33 of you have read the full post about Acosta and the porcupine and my impending homelessness due to the bills. I wonder if there's health insurance for dogs? And now, The News: Westchester launches program to control deer population Kent voters face packed ballot Take Advantage of Incentives for Home Energy Efficiency and High MPG Cars Wind turbine highlights green goals at grounds How We Support Our False Beliefs Competition lacking among private health insurers The Brutal Truth About America’s Healthcare Space Shuttle Launch Visible from East Coast Made in China: A stinking, rotting mess? Westchester launches program to control deer population Stacy A. Anderson sanderso1@lohud.com In efforts to control the growing deer population, Westchester County is seeking bowhunters to work 850 acres of county parkland in the fall. Selected participants, who must live in the county and pass a proficiency test, will be allowed to hunt deer in sections of Muscoot Farm Park and Lasdon Park in Somers beginning Nov 7. The hunting program was one recommendation from a county study to control the deer population released in November. Read More Kent voters face packed ballot Michael Risinit mrisinit@lohud.com KENT - Candidates for two Kent Town Board seats seemed to agree on many issues this week at a forum inside Lake Carmel Community Center. Sharing services among municipalities to save money received a thumbs-up, including from Jeff Green, a registered Green Party member running on the Democratic line. Everyone agreed the town needed to increase its insurance coverage following the recent Kent Manor decision. The town last month settled a long-running lawsuit over construction delays involving the 269-unit townhome project. The developers were awarded $1.5 million, with the town's insurance carrier paying $1.25 million and the rest of the cash judgment coming from the town's coffers. Read More Take Advantage of Incentives for Home Energy Efficiency and High MPG Cars Get the scoop on how you can get paid to go green, and save money down the road. EarthTalk is a Q&A column from E/The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Since Obama took office, have any new incentives been put in place for homeowners looking to increase energy efficiency and reduce the overall environmental footprints of their homes?-- Rob Felton, Little Rock, AK In fact, yes. Homeowners can get up to $1,500 back from the federal government for any number of energy efficiency upgrades at home. If you upgrade to energy efficient insulation, windows, doors, heating, air conditioning or water heaters between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010, you are eligible for a tax credits of up to 30% of product costs. The credit is capped at $1,500 combined; meaning it only applies to $5,000 in total costs. More details are available at the website of the Tax Incentives Assistance Project, a coalition of public interest nonprofit groups, government agencies and other organizations focused on energy efficiency. Read More Wind turbine highlights green goals at grounds Bigger tent to feature information about recycling, alternative energy By Rasheed Oluwa Poughkeepsie Journal RHINEBECK - The Green Initiative, which began a year ago, was easy to miss at last year's Dutchess County Fair. It was located inside a small tent that could be lost amid the swirl of activity at the fair's 4-H pavilion. This year, officials said the Green Initiative will be bigger and better when the fair opens Tuesday. If anyone wants evidence of this, all they need to do is look upward at the 35-foot-tall wind turbine installed on the fairgrounds Saturday. The turbine is part of a yearlong study into the feasibility of wind energy at the fairgrounds. "Last year, we were in a 10-by-10-foot tent," said Laurie Rich, coordinator for the Green Initiative. "This year, the Green Initiative tent is in the infield and it is 20 feet by 40 feet. The theme for this year is green energy and recycling. We also have some incredibly exciting companies coming in this year." Read More How We Support Our False Beliefs ScienceDaily (Aug. 23, 2009) — In a study published in the most recent issue of the journal Sociological Inquiry, sociologists from four major research institutions focus on one of the most curious aspects of the 2004 presidential election: the strength and resilience of the belief among many Americans that Saddam Hussein was linked to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Although this belief influenced the 2004 election, they claim it did not result from pro-Bush propaganda, but from an urgent need by many Americans to seek justification for a war already in progress. The findings may illuminate reasons why some people form false beliefs about the pros and cons of health-care reform or regarding President Obama's citizenship, for example. The study, "There Must Be a Reason: Osama, Saddam and Inferred Justification" calls such unsubstantiated beliefs "a serious challenge to democratic theory and practice" and considers how and why it was maintained by so many voters for so long in the absence of supporting evidence. Co-author Steven Hoffman, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor of sociology at the University at Buffalo, says, "Our data shows substantial support for a cognitive theory known as 'motivated reasoning,' which suggests that rather than search rationally for information that either confirms or disconfirms a particular belief, people actually seek out information that confirms what they already believe. "In fact," he says, "for the most part people completely ignore contrary information. Read More Competition lacking among private health insurers By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR (AP) WASHINGTON — One of the most widely accepted arguments against a government medical plan for the middle class is that it would quash competition — just what private insurers seem to be doing themselves in many parts of the U.S. Several studies show that in lots of places, one or two companies dominate the market. Critics say monopolistic conditions drive up premiums paid by employers and individuals. For Democrats, the answer is a public plan that would compete with private insurers. Republicans see that as a government power grab. President Barack Obama looks to be trapped in the middle of an argument that could sink his effort to overhaul the health care system. Even lawmakers opposed to a government plan have problems with the growing clout of the big private companies. Read More The Brutal Truth About America’s Healthcare by: Guy Adams  |  Visit article original @ The Independent UK On the first day of the clinic, Remote Area Medical founder Stan Brock, left, announces the ground rules for participants. (Photo: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)     They came in their thousands, queuing through the night to secure one of the coveted wristbands offering entry into a strange parallel universe where medical care is a free and basic right and not an expensive luxury. Some of these Americans had walked miles simply to have their blood pressure checked, some had slept in their cars in the hope of getting an eye-test or a mammogram, others had brought their children for immunisations that could end up saving their life.     In the week that Britain's National Health Service was held aloft by Republicans as an "evil and Orwellian" example of everything that is wrong with free healthcare, these extraordinary scenes in Inglewood, California yesterday provided a sobering reminder of exactly why President Barack Obama is trying to reform the US system. Read More Space Shuttle Launch Visible from East Coast By Joe Rao SPACE.com Skywatching Columnist People in the eastern United States will get a great opportunity, weather permitting, to see the space shuttle Discovery launched into orbit early Tuesday morning. And it might also be the final opportunity ever to see a nighttime shuttle launch. This flight (STS-128) will be the 30th to rendezvous and dock with the International Space Station (ISS), and the glow of the shuttle's engines will be visible along much of the Eastern Seaboard. A SPACE.com map shows the area of visibility. To reach the space station, Discovery must be launched when Earth's rotation carries the launch pad into the plane of the station's orbit. For mission STS-128, that will happen at 1:36:05 a.m. ET on Tuesday, resulting (if all goes as planned) in NASA's second nighttime launch of a space shuttle in 2009 (the most recent was March 15). As has been the case with other launches to the ISS, Tuesday's liftoff will bring the shuttle's path nearly parallel to the U.S. East Coast. Read More Made in China: A stinking, rotting mess? Thousands of Americans allege Chinese drywall is ruining their homes and making them sick. By Cindy Skrzycki - GlobalPost PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania — On the outside, they are new and sunny looking. On the inside, they are strange-smelling and rotting. These are the thousands of new houses built in the United States within the past few years that owners allege may contain yet another problem export from China: bad drywall. Since 2006, new home owners in 23 states have been suffering from what they say are odorous batches of corrosive drywall that were imported from at least one gypsum mine in China and used by U.S home builders. Owners say their houses smell like rotten eggs and are causing breathing problems and skin irritations. They worry their homes have become worthless as air conditioners and other mechanical parts corrode and become non-functioning. The problem is thought to be high levels of sulfur-compound gases being released from the drywall. Read More	Sign up to have News That Matters Delivered to your email inbox!Email: Support Our Sponsors! JG's Out On A Limb All types of tree work, all aspects of lawn maintenance, snow plowing, lot clearing, excavation, retaining walls, stump grinding. 82 Hortontown Rd. Kent Cliffs, NY 10512 greico@verizon.net T- (914)224-3049 F- (845)231-0815 TaconicArts.com Interior/Exterior House Painting by someone you can trust. (845) 225-2104 jeff@taconicarts.com
Copyright © 2009 News That Matters