Radio Chatskill

Joe Johnson is a former Port Jervis Science teacher and Radio Catskill volunteer who shares science stories that have caught his eye recently.

He reports on ants can perform life-saving emergency surgery on each other and the four volunteers who spent more than a year living in a 1,700-square-foot space created by NASA to simulate the environment on Mars have emerged.

He spoke with Jason Dole. 

Harmony In The Woods is the outdoor amphitheater nestled in the forests of Hawley. All summer long, they present regional and national performing artists of all genres.

“Jazz Group of the Year” nominee, The Lao Tizer Band, make their debut at Harmony In The Woods on Friday, July 12 in support of their forthcoming Summer 2024 album & video release AMPLIFY.

Lao Tizer spoke to Tim Bruno on Radio Chatskill.

Invasive species wreak havoc on the wild spaces and agriculture throughout the region. In New York, the state Department of Environmental Conservation defines invasive species as “non-native species that can cause harm to the environment, the economy or human health.” According to the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, about 37% of the roughly 3,400 species of plants in PA are non-native to the state.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County’s, "Invasive Species to Have on Your Radar," Webinar  is an educational session focused on raising awareness about the invasive species threatening the local wildlife and ecosystems in Sullivan County. 

With approximately 42 percent of threatened or endangered species at risk due to invasive non-native flora, fauna and microorganisms, CCE aims to inform the public about the specific invasive species they should be vigilant about.

Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo spoke to Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County’s Katie Gasior an Horticulture Subject Educator about the threat these species pose.

New York State Police have released the identity of the man who drowned in the Upper Delaware River on Sunday as Chirag Pratel, a 37-year-old Bensalem, PA, man.

His death is the second drowning on the river in a week. On June 29, 24-year-old Jeysson Ariel Osorio-Reyes of Ocean County, NJ drowned  near Milford, PA.

At approximately 12:40 p.m. on July 7, troopers from the Liberty barracks responded to the area of 2362 State Route 97, Pond Eddy, for a report of a drowning in the Delaware River, according to New York State Police.

A preliminary investigation revealed that Patel was swimming in the river during a rafting trip when he submerged and did not return to the surface. 

Pennsylvania and New York fire departments and water operations units responded from both sides of the river.  As part of Battalion 8 Water Rescue Team, The Port Jervis Fire Department located Patel in the water. He was declared dead at the scene. 

The investigation is ongoing and being investigated by the State Police Liberty Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Officials strongly stressed the need to wear life jackets while in or on the Delaware River and that the number one cause of drowning in the river is swimming. 

National Park Service (NPS) Superintendent Lindsay Kurnath told Radio Catskill that life jackets save lives.
To become better informed about the dangers and warnings that come with enjoying the Delaware River, NPS says call the Upper Delaware River Hotline at (845) 252-7100. This recorded message is available 24 hours a day and is updated daily. It provides the river height, air and water temperatures, boating conditions and general river safety information.

The Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River is part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

This Thursday, the Upper Delaware Counsel will host a public meeting to discuss the near and long term goals for managing the river. Strengthening partnership with the wider National Park system and shoring up staffing and resource shortages are among the topics to be discussed.

The meeting can be attended Thursday, July 11, at 7 p.m. at the Upper Delaware Council office, and virtually on Zoom

Tim Bruno of WJFF spoke with Superintendent of Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River Lindsey Kurnath on Radio Chatskill.

Image by wirestock on Freepik

Joe discusses Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which is designed for crew transport to the ISS. Despite numerous delays and technical issues since its first planned launch in 2017, the Starliner successfully docked with the ISS on its third mission in June 2023. Challenges included helium leaks and thruster failures, but NASA and Boeing assure that the crew is safe. 

Joe also briefly touches on the invasive Joro spider in the U.S. and the slowing rotation of Earth's inner core.

Cannabis has been cultivated around the world for centuries; however, the plant has been politicized and stigmatized in the US for the last 100 years.

In 1970, a young lawyer named Frank Fioramonti was hired by NORML the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. In 1977 because of NORML’s work, marijuana was decriminalized in New York

Artist Brandi Merolla is Fioramonti’s step daughter and she’s created a visual installation on view at the Narrowsburg Union called “Cannabis from Demonization to Legalization…” which is a history of the stigmatization of cannabis and a tribute to Fioramonti and his reform efforts.

Susie Kaspar, Park Ranger for the National Park Service at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, shares reminders for a safe summer on the Upper Delaware River.

New York Small Farma is a community of farmers and supporters that advocates for socially just, regenerative, and economically inclusive cannabis laws, policies, and regulations in New York State.

The group recently won a bid to help Ulster County develop its cannabis economic sector. The county chose just one organization with expertise in cannabis production, sustainability, and social and economic equity that also supports the development of a craft cannabis industry. New York Small Farma hopes to do just that.

Reporter Marin Scotten spoke to New York Small Farma President Nicole Ricci.