Radio Chatskill

For 25 years, Old Skool Sessions has been spinning vinyl, sharing deep cuts, and keeping the spirit of classic hip-hop, funk, and soul alive on the airwaves. This weekend, fans of the long-running Radio Catskill program will have a chance to celebrate the milestone alongside hosts DJ Chuck and Selector sTArKeY at the station’s annual music sale.

“Man, I can’t believe it,” said DJ Chucks, founder of Old Skool Sessions. “It’s, you know, I can’t believe it’s been 25 years. Time goes by so quickly… Selector sTArKeY always does his part and fills in the gaps where I can’t. I want to take my hat off to Mr. Selector sTArKeY. Thank you for all the work, man.”

Selector sTArKeY, who joined DJ Chucks a few years after the show began, reflected on the enduring passion that keeps them on the air. “We’re all what I call radio dogs and we’ve been at it a long time,” he said. “We’ve devoted part of our lives to radio. That’s just… we loved it when we were little kids and this is a dream come true.”

For DJ Chucks, music has been a lifelong pursuit. He recalls his early years in Queens, New York, where house parties and record collections sparked his love of sound. “We didn’t have what we have today with the internet and all these players,” he said. “We had 45s and albums… I would always ask to play, entertain, and learn about the music.”

His tastes were eclectic from the start: Motown, reggae, James Brown, disco, funk, Latin music, salsa, and calypso all shaped his ear. Hip-hop arrived organically through block parties and park jams, where DJs and MCs experimented with beats, mics, and homemade echo boxes. “That’s where I came in,” DJ Chucks said. “I would travel that whole south Queens section by bike. I wasn’t even in my teens yet.”

Selector sTArKeY described how their partnership began: “I was a big fan, and I called Chucks and said, ‘Do you know it’s going to be James Brown’s birthday coming up?’ I had all these James Brown records, and Chucks said, ‘Bring them in.’ That’s how I started.” He initially contributed reggae segments and helped expand the show’s range, adding multiple genres in a single night.

Old Skool Sessions officially debuted on Radio Catskill in October 2000, after DJ Chucks was encouraged by the station manager Christine Ahern to volunteer on air. “She gave me that on-air slot to get me comfortable and it helped a lot,” Chuck recalled. “I could be creative at the same time.”

Over the years, the show has remained true to its roots in deep record digging and live DJing, a practice that continues at the station’s popular music sales. This year, DJ Chucks and Selector sTArKeY will spin live at the annual post-Thanksgiving event, promising a mix of obscure tracks and classic grooves.

“It’s going to be happening and you want to bring a friend,” DJ Chucks said. “There’s literally something for everybody. We try to mix it, hang out, and have fun for a couple of hours with the people coming in to shop and buy music.”

As Old Skool Sessions marks a quarter-century on the air, the hosts reflect on the personal connections and community built through radio. Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Old Skool Sessions this Saturday during the station’s big music sale, with records, instruments, and more from 10 am to 3 pm.

A recent Sullivan County health report revealed that more than 300 adults and children were living in emergency housing as of November 5th. Among them are residents with disabilities, who often face increased barriers to securing accessible housing.

Hotels-for-housing placements have increasingly become New York state’s primary way to shelter homeless families – despite offering no wraparound support services.

Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar spoke with residents experiencing homelessness and housing experts about the challenges disabled New Yorkers face – some of whom are concerned that county services are failing to provide accessible services.

Once overlooked by history, 19th-century American artist Fanny Palmer is finally getting her moment in the spotlight. An exhibit of her original works, paired with household items inspired by her lithographs, is now on view at the Narrowsburg Union through December 30.

Palmer, who worked extensively with the famed Currier & Ives publishing company, captured everyday American life with meticulous detail. Her prints adorned calendars, dishes, cards, and ornaments—bringing art into homes across the country. “These are the types of items I grew up with, not knowing who the artist was behind them,” said curator Tina Spangler, who also created a documentary exploring Palmer’s life and work.

The exhibit features early works Palmer created before her Currier & Ives collaboration, as well as her iconic lithographs. A highlight is a three-dimensional, illuminated winter village modeled after Palmer’s depictions of Victorian homes—a treat for both adults and children.

A special reception on Friday, December 5, will offer visitors a sneak peek of Spangler’s documentary, including a segment exploring 19th-century lithography, the intricate process behind Palmer’s prints.

The exhibit is free and open to the public during Moon River Interiors’ business hours, Friday through Tuesday. For details, visit moonriverinteriors.com
.

Exhibit Details:

• American Seasons: The Art of Fanny Palmer
• Dates: November 21–December 30, 2025
• Location: Narrowsburg Union, in collaboration with Moon River Interiors
• Special Reception: December 5, 5:30–7 p.m.

Since 2017, the Zipper Junction Project’s Holiday Toy Drive has been more than just a gift-giving program—it’s become a lifeline for families across Wayne and Pike counties. Each year, it delivers toys, essentials, and a touch of holiday magic to hundreds of children who might otherwise go without.

The project began in a moment of urgency. A local organization that had been serving the area suddenly closed, leaving children at risk of missing out on holiday gifts. Jim Zumpone, founder and chief visionary of the Zipper Junction Project, was asked to store a few donated toys in his business. What started as a small favor quickly grew into something much bigger.

“I received a kind of a frantic phone call asking me if I could store some toys in my building for my main business, and it turned into within a week’s time creating a whole new program,” Zumpone said. “We help on average about 500 kids a year. Everything we collect is in Wayne and Pike Counties, and everything we distribute is in Wayne and Pike Counties.”

When asked why he chose to start a new program rather than continue with the existing one, Zumpone explained, “I was a little disillusioned with how they actually operate and it wasn’t local enough for me. That was the driver for creating this program.”

Local focus is at the heart of Zipper Junction. “The folks that donate live here, and a lot of them want to see their help go to local people,” he said. “Some they may know, some they may not, but it’s to see things collected and go, literally hundreds of miles away. It sounds somewhat selfish, but we’re trying to solve a problem locally from the local population.”

The logistics of the toy drive are no small feat. “We created an online application process where we tell folks if they apply through our website and they answer everything honestly, they will be accepted. It’s not like they have to wait to learn if they’re accepted. We do verify everything later through an interview process,” Zumpone said.

With nearly 300 drop-off locations—spanning stores, non-profits, and government agencies—the community comes together to support the effort. “We collect everything in a very short amount of time, which is when all the work really begins. We basically check every item for safety, we value it, we categorize it, we put it in age-appropriateness categories as well,” Zumpone said.

The toy distribution is carefully orchestrated. Families “shop” in a setup Zumpone likens to IKEA: aisles lined with age-appropriate toys, each marked with color-coded stickers. “We have an algorithm so that when the last parent goes through to, quote, ‘shop for their kids,’ there’s still a little bit of a selection for them to get,” he said.

Meeting the needs of all ages is a constant challenge. “Newborn items under 18 months and from about 13, 14 and up are always the problem,” Zumpone said. “For teens, anything electronic, self-care items like ordering kits, perfumes and makeup. Small tool kits, things for your first car, buckets with cleaning supplies, small items for first dorm rooms. Some of them are seniors in high school. So they’ve gotten single-serving waffle makers and coffee makers. It was a big hit.”

Beyond the gifts, the drive touches lives in profound ways. “Sometimes the stories we hear are intense. Parents will say, ‘We don’t deserve this,’ and that’s when you know we’re helping the right people,” Zumpone said.

Even as the volunteer roster fills quickly each season, there are still ways for the community to get involved. “We’re obviously collecting toys everywhere that’s listed on our website, zipperjunction.org. Click on the truck with the big bag of toys. It takes you to the Toy Drive homepage, and you can select any of the boxes there. There are events that you can support. Many businesses set up events that benefit us,” he said.

Looking ahead, Zumpone sees the project as a lasting community effort. “If there’s a need, we’ll be here,” he said.

For more information, visit zipperjunction.org

Local organizations are stepping up this holiday season to support families in need through food banks, meal distributions, groceries, warming centers, and community donation drives. Among them, a Pocono Mountains nonprofit is helping hospitality workers struggling to put food on the table.

Settlers Cares, founded in 2023, is offering a limited number of $200 Wise Market gift cards to employees facing food insecurity due to reduced hours, layoffs, or medical leave.

“Settlers Cares has the mission to support hospitality workers in the Pocono Mountains when they experience a time of crisis. So we're offering swift financial support during those times in life when things are really tough and folks are stretched beyond the breaking point, said Janna Genzlinger, Executive Director, Settlers Cares

Initially a crisis fund providing emergency support, Settlers Cares has expanded its efforts in response to growing community needs. “In the past few years, we've received a lot of requests related to housing. And so we are developing some housing programs here in the Poconos. And then also lately a lot of requests related to food and security. So we developed our grocery gift card program,” Genzlinger said.

The gift card initiative was prompted by seasonal fluctuations in tourism that affect hospitality workers’ hours. “Particularly in the northern Poconos, the travel and tourism is a little bit less than you might see during the summer months. So hospitality employees might see a decline in hours,” Genzlinger said. “We found that the grocery gift card was a quick way to help people to just make sure that they can keep food on the table while they might be waiting for benefits or government programming to kick in.”

Eligibility has expanded beyond workers experiencing full or partial layoffs to include those re-entering the workforce or temporarily away for personal leave.

“So far, we've distributed close to 50 gift cards,” Genzlinger said. “We're very excited because we have another infusion of fundraising initiative that came through. So we have many more to distribute… and really, we're just getting overwhelming gratitude. I think people feel excited that the community understands what going through… and they're just really happy that there's a little bit of help in these trying times.”

Settlers Cares is also focusing on housing initiatives. “We're hoping to increase and further develop the Settlers Care's Hospitality Haven, which would offer shared housing, particularly focusing on employees that are housing insecure or currently unhoused,” Genzlinger said. “We work with our workforce development partners… so that there are programs that are wrap-around which provide employment, housing, educational opportunities, and some assistance with other life necessities like getting them connected to the right agency from medical care and things like that.”

Looking ahead, the nonprofit is preparing for Giving Tuesday next week. “Every penny raised next Tuesday will enable us to purchase more of these $200 gift cards to help more of our neighbors here in the Poconos who are facing food insecurity,” Genzlinger said.

The organization faces challenges as a fully volunteer-led operation but remains committed to its mission. “I think it's my connection to community and just really believing that we are all stronger together… Knowing that at any moment someone could need help and not have it, versus need help, have the help out there and nowhere to access it… that really is what puts a fire in my belly to keep going and to dream big dreams,” Genzlinger said.

For more information on Settlers Cares, visit settlerscares.org.

For the second year in a row, Blue Fox Motel and Tusten Social will host a free Community Thanksgiving Lunch in Narrowsburg, offering neighbors a chance to gather, share a traditional meal, and celebrate together. The event will take place Thursday, Nov. 27, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Blue Fox Motel, 5670 NY-97, Narrowsburg.

“We at the Blue Fox always feel like one of our roles in the community is to be a space for people to convene,” said Meg Sullivan, co-owner of the Blue Fox. “We usually close on Thanksgiving to give our staff the day off so they can be with their families. And then we thought about… people who may not have family nearby or are on their own. And then we thought, well, we're available. We have the space. Maybe we should do a community-driven Thanksgiving.”

Sullivan said partnering with Tusten Social expanded the event’s reach. “One of the board members of Tusten Social… just jumped on it, which was such an amazing collaboration. It’s been amazing because we pulled that all off in… maybe a month. We were just curious to see how it would land.”

The meal last year drew a diverse group of attendees. “We were just really taken aback by the breadth of the community—how many people really found it useful and wanted to attend,” Sullivan said. “We had people who found themselves alone, and a couple who were suddenly saddled with young kids, not knowing what to do. And they came along. It wound up being a dance party in the end… but that was mostly George’s fault.”

Greta Knutzen, co-founder of Tusten Social, said the Thanksgiving lunch reflects the organization’s mission to strengthen community connections. “Providing opportunities that allow people to come together in ways they otherwise wouldn’t—this Thanksgiving lunch exemplifies that perfectly,” Knutzen said. She added that Tusten Social also partners with the Blue Fox on other programs, such as the Teen After Club.

The event also benefits the Narrowsburg Ecumenical Food Pantry, supporting local families in need. “This year, in particular, has been a complicated year in terms of food and security,” Knutzen said. “So we're trying to raise money and product—we’ll take both—for the food pantry because they’re doing such an important job right now.”

The meal is free, but RSVPs are required by Monday, Nov. 24, to ensure there’s enough food. Community members can reserve a spot by emailing [email protected]
.

Attendees can expect a traditional Thanksgiving menu, including turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, and sweet potato soup. “The fire will be roaring… it’ll be a very cozy, warm spot. We’re really looking forward to having everybody,” Sullivan said.

Both organizers emphasized the personal meaning of the event. “We consider the community our family at the Blue Fox,” Sullivan said. “This is an opportunity for us to open our doors and allow people in in a way that we don’t get to do every day.” Knutzen added, “Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. This is a Thanksgiving with the entire community, and it’s just really joyful.”

Today, Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) honors transgender individuals lost to anti-trans violence, shining a spotlight on a crisis that continues to affect the community nationwide.

Tekla Taylor, public education specialist at Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) and author of the organization’s new report on violence against trans people, spoke about the findings and the importance of remembering those lost. A4TE is also hosting an online vigil with GLAAD to honor lives lost and uplift trans communities.

“Transgender Day of Remembrance started in 1999,” Taylor said. “Trans communities were responding to the murders of Rita Hester and Chanel Pickett… Gwendolyn Ann Smith started the Remembering Our Dead web project to make sure we’re not forgotten.”

The new report reveals stark realities. “Almost all of the trans women of color we lost this year were killed by gun violence,” Taylor said. “Thirty percent were lost to intimate partner violence. This violence is intimate—but it’s also fueled by disinformation from powerful platforms and leaders.”

Taylor also highlighted systemic failures in policing and public safety. “We lost two trans people who were shot by police… what they really needed was help. Their lives might have been saved if their safety had been taken seriously.”

Federal policy continues to challenge the community. “These basic needs—accurate documentation, respect, safety—are under attack,” Taylor said, referencing restrictions on passports, military service, and sports participation for trans Americans. “This administration is using trans people to enforce a harmful, restrictive vision of gender.”

Despite these threats, Taylor expressed hope in the resilience of trans communities. “Trans people have always been here… and now, for the first time in history, we have supportive parents at scale. That gives me enormous hope.”

The online vigil begins tonight at 6 p.m. ET, featuring trans elders, youth, supportive parents, and community advocates. Taylor urged both trans individuals and allies to attend.

“For folks who want to take action beyond attending, donate to trans-led organizations, push back against anti-trans rhetoric, and share stories at transrememberance.org,” Taylor said. “Make sure their names are said and their stories are not forgotten.”

Locally, the Trans Support Initiative of Sullivan and Wayne Counties hosts an interfaith memorial service at 6:30 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church in Callicoon, NY. More at transsupportinitiative.nypa.org.

For additional resources, visit transequality.org and glaad.org.

On Friday night, The Muse in Rosendale won’t just be hosting a concert — it will become the meeting place of two vibrant musical worlds. VKB Band, aka Vicki Kristina Barcelona, the genre-bending trio known for reimagining the Tom Waits songbook, returns to the stage with their “arsenal” of instruments and trademark three-part harmonies. Opening the evening is the 10-voice women’s ensemble the B2s, led by singer, arranger, and founder Debbie Lan.

The show, billed as Harmony, Wit and Grit, promises both musical craft and community warmth.

VKB members Rachelle Garniez, Amanda Homi, and Kirsten Thien say their sound is rooted in rediscovery. 

Garniez described the band’s approach simply: “What we love to do is take these rough diamonds that are these incredible songs of [Tom Waits’] and we sparkle them and shine them up and find the melodies and create new ways of hearing the songs.”

For Homi, the thrill lies in revealing something listeners may have missed in Waits’ famously gravelly voice. “He has so many beautiful melodies and sometimes people don’t really hear that,” she said. “It kind of reveals some real beauty there, as well as all the poetry.”

Their chemistry, the women agree, emerged naturally. “We all come to this as songwriters ourselves,” Homi said. “We always find interesting pathways.”

That sense of play extends to the band’s instruments, which include accordion, harmonium, ukulele bass, banjo, washboard, bottles and bells. Garniez laughed that the instruments “seem to naturally attract,” saying, “Once you take out an accordion, the banjo’s not far behind.”

The B2s — now a dozen years strong — bring their own distinctive spirit. Lan’s ensemble began as a community voice group but grew into a polished and deeply connected vocal collective. “They present their voices to me like a blank piece of canvas,” Lan said. “I get to throw whatever I want on the canvas, and they sing whatever parts I ask them to.”

The two groups will join forces for a collaborative finale, creating a chorus of 13 women. Their combined rehearsal, Thien said, felt electric. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in a room with 11 to 13 women joined together with a common mission,” she said. “It was really powerful.”

Lan said that sense of shared joy is one reason she continues the work. “One of the things that turns me on a lot is community — singing with community,” she said. “We come together as a group and discover that together we have a really powerful sound.”

More information at themuserosendale.org.

A proposed one-year moratorium on new high-density residential development in Bethel is at a standstill after a 2-2 tie vote at the town board meeting. The tie came with one board member absent, leaving Supervisor Dan Sturm and one council member in favor, and two council members opposed.

“The reason it's out of standstill is because there was some discussion on whether the tie vote meant that they could reintroduce the measure at next month's meeting or if it would have to go through the process of introducing a local law again,” said Isabel Braverman, editor in chief of the Sullivan County Democrat.

Supporters, including the citizens group Bethel Roundtable, want a pause while the town updates its comprehensive plan, which hasn’t been revised since 2006. “They see an increase in high-density development in the town, which they say puts a strain on resources, can have detrimental environmental effects,” Braverman said.

Opponents argue the moratorium is unnecessary, pointing out that existing projects follow all zoning and planning rules. Five pending high-density projects in Bethel, including developments with 141 and 170 units, would not be affected by the moratorium.

Rabbi Ben Halberstam, whose name with a Brooklyn address is listed on documents for proposed housing developments currently before the planning board, urged the board members who voted in favor of the moratorium to reconsider if it does come up for a vote again. Representing a large group of the Hasidic community, he said their housing projects should be allowed. “He said that they follow all of the rules and the laws, from the zoning and the DEC environmental laws,” Braverman said.

The town’s comprehensive plan committee is expected to present findings in four months, but board action could take longer. Supervisor Sturm said the town attorney is reviewing options after the tie vote.

For more coverage, visit scdemocratonline.com.

Thomas G. Waites first made his mark as a young actor in cult classics like The Warriors and John Carpenter’s The Thing, earning early recognition for his intensity and screen presence. A Juilliard-trained performer with an MFA in playwriting from the University of Iowa, Waites has built a far-reaching career across Broadway, Off-Broadway, television, independent film, and teaching—founding his own acting studio in New York City.

But beyond his work on stage and screen, Waites is also a singer-songwriter who blends storytelling, social commentary and Americana influences into his music. His band, Heartbreak Waites, delivers folk, rock and Americana songs that pair protest anthems with harmony-rich original material. The group performs Thursday night at The Colony in Woodstock.

Speaking about the path that brought him from Juilliard to theater, film and now music, Waites said his early training shaped everything he does.

“I came from basically down the street from the ghetto outside of Philadelphia, and Shakespeare is what got me out of there and into Juilliard,” he said. “You can imagine what a shock it was to my system to go from a lower middle-class, blue-collar family to this extraordinarily high-end culture at Lincoln Center — drama, dance, opera. That transition was formidable in forming my character.”

Waites said being surrounded by talent left a lasting impression. “I was in the elevator with Rudolph Nureyev. Leonard Bernstein called us a class. I had really great influences as a young person,” he said. “All of that registers in your subconscious someplace. When you go to write a song, hopefully you have the capacity to draw from that beautiful and brilliant language to tell a story. And never have we needed stories more than we do now.”

A Career Marked by Highs, Lows, and Hard Lessons

Waites was cast in The Warriors in his early 20s and later appeared as Windows in The Thing. Both films became iconic, but their intensity on set was matched by intensity in his own life.

“I was very lucky as a kid. By the time I was 23, I signed a three-picture deal with Paramount,” he said. “My first picture was The Warriors with Walter Hill directing, and he and I didn’t get along very well because mostly I was a huge pain in the ass. So he fired me.”

The experience, he said, “left an indelible imprint.”

“It really shocked me, and I realized there might be something wrong with me,” Waites said. “There were mental issues I had to address — addiction among the most profound. That was course-correcting a trajectory toward stardom that I managed to derail pretty effectively.”

Those struggles became a foundation for his work as a teacher and mentor.

“I’ve made all the mistakes, so I can help you from making the same mistakes,” he said. “I try to pass on the knowledge and the wisdom I’ve gained from the damage I self-engineered. I think that can be useful to people.”

He recalled coaching actor Vincent Pastore just as Pastore landed a major television role.

“David Chase called and said, ‘I wrote a great scene for you — but I’m killing off your character this year.’ Vinny was furious,” Waites said. “I told him, ‘You’re not calling anyone. The only thing you’re going to say is: Mr. Chase, thank you so much for the work you’ve given me.’ That helped him go on and have a terrific career. That’s an example of how I can be useful.”

Bringing Protest Songs to Woodstock

Heartbreak Waites joins him Thursday night, though Waites says he’ll be opening the concert solo with protest music.

“I’m so excited — you have no idea,” he said. “To play Woodstock? Oh my God. All of my idols — The Band, Bob Dylan — everybody came through there.”

His decision to perform protest songs comes from urgency, he said.

“Anybody who’s even partly awake to the fascist takeover that’s fallen upon our country — sadly — knows we’ve got to address it,” Waites said. “Seventy-six percent of the people in these detention centers are not guilty of any crime — not even a DUI — but they’re being forced to do labor. All of the horror that’s descended upon our country has got to be addressed.”

One bandmate, he said, fears political retaliation because he travels across the border to Canada.

“If they check your phone and see that you’re not a Trump supporter, people have been detained,” Waites said. “I don’t want to jeopardize anyone. If ICE or Trump or any of those muppets — excuse my language — come after me, that’s fine. Give me liberty or give me death. But I don’t want to jeopardize anyone else in the process.”

Original Songs and a Band Built on “Exploiting” Talent

After the protest set, Heartbreak Waites takes the stage with original music.

“We play almost all original songs,” Waites said. “A lot of them are love songs. It’s very uplifting and fun — cathartic as well.”

He said the band exists for one central reason: to showcase its musicians.

“The main reason I started this band is to exploit the people that are in it,” Waites said with a laugh. “Cedric Allen Hills — if Brian Wilson and David Bowie had a child, it would be Cedric. He’s a musical genius.”

“Tony Daniels is a world-class guitar player,” he added. “And Danny McGovern is a lovely actor and singer who puts the vocal on top. We do a lot of ’60s-type harmonies. People really seem to like it.”

Heartbreak Waites performs at 7 p.m. Thursday at The Colony in Woodstock. More information is available at colonywoodstock.com.