Radio Chatskill

From sweet and mild to spicy and hot, the first annual Pepperfest kicks off in Damascus, Pennsylvania this Saturday, October 4th. It’s a new festival celebrating the love of peppers in the Upper Delaware River Valley.

Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar headed down to Tyler Hill, Pennsylvania to talk to the Pepperfest planning committee to learn what folks can expect and brings us this report.

Jazz trombonist Ryan Keberle is bringing the infectious rhythms of Brazil to Honesdale tomorrow with a live performance at the Cooperage Project. His new album, Choro das Águas, created in collaboration with Collectiv do Brasil, blends traditional Brazilian choro rhythms with modern jazz in a fresh, compelling way.

“We hope people get up and dance—or at least feel like getting up and dancing,” Keberle says. “The grooves are infectious, especially played by this band straight from Brazil.”

Keberle, a New York-based trombonist who now calls the Catskills home, says the album is inspired not only by Brazil’s rich folk traditions but also by one of the country’s great living songwriters, Ivan Lins. “All of our arrangements try to bring an American jazz sensibility to these compositions while staying true to their Brazilian roots,” he explains.

For Keberle, mastering Brazilian music has been a labor of love. “Working as a freelance musician, you have to become fluent in many musical languages. Brazilian music just connected with me deeply—especially the folk traditions where trombone plays a central role,” he says. Over the past decade, he’s studied these styles closely, reimagining classic songs with his own compositions and arrangements.

Keberle likens the live concert experience to attending a public lecture delivered by experts: “Music is a form of communication. When we’re on stage, we’re telling stories, sharing these rich traditions, and hoping the audience feels it in their bodies.”

Keberle and Collectiv do Brasil perform tomorrow at the Cooperage Project in Honesdale. For ticket information, visit cooperageproject.org.

What does “cage-free,” “pasture-raised,” or “organic” really mean when you’re shopping for groceries? Even farmers say the labels can be confusing.

“That’s why we’re doing this workshop,” said Iris Gillingham of Gail Roots Farm, who will lead the Understanding Food Labels Workshop this Sunday at Farm Arts Collective. “Last year I was at a farming conference and a bunch of farmers were talking about how confusing it is to navigate these food labels, even for them. So many of them are unregulated.”

Gillingham says shoppers are surrounded by what’s known as greenwashing. “When you’re in the grocery store and you see something that says USDA Organic next to a box that says ‘all natural’ or ‘non-GMO,’ you’re really confused,” she said. “Some of the words and terminology have no backbone to them.”

Beyond the labels, farming practices affect soil health, climate change, and small farmers’ livelihoods. “The biggest thing to do around food is to try and get to know your farmer and know their practices,” Gillingham said. “There are a lot of farmers that aren’t certified because it’s a big cost, but they still follow those practices.”

Sunday’s workshop will break down common terms, explain certification processes, and even touch on gardening and fertilizer labels. Lunch from Willow Wisp Organic Farm is included.

The Understanding Food Labels Workshop happens Sunday, Sept. 28, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Farm Arts Collective in Damascus. It’s pay-what-you-can at the door—no reservations required.

“We want people to be educated consumers,” Gillingham said. “Food is so expensive right now. We want people to know what they’re putting their dollar behind.”

More info at farmartscollective.org.

Over the last decade, the number of short-term rentals in Ulster County has jumped by 220 percent. That’s according to a new report released on Monday from Ulster County Comptroller March Gallagher about the rapid growth of short-term rentals and their increasing pressure on the county’s housing market.

Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar spoke with Ulster County Comptroller Gallagher who shared the latest from the report.

Sullivan County is considering building a waste-to-energy facility that some critics say is a ‘public relations term’ for an incinerator. Local residents are pushing back.

A coalition of environmental and racial justice groups including Sustainable Sullivan, Sullivan County NAACP, The Black Library, and Energy Justice Network will host an emergency town hall on Sept. 29 to discuss the proposed facility in Monticello.

Radio Catskill's Kimberly Izar spoke with Mike Ewall, founder and director of the environmental advocacy nonprofit Energy Justice Network about the upcoming town hall.

This weekend, the Big Eddy Film Festival returns to Narrowsburg, bringing a vibrant mix of storytelling, creativity, and community spirit to the Delaware River region. Radio Catskill, a proud media partner, sat down with three filmmakers whose work highlights the festival’s focus on local voices and innovative storytelling.

Moh Azima: Blending Community and AI in “Be Like a Tree”

Moh Azima’s video installation, Be Like a Tree, will be featured in the festival’s digital gallery. The piece is a meditative exploration of community, impermanence, and identity, blending local participants’ voices with AI-generated imagery.

“The idea of community felt crucial,” Azima explained. “I wanted to bring people together from my community to speak with one voice. Then I used AI to merge all their faces together gradually over five hours. It creates this idea that we’re all parts of the same tree — like leaves on the same tree, constantly changing but rooted together.”

Azima said the community’s response to participating was overwhelmingly positive. “Everyone was really enthusiastic. Many were familiar with Rumi’s poetry, which ties directly into the work’s meditation on accepting change and transformation.”

Alex Spotts: Bowling, Band, and Local Charm in “No Crying in Baseball”

Alex Spotts’ short, No Crying in Baseball, brings playful energy to the festival’s Rural Shorts program. Filmed in Port Jervis, the video stars local residents, including young girls’ bowling teams and longtime community members, alongside the regionally celebrated Riot Grrrl band Basic Bitches.

“It was really fun to bring everyone together,” Spotts said. “The girls versus the older men, their playful taunts, and the energy of the community made the video incredible. I hope audiences just have fun watching it.”

The short emphasizes connection, playfulness, and local culture, capturing the spirit of collaboration that thrives in small-town filmmaking.

Mariah Dunker-Kramer: A Family Legacy in “Shirley”

Mariah Dunker-Kramer’s Shirley, part of the Family Ties program, tells the poignant story of a young mother facing kidney failure in the early 1960s. Inspired by Dunker-Kramer’s maternal grandmother, the film examines loss, legacy, and resilience through a deeply personal lens.

“Growing up in a rural area with a large, close-knit family shaped my storytelling,” Dunker-Kramer said. “This film is a glimpse into my grandmother’s life and how her legacy continues through generations. My hope is that audiences leave with a sense of how grief, love, and legacy intertwine.”

Celebrating Community Through Film

All three filmmakers emphasized the festival’s role as a creative hub for the region. “It brings us together, gives local creators an outlet, and fosters collaboration,” Azima said. Spotts echoed that sentiment: “Being a creative can feel lonely. Festivals like Big Eddy let you connect with people who share your ideas.” Dunker-Kramer added, “It’s a resource in a rural area that supports artists and celebrates creativity.”

The full lineup is available at bigeddyfilmfest.com.

The Scranton Fringe Festival is back, kicking off Wednesday, Sept. 25, and running through Oct. 5 with more than 200 performances across the city.

Now in its 11th year, the festival has become one of Northeast Pennsylvania’s biggest arts events, packing theaters, galleries, storefronts and even coffee shops with theater, music, comedy, storytelling and more.
“Scranton Fringe in a nutshell is simply a celebration of culture, creativity and community,” said co-founder and executive director Connor Kelly O’Brien. “There’s everything from theater to music to film, amateur to professional, everything from all ages to more so for adults.”

The festival opens with a free launch party Wednesday at Marywood University from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring preview performances and the unveiling of a 3D projection-mapping installation. Other highlights include Ulysses of Scranton, a James Joyce-inspired production that will later travel to Ireland.

Tickets are priced at $15 or less, with free options through the “Fringe for the People” program, plus outdoor and family events downtown. All venues are ADA accessible.

Full schedules and ticket information are available at scrantonfringe.org

New York State is moving forward with plans to invest $1.4 billion to upgrade Route 17 between Exit 113 in Wurtsboro and Exit 131 in Monroe, continuing the decades-long effort to convert the highway into Interstate 86. While much of western New York already has the interstate treatment, the Hudson Valley segment is now at the center of a heated debate.

State and business leaders say the expansion, including a possible third lane, is needed to handle growing traffic and support local economic development. “There’s already significant development along Route 17,” Mark Baez of the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development told the Sullivan County Legislature recently. “That’s why we need a third lane to address issues that exist today.”

But environmental and community groups are pushing back. The Rethink Route 17 Alliance argues that the $1.4 billion could be better spent on public transit, pedestrian projects, and repairing existing roads. Liam Mayo, news editor at The River Reporter, said, “The Rethink Route 17 Alliance is advocating against adding that [third] lane, suggesting instead that money be redirected toward local transit, pedestrian infrastructure, and road repairs.”

Their recent report, Invest in Our Communities Not a Wider Highway, recommends doubling bus routes in Sullivan County, building a 15-mile continuous rail trail in Orange County, and adding a pedestrian bridge in Ellenville—all while still addressing current Route 17 safety and maintenance issues.

Jessica Landsdale of the Lake Communities Alliance said the expansion could worsen runoff, air pollution, and push industrial development into the corridor. “The more accessible the highway becomes, the more pressure there will be for warehouse and industrial projects that could harm local ecosystems,” she told The River Reporter

Proponents highlight the highway’s role in accommodating long-term population and traffic growth. The 17Forward86 coalition projects rising demand along the corridor over the next 30 years, citing millions of square feet of existing and planned industrial space and thousands of new housing units.

Mayo said the debate is not just about construction, but “rethinking the way you do this expansion,” with some proposals focusing on upgrades that do not require a full third lane.

An environmental impact statement is currently in preparation, with planning expected to continue through late 2025 or early 2026. The state is aiming to complete the project by 2030.

More information on the Route 17 project is at the New York State Department of Transportation's website: dot.ny.gov.