Radio Chatskill

Two major environmental health bills are making their way through the New York State Legislature — and time is running out. Lawmakers have until June 12 to pass the Beauty Justice Act and the PFAS in Consumer Products Act, both aimed at reducing exposure to harmful PFAS chemicals, often referred to as “forever chemicals.”

PFAS are found in a wide range of household items, including makeup, dental floss, cookware, and cleaning products. These persistent chemicals have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and weakened immune response, raising concerns among public health advocates and environmental experts.

Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo spoke with Kate Donovan, Director of Northeast Environmental Health at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and Bobbi Wilding, Executive Director of Clean+Healthy, about the urgency of these bills and how they could protect communities across New York from long-term health risks.

Imagine an affordable rental home constructed with local timber, local workforce, and with cutting edge green technology – built by the community, for the community. That is what the Catskills Community Land Trust is hoping to bring to Livingston Manor.

Since the 1960s, community land trusts have become a tool to build shared equity to preserve affordable housing, farmland, and waterways. There are more than 220 community land trusts in the United States, with dozens that have been established in New York State.

Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar spoke to the Trust’s advisory committee members, Gwen Schantz and Bruce Pollock, about its vision to build new affordable housing in Sullivan County.

The legacy of the once-booming Borscht Belt is getting a fresh chapter this summer as the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project returns with new installations and a renewed mission to preserve the vanishing stories of the Catskills’ golden era.

A total of six new historical markers will be installed across Sullivan and Ulster counties, each unveiling a distinct facet of the region’s rich Jewish-American vacation culture that flourished throughout the 20th century. From resorts and bungalow colonies to summer camps and comedy stages, the Borscht Belt shaped the cultural identity of generations — and now, through a series of public events, its stories will be formally collected, shared, and safeguarded.

The initiative is being powered by a partnership between the Museum at Bethel Woods, the Borscht Belt Museum, and the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project, all working together under the umbrella of the Community Connectors Oral History Project. Funded in part by government grants — which briefly faced cancellation before being reinstated — the program aims to capture firsthand accounts of life in the Catskills during the 1950s through the 1970s.

“We’re not just talking about historical facts,” said Dr. Neil Hitch, Senior Curator at the Museum at Bethel Woods. “We’re talking about lived experiences — stories that are deeply personal, local, and fading fast. If we don’t preserve them now, we may lose them forever.”

Stories You Won’t Find in Textbooks

One such story comes from an 84-year-old man who shared his memories of a small hamlet called Greenfield Park, where he spent his summers as a teenager. In an oral history interview conducted in Boca Raton earlier this year, he recounted a summer in 1956 when he received a coveted Daisy BB gun for his 14th birthday — a gift that led to a mischievous revenge plot involving a jukebox, a banned pop song, and the shooting out of a neon sign.

“He said, ‘The Catskills were the centerpiece of my life,’” Hitch recalled. “That one sentence says so much about what these places meant to people.”

The story, like dozens of others being gathered, will be archived in both the Museum at Bethel Woods and the Borscht Belt Museum — a dual-institutional approach ensuring long-term preservation and public access.

A Community Built on Sharing

Hitch draws a direct connection between these small personal histories and the larger cultural impact of the region — including the famed 1969 Woodstock festival, held just a few miles from the heart of Borscht Belt country.

“There’s a theory we’re exploring: that the reason Woodstock succeeded peacefully in Bethel was because of the communal spirit already here,” said Hitch. “These were communities built on generosity, on inclusion, and on shared experience. When 500,000 young people arrived for Woodstock, that same spirit of hospitality kicked in.”

Public Events This Weekend

The summer’s first historical marker dedication will take place Saturday in Ellenville, at the public library at 3 p.m. The event will include an oral history popup, where attendees can record their own stories on-site, no registration required.

The following day, Sunday, the project moves to Greenfield Park, where a second marker will be unveiled at the local firehouse, again followed by a community oral history recording session.

“These popups are designed to be as accessible as possible,” Hitch said. “You sit down, we mic you up, and you share your story — 10, 15 minutes, whatever you’ve got. We’re not looking for polished anecdotes; we want memories.”

A Race Against Time

As the aging generation of Borscht Belt vacationers enters its twilight years, the urgency of collecting these oral histories grows.

“Photographs and old postcards can show you what the resorts looked like,” Hitch said, “but it’s the voices, the laughter, the mishaps and the music that bring it to life. Without those, you’re only seeing half the story.”

To learn more or to get involved in preserving the Borscht Belt legacy, visit:

• bethelwoodscenter.org
• borschtbelthistoricalmarkerproject.org

Upcoming Events:

Saturday, May 25
📍 Ellenville Public Library, Ellenville, NY
🕒 Marker dedication at 3 p.m.
🎤 Oral history popup from 2:30–4:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 26
📍 Greenfield Park Firehouse
🕒 Marker dedication at 3 p.m.
🎤 Oral history popup immediately following

At Harana Market in Accord, New York, Queer Soup Night brought together more than 30 people for an evening filled with warmth, flavor, and purpose. Local queer Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) chefs served up soup to nourish both body and community, while raising funds for local nonprofit organizations.

Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar takes us inside this grassroots movement, where food is political, joy is abundant, and soup is an act of care.

As summer approaches and families start mapping out their warm-weather plans, many are trading in the usual s’mores and sleeping bags for something a little more adventurous. At Frost Valley YMCA here in The Catskills, kids can hike, ride horses, grow their own food — and discover who they are along the way.

Callie Radday, Executive Director of Camping Services at Frost Valley, appeared on Radio Chatskill to chat about how these one-of-a-kind camps are sparking a love of nature and adventure in the next generation of explorers, animal enthusiasts, and outdoor leaders.

Image Credit: Frost Valley YMCA

Voters across Pennsylvania cast ballots Tuesday in a slate of judicial and local primary races, many of which could shape the state’s legal and political future well beyond November. While primary elections are often quiet affairs, this year’s contests—particularly for two statewide Republican judicial seats—drew increased attention due to ongoing debates over election law, education funding, and the influence of the courts on public policy.

The Republican primaries for Commonwealth Court and Superior Court were especially closely watched. Liam Mayo, reporter for The River Reporter, joined Tim Bruno on local radio to break down the results and what they could mean moving forward.

Statewide Judicial Races:

At the Commonwealth Court level, GOP-endorsed candidate Matthew Wolford, an environmental law specialist, won the Republican nomination over Joshua Prince, a gun law attorney. Wolford will face Jessica Ellis, a Court of Common Pleas judge and the unopposed Democratic nominee, in November.

The Superior Court Republican primary saw an upset, with Maria Batista, a former assistant general counsel for Pennsylvania’s Departments of State and Health, defeating party-endorsed Judge Annmarie Wheatcraft. Batista will go on to challenge Judge Brandon Newman, a Democrat, in the general election.

“These appellate courts are often under the radar, but they play a huge role in determining the legality of state policies,” Mayo explained. “From election law to education funding and reproductive rights, their influence is significant.”

Adding to the stakes: this fall, Pennsylvania voters will also decide whether to retain five appellate judges—including three Democratic Supreme Court justices—for additional 10-year terms. These “yes or no” retention votes have become a strategic target for Republicans aiming to shake up the current Democratic majority on the state’s highest courts.

Wayne and Pike County Judicial Results:

Locally, two magisterial district judge races appear to have been settled in the primary.

In Wayne County, attorney Jessica Ellis secured both the Republican and Democratic nominations for a vacant magisterial seat, defeating former state trooper Wayne Thomas. According to unofficial results, Ellis earned nearly twice the votes of her opponent in both primaries, effectively sealing her election ahead of November.

In Pike County, Christina Ballas defeated longtime incumbent Judge Paul Minto, also winning both parties’ nominations. Ballas’ dual victory likely means she will take the bench following the general election.

“These judgeships may not get the spotlight,” Mayo said, “but they’re often the public’s first experience with the judicial system. They matter a great deal locally.”

Honesdale Mayoral Race: A Three-Way Contest Emerges

In Honesdale, the mayoral race is heating up. Jim Hamill, a current borough councilor, secured the Democratic nomination. Incumbent Mayor Derek Williams, known locally as the “walking mayor,” is expected to run again as an independent. Meanwhile, a third candidate, potentially Mike Falco, may claim the Republican ballot line after a strong write-in campaign—though official confirmation of the write-in results won't be available until next week.

Lackawaxen Township Supervisor Battle:

The primary for township supervisor in Lackawaxen Township saw incumbent Mike Manino defeat Ray Fennel, a political newcomer who ran a campaign centered on one issue: the controversial public acquisition of the Freshman's Property, a popular river launch site. Manino won decisively with a 3-to-1 margin.

Delaware Valley School Board Confusion:

In the Delaware Valley School District, six candidates vied for four open board seats. According to preliminary results, five will advance to the general election: Joseph Melli, Pam Lutfi, Jessica Decker, Fe Han, and Dot Smith. One candidate, Mandy Coville, fell short in both the Democratic and Republican primaries and will not move forward.

Low Turnout, High Impact

Despite the importance of these races, voter turnout remained typical for a municipal primary—lower than in general elections but consistent with previous years, according to Wayne County election officials.

Still, Mayo emphasized that the decisions made Tuesday could reverberate across the state.

“With 10-year terms and the increasing politicization of court decisions, these judicial races may be some of the most consequential votes people cast all year,” he said.

As the general election approaches in November, Pennsylvania voters will again decide who sits on the courts—and in many cases—who governs at the local level.

Joe Johnson is Radio Catskill’s resident science guy who brought us science stories that caught his eye recently from the frontiers of science. This week, Joe talks about turning lead into gold, Soviet space debris, partially resurrected dire wolves, and long-haired genetically engineered mice. 
 

Hairy Mice and Mammoth Dreams

In early March, biotech company Colossal Biosciences unveiled a unique creation: genetically edited mice that are, in Joe’s words, “cute as heck.” These long-haired, fat little puffballs aren’t just lab curiosities—they’re the product of seven targeted genetic edits to DNA sequences regulating hair length, thickness, texture, color, and body fat.

The experiment is part of Colossal’s ambitious push to test whether multiple gene edits can result in viable, healthy animals—and ultimately, to explore cold weather adaptations. Why cold weather? Because these mice are early test cases for something far more ancient: the woolly mammoth.

Colossal's ultimate goal is to bring a "mammoth-like" creature to life by 2028, using Asian elephants as the genetic base. The hope? That herds of these Ice Age giants could help restore Arctic ecosystems and mitigate climate change by encouraging tundra growth.

Dire Wolves (Almost) Walk Again

The company also made headlines this spring with another project: resurrecting the dire wolf, which went extinct roughly 13,000 years ago. Using ancient DNA extracted from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old inner ear bone, Colossal scientists made 20 genetic edits to modern gray wolf DNA.

The result isn’t a true dire wolf, Johnson clarifies: “You have a dire wolf-like gray wolf.” Still, three pups—Romulus, Remus, and Ksi—were successfully born between October 2024 and January 2025.

The field, known as de-extinction, has drawn criticism from skeptics who argue that the science may be more spectacle than substance. But Johnson points out that Colossal has conducted serious, peer-reviewed research, including embryonic development studies and artificial womb design.

Environmental ethicists, such as University of Montana professor Christopher Preston, say Colossal is taking animal welfare seriously, and the company has backing from the American Humane Society.

Next Up: The Dodo and the Tasmanian Tiger

Colossal’s de-extinction ambitions don’t stop at woolly mammoths and dire wolves. The biotech firm has its sights set on reviving the Tasmanian tiger (thylacine) and the dodo, two iconic species lost to history.

The Return—and Burn—of Cosmos 482

While we look to the future, one relic from the past made its final descent. The Soviet lander Cosmos 482, launched in 1972 with a mission to explore Venus, finally crashed back to Earth this month. After its booster failed, the lander remained in orbit for over 50 years, surviving multiple reentries and tracked as recently as May 10 over Germany—before disappearing and likely burning up over the Indian Ocean.

Turning Lead Into Gold—Literally

Yes, the ancient dream of alchemy may have finally found a shred of reality—thanks to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. During high-energy experiments meant to simulate Big Bang conditions, scientists accidentally created gold atoms by smashing lead ions together.

In some cases, the collisions caused the lead atoms to lose three protons—changing their atomic number from 82 (lead) to 79 (gold). The result: gold ions. Between 2015 and 2018, CERN’s ALICE experiment generated about 86 billion gold nuclei—though the total amount of actual gold was less than a trillionth of a gram.

"The real value," he says, "is in what we learn about nuclear physics and how it improves the collider’s performance."

President Donald Trump was on Capitol Hill today, pushing Republican lawmakers to support the G.O.P. megabill—a sweeping budget reconciliation package. He's working to secure the votes of conservative legislators who remain skeptical, citing concerns that the bill would significantly increase the federal deficit and demanding deeper cuts to Medicaid.

Trump dismissed the bill’s projected impacts on health coverage, including its changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, saying they weren’t “anything meaningful”—even though independent analyses estimate at least 8.6 million Americans could lose their coverage under the proposed changes.

In New York alone, the implications are stark.

The proposals advanced by the House Ways & Means and Energy & Commerce Committees would result in:

• $3.1 billion in Medicaid reductions, putting care for over 1 million New Yorkers at risk.

Just yesterday, Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the public to outline the potential damage the bill could cause to the state. She warned that the proposed federal cuts could amount to nearly $13.5 billion annually, jeopardizing access to healthcare for millions and threatening the viability of hospitals and essential healthcare providers across New York.

We spoke to two leaders with deep insight into these critical healthcare programs:

• Doug Wirth, President and CEO of Amida Care—New York’s largest Medicaid Special Needs Health Plan, which serves individuals with chronic illnesses, behavioral health needs, and those dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare.
• Christine Aguiar Lynch, Vice President for Medicare and Managed Long-Term Services and Supports at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans—a national organization representing nonprofit, safety-net health plans that serve Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries.

This summer, kids across Pike and Wayne Counties have a chance to trade video games and screens for nets and waders, thanks to a unique program offered by the Pike County Conservation District. The Streamkeepers Program is a free, interactive experience aimed at youth ages 11 to 14 — and their chaperones — that brings stream science to life.

The program combines environmental education with outdoor adventure, offering hands-on activities such as macroinvertebrate surveying, fly tying, and fly casting to teach young participants about stream ecosystems and the importance of clean water.

“It’s all about getting kids in the stream and engaging them in real science,” said Rachel Marks of the Pike County Conservation District. “We want them to understand how these small creatures — the macroinvertebrates — play a big role in the overall health of the ecosystem.”

What’s a Macroinvertebrate?

Don’t let the big word scare you. Macroinvertebrates are small stream-dwelling creatures — like aquatic insects and larvae — that can be seen with the naked eye. Because they are sensitive to pollution and other environmental changes, they serve as bioindicators of stream health.

“They’re fun to find, and they’re a great teaching tool,” added Emily Mansfield, who co-leads the program. “The kids love flipping over rocks to find these tiny critters, and we use that excitement to talk about water quality and ecosystems.”

A Creative and Scientific Connection

The Streamkeepers program was originally developed by Trout Unlimited, a national nonprofit dedicated to freshwater conservation. That partnership continues today, with local Trout Unlimited members leading fly tying demonstrations that mimic the macroinvertebrates found in the stream. Kids choose their own colors and materials to design their flies — and even take them home.

“Fly tying and fly casting are not just fun,” said Marks. “They help kids understand the food web and the importance of preserving natural habitats.”

Beyond the Stream

While the Streamkeepers program focuses on youth education, the Pike County Conservation District is also tackling environmental issues on a broader scale — including one that’s a bit more grounded: sediment pollution from roads.

Through the Dirt, Gravel, and Low Volume Road (DGLVR) Program — funded by the Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies — the District works with local townships to stabilize public roads and reduce runoff into nearby waterways.

“Sediment might not be what people think of when they hear ‘pollution,’” Mansfield explained. “But it’s the number one pollutant in Pennsylvania waterways. It can clog fish gills and harm those same macroinvertebrates we’re teaching the kids about.”

The DGLVR program provides technical assistance and grant funding to municipalities and public road owners to help keep dirt where it belongs — on the road and off the water.

Community-Wide Conservation

The Conservation District engages with a wide range of community members, from elementary school kids to municipal leaders. Their partnerships with organizations like the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) help them expand their impact.

“We like to say we work with kids and big kids,” Mansfield joked. “It’s about fostering a lifelong connection to conservation.”

In the latest episode of Kaatscast, Captain Drewski of the Delhi Polecats—formerly the Delhi Vintage Baseball Club—talks about the resurgence of vintage baseball in Delaware County, New York.

He shares the story behind a 200-year-old baseball challenge first printed in an 1825 issue of the Delaware Gazette, considered the earliest documented account of an organized baseball game in the United States. Today, the Hamden 9 carry on that legacy, playing by 19th-century rules with authentic uniforms and equipment as part of the town’s bicentennial festivities.

Host/producer Brett Barry explores the rich history, local teams, and community events that celebrate this rare version of America’s pastime—and dives into the intriguing claim that a Catskills newspaper was the first to ever publish a baseball game.

Visit hamden1825.org for more on Hamden, NY's 200th anniversary celebration.