Radio Chatskill

In December 2023, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law creating the nine-member Community Commission on Reparations Remedies. It’s tasked with investigating ways of compensating the descendants of enslaved people for historical injustices. 

From The New York Public News Network, WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports the panel is asking for more time to complete its mission.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is facing growing calls for him to either resign or be removed from office by the governor. This all comes after a federal justice department official - under President Trump -  sent a letter to prosecutors urging them to drop criminal corruption charges against the mayor. 

There has been much speculation about the political relationship between Adams and Trump. Since then, four deputy mayors under Adams have announced their resignation. Gov. Kathy Hochul spent the week weighing the political future of the mayor and met with several local elected officials in New York City. 

By the end of the week, Hochul decided to impose increased oversight over the mayor’s office instead of fully removing him at this time. 

To unpack, the latest news around Adams and the complex political positioning of the governor, here’s Elise Kline - with the New York Public News Network, with a reporter’s roundtable. She's joined by Jon Campbell, of WNYC and Gothamist, and Michael Gormley, of Newsday.

As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, The River Reporter is working to address one of its biggest challenges: finding enough staff to cover the extensive geographic area of its readership

In a new initiative aimed at enhancing that local news coverage gap, the newspaper is launching its 2025 News Ambassador program this spring. The program invites community members to volunteer their time and energy to help ensure that vital local government meetings are accessible to the public and adequately reported.

Laurie Stuart, Publisher of The River Reporter, says she hopes to create a community of News Ambassadors who curate a groundswell of support for accurate local news dissemination.

Maple syrup has a rich history in North America, dating back to Native American tribes who first discovered how to turn sap into syrup and sugar. In the heart of Northeastern Pennsylvania, this time-honored tradition continues to thrive, and visitors can get a firsthand look at the process during the annual Self-Guided Maple Tour hosted by the Northeastern PA Maple Producers Association.

Trevor Tochydlowski , Forest Specialist for Wayne Conservation District, spoke about the history and environmental importance of maple syrup production in NEPA.

On February 23, historian and author Evan Pritchard will lead a virtual event, "By Any Means Necessary: Retracing Algonquin Portage Routes in New York," exploring the history of Native American trade and travel routes. 

Presented in partnership with the Time and The Valleys Museum, the program will delve into Algonquin waterways across the state, including the Rondout Creek, Neversink River, Callicoon Creek, and the Delaware River. Pritchard will also touch on the portage route through Stamford, traced by Route 23, and the routes west from the Esopus, which align with Route 28 today.

Pritchard, a descendant of the Micmac people and founder of the Center for Algonquin Culture, has dedicated much of his career to preserving and sharing the rich history of Native American communities. 

In the world of modern folk music, few artists blend genres with the same grace and authenticity as Jenna Nicholls. 

With three albums under her belt, this gifted singer-songwriter has woven a unique tapestry of sound, seamlessly fusing the rich, soulful spirit of New Orleans with the rugged charm of the American West. 

Legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog’s latest project is “Theater of Thought,” an ambitious exploration of the inner workings of the human brain. 

Herzog turns his lens to neuroscience, delving into the complexities of thought and consciousness.

“Theater of Thought” will be screened Thursday, February 20, at the Callicoon Theatre.

And there’s a local connection: it was partially filmed in Cochecton, NY and features music from neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux's band, the Amygdaloids, adding a unique layer to its soundtrack. 

With three of his songs featured in the film’s soundtrack, LeDoux and bandmate Colin Dempsey appeared on Radio Chatskill to discuss the alignment of music with the themes of the brain and human experience.

Kate Prascher doesn’t want you to look at her. She wants you to see what she sees. Through her music, Prascher invites listeners into a world where the unsaid is just as important as the spoken, where the subtle currents of everyday darkness and the depths of memory take center stage. With an ethereal voice that has been described as having an "intangible vintage feel," she makes you ask, "Do you see it too?"

Join or Die is a film about why you should join a club — and why the fate of America depends on it.

On Saturday, the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance (DVAA) and Tusten Social are partnering to host an afternoon focused on civic engagement and community-building with a free screening of the documentary Join Or Die at Krause Recital Hall in Narrowsburg, NY.

In this feature documentary, follow the half-century story of America's civic unraveling through the journey of legendary social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking "Bowling Alone" research into America's decades-long decline in community connections could hold the answers to our democracy's present crisis.

Flanked by influential fans and scholars — from Hillary Clinton, Pete Buttigieg, a Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to Eddie Glaude Jr., Raj Chetty, and Priya Parker — as well as inspiring groups building community in neighborhoods across the country, join Bob as he explores three urgent civic questions: What makes democracy work? Why is American democracy in crisis? And, most importantly... What can we do about it?

Ariel Shanberg Executive Director of DVAA and Greta Knutzen of Tusten Social appeared on Radio Chatskill to talk about the central message of the film: that a healthy democracy depends on citizens’ sense of connection to each other, and that connection depends on participation in organizations of all kinds, from churches to bowling leagues.

Our mind and body are deeply connected. While it used to be common practice to view, evaluate, and treat them as separate body systems, new research is showing that this approach may not be best in all situations. Not only does our mind have the ability to impact our physical state, but the way we use our body has the ability to change our mental state as well. 

It’s easy to look at the mind-body connection and view the trouble it can cause. Mental stress can easily turn into physical stress, leading to not only mental illnesses but manifesting into physical illnesses, too. The same can happen in the reverse, where physical illnesses can trigger struggles in our mind. While it’s easy to look at the bad, let’s shift for a moment to looking at the good.

If the mind and body are so powerfully connected that illness in one can trigger illness in the other, then it must be true that wellness in one can also trigger wellness in the other. When I am experiencing struggles in my mind, such as feelings of sadness or anxiousness, I have learned that I can turn to my body to help mitigate these feelings. 

While it would be nice, the body cannot make changes to the mind by itself. To capture the full power of our body, it must be used, or put into motion. Just as we wouldn’t expect a tool, such as a hammer, to work well without proper intentions and someone swinging it, we can’t expect our bodies to work without proper intentions and initiations of action either. 

The options of how we can put our body into motion to shift our mental state are endless, but three of my favorites include deep belly breathing, going for walks, and exercising. I love these options because they are all free and accessible at any time, anywhere. 

The first step I take when I notice I am in an undesirable mental state is to take as deep of a breath as possible, with emphasis on elongating the time it takes for me to exhale. Taking deep breaths triggers our vagus nerve to turn on our parasympathetic nervous system, or the “rest and digest” system that helps initiate relaxation in our bodies. With intentional practice over time, you’ll notice that just one deep breath can trigger both your body and mind to relax. 

If deep breathing is not enough, I will put the rest of my body into motion through either a walk, stretching, or a workout. While this is usually the last thing I want to do when I’m feeling down, it has the greatest effect on changing my mood. Try not to worry about your movement being perfect, and rather focus on the fact that you’re doing it. 

Remember that you are important, your health is worth taking care of, and that you do not need to turn momentary pain into prolonged suffering. Tap into your body, your readily available tool, to shift from a state of illness into a state of wellness. The more we can do this, the easier it is to move toward overall and lasting health.

If you’d like inspiration on how to incorporate movement into your day without a gym or equipment, come attend one of my free sessions on Friday, February 21, 2025 at the Monticello Rotary Health & Wellness Fair at Resorts World Catskill. I’ll be teaching at 11:45am and 1:30pm and I hope to see you there!