Radio Chatskill

Fitness challenges—those 30-day programs that promise quick results—have often been met with skepticism in the health and wellness world.

Maggi FItzpatrick is the Health and Wellness columnist for The Sullivan County Democrat and a fitness coach focused who has shied away from endorsing them. She says, "The challenge-driven approach can feel fleeting, and once the clock runs out, the habits we’ve built often disappear. But over the years, my perspective has shifted. I now see that fitness challenges can serve a valuable role in a person’s long-term health journey when used thoughtfully."

We spoke to her about how fitness challenges can challenges can act as a catalyst to reignite motivation and create momentum, especially for those feeling stuck in their fitness routines. 

As we step into the new year, prioritizing brain health and emotional well-being is more important than ever. Experts are continuously uncovering how various lifestyle changes can significantly enhance cognitive function, manage stress, and improve overall mental health. 

We spoke to Tara McDonald, Commissioner of the Ulster County Department of Mental Health, about focusing on strategies that promote long-term well-being, from physical activity to sleep, and from confronting anxiety to challenging your brain.

After five years as deputy director, Kristen Bowman Kavanagh stepped into her new role as executive director of the Delaware River Basin Commission on December 1, 2024.

Kavanagh describes the DRBC as the hub of a wheel, with Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and the federal government forming its spokes.

As she prepares for her fourth State of the State address, Governor Kathy Hochul has been promoting what she calls an “affordability agenda.” Three components of that agenda involve child care. 

From the New York Public News Network, WAMC's Capital Region Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.

Previewing the address, Hochul revealed plans to push for the establishment of a $110 million Child Care Construction Fund to build new child care facilities and repair existing sites.

Meredith Chimento is Executive Director of the Early Care & Learning Council, a state network of 35 child care resource and referral agencies that work directly with child care programs throughout New York State. She says the governor's proposal is commendable.

“ECLC applauds the efforts of the governor, moving child care assistance from 200% of the federal poverty level to the federal cap of 85% of state median income, meaning that a family of four earning $108,000 can be eligible for child care assistance," Chimento said. "We encourage families to use the new online portal, which is making applying for this child care assistance even more accessible for families, or to reach out to a child care resource and referral agency throughout the state for assistance."

Hochul says the plan only helps if there's a place to go. "If you're in a child care desert, doesn't matter. So let's build more. Let's have the ambition to build more facilities and to populate them with more nurturing teachers and teams to support them," said Hochul. 

The Democrat’s proposal includes launching a New York Coalition for Child Care to bring together business leaders, labor unions, service providers and tax experts to identify a sustainable path forward for achieving universal child care.

Business Council of New York State President & CEO Heather Mulligan says the average cost per child is $15,000 a year.

"There's only 4,200 licensed child care centers in the state. We are very supportive of investing child care facilities, and also the governor's support for expanding access to care with a goal towards making it universally available," Mulligan said. 

KT Korngold is the director of the Montessori Children's Center, a full time childcare center in West Harrison, NY.

 "There certainly is a need for us to be able to expand child care, not just in the deserts, but in places like where I am located, and if I could open a second center tomorrow, I would fill it tomorrow with children. The challenge we face, though, is not so much about facilities, it's about staffing, and this investment doesn't do anything to help us solve the problem of increased funding for the child care workforce, which is something that the child care workforce has been clamoring for," said Korngold. 

Mulligan hails Hochul's proposal to establish a “substitute pool” to expand the child care workforce, helping providers find trusted, vetted professionals to quickly step in and keep classrooms open.

"This is something that's very important, because in New York there are minimum staffing ratios for safety reasons for children, and as a result, child care centers, right now, without access to a substitute school, have to overstaff, and this is one of the things that can drive up the cost of operating a child care center. So we think this is a very thoughtful proposal, and we're very supportive of it," said Mulligan. 

Hochul also is proposing free breakfasts and lunches for the more than 2.7 million students in schools throughout New York.

The State of the State is Tuesday at 1 and will be carried live on Radio Catskill.

Here are some facts about LEGO, the its iconic plastic construction toys: 

• LEGO’s founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen, created the name “LEGO” from taking the first two letters of the Danish words LEG GODT, meaning “play well“.
• During the Christmas season almost 28 LEGO sets are sold each second.
• Laid end to end, the number of LEGO bricks sold in a year would reach more than five times round the world.

Lego lovers are gathering locally Saturday, January 11, at Sullivan Public in Eldred, NY, to celebrate the  creations made during the fall session of Sullivan Public's LEGO Club and showing builds from enthusiasts community wide.

We spoke to Adrienne Hloderwski, head of the children’s programs at Sullivan Public, about the event. 

https://www.sullivanpublic.com/

New Congressman Josh Riley of New York’s 19th district was just sworn in last Friday after defeating one-term Republican Marc Molinaro in November. 

Riley spoke Thursday with Ian Pickus on WAMC’s "Congressional Corner" about his recent vote with GOP and other Democrats on a bill that would detain immigrants in the country illegally for non-violent crimes like shoplifting; whether or not he will attend President elect Trump’s second inauguration; and which committees he hope to serve on.

As the Skinners Falls Bridge faces imminent demolition, there is growing debate over the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's (PennDOT) handling of the situation. While local advocates and cultural resource agencies have questioned the process, PennDOT insists it has followed the only feasible path available.

The River Reporter spoke to Rich Roman, PennDOT District 4 executive, about the decision to demolish the historic bridge using explosives. 

“When the bridge was closed, we immediately started to look at options,” Roman told the River Reporter. “And unfortunately, based on laws and regulations, there are procedures that you have to follow… Unfortunately, it takes time.”

Roman added, “We did everything we could within reason, within the process, but unfortunately during that time the bridge started to deteriorate beyond repair and saving.” 

Damascus Citizens for Sustainability (DCS), a group advocating for the bridge’s preservation, argues that PennDOT ignored the structure’s critical repair needs over the years. "PennDOT allowed the bridge to fall apart," DCS wrote in a letter to stakeholders. "The current condition is a result of years of neglect."

While PennDOT insists that demolition is the only option moving forward, DCS contends that rehabilitation is still possible. A recent inspection report from October 2024 highlighted $261,290 in urgent repairs necessary within the next six months, without suggesting that destruction was the only solution.

Roman countered that inspection reports are separate from PennDOT's conclusions, and that temporary shoring measures would not resolve the larger issues. He further stated that lifting the bridge to perform repairs could risk collapse due to its fragile condition.

Barbara Arrindell, director of DCS, has pointed out that restoring the bridge would likely require disassembly, a process PennDOT has not pursued.

To proceed with demolition, PennDOT must secure various state and federal approvals. The agency has already obtained an emergency declaration from Governor Josh Shapiro and is working to fast-track the necessary approvals. The National Park Service (NPS) is reviewing the situation and aims to issue a permit as quickly as possible. However, NPS officials noted that the urgency of the situation is unclear, given that it took PennDOT eight weeks to secure the emergency declaration.

Despite the controversy surrounding the bridge’s future, local advocates are organizing a community event on January 12 at the Narrowsburg Union to celebrate the bridge’s legacy. The event will feature descendants of the bridge’s original builders and artists inspired by the structure. Engineers will also discuss potential alternatives to demolition, though many remain skeptical about halting the demolition plan.

DCS maintains that PennDOT’s true goal is to replace the historic bridge with a modern one, setting a dangerous precedent for the destruction of historic structures across the state. "PennDOT, with the Governor’s approval, is setting a destructive precedent for every historic bridge in the Commonwealth," DCS wrote.

Roman denied that PennDOT had any ulterior motives, stressing that the agency had followed the required process and had not intentionally allowed the bridge to deteriorate. "We did not delay or act with malice," he said. "We followed the process as required by law."

Community members along the Delaware River are planning a celebration of the historic and endangered Skinners Falls Bridge on Sunday, January 12.

In 2019, PennDOT shut down the Skinners Falls Bridge to vehicle traffic, citing safety concerns due to its deteriorating condition. Now, more than five years later, the bridge has further decayed to the point where it can no longer be maintained as a historic or culturally important landmark, according to PennDOT. PennDOT has announced plans to demolish the bridge using explosives.

Local advocates continue to insist the bridge can and should be preserved. 

We spoke to Barbara Arrindell of Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, artist and advocate Cynthia Nash, and our own Kathy Geary, who produced the radio version of Nash's play about the bridge "The Crossing," about their efforts to save it. 

January is National Blood Month, but winter weather disruptions are impacting efforts to maintain a strong blood supply.  That's in addition to the challenges of cold and flu season.

American Red Cross Hudson Valley Executive Director John Vale told us about what is being done to address the shortages in blood donations.

In an effort to encourage donations, the American Red Cross has partnered with the NFL, offering a chance to win Super Bowl tickets. This marks the sixth consecutive year the Red Cross has held the ticket giveaway.

To enter, simply donate blood at a Red Cross location by January 26th, and you could win a trip to the Super Bowl in New Orleans next month.

For more information, visit the Red Cross website.

The Delaware Riverkeeper Network is calling on the Town of Highland Planning Board to hold an additional public hearing on the Camp FIMFO draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), citing a lack of proper notice and timing as required by the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR). The proposed Camp Fimfo project is a proposed campground along the Delaware River in Barryville, NY.  The name of the camp is an acronym for ​”fun is more fun outside.”

We spoke to Maya van Rossum, leader of Delaware Riverkeeper, about the request for an additional hearing. 

In a letter to the Planning Board, the environmental advocacy group argues that the town did not provide the required 14-day notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the area. Delaware Riverkeeper contends that the notice was not published in a local newspaper by December 4, despite the requirement that it be published at least 14 days before the hearing. The group also points out that the public hearing was held earlier than allowed by SEQR regulations, which stipulate that the hearing must take place no less than 15 days after the filing of the notice of completion of the draft EIS. The notice was published on December 4, making December 19 the earliest possible date for the hearing.

The Town of Highland Planning Board is accepting public comments until Friday, January 10, on the draft 
EIS for the proposed Camp FIMFO project.