Radio Chatskill

As state lawmakers return to Albany on Wednesday to kick-start this year’s legislative session, the focus seems to be all in one place: pocketbooks.

“I don’t want to spoil anything,” Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said Friday ahead of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s State of the State speech next week. “But I think people are going to be pleased to see how much of a concentration we’re going to have on trying to put money back into people’s pockets.”

With President-elect Donald Trump at the top of the ticket, Republicans saw victories in the November elections over their promises to fight inflation and tighten border policies — including in New York.

Although state Democrats still control all branches of government, Republicans chipped away at their supermajority in the Senate by flipping one seat last November. They also saw the largest appeal for conservative policies in recent years.

The appetite for measures that address affordability, along with the border and public safety, is not lost on Democrats as they head into session.

“I've always known that affordability and safety are the most important issues in people's minds, and we need to make sure that we are walking the walk and talking the talk when we come to those terms,” said Assemblyman John T. McDonald III, who represents the 108th district in the Capital region.

That’s why Hochul, with the backing of state Democratic leadership, is presenting her “affordability agenda” for the Legislature to consider: That includes sending rebate checks of up to $500 for qualifying families and individuals, expanding the state’s child tax credit system, and increasing access to child care.

State Sen. Michelle Hinchey, a Democrat whose constituents are in the Hudson Valley and surrounding areas, said she hopes the conference provides more affordable health care and incentivizes housing developments that aren’t just apartment buildings and larger projects.

“Our small towns and villages aren’t able to manage those kinds of developments,” she said. “But we desperately need housing.”

Hinchey proposed initiatives like investing in sewage and water infrastructure in smaller communities and renovating older homes to increase the housing supply.

“We have to do a lot more to make sure that we have programs that make it easier to build new units in communities across upstate New York,” she said.

But Republicans like state Sen. Tom O’Mara, who represents five counties across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, find it hard to believe that Democrats will walk the walk on affordability.

O'Mara said he disapproves of taxing those with higher incomes and thinks the Democrats should focus on supporting manufacturing and business industries. He also criticized the emphasis on renewable energy.

“I just don't think that the approach that the governor and the majority have been taking is realistic,” O’Mara added on energy- and climate-related issues. “I don't think it's going to be reliable, and it's not going to be affordable either in the long run.”

Democrats and Republicans will hash out rising tensions over energy as the Legislature revisits the New York HEAT Act, which would stop subsidizing gas companies to expand their connections across the state. It would cap utility bills to 6% of a household’s monthly income. The measure, which passed in the Senate, stopped short of getting greenlit in the Assembly as negotiations took a pause.

Education funding up for reconsideration
Hochul and lawmakers have committed to reexamining the way the state distributes funding to schools this year. The state currently uses outdated data to calculate school districts’ needs, including poverty measures from past census data.

A recent report from the Rockefeller Institute of Government proposed the state distribute more funds to districts that have population increases, higher rates of poverty and students that require higher needs.

Republican State Sen. Pat Gallivan said while the funding scheme should be updated, the Legislature has to ensure each district receives a fair amount of funding across the board.

“It doesn't seem fair to me if we're saying that we're going to give more money to people who live in certain ZIP codes than providing for those that live in other ZIP codes,” Gallivan said.

But he also praised the Rockefeller Institute’s report for laying out different funding schemes for the Legislature to consider.

“There are enough options for us to choose from — or we might even come up with something different,” he said.

Democratic State Sen. Pat Fahy said the Legislature should invest in early education as a way to support students who come from economically disadvantaged families.

“When you can close that gap when a student is entering kindergarten, the more it can stay closed” later on in schooling, Fahy said.

The Legislature will also consider if phone use should be banned in schools.

Our resident science guy Joe Johnson is back with science stories that caught his eye recently, including Pando, believed to be the largest, most dense organism ever found at nearly 13 million pounds and spread over 106 acres in Utah; the latest on The Parker Solar Probe, the NASA spacecraft studying the sun's outer atmosphere, or corona, and its impact on the solar wind; and Kessler Syndrome, a nightmare space scenario in which the number of satellites and orbital space junk is so high that collisions occur.

The 4th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Youth Summit will take place on Friday, January 17, at SUNY Sullivan. The event is designed to empower high school juniors and seniors to become agents of change. 

The summit will begin with a screening of Dr. King's "Blueprint for Life" speech, emphasizing the importance of self-belief, determination, and commitment. Students will then participate in workshops and collaborative activities focused on fostering community service.

We spoke to Sullivan 180’s Senior Director of Prevention Programming Amanda Langseder and Naquan Holman of SUNY Sullivan, Coordinator of Tutorial and Student Success Services, about the summit. 

As the new year unfolds, many of us find ourselves reflecting on personal goals and resolutions. In her latest Moving Toward Health column for The Sullivan County Democrat, Maggi Fitzpatrick realized the desire to become a "morning person" became a focal point for change, but the path toward this goal wasn't as simple as merely setting an intention. It required adjusting long-standing routines to make way for meaningful change.

Founded in 2017, Wallenpaupack Brewing Company has quickly become a staple of Northeastern Pennsylvania's vibrant craft beer scene.

As part of our Chamber Chats series with the Chamber of The Northern Poconos, we spoke to founder Rebecca Ryman and Brad about how their award-winning brewery blends local flavors with a strong commitment to the community.

Spanning 14,000 square feet, Wallenpaupack Brewing Company features a brewpub, a beer garden, and a variety of hand-crafted beers brewed on-site. Each beer is crafted with locally sourced ingredients, reflecting the region's unique flavor profile and celebrating the richness of NEPA's agricultural offerings. 

But the brewery’s impact extends far beyond its craft beers. Giving back to the community is ingrained in Wallenpaupack Brewing Company’s DNA. Through their Pints for a Purpose program and specialty can sales, the brewery supports a range of local causes.

In recognition of its outstanding contributions to the craft beer industry, Wallenpaupack Brewing Company was recently named “Pennsylvania Brewery of the Year” by the New York International Beer Competition, further solidifying its reputation as a leader in the region’s brewing scene.

On December 19, voters in the Livingston Manor and Roscoe central school districts approved a proposal to merge the districts via centralization.

Now, the Livingston Manor and Roscoe Central School Districts are inviting residents, families, and community members to a Town Hall Meeting Thursday, January 9, to learn more about the unification process of the two districts, as well as the creation of the new seven-member school board. Superintendent John Evans of Livingston Manor and Roscoe Central School, alongside Dr. Robert  Dufour, District Superintendent of Sullivan BOCES, will lead the meeting. 

Attendees will have the chance to ask questions, share their thoughts, and discuss the mergers' progress. The meeting will cover key milestones in the merger process and offer guidance on how residents can stay actively involved in shaping the future of the newly formed district.

For more information, please contact Superintendent John Evans at [email protected], [email protected], or by phone at 607-498-4126, ext. 6105, or 845-439-4400, ext. 1201.

After Donald Trump’s election victory, many Democrats became more pessimistic about their party’s future, but Anne Hart, Chair of the Sullivan County Democratic Committee, says the party made key achievements locally in 2024.

She is encouraging her party to enter 2025 with hope and resilience with its own version of "Project 2025,"  to remember lessons they learned from the election, and to recognize the accomplishments they made.

From her forest reserve in Eastern Ontario, Canada, Irish-born Diana Beresford-Kroeger has dedicated decades to advocating for the preservation of the world’s forests and trees.

In an interview with Farm and Country’s Rosie Starr, the esteemed botanist, biochemist, and best-selling author shared her insights on the profound knowledge trees offer. She also discussed her latest book, which explores the science behind forests and the crucial role trees play in combating the climate crisis.

On the first day of summer 2024, photographer Casey Kelbaugh embarked stepped out into the blistering heat from his New York City apartment building in Alphabet City and headed west on 4th Street, bound for his home in the Catskills.

It turned out to be a 27 day, roughly 300 mile journey on The Long Path, a long distance hiking trail. 

Kelbaugh wrote about his experience in the New York Times last September and Radio Catskill contributor Tracy Gates spoke to him about his hike on the little known trail. 

The latest episode of Kaatscast–The Catskills Podcast explores a long-standing tradition of square dancing at a family home and barn, in Ashokan, NY.

Host Brett Barry and production intern Olivia Sippel put on their dancing shoes and joined the fun, recording tales of traditional Catskills square dancing, and the musicians who are passing it down to a new generation of enthusiasts. 

Fiddler and caller Earl Pardini leads the festivities at this particular event, which goes back to the 1970s. The barn where it's held has all the warmth and joviality of a Charles Dickens scene, and we felt very much welcomed into a mostly friends-and-family affair. 

Featuring conversations with the Chase and Sparer families, the episode highlights deep-rooted Catskills traditions and includes insights from folklorist Ginny Shear and square dance caller Dane Scudder, who learned to "call" from a legend.