Radio Chatskill

It’s been a quarter of a century since the North Branch Cider Mill’s press last ran and the new owners are working to restore it. 

Radio Catskill contributor Isabel Braverman has more on the revitalization of the historic cider mill. 

The Delaware Aqueduct will be shut down for five to eight months to complete vital leak repairs on Tuesday, October 1.

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection says the work will connect a bypass tunnel under the Hudson River that was completed in 2021 after several major leaks were discovered near Newburgh and Wawarsing.

The shutdown has local officials concerned about flooding. Six hundred million gallons per day are usually diverted from the Upper Delaware and sent to New York City; instead the water will pool in Upper Delaware reservoirs, including Pepacton, Neversink and Cannonsville. 

If the reservoirs start to overflow, there are few tools to safely empty them.  

The aqueduct runs 105-miles in New York, from Ulster County to Westchester County, and supplies half of New York City’s water.

Jason Dole spoke to Ruby Rayner of The River Reporter for more details.

Hispanic Heritage Month, observed from September 15th to October 15th, celebrates the rich history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities across the United States. 

One unique piece of that heritage is "Las Villas," also known as the Spanish Alps. This area in the Town of Plattekill, NY, became a popular destination for Spanish and Cuban vacationers and 1913, the first hotel catering specifically to Latino and Spanish guests was established, and by 1920, more than a dozen resorts had sprung up. 

These resorts offered authentic Latin food, music, and a cultural experience designed for their Hispanic clientele.

A new documentary, *Back to Las Villas*, highlights the vibrant music and food scene at the resorts during the 1960s and 1970s. The film will be screened this Thursday in Kingston as part of the city’s Hispanic Heritage Celebration, followed by a panel discussion with local community leaders.

Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo spoke with producer and director Jimmy Castro to learn more about the making of the documentary and the legacy of Las Villas.

What's scaly, striped and breathes underwater like a scuba diver?

Water anoles, a semi-aquatic lizard found in the tropical forests of southern Costa Rica.

That's one of the science stories that caught Joe Johnson's eye this week. A retired Port Jervis science teacher and Radio Catskill volunteer, Johnson is our resident science guy. He also shares stories about a ring around the Earth and fruit fly brain mapping. 

In this excerpt from Kaatscast, host Brett Barry interviews Melissa Cascini, Senior Program Coordinator for the ⁠New York-New Jersey Trail Conference⁠, during a hike on the Upper Ridge Trail at the ⁠Catskills Visitor Center⁠. 

Cascini shares her journey with the organization, highlighting the importance of their iconic, durable trail maps and the broader scope of the Trail Conference's activities, including trail maintenance, public land protection, and battling invasive species through innovative programs like the conservation dog team. 

The discussion also delves into the conference's collaborations with other entities such as the DEC and various local clubs to maintain trails and infrastructure, especially in the Catskills region. 

Cascini reflects on her passion for trails, the rewarding experience of working with dedicated volunteers, and how she balances professional responsibilities with her personal love for hiking and the outdoors. 

Kaatscast: the Catskills Podcast is a biweekly series featuring Catskills culture, history, sustainability, local interviews, literature, and the arts. Shows are hosted by Brett Barry and produced by Silver Hollow Audio, in the heart of the Catskills. 

The Hawley Model Train Show & Sale is an annual fundraiser for the Hawley (PA) Fire Department, featuring 
new and used model trains in all scales and gauges and an operating model railroad display. 

Jason Dole spoke to Organizer Bill Delling.

A native New Yorker, acclaimed jazz pianist and composer Jonny King grew up in the city’s jazz clubs, participating first as a fan and then as a performer.  Before he was a teenager, King had already performed onstage with Dizzy Gillespie and appeared on television at the piano alongside his early idol, Earl “Fatha” Hines.  By the time he turned 20, he was already sitting in with Art Blakey and playing his first gigs in New York’s many restaurants and clubs.

King is also a summa cum laude graduate of Princeton University and cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and combines life as a performer and composer with practice as a trial lawyer concentrating in intellectual property.

King brings his Jonny King Trio plays this weekend to The Delaware Highlands Conservancy's Taste of The Harvest event. He spoke to Farm & Country's Rosie Starr. 

Hanofee Park featured a mix of local vendors and outdoor activities this past weekend at Health Fest. This event is part of the Sullivan County Department of Public Health's efforts to engage with the community more and spread visibility on healthcare resources. 

Radio Catskill’s Nia Watson sat down with Ericka Acevedo and Darby Nagpaul, two Public Health representatives who oversaw the planning and execution of the event.

New Yorkers have an important decision to make on the ballot this year with the Equal Rights Amendment. If enacted, the amendment would prohibit discrimination on things like a person’s ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and pregnancy outcomes. The legislation - which lawmakers passed earlier this year - has survived legal threats and court rulings throughout the summer. Recently, the board of elections released language on how the measure will appear on the ballot - which concerned advocates and lawmakers. They argue, voters will have a hard time understanding what the amendment will actually do and have called on the board of elections to revise the language. To understand the impact of the measure and plans to educate voters ahead of election day, Shantel Destra of the NYPNN spoke with the lead sponsor of the legislation - State Sen. Liz Krueger.

At a recent town hall, some Sullivan County residents claimed that services at Sullivan County Garnet Health facilities are being stripped and providers are scarce. 

Garnet Health says there are no plans to close Sullivan County’s hospital and the hospital is actively recruiting for physicians. However, residents described being “farmed out” to receive health care at Garnet Health’s Middletown campus in Orange County. 

Jason Dole spoke to Ruby Rayner from The River Reporter who attended the town hall.