Red Hook Supervisor Robert McKeon and Dr. Richard “Richie” Ross, commodore of the Red Hook Boat Club in Barrytown, have been named The Daily Catch’s first-ever Newsmakers of the Year, an honor recognizing those who most influenced Northern Dutchess County’s civic life — for better or for worse. The Daily Catch has named Red Hook Town Supervisor Robert McKeon (right) and Red Hook Boat Club Commodore Richie Ross (left) as its first Newsmakers of the Year. “We created this award because local news deserves its own way of marking time,” said Emily Sachar, editor-in-chief and founder of The Daily Catch....

https://www.thedailycatch.org/articles/daily-catch-names-first-newsmakers-of-the-year-robert-mckeon-and-richie-ross/

Alvin "Al" H. Goren died on Dec. 24, 2025, at the age of 76. He was born in Brooklyn and adopted by his parents, Shirley and Max Goren, who raised him alongside his sister, Rochelle. In 1967, Al graduated from George W. Hewlett High School. He traveled to Israel in 1970, where he was living when he met the love of his life, Sharon. They were married in 1972 and remained inseparable for the next 53 years. Al earned his bachelor's degree in science and his teaching certification from Iowa State University. He later received two master's degrees in science...

https://www.thedailycatch.org/articles/alvin-al-h-goren-linden-avenue-middle-school-principal-dies-at-76/

Editor’s Note: Bucking national trends, Red Hook has become a rare place where women lead six of eight Christian congregations. In this six-part series, The Daily Catch explores not only how that happened but who these women are, tracing the life experiences, doubts, sacrifices, and moments of courage that brought them to ministry. Today, we examine the reasons for the shift. Subsequent stories will introduce each of the women ministers. Of eight Christian churches in Red Hook, six are led by these five women in a break from national trends. From left: Alisha Riepma-Hosier, Canon K. Jeanne Person, Caroline Berninger,...

https://www.thedailycatch.org/articles/why-women-now-lead-6-of-8-pulpits-in-red-hook-defying-a-male-dominated-national-trend-part-1-of-6/

Editor’s Note: Bucking national trends, Red Hook has become a rare place where women lead six of eight Christian congregations. This six-part series explores not only how that happened but who these women are – tracing the life experiences, doubts, sacrifices, and moments of courage that brought them to ministry. Today: Meet Canon Jeanne Person. Canon Jeanne K. Person leads the two Episcopal churches in the Red Hook community: St. Paul’s in Tivoli and Christ Church in the Village of Red Hook. (Photo by Athan Yanos) Canon Jeanne K. PersonChrist Church, Red HookSt. Paul’s & Trinity Parish, TivoliEpiscopal Church With...

https://www.thedailycatch.org/articles/from-wall-street-to-red-hook-canon-jeanne-person-serves-two-red-hook-episcopal-churches-part-4-of-6/

Editor’s Note: Bucking national trends, Red Hook has become a rare place where women lead six of eight Christian congregations. This six-part series explores not only how that happened but who these women are – tracing the life experiences, doubts, sacrifices, and moments of courage that brought them to ministry. Today: Meet Alisha Riepma-Hosier. Alisha Riepma-Hosier of St. John’s Reformed Church in Upper Red Hook is the youngest of the five female ministers in Red Hook. (Photo by Tony Adamis) Alisha Riepma-HosierSt. John’s Reformed ChurchUpper Red Hook Pastor Alisha Riepma-Hosier, 36, is the youngest of the female pastors in Red...

https://www.thedailycatch.org/articles/a-new-chapter-at-st-johns-meet-alisha-riepma-hosier-red-hooks-youngest-pastor-part-2-of-6/

Editor’s Note: Bucking national trends, Red Hook has become a rare place where women lead six of eight Christian congregations. This six-part series explores not only how that happened but who these women are – tracing the life experiences, doubts, sacrifices, and moments of courage that brought them to ministry. Today: Meet Caroline Berninger. The Rev. Caroline Berninger, who studied for ordination at Harvard, considered several churches before settling on the Methodist faith. (Photo by Athan Yanos) Caroline BerningerUnited Methodist ChurchVillage of Red Hook The service had already begun when the Rev. Caroline Berninger, handbag in tow, walked briskly down...

https://www.thedailycatch.org/articles/from-latin-and-greek-to-the-pulpit-at-four-churches-caroline-berninger-earns-support-for-her-warmth-part-3-of-6/

Luciana “Lucy” Monarchi, a longtime Red Hook resident, died at her home on Dec. 9, 2025.  Born on July 31, 1943, in Montesecco, Italy, Lucy immigrated to the U.S. aboard the ship Cristoforo Colombo at age 10, speaking only Italian. By age 11, she was fluent in English. She became a naturalized citizen and lived in Jessup, PA, until she was 21. Lucy married her hometown sweetheart, Albert “Bucky” Monarchi, in Jessup, and they soon moved to New York to raise their family. Lucy lived a life grounded in faith and family. A devout Catholic, she was a longtime parishioner...

https://www.thedailycatch.org/articles/luciana-m-monarchi-beloved-grandmother-dies-at-82/

Red Hook farmer Ken Migliorelli was counting on another three to four weeks of late-season greens when the snow hit. Instead, he woke up to nearly ,000 in lost sales—boxes of kale, collards, spinach, broccoli rabe, arugula, turnips, and radishes he could no longer sell at farmers markets, farmstands, or to wholesale accounts. The region’s first significant snowfall of the season swept across northern Dutchess and Columbia counties on Dec. 2, and when nighttime temperatures plunged into the single digits, the fields froze solid. A hard crust locked the greens in place, ending the season overnight. Snow blankets late-season greens...

https://www.thedailycatch.org/articles/early-snowfall-wipes-out-winter-income-for-local-greens-farmers/

When Principal Kyle Roddey first arrived at Red Hook High School in 2023, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program was known mostly as a niche opportunity geared toward the school’s highest achievers. That is starting to change. In Red Hook, the number of high schoolers choosing to participate in the school’s IB diploma program has increased significantly. (Photo by Tony Adamis) In just two years, the number of Red Hook juniors and seniors choosing to complete the full IB diploma — a two-year sequence of advanced classes, essays, and independent projects — has increased significantly, rising from about 12% participation to...

https://www.thedailycatch.org/articles/from-elite-track-to-broad-appeal-ib-diploma-enrollment-doubles-at-red-hook-high-school/

Costs have continued to increase, even as student enrollment has trended downward, Red Hook Central School District officials informed School Board members in a special presentation on Thursday. Enrollment at the Red Hook Central School District has steadily declined since 2007, according to a presentation by Assistant Superintendent Dr. Erin Hayes at Thursday’s Board of Education meeting. (Photo by Claire Greenburger) While district officials are closely monitoring these trends, the district remains on stable financial ground as it heads into the 2026 budget season, administrators reassured the Board.  “I am confident we will [balance the budget] successfully again for 2026–27,”...

https://www.thedailycatch.org/articles/red-hook-student-enrollment-down-31-but-costs-up-as-district-prepares-for-another-tight-budget-year/