The Local Edition

Fire Prevention Week is underway across the country, running from October 5th through the 11th, and this year’s theme from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home.”

Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo spoke with Sullivan County Fire Coordinator John Hauschild about the growing concerns surrounding lithium-ion batteries and how residents can protect themselves from the potential risks these batteries pose.

Before diving into the week’s theme, Hauschild reminded listeners that New York State remains under a temporary burn ban through October 15th, due to unusually dry fall conditions that have increased the risk of wildfires. Under the ban, most open burning — including brush and yard waste — is prohibited, though small, contained campfires and cooking fires are still allowed.

The Risks of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Hauschild explained that lithium-ion batteries are everywhere — from phones, laptops, and tablets to e-bikes, power tools, and even toys — and while they’re efficient and convenient, they can pose serious fire hazards if damaged, improperly charged, or paired with uncertified equipment.

“These batteries store a large amount of energy,” Hauschild said. “If they’re not used properly, it does pose a threat to people.”

He stressed the importance of buying batteries and chargers that are UL (Underwriters Laboratories) certified and avoiding cheap replacements sold online. “That’s where we see the problems — off-brand batteries that overheat or fail.”

Charging and Disposal Safety Tips

Hauschild offered several key precautions:

Hauschild added that toxic smoke from these batteries can be extremely dangerous, especially if a fire starts indoors. “If you see smoke coming from a battery, unplug it and move away. If it ignites, call 911 immediately.”

Local Fire Trends

While New York City has seen a surge in fires linked to e-bikes and lithium batteries, Sullivan County has had a few close calls. “We’ve had incidents with laptops and e-bikes — some small, some that caused serious damage,” Hauschild said. “It’s becoming more common as more of these devices are out there.”

Everyday Fire Safety

Beyond lithium batteries, Hauschild emphasized that fire prevention is an everyday responsibility, not just one week a year.

“Practice fire safety in your home,” he said. “Have exit drills, store flammable liquids safely, and talk to your local fire department — they’re always happy to help or even welcome new volunteers.”

As we get deeper into fall, the risk of RSV is only rising in children and their families. This highly contagious and common virus has been detected in as many as 80,000 children under the age of five and will infect nearly all children under the age of two.

Fortunately, vaccines have been shown to significantly lower the risk of RSV hospitalizations and are the best way to help protect little ones, their parents and even their grandparents. The American Lung Association is leading a national campaign to get all expectant birth givers and children under the age of 5 vaccinated.

Radio Catskill’s Genevieve Hartnett spoke with Dr. Juanita Mora, a leading U.S. immunologist and the National Spokesperson for the American Lung Association about the importance of vaccinating early to keep our communities safe.

New York Focus reported about the half-billion dollar bond Sullivan County is issuing to reinvigorate the Resorts World Catskills Casino in Monticello. The county is promising investors major gains, but reports found by New York Focus and consultants on the deal say the numbers show decline.

Radio Catskill’s Genevieve Hartnett, who also reported on the deal last month, spoke with New York Focus Reporter Chris Bragg about the details that each of them found about this ongoing story, what investors are saying, and what it all means for Sullivan County’s economy.

As part of Radio Catskill’s Hispanic Heritage Month series, we welcomed back a familiar voice: J. Miguel Santiago Colón, who started his journey with us as an intern and is now producing stories at iHeart Media’s The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Ante Studios.

Colón spoke about his transition from Sullivan County to New York City’s media landscape, where his reporting now highlights Latino issues and communities across the U.S. He shared how his experience as a journalist in Puerto Rico—covering hurricanes, earthquakes, and political unrest—shaped his perspective, and how those lessons continue to guide his work today.

The conversation touched on Puerto Rican identity, the challenges of being both a U.S. citizen and part of a colony, and how cultural figures like Bad Bunny are helping to elevate Puerto Rican voices on a global stage. Colón also underscored the vital role of public media in giving space to Latino stories that too often go untold.

Hispanic Heritage Month: Activist Sandra Oxford on the Latino Experience in Sullivan Catskills

As part of Radio Catskill’s Hispanic Heritage Month coverage, Patricio Robayo sat down with longtime local activist Sandra Oxford to talk about the challenges facing the Latino community in the Sullivan Catskills, and the work she’s led over decades of advocacy.

Oxford, a self-described citizen activist, reflects on her upbringing in Queens and Long Island, her decision to raise her family in the Catskills, and the stark differences she found in rural life compared to the diverse urban communities where she grew up.

In the conversation, Oxford recalls the early days of her activism, which began in the late 1980s when she saw firsthand the exploitation of farm workers in the Hudson Valley. That work grew into decades of organizing for immigrant rights, language access, and fair treatment for Latino residents in the region.

She also spoke about the pandemic’s toll on essential workers, most of whom were Latino laborers in agriculture and food processing.

Oxford highlighted the growth of the Latino population in Sullivan County and the ongoing gap between demographics and representation in positions of power. Despite Latinos making up a majority of students in some districts, she said, language access and representation in local government remain lacking.

Looking forward, Oxford urged younger generations to ground themselves in history and family values, while not shying away from activism:

Oxford closed with an invitation for neighbors to take Hispanic Heritage Month as an opportunity to learn more about the Latino community in Sullivan County:

World Mental Health Day is coming up next month on October 10th, but we’re focusing on a group that often gets forgotten about in mental health advocacy - farmers.

With the increase in tariffs on foreign goods put in place earlier this year as well as the Trump administration’s broader economic policies that are cutting grants to mental health and sustainability initiatives, farmers all across New York state are talking about how their stress has only gotten worse.

Radio Catskill’s Genevieve Hartnett spoke with New York Farm Net at Cornell University as well as three farmers in Sullivan and Orange Counties about the stress they feel as food producers and small business owners, as well as the obligations they hold towards the communities they provide for and each other.

This piece contains mention of suicide.

Representatives from around the world gathered in Manhattan for New York Climate Week last week. Across the state, nonprofits and local governments are resisting President Trump's cuts to environmental protections.

Dr. Alonzo Plough, Vice President and Chief Science Officer of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, affirmed the severity of the crisis, stating: "I don't use the term existential that often, but (climate change) is an existential threat." 

In agreement with this sentiment, Governor Kathy Hochul announced $30 million in funding awards for 19 projects statewide as part of Climate Week. The funding comes from the Bond Act, passed in 2022. This initiative aims to enhance community resilience to flooding and extreme weather events across New York.

Governor Hochul underscored the state's proactive stance: "New York is continuing to make historic investments to protect our communities from the growing risks of inland and coastal flooding." She added that these projects "will strengthen local infrastructure, restore natural protections, and make neighborhoods more resilient in the face of climate change."

New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said in the press release that the distribution will "deliver the resources local governments need to strengthen critical infrastructure, protect shorelines, and restore natural systems that help keep people safe."

Within infrastructure repairs, activists are also reimagining how to build in an eco-friendly way.

Mikhail Haramati, who leads state-level industrial decarbonization work at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), told Radio Catskill about an initiative designed to mitigate climate degradation, rather than adapt to existing damage. These include "a set of recommendations for near-term actions that New York could take right away." From Haramati's department, this means changing the way New York uses building materials. Ideally, infrastructure could reuse supplies from old buildings or experiment with products or designs that use less carbon. Haramati cited the waffle ceilings in the D.C. Metro stations as an example.

A major theme during Climate Week discussions was the tension between aggressive state and global efforts and lagging national support from the leaders of the United States. Governor Hochul stated that "the federal government refuses to protect us."

Dr. Plough cited numerous decisions that concern him, including "the reduction in resources to FEMA, the drastic cuts to the Health Department... the cuts to the weather service that have reduced the satellite monitoring that lets us know when hurricanes are forming," and more. Despite these setbacks, Dr. Plough noted that "New York State and New York City Health Departments have been amongst the leaders," stepping up to "fill in some of the gaps."

Climate change discussions also addressed social justice. Dr. Plough pointed out that "climate change is an amplifier of structural racism's impact on health." When extreme heat and weather are placed on marginalized communities already dealing with substandard housing and higher rates of chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes, the result is "disproportionate, unfair larger impacts."

Ultimately, the impact of climate events transcends political lines, argues Dr. Plough. He emphasized that "science isn't red and blue." If a storm causes flooding in the Northeast, "it's gonna flood every community. (It) doesn't matter where you voted or how you voted; you're gonna be affected by that."