The Local Edition

New York State is falling behind on critical milestones needed to achieve its ambitious emissions targets. In a recent interview, Radio Catskill's Jason Dole discusses these issues with Colin Kinniburgh, shedding light on the state's climate challenges. 

On Thursday, June 20, at approximately 12:37 PM, a fire broke out at Russell Farm's barn located along Route 17B in Bethel, NY. The White Lake Fire Company received the call and promptly responded to the scene. According to Shane Cunningham of the White Lake Fire Company, the fire was triggered by a mechanical failure in the hay conveyor machine. Despite the record heat, there were no injuries reported, and all livestock remained unharmed.

“Thankfully, the kids that were stacking the hay got out. We had a fire truck on the scene within five minutes. As soon as we got there, we started putting water on the fire. We ended up dispatching 21 fire companies in total, including at least five standby crews,” said Cunningham.

Firefighters from the White Lake Fire Company, along with 21 other responders, worked diligently for over four and a half hours to control the blaze. An estimated 500,000 gallons of water were used, transported to the site through a tanker shuttle system..

“Temperatures were anywhere between 90 and 100 degrees from 12:30 until, I believe, around 6:30 or quarter to seven when we finally started backing up and getting out of there before returning to the station. A lot of us have severe sunburn, but thankfully everyone in the community, along with the task force and the rehab trailer, took care of us. We were able to keep everybody in good condition. Nobody went to the hospital; everyone was fine when they left,” said Cunningham.

The community played a vital role in supporting the firefighting efforts. Local businesses, auxiliary units, and residents contributed by providing water, fruits, and other supplies to aid the firefighters in the extreme heat on Thursday.

Sullivan County Fire Coordinator John Hauschild said that fighting the fire was a team effort.

“In total, there were 21 fire departments there, including some from Orange County and some from Pennsylvania. They covered our stations on standby, moving up to handle that. Bethel EMS and Empress Ambulance were there to help provide rehab for the emergency workers, along with the Sullivan County Division of Public Safety Rehab Team. Our 911 center did an outstanding job dispatching and directing the agencies where to go. They were amazing. It was a great effort by all. The community support was outstanding, with everyone bringing water, fruit, and sandwiches to help the first responders stay hydrated and nourished in the heat during the barn fire,” said Hauschild.

In a statement on their Facebook page, Russell Farm expressed their gratitude:

“The tremendous support that we have received from our community is so appreciated. A huge thank you to all of the firemen who worked through yesterday's heat, to the first responders who made sure everyone was ok. A thank you for all the donations to keep these men and women hydrated while they fought to extinguish the fire. Thank you to our friends and neighbors who have offered their support and their kindness. Every encouraging word and hug has been appreciated. We are grateful that no one was injured. While we lost so much, our loved ones are ok and the animals are fine. From our family to all of you—Thank You.”

Christopher Mele, a senior staff editor at the NY Times with nearly 40 years of experience in community newspapers in New York and Pennsylvania, has authored a new book.

In "Goodwill's Secrets," restless teenager Raven vanishes from the Adirondack village of Goodwill. Reporter Alex Provetto, initially dismissive, is assigned to cover her story. As he investigates, the village's perfect facade crumbles, revealing a web of danger and deceit. Each clue entangles Alex deeper, turning his quest for truth into a fight for survival.

Radio Catskill’s Paticio Robayo spoke with Mele about his transition from reporter to author.

 In New York and across the country, insurers like Liberty Mutual, State Farm, and Allstate, among others, have stakes in both sides of the climate crisis. To make up some of the lost revenue, they have pared back coverage and hiked rates by more than 30 percent since 2019, in large part because the increasing frequency of storms and other extreme weather events is making damage to homes even costlier. And many of them have also been investing customer premiums in oil and gas and underwriting fossil fuel projects.

New York legislators introduced a bill that would prohibit insurers from supporting new fossil fuel projects and phase out existing ones. The bill would also protect homeowners, preventing insurers from dropping customers after storms and requiring a year’s notice for cancellations.

New York Focus has been reporting on the details of the bill. NY Focus is the independent newsroom doing in-depth reporting on how the state really works, and Radio Catskill partners with them to regularly bring you their investigative journalism.

Jason Dole spoke with Colin Kinniburgh, Climate and Environmental Politics Reporter for NY Focus.

The Deep Water Literary Festival returns to Narrowsburg this weekend and Radio Catskill is proud to be a media partner. Every day this week we’re featuring authors and events from the festival.

When Jennifer Kabat moved from London to the Catskills in 2005, she had no idea it was the site of the "Anti-Rent War," an 1840s episode of American rural populism.

Wandering the mountains, and building friendships within the local community, Kabat’s book, The Eighth Moon, weaves a multilayered meditation on history, resistance, and nature in a part of upstate New York that has long been a refuge for New Yorkers in search of a rural idyll.

Kabat will be in conversation with Deep Water Literary Festival co-director Aaron Hicklin this Saturday at 530pm in Krause Hall, presented in association with the DVAA and Radio Catskill.

She spoke to Tim Bruno on Radio Chatskill.

A record-breaking heat wave envelopes the northeast this week with temperatures approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The duration of the heat wave is notable with blazing temperatures lasting several days.

Tim Bruno spoke to Mark Pellerito a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's New York office and the heat wave.

 Early Tuesday morning, a select circle of state senators began filing into the office of Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, on the fourth floor of the state capitol building in Albany. They were there for a meeting of the Senate’s Working Rules group, a body so secretive that even some of their fellow senators didn’t know it existed until New York Focus reported on it last week. 

WJFF's Jason Dole talks to Chris Bragg and Sam Mellins from NY FOCUS.

Older adults are frequently seen as easy targets for scammers for a variety of reasons. They might be less familiar with modern technology and the methods employed by fraudsters. Additionally, factors such as loneliness or cognitive decline can increase their vulnerability to manipulation.

Lise-Anne Deoul, the Director of the Office for the Aging for Sullivan County, discusses with Radio Catskill's Patricio Robayo how older adults can avoid scams.

Kevin Scot Graham has been named Sullivan County's fifth poet laureate, serving from 2024 to 2026.

Graham's artistic talents span music, visual arts, and poetry, with the latter being a constant in his life. He plays multiple instruments, including the guitar and a six-string ukulele. After earning a music degree, he moved to New York City and worked as a performer and producer. His documentary photography gained recognition in *Art in America*, and he received two Emmy awards for lighting direction. In 2016, Graham relocated to Narrowsburg, where he exhibited his artwork at the Narrowsburg Union and performed in the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance Salon Series.

His teenage summers were spent in the Canadian wilderness through an experiential education program, where he became certified to guide younger teens through rugged terrains. This period exposed him to nature-focused Indigenous spirituality, personal responsibility, and group dynamics, deeply influencing his values and igniting his passion for working with youth.

Graham's profound connection to nature and his wilderness experiences are central to his poetic inspiration. This affinity with the natural world drew him to Sullivan County, where the forests and "the smell of the pines" continually inspire him.

He is currently working on a poetry book, expected to be published in early summer. A strong advocate for inclusivity in the arts, Graham is particularly interested in supporting marginalized voices. "Sharing my love for reading and writing poetry, I feel reverence and honor when I get the opportunity to inspire someone," he said.

Graham is passionate about nurturing creativity in others and believes in the artistic potential of everyone. He sees art as a powerful tool for connection and is eager to use his position as poet laureate to build bridges among different community groups in the county.

The poet laureate program is largely funded by the Decentralization Program, a regrant initiative of the New York State Council of the Arts, with support from the NYS Governor’s Office and the NYS Legislature, and managed by the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance. The Sullivan Public Library Alliance oversees the project with additional backing from local libraries, Friends of public libraries, and individual arts patrons.

Greg Goldstein, Chair of the Republican Committee in Sullivan County reacts to Trump’s verdict said,