The Local Edition

A Catskills newspaper took its local county government to federal court this week over the First
Amendment.

Decker Advertising, publisher of The Reporter in Delhi, New York is suing Delaware County, alleging the county
violated the newspaper’s First Amendment rights in multiple ways since 2022.

Reporter Lana Bellamy of the Times Union spoke to Radio Catskill about the lawsuit.

New York Focus has reported three nonprofit organizations in the state are raising funds to send equipment to Israeli settlers in the West Bank. The article is titled New York Charities Send Combat Gear to West Bank Settlements and the author, reporter Chris Gelardi, spoke to Radio Catskill's Jason Dole. 

On the morning of Friday, Dec. 1, Monticello Central School District administrators learned of a generalized bomb threat towards its schools. Out of an abundance of caution, the district followed the protocols outlined in its safety plan, and evacuated all school buildings.

More information and updates: monticelloschools.net

Interview with Poet Laureate Lisa Titus: Her Poetry Book 'First Time, Every Time'

Poet Lisa Titus, who hails from Grahmsville, will discuss her newly published poetry book 'First Time, Every Time.' Lisa shared her experiences as the Poet Laureate of 2021, her nomination for the 2020 Pushcart Prize, and how her poetry book was a finalist for the Brick Road Poetry Prize. 

She provides insights into her creative process, the influence of her teaching career, and the importance of fostering authentic voices in literature. Lisa also reads one of her powerful poems from the new book. 

00:00 Introduction and Background
00:00 Interview with Lisa Titus
00:38 Impact of Poet Laureate Role on Lisa's Work
01:25 Discussion on the Influence of Pandemic on Lisa's Work
02:06 Exploring the Title of Lisa's Book
03:01 Dedication of the Book to Women
07:00 Lisa's Experience as an English Professor
12:24 Reading a Poem from the Book
14:02 Future Plans for the Book
14:50 How to Order the Book
15:35 Conclusion of the Interview

Discussing Bird Renaming: Racism, Inclusion, & Birdwatching Community | Spotlight PA Interview

In this in-depth conversation, Tanisha Thomas from Spotlight PA talks about her research on the process of renaming birds by the American Ornithological Society. The society's leader, Colleen Handel, aims to shift the focus from the human-oriented bird naming conventions (often influenced by Eurocentric bias) to a more bird-centric approach - taking into account the birds' features, characteristics, and habitat. The hope is that this change will foster diversity and inclusion within the birdwatching community. 

Tanisha also shares how major events like the murder of George Floyd and the Central Park incident have led to a reevaluation of bird names. Finally, she discusses the response within the birdwatching community and their resilience towards constant changes. 

00:00 Introduction to Bird Naming Controversy
00:00 The Motivation Behind Changing Bird Names
01:02 Historical Context and Controversy
02:44 The Process of Renaming Birds
03:32 Reaction from the Birdwatching Community
05:45 Inclusivity and Diversity in Birdwatching
07:48 Renaming Birds: A Common Practice
09:44 Implications for Pennsylvania
10:46 Reporter's Reflections and Learnings
12:43 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Wayne Brown, a licensed clinical social worker specializing in trauma work, family therapy, and LGBT work, sheds light on a new legislative bill intended to increase access to mental health counselors throughout New York State. 

Wayne elucidates how the current legislation biases against non-clinically licensed therapists, restricting them from billing insurance companies. This bill, however, advocates for these therapists to work under the supervision of fully licensed therapists, thereby expanding their service base. Wayne further highlights how this change can ease the mental health care crisis, particularly in under-served areas, by allowing more therapists to be incorporated within the local communities. 

The discussion also touches upon some mental health issues brought to the fore by the pandemic and the role of online therapy services. Lastly, Wayne invites listeners to show their support for the bill by signing his petition on change.org.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Presentation
00:00 Discussing the New York Legislature Bill for Mental Health
02:14 Exploring the Current Mental Health Care Situation
03:58 Impact of the Pandemic on Mental Health
06:10 Online Therapy Services: Pros and Cons
08:41 Current Status of the Proposed Bill
10:43 The Importance of the Bill and Call to Action
13:08 Closing Remarks and Future Prospects

Patricio Robayo and the three Wayne County commissioners: Jocelyn Cramer, Brian Smith, and James Shook. They discuss various topics including their reflections on the past year, plans for the future, working together as a bipartisan team, lessons learned from the pandemic, and expressing gratitude for their work and community.

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) faced public outcry during two recent hearings regarding proposed amendments to its "Rules of Practice and Procedure." While the DRBC deemed the changes as necessary updates, critics, including members of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, expressed outrage. 

Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo spoke to Meg McGuire, the founder and publisher of Delaware Currents about the issue. Delaware Currents is a news project that tells the story of the Delaware River, starting from its origin in the Catskill Mountains of New York and flowing all the way to the Delaware Bay. 

LINK to Delaware Currents article: https://delawarecurrents.org/2023/11/13/drbc-rules-hearing/

Sullivan County just unveiled its tentative 2024 Budget, and the county says it will be expanding services without a tax hike. 

Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo spoke to Sullivan County Manager Josh Potosek about the proposed $288 million budget plan. 

ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom PRODUCING investigative journalism AND A new investigation by ProPublica finds when a farmworker is injured or dies on a Catskills dairy farm, federal labor safety investigators often look the other way.

In New York State, OSHA, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is barred from looking into injuries and deaths on farm with fewer than eleven workers. Many local dairy farms are that size or smaller.

The exception is if the workers are deemed in a “temporary labor camp.” But ProPublica reporter Melissa Sanchez told New York Public Radio’s David Sommerstein that because the majority of New York dairy workers are Mexicans or Central Americans who are undocumented, that definition is a gray area.