The Local Edition

Climate and economic experts estimate that over one billion people are at risk of being displaced by climate change and climate-related disasters by 2050.

Global communities with fewer resources to adapt to new ecological threats are most at risk for mass displacement.

Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar spoke with documentary filmmaker and director Josh Fox about his new film, THE WELCOME TABLE, that shines a light on people at the frontlines of climate displacement.

The federal government plans to lease a warehouse in Newburgh for $35.5 million. As Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar reports, federal records suggest it could be for ICE activity.

On Saturday, kayaks were pushed onto the Bashakill for an insightful ride along the 7-mile stretch.

Though the trip lasted only two hours and covered a small portion of that stretch, it gave community members and visitors a chance to come together, learn about plant life and the importance of preserving the Bashakill, and take in views of the water and mountains. 

Hosted by the Mamakating Environmental Education Center, Richard Mandelbaum guided the journey. The trip was not only an outing on the Bashakill, but also an opportunity to learn about local aquatic plant life, identify different species and better understand how to care for the environment. 

Now Mandelbaum is not unfamiliar with the study of plantlife. Mandelbaum is a founder and former director of ArborVitae School of Traditional Herbalism and a faculty member at David Winston’s Center for Herbal Studies. This allowed him to guide the journey and stop to show plants throughout the way. 

With more than 10 people in kayaks, the journey began at the South Road Boat Launch in Wurtsboro, N.Y. Attendees who did not have kayaks could rent them from MECC, but arrive early because phone service can be spotty and renting them quickly can be difficult.

On the trip, the summer solstice and plant life took center stage. Participants asked Mandelbaum questions throughout the trip, and the final stop was a small island before turning around to identify two separate plants.

The Bashakill is unique in that it is all preserved land. It allows for natural wildlife, some human-planted wildlife and a diverse aquatic plant life.

One plant in particular that Mandelbaum had everyone in the group try had a flavor similar to cayenne pepper. The leaf’s spice lingered as the journey continued, with no pepper in sight, just a small green leaf.

Once the journey came to a close as the sun began to set, everyone returned to their cars to load their kayaks onto the roofs.

Programs like the one Mandelbaum hosted offer a fun way to learn about preserving the areas that surround the local community. They also give people a chance to explore the Bashakill with a guide while learning how to better care for the environment.

For more information about programs hosted by MECC, visit https://www.mamakating.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=4528. 

One article sparked a local conversation about how communities across Ulster County are classified and whether some rural areas are being left with less support than surrounding metro areas.

The issue was recently flagged by Ulster County Comptroller March Gallagher, who referenced a Daily Yonder article about what it called a “categorization conundrum” across the country. In Ulster County, Gallagher pointed to rural-style shortages in medical care and broadband access. While broadband service is improving in some of the county’s dead zones without cellphone service, she said it remains difficult to attract doctors to rural areas compared with metro areas.

One term Gallagher referenced in a social media post, “exurban,” describes places that fall between rural and urban definitions and can be poorly served by either classification. Gallagher explains that can leave rural communities out of funding opportunities tied to those classifications.

She pointed to places such as Shandaken, Hardenburgh and other rural parts of the county, where residents face spotty internet and cellphone service, limited public transit and long drives for health care. Gallagher said she does not think changing the county’s definitions would solve the problem, but she is open to exploring programs that could better support rural areas.

“Change is scary, research needs to be done,” Gallagher said. “We can’t just change these definitions without really thinking about how it impacts every other designated jurisdiction. So if we’re going to change it, we really have to think about whether this is going to hurt rural communities that are truly rural.”

June is bringing awareness to Medicare, Medicaid and hospice care scams that can affect older adults across New York. Maria Alvarez, director of the StateWide Senior Action Council, spoke about when these scams happen and how to avoid them.

One component of StateWide Fraud Month is highlighting resources seniors can use to educate themselves and learn what to look out for. The Senior Medicare Patrol is one resource for older adults and caregivers in New York. It is a federal program that connects people with someone who can answer questions and help make sure their information is protected. Another important part of identifying these scams is understanding what hospice care is and what the support is actually for.

These healthcare scams can come in many forms, including over the phone, in person at events or online. Even after June, StateWide continues to provide information, educational presentations and assistance.

Alvarez encourages seniors and caregivers to reach out if they suspect a scam offering services not prescribed by a physician, as well as report fraud to the New York State Senior Medicare Patrol. The helpline and patrol can offer advice throughout the process and help flag the scam.

There are trained counselors available to help Medicare beneficiaries throughout the process. Scams can include offers to help with housekeeping or provide additional care services.

“Medicare doesn't cover many of these services anyway, so if somebody's telling you, ‘I'm gonna give you housekeeping,’ Medicare doesn't cover that,” Alvarez said.

Scams can also involve offering a gift card in exchange for signing up for a service. One of the best ways to determine whether information was compromised is to regularly review Medicare summary notices and explanation of benefits forms. These can show charges that have not been received or approved and help ensure no care is being provided without the older adult’s or caregiver’s knowledge.

“Don't trust anybody who's calling you on the telephone, who is approaching you at a senior fair or anything like that,” Alvarez said. “Your doctor, this should be part of a care plan that your personal doctor is prescribing that you have discussed with him and that knows your situation.”

For more information, visit the NYS Senior website.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on Tuesday to uphold birthright citizenship on constitutional grounds. This decision made by Supreme Court judges rejects President Trump’s push to end birthright citizenship.

Immigration advocates are celebrating a massive victory for immigrant rights across the country. Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar spoke with Juana Cortes de Torres, Director of the Immigrant Legal Rights Project at Rural & Migrant Ministry, about what the court’s ruling means moving forward.

El Niños are a regularly occurring weather phenomenon caused by the weakening of East to West trade winds as the tropical Pacific Ocean warms up. This throws off weather patterns all over the world, including our own backyards. When heavy rain and high heat roll in, local public health officials have all of the information you need to stay safe this summer.