Local Citizens Pitch In To Get Mountaindale's Rails To Trails Segment Back Open

There are a lot of counties, the towns and hamlets in them that got hit a lot harder than we here in Mountaindale got hit...that said, we took our share of the pounding that Hurricane Irene (which is shaping up financially to be one of the top ten disasters America has ever witnessed) delivered to the East Coast this past weekend. Many people are still without electricity, and some small towns have been hit so hard they may never recover. Governments up and down the coast have their hands full, and in many cases, they need citizens to step up and help with some of the heavy lifting as cleanup after Hurricane Irene progresses forward.

Yesterday, we had some of our own citizens who live, work or recreate here in Mountaindale up on the Rails To Trails leading by example, doing the heavy lifting necessary to get our trail back open and accessible to members of the general public who use it frequently during the summer months. Ken and Barb Schmitt from Diversified Realty Services brought in the heavy equipment, sending their backhoe onto the trail to do some of the serious lifting. Charlie Sanborn of Cinder Track Bicycles and Mike Yavaniski (who is still without electricity in his own home) were out there with chainsaws, rakes and shovels. It took a couple hours, but the trail is now at least open and available, though it may take weeks, even months to repair some parts of the trail here in Mountaindale, as the Hurricane washed away a lot of the foundation base on the rail head, the water even causing land collapse in a couple of areas.

The good news is we can access the trail, and some of the heavy lifting has been done, thus freeing up town and county resources right now for other more pressing problems. Our after storm problems need to be addressed, but right now there are other communities that have far more pressing concerns to deal with...so, if any of our readers find themselves with a few hours to spare, we encourage you to consider volunteering anywhere where Hurricane Irene clean up is being done.

Slow Down FRACKING....Ask For Extension of Comment Period

Just in from our friends in the Fight to Keep Fracking and its insidious environmental damages out of our communities. Tomorrow the fight to save our county, and the Greater Catskills from the environmental and health ills that come along with Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) begins when the state of NY releases its fundamentally flawed, industry created Revised Draft SGEIS...it is imperiative we be given ADEQUATE TIME to read and understand this 1000 page document. Below is the Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy Press Release...please, weigh in on this IMPORTANT ISSUE.

PRESS RELEASE

Extend the Public Comment Period

On Wednesday, the NYS DEC will release the last section of the Revised Draft SGEIS on the Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Regulatory Program which already runs to well over one thousand pages. While there's abundant evidence that hydrofracking should be prohibited, it's unlikely that we'll see a ban in New York any time soon. In the short term, we must do everything we can to forestall unsafe drilling while continuing to build public awareness, so that elected officials will eventually be forced to do their job and protect the public.

Right now, this means focusing our efforts on getting the NYS DEC to give the public ample time to read, analyze and comment on the Draft. Please take action and demand at least 180 days to read, analyze, and comment on this highly technical document.

An extended public comment period will give us time to formulate tens of thousands of substantive comments, which the DEC is required by law to read and address. Comments submitted on the first Draft SGEIS occupied the DEC for more than a year. We can do it again!

Commenting on the Draft: A Workshop Conducted by Roger Downs

Residents of the Upper Delaware region are invited to attend a free workshop led by Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter's Roger Downs. Roger is one of our most knowledgeable experts on the draft SGEIS, and with his guidance, ordinary citizens will be able to submit the type of comments that will force the DEC to rethink its disastrousplan to frack New York. Don't miss this chance to make a difference. Attend the two-hour workshop:

Saturday, September 3 10 a.m.-Noon

The Old North Branch Inn
North Branch, New York

To RSVP, and for more information, call (845) 468-7063, or email info@catskillcitizens.org

Two out of three people who find out about fracking think the risks aren't worth the rewards.

Public awareness is the key to our success, so spread the word!

.

Hurricane Irene POUNDING Mountaindale NY

Yes, we can all thank our lucky stars that Hurricane Irene is not far worse than it could have been. That said, our small hamlet is TAKING A POUNDING as the relentless rain pummels our little community. The stream behind the High School is completely out of its bank, the water level within nine inches of the bottom of our small foot bridge. Our segment of the "Rails to Trails is being eaten away, a 22 foot wide foot or deep stream replacing what used to be a viable bike and hiking path...sure that Woodridge Segway and our very own Cinder Track bike shop can use all the help they can get next week trying to get this trail back into usable condition.

The wood retaining wall that contains the stream as it runs under Main Street is holding, but JUST BARELY...if you walk to the back where the stream makes the sharp right turn and heads under the street you can watch the water flowing up from UNDER this retaining wall.

In short, Mountaindale is sitting on the edge, and we need this rain to stop sooner rather than later, or we could have some serious problems coming our way.

UPDATE....

It is 2:02 in the afternoon, and the rain has stopped, the sun shining on our small hamlet. The water is beginning to recede, and if one did not know where to look...IE, up on the Rails to Trails as one example, you would hardly know we had just been through a horrific hurricane. Mean while, out and about, we ended up coming to the rescue of a couple who had gotten themselves into some deep water, but more on that in another post. Just glad we are done with all this.

Coffeehouse TONIGHT!

We have been watching the weather closely all day and are looking forward to getting together tonight for a fun evening in Mountaindale at our Coffeehouse Event as planned. Lots of delicious home baked treats have been prepared and we'll be greeting you with steaming brewed coffee and the best entertainment we could bring together. Please join us to add your voice and your applause. The microphone will be ready for our performers at 8PM tonight at 62 Main Street. Admission is still only $5/person and there will be a wonderful raffle with donated creations by Antonia. Hope to see you soon!

Please stay safe tomorrow.

Barb Schmitt

Your Saturday Morning Hurricane Irene Report

The good news...Hurricane Irene is greatly weakened, down to a Category 3 Hurricane, it is lumbering along at around 14 miles per hour as a Cat 1 Hurricane as it makes its way up the East coast toward New York. That said, lets not get lulled into a false sense of security...this Hurricane is still packing wind gusts at over 80 MPH, and is some 500 miles wide carrying a whole lot of rain.

It is easy to assume we have dodged a bullet, and in some ways we have...especially the folks in New York City...a Cat 2 or 3 Hurricane hitting lower Manhattan and other low lying areas in the five boroughs of New York would have been catastrophic...a Category 1 still does not look pretty, and is going to do a whole lot of damage. Above is the most recent map, the red showing the areas targeted for Hurricane damage...New York is smack dab in that red area, and if you go out from that center 250 miles (diameter of storm), Sullivan County and our small hamlet of Mountaindale are going to be seeing almost 12 hours of gusting winds, heavy rains and all that comes with those two dangers, such as falling trees, snapped power lines, and flooding.

Get your Hurricane Readiness kit ready, and prepare to hunker down...who knows, maybe we will all wake up on Monday after this storm has passed, and have a good laugh over so much ado over nothing, be thankful that Hurricane Irene passing us by without doing much harm.

Track The Hurricane...Great Site

Track Hurricane Irene as it bears down on us...right now, it is 622 miles from making landfall here in New York. You can track the storm here.

Mayor Bloomberg Orders Mandatory Evacuation Ahead of Hurricane Irene

The good news...right now, Hurricane Irene is only a Category Two Hurricane...the bad news is we ALL NEED TO TAKE THIS SERIOUS. Mayor Bloomberg has ordered a mandatory evacuation of all citizens living in a low lying area in all five boroughs of New York...this has never been done before, which hopefully gives everyone an idea of just how serious this situation is, just how dangerous this storm/hurricane heading our way can be.

If you live in any of these areas, or have friends/relatives living in these low lying areas, please encourage them to heed the warnings, to heed the evacuation orders. Our state's first responders are going to have their hands full as it is, and we as citizens have a responsibility to be our own first responders.

Also just in...all public transportation in New York City is shut down effective noon tomorrow. Also, many public roads are being shut down as well, including East bound traffic into Atlantic City.

Current storm track sees New York getting hit Sunday morning with a Cat 1 Hurricane hitting Long Island, with a lesser chance down of New York City taking a direct hit...expect storm surges of 3-6 foot...the worst of the weather should have passed all of us by Sunday evening.

Breaking National News...Amtrak Train Carrying 175 Derails in Nebraska

In breaking national news of interest to our little train hamlet...a Amtrak train carrying 175 passengers struck a vehicle on the tracks and has derailed out in Nebraska...no further details at this point.

FREE One on One Home Beautification Tour

If you have been contemplating some fall beautification efforts around your house, this offer from Catskill Harvest is a must event...imagine a professional coming to your home for a one on one tour, this professional making suggestions, and as a thank you, getting a no strings attached $25 gift certificate to use any way you want at Catskill Harvest! Call and make your appointment today.

Catskill Harvest Home Beautification Tour

Book a no-obligation tour before September 9 for a

FREE ESTIMATE and a $25 CATSKILL HARVEST GIFT CERTIFICATE

This isn't just a piece of property. This is a Home. And a Home deserves all of the care and attention that you'd provide for family members & close friends.

Our Home Beautification Tour is a brand new offering from the Landscaping & Construction team. The tour involves a 1:1 home-design walk-through & consultation with Catskill Harvest owner Will Foster. Together, you'll come up with fresh ideas to beautify & improve your Home this Fall.

You'll receive a free, detailed estimate. And the $25 Catskill Harvest Gift Certificate has no strings attached. Call 845-292-3833 before September 9.

What goes into Home Beautification?

Home Design & Construction

Services related to the Home and what's inside its walls:

** New home design & construction

** General property management & maintenance

** Guest homes & cottages

** Remodeling & restoration

** Kitchens & baths

** Carpentry & cabinetry

** Interior painting

** Electrical & plumbing

** Insulation & heating systems, including radiant floors

Home Design & Construction photo gallery

Landscape Design & Installation

Services related to what falls outside the walls of your Home:

** Landscape design & installation

** Garden & lawn maintenance

** Fencing, stone walls & patios

** Screened porches, decks, terraces & patios

** Pools, ponds, fountains & waterfalls

** Storm water drainage & routing

Landscape Design & Installation photo gallery

More Landscape Offerings

** Raised bed vegetable gardens

** Foundation veneers

** Driveway layout & engineering

** Exterior painting & roofing

** Woodland management

** Wind break tree lines

** Storm damage clean-up

We developed the Home Beautification Tour to help you focus on your Home's design, aesthetics and long-term value.

Schedule a Home Beautification Tour before September 9 for a free estimate and the $25 Catskill Harvest Gift Certificate. Call 845-292-3833.

Hurricane Irene...Please Prepare For Worst

Been up for awhile today watching the tracking of Hurricane Irene, and it is looking more and more likely that New York is going to get hit and hit hard. Though we are all hoping for the storm to veer off and miss us, it is imperative that we all take the necessary precautions, be prepared for the worse...depending on the tracking, winds, and amount of rain, we could be seeing both flooding, and electrical outages that could last from 3-10 days.

A tub full of water will allow you to flush toilets and water your plants. Fill up old bottle and jugs with drinking/cooking water. It is possible that water purification plants might be off line, which could make faucet water unsafe to drink even if you have running water. Do you have food to last you and your family for at least three days? Have you considered a small back up generator? At least with this, you could run a TV so that if cable is working, you can get up to
the minute news of what is going on should a disaster occur. Do you have an OLD FASHION plug into the phone jack phone that does not require electricity? Are all your cell phones charged up? If so, turn them off, and only use one at a time to preserve energy...only make EMERGENCY calls...even if we are not directly affected by the disaster, it is imperative to keep traffic down so as not to overload the circuits.

Do you have a basic set of HAND TOOLS...if we have not electricity, electric tools will not work, your circular saw not a lot of use. If you have rechargeable tools, make sure all your batteries have been charged. Screws, nails, plastic, stables and a staple gun, perhaps a couple of blue tarps in case windows get broken by high winds or flying debris are all good ideas. Consider setting up CAMP in a room or space devoid of windows just in case debris does break a window.

Remember....an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so lets all get our Hurricane Readiness kits prepared, and be careful this weekend.

What To Do AFTER The Hurricane Moves On

There is a very good likelihood that Hurricane Irene could bring some serious dangers to the Catskills this weekend. High winds, torrential rains and storm surge could create some major issues we will all have to deal with. including downed trees, flooding and power outages that could last for days. Below is a list of actions for AFTER THE HURRICANE PASSES, compliments of the American Red Cross.

• Continue listening to a NOAA Weather Radio or the local news for the latest updates.
• Stay alert for extended rainfall and subsequent flooding even after the hurricane or tropical storm has ended.
• If you evacuated, return home only when officials say it is safe.
• Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed-out bridges.
• Keep away from loose or dangling power lines and report them immediately to the power company.
• Stay out of any building that has water around it.
• Inspect your home for damage. Take pictures of damage, both of the building and its contents, for insurance purposes.
• Use flashlights in the dark. Do NOT use candles.
• Avoid drinking or preparing food with tap water until you are sure it’s not contaminated.
• Check refrigerated food for spoilage. If in doubt, throw it out.
• Wear protective clothing and be cautious when cleaning up to avoid injury.
• Watch animals closely and keep them under your direct control.
• Use the telephone only for emergency calls.

August 31st is Important Day In New York For Fracking

If you have a mailing list, or have friends with internet access, we desperately need MORE SIGNATURES between now and August 31, 2011. Please read the following ACTION ALERT, and take action now to preserve our drinking water supplies, and pristine rural beauty.

ACTION ALERT

This is a critical moment in the fight to ban fracking in New York. On August 31, the Department of Environmental Conservation is scheduled to release its draft impact statement, which proposes to open large portions of the state to fracking. Sign the petition to Governor Cuomo to ban fracking now!

The drumbeat against fracking is growing louder and stronger. You have already taken action by sending letters and submitting comments to put an end to this destructive form of natural gas drilling (thanks!), but you have not yet signed the petition. We need more signatures on our petition to Governor Cuomo urging him to ban fracking in New York. Will you sign today?

We anticipate that the draft impact statement will fall short of putting the safety of our water, health, communities and environment before industry profits. While there are alternatives to natural gas, there are no alternatives to water. Will you help us reach our goal of obtaining 5,000 more petition signatures by August 31st?

Sign today to ban fracking:
http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=7619

Thanks for taking action,

Corinne Rosen
New York Organizer
Food & Water Watch
crosen@fwwatch.org

Is Your Hurricane Preparedness Kit Ready?

Been sitting here watching CNN track Hurricane Irene, and seems like a good time to put some thought into a Hurricane Readiness Kit...a set of basic supplies that will allow you to take care of yourself and your family for a period of 72 hours. New York could take a direct hit, and that means we could see some very heavy rains, high winds, down trees, and perhaps even downed power lines leaving us without electricity. For those of you wondering what you should look at having on the ready, here is a basic checklist you can use.

1. Water- one gallon per person, per day (3 day supply) *it is recommended here if things get tough that you also fill your tub with water for things like flushing toilets.
   
2. Non-perishable food (3 day supply) and hand-held can opener...tuna is a good thing to have several cans of, as well as peanut butter.
   
3. Snack Food...Cashews, raisins, apples, plums, crackers.
   
4. Cooking tools and fuel...outdoor grill (fill your propane tank) and/or a camp stove.
   
5. Paper plates and plastic utensils
6. Blankets and pillows
7. Clothing- rain gear, shoes, warm clothing
8. First Aid Kit and medications (3 day supply)
9. Toiletries and hygiene items
10. Diapers and other specialty items for babies and the elderly
11. Flashlights and candles
    
12. Batteries
13. Radio- battery operated NOAA radio
14. Fully charged cell phones and traditional household telephone
15. Cash (ATM's may not be available)
16. Insurance, medical, bank, social security documents
17. Toys, books, games for children entertainment
18. Tools
19. Pet care items
20. Keys to car...have car parked on high ground.
    

Our Small Blog About To Reach Milestone of 5000 Page Views

Happened to look at our stats for this little news blog this morning, and was pleasantly surprised to see how close we are to reaching a wonderful milestone in our short history...we are at 4,824 page views, which means we should reach the milestone of 5,000 page views sometime on Saturday August 27th, 2011. Wanted to share this milestone with our readers, and thank all of you for your regular visits to our small space here on the worldwide web.

Steve Jobs Vision Will Be Missed

Yesterday the tech world was shaken to its foundation with Steve Jobs resignation as the CEO of Apple...I look at my first spinning wheel IPOD, my new IPOD Touch, think about the IPAD I am saving up money for, and am saddened at that news. There are few people in the world who have not been touched in a positive way by his vision, and his marketing. Steve, you will be missed by all of us, and we all wish you the best of luck as you face your own far more important personal health issues.

For those worried about Apple's future...trust in the vision of Steve Jobs, believe in the fact that he put in place a team to carry his vision forward for many decades to come.