Marietta Hofmeister Passes

I am very sad to tell you all the Marietta Hofmeister died yesterday. Marietta was one of a kind. I thought she was terrific. I found her to be kind and funny. She was a stalwart presence on Main St. I loved passing by, whether on foot or driving, and waving to her as she sat in her chair in front of Morne Imports next to her cow statue window. And it was fun to go in the store and search through all the great gear she had for sale while chatting with her about the town.

I also loved teasing her about her sometimes seemingly abrupt manner. I always knew that underneath it all she was a genuinely nice person who cared about her community. Her passing will leave a hole on Main Street Phoenicia. My condolences go out to her entire family. May she rest in peace.

Here is a link to the Gormley funeral home site for service information.
http://www.gormleyfuneralhome.com/obituaries.aspx?turl=http://hosting-12231.tributes.com/obituary/show/margaretha-hofmeister-102871362

Thursday Night Music Circle At ESRM

This is just to remind all of you who are looking for a place to play music that there is an ongoing circle right in the neighborhood. Every Thursday night beginning at 7pm musicians of all skill levels meet at the Empire State Railway Museum on Lower High Street for some acoustic fun. WCA members Dakin Morehouse and Harry Jameson are the leaders of the group. Here is a recent email I received from Dakin.

... At the Historic Phoenicia RR Station - 7:00 Thursday, as usual.
Looking forward to pickin' an singing with you.
Let's hear that old song you just learned, or the new one you just wrote.
Friendly ears to try it out on.

____

| iiiiiiii \
| llllllllll \
| llllllllllll \
| llll ( ) lll \
| lllllllllllllll \
| { *.*.*.*.*} | Dakin & Harry
| llIIIlllllllllllllll |

Directions - #70 Lower High St, Phoenicia, NY
Heading West on Rt 28 just past the Phoenicia diner it will be the first road on your right.
Going East on Rt 28 pass the Eagle and take the second entrance to Phoenicia but turn Right just before the RR tracks.
And from in Phoenicia, turn South onto Bridge St, over the Esopus then turn Left immediately after the tracks.

Fundraiser For Shandaken's Parks

The 2nd annual celebration honoring Shandaken's Parks will be held this Sunday, September 20th in the pavilion at the Emerson. There will be a picnic lunch starting at 1pm. Tickets are $30.00 for adults and $5.00 for kids. All the proceeds will support Shandaken's Parks.

Library Open Late On Fridays

I just received a message from Phoenicia Library Director, Liz Potter. The library will now have extended hours on Friday nights. Here is what Liz had to say.

Your friendly local library is now will be open until 8 PM on Friday night for all your library needs. We are hoping to make it a little easier on weekenders and working people to get to their library. We'll see how it goes through December. We are also about to conduct a community wide survey to get a sense of all your wishes and needs related to the library ... so be on the lookout !

Loss Of A Young Life

  Many of you may know that there was a tragic drowning death of a young, teenage girl in the Esopus Creek last Saturday. I am linking to an article that fully explains the details of how it happened.

http://www.watershedpost.com/2015/teen-drowned-while-tubing-after-bus-dropped-her-near-notorious-hazard

  Woodland Valley resident Pete Oberbeck was featured in the article and probably saved the life of the kayaker that he was able to warn about the strainer. The hazard exists in Shandaken by the cemetery at the fishing accessing point. Please warn everyone you know not to go into the Esopus at that point until the DEC removes that dangerous hazard.

  I am copying and pasting a sample letter from the Town of Shandaken website to the NYSDEC. You can help by writing to them and helping to get that hazard removed.

  From the Town of Shandaken -

PLEASE HELP US PREVENT FURTHER LOSS OF LIFE! Use this sample letter below to contact the people shown to solve this problem with the debris in the Esopus Stream - (owned by NYSDEC). Before another tragedy occurs. Please copy and paste.. insert your own contact info at bottom.
Sample letter:

"Dear Governor Cuomo, Senators Carlucci & Seward and Assembly Members Cahill & Zebrowski:

This email/letter I'm forwarding to you is one I hoped to never have to write.

A 14 year old girl, Jordyn Engler, lost her life on the Esopus Creek by putting her inner tube into the river in a location that was known to be unsafe (her Dad was also injured).

The obstruction that took her life was a well known strainer (many downed trees in the stream's main current) that has been pointed out to folks from Ulster County, the NYS DEC, NYC DEP and the members of the Ashokan Stream Management Program's Recreational Stream Access Committee. As these downed trees are on NYS DEC's Forever Wild land, they can't legally be moved or destroyed as per Article XIV of the NYS Constitution.

Section 1. The lands of the state, now owned or hereafter acquired, constituting the forest preserve as now fixed by law, shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed.

As an individual that advocates for recreational use of the Esopus Creek; I'm exceptionally heartbroken over this loss.

I appeal for your help to preserve the recreational use of the Esopus Creek by taking reasonable measures to protect public safety; Article XIV, as written, doesn't speak to safety - so feels out of balance, though of good intent.

Can you suggest either amending Article XIV of the NYS constitution (easy, no?), get an executive exception for this parcel of land or land adjacent to recreational whitewater resources, or suggest or execute any other actions to prevent further loss of life?

As always, thank you for your support and representation."
Signed ....
(Here is the contact info)..Gov. Cuomo - www.governor.ny.gov
Senator Carlucci - http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/david-carlucci/contact
Senator Seward - seward@nysenate.gov
Assembly Member Cahill - cahillk@assembly.state.ny.us
Assembly Zebrowski - http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Kenneth-Zebrowski/contact/

Roxmor Postcards

Tommy Healy has a collection of old postcards and sent me scans of some great examples from Roxmor. I thought they were excellent and that all of you might enjoy them too. I think that the hand coloring on them is especially nice. If anyone in WV (or Roxmor specifically) has any history they want to add I will gladly post it. Thanks for sending them Tom!

NY Post Review Of Holz Book

Here is another wonderful review of WCA member George Holz's book "Holz Hollywood: 30 Years Of Portraits". Of course the NY Post has to add one of it's attention grabbing headlines but the article is more realistic. Deservedly, George has gotten nothing but praise for this fantastic publication. Be sure to check it out when you can.

http://nypost.com/2015/09/02/that-time-angelina-jolie-grabbed-a-knife-at-a-photo-shoot/

Tom Pacheco At The ESRM

Tom Pacheco in Concert

for
Flying Cat Music

Saturday, September 5, (seats available) and

Sunday, September 6, (waiting list)

at 7:30 p.m. (sharp), doors at 7:00

Empire State Railway Museum

70 Lower High Street, Phoenicia, NY  12464

Admission price $18 or $15 with

reservation to flyingcatmusic@gmail.com

For information email as above

or call 845-688-9453

Link to artist's website
http://www.tompacheco.com

In what's become a local end of summer tradition, renowned songsmith Tom Pacheco returns to Phoenicia this Labor Day weekend for two concerts at the Empire State Railway Museum, on Saturday September 5 and Sunday September 6. The doors open at 7:00 p.m. both nights with music beginning at 7:30 sharp. Admission is $18 or $15 with RSVP to flyingcatmusic@gmail.com. Email for information or call 845-688-9453. It's a testimony to both Tom's talent and his popularity that seats for this engagement always disappear quickly, so advance reservations are strongly urged.

Free Holistic Community Clinic

FREE HOLISTIC​ ​COMMUNITY

CLINIC

Wednesday September 2, 2015, 4-7pm
Quarterly holistic wellness clinic
Providing Massage, Cranio Sacral Therapy, Reiki, 
Matrix Energetics, Sound Healing, Reflexology, 
and more! 

LOCATION: ​Parish Hall, Phoenicia, across from the
Catholic Church on Main Street. 

For Questions Call: ​518-989-6216 

WALK-IN’S WELCOME, NO APPOINTMENTS 

NECESSARY 

Brought to you by Healthcare is a Human Right,
your local practitioners
and Family of Woodstock 

Shandaken Day This Saturday

Shandaken Day is this Saturday in Big Indian Park on Rt 28 in Big Indian. The festivities run from 10am - 6pm with games, music, food and other assorted fun for all. So come out and show your town spirit. See you at Shandaken Day!!!