Kingston Celebrates Quadricentennial June 10

In celebration of 400 years of Hudson River History, the Hudson River Maritime Museum is presenting a special event on June 10 at 5 p.m. at the museum, which is located at 50 Rondout Landing on the waterfront. The event features heritage ships the Half Moon, Clearwater and the Onrust. Other historic boats will be on hand such as the fireboat John J. Harvey, the tug Gov. Cleveland, the Launch 5 and the Riverkeeper. Mayor James Sottile will conduct a “ships welcome” and there will be music by the Kingston High School Jazz Ensemble as well as the Sea Shanty Singers. At 8 p.m., Jay Ungar and Molly Mason will perform with special guests Nanne Kalma and Ankie van der Meer as well as the Barefoot Boys. The music and dance will be broadcast live on WAMC radio. For more information, call (845) 338-0071.

Did You Know?

Kingston Community Radio has an archive of all of its broadcasts, which includes interviews with local, elected officials, community leaders and business leaders. Check out the archive, here.

Kingston on the Record

The Times Herald-Record, which once had a bureau here in Kingston on North Front Street, is back in town. At the peak of its editorial zest and news breaking zeal, the old bureau housed John Milgrim (now working for the AG in Albany), Paul Brooks (still with the Record) and Eric Krieger (photo editor now at the Albany Times-Union).

This time around, the Middletown-based newspaper has assigned Adam Bosch to the Kingston beat.

Read more…

I’ll Have Mine with Sprinkles

We hear that Sean and Julie Griffin are getting redy to open a walk-up ice cream shop at 275 Fair Street (I think that’s the address!). “Uptown Twist” will serve soft ice cream as the name implies via a walk-up window. The space is small — 33 square feet, and has been reimagined by Sean as the perfect spot to sell ice cream. Stay tuned for the grand opening.

How About Those Tomatoes!

tomatoesThe National Gardening Association recently released a detailed report that surveyed U.S. households and found a huge jump in the number of people who plan on growing their own food this year.

The survey and report, titled “The Impact of Home and Community Gardening in America” found that 7 million more households “plan to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs, or berries in 2009 than in 2008 — a 19 percent increase in participation. This anticipated increase is nearly double the 10 percent growth in vegetable gardening from 2007 to 2008 and reflects the number of new food gardeners emerging this year,” said the NGA.

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Good Things Seen and Unseen

Kingston Majority Leader and 7th Ward Alderman Bill Reynolds was kind enough to invite Mark Greene and myself onto his show this morning on Kingston Community Radio to chat about the KingstonDigitalCorridor.org initiative. We talked about the progess we’ve made (launching and marketing the campaign) as well as what’s happening next (another social event, a Google maps project and a bus tour, among other stuff).

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Without an Ounce of Gas

After getting rid of my car today, and getting around for the first time FULLY by the power of my bicycle, I was pleased to read this story in The New York Times about communities that are going carless as part of a smart planning process.

Check out the story here.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz

Derby Auction Closes with Event

dovesThis comes our way from the organizers of the Annual Artists’ Soap Box Derby:

The first time ever online auction to benefit the Annual Artists’ Soapbox Derby is ending live on May 16 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Donskoj & Company Gallery at 93 Broadway in Kingston.

Over 90 items will be auctioned by fellow gallery owner, Chris Gonyea at 7 p.m. The auction itself will become a performance piece by renowed performance artist Linda Montano. There will be musical entertainment during the preview from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Food and wine donated by local restuarants and the best beer in the Hudson Valley from our hometown brewer Keegan Ales.

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On Mother’s Day

I was surprised to learn that Mother’s Day is celebrated all over the world, although on different dates. My cynical side dismissed it as a Hallmark Card invention until I realized how important is the recognition of our mothers.

As a long-time friend once said, “We all enter this world through a portal called Mom.” Yes, we owe much to her. My own, who passed away in 2004, brought four children into this world. She did a wonderful job in raising these kids, who grew into parents, and great mothers too.

But what makes a mother so special?

Well, of course she offers unconditional love. Who else does that?

She also worries more for our well being than anyone else, right?

Mothers also tend to our needs from the moment we’re born, and will take up that task even as we grow into adults.

She also feeds us. As infants, she can feed us from her body. As adults, she loves to have us over and sitting around the table. And she feeds our emotions too, offering an endless fount of love.

So on this Mother’s Day, take a moment to reflect and recognize what she has done for you. And thank her. Call her or see her, and wish your mom well.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz

Become a Park Steward

As you may know, the Forsyth Nature Center has a generous volunteer corps called the “Friends of FNC,” which conducts fundraising and other activities at the center. It’s a great partnership between the park and the community, what I would call a “conduit of good will.”

Across town, there’s a park that was once praised for its design and vista. It was celebrated by Kingstonians nearly a century ago. It’s called Cornell Park, located on Wurts Street and it remains a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

If you live near this treasure, and would like to help restore and beautify it, perhaps we can form a “Friends of Cornell Park” group. I’d like to organize an initial meeting this summer and ask for several residents to step forward and form this group. They would work with city officials and other organizations to plan clean-up days as well as brainstorm ways to spruce up the park (planting flowers, for examples).

Interested? Send me a note: zaczkiewicz@yahoo.com.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz

Ready, Set, Swap!

The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County Master Gardener Program set Saturday, June 6 for its “Great Plant Swap & Sale.” The event takes place at the Pavilion near Forsyth Nature Center, which is located off of Lucas Avenue in Kingston.

Participants drop of their plants from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., and pick up vouchers for the plant swap from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call 845.340.3478 for more information.