There are many good works underway in the city of Kingston in the midst of some pretty tough economic times. For instance, stewards of the ‘Project Forsyth’ program are working to gain a substantial grant to update the park at Forsyth in Kingston for all of our families and visitors to enjoy. Forsyth is a premier location that hosts our city zoo (with a wide array of rescued animals ranging from bulls to peacocks), nature center, open space, tennis courts and children’s playground.
community
Kingston’s Music Community Thrives
By Rebecca Martin
The musicians living in the city of Kingston is really astounding. Artists such as Tony Levin, Gail Ann Dorsey, Larry Grenadier, Peter Wetzler, Vicente Archer, Peggy Stern and many more all call Kingston home. It’s fitting that series such as the one we’re posting today are sprouting up here at home. Follow this LINK to watch their last series performance.
Ward 5 Alderwoman Jennifer Fuentes Hosts Neighborhood Celebration
Join the residents of Ward 5 as they plan a neighborhood celebration on Saturday, August 28th 2010. Click on the attached flyer for more information. If you’d like to lend a hand, contact Ward 5 Alderwoman Jennifer Fuentes at jenbloom@mac.com
Memorial Services for Rosemarie McGuigan
By Rebecca Martin
In the early morning hours on Monday, August 9th Kingston lost a committed city resident. What’s more, is she happens to be the mother of Diane Reeder, founder and executive director of the Queens Galley.
I loved my time in getting to know Rose and her loving partner Farmer Frank Nazarro. Together, they helped shape the garden program in the city of Kingston, delivered countless truck loads of food to all the area soup kitchens, and were always ready and willing to lend a hand to anyone in need in the community.
Services are open to all on Saturday, August 14th. A wake and Funeral for Rose will begin at 11:00am. A reception to mourn and to celebrate her life will follow at 721 Media by the rooftop garden.
Visit this LINK to view her obituary, sign the guest book and to get more information on the weekend services.
What’s Your Vision?
By Rebecca Martin
The Business Alliance of Kingston has taken the time to post the results from the visioning session at Kings Inn last month. There are pictures, explanations and more to what each group created together.
UPDATE: A Comprehensive Plan Fact Sheet and Call for Comments
By Rebecca Martin
The City of Kingston just might very well be moving in the right direction.
Below is a CP Fact Sheet that came straight from the planners office and describes what’s going in front of the Council Tuesday night. A helpful tool as you prepare to speak during the public comment session – or just to understand what the steering committee is asking the council for as you follow along.
An Opportunity For Citizens to Support A Comprehensive Plan in the City of Kingston
By Rebecca Martin
An important opportunity has come to light.
On Tuesday, August 3rd at 7:30pm the common council will vote to support (or not) a grant proposal pitched by city planning coordinator Suzanne Cahill through the Financial and Economic Development Committee. The meeting will take place at Kingston’s City Hall at 420 Broadway.
Mt. Zion African American Burial Ground in Kingston
By Rebecca Martin
For years, I have been curious about an old and seemingly abandoned graveyard at the top of a ridge between Wilbur Avenue and South Wall Street. Today, I had the chance to visit the site.
Take A Survey: Parking Meters in the City of Kingston
Inspired by a post on the KingstonCitizens.org facebook page, we decided to create a survey for citizens to share their current thoughts and ideas on how to improve the city parking meter situation for residents, businesses and shoppers.
Lay it on us.
Pesticides Banned On School Property and Playgrounds
By Rebecca Martin
Well I’ll be. As I was exploring the possibilities of a citywide educational campaign for removing pesticides from playgrounds, schools and municipal properties in the city of Kingston, my friend Alice Andrews pointed out that in April of this year New York State created legislation to ban pesticides from these very places (minus the municipal properties). That means, that it is not legal to spray pesticides on any school athletic fields or school playgrounds now in NY State. The new law will go into effect in 180 days, giving schools a full year to completely faze out all of their pesticides and begin to use organic methods.
Did you know that about 8 in 10 children are diagnosed with something called ‘Sensory Processing Disorder‘? Many in the field believe it is caused by environmental factors that include pesticides.
Let’s keep an eye on this in Kingston. Bring it to your Aldermans attention. Copy the legislation and bring it to your school principal. Let’s make sure what’s on the books is absolutely enforced.
Read the legislation HERE
Visit NY Senator Brian X Foley who sponsored the legislation HERE
Visit HERE for a local company that offers healthy alternatives to pesticides
On Common Space
Click here to check out this video of a guerrilla gardener who is transforming open space in Los Angeles. It’s inspiring. As the gardener notes in the film, the “common space” belongs to the people, and if the government can’t take care of it, we should. Amazing.
-AZ
Tyke Bikes
By Rebecca Martin
On the outskirts of the city of Kingston, NY. there is a bike shop that is wonderfully old school.
Last fall, Larry and I went looking for our sons very first bike. Lucky for me, I came across the “Famous Bike Brothers” out on Boices Lane. In business since 1974, their small shop was filled with a great selection of bikes, helmets and gloves. The service was outstanding, too.
“Gasland” Documentary Showing with Director Josh Fox and Congressman Maurice Hinchey
It’s hard to imagine that anyone could think drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation in NY State for a natural gas source is a good idea. Knowing the real environmental dangers and hazard to our surface water in the Southern Tier and Catskills regions is enough to call the whole thing off.
Breaking the Chain, Part II
By Arthur Zaczkiewicz
As we continue to slog through this recession (we’re in a double-dip one, according to some experts), there are a lot of actions citizens like you and me can do to help weather this downturn. As consumers (two thirds of our GDP is driven by consumer spending), we have a lot of power to change the economy – especially on a local level.
Kingston’s Role in a Global Movement
By Arthur Zaczkiewicz
The convergence of activists working for human rights, health care reform, climate change, and social justice, among others is happening right now in Detroit, Mich. Over 20,000 people have flocked to the Motor City this week for the US Social Forum to exchange ideas, participate in people’s movement assemblies (PMAs) and attend (and present) 1,000s of workshops with topics ranging from grassroots networking to change immigration law to learning how to mobilize citizens for better access to public funds.