While the Village did appoint a “Public Art Committee” years ago to assist on public art such as the mural art at train station, the new role of a Village Arts Liaison would be much broader. The Arts Liaison will be a two-way conduit for any salient arts related issues, requests or questions between the local arts community and the Village.

The Liaison would be the point person for the Village on arts-related matters to whom the Village could send its questions and inquiries. And, vice versa, when members of the local arts community have proposals or questions that they would like to raise with local government, this Liaison will make sure the message lands on the right desk in Village Hall. An initial task for the Arts Liaison will be compiling a list of contacts of local arts organizations, from the non-profits to the for-profits, from children’s theater to comedic arts education, and from photography workshops to music studios.

“We needed someone with broad interdisciplinary artistic connections, great people skills, and a demonstrated track record of accomplishments. Ms Callis arrives with tremendous international credentials and great ideas to help us better understand the needs and resources of our local arts groups,” notes Mayor Wiegman.

“We created this volunteer post in Croton to take advantage of the intersection among history, arts, and economics. The Village’s History Office has a tremendous archive of both art for its own sake and documentary art of all kinds. Our arts community has always been strong, from theater and dance, to sculpture, film, illustration, design, and more. Our economic future depends on how we tap into our history as a creative and expressive community to bring even more arts-related work and collaboration to our area. Why not make the arts a hallmark of our economic engine?” continues Wiegman.

Ms Callis holds a Master of Arts from Florida State University as well as advanced arts and appraisal certificates from University of London, Christies, and New York University. Her curatorial and directorial experience includes work in Florida, Louisiana, Connecticut, Washington DC, and New York.

“It will be a privilege to engage with the arts groups and officials in our area, and to delve more deeply into this community’s rich history,” says Ms Callis, “I look forward to collaborating with a wide range of individuals and groups, to make the most of what we have now, and to explore new ideas and projects with them.” Ms Callis can be reached at artsliaison@crotononhudson-ny.gov.

For additional information, please contact Janine King, Assistant Village Manager, at jking@crotononhudson-ny.gov, or 914-271-4781.

Visitors are encouraged to bring their cameras, capture the event, and post their best work on Flickr for a chance to win one of three Fuji cameras. Top prize is a Fujifilm FinePix HS-10. Two runners-up will win a Fujifilm FinePix Z700EXR. Cameras provided by Fujifilm. Full details are online at www.hudsonvalley.org.

River Day includes two theatrical performances. From 3-4pm, the Hudson River Ramblers will be performing “Once Upon the Hudson,” a tour of more than 400 years of river heritage in authentic songs and primary source based stories. Comprised of Jonathan Kruk, the raconteur renowned for telling “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” and folksinger Rich Bala, the Hudson River Ramblers put on a rollicking show featuring a cast of characters that includes a mythical giant, a doomed explorer, an obsessed inventor, a humble general, a pirate, an imp, a “spitting devil,” and a mule named Sal.

From 2-3pm, the Arm-of-the-Sea theater group will be performing “City that Drinks the Mountain Sky.” The group uses poetry, lusciously painted puppet figures, and beautiful mask characters in this production. Musicians performing include Jim Keyes and Dan Einbender. Local tree service experts SavATree will be offering a wood-sawing activity throughout the day.

Hudson River Recreation will be performing kayak demonstrations during this celebration of the environment, allowing experienced kayakers to test drive new models while beginning kayakers can get their feet wet learning the sport.

“Both the Hudson River and the Croton River have been a source of commerce, travel, food, and recreation for centuries. Through games, workshops, and demonstrations, we’ll delve into the past and present uses, thoughts, and concerns about these rivers,” said Althea Corey, site director of Van Cortlandt Manor.

Costumed interpreters will demonstrate how 18th-century Hudson Valley residents performed such marine-related tasks as fishing and net making, and will demonstrate 18th-century tasks such as open-hearth cooking, coopering, brick making, and blacksmithing. Visitors will be encouraged to lend a hand. Children’s activities include tinsmithing, origami figures, pottery, bookmark making, and watercolor painting. Project WET organizes a children’s game called the Incredible Journey.

A number of regional educational organizations and environmental advocacy groups are bringing hands-on educational activities to River Day, including Saw Mill River Audubon, Teatown Lake Reservation, Riverkeeper, Peekskill Boat Works, Ferry Sloops, and the Toll House Museum. Local expert archeologists MALFA will bring exhibits of artifacts from digs in the lower Hudson region. The Traditional Small Craft Association will display a wooden Adirondack guide boat. Picnic food from Geordanes in Irvington will be available.

The Croton River, which empties into the Hudson River about a half-mile past the Manor House on the Van Cortlandt estate, was used in the 18th century as a dynamic water source, powering gristmills and sawmills. The Van Cortlandt family kept its boats moored just beyond their icehouse, enabling the transportation of people and goods down the Hudson River. Today, the Hudson River still carries great cargo ships to and from New York City and other stops along the way, but both rivers are also abundantly used for fishing and boating throughout the spring, summer, and fall.

Admission to River Day at Van Cortlandt Manor is $12 for adults; $10 for seniors; $6 for children 5-17; and free for children under 5 and HHV members. Tickets are available online at www.hudsonvalley.org. Van Cortlandt Manor, a Historic Hudson Valley site, is at 525 South Riverside Avenue (off Route 9) in Croton-on-Hudson. For information: 914-631-8200.

The following mandatory restrictions are effective July 8, 2010 until further notice:

• No washing of automobiles in any form, with the exception that windshields and glasses necessary for the proper operation of the vehicle may be washed or cleansed only.
• Lawn sprinkling and sprinkling of shrubs, flower gardens and vegetable gardens with hose or sprinkler will be only allowed on an odd-even schedule. All residents with even number addresses will be allowed to water on days with even number dates - all residents with odd number addresses will be allowed to water dates with odd number dates.
• No filling of pools of all sizes and the operation of pools of all sizes not using recirculating water.

Parties suffering extraordinary hardship on account of these restrictions may to apply to the Village Manager for relief therefrom.

Anyone who violates the above restrictions will be subject to a summons as prescribed under Section 223-14 of the Village Code.

Did you know that Con Edison provides consumers with many cost-saving and energy saving tips? I thought I would pass some of these useful offers along to you to help cool your summer bills as well as your home.

Cool your home more efficiently

Con Ed is offering a $30 rebate to residential customers who replace their room air conditioners with Energy Star models. Energy Star A/C’s are at least 10 percent more efficient than standard models. For an application, visit: http://www.coned.com/energyefficiency/PDF/Room%20AC%20Form.pdf

If you have central air-conditioning, keep the condenser unit’s coils and fins clean. Remove grass, leaves and other debris that may collect on them.

Green your home

Con Ed recommends that you shut off your computer daily. If you leave the computer on, the fans are running constantly. For your laptop and PC, check the power management function. Put it in sleep mode whenever possible or turn the monitor off when not in use.

For printers and scanners, turn them off at night.

Avoid printing whenever possible! The less you print the more energy you save all around.

Replacing a boiler, water heater or refrigerator? Contact Con Ed to see if you are eligible for a rebate. Better yet, let Con Ed know when you are replacing your refrigerator and they will arrange to pick up your old refrigerator at no charge in order to recycle it.

As always, I look forward to hearing from you.

— Bill Burton, Westchester County Legislator, 9th District

For fourteen years, the Arboretum has guided area residents on a summer tour of dozens of spectacular gardens in the Croton/Cortlandt area. Homeowners have generously opened their private gardens to the public for this ever-popular July event.

Event coordinators Gill Mader and Laura Seitz have selected a wide variety of landscape settings to be seen at a half a dozen new local sites in the self-directed auto tour. These include Croton village vegetable and flower gardens and several nearby town properties offering a variety of organic vegetable plots, diverse flower displays, and a hillside slope of grasses. Horticulturalist John Grant will guide visitors through the Pierre Van Cortlandt School vegetable garden, a student project which he supervised. The garden is sponsored by the Croton Harmon Education Foundation (CHEF).

Tickets for the tour are $20 per person or, in an Early Bird Special, two for $35. To insure advance reservations and tickets, call Laurie Salzberg (271-5871), Laura Seitz (271-3265) or Carol Shanesy (271-7645). Tour maps to guide participants to the sites, along with any remaining tickets, will be available on the Sunday of the tour, July 11, from 12:15 to 1:30 PM at Croton’s St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church at 6 Old Post Road North. Proceeds benefit the Croton Arboretum.

A grand parade is the centerpiece of Fourth of July festivities at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson. — Tom O’Connell photo

Both sites, living history museums that are part of the Historic Hudson Valley network, will be dressed up in their finest patriotic regalia to celebrate the nation’s founding. Visitors can journey back to 1800 at Van Cortlandt Manor and to 1850 at Sunnyside. Tickets are available online at www.hudsonvalley.org. Admission for children under 18 is FREE when you purchase online using code JULY4.

Dramatic readings of the Declaration of Independence are a feature at both events.

Sunnyside will feature a reading of an 1850s speech by Irving contemporary George William Curtis on abolition, who spoke “attended by a bodyguard with a great mob outside ready for violence, held in check by a large body of police. A few paving stones and a bottle of vitriol were thrown through the windows, but no serious injury was inflicted. This was one of the last instances in which an attempt was made to suppress free speech in the free states in the interest of slavery.” Curtis was also a close colleague of George P. Putnam, Irving’s longtime publisher.

Comic vignettes featuring toasts to the Republic and spirited debates about the pros and cons of temperance and women’s suffrage will also take place. On the issue of whether women should be granted the right to vote, two sisters will duke it out in a lively fashion.

Visitors can also participate in country dancing with caller Eric Hollman, join in rousing renditions of patriotic songs, witness the feats of comedic juggler Will Shaw, and play “town ball,” an early version of baseball that uses a big bat and small ball. Plus, there will be ice-cream making demonstrations. The home of Washington Irving will be open for tours throughout the day.

At Van Cortlandt Manor, the day’s centerpiece is a vast parade starting at 2 p.m. in front of the manor house. The parade will traverse the entire site and end with a special ceremony, singing, dancing, and games. Children can carry banners and all are invited to march.

From 10-2:30, a military re-enactment group will set up camp and invite one and all to drill and muster. Visitors can help with camp activities such as fire starting with flint and steel. Storytelling and 18th-century fiddle music round out the day.

While either event could be a perfect preamble to a picnic elsewhere, classic Fourth of July food from Geordanes Market in Irvington will be available, giving visitors an easy option for lunch. Of course, picnickers are welcome to bring their own treats.

Admission to either site is $12 for adults; $10 for seniors; $6 for children 5-17; and free for children under age 5 and HHV members. Tours of the sites’ houses are included in the price of admission. Tickets for all children under 18 are FREE when you purchase in advance online using the code JULY4. Washington Irving’s Sunnyside is at 89 West Sunnyside Lane in Tarrytown, one mile south of the Tappan Zee Bridge, off Route 9. Van Cortlandt Manor is at 525 South Riverside Avenue in Croton-on-Hudson, just off Route 9A. For information: 914-631-8200 or [www.hudsonvalley.org].(http://www.hudsonvalley.org)

On the eve of Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival here is a plea to all who want to see Indian Point closed. A small group of people will be staffing the Indian Point table in the activist section of the festival all weekend. If you are coming to the festival, stop by for an update and to give the people there a break. We will be asking passers by to write letters and could use some more note cards. Rent for the space and copying expenses are high. If you have not made a donation in awhile, put some money in the jar. Most importantly, don’t leave this struggle up to those behind the table. You can, and must play a part in this struggle.

Entergy is circulating many half truths and outright lies in regard to Indian Point. With the exception of some stories in the Daily News, coverage of this complicated issue by the media has been mostly press release journalism, with every Entergy press release printed in local papers pretty much as written. No critical questions are asked and no facts are checked. It is frustrating for those of us who know the facts. Entergy, a multi-billion dollar corporation, is spending millions of dollars to undermine public opinion and the elected officials who want to close the plant. And they are succeeding,

The Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition does not have a media budget, but we do have a grass roots movement comprised of residents who are knowledgeable, concerned for the future of their communities, and know how to speak up. That is how we convinced local and state government to get involved in the first place. Now that the action has moved into the courtroom and NRC hearings it is off of the front page and is easy to forget. That is what Entergy is hoping for and if that is what happens they win this battle by default.

It is critical that those on this list serv continue to speak out - to neighbors, friends, candidates for office and elected officials. If you know what you want to say, read no further. Stop and pick up the phone, write an email, or just simply talk to someone about your concerns. If you need more information, take a look at the Indian Point Fact Sheet that will follow as a separate email and link and use the information in whatever way suits your needs. What is listed in the fact sheet is accurate and verifiable. People are entitled to different opinions but not the different “facts” that the Entergy propaganda machine is churning out. At a minimum, everyone in a 50 mile radius of Indian Point needs to understand what is in the fact sheet and everyone on this list serv has a part to play in making that happen.

Do what you can. But do something!

Sincerely,

Marilyn Eie, Westchester Citizens Awareness Network

See also: Indian Point Fact Sheet

On day 50, as BP tentatively announces that they may be able to capture 20% of the leaking oil from the Deepwater Horizon well in the Gulf of Mexico, time is running out.

My patience, and that of the American people, is running out. The patience of the fishermen, hotel workers, seafood processors and residents of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida are already exhausted. As pelicans die by the thousands, fish and sea mammals are also doomed by swimming through and ingesting oil on the surface, or in underwater plumes. New computer models, reportedly, show the massive oil spill reaching the Florida Keys and being carried up the Atlantic Coast by the Gulf Stream. Oil on the beaches of Long Island by July, then New England, then Europe by September.

BP has forfeited the right to run this crucially important operation. My concern has long been that BP’s interest is not the same as the national interest, or the best interest of our environment. That has been evident in the callous and flippant remarks of BP’s Tony Hayward, such as “I’d like my life back, too” when discussing his 11 employees who died in the explosion. Or his early dismissal of damage from the gushing well because “the Gulf is such a big ocean.” Hayward’s language has even caught on with Admiral Thad Allen, talking about the new cap and riser “producing” 11,000 barrels a day. Any talk about production shows that they are still thinking profit, not environmental protection.

It is time for the Obama Administration to declare a national emergency, gather the assets needed, and get this well shut down fast.

The phytoplankton and other tiny organisms at the bottom of the marine food chain are essential for all higher marine life. Krill and shrimp and herring feed tuna and whales and sharks. Floating seaweed helps to transfer carbon dioxide into oxygen. Oil and dispersants are toxic chemicals that concentrate in the food chain, and the amount released by this catastrophe will probably result in the largest mass killing of marine life in recent history.

A terrible crime, a grievous sin against nature is being committed, getting worse by half a million gallons or so per day. The immediate blame must be on BP, Transocean, and the officials who licensed the well without a guarantee that a backup plan existed for catastrophic failure. We must hold them accountable. We must clean up this spill. And we must finally move away from the polluting technologies of the past into a clean, sustainable energy future.

Sincerely,

John Hall (NY-19)

The gardens, grounds, and buildings of Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson will be bustling with activity as visitors are encouraged to learn about traditional activities of the 18th century in an interactive way. Each activity is presented by guides wearing clothing of the period.

Spinning flax is one of more than a dozen historic crafts and tasks on display at Van Cortlandt Manor on Saturday and Sunday, June 12-13. - Bryan Haeffele image

Visitors can help make candles, churn butter, and stitch brooms. They can also try their hands at coopering (barrel making), wool dyeing and spinning, shoe making, tinsmithing, flax breaking and spinning, quilting, weaving, and open-hearth cooking.

Particularly popular with youngsters is the chance to help Van Cortlandt Manor’s blacksmith forge iron hooks and other items.

Children can also sew a bag designed to hold medicinal herbs and then have it filled with dried botanicals in the manner of the 18th century. One example is a “sleep bag,” which is filled with a mixture of rose petals, mint leaves, and cloves, and was used by early Americans as a cure for insomnia.

Admission to Van Cortlandt Manor is $12 for adults; $10 for seniors; $6 for children 5-17; and free for children under 5 and HHV members. Visitors who buy tickets online can save $2 per ticket by using the promo code BLACKSMITH. Van Cortlandt Manor is at 525 South Riverside Avenue (off Route 9) in Croton-on-Hudson. Take the Croton Point Avenue exit from Route 9 and follow the signs. For information: 914-271-8981, www.hudsonvalley.org.

In Nature Nuts, children ages 2 to 4 will explore the forests and shore; craft-making, games and scavenger hunts are included. Cost is $50 per week. Dates are July 5 - 9 and July 12 - 16, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Nature Nuts participants must be accompanied by an adult.

Children entering grades 1 and 2 can discover Hudson River ecology by wading in the water with a 50-foot net to collect and study fish, examining the shoreline, collecting sea glass in Wet n’ Wild on the Hudson River. Cost is $250 per child; program meets July 19-23, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Dig it! Archaeology Adventures on the Hudson is designed for children entering grades 2 and 3. They’ll search for clues to the past and learn how to connect Westchester’s earliest inhabitants to their own modern-day lives. Participants will dig for artifacts, work with clay and more. Cost is $250 per child; program meets July 26-30, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Using tools from nature, children entering grades 5 and 6 will construct arrowheads, rope cordage and build shelters in Survival Skills on the Point. This program focuses on team building and self-reliance. Cost is $250 per week and program meets Aug. 2 - 6 and Aug. 9 - 13, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Croton Point Park is located off Route 9 in Croton-on-Hudson. To register, call (914) 862-5297.

Newgate Farms a 5th generation family farm in East Granby CT, will offer fresh fruits, vegetables and baked goods; Yona’s Delights, a small family bakery from Brooklyn, will sell artisanal mini- quiches and borekas (puff pastry snack foods originally from the Mediterranean region) and Baked By Susan, a home-based baking business run by Croton resident Susan O’Keefe will feature delicious cookies, brownies, biscotti and crumb cake.

Community Markets will also host cooking demos, live music from local musicians, a corn roast and produce tastings at the market throughout the season. Details will be posted at www.communitymarkets.biz.

Elimination of the printing and postage of this monthly newsletter will save the village over $12,000 annually. A limited number of printed copies will be available at Village Hall and the Croton Free Library.  

In order to subscribe, go to the Village’s home page at www.crotononhudson-ny.gov, click on “Subscribe to News” on the upper right side, select “newsletters” from the menu choices, enter your e-mail address, and submit your request.  By completing this process, you will automatically receive the newsletter electronically.  

Alternatively, the newsletter can be viewed on the village website at www.crotononhudson-ny.gov in the “Quick Links” section in the center of the homepage.

for more information, please contact Janine King, Assistant Village Manager, by email at jking@crotononhudson-ny.gov or by phone at 914-271-4781.

“My vision for the Pig was clear - to serve our customers ice cream packed with simple, fresh ingredients acquired from local farmers - ice cream their grandmothers would make,” said Blue Pig owner, Lisa Moir. “Our recipes have no high-fructose corn syrup or other artificial colors and flavorings. We also cut out one third of the sugar so you can taste the flavors more purely.”

Since Moir is sourcing her ingredients locally, ice cream flavors will change with the seasons and availability of local fruits and other ingredients. She plans to offer strawberry in June, peach in August, and pumpkin in the fall. She’s also looking forward to adding honey vanilla to the menu this fall using honey from local beekeepers. Toppings, such as hot fudge and caramel, are also all homemade.

“The Slow Food movement is rooted in the philosophy that the food we eat should be good, clean and fair,” said Christopher Roberts, co-leader, Slow Food Westchester. “By embracing this movement and sourcing local, natural ingredients, Lisa’s not only delivering a superior product to her customers, she’s helping to support our local farmers and build a more resilient food system for future generations.”

A creative spirit, Moir said her flavors also change with her mood, “This week I made malted vanilla with homemade brownies. It’s really good ice cream - ice cream I feel good about sharing with my community.”

All are invited to join in a grand reopening celebration scheduled for Thursday, May 27, at 6:00 p.m. There will be tastings, prizes and free toppings for all.

To connect with The Blue Pig Ice Cream Shop on facebook, click here.

• Would you like to win a Blue Pig Gift Certificate?
• Do you like to draw?
• Do you Keep Croton Green?

Then enter this year’s juried art contest for the Croton-Harmon School Mini-Calendar! Join us at the Croton-Harmon SEPTA Summerfest booth this Sunday, June 6, from 1 - 4:30 p.m. Open to Croton students of all ages!

Just show up. Everything you need will be at the booth. It’s free to enter—as many times as you like. All winners get gift certificates for the Blue Pig. The theme: CROTON IS A GREEN TOWN - and we hope you draw more than one scene!

The winning selections will decorate a pocket version of the classic Croton-Harmon School District calendar. It contains all the important information that is found in the larger one and includes a local business directory, in a convenient size: 4” x 7” closed, or 8” x 7” open.

* We are once again offering an opportunity to be listed as a “Friend of CH SEPTA” . For $25 you will: 1) be listed as a “Friend of CH SEPTA ” in the front of the calendar, 2) receive 2010/2011 CH SEPTA membership and, 3) get a copy of the mini calendar. This is only $5 more than the regular membership but shows the Croton community that you support the special education students in our district. You may register at our Summerfest booth or mail in the form below.

[ ] I would like to take advantage of the “Friends of CH SEPTA” offer, which includes a special “FRIENDS OF CH SEPTA calendar listing, free calendar and 2009-2010 CH SEPTA membership for ONLY $25!

Name
Address
Telephone
E-mail

Please list me/us as:

Please mail in “Friends” forms and payment to: Ivy Lewis, 2 Red Maple Ridge, Croton, NY, 10520. Pre-ordered calendars will be distributed at Back To School nights in early fall—or e-mail Ivy Lewis at ivylewis@optonline.net for special delivery. The deadline is June 30, 2010.

Art entry forms can be dropped off at the Summerfest booth or (e)mailed to: Lisa Cohen, 179 Old Post Road North, Croton, NY, 10520 (lisac@10520.info). The deadline is June 25th, 2010.

Here are the details for Croton Coalition Community Day, also dubbed VASSALLO FEST:

• When: Friday, May 21st from 3:00-7:00 PM
• Where: Vassallo Park (behind Holy Name of Mary ~ rain location is CHHS)
• What: Free Event! All are Welcome!

For VASSALLO FEST, there will be:

• Kick-off Assemblies at PVC & CHHS during the school day!
• A great theatrical show with a powerful anti-drug message!

The Croton Coalition’s Community Day, Vassallo Fest event is to encourage students to make healthy choices & build relationships with adults and community members! Most activities are geared toward teens ages 10-18. There will be a 28’ ft. rock climbing wall, inflatable obstacle courses, Westchester County STOP-DWI Van, DJ, Teen Band Performances by PVC/CHHS students, pie eating and water balloon contests, beach ball v-ball, ping pong, face painting and more….Hope to see you there!

About the Coalition: The Croton Coalition is a community group aligned around a common mission to prevent and reduce underage drinking and drug use. The coalition has an annual plan to build awareness, provide education and organize events for the community.

This is made possible by a five year federal grant, matched with local in-kind contributions of time and materials. Members of the coalition include the school district, village of Croton (business office, police and recreation departments), business and faith based organizations, civic groups, parents and teens.

For more information, contact Ginny Loughlin, Coalition Coordinator at crotoncoalition@gmail.com or 914-830-1547

A review of the documentation submitted by Entergy and the analysis prepared by the state reveals that the multinational corporation deliberately employed obsolete data, misleading algorithms, false assertions, unsupported conclusions and tortured logic to justify a system that kills more than 2 billion fish per year. The state has invited Entergy to resubmit their application if they would use appropriate data and accurate models to make their case. This time Entergy will have 30 days instead of the 30 years it has taken to get to this point.

The 23 page document that was sent to Entergy Corporation by the DEC on April 2 is scrupulous in its scientific methodology, painstaking in the legal precedents it cites and firm in its determination to uphold the Clean Water Act that protects us all. A careful reading of the document makes clear that the material Entergy submitted in an effort to avoid the expense of closed cycle cooling was both dated and deceptive. For example, raw thermal data was collected in the river from September through November 2009.

This was in contravention of the Department’s request for data during the critical summer months. This means that the model submitted by the company to predict thermal discharge characteristics from Indian Point Energy Center was taken well past the typical high temperature season of July and August and did not meet minimal thermal standards and criteria.

Entergy maintained in its submissions that the Water Quality Certificate should be issued because it was in compliance with a long extended 1987 SPDES (State Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permit. Entergy submitted an engineering study on February 12, 2010 that concluded that a closed cycle cooling system was feasible but not reasonable and as an alternative provided their evaluation of an intake system called a “wedge wire screen” that could potentially reduce but not minimize fish kill at the facility.

The company proposed that this alternative be considered Best Technology Available as called for in the Clean Water Act. Entergy also indicated that since the Water Quality Permit was reissued in 1982 the department should simply do so again.

The Department concluded that continued operation of Units 2 and 3 under the 1987 SPDES permit does not comply with existing legal requirements. In 2003 the DEC issued a draft SPDES permit that required Entergy to evaluate conversion to closed cycle cooling as the Best Technology Available as is required by law. The report notes that more than 30 years ago the NRC evaluated and selected closed cycle cooling as the only appropriate technology for reducing adverse environmental impact from Indian Point. The DEC pointed out to Entergy in a 2009 letter that the agency is not required to process Entergy’s request in the same way it did in 1982, especially since that Certificate did not deal with how the plant complied with State water quality standards of the time. While Entergy maintains that radiological assessments of ongoing leaks to the Hudson River have not indicated any environmental or health risks, the Department views radiological materials as “deleterious substances” that could impair the water for its best usage.

The Department carefully reviewed Entergy’s proposal to use wedge wire screens to reduce impact on the fish population. The conclusion was that this proposed alternative to closed cycle cooling is not Best Technology Available because it is experimental in nature and has never been used on a body of water similar to the Hudson River. Further, DEC determined that it would reduce, not minimize fish kill. This point is especially important because the native Long Nose and Atlantic sturgeon which both use the estuary as a breeding ground are endangered. Sampling from 1975 to 1990 indicated that numbers of both fish were impinged in the intake pipe for Units 2 and 3. This “taking” of endangered species is prohibited by law. The wedge wire approach also does not address the issue of thermal pollution. Accordingly, based on information submitted by Entergy, the Department concluded that while conversion to a closed cycle cooling system was expensive and might require a lengthy construction period, this type of system is available, feasible and the Best Technology Available. Therefore it is required in order to meet state water quality standards.

Based on its thorough review, the Department has concluded that Entergy has not demonstrated compliance with the Clean Water Act and denial of their request for a Water Quality Permit is warranted.

It is important to note that approximately one third of the nuclear power plants in the United States already have closed cycle cooling, including Vermont Yankee, which is owned by Entergy. Most use a radiator type of cooling that is much less expensive than the “cooling tower” approach Entergy puts forward as causing an undue financial burden.

Secondly, Indian Point supplies roughly 15% of the electricity to the grid that serves NYC and Westchester, not the 30% frequently cited. While it is true that Con Ed gets 30% of its electricity from nuclear power plants, not all of it comes from Indian Point. The state has a total of six nuclear plants. There are an additional three in New Jersey that also supply Con Ed and their input is included in the 30% figure. What is at stake here for the industry is more than just the Indian Point Entergy Center. It is a clear statement that power plants across the state will have to stop freeloading at the public’s expense, will have to conform to Clean Water Act standards and will have to include proper disposal of thermal waste as a legitimate business expense. Should the expense of doing business prove too onerous for some nuclear plant operators, undoubtedly the free market will work and other more efficient energy providers will step forward and provide us with an abundance of energy generated in a cleaner and more modern fashion at a profit.

Entergy is selling fear of change as an excuse to evade the law and maximize profits, all at the expense of evading the law and harming the environment.

Press release provided by the Indian Point safe Energy Coalition (IPSEC)

For more information, contact:

IPSEC
PO Box 131
Ossining, NY 10562-0131
1-888-I-SHUT-IT (1-888-474-8848)
http://www.closeindianpoint.org

Inspired by Pete Seeger’s desire to clean up the river over forty years ago, the Great Hudson River Revival initially helped raise the funds to build the sloop Clearwater, which has since become a world-renowned floating classroom and a symbol of effective grassroots action. Today, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater is a non-profit organization that sails at the forefront of the nation’s environmental challenges. The revenue raised by the Revival goes to support Clearwater’s numerous educational programs and its work toward environmental and social justice—as well as keeping the sloop Clearwater afloat.

Pete Seeger & the Power of Song gets us underway on Saturday, June 19 on the Rainbow Stage. Also featured on this stage throughout the weekend are famed singer-songwriters Steve Earle and Shawn Colvin, contemporary music star Joan Osborne; Westchester County native David Bromberg and his quartet, Keller Williams, “newgrass” sensation Railroad Earth, Donna the Buffalo, Toshi Reagon, The Felice Brothers, sacred steel guitar family band The Lee Boys, and Hazmat Modine, a global blues band based in NYC.

Appearing on the Hudson Stage will be Steve Forbert, Rhett Miller, Jonatha Brooke, Mike Doughty, Dan Bern, Lucy Kaplansky, David Amram, Canadian duo Dala, Milton, Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek), Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, and the Tao Seeger Band.

New for this year is the renamed “World Dance Stage” with a bigger dance floor and bands from around the globe. The mission for the stage is audience participation. The diverse roster features many different dance music styles and wonderful artists including Zydeco greats Buckwheat Zydeco, and C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band; Quebecois Cajun group Le Vent du Nord; Celtic artist and fiddle player of Riverdance Eileen Ivers; Contra Dance bands Nightingale and Jay, Molly & Peter; Brooklyn based Eastern European brass band Slavic Soul Party; Haitian drumming and dance ensemble Bonga & The Vodou Drums of Haiti; Columbian folkloric dance band Folklore Urbano; West African Balafon troupe Kakande and from New Orleans, The Subdudes and funk-soul band Brother Joscephus & the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra.

Pete Seeger will be performing at various junctures during the two-day festival including performances with two different kids groups.

The Revival is full of unique experiences. Story Grove, with professional storytellers and Circle of Song (audience participatory singing) keeps alive these unique and long-standing traditions. Performers at Story Groveinclude The Storycrafters, Dave Conover, Robert DeMayo, Bob Reiser, Nancy Marie Payne, Anne Shapiro & Tom Callinan and Bobaloo Basey. At Circle of Song we have Marva P. Clarke and Kim Harrisleading gospel sings, the Dirty Stay Out Skifflers, the Edukated Fleas, Hope Machine, Captain Killian & Crew, Mel & Vinnie, Eric Russell, Evy Mayer, Steve Stanne, Stoutand Matt Turk.

Other programming that sets Clearwater apart from other festivals include Arm-of-the-Sea Theater (mask and puppet theater), the Rude Mechanical Orchestra (30-odd-piece New York City radical marching band and dance troupe), the Walkabout Clearwater Chorus (celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2010) and more.

As always there will be plenty of family oriented programming including the Family Stage, juggling, roving artists, face painting plus lots of other activities and vendors for kids. Appearing on the Family Stage will be Pete Seeger & Tomorrow’s Children, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, David Amram, Elizabeth Mitchell & You Are My Flower, Kim & Reggie Harris, Jay Mankita, Grenadilla, Nancy Tucker, Roger the Jester, Dog on Fleas, Uncle Rock, Linda Richards and Dan Einbender.

There’s also a Juried Crafts Fair with over 40 Crafters and folk artists with quality hand-made items, demonstrations and workshops and a Green Living Expo Tent where you can learn about products, services, concepts and technologies that can inform your lifestyle and business choices.

The sloop Clearwater and the schooner Mystic Whaler will be conducting sails throughout the weekend as well as rides being offered on smaller boats.

The Discovery and Tideline tents will feature Clearwater’s original hands-on environmental education programs and Hudson River research. The Environmental Action Tent will highlight Clearwater’s watershed and environmental justice initiatives in cities up and down the Hudson River Valley.

Keeping with tradition, the entire festival is wheelchair accessible and most stage programming is staffed with American Sign Language interpreters.

Tickets range from $40 (early bird) to $80 (gate). Tickets are available at http://www.ClearwaterFestival.org or by calling 845-418-3596.

The trails were designated at the Hudson River Valley Greenway Board Meeting on March 26, 2010. The Riverwalk trail segment is 3 miles, and the Croton Gorge Trail is 0.5 mile, adding an additional 3.5 miles of trail to the Hudson River Valley Greenway Trail System. The newest portion of the Riverwalk Trail links to an already designated 2 mile portion, creating a longer trail right along the riverfront in Croton-on-Hudson, and extending the Greenway’s vision of a continuous riverside trail. The Greenway Trail includes over 314 miles of designated riverfront trails and Connectors/Countryside Corridors through the Hudson Valley.

“The Greenway is so pleased to add these trail segments to our trail system,” Castiglione stated. “Communities like Croton-on-Hudson are helping us to achieve the vision of a continuous riverside trail that will be a regional resource for residents and visitors alike. Community trails are important for many reasons; they help to drive the economy, increase the quality of life, and connect natural and cultural resources throughout the Valley.”

Leo A. W. Wiegman, Mayor of Croton-on-Hudson, said, “Croton has become a great destination for day hikers due to our excellent trail system, two publicly accessible rivers, and the super train service to and from the city. We are very grateful for the long term efforts of our volunteers, especially Jan Wines, who chairs our Trails Committee. We’re thrilled that the Greenway has honored us by designating our trail segments as important connections to the Valley’s trail system.”

Jan Wines, Chair of the Croton Trails Committee, said, “The Croton Trails Committee is delighted that key sections of the village’s trail system have been designated as part of the Hudson Valley Greenway System. The designation of almost four miles of scenic trails along the Hudson and Croton Rivers fulfills an important goal called for in our Trail Master Plan developed almost eighteen years ago. These designated sections of trails not only are beautiful in their own right, but they also provide connections to a wooded trail system that traverses the Village of Croton-on-Hudson. We wish to thank the Greenway Conservancy for its designation, and look forward to working closely with them in the future so we may continue to enhance the trail system for the benefit of all.”

Designation by the Greenway is a formal recognition of the regional significance of the trail as a destination for experiencing the natural, scenic, cultural and historic resources of the Hudson River Valley. The Greenway places a priority in its Conservancy grant program for the development and enhancement of designated trails. Designation recognizes that the trail is an important link in the Greenway Trail System, which will run along both sides of the Hudson River from the Capital Region to Manhattan.

The Greenway Conservancy for the Hudson River Valley is a public benefit corporation established by the Greenway Act of 1991 to continue New York State’s commitment to the preservation, enhancement and development of the world-renowned scenic, natural, historic, cultural and recreational resources of the Hudson River Valley, while continuing to emphasize appropriate economic development activities and remaining consistent with the tradition of municipal home rule. One of the Conservancy’s primary objectives is to establish a Hudson River Valley Greenway Trail System that links cultural and historic sites, parks, open spaces and community centers, and provides public access to the Hudson River.

For more information, please visit: http://www.hudsongreenway.state.ny.us

The 2010-2011 budget reflects a below zero change of -0.08% over the prior year’s tax rate. The 2009-2010 tax rate, in turn, reflected a change of -1.84% over 2008-2009 rate. The new tax rate per thousand of assessed valuation is $227.811 for 2010-2011, and was $227.989 in 2009-2010, and $232.263 for 2008-2009. The Village’s fiscal year begins June 1. Overall, the tax rate in Croton is now about 2% lower than before June 1, 2009.

Several cost lines for the 2010-2011 budget added over $729,000 in mandatory expense increases. This unavoidable inflation included: Unfunded state mandates such as a $374,000 of increases in retirement contributions bringing that total for 2010-2011 to $973,000; Wage step increases in previously negotiated labor contracts totaling more than $285,000; and Medical insurance premiums rising by $70,000, bringing that total to $1,499,000 for 2010-2011. Total appropriations reached $16.4 million for 2010-2011 due to the impact of these mandatory increases, reflecting an increase of $520,000 in expenses over 2009-2010.

The $209,000 difference between the mandated increases and the actual rise in expenses is the result of a budget-wide cost containment effort from all departments in scaling back, where possible, on materials and outside services contracted. A significant factor in the cost-containment is the freeze on salaries for all non-union employees. The Village Board has cut two staff positions in the past year by the elimination of an Assistant Engineer position in March 2010 on top of eliminating a Recreation Superintendent position in April 2009. The 2010-2011 budget imposes no layoffs or furloughs among the remaining 80 staff members.

On the revenue side of the ledger, the news is mixed. At $810,000 for 2010-2011, the County sales tax income is projected to be 17% lower than in the current year, and down from a high in 2007-2008 of $1.06 million. The Village’s 2,000 car commuter parking lot at the Croton-Harmon Train Station will see a revenue increase for 2010-2011 of $192,000, due largely to the completion of the grade improvement project that raised the daily lot above spring tide, allowing the full lot to operate for all 12 months of the next fiscal year for total projected revenue of $2.58 million, still below the peak experienced in 2007-2008 of $2.63 million. The Village has made parking permits available to all 300 commuters who had placed themselves on the lot’s permit waiting list, and now has begun a new waiting list for permits. The total non-property tax revenues for 2010-2011 are projected to be $5.777 million versus $5.539 million for 2009-2010.

Assessed valuation and special franchises were mixed news as well, with the former dipping slightly and latter climbing by an almost equal amount. The net result is a virtually flat total taxable valuation for the Village of $43.926 million for 2010-2011 versus $43.923 million for 2009-2010.

In 2009-2010, the Village appropriated $350,000 from the general fund balance to lower the tax levy. In 2010-2011, with the increase in total appropriations to $16.437 million, the Village will appropriate $500,000 from the general fund balance and $150,000 from the retirement reserve balance to bring down the total tax levy to $10.006, just below the levy for 2009-2010, and $203,000 below where it stood in 2008-2009. The Village’s general fund balance stands at just over $3 million as of mid-April 2010. In closing out each fiscal year, any unused appropriations flow back to the general fund.

Statement by Mayor Leo Wiegman: “It is very important to me personally that the Village not pass on the recession to our taxpayers. We need to do our part to hold the line on taxes to help families keep their expenses under control. In addition to shaving costs where we could, we dipped into the Village’s robust rainy day fund, but that is what the fund is for. Teamwork among our Village staff, department heads, and board has been superb. We could not have accomplished a second tax cut in two years without the staff’s tremendous help. Overall, the tax rate in Croton is now about 2% lower than before June 2009. Bottom line cost-containment can only take us so far. It’s time now to turn our attention to growing the top line revenue side of the budget.”

I am writing to thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent you on the Croton Harmon School Board, to let you know that I am running for reelection and to ask, once again, for your support.

With your help, what I learned during my first three-year term has proved invaluable to my goal of successfully representing our community’s needs. When I first ran for office, I thought that as the parent of two teenagers who grew up in Croton schools, as a director at Time Inc., and as a longtime volunteer and past Croton Little League president, I had the wide view needed to well represent our community’s varied perspectives. But during my first term, I have been amazed at how much I had to learn.

Thanks to meaningful conversations with community members, community forums I helped initiate, research and reading, regular attendance at school board conferences and meeting and lobbying our state officials, I am grateful for a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges facing our children and our schools and the concrete and potential ways we as a school district can and should address them.

Our community is well aware of the delicate balance we face. We want to effectively nurture and educate our children, to help them overcome their challenges and maximize their gifts. And we want to responsibly limit our tax burden, especially now during the economic crisis that confronts our nation and community. We can only accomplish this by soliciting the input, critique and help of our community.

One reason I first ran for office was to improve two-way communication between school administrators and parents and taxpayers. We now hold regular town hall meetings to solicit input.

Although we face significant hurdles ahead, together we have already accomplished a great deal. As the school board vice president, I successfully urged the board to set, track and create action plans to achieve board and community goals — in addition to evaluating and supporting administration goals as past boards had done. I helped persuade fellow school board members to take an active role when making the tenure decisions that can affect our tax dollars and Croton school children for generations.

I support our community’s goal to conserve energy. Our district recently entered into an energy performance contract with Honeywell International Inc. that guarantees that the cost for all the energy-efficiency upgrades our district makes will be covered by savings on energy bills or Honeywell will reimburse the difference. This contract will allow our district to replace boilers at PVC Middle School, retrofit lighting and fans, add GPS wireless clocks and unit ventilators and install a solar photovoltaic system - all with the guarantee that their initial costs will be covered by energy savings.

While I am proud of the progress we have made, I am aware of the significant challenges our schools and our children face. Please contact me at tflukin@aol.com or 914.271.2098 to share your suggestions on how, together, we can move forward. And please vote for me on May 18th.

Yours truly,

Teri Lukin

The film, which follows five fierce women who refuse to choose between their families and their art, examines problematic intersections of our time: mothering and creativity, partnering and independence, economics and art. (www.whodoesshethinksheis.net)

A wine reception and panel discussion featuring renowned New York artists Dar Williams, Maria Colaco, Leslie Fields-Cruz, Sarah Haviland, Kathleen Pemble and Lowry Reinaur will follow the screening.

Tickets are $30. To purchase tickets, visit www.thegardenroad.org or call 914-526-4033. The screening will take place at the Peekskill Hat Factory, 1000 North Division Street, Peekskill, NY.

Proceeds benefit the Arts in Education programs of The Garden Road School, an independent Pre-K through Elementary school in Crompond, NY. The Garden Road School’s fully arts-integrated curriculum is focused on the education of the whole child.

I want to ensure that all residents in the Ossining-Croton-Briarcliff-Cortlandt Manor area are fully counted in CENSUS 2010.

The census is the cornerstone of local government and schools funding. Every person who is not counted leaves our community short $2,700 for each of the next 10 years—almost $30,000 will be lost in the forthcoming decade.

The census is mandated by the United States Constitution. The amount of money available in federal and state aid to local communities depends, in great part, on information that comes from the Census and as such this funding goes to support so many critical areas, including education, public transportation, road construction, hospital, nursing homes and other health service programs.

By now you should have received your Census 2010 questionnaire. If you haven’t, you will be receiving it by the end of this month. The questionnaire has only 10 questions and takes only a few minutes to fill out.

The importance of completing it cannot be overstated.

Please do your part and be counted!

Best regards,

Bill Burton, Legislator District 9

Editor’s note: For more information on the 2010 Census, please visit http://2010.census.gov/2010census/

This year’s raffle prize will be donated by Ossining resident Mark Sadan. It is a large, limited edition chrome-pigment print of a digital image The photograph is titled “Near the Taconic.” It was taken on a private estate in the countryside near Teatown. Mark shot this richly colored nature scene in 2006.

Mark Sadan began his creative career as a stage actor and director, but moved quickly into independent film production. His was one of the first film makers for television show, Sasame Street, and has won several awards for his documentaries.

But while continuing to produce and direct films, Mark has also followed his passion for still photography and his major work is currently in that medium. He has been featured in most of the leading photo magazines around the world. His work can also be found in many books as well as in museums and private collections.

Raffle tickets are available for purchase in Croton at Umami Café, 325 South Riverside Avenue and at Grouchy Gabe’s Deli in the Upper Village. During the week-long show tickets will be available at the Unitarian Fellowship. Tickets cost $2.00 each or six for $10.00. They money will go toward exhibit expenses. The winning raffle ticket will be drawn at the close of the show on April 4th.

In addition to the opening reception on March 28, viewing hours are March 29-April 2, 6-8:00 p.m. and April 3 and 4, 2:00-5:00 p.m.

For more information, please contact Maggie Loewenwarter at 271-1037.

Today we took a huge step forward in our fight for affordable health care for all Americans. I cast my vote in favor of health insurance reform because it was the right thing to do.

It was the the right thing to do for the woman in Warwick who was dropped by her insurance company in the middle of her breast cancer treatments. It was the right thing to do for the family in Wappinger whose premiums are soaring because of their son’s pre-existing condition. It was right thing to do for the Seniors in Somers who are stuck in the Medicare donut hole, paying more than they can afford for the medications they need.

When I originally ran for office, I promised I would vote for anything that moved us towards universal health care coverage. Today I feel much closer to delivering on that promise.

Since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt put health care on the national agenda, American Presidents on both sides of the aisle have made attempts to improve our health care system. For far too long, health insurance companies have been able to deny coverage for treatment ordered by doctors and drop coverage when you get sick and need it the most. Today I was proud to vote to end those unfair practices.

I have talked with many of you about your personal situations. You inspired me to fight as hard as I could for the health insurance reforms you deserve. That’s why you helped me get elected and why I voted for for major health insurance reforms. Because it was the right thing to do.

Your Representative,

John Hall, NY-19

After listening to thousands of constituents, meeting with health care professionals, and reading the pending health care insurance reform bills, I have decided to vote YES on Sunday.

I held more than 80 public events and meetings to get input from local families, businesses, and health care professionals. I’ve heard from local business owners in Stony Point and Somers who told me they couldn’t afford the annual double digit increases in the insurance premiums for their employees. I sat in a living room in Warwick where a woman told me her insurance company canceled her policy while she was undergoing treatments for breast cancer. I heard from countless Seniors who are trapped in the Medicare donut hole and have to choose between food and medicine because they can’t afford to pay more for their prescription drugs.

Tomorrow the House of Representatives will take an up or down vote. I will be voting YES and here is why. The bill:

• Immediately protects people with preexisting conditions
• Prevents insurance companies from dropping people when they get sick
• Prohibits annual and lifetime caps on benefits
• Closes the Medicare donut hole for prescription drugs
• Provides tax credits for small businesses who provide coverage for their employees
• Allows young people to stay on their parents’ coverage until they turn 26, and
• Allows 32 million Americans who are currently uninsured to have access to high quality, affordable health care

You elected me to solve the problems we face. The status quo is unacceptible. We all know someone who is harmed by the current health insurance system. Just saying no will not change anything. This bill demonstrates we can make progress towards achieving our goals.

I will cast my vote YES

Sincerely,

John Hall, NY-19