Radio Chatskill

High fever, stuffy nose, body aches – these are all symptoms of what might be the flu. Recent New York state health data shows that there have already been more than 17,000 flu cases this season. Emergency rooms have begun reporting a spike in patients coming into the ER with flu-like symptoms. Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar spoke with David Williams, Emergency Care PA at Ellenville Regional Hospi...

From school gardens to countywide wellness initiatives, Sullivan 180 is closing out 2025 with what Executive Director Denise Frangipane calls unmistakable momentum — and gearing up for an even more ambitious 2026. “Well, Sullivan 180 is a non-profit organization dedicated to building a healthy community through people, places, and policy with an intentional focus on prevention and empowering a hea...

 The race for New York’s 51st State Senate seat is heating up ahead of the 2026 election, with three candidates officially in the mix following Republican incumbent Peter Oberacker’s decision to run for Congress. “The district is quite large,” said Isabel Braverman, editor-in-chief of the Sullivan County Democrat . “It includes all of Sullivan County, Delaware, Schoharie, and Otsego counties, alon...

Honesdale voters have rejected the borough’s proposed earned income tax (EIT), leaving local officials with tough choices for the 2026 budget. The Honesdale Borough Council was split 3-3 on the proposal during a pre-Thanksgiving meeting. Mayor Derrick Williams cast the tie-breaking vote against the tax, officially stopping its implementation. The EIT would have added up to 1% on the earned income...

The holiday season can be joyful, chaotic—and, if the Tusten Humor Committee has its way, exactly the moment we could all use a good laugh. “It’s a complicated question with a semi-complicated answer,” Feibusch said, explaining the group’s origins. “Technically, it’s a bunch of people that get together at the Tusten Cup Coffee Shop on Main Street in Narreensburg every morning starting at 7:00 till...

On World AIDS Day, New York State health officials say the state has made major progress in reducing HIV infections, but deep disparities and ongoing stigma continue to drive new cases—particularly among young people and communities of color. Deepa Rajulu , deputy director of the New York State Department of Health’s AIDS Institute, said new HIV diagnoses have dropped 36% from 2011 to 2024 , accor...

PennDOT’s $935 million plan to widen Interstate 80 in Stroudsburg is triggering a wave of environmental concerns — not just in Monroe County, but 50 miles north in rural Damascus Township, Pennsylvania.  To move the highway from four lanes to six, PennDOT says it must destroy wetlands along a 3.5-mile stretch of I-80. Instead of restoring wetlands locally, the agency is buying mitigation credits f...

For 25 years, Old Skool Sessions has been spinning vinyl, sharing deep cuts, and keeping the spirit of classic hip-hop, funk, and soul alive on the airwaves. This weekend, fans of the long-running Radio Catskill program will have a chance to celebrate the milestone alongside hosts DJ Chuck and Selector sTArKeY at the station’s annual music sale. “Man, I can’t believe it,” said DJ Chucks, founder o...

A recent Sullivan County health report revealed that more than 300 adults and children were living in emergency housing as of November 5th. Among them are residents with disabilities, who often face increased barriers to securing accessible housing. Hotels-for-housing placements have increasingly become New York state’s primary way to shelter homeless families – despite offering no wraparound supp...

Once overlooked by history, 19th-century American artist Fanny Palmer is finally getting her moment in the spotlight. An exhibit of her original works, paired with household items inspired by her lithographs, is now on view at the Narrowsburg Union through December 30 . Palmer, who worked extensively with the famed Currier & Ives publishing company, captured everyday American life with meticul...

Since 2017, the Zipper Junction Project’s Holiday Toy Drive has been more than just a gift-giving program—it’s become a lifeline for families across Wayne and Pike counties. Each year, it delivers toys, essentials, and a touch of holiday magic to hundreds of children who might otherwise go without. The project began in a moment of urgency. A local organization that had been serving the area sudden...

Local organizations are stepping up this holiday season to support families in need through food banks, meal distributions, groceries, warming centers, and community donation drives. Among them, a Pocono Mountains nonprofit is helping hospitality workers struggling to put food on the table. Settlers Cares, founded in 2023, is offering a limited number of $200 Wise Market gift cards to employees fa...

For the second year in a row, Blue Fox Motel and Tusten Social will host a free Community Thanksgiving Lunch in Narrowsburg, offering neighbors a chance to gather, share a traditional meal, and celebrate together. The event will take place Thursday, Nov. 27, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Blue Fox Motel, 5670 NY-97, Narrowsburg. “We at the Blue Fox always feel like one of our roles in the com...

Today, Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) honors transgender individuals lost to anti-trans violence, shining a spotlight on a crisis that continues to affect the community nationwide. Tekla Taylor , public education specialist at Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) and author of the organization’s new report on violence against trans people, spoke about the findings and the importance of remem...

On Friday night, The Muse in Rosendale won’t just be hosting a concert — it will become the meeting place of two vibrant musical worlds. VKB Band, aka Vicki Kristina Barcelona, the genre-bending trio known for reimagining the Tom Waits songbook, returns to the stage with their “arsenal” of instruments and trademark three-part harmonies. Opening the evening is the 10-voice women’s ensemble the B2s,...

A proposed one-year moratorium on new high-density residential development in Bethel is at a standstill after a 2-2 tie vote at the town board meeting. The tie came with one board member absent, leaving Supervisor Dan Sturm and one council member in favor, and two council members opposed. “The reason it's out of standstill is because there was some discussion on whether the tie vote meant that the...

Thomas G. Waites first made his mark as a young actor in cult classics like The Warriors and John Carpenter’s The Thing , earning early recognition for his intensity and screen presence. A Juilliard-trained performer with an MFA in playwriting from the University of Iowa, Waites has built a far-reaching career across Broadway, Off-Broadway, television, independent film, and teaching—founding his o...

From 66 million-year-old dinosaur “mummies” to bees that can tell time—and even the hidden psychology in rock-paper-scissors, Joe Johnson breaks down the latest discoveries that are as fascinating as they are weird in this week's Science Stories segment. Dinosaur “Mummies” and the First Hooves Around 66 million years ago, a small herd of Montasaurus ankylosaurus died in a drought—then were ironica...

Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler and New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced in October the largest Medicaid fraud scheme ever prosecuted by the Orange County DA’s office, allegedly stealing $2.9 million in Medicaid funds. Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar spoke with Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler who shared more about the investigation and what residents s...

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is under fire from environmental advocates and progressive Democrats after her administration postponed a landmark law that would ban natural gas in most newly constructed buildings. The All-Electric Buildings Act was set to take effect January 1. Hochul’s office says the move is merely an extension and that she remains committed to the law. But critics say the delay sig...

This holiday season, you can deck the halls without decking the planet. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, in partnership with New York Sea Grant, is hosting “Plastic-Free Holidays” workshops that teach families how to swap single-use plastics for fun, reusable DIY decorations. Anna Harrod McGrew, natural resources and environment educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension, said the wo...

Garbanzo beans, potatoes, even laundry detergent are just some of the items at the new Calliope & Gael Grocers, a new free community food pantry on Main Street in Livingston Manor. What makes it unique? It’s designed as your regular grocery store where people can choose what they want to throw in their grocery cart. Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar chatted with Gael Roots’ Iris Fen Gillingham in...

A Single Bite, the Sullivan County nonprofit focused on feeding families, says food insecurity has surged dramatically in recent months—even as federal SNAP benefits resume following the end of the government shutdown. Executive Director Audrey Garrow said the organization has seen demand double since early fall. “Since September, we were feeding 625 people, families out there in the community wit...

The once dead Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) project, a pipeline that would bring fracked gas from central Pennsylvania through New Jersey and into New York City, is now one more step towards revival. Last Friday, New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation issued a Water Quality Certification Permit for the construction of the project, effectively reversing its legal position under t...

This weekend, audiences at NACL Theater will witness an intimate and deeply personal work-in-progress titled Mercedes: Para los Callejones , created by Brooklyn-based artist Modesto “Flako” Jimenez and the ¡Oye! Group. The play, performed primarily in Spanish with English supertitles, is both a tribute and a time capsule — inspired by the grandmother who raised Jimenez in Bushwick after he immigra...