Radio Chatskill

From 40,000-year-old microbes thawed from Arctic permafrost to distant “dark matter” stars billions of light-years away, Radio Catskill’s resident science expert Joe Johnson shares a snapshot of the latest discoveries reshaping our understanding of Earth and the universe. Microbes Thaw After 40,000 Years A recent study in the Journal of Geophysical Research shows that microbes—bacteria and fungi—f...

The Decrepit Ghouls are taking Halloween to strange new waters this weekend. The hit immersive experience is back for its third year, this time with “The Decrepit Ghouls in a Cursed Catskills Cruise,” transforming a Parksville warehouse into a haunted ocean liner packed with live music, comedy, art, and total spooky chaos. “You buy a ticket, go through a gangplank, and there are portholes,” laughe...

There are more than 930 towns across New York state. Many big and small towns have important elections coming up this Election Day, including in Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster counties. But what exactly do town supervisors do, and why does that matter to residents? Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar spoke with Chris Koetzle, Executive Director of New York Association of Towns, about how local elections...

Catskill Art Space (CAS) in Livingston Manor is offering new opportunities for adults to explore their creativity this fall, with six-week art classes in Drawing Foundations and Ceramics beginning October 28. Executive Director Sally Wright says the new courses meet participants at any skill level, whether they’re first-time students or experienced artists looking to deepen their practice. “This i...

More than seven million people participated in No Kings rallies on Oct. 18 across the country, according to national organizers. Thousands took to the streets in the Catskills and northeast Pennsylvania – including Honesdale, Monticello, Middletown, Goshen, and Newburgh – to push back against the Trump administration. Radio Catskill’s Rosie Starr and Kimberly spoke to attendees at some of the rall...

NYSEG filed rate proposals in June to increase delivery rates by more than 30 percent for some customers. If approved, NYSEG customers would see new rates take effect in May 2026. Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar sat down with Assemblymember Paula Elaine Kay at her office in Monticello, who shared more about the NYSEG rate case and how residents can make their voices heard.

The New York State Department of Transportation has hit pause on its $1.4 billion plans to expand Route 17 from exits 113 in Wurtsboro to 131 in Monroe after significant community pushback. So what does this mean for the future of the highway? The ReThink Route 17 Alliance is a coalition pushing the state to invest in more accessible and environmentally sustainable transit alternatives, not more h...

Sullivan County is facing a significant sales tax shortfall that could force a property tax increase next year, county officials say. $5 Million Gap in Sales Tax Revenue County Treasurer Nancy Buck told the legislature Thursday the county is already $4 million behind last year’s sales tax revenue and could end the year $5 million below projections. The county had originally projected $80 million i...

Millions are expected at the nationwide “No Kings” protests this Saturday, including a gathering in Monticello organized by grassroots group We Are One Sullivan . The coalition advocates for civic engagement and accountability in government and encourages residents to speak out against threats to democracy, public institutions, and the rule of law. “ We Are One Sullivan is our local chapter of Ind...

As the government shutdown enters the start of its third week, it seems that as a country we are more divided than ever before. However, a new study from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows that Americans share more common ground than not. The New Jersey-based non-profit conducted a recent study across all ages, income levels and political affiliations. According to their findings, Americans...

Texts exchanged among members of New York’s Young Republicans have revealed offensive messages, including jokes about gas chambers, praise for Hitler and the Nazis, and hundreds of racial and homophobic slurs, according to documents obtained by Politico. The nearly 3,000 pages of Telegram messages, spanning January through mid-August, show some messages led by Peter Junta, chief of staff for State...

“It was tiny and there was absolutely no money. I mean everything, everything was donated and everyone volunteered,” said Mira Blaustein, co-founder and executive director of the Woodstock Film Festival, reflecting on its 2000 debut. “It was held only in Woodstock and it was beautiful. It was magical but it was small.” The following year, the festival faced a somber backdrop. “In 2001 it was held...

This past summer, the Department of Homeland Security eliminated the temporary protected status, or TPS, program for Afghan refugees looking to resettle in the United States. Still, that hasn’t stopped community members in Ulster County from supporting their neighbors. Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar spoke with Robert Sabuda, founder of nonprofit organization Plutarch for Refugees, about the growin...

Science has been making headlines, from Nobel Prizes to moons that could harbor life—and even birds that collect human artifacts. Our resident science expert Joe Johnson breaks it down. Nobel Week: Immune System, Quantum Tunneling, and MOFs Last week, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2025 Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine, Physics, and Chemistry—each to three pioneering scien...

New York is home to more than 680,000 veterans, more than half of whom are over the age of 65. But local VA agencies say the rollout of the Dole Act, a federal law that expanded healthcare and benefits for veterans, has stalled. Radio Catskill's Kimberly Izar reports.

Singer-songwriter Eli Lev, a former middle school teacher from Silver Spring, Maryland, will perform Thursday at The Common Good in Ellenville, blending folk, spiritual, and globally inspired music. “I taught on the Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona for a few years and I picked up some pretty amazing culture, and ideas, and knowledge, one of which was the four directions,” Lev said. “Fast forward...

One of two fracked gas transmissions is continuing to make its way through regulatory bodies in New York. The Northeast Supply Enhancement Project, which would be built through New Jersey and New York Bay, has been accepted by New York’s Public Service Commission. Problem is, this pipeline project has been rejected by the state twice before over the last decade due to water quality concerns. Now,...

Residents from across New York's 19th Congressional District, from Sullivan to Chenango counties, attended Rep. Josh Riley’s Monday town hall on rural healthcare at SUNY Sullivan. Riley said he has long opposed Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, which could cut coverage for 1.5 million New Yorkers. But some attendees came – and left – feeling skeptical. Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar reports.

 Callicoon ArtWalk this Saturday, Oct. 11, will feature a showcase of short films at the Callicoon Theater, highlighting local and international creativity. “I started this, I think at least six, seven years ago, and I’ve been doing it every year with Krissy Smith at the Callicoon Theater who was totally super supportive,” said organizer Elizabeth Ennis. “I try to keep it all short and really repr...

State Senator Peter Oberacker, who represents New York’s 51st District, officially threw his hat in the ring for New York’s 19th Congressional District Tuesday at Holiday Mountain in Bridgeville. Surrounded by local Republican leaders, including Sullivan County GOP Chair Rob Dougherty, Congressman Mark Lawler of the 17th District, and Assemblyman Chris Tagg of the 102nd District, Oberacker called...

What started as a federal grant has blossomed into a countywide movement connecting Sullivan County farms with school cafeterias — and reshaping how students experience lunch. The School Nutrition Action Coalition, supported by partners including Sullivan 180, Cornell Cooperative Extension and local school districts, formed when Sullivan 180 received a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant l...

The federal government remains closed today amid a bitter impasse on Capitol Hill over competing congressional spending bills—one backed by each party. The stalemate is already raising concerns here at home. In Sullivan County, local officials are monitoring the situation closely. John Liddle, commissioner of Health and Family Services, says while there’s been little immediate impact so far, a pro...

This Friday, October 3rd, Homegrown Hurleyville singer songwriter Mekayla Rayne will be playing a one night only set at the Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre. After captivating audiences all around the country, Mekayla is returning back home to make her headlining debut of her very first full length concert. Radio Catskill's Genevieve Hartnett spoke with Mekayla ahead of the event about finding h...

Our resident science guy Joe Johnson has more on three recent discoveries — one from deep human history, another from cutting-edge agricultural science, and the third from the night sky — are offering new insights into our past, our future, and the universe around us. A 30,000-Year-Old Toolkit in the Czech Republic A study in the August issue of the Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology details the d...