Radio Chatskill

Communities across the country are figuring out how to close their incinerators, but Sullivan County is considering building a new one. Earlier this summer, the county issued a draft RFP for a waste-to-energy facility as part of its broader plans to prepare for the region’s anticipated growth of trash over the next decade. On Monday evening, a coalition of activists organized an emergency town hal...

The Catskills were once the heart of the Borscht Belt, where towns like Parksville and Livingston Manor buzzed with resorts, entertainers, and families seeking a summer escape. This weekend, the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project unveils its 14th marker in Parksville, with another following later this month in Livingston Manor. More than commemorating the past, these markers bring history aliv...

From sweet and mild to spicy and hot, the first annual Pepperfest kicks off in Damascus, Pennsylvania this Saturday, October 4th. It’s a new festival celebrating the love of peppers in the Upper Delaware River Valley. Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar headed down to Tyler Hill, Pennsylvania to talk to the Pepperfest planning committee to learn what folks can expect and brings us this report.

Jazz trombonist Ryan Keberle is bringing the infectious rhythms of Brazil to Honesdale tomorrow with a live performance at the Cooperage Project. His new album, Choro das Águas , created in collaboration with Collectiv do Brasil , blends traditional Brazilian choro rhythms with modern jazz in a fresh, compelling way. “We hope people get up and dance—or at least feel like getting up and dancing,” K...

What does “cage-free,” “pasture-raised,” or “organic” really mean when you’re shopping for groceries? Even farmers say the labels can be confusing. “That’s why we’re doing this workshop,” said Iris Gillingham of Gail Roots Farm , who will lead the Understanding Food Labels Workshop this Sunday at Farm Arts Collective. “Last year I was at a farming conference and a bunch of farmers were talking abo...

Over the last decade, the number of short-term rentals in Ulster County has jumped by 220 percent. That’s according to a new report released on Monday from Ulster County Comptroller March Gallagher about the rapid growth of short-term rentals and their increasing pressure on the county’s housing market. Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar spoke with Ulster County Comptroller Gallagher who shared the la...

Sullivan County is considering building a waste-to-energy facility that some critics say is a ‘public relations term’ for an incinerator. Local residents are pushing back. A coalition of environmental and racial justice groups including Sustainable Sullivan, Sullivan County NAACP, The Black Library, and Energy Justice Network will host an emergency town hall on Sept. 29 to discuss the proposed fac...

This weekend, the Big Eddy Film Festival returns to Narrowsburg, bringing a vibrant mix of storytelling, creativity, and community spirit to the Delaware River region. Radio Catskill, a proud media partner, sat down with three filmmakers whose work highlights the festival’s focus on local voices and innovative storytelling. Moh Azima: Blending Community and AI in “Be Like a Tree” Moh Azima’s video...

The Scranton Fringe Festival is back, kicking off Wednesday, Sept. 25, and running through Oct. 5 with more than 200 performances across the city. Now in its 11th year, the festival has become one of Northeast Pennsylvania’s biggest arts events, packing theaters, galleries, storefronts and even coffee shops with theater, music, comedy, storytelling and more. “Scranton Fringe in a nutshell is simpl...

New York State is moving forward with plans to invest $1.4 billion to upgrade Route 17 between Exit 113 in Wurtsboro and Exit 131 in Monroe, continuing the decades-long effort to convert the highway into Interstate 86. While much of western New York already has the interstate treatment, the Hudson Valley segment is now at the center of a heated debate. State and business leaders say the expansion,...

This weekend, the Big Eddy Film Festival returns to Narrowsburg, New York , showcasing independent films that challenge, entertain, and unite audiences. Radio Catskill is proud to serve as a media partner for this celebration of countercurrent, independent storytelling. Among the featured films are Melody Roscher’s Bird in Hand and Elegance Bratton’s Move Ya Body: The Birth of House . Bird in Hand...

The Woodstock Playhouse will host a unique benefit concert this Saturday, September 27, blending timeless classical music with unforgettable film moments. The event supports both the Woodstock Film Festival and the Woodstock Symphony Orchestra. Ken Wagner of the Symphony Orchestra says the power of live music deepens the cinematic experience. “We’ll play a film clip highlighting certain music like...

The Delaware Valley Arts Alliance (DVAA) rolls out the red carpet for the 13th annual Big Eddy Film Festival, running September 25–28. From student shorts to international features, this festival celebrates bold, counter-current storytelling rooted in the Catskills. "We celebrate counter-current narratives and films inspired by the rural imagination. Our selections come through long-standing relat...

Sullivan County legislators still can’t agree on where to put a gateway housing shelter. Some critics warn that the clock is ticking to apply for funding for the facility before state funds are gone, but that funding is no longer available. On Wednesday, New York's Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance suspended accepting funding applications for the key housing program the county was plan...

The Fair Hill Therapeutic Riding Center in Waymart, Pennsylvania, is helping people of all ages and abilities experience healing, growth, and learning through therapeutic riding and equine-assisted therapy . Founded in 2007 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit , Fair Hill offers evidence-based equine-assisted programs for individuals with disabilities, children in foster care, and youth who have experienced d...

On Tuesday, September 16, medical professionals and cancer survivors from New York joined over 750 people across the county on Capitol Hill to send a clear message to Congress - fund cancer research! They’re with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and are working to remind elected officials about the importance of protecting grants on behalf of the National Institute of Health, the...

This week on Science Stories with Joe Johnson , our resident science guy highlighted three fascinating developments—from NASA’s Mars rover discoveries, to evolving cheese molds, to a spectacular lineup in the night sky. NASA’s Perseverance Rover Finds Possible Biosignatures on Mars Big news came out of the September 10th issue of Nature and a NASA press conference this week. The Perseverance rover...

Farm Arts Collective in Damascus, Pennsylvania, is bringing nationally recognized artists to the Upper Delaware Valley this weekend for its second annual Alone Together Solo Festival . The three-day event runs Friday, September 19 through Sunday, September 21, 2025, with performances each evening at 7 p.m. The festival showcases original solo works by guest artists from across the United States, e...

Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessing high-quality dental care is already difficult for low-income families. But in rural communities, the need is even greater, where limited public transportation and a shortage of dental providers make care even more challenging to find. Liberty-based dental hygiene no...

Potentially the most extensive harmful algal bloom in the Hudson River in nearly 40 years was observed, according to local science advocacy nonprofit Riverkeeper. Radio Catskill's Kimberly Izar spoke with Riverkeeper's Science Director Dr. Shannon Roback about the harmful algal blooms and a new water quality tool that helps the public understand the latest algal bloom stretch.

The Town of Highland, NY,  is asking residents to weigh in on whether to re-establish its constable department, three years after the positions were suspended over misconduct and training concerns. “There were some misconduct concerns with unnamed constables within that department, creating a poor atmosphere. Some of the constables didn’t have the required levels of training indicated in their per...

Sullivan County officials warn that the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is anticipating the state’s HEAP funding to be flat for this year. Clean & Tune, Weatherization, and Home Energy Repair/Replace benefits may not be available this year. Only primary and emergency benefits would be available. Radio Catskill's Kimberly Izar reports.

When Chuck Henry was first hired for the New York State Historic Newspapers Project in 2013, he thought it would be a straightforward IT job. “I kind of came into this accidentally,” Henry recalls. “I’m an IT coordinator primarily, and so when the project began…I was hired to help support the servers and the like involved with the project.” But his role quickly grew beyond servers and software. He...