The Local Edition

NY FOCUS recently reported that The Push for Public Power in New York State has spread to the Hudson Valley. Local lawmakers have introduced a proposal for the public takeover of Central Hudson, the region’s scandal-plagued gas and electric utility.  Radio Catskills Jason Dole speaks to Colin Kinniburgh of NY FOCUS about the issue.

Kevin Scot Graham has been named Sullivan County's fifth poet laureate, serving from 2024 to 2026. Graham's artistic talents span music, visual arts, and poetry, with the latter being a constant in his life. He plays multiple instruments, including the guitar and a six-string ukulele. After earning a music degree, he moved to New York City and worked as a performer and producer. His documentary ph...

Greg Goldstein, Chair of the Republican Committee in Sullivan County reacts to Trump’s verdict said,

Anne Hart, Chair of the Democratic Committee in Sullivan County reacts to Trump's Verdict. 

According to an investigation by NY FOCUS, New York state prisons have prohibited access to articles from The New York Times, New York Magazine, and several local newspapers, often justifying these bans by claiming that the content could incite disobedience. Jason Dole interviewed NY FOCUS's Rebecca McCray to delve deeper into this issue.

At 12:33 AM on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, the Village of Monticello Police responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting at the Sleepy Hollow Apartment Complex, located on Terri Lane. Upon arrival, officers discovered two victims, an adult male and an adult female, inside a vehicle. The vehicle had been driven into a parking lot when it was fired upon, resulting in both occupants sustaining gunshot wou...

Last month, when New York lawmakers passed the state budget, they included a significant win for the tenant movement: the Good Cause Eviction Law. This law grants many renters the right to renew their leases and protects them from substantial rent increases.  However, the law has broad exceptions that will exclude many of the state’s landlords from its requirements, including dozens of lawmakers w...

Literacy Volunteers of Sullivan County not only assist individuals in obtaining their GED or enhancing their reading skills, which have seen a significant increase since the pandemic, but they also manage a second-hand bookstore in Monticello. Angela Dutcher, the Executive Director of Literacy Volunteers of Sullivan County, recently joined Jason Dole live in the studio to discuss the urgent need f...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Throughout May, Radio Catskill will feature weekly interviews with Astor Services, a nonprofit that offers services related to children’s mental health in the Hudson Valley and the Bronx. Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo spoke with Dr. Todd Karlin, the Chief Program Officer at Astor Services for Children & Families, discussing how telehealth has benefited...

May is Foster Care Awareness Month, a dedicated time to raise awareness about foster care issues and recognize the vital contributions of foster parents, family members, child welfare professionals, mentors, policymakers, and other community members. These dedicated individuals play an essential role in helping children and youth in foster care find permanent homes and lasting connections. Radio C...

Sarai Manuel from Astor Services, a leader in addressing mental health, child welfare, and early childhood development in Mid Hudson Valley and the Bronx.  Mental Health Awareness Month provides a crucial opportunity to shine a light on mental health, a subject often shadowed by stigma and misunderstanding. Sarai Manuel, Chief Development Officer at Astor Services, offers insights into the transfo...

New York’s Equal Rights Amendment would enshrine the right to abortion in the state. A judge threw it off the ballot for the fall, but an appeal is expected. New York’s Equal Rights Amendment, which would enshrine the right to an abortion in the state, has been ordered off the November ballot, after a judge ruled that lawmakers didn’t follow the appropriate procedure in passing it. Two years ago,...

The Ethelbert B. Crawford Public Library in Monticello is launching its Community Art Series this month, featuring the works of local artist Hassina Brodie.   Her exhibit, titled "The Re-Creation of Hassina Brodie," showcases a diverse range of paintings, including depictions of racial oppression, animals, and landscapes. The exhibition will be available for viewing through Friday, May 31, 2024. H...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to focus on the importance of mental health.  In this episode, we talk with Megan York, the Regional Director of Outpatient Clinics for Astor Services in Liberty, about how to recognize if someone is struggling and how to start a conversation about mental health.

Town officials in Forestburgh, Sullivan County, are contesting allegations from the New York State Attorney General's Office that they implemented zoning regulations specifically to obstruct a housing development intended for Hasidic Orthodox Jews.  The attorney representing Forestburgh asserts that their zoning laws allow religious uses across all districts, contradicting claims of targeted exclu...

Recently, Meg McGuire, the publisher of Delaware Currents, co-hosted the  Society of Environmental Journalists Conference with the University of Pennsylvania.  The conference brings more than 1,000 environmental journalists from the U.S, Canada and internationally to discuss key environmental issues, including the major national debate on fracking and LNG versus renewable sources like wind and sol...

On May 4th 2024. the Town of Liberty will celebrate Cinco de Mayo, a holiday that's become more popular in the United States than in Mexico. It's now a celebration of Mexican-American culture. Patricio Robayo from Radio Catskill spoke with James Guara, Liberty's Recreation Director, about what’s planned for the event and how people can join.

The Planned Parenthood clinic in Monticello, Sullivan County, ceased operations in 2020 due to staffing and funding shortages exacerbated by the pandemic, according to the organization. This closure was part of a broader statewide trend in 2020, which saw twelve such facilities shut their doors, leaving a significant gap in healthcare services in the area. Dayna Halprin and Martin Colavito from th...

Join us for an in-depth exploration of New York's brand-new, nearly three-week-late $237 billion budget and its implications for you. Maia Hibbett, the Managing Editor for NY FOCUS, discussed the contents of the budget and the items that didn't make the cut with Jason Dole.

Phil Mossman is a New York City-based professional musician who grew up in London. He has worked with acts like Primal Scream and LCD Soundsystem. His most recent non-musical project is living in the Catskills and volunteering with the Jeffersonville Volunteer First Aid Corps.  Phil stopped by Radio Catskill’s studios last week to talk about  his local volunteer efforts, his musical history, and h...

Overgrowth of cyanobacteria, often mistaken for algae, in Lipman Park's pond has led to blocked outflows and rising water levels, threatening to spill onto nearby properties.  Efforts to manage the situation include the use of aerators to oxygenate the water and the introduction of barley straw pellets to inhibit the bacteria's growth.  Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo spoke to Chris Rowley from S...

This week, New York State announced temporary import requirements for dairy cattle entering the state following detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in dairy cattle and goats in other states. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets stated that no cases have been detected in New York livestock to date, and the USDA continues to confirm that there is no threat to human he...

Radio Catskill’s Jason Dole spoke to Wayne County Commissioner Jocelyn Cramer, who also chairs the Wayne County Board of Elections, about today’s primary and the special election in Pennsylvania's 139th District. 

The Sullivan County community is set to welcome back its essential Head Start services, with the announcement of the reopening of centers in Riverside, Waverly, and Woodbourne by Thursday, according to Philip Pantuso of the Hudson Valley Times Union.  The program, previously known as Sullivan County Head Start, has been rebranded as CDI Head Start Serving Woodbourne and Monticello, marking a new c...

Amberly Jane Campbell has been appointed as the new Assistant Deputy County Executive of Ulster County, as announced by Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. In her newly assumed position, Campbell will lead efforts in communications and community engagement for the County Executive's Office. During an interview with Patricio Robayo of Radio Catskill, Campbell shared insights from her previous expe...