^{Serving Rhinebeck and Neighboring Towns}

Issue 203 | October 11, 2024

Holiday Tree to Be Planted, Then Removed, Next to Doughboy Statue //

In what some might consider an odd compromise, or maybe something akin to the theater of the absurd, the Village of Rhinebeck has come to a temporary resolution, allowing a cut holiday tree to be planted in December in the greenspace, directly to the right, of the Doughboy memorial statue, with the understanding that it will be removed sometime in early January. This resolution in part by the Hometown Tree Lighting Committee, which is comprised of a number of volunteers, came after a great deal of rumor and speculation as well as upset at the prospects of a live tree being planted in this exact location. You could read up on the controversy and confusion at the above link, but it had a lot to do with the idea of maintaining the sanctity of the World War One memorial statue, which was located at that spot, in front of the municipal lot, back in 1999. 

Gail Saucier, who heads up the Tree Lighting Committee for the Rhinebeck Rotary, made a proposal to the Village Board to have the volunteer committee purchase the tree and plant it in a spot where a diseased crabapple tree once stood. Saucier laid out the plan to plant the cut tree in early December, have the tree lighting ceremony shortly thereafter, and then remove the tree once the holidays were over. “So when Santa comes around in the flatbed,” Saucier said, referring to Santa’s preferred mode of local travel for getting to and from the annual tree lighting ceremony, “[he] lights the tree and everyone goes ‘yay,’” Saucier said with a perceptible lack of enthusiasm in her voice.

While most on the Village Board seemed to accept this stopgap measure to address the holiday tree issue, Village Mayor Gary Bassett asked for some clarification on who would purchase the tree and plant it, as there are strict protocols that need to be followed when it comes to erecting such symbolic fixtures on Village-owned land. “The concern is, if you let one in, you have to let everyone in,” Bassett said, referring to the perception that one group would be favored over another. “If you let an outside organization not affiliated with the village, you cannot deny another group the same privilege,” he elaborated. “Yeah, it is called the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution,” Trustee Lydia Slaby chimed in. Slaby went on to reference that the Supreme Court ruled in 1984, Lynch vs. Donnelly, that Christmas trees, or “holiday trees,” were not a “religious display,” but something like a menorah, which has been something on annual display in the village and is used to commemorate the eight nights of Hanukkah, would actually be considered a “religious display,” which makes the coming holiday season more confusing. The compromise the mayor and trustee Slaby devised is they would have Saucier and the committee “donate” the tree to the village, and the village would get the Village Fire Department, as employees, to temporarily plant the tree and then remove it when the time comes. This, ideally, will avoid some of the stickier aspects of tree planting controversies, as well as will keep such celebrations constitutionally compliant, for now.  

NYS Sues TikTok//

Whether you believe TikTok, the incredibly alluring and sticky social media app, is the downfall of Gen Z or a convenient scapegoat for all of society’s ills, New York State, along with a dozen other states and the District of Columbia, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday accusing the company, owned by Chinese-based company ByteDance, of creating an intentionally addictive app. The lawsuit accused the maker of harming children and teenagers while making false claims to the public about its commitment to safety. With more than a dozen individual lawsuits filed in state and district courts, a bipartisan group of attorneys general, including NYS AG Letitia James, cited internal and incriminating TikTok documents that helps make a case that the company knowingly contributed to a mental health crisis among American teenagers to maximize its advertising revenue. 

“Young people are struggling with their mental health because of addictive social media platforms like TikTok,” said James, according to reporting in the Albany Times Union. “TikTok claims that it is safe for young people, but that is far from true. In New York and across the country, young people have died or gotten injured doing dangerous TikTok challenges and many more are feeling more sad, anxious, and depressed because of TikTok’s addictive features.” 

The litigation marks the latest effort by New York’s attorney general to challenge various social media platforms that are perceived harmful. In October, New York’s AG office joined with that of 33 state attorneys general who filed a similar lawsuit against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. 

Storm King is "BRAT"//

Remember 17 news cycles ago when Presidential nominee Kamala Harris was fresh out of the gate and a social media endorsement of the candidate from pop music star Charli XCX elevated the word “BRAT” to a designation for all to aspire to, and everything turned a shade of lime green for a week? Well if you wanted to relive those days of verdant optimism and you were lucky enough to snag a RSVP last night to Storm King Art Center, about an hour south of here, then you might have been treated to a late afternoon DJ set at the sculpture park amongst colossal sculptures and installations by Mark di Suvero, Maya Lin, Alexander Calder, and Andy Goldsworthy.

On October 8th, Charli XCX asked her 6.4 million Instagram followers, “nyyyyyyy I want to play my new album : ) shall we go upstate?” in a post that included a link to web registration (since taken down) for a 3pm DJ set at the outdoor arts venue. The event, which happened yesterday afternoon, celebrated today’s release of her two-disc remix album, “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat,” which expands and revamps the songs on her album “Brat,” which made her a worldwide sensation all summer. While Charli XCX didn’t perform, per se, she did play DJ at her own “listening party” amongst the acres and acres of contemporary sculpture. No word yet from any of the attendees as to how truly “BRAT” the event might have been, but I bet the grass covering most of the 500-acre outdoor sculpture park is just a shade greener than it was earlier this week. 

This Week

Cocktail Competition

Friday, October 11th, 6:00PM - 8:00PM

Morton Celebration of Fiber Arts opening reception; creations by local artisans/artists. Exhibition runs through October 31. At Morton Library, Rhinecliff.

Saturday, October 12th, 9:00AM - 3:00PM

Lutheran Church Tag Sale, rain or shine, “tons of fabulous merchandise,” to benefit the church. 31 Livingston St., Rhinebeck.

Saturday, October 12th, and Sunday, October 13th, 10:30AM - 4:00PM

Beekman Arms Tag Sale, rain or shine, “multi-dealer,” At the Red Barn behind the Beekman Arms Hotel.

Saturday, October 12th, 10:00AM-Noon

Second Saturdays Fall Trail Maintenance, Winnakee Nature Preserve. Help cut back brush, clear downed branches, etc. Bring water and bug spray and wear long pants. Gloves and tools are provided. Kids under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Meet at the Preserve parking lot, at the dead end of North Terwilliger Road Ext.; turn left at the T at the end of Terwilliger Rd, a short distance off Rte. 9, Hyde Park.

Tuesday, October 15th, 6:30PM

Women’s Hotel with Daniel Lavery in Conversation with Alexis Coe. Lavery talks about his debut novel about the residents of a women’s hotel in 1960s New York City. Sponosored by Starr Library but held at the Morton Memorial Library in Rhinecliff.

Friday, October 18th, 5:00PM - 8:00PM

Winnakee Land Trust's Full Moon Hike & Music at Burger Hill. Take in autumn views of the setting sun, and the rising moon. Suggested donation of $10 per person. Register your vehicle here.

Sunday, October 20th, 9:00AM - 11:00AM

The 4th Annual Burger Hill Massive Fall Foliage Field Run in support of Red Hook Responds. Runners, shufflers, waddlers and walkers are all welcome. Hot cider will be provided. $25 per family, $10 per individual. At Rose Hill Farm. Register here.

Tuesday, October 22nd, 6:00PM

In A Hudson Valley Reckoning, Debra Bruno tells the long-ignored story of slavery's history in upstate New York in an absorbing chronicle that uncovers her Dutch ancestors' slave-holding past and leads to a deep connection with the descendants of the enslaved people her family owned. Free at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck. Register here.

Soup sales are back! One Thursday a month: Oct. 17, Nov. 14, and Dec. 19. $10 per quart, take-out only. To receive the monthly soup choices and preorder online, email JoBaer2@gmail.com. Sponsored by Rhinebeck Grange. Pickup at Rhinecliff Firehouse, corner Shatzell Ave. and Orchard Dr. – side door on Orchard Dr. –  from 11AM-12:30PM, and NEW at Morton Library from 4:30-6:30PM, Rhinecliff.

Mondays, 5:30-7PM

Rockin’ Rooks Youth Chess Club. Grades K-12 are welcome. To sign up your child, for more info, or to volunteer contact D. Suris at 845-416-3287 or email racersplace@hotmail.com. At Morton Library, Rhinecliff.

Third Thursdays of the month, 7:30 - 10:00PM

Hand Crafts for Night Owls. All knitters, crocheters, quilters, weavers, and more are invited to work on a project of their choice. “Bring your friends, bring a project (or don’t), bring a snack/drink.” At Morton Library, Rhinecliff.

The Town of Clinton is looking for Hometown Heroes, honoring those who served in the military. Details at townofclinton.com or email heroes@townofclinton.com. Application includes a $250 fee for the banner to be put up in the town.

Starr Library is looking for volunteers for Board of Trustees (apply by Sept. 29). See Starrlibrary.org for details.

Morton Library is calling for fiber art – for an exhibit to open October 11. Deadline for submissions is October 4. Contact librarian Sandy Bartlett at sandy@mortonrhinecliff.org if interested.

Volunteer drivers needed by FeedHV, the Hudson Valley’s food rescue and harvesting network, providing food to neighbors in need and mitigating the impacts of food waste. The volunteer crew transports food donations to recipient agencies on their own schedule; must be age 18 and over with reliable transportation and auto insurance. For more info, visit feedhv.org; to volunteer, visit tinyurl.com/feedhvvolunteer.

October 15 is the deadline for submissions to the First Annual Photography Contest sponsored by the Friends of Rhinebeck Cemetery. Two categories: adult and under 18. Send digital entries to FRCPHOTOS12572@gmail.com. Details at friends of rhinebeck cemetery.org.

Now through August 2025: “Redefining the Family: The Livingstons and the Institution of Slavery in Early America,” a new exhibit recognizing the Black descendants of the Livingston family. FREE; no tickets required. At the Visitors Center (open Thursday-Sunday, 10:30-4:30), Clermont State Historic Site, Rte. 9G, Germantown.

Rhinebeck Rotary is looking for host families, three to four months each starting December, for a 16-year-old Turkish exchange student who will attend Rhinebeck High School. One family has already committed to host the student from the start of the school year to early December. If interested, contact michaelfrazier@earthlink.net.

Now through December 1st

“Carrie Weems: Remember to Dream,” an exhibit of the “seldom displayed and lesser-known works” of the distinguished photographer that “demonstrate the evolution of her pioneering, politically engaged practice.” At the Hessel Museum of Art, Bard College.

Through February 2nd, Reproductive: Health, Fertility, Agency – an exhibit that explores the psychological, physical, and emotional realities of women and people assigned female at birth. At Vassar College, Loeb Art Gallery, Poughkeepsie.