^{Serving Rhinebeck and Neighboring Towns}

Issue 187 | August 16, 2024

South Mill Road Might Be Unfixable //

“It's a disaster,” said Rhinebeck Town Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia, referring to the roughly half-mile stretch of South Mill Road/County Route 85 connecting Route 9 with Rhinecliff that suffered catastrophic damage this past June when torrential rains caused the road to buckle and sink as much as 10 feet in some spots. 

During the Town Board meeting this past Monday, Spinzia said that the Town is working with the county to hire an engineer to assess the causes of the collapse “and then we’ll know if the county is going to be able to fix it (or) if it’s going to have to be dead-ended,” she added. Back in July, Town Board Trustee Allan Scheer expressed his concern and perpetual frustration with this stretch of road, insisting that its instability has been a known issue for some time. “The northern unpaved section, which is still open, looks like it is on the verge of collapse as well. There are four or five generations of guard rails or walls that have slipped down the slope over the years. They are still there,” Sheer wrote in a statement. “Given what happened to the other section, the county should be regularly testing the status of the road. Clearly, that has not been done adequately,” Sheer added. 

Spinzia said that county reports and assessment would not be submitted to the Town for at least another two months. “It may be unfixable,” Spinzia said during the meeting. “If it’s a $10 million fix [the Town] is not going to support it.”

This Week

Gentrification in Rhinebeck?

Saturday, August 17th

Rhinebeck Arts Walk – Art galleries, retail spaces, coffee shops, and bars; downtown Rhinebeck village is hopping with something for everyone.

Saturday August 17th, 2:00 - 4:00PM

General Richard Montgomery House is open to the public. Also open by appointment. FREE. At 77 Livingston St., Rhinebeck.

Saturday and Sunday, August 17th and 18th

“Ernest and Celestine,” next in the “Yes &” FREE Film Series for all ages. RSVP at upstatefilms.org. Please limit request to maximum of four tickets. Next films are “Wallace & Gromit” shorts (8/24-25). Presented by J. Mak Hospitality, Saugerties Kiwanis, and Mighty Donuts. At Upstate Films in Saugerties (Saturday 1PM) and Rhinebeck (Sunday 1PM).

Saturday, August 17, 3:00 - 5:00PM

Artist Talk: Madeleine Segall-Marx on the paintings in her exhibit at Montgomery Row Art Space, 2nd floor, 6423 Montgomery St. (Rte. 9).

Saturday, August 17th, 4:00PM - 6:00PM

Opening reception for “Ideas,” photographs by Yoram Gelman. Show runs through September 2. At Gallery 71, 71 East Market St., Rhinebeck.

Saturday, August 17th, 4:30PM

Benji and Rita Play Brazilian & Jazz,” channeling the scents and sounds of Brazil. Registration requested. At Starr Library, 68 West Market St., Rhinebeck.

Monday, August 19th, 6:30PM

“Gentrification in New York,” a roundtable discussion moderated by Nona Willis Aronowitz, with David A. Banks, Kwame Holmes, Richard Ocejo, and Pastor Rob Sweeney. Presented by Starr Library. At Old Dutch Church, 272 Wall St., Kingston.

Tuesday, August 20th - Sunday, August 25th

Dutchess County Fair. Animals, music, flowers and veggies, food, more food, and much, much more. At the Fairgrounds, Rhinebeck.

Tuesday, August 27th, 4:00PM

Slime Workshop, a summer adventure. Registration requested. At Morton Library, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.

Saturday, September 14th, 7:00PM

A Reading & Conversation with Francine Prose about her new book, 1974; A Personal History. $15. Tickets and details at Kaatsbaan.org. At Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, 120 Broadway, Tivoli.

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.

The pond is now open for swimming at Fran Mark Park, 11AM-6PM. At the park, 337 Clinton Hollow Rd., Town of Clinton.

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. Details at Friends of Clermont.org. At the historic site, Rte. 9G, Germantown.

Rhinebeck Rotary is looking for host families, three to four months each starting December, for 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 August 20th

“Kibbitz and Nosh; New York City’s Vanishing Cafeterias,” photographs by Marcia Bricker Halperin. Exhibit at Morton Library, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.

Now through August 31st

"An Artist’s Alphabet,” an exhibit of the work of the late artist Tom Blackwell, a painter in the photorealist genre. At Starr Library, 68 West Market St., Rhinebeck.

Now through September 8th

“Ubuhle Women: Beadwork and the Art of Independence,” showcasing a new form of bead art developed by a community of women in South Africa. Complemented by a small display of four beaded costumes. At The Loeb gallery, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie.