Serving Rhinebeck and Neighboring Towns
Issue 158 | May 7, 2024
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This Week(end)
In today’s newsletter:
- The War in Gaza Spills Onto the Streets of Rhinebeck
- Town Seeks Long-term Solution for Short-Term Rental Issue
- Update on Local College Protests
- Spongy Moths are Back
- Letters from Readers
- And More
Eric Steinman
Executive Editor
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We need your help building local news!
The Pilot has been publishing for over a year and a half… still a startup, still fragile, and completely “undercapitalized.” (This means running on a shoestring.)
But we are confident we are making a difference in our community's life. Everywhere we go in town people tell us how much they value and appreciate what we do.
And when we have a moment to reflect, we often marvel at what we have accomplished in our first full year:
Almost 2,000 people receive our newsletters, and as many as 12,000 visit HVPilot.com each month.
In the second half of 2023, we raised more than $100,000 from you, our reader members, and from generous local businesses. With that support, from July to December 2023, we delivered 91 stories or posts about local government and politics, 17 on education, 20 profiles of local people, and 33 "sense of place" stories highlighting the qualities that make us feel so blessed to live in this spot along the Hudson.
As important, in the last six months, we shared information about 500 local events and cultural opportunities, like the ones you may have seen in last week’s newsletter: a documentary film at Upstate Films organized by Moms Demand Action on Gun Violence; tickets for "Baila Conmigo!" the annual fundraiser for CultureConnect; an announcement about the Spring Fashion Sale at the Morton Library; a Bard lecture on "Making Radical Farms”; and Harvey Silver's photography show in Kingston; links to join the 13th annual Riverkeeper Sweep; and encouragement to share a “Traditional German Dinner” prepared by students at the CIA to benefit a local food pantry, among many, many others.
As we launch our spring drive, it's time to build on the success we’ve enjoyed so far.
Thank you,
Mark Fuerst
Publisher
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The War in Gaza Spills onto the Streets of Rhinebeck
On Sunday, amidst the cold and the rain, hundreds of people gathered, on opposite sides of Rhinebeck’s main street and opposite sides of the war in Gaza. They were there to support a local Palestinian business owner and call for a ceasefire, or to affirm support for Israel and say “Never Again.” The Gaza war came home to Rhinebeck and provided an opportunity for demonstrators to give voice to the deep-seated divisions on the issue.
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Long-Term Solutions for Short-Term Rentals
Operating a short-term rental, also commonly known as an Airbnb or VRBO property, is illegal in the Town of Rhinebeck, which is news to many, including frequent renters and property owners. The Town of Rhinebeck is currently struggling with how to make this previously forbidden cottage industry into something that will work for everyone without negatively impacting the community.
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Vox Populi: Letters to the Editor
The community reaches out to discuss concerns on luxury developments, affordable housing, Taste of Rhinebeck, and how the war in Gaza is affecting Rhinebeck.
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New Town Board Member Exits //
Newly appointed Rhinebeck Town Board Aeren McKen-Kokubun, who was appointed in February by Town Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia, resigned from her position last week citing health and family concerns, according to Spinzia. McKen-Kokuben filled the vacancy left by outgoing board member Josh Pulver, who left the board in November.
McKen, who had just begun to take an active role on the board, helping to tackle the consideration of the town’s dog leash law, would have served until the general election this coming November, when she would have been eligible to run for the seat and carry out the remainder of what would have been Pulver’s term through 2025.
“Aaren was a wonderful addition to the board, and we are very sorry that she needed to resign,” Spinzia told the Pilot. “Aaren has a warm and engaging personality, knew every kid and parent in town, and was positive and engaged with our work right off the bat. Most people do not realize how demanding the job is.” Pulver, who had served on the board for a 4+ years, also cited family concerns as a reason for his early departure from the board.
Spinzia said no decision has been made about a replacement for McKen-Kokubun.
Protest Update - Local Colleges //
While the war in Gaza is both a global story and a national story, now it is firmly a local story, as Rhinebeck saw protests by opposing groups on Sunday and college students in the Hudson Valley joined students on campuses such as UCLA and Columbia in efforts to protest the war. This past Thursday, more than 150 police officers were called onto the SUNY New Paltz campus to break up a protest and encampment, using batons and dogs and arresting 133 people and charging them with trespassing, according to reporting from the Albany Times Union.
At Vassar College campus, the growing tent encampment that started early last week received a message from the college president Elizabeth Bradley on Thursday advising the students to disband in an orderly manner. She cited security concerns having to do with the alleged threat of outside agitators making their way onto campus. Bradley put out another message on Saturday, making no mention of her previous request for the encampment to disband; instead she focused on working with the students on prioritizing “review of a proposal for divestment from defense-related investments, such as militarized surveillance and arms production, with the intention of bringing the proposal to the Trustee Investor Responsibility Committee (TIRC) during the upcoming May or the October Board meeting,” and allowing students to work more closely with the Dean of Faculty “to propose curricular innovations around the topics of Peace and Conflict Studies and/or Middle Eastern Studies.” The Vassar encampment came down on Saturday and students are working with faculty on these suggestions..
Just to our north, Bard College is seeing neither the police activity of New Paltz nor the administration response of Vassar. Bard has seen organization on campus around support of the Palestinian cause in the form of student-led educational efforts. According to Bard’s Media Relations Coordinator, Ania Bartkowiak, “A small group of students (perhaps a dozen or so?) has gathered under a canopy with information tables, etc. It is not an encampment, but more of teach-in/education and solidarity gathering that the students say will be manned from morning until midnight daily.”
Spongy Moth Transplants //
As spring bulbs begin to wilt and lose their petals, and tree pollen begins to rain down onto many surfaces, you may have noticed something else dropping from the sky – spongy moth caterpillars. The infestation of these caterpillars, which are an invasive species originally from France, has officially begun, with countless miniscule caterpillars drifting through the air on silk-like strings, raining down from above and decorating sidewalks, cars, and even people.
Spongy moths were accidentally introduced in 1869 when they were brought into the U.S. in the hope that they could crossbreed with silkworms to create a hardier variety of silkworm and develop an American silk industry. That did not work, and efforts to control their population have yet to be successful. As both moths and caterpillars, these creatures have the potential to do significant damage by defoliating local trees, especially oak trees, as they did last year in parts of southeastern New York.
While this current infestation is nearly impossible to curtail, experts are not anticipating anything cataclysmic like major local deforestation, and some think that a naturally occurring virus or fungus may catch up with the species locally and cause a population decline significant enough to limit their damage on trees and forests. So this is a waiting game. One thing worth noting is that, while the caterpillars are relatively harmless, they do carry histamines that can irritate skin, so don’t play with them.
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Looking Backward
Do you happen to have old or archival photos of places, people or events in the area from over the years? We are putting out a call to the community for scans of photos from over the last 100 or so years to help us look back at the people and times that made this community what it is. Please contact editor@hvpilot.com.
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"The Rhinebeck Scoop"
Is the affordable housing crisis in Rhinebeck solvable; and what are our top pet peeves, including a sandwich fiasco, texting etiquette, and the REAL reason host Jennifer C. moved out of the city!
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This Week
Get Ready to Baila!
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Tickets are now available for the June 7 CultureConnect fundraiser, “Baila Conmigo! Come Dance with Me!” The festivities begin at 7PM. Purchase tickets and inquire about sponsorships at cultureconnectrbk.org. At Hudson Hollow Barn, Staatsburg.
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Tuesday, May 7th, 6:00PM
Climate Action Conversation: “Preparing for an Explosive Hurricane Forecast 2024,” with Nick Sussillo and Will Korzennik. At Morton Library, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.
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Tuesday, May 7th, 6:30PM
“The East Village in Black and White: The 1970s and 1990s with Photographer Lowell Handler,” distinguished photographer, filmmaker, and author and local resident. Sponsored by Arts Mid-Hudson. At Starr Library, 68 West Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Thursday, May 9th, 5:30PM
Meet Your Supervisor – a Conversation with Rhinebeck Town Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia, who will talk and answer questions about town initiatives on issues such as short-term rentals, noise, the Community Preservation Fund, and the referendum to extend her term from two to four years. Sponsored by the Rhinebeck Democrats Club. All welcome. Seating is limited, so RSVP is recommended. At the Starr Library Community Room.
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Thursday, May 9th, 6:30PM
Rachel Ephraim talks with Molly Prentiss about Prentiss’ new book, “Old Flame.” Presented by Morton Library in partnership with Starr Library and Oblong Books. Registration requested. At Morton, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.
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Saturday, May 11th, 11:00AM - 2:00PM
Kids’ Clothing Swap, presented by Thrift 2 Fight, Beckhook Pride, and Fortunes Ice Cream. At Starr Library, 68 West Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Saturday, May 11th, 3:30PM - 5:30PM
Opening reception for “The Blue Line,” paintings by Wendy Sheasby. Show runs through June 2. At Art Gallery 71, 71 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Saturday, May 11th, 5:00PM - 7:00PM
Opening reception for “Two Perspectives,” selected “photographs and memories” by Lynn Alaimo and Cheryl Frey. Exhibit runs through June 28. At the upstairs gallery at Montgomery Row, 6422 Montgomery St. (Rte. 9), Rhinebeck.
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Tuesday, May 14th, 6:30PM
Local Book Launch: “A Kind of Refugee: The Story of an American Who Refused to Leave Ukraine.” Author Larissa Babij talks with Maria Sonevytsky. Registration required. Presented by Oblong Books and Morton Library. At the library, 82 Kelly St., Rhineclif
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May 15th is the deadline for high school or college students to apply for two scholarships awarded by the Rhinebeck Farmers’ Market: the $2,000 John Honey Scholarship for agricultural and environmental sustainability and the $1,000 Jeff Scales Scholarship for community advocacy. For more information, rfmscholarships@gmail.com.
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Thursday, May 16, 5:00PM -7:00PM (preview with $10 entry fee); Friday, May 17, 1-6PM; Saturday, May 18 9AM-3PM (plant sale outdoors); and Sunday, May 19, 11AM-3PM (fill a bag with books for $5) – Spring Book and Plant Sale at Clinton Community Library, 1215 Centre Rd., Town of Clinton.
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Thursday, May 16th, 6:00-8:30PM
The Rhinebeck Rotary Spirit of Service Awards honoring Samuel’s Sweet Shop’s John Traver. Featuring local brewery and wine offerings, silent auction, and live music by Austin Bonk and Account. Tickets $85 at Rhinebeckrotary.square.site. At the Horticulture Building, Dutchess County Fairgrounds, 6636 Rte. 9, Rhinebeck.
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Saturday, May 18th, 4:30PM
First in the Roger Phillips Concert Series, with renowned folkies Jay Ungar and Molly Mason. Series runs through October. Indoors at Starr Library, 68 West Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Saturday, May 18th, 5:00PM
Morton Day: potluck supper to celebrate Levi Morton’s birthday. Bring a “fave food”; drinks by The Epicurean, cookies by Kips Tavern; ice cream provided by the library; music by Matt Schreiber. At Morton, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.
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Tuesday, May 21st, 2:00-5:30PM
Poughkeepsie Waterfront Market, featuring farm fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, baked goods, and more. Tuesday afternoon market continues through October. At the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum, 75 North Water St., Poughkeepsie.
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Tuesday, May 21st, 5:30PM
Climate Discussion Group: “share experiences and see what emerges.” Organized by Morton Library. Registration requested. At the library, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.
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Tuesday, May 21st, 6:30PM - 8:00PM
Memoir Writing Workshop, with Starr Program Director Michelle Montalbano. WAITING LIST. At Starr, 68 West Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Tickets are now on sale for the June 8, 15, and 22 Hudson Valley Chamber Music Circle Concert Series, with music by Haydn, Schubert, Beethoven, Vaughan Williams, Karim Al-Zand, Joan Tower, and others. Tickets $5 for students; $44.50 each, or $110 for all three. At the Fisher Center, Bard College.
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Are you interested in becoming a volunteer tour guide at Blithewood, the historic house and Beaux Arts garden on the Bard College campus? Bard will provide training. Contact Amy Parrella at horticulture@bard.edu.
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Now through May 5th
“Out of Exile; the Photography of Fred Stein." At Mad Rose Gallery, 5916 North Elm Ave., Millerton.
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Now through May 26th
“Changin’ Times; Photography by Harvey Silver,” featuring images of the music, streets, protests & counterculture in NYC and beyond.” At the Arts Society of Kingston, 97 Broadway.
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Now through May 31st
Rhinebeck Central School District Group Art Exhibition, featuring the work of K-12 students. At Starr Library 68 West Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Now through June 2nd
“Making a Life in Photography: Rollie McKenna,” the first survey of the prolific career of an American photographer. Co-curated by Rhinebeck’s own Mary-Kay Lombino, Deputy Director and Emily Hargroves Fisher ‘57 and Richard B. Fisher Curator at the Art Center. The show is accompanied by an extensive catalog and runs through June 2. At Vassar’s Lehman Loeb Art Center, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie.
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Applications are now available for places in the new Universal Pre-K program (UPK) in the Rhinebeck Central School District. Applications will be accepted through May 17 at 3PM. For more eligibility requirements and information, see the RCSD website.
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Tuesday, May 7th
Rhinebeck Village Planning Board
Town Hall
7:00PM
Agenda includes proposed changes to siding at 33 Beech St. in the Historic Overlay District; proposed new signage at Westerlind, 15 East Market St; and other matters. See Village website. At Village Hall, 76 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Rhinebeck Village Comprehensive Plan Committee Proposed Plan is now available on the Village website. Public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, May 8, from 7-9:30PM at Village Hall, 76 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Monday, May 13th
Rhinebeck Town Board
Town Hall
6:00PM
Rhinebeck Town Board continuation of public hearing on proposed short-term rental law. See Town website. At Town Hall, 80 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Tuesday, May 14th
Historic and Archaeological Preservation Advisory Committee (HAPAC)
On Zoom
4:00PM
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Tuesday, May 14th
Rhinebeck Village Board
Village Hall
6:00PM
Public hearings on two items: tax exemption for qualifying homeowners with disabilities; and adoption of Community Choice Aggregation. The regular Board of Trustees meeting will follow the hearings. See Village website. At Village Hall, 76 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Tuesday, May 14th
Rhinebeck Central School District Board Meeting
Bulkeley School cafeteria
7:00PM
Public hearing on the budget. See RCSD website. At Bulkeley School cafeteria, 45 North Rd., Rhinebeck.
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Wednesday, May 15th
Rhinebeck Town Zoning Board of Appeals
Town Hall
7:00PM
Agenda not yet available. See Town website. At Town Hall, 80 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Tuesday, May 21 – Community vote on the RCSD 2024-2025 budget. At Bulkeley School cafeteria, 45 North Rd., Rhinebeck.
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Beginning Monday, April 1 – Rhinebeck Village brush and yard waste removal pickup. See Village website for guidelines and detailed schedule.
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Town of Rhinebeck is seeking applicants for positions on the Planning Board, Conservation Advisory Board, and Board of Assessment Review. Applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent and resume to townclerk@rhinebeckny.gov. Applications are also available on the Town website.
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The following item was recently posted on the Town of Rhinebeck website: information about the proposed Community Preservation Fund.
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The corner of Schatzel Avenue and Charles Street in Rhinecliff
A postcard photo of the corner that currently houses The Epicurean, and Radio Free Rhinecliff, in Rhinecliff. Photo is undated, but presumed to be from the early 1920s.
Image courtesy of Rhinebeck Historical Society
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