Serving Rhinebeck and Neighboring Towns
Issue 105 | October 31, 2023
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And travelers, now, within that valley
Through the red-litten windows see
Vast forms, that move fantastically
To a discordant melody
While, like a ghastly rapid river
Through the pale door
A hideous throng rush out forever
And laugh - but smile no more.
From “The Haunted Palace” - Edgar Allan Poe
Happy Halloween, Pilot readers new and old. If you have been in the area for more than a few, you probably know that the Hudson Valley, including Rhinebeck in particular, doesn’t let Halloween pass by without some real fanfare. By sundown this evening, young and old will be flooding the streets dressed as the undead, various ghouls and maybe a few Kens and Barbies. Drive carefully, pace yourself and your candy consumption and look out for one another.
This is an opportunity to celebrate a year of hard work, an ever expanding community of readers and contributors, and the fact that people in the community, like yourselves, have helped the Pilot go from fledgling to in-flight within one short year. There will be food, music, an online photography auction, and most important, community! We invite you all, and encourage you to spread the word.
We’re looking forward to seeing you there.
Eric Steinman
Executive Editor
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Town Supervisor Gets a Big Raise: What is Fair Pay for an Elected Official?
Rhinebeck Town Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia received a salary increase of 68.4% in the Town Budget that was approved by the Town Board on October 25. Her annual salary increased from $37,400 to $63,000.
Such a pay increase brings forward a longstanding contentious conversation about who of our elected officials deserves the sort of pay increases that will keep them in their elected position, as well as attract others to similar positions, and when is it throwing away tax payer money?
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A Simpler Farewell: Viewing Death From a Green Perspective
A growing awareness of the negative impact of the traditional funeral practices, which include conventional burials and cremation, leads many to seek greener alternatives. Natural burials — also known as green burials — care for the deceased with minimal impact on the environment.
The Rhinebeck Natural Burial Ground on Mill Road, established in 2014, intends to address sustainability concerns while honoring the dead and the natural environment.
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Our Off-Cycle Election Day Nov. 7: Here’s What You Need to Know
Tuesday, November 7th, is Election Day. This is what is considered an “off-year” or “off-cycle” election, which means there are no presidential or congressional elections. Such elections, which involve local and state races and issues, have in the past been marked by exceedingly low voter turn-out.
The outcomes of local elections arguably have a more direct impact on our day-to-day lives than the outcomes of federal elections. Therefore, we have put together a guide to this year's vote, with more to come.
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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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LOCAL EVENTS!
The HV Pilot continues to grow and serve the community. Check out our new events page with local happenings updated continuously.
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Movement on Pedestrian Safety // Last week, in a public session held on Friday afternoon, the Rhinebeck Village Board assembled to discuss the prospect of a $6,000 study (named Task Order #39) to evaluate the traffic safety and immediate options for the intersection of South Street and North Parsonage. This intersection has long been a nexus of safety concerns, and in recent weeks became a central point of concern among village residents over pedestrian and bicyclist safety after two accidents in the area.
The proposed study would be conducted by Tighe & Bond to look at everything from the geometry of the intersection (including how the streets do or don’t line up), the current traffic signage and lighting, and the volume of traffic. Brandee Nelson, VP at Tighe & Bond, said at the meeting that they would be tracking vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Mayor Gary Bassett stated that the study would take five weeks to complete; he hoped it would get started immediately. Sgt. Peter Dunn of the Village Police echoed Bassett’s concerns and said he also hoped the study would start as soon as possible, because “as the weather turns cold, the traffic patterns will change.”
Village Trustee Lydia Slaby said that this study “gives us the opportunity to explore what we could do under our control and with our existing budget constraints.” There was some discussion about how the village was going to fund the $6,000 project, andTrustee Ric Lewit suggested appropriating some funds from a previously discussed project that would have studied lowering the Village speed limit to 25 MPH. This prospect was met with interest from the Mayor, but nothing definitive about it was decided at the meeting. The meeting concluded with Bassett signing the order and handing it over to Nelson of TIghe & Bond.
Goodbye to a Local Chocolatier // We learned over the weekend that Oliver Kita, owner and proprietor of Oliver Kita’s Chocolates, which supplied an assortment of craft chocolates and confections to Rhinebeck from his West Market Street location for several years, had died over the weekend after a brief illness. Earlier this month, Kita went public, through a GoFundMe page published by a friend, with his struggles with a “late stage liver disease,” and announced the somewhat abrupt closing of his sole Kingston location (he had moved operations from Rhinebeck to Kingston a few years ago).
Kita was an esteemed and award winning chocolate maker, who took enormous pride in boosting the profile of both locally made and organic chocolate, and was an engaged business owner and community member while he was in Rhinebeck. While the store is closed and Kita has left us, his chocolates remain available, at least for the time being, in many area stores. Do yourself a favor and try to enjoy them before they are just a memory.
Spooky and Abandoned Sites // Recently, the Albany Times Union published an interactive guide to various abandoned sites throughout the Hudson Valley, including long defunct state hospitals and entire college campuses, that have been left to rot. Besides the indisputable natural beauty of our area, the Hudson Valley is seemingly rich in the history of failed business ventures and unrealized fortunes. Locally, in Rhinecliff, the article profiles Wyndclyffe Mansion (which we covered last year) as well as many well known, like Bannerman Castle on the Hudson River, and lesser known sites, like the medieval-style Friar Tuck Inn, which hosted off-track betting and Tom Jones in the 1970s. These places are worth a look, and possibly a day trip, but be mindful that many of these sites are either on private property or are condemned, so explore at your own risk.
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"The Back Room"
This week Andy Ostroy has two guests, CNN Political Commentator S.E. Cupp and Representative Dan Goldman from NY's 10th Congressional District, in the Rhinecliff "Back Room" to talk about everything from gun control to the Israeli-Hamas war.
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This Week
Chilly? Chill out at Starr Library
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Early Voting at a polling place near you, including Rhinebeck Town Hall, 80 East Market St., Rhinebeck. See Dutchess County Board of Elections for hours and other locations.
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Tuesday, Oct. 31st – Halloween.
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Tuesday, Oct. 31st, 3:30PM
9th Annual Spooktacular!, with balloon twisting and special treats. At Samuel’s Sweet Shop, 42 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Wednesday, November 1st, 4:00PM - 5:00PM
An Indigenous Perspective on Art Therapy, conversation with Margaret Behan (Cheyenne/Arapaho), an artist, elder, community knowledge keeper and member of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers, a “global alliance of prayer, education and healing for our Mother Earth,” who focus on human rights and environmentalism. FREE. At Bito Auditorium, Bard College.
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Thursday, November 2rd, 7:00PM
Homeland, a capella trio singing traditional polyphonic folk songs from the Republic of Georgia. Suggested donation $10. At Morton Library, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.
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Friday, November 3rd, 6:00PM
Opening reception for watercolor, acrylic, and oil paintings by Tatiana Rhinevault. At Morton Library, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.
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Friday, November 3rd, 7:30PM
History of Hudson Valley Landscape Design, lecture by Harvey K. Flad, Professor Emeritus of Geography at Vassar. Presented by Clinton Historical Society. ON ZOOM. Join the Zoom meeting or make a donation via Paypal at ClintonHistoricalSociety.org.
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Saturday, November 4rd, 1:00PM
1st Saturday Classical Guitar and Chill with Andrew Baffi. At the Community Room, Starr Library, 68 West Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Saturday, November 4rd, 2:00PM - 5:00PM
RAIN DATE. Day of the Dead Community Celebration, Celebracion Comunitaria. All welcome. FREE; suggested donation $10 family, $5 individual. At Four Corners Community Farm. 336 Budds Corners Rd., Red Hook.
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Sunday, November 5th, 10:00AM - 11:30AM
Faure “Requiem” presented as part of 10AM Holy Communion Service, with the church choir accompanied by the recently restored 1921 E.M.Skinner organ. At Church of the Messiah, 6436 Montgomery St. (Rte. 9), Rhinebeck.
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Sunday, November 5th, 11:00AM
“I Like It Here,” documentary showing with filmmaker Ralph Arlyck. “An oddly celebratory look down the barrel of impending mortality,” named Best Documentary by the International Film Critics Association. Tickets $7-$11. At Starr Cinema, 6415 Montgomery St. (Rte. 9), Rhinebeck.
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Tuesday, November 7th - ELECTION DAY. | |
Thursday, November 9th, 4:00 - 5:15PM
“The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History,” a conversation with award-winning scholar Dr. Ned Blackhawk about his recent book; moderated by Dr. Christian Crouch of Bard College. ON ZOOM. Register at StarrLibrary.org. Sponsored by Starr, Bard LLI, Bard’s Center for Indigenous Studies, and Oblong Books.
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Thursday, November 9th, 5:30 - 6:30PM
Gender Adventurers: fun and conversation with a group of youth and their families who honor the full spectrum of gender identity. FREE and open to “youth and their adults.” A collaboration of Morton Library and Beckhook Pride. At Morton Library, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.
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Monday, November 13th, 6:00PM
Sip & Style Coat Drive: Bring a coat ready to donate and learn how to blow-dry your own hair. Email xanaduhair@gmail.com to reserve your spot. At Xanadu Hair Studio, 6423 Montgomery St. (Rte. 9), Montgomery Row), off the rear parking lot.
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Thursday, November 16th, 6:30PM
Training in preparedness, response, and recovery from any type of disaster. FREE. Presented by the NYS Citizen Preparedness Corps. At Morton Library, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.
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Call for volunteers to provide free tax assistance
”Help your neighbors get the (tax) credit they deserve” through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program. Many volunteer positions available, including tax preparers and technical and administrative support. FREE training. For details, call Linda Eddy at 845-475-7500.
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Mondays, 5:30 - 7PM – Rockin’ Rooks Youth Chess. Students grades K-12 are welcome to join for fun, learning, and tournament competition. If school is closed there is no club meeting. For details see MortonRhinecliff.lib.ny.us. At Morton, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.
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Now through October 31st
“The Great Give Back” organized by Dutchess Libraries Care to help those in need. Accepting donations of personal hygiene items such as shampoo, soap, shaving cream, menstrual products, and more. See Morton Library for details. During open hours at Morton Library, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.
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Now through November 5th
An exhibit of playful mosaics by Jenny Strohm. At Gallery 71, 71 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Now through November 12th
Exhibit of works by Rhinebeck artist Ransome, whose paintings, drawings, and sculptures focus on images that center on his African-American lineage. AND “Behind the Veil,” a “critical examination of subjugation in America,” featuring works by a variety of local artists, including Dan Goldman and Norm Magnusson. At WAAM, Woodstock Artists Association & Museum, 28 Tinker St., Woodstock.
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Wednesdays through November 22nd, 6:00PM - 7:00PM
Salsa Lessons are back by popular demand! Class limited to
30 people. $75 for the full series; $15 for drop-ins.
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Now through November 26th, “Indian Theater: Native Performance, Art, and Self-Determination since 1969,” a show of over 100 works by Native American, First Nations, Metis, Inuit, and Alaska Native artists. See details at ccs.bard.edu. At Hessel Museum, Bard College.
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Now through January 28th, 2024
“Silver Linings; Celebrating the Spelman Collection,” a selection of nearly 40 works from the permanent collection of Spelman College, the historically Black liberal arts college for women. AND “Interwoven Histories: Prints by the Gee’s Bend Quilting Collective.” Exhibit of large-scale, colorful prints of the intricate and unique quilt-making designs of the acclaimed Alabama quilters. FREE. At Vassar’s Lehman Loeb Art Center, Poughkeepsie.
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Town of Clinton Food Drive, to restock the food pantry at Pleasant Plains Presbyterian Church. Drop off canned goods and non-perishables at the Town of Clinton Clerk’s office, 1215 Centre Rd., Rhinebeck, Mondays-Thursdays, 9AM - 4PM, or at the Church, 2 Fiddlers Bridge Rd., Staatsburg.
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Call for submissions: artworks inspired by the Rhinecliff Train Station, to be exhibited at Morton Library, Rhinecliff, later in 2023. Contact Chadkleitsch@gmail.com to submit a piece.
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Tuesday, October 31st
Rhinebeck Village Board
Village Hall
1:30 PM
NOTE TIME. Special meeting of Rhinebeck Village Board. Agenda includes selection of engineer for Transportation Alternatives Program and other contract renewals and extensions. See Village website. At Village Hall, 76 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Monday, November 6th
Rhinebeck Town Planning Board
Town Hall
6:00 PM
Agenda not yet available. See Town website. At Town Hall, 80 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Tuesday, November 7th
Rhinebeck Village Planning Board
Village Hall
7:00 PM
Agenda not yet available. See Village website. At Village Hall, 76 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Thursday, November 9th
Rhinebeck Village Comprehensive Plan Committee
Village Hall
6:00 PM
Agenda not yet available. See Village website. At Village Hall, 76 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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UPDATE: There are new items posted on the 6 Mulberry St. page of the Rhinebeck Village website, including parameters regarding construction noise and hours and a design development presentation, which includes a revised site plan, as well as plans and elevations for four one-family homes on the site.
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The Town of Rhinebeck is seeking members of various Town committees and councils. See Town website for details and application form.
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"Emma"
Emma the cat (not a natural born pumpkin) is a British Shorthair who lives in Ulster County and is a big fan of Halloween.
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