EDITORIALS
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Natural Essays

A clean, well shaven face

Coming through the airport in Lisbon, my stuff has gone into the metal detector and I’m trying to keep an eye on my worn leather wallet, now out of view, riding on a push conveyor in a grey …

The bathhouses

I have spent months studying and traveling to the ruins of the fortified hilltop villages of the vanished Celtiberians. One of the most interesting features of their culture and of life in their …

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Let’s say you were one of those Celts living in a Castro in a stone house, maybe built by your grandfather and your great uncle a couple hundred years before the Common Era, say 2,500 years …
It’s not that long ago, the Iron Age. Humans are among the youngest species on the planet. Aside from some butterflies, goatsbeard plants, and domesticated animals and plants, we are the …
With the help of my Portuguese friends, I was able to rediscover a fantastic piece of history, at least fantastic in the eyes of an aging stone mason, once a history major. Citania de Briteiros …
It’s not all drudgery and stone dust and swinging a hammer. For a quality stonemason it’s also planning, observation and research. I’ve been planning a little trip of this …
Editorials
For much of the 1990s and beyond, senior year for a group of SUNY New Paltz students did not end on graduation day. They were the journalism interns for the Legislative Gazette, a publication …
As we embark on National Library Week 2024, the theme “Ready, Set, Library!” encapsulates the essence of what libraries represent in our society – readiness, accessibility, and …
It’s 26 miles between Newburgh City Hall and the Mohonk Mountain House Resort and Spa. Driving time along the Thruway, with its tolls, is 34 minutes, but the elegant resort is a world away from …
Education is the cornerstone of any thriving society, and the allocation of state aid to education is a fundamental aspect of ensuring that all children receive the quality education they deserve. …
Opinion
On April 8, 2024, there was a public hearing in Maybrook on the budget. Only 5 people showed up. I began to ask questions and was told that the public hearing is not for questions but for comments. …
I am not surprised by the hypocritical lengths Trump is willing to reach to make a buck to help pay his mounting legal bills. Now he is selling “God Bless the USA Bibles” inspired by Lee …
On April 12th, 2024, we lost a great community servant, Councilwoman Elizabeth (Betty) Greene. Betty had served the Town as Receiver of Taxes for 28 years. Prior to her role as a councilwoman, …
The Immigration Act of 1891 established the Office of Immigration to administer immigration affairs. It also appropriated money to build a new immigrant inspection station on Ellis …
The cost of congestion pricing will be borne by drivers also from New Jersey, Long Island, Staten Island, and Manhattan. Fee based financing places the fees on the users rather than the general …
In an act of unmitigated hypocrisy, during the past Holy Week, Donald Trump announced that he’s selling “Freedom Bibles”. Moreover, on his social media platform, he suggested …
People keep getting “URGENT NOTICE” letters saying that their car warranty expired, or it is about to expire. You are given a phone number to call. Nowhere on the letter is the name …
One in four New Yorkers is struggling to put food on their table. The New York State Department of Health released these figures in their January report on food insecurity. They are our family …
Fellow Residents of the Village Of Montgomery, thank you for having the trust in me to elect me as your new mayor. This village has enjoyed a good ride for several years under our past Mayor …
As we reflect, this week, on the anniversaries of two significant environmental disasters, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in 1979 and the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, it’s crucial to …
Thank you for your piece celebrating the 20th anniversary of Village of New Paltz Mayor Emeritus Jason West’s performing the first same-sex marriages and the hard fight for LGBTQ+ rights. The …
I would like respond to the letter from Vincent Ferro who requests that we respect his religious views. Mr. Ferro, I would be happy to respect your views, but I respectfully ask that you respect …