EDITORIALS
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Natural Essays

Cattle barn farewell

Even though the cavernous 4 -H dorm was never completely dark, the lights were out at nine. I could hear the big click of the light switch from my bunk on the far side of the room. I had a lower bunk …

“Welcome Home, and Welcome Here”

I spent some time at the Highland Falls Library this past week looking at the items that were part of the Town of Highlands Historical Society’s display on the return of the hostages from Iran …

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One of my chores was to sweep the floor of the 4-H dormitory. The dorm was the cavernous upstairs of the large 4-H building at the Orange County fairgrounds in Middletown. It was like a haymow …
Memory fades but the show whites were washed and pressed by Mom and folded sharply and stuffed in a duffle bag in the dormitory until show day. There were all different classes for showing cows and …
This past Saturday morning I was leaving the house to donate blood in New Windsor. At the last second, I grabbed a cup of coffee to drink on the way, apparently a bit of a no-no when you’re about to give blood. But, it was delicious, as usual. I guzzled a little bit of water on my way in the door at the American Legion Hall (to dilute the coffee!), checked in, did the screening, and quickly found myself in position for the Red Cross technician to start the donation.
To go to the county fair with cows you had to have a show box.    I found what would be my show box in one of the sheds. It was upstairs in a tool shed near my grandfather’s …
Editorials
Raise your hand if you’ve ever carved a pumpkin. Raise your hand if you aren’t that great at it. (You can’t see me right now, but I raised my hand both times.) That being said, I …
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time when we come together to spotlight the ongoing battle against this complex and life-changing disease. For many, breast cancer isn’t just a …
October is National Bullying Prevention Month; bullying prevention programs begin locally, with communities and the individuals within them creating safe and supportive schools, organizations, …
The sharp increase in chronic absenteeism in New York schools, as detailed in State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli’s recent report, is a serious concern. Nearly one in three students were …
Opinion
With mail-in ballots being delivered, the 2024 election is underway. Early voting begins October 26 and ends November 3. Marlborough’s early-voting site this year is the new community center. …
 Dear Assemblywoman Shrestha,  I am writing to express my concern and displeasure with the actions of a group you are a reported leader and or member of, The Democratic Socialists of …
The following is a copy of a letter dated October 10, 2023 that I sent to New York State Assemblywoman (District 103) Sarahana Shrestha last year -- long before I even considered running against …
Our First Amendment states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or …
The anti Catholic record of Kamala Harris is painfully obvious for all to see. In 2019, Harris wanted Catholic Jurist Brian Buescher to renounce his membership in the Knights of Columbus if appointed …
It’s time for the guys out there to man up and vote for a woman. There’s been a ton of chatter suggesting that voting for a woman isn’t “masculine”. Rubbish. Is it …
In recognition of School Board Appreciation Week, the Town of Highlands Teachers’ Association would like to publicly express our gratitude to the members of the Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery …
I would like to thank everyone that attended the Highland Falls Fire Department Auxiliary Trivia Night, making it a great success. I would also like to thank the Auxiliary and Fire Department members …
More than 300 visitors enjoyed the recent exhibit titled, “Hometown USA: Remembering the Iran Hostage Homecoming” mounted by the Town of Highlands Historical Society and sponsored by the …
Donald Trump’s followers seem unmoved by anything he says or does. He made at least seven phone calls to Vladamir Putin. He kept files of some of our deepest national secrets. Could Trump be …
Regarding community redevelopment, since the 1960’s I’ve watched our community change with increasingly limited ability to solve economic challenges due to limited tax base and no …
Voting is confusing and this year, besides deciding on your elected representatives, there are a couple of referendums on the ballot. Proposition # 1 is to ensure that civil and reproductive …