HVNY News + Notes (10/16/23)
The oldest working farm in Putnam County is now permanently protected from development thanks to a recent conservation easement between the Westchester Land Trust, New York State and the family of the farm. Located in the Town of Southeast, the 128-acre Ryder Farm was established in 1795 and has been owned by the Ryder family for nine generations.
During its early history, Ryder Farm housed a variety of operations, including a working farm with a general store, a dairy farm, and a leisure farm with a tennis court. By the 1970s, Ryder Farm was one of the first adopters of the organic farming movement and was one of the original participating farms in New York City’s Union Square Greenmarket.
“With more than 3,000 feet of frontage on Peach Lake, protecting this property has been a high priority for Westchester Land Trust due to development pressure. The conservation easement helps to protect drinking water quality, as the area drains into the Croton Reservoir system, which serves Westchester County and New York City,” the land trust said in a press release.
“Taking care of this land and those we share it with has been the collective work of nine generations of our family,” said Julia Gibson, Ryder cousin and WLT board member. “It means more to us than I can say to know that the farm will forever remain just that—a place for feeding community, protecting wildlife, and growing family.”
The City of Kingston Library at 55 Franklin Street will be closed for two weeks beginning Monday, October 16, 2023 for renovations. A temporary location at 61 Crown Street is expected to open on Monday, October 30, 2023. There will be no in-person services for the duration of the move.
A concert is set in response to plans to potentially develop 625 acres of Woodstock for an 18-hole golf course and housing units. Marco Benevento will lead a night of music to benefit the Stop Woodstock National LLC Coalition at the Colony in Woodstock. The line-up for the Sunday, October 22, 2023 show includes Simi Stone, Karina Rykman, Chris Corsico and others. Tickets.
Medicare’s annual Open Enrollment season is now open. Anyone enrolled in Medicare has from October 15 until December 7, 2023 to make changes to their Medicare Advantage health and Part D prescription drug plans for 2024. The Dutchess County Office for the Aging offers free phone and in-person counseling to people with questions about their Medicare plans.. Make an appointment by calling 845-486-2555 during business hours, or by emailing ofa@dutchessny.gov. Note: Counseling appointments fill up quickly; they are already booked through mid-November.
There has been an increase of TA/SNAP benefits reported being stolen through skimming throughout New York State, including in Dutchess County, according to a recent press release from the county.. Skimming occurs when thieves place overlay devices on retailer card readers which allows them to steal your EBT card information and, as a result, your SNAP and cash benefits. Skimmers most commonly show up on point-of-sale (POS) terminals, ATMs, and fuel pumps. Thieves often target small businesses that sometimes have only one person on duty, who can’t always keep an eye on the card readers. State and federal authorities are working on solutions to EBT card vulnerability since there are currently no states that use more secure chip technology on EBT cards.
Check every card machine before you use it. Don't use any card reader if you notice anything unusual. Skimmers can be difficult to notice, but sometimes it’s possible to see telltale signs that something’s not right with the card reader:
Look for anything loose, crooked, damaged, or scratched.
Some skimmers block LED indicator lights or illuminated keypads.
Pull at the edges of the keypad before entering your PIN. Then, cover the keypad with a hand when you enter the PIN, to prevent pinhole cameras above the reader from seeing your PIN.
Keep your PIN secret; don’t share it with anyone outside your household. Log into your EBT account regularly to check for unauthorized activity.
Report stolen benefits to local law enforcement agencies
New Yorkers can now buy booze on Sunday mornings, after new legislation was signed by Gov. Hochul on Monday: Legislation S.2854/A.7305 allows liquor and wine stores to expand their Sunday hours so that they may open at 10am and close at 10pm. Legislation S.6443/A.6134 extends the length of validity of a brewer’s license from one year to three years. Legislation S.3364A/A.2902 allows for businesses to prepare and keep drinks containing alcohol in pressurized dispensing machines. Legislation S.3567A/A.6050A allows retail stores to sell complementary gift and promotional items related to wine and spirit sales. Legislation S.6993A/A.7688 adds parcels of land to the list of premises which are exempt from the provisions of law which generally restrict manufacturers/wholesalers and retailers from sharing an interest in a liquor license.
Volunteer tax helpers wanted: The Hudson Valley CA$H coalition – a coalition of partners representing libraries, human service agencies, local government, business, faith-based organizations, and volunteers, operating in Dutchess, Putnam, and Orange counties – is preparing to train volunteers to help prepare taxes for local low-income taxpayers, enabling them to receive the refunds and credits they’re entitled to, as well as to save hundreds of dollars on tax preparation fees. Volunteer preparers include retirees, professionals, and students, who receive 40 hours of instruction that’s needed to pass the required IRS certification to assist filers. Volunteers who are bilingual and/or fluent in languages other than English are particularly appreciated. For more information, call Linda Eddy at 845-475-7500 or email leddy@dutchesscap.org.
Forest rangers responded to an illegal camping site on state land in Columbia County: On October 6, rangers discovered an unoccupied tent with a propane heater that was still lit just off the trail at Beebe Hill State Forest in the Town of Austerlitz. The next day, the rangers returned to discover an individual walking to the camp. The individual claimed they were living out of the tent for more than a month. Rangers issued three appearance tickets for camping within 150 feet of a trail, failure to maintain a neat and sanitary campsite, and camping for four nights or more without a permit. The subject was advised to clean up the campsite and move off the premises.
