BlueStone Press, April 3, 2015 , Page

Community update meeting: The Hudson Valley Farm Hub & Local Economies Project

The Local Economies Project (LEP) will hold a Community Update Meeting on Thursday, April 30 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at SUNY Ulster at 491 Cottekill Road in Stone Ridge. The evening will feature informa-tion on the Local Economies Project and an update on its land-based project, the Hudson Valley Farm Hub, a new center for farmer training and research on 1,255 acres formerly owned by Gill Farms. The farm property, which spans four munici-palities from Kingston to Marbletown, was purchased in 2013 for the purpose of creating the non-profit Farm Hub. The Local Economies Project of the New World Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening agriculture and helping build a more resilient food system in the Hudson Valley.

The evenings agenda will include presentations on LEPs farming and food system initiatives across the Hudson Val-ley, the 2015 growing season at the Farm Hub, and planning for future programs. A discussion and Q&A will follow with LEP and Farm Hub staff members.

The event will take place in the Vander-lyn Hall Student Lounge on SUNY Ulsters Stone Ridge campus and will be open to the public. Registration is encouraged as seating may be limited. To sign up, visit hvfarmhub.org/events or call 331-5500 ext. 105.

Funding available for Ulster County Arts Organizations

The Ulster County Cultural Services & Promotion Fund (UCCSPF) is a fund-ing resource dedicated to maintaining the artistic and cultural assets of Ulster County as well as the promotion of the County through arts and cultural activities which add to the economy and quality of life. Financial resources for this program have been made available by the Ulster County Legislature. UCCSPF awards range from $2,500 -- $9,500 and can be used for various activities, including administrative or programmatic capacity building and institutional advancement projects. The fund has been administered by Arts Mid-Hudson (formerly the Dutchess County Arts Council) since its inception in 2008.

All applicants are encouraged to attend an application seminar to learn more about the program's funding priorities and how to develop a competitive application. Seminars last approx. 90 minutes and will include time for Q&A. Appointments for individualized feedback on potential initiatives will also be available.

Seminars will be held in Woodstock on Tuesday, April 14 from 1:30 3 p.m. at Woodstock Artists Association and Museum, 28 Tinker Street in Woodstock and in New Paltz on Wednesday, April 15 from 3 -- 4:30 p.m. at Historic Huguenot Street, Deyo Hall, 6 Broadhead Avenue in New Paltz. RSVP's are recommended to: http://tinyurl.com/UCCSPF-Seminar or grants@artsmidhudson.org or by calling, 845-454-3222 ext. 16. Application deadline is Tuesday, May 12.

The complete guidelines and applica-tion materials can be found at: http://www.artsmidhudson.org/for-organiza-tions/ulster-county-funds/.

Briefs

Jillian NadiakBSP Reporter

It rained two and a half inches of cran-berry juice on April Fools Eve according to the second grade class of High Meadow School in Stone Ridge.

My friend Molly tasted it and said it was bitter like cranberry juice, said Anna, turning to said friend. I also saw it when I was looking outside my window last night.

As most know, bitter cranberry juice is pure and extremely healthy. We should not be fooled by the sweet taste of a cran-berry cocktail. These drinks have added sugar and will not provide the popularly known aid in the healing of urinary tract infections. When asked if the bitter cran-berry juice that fell from the sky could pos-sibly be healthy for the citizens of Stone Ridge, a resounding yes roared from the group of second graders who are currently studying weather as they nodded at each other in agreement.

The reason that there isnt too much in here, said Willa, pointing to the rain gauge that the class had put in place outside their classroom the night before, is because it only drizzled a little bit."

According to the students, it rained lightly for about an hour starting around 8 p.m. Rhys thought that the situation was eerily reminiscent of the book turned movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meat-balls."

Not only did it rain cranberry juice, but sources also say the liquid was allegedly glow-in-the-dark. When the students began discussing possibilities of chemical imbalances in the fruity rain, the teachers assistant Marybeth Wehrung said that

the class had a very important thing that needed to be shared with the BlueStone Press.

April Fools! they shouted. They tried to fool the news and they

were successful. Its water with food col-oring in it, said various students.

Were going to be famous! shouted Addysen followed by the cheers of the rest of her class.

The students didnt falter once as they provided serious answers to their local newspaper.

The morning of April Fools began with a list of pranks from a last minute spelling test involving words like turquoise and Czechoslovakia thought up by the classes

teacher Joanna Shaw to tricking as many people in the school as they could into thinking it rained cranberry juice.

For the past few weeks, the second grade class has been tracking tempera-tures and had just begun their studies on the water cycle. On the morning of April Fools, students asked Wehrung if they could play a prank on the rest of the class. This is when the cranberry juice prank was born. After a joke about contacting the news developed, the BlueStone Press became involved.

No feelings were hurt in the process of this prank.

April Fools brought to you by the second grade at High Meadow

High Meadows School second grade students animatedly answer questions for reporter Jillian Nadiak about the mysterious cranberry juice that allegedly fell from the sky on April Fool's Eve.

Melissa Orozco-McDonoughBSP Reporter

Just a few short weeks ago, the Ulster County Legislature voted in support of adding Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) at both the Hudson Valley Resort and Spa and Pinegrove Ranch and Family Resort, each of which are located right here, with-in the Rondout Valleys Town of Rochester. VLTs, which are much like slot machines, would be an added amenity at the two resorts, helping to bring new revenue not only into the two businesses, but also into the town, and even valley as a whole.

The topic was discussed heavily at the Town of Rochesters March 26 Audit Workshop Meeting, where both David OHalloran of Pinegrove Resort and Elliot Spitzer of the Hudson Valley Resort were in attendance, and a VLT presentation was given. OHalloran opened the presentation by stating Weve been working on this for a long time. So while youve heard about it probably in the news for the last couple of years, it goes further back than that. He spoke of how Ulster County used to be a resort destination, and unfortunately no longer is, and of how the county has flourished as a day trip destination due to its natural beauty, phenomenal hiking and charming towns, yet resort and hotel stays have steadily declined. The addition of a new amenity such as the proposed

VLT machines could be exactly what these resorts need to rejuvenate business.

Assemblyman Kevin Cahill will be in-troducing the new bill licensing the resorts for VLTs to Albany, and once it passes on the state level, the next step would be to get it passed through the state senate. The bill is similar to one that was introduced last year and failed, due in part to the Nevele casino proposal-taking place at the time. We didnt want to do anything to jeopardize the possibility of Ulster County receiving a class three casinoWe stepped back, we supported that process; that process has come and gone and were back to addressing the assembly and the senate, said OHalloran. Senator Seward we met with 10 days ago. He gave us some marching orders, what he needed to see

done before he could resubmit or submit a bill to the senate. Weve accomplished those tasks, which was primarily Ulster County Legislature. I worked with his chief of staff on Monday (3/23) and theyre formulating a senate bill. They want to make sure it matches mirror to mirror with the assembly bill so that the two can move forward, so it looks like were going to have our senators support.

According to OHalloran, the biggest hurdle in the process will be convincing Sullivan County that having VLTs at these two resorts would not siphon away busi-ness or harm their institutions in any way. Were proposing something that com-bined between the properties, would be a maximum of 750, probably minimum 500 VLTs between two resorts, so were pro-posing more of an amenity concept, and not something that would be threatening to Sullivan County, he said. We need to make sure they understand that were not a threat. What we are, are two properties that would be greatly hurt by their (Sul-livan County) success. Particularly when you look at the wonderful, phenomenal project theyre doing. Theyre not just building a casino hotel, thats a threat enough They have a water park with another 400 rooms going in.

So were looking for this as an amenity,

Local resorts seek support in Video Lottery Terminals effortPinegrove and Hudson Valley resorts both seeking support in VLT effort

Inside the Pinegrove Family dude Ranch. Photo courtesy of Expedia.com.

See Resorts want VLTs, page 11