Case dismissed against Occupy New Paltz members; decision will be appealed
Last Wednesday, New Paltz Judge Jonathan Katz dismissed the charges of trespass against four Occupy New Paltz members — Margaret Human, Michele Riddell, Amanda Sisenstein and Brent Stewart. The Occupy New Paltz members were arrested in February because they had not filled out a park permit, as requested by the New Paltz Village Board. Before...
New Paltz aims to be “zero waste” leader
New Paltz will have a lot to prove on its road toward becoming a “zero waste” community, but doing so successfully will make the college town a leader both locally and nationally, said Judith A. Enck, the Region 2 administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency. Enck’s comments came as she addressed a crowd during SUNY...
New Paltz Town Board approves Libertyville Road dog park site
Dogs and dog-owners in New Paltz have good news to share with each other and their pooches. At last Thursday night’s New Paltz Town Board meeting, the board approved unanimously to allow two acres at the Field of Dreams (located off Libertyville Road across from the Ulster County Fairgrounds) to be used as a dog...
New Paltz supervisor-elect Susan Zimet
New Paltz Town supervisor-elect Susan Zimet knows that she has her work cut out for her when she takes the helm on Jan. 1. One thing that makes it easier is that she has done the job before, having served as the town supervisor for two terms 15 years ago before becoming a county legislator...
New Paltz Year in Review
The year 2011 saw some wild weather, political changings-of-the-guard, scandals, survivors and a community that came together during the most devastating floods ever recorded. While December has been dismal, snowless and wet, New Paltz and the region were hit by a massive snowstorm just days before Halloween — with 17.3 inches of frozen precipitation falling...
Move to dissolve Town of New Paltz Police Commission sparks controversy
For the past year, Police Commission members in New Paltz have worked hard to keep Chief Joseph Snyder accountable, questioning his spending, hiring and staffing decisions at almost every turn. The Police Commission in 2011 has pushed so hard that they’ve had to ask town attorney Joe Moriello exactly where their power ends and the...
New Paltz cops bust 20 underage drinkers, bartender
Underage drinking came under fire at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria on Dec. 6, when the New Paltz Police Department and the New York State Liquor Authority participated in a joint investigation that ended up busting 20 young drinkers. Police arrested the 20 people, charging the lot of them with possession of an alcoholic beverage under the age...
Local mom takes the lack of a crossing guard into her own hands
It has been two years since parents of New Paltz Middle School students have been lobbying for a crossing guard to help shepherd their young across the busy and dangerous intersection of Main Street and South Manheim Boulevard, as well as the crosswalk from the middle school to North Manheim Boulevard. The previous Village Board...
Mayor, supervisor-elect split on consolidation study recommendations
With the Government Efficiency Steering Committee voting in favor of a coterminous government for New Paltz, the ball is now in the hands of the town and village boards to see or not to see those recommendations through. The leaders at the helm of village and town, mayor Jason West and incoming supervisor Susan Zimet,...
Zimet, Barry, Gallucci, Bacon, Mazzaccari and Marx win in the Town of New Paltz
The Democrats have once again taken the helm of the New Paltz Town Board. After a 15-year hiatus from the job, former two-term supervisor Susan Zimet easily moved into her old seat as her opponent, three-term incumbent Toni Hokanson, pulled out of the race to secure a full-time job in the private sector. Hokanson secured...
Wetlands law close to a vote in New Paltz
Even after a contentious public hearing and the threat of an impending lawsuit, progress on the Town of New Paltz’s proposed wetlands law appears to be still moving along. Town attorney David Gordon said that town officials are working to complete the environmental review on the proposed law – which is a late step in...
Open government guru Robert J. Freeman visits New Paltz
The guru of open government in New York State, and around the US and world, Robert J. Freeman, paid a visit to New Paltz this past week, educating, delighting and initiating a provocative discussion with local officials, chairpersons and volunteers of regulatory boards/commissions, as well as the press and engaged residents. Freeman is the executive...