The Rhinecliff Hamlet Advisory Council will meet tonight at 7pm at the Morton Memorial Library

Agenda:

1.  Call to order
2.. Reading and Approval of Minutes
3.  Report from Town Liaison, Dan Staley
4.  Report from Waterfront Committee Liaison, Richard Kopycianski regarding Ferry/Dock
5.  49 Kelly Street Update
6.  Discussion of Application for Community Block Grant for repair of Butler Street storm drain
7.  Reducing Number of Council Members - discussion
8.  Adoption of Guidelines for Attendance at Meetings for Council Members
9.  New Business
8.  Adjourn

August 16th

Sometime after 11pm this evening, a fire was reported in a structure at the Holy Cross campus.

Units from the Rhinecliff and Rhinebeck fire districts responded. At last report, fire investigators were in route to investigate the origin and cause of the fire.

Morton Memorial Library
   
Special guest speaker Dr. Meng Sue on:

The Beginning of the Universe According to the Chinese.

 
Please join us for this absorbing verbal and visual presentation by a Beijing native,

to take place in Morton Hall at the library,

82 Kelly Street, Rhinecliff, NY, on Wednesday, August 18, 2010, at 5:30 p.m.

 
Dr. Meng Sue currently teaches in the Chinese Language Center at the University of Hong Kong.  Her specialization is in Chinese culture, focused on fixed sayings/idioms, cross-cultural dialogue, and teaching Chinese as a foreign language.  Her background in English literature and translation, and her interests in the Chinese language led to her extensive research in Chinese history, myths, legends, and folklore.  Her presentation will be about how, according to Chinese legend and folklore, the universe and mankind began.

 
Admission is free; donations for the library are welcome.
Refreshments will be available.

Please call 845-876-2903 for more information.
To receive e-mail announcements about our programs,
please send your e-mail address to mortonrhinecliff@gmail.com.

(Photo - NY Times - Genevieve de Manio)

At 7:23 p.m. came an announcement from the family via e-mail: Ms. Clinton was now married to Marc Mezvinsky.

“Today, we watched with great pride and overwhelming emotion as Chelsea and Marc wed in a beautiful ceremony at Astor Courts, surrounded by family and their close friends,” the Clintons said in a statement. “We could not have asked for a more perfect day to celebrate the beginning of their life together, and we are so happy to welcome Marc into our family.”

BIGGEST WINNERS:

1- Chelsea and Marc (of course.)

2- The Town of Rhinebeck.

BIGGEST LOSERS:

1-Jim Langan of The Hudson Valley News for "reporting":

"President Barack Obama and talk show queen Oprah Winfrey will be among the 500 guests expected at the July 31 wedding of Chelsea Clinton and Mark Mezvinsky. The President is expected to land at Stewart Airport in Newburgh, New York and take Marine One across the Hudson to Astor Court in Rhinebeck..."

 And the numerous other made-up "scoops" he perpetrated.

2-The main stream media for regurgitating Mr. Langan's pablum puke.

Photo - Jim Langan presumably looking for Oprah on Garden Street.

CROSS POSTED FROM THE HUFFINGTON POST

By Kerry Trueman

Chelsea Clinton is so definitely getting married in Rhinebeck this weekend. All the signs point to it--like the one two miles down the road from Astor Courts (the presumed wedding locale), which reads "Chelsea and Marc--congratulations from Rhinecliff's Morton Memorial Library! Stop in for your wedding gift--your own free-for-life library card!!!"

What better way for the happy couple to become card-carrying members of the "un-Hamptons?" And in this era when sub-literate slogans and mindless mantras have dumbed down our political discourse, it's a timely reminder that a century or so ago, Republican Vice President Levi P. Morton valued literacy so much that he chose to honor the memory of his daughter Lena, who died tragically young, by erecting the Morton Memorial Library. (Excuse me, the Morton Memorial Library and Community House--apparently he valued community, too--must have been a closet socialist.)

I happen to be the proud owner of a Morton Memorial Library card myself, because our humble Hudson Valley hovel is across the street from the library, and a quick bike ride to Astor Courts, where I've been many times.

So, how does a scruffy activist with soil-encrusted fingernails get to set foot in such a swanky setting? Well, 'Dutchess County' may have the ring of royalty, but, really, most folks in this neck of the woods--including Astor Courts owner Kathy Hammer, who painstakingly restored the historic Stanford White pavillion--are actually pretty down-to-earth. No red carpet for the glitterati, here; just greener pastures for the literati. Give us the life of the mind over the mindless life, any day.

Kathy frequently hosts fundraisers for Democratic candidates and graciously opens the doors of Astor Courts to artists, writers, activists, scholars, architects, students, and others who share her appreciation for this architectural gem and her passion for progressive causes.

As she told the New York Times in a 2008 article about the restoration of Astor Courts aptly titled "A Fixer Upper to End Them All, "We are using it the way it was intended, as a social gathering place."

Chelsea Clinton's wedding won't be the first time Kathy has played host to hundreds: in 2006, she threw a fundraiser for 400 Planned Parenthood supporters, and during the 2008 election season, she invited 350 neighbors to a screening of Pete Seeger's documentary The Power of Song in Astor Courts' cavernous indoor clay tennis court.

Kathy has also become a champion of local and sustainable agriculture. Back in 1904, Astor Courts "was part of a gentleman's working farm," sending produce and meat down to the Waldorf-Astoria hotel. One of Kathy's goals is to revive Astor Courts' agricultural heritage and promote our local Hudson Valley Farmers.

I should think she must be thrilled that Chelsea and Marc are rumored to be sourcing the food for their wedding from some of our fabulous local farmers. And I'd love to give them a shout-out, too, if only I were allowed.

But all I can say is that Chelsea's choice to make the menu mostly vegan, including the wedding cake, is maybe the best p.r. break an advocate for a plant-based diet could ask for. And the inclusion of pastured beef will do wonders to spread the grass-fed gospel.

I can, at least, share a few of my favorite things about Astor Courts:

1. the indoor swimming pool, reportedly the first-ever indoor swimming pool in the U.S. With its arched, robin's egg blue ceiling and giant windows overlooking the surrounding woodlands, it blows Hearst Castle's indoor pool out of the water.

2. the natural light that floods Astor Courts. Stanford White designed it to let in so much natural daylight that you barely need to flip a switch all day. There's an enormous skylight in the entrance hall which Kathy rescued from ruin and restored to its original glory.

3. the photographs. Astor Courts' walls display an extraordinary collection of early Twentieth century American photography that would be the envy of any museum.

4. Brooke Astor's awesome library. The legendary philanthropist and socialite revered the written word, just as Levi P. Morton did.

I hope Chelsea and Marc share that passion, too, and will accept our hamlet's humble gift of a lifetime library card. I've got a couple of suggestions for how they can put it to good use:

For Marc, I recommend Woody Tasch's Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms, and Fertility Mattered. because it's high time we put unfettered capitalism out to pasture, and Woody shows the way.

For Chelsea, who may be craving a mental health break after all the hoopla and hype, I suggest Maya Rodale's just published, perfectly timed A Groom of One's Own?

Like Chelsea, Maya belongs to a legendary American family--she's the great granddaughter of J.I. Rodale, pioneer of the U.S. organic farming and gardening movement, whose motto was "Healthy Soil = Healthy Food = Healthy People."

Maya is Rodale's director of communications, but when she's not promoting sustainable agriculture, puttering in the family garden or whipping up wholesome comfort food with her mother, Maria, she's writing ripping yarns about the winding, wayward path of true love.

In real life, Maya's walking down the aisle soon with her own dashing world-traveller and tech genius, Tony Haile. Here's wishing both these couples a happy, healthy future filled with delicious, fresh, locally grown veggies!

These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of rumor and intrigue around the Clinton wedding taking place in Rhinebeck. We at rhinecliff.org have avoided discussing it since we tend to cater to the locals and they seem to know many of the details already.

Since we have been flooded with phone calls on the topic, mostly from local residents concerned about getting around this Saturday, we thought we could alleviate some fears and clear up some rumors by sharing some details we have gleaned.

TheKingston-Rhinecliff bridge WILL NOT be closed.

1-    The Amtrak station in Rhinecliff WILL NOT be closed.

2-    If you are parked legally in Rhinecliff you will be fine.

3-    River Road is likely to have some temporary traffic closures during some parts of the day on Saturday.

4-    Traffic on River Road will certainly be extreme so it should be avoided.

5-    Route 9 should not experience anything other than above average traffic, nothing remotely as bad as a “Fair day” where there can be 20,000 extra vehicles.

6-    Many of the details reported in “The Hudson Valley News” by Jim Langan concerning celebrity guests and other matters appear to be fabrications at best. It should be noted that Mr. Langan could not even spell the groom’s name correctly for weeks. Surely a sign of his journalistic prowess.

If you have questions of concerns, please feel free to call rhinecliff.org or e-mail us at info@rhinecliff.org

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Town of Rhinebeck Planning Board shall conduct a Public Hearing on Monday July 19th 2010 at the Rhinebeck Town Hall, 80 East Market Street for the following applications:

At 6:45 p.m. on the Application by Uwe Heitman for the Certificate of Demolition or Removal pursuant to the Town's Historic Buildiings Protection Law and Section 125-62 of the Town's Zoning Law to authorize the proposed demolition of an unoccupied single-family dwelling at 49 Kelly Street in the LWRA and the Rhinecliff Hamlet and Hudson River National Historic Landmark Districts, the building being a "contributing structure" in the NHLD and the Proposed Action being a Type I Action under SEQRA for which the Planning Board is the lead agency.

All those having an interest in the matter will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearings and may also submit comments in writing to Joan Winnie, Planning Board Clerk, not later than 3:00p.m. on July 19, 2010.

The Applications may in the interim be examined at the Town Hall during normal business hours.

The Rhinebeck Town Board will meet at Town Hall on Monday, June 28, at 6:45 pm. Click here to review the agenda for the meeting.

Once again the Rhinecliff Waterfront Committee is pleased to announce the
opportunity to enjoy live music prior to the Kingston Fireworks at the
waterfront park on Sunday, June, 27th. The local pop band, U-Guys, will
perform tunes from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. A DJ will fill out the evening
with entertainment.
Watch the fireworks scheduled to begin at approximately 9:30pm. Alcohol is
prohibited. Concessions will open at 7pm. Admission is free. No rain date.
Dutchess Terrace in Rhinecliff
The Town of Rhinebeck - Contact Phone: 845-876-3409

A benefit to celebrate the 30th year of Wilderstein will be held on July 3 from 5 to 7 pm.

Tickets are $100 

Tickets may be purchased by calling Wilderstein at 845.876.4818, emailing to wilderstein@wilderstein.org or online by using the Paypal button on the Wilderstein website.  If making reservations online, an acknowledgement letter will be sent to your "billing/shipping address" and your name will be added to the guest list at the event check-in table.

The summer, 2010 schedule is available for the concerts at Mills and Vanderbuilt mansions. Click here to view the information.

April 12:

PANDA TV 23 upgraded their video stream early this morning to dramatically improve the quality and stability. In addition, the new stream will soon allow iPhones, Androids and iPads to view PANDA TV.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has
awarded three energy conservation grants to the Town of Rhinebeck for projects totaling
approximately $355,000.  The projects to be funded are:

1. Solar Panels for the Highway Garage
2. Solar Panels for the Transfer Station
3. Lighting efficiency retrofit for the Highway Garage

The Town has through March 2012 to complete these energy conservation projects.  The
funds that the State will provide will come from the federal American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act.  The grants will cover 80% of the cost of these projects and the Town is
obligated to pay 20% of the cost.  It is estimated that the Town of Rhinebeck will save $10,650
per year in reduced energy costs.  At that rate, the Town’s investment will be paid back in less
than seven (7) years.
The Town Board worked with Hudson Valley Clean Energy, Terrapin Bright Green and
architect Susan Sie to prepare six grant applications (three of which were funded), with
numerous site visits and quotes provided by Bottini Fuel, Marvin Windows, Steve & Weber
Plumbing and Heating, Williams Lumber and Home Center, Window Master Inc., and Ms. Sie,
among others. The Town Board sincerely thanks these firms and the individuals and architects
involved for volunteering their time and efforts on behalf of the Town of Rhinebeck.