The Nyack Villager June · 2015-06-05 · The Nyack Villager AnindependentmonthlynewsmagazinecelebratinglifeandtheartsintheHudsonRiverVillages June 2015 PRSTSTD USPostage PAID permitno

®The Nyack Villager

An independent monthly news magazine celebrating life and the arts in the Hudson River Villages

June2015

PRSTSTDUSPostage

PAID permitno.

5432 WHITEPLAINSNY

\e Nyack Villager is the only publication mailed to every residential address in all eight river villages—Upper Nyack, Nyack, Central Nyack,South Nyack, Grand View, Upper Grandview, Piermont & Palisades NY, as well as many businesses and professionals in Rockland

and by subscription everywhere.

Summer comes to the Hudson Photo by Shel Haber

PhotobyShelH

aber©2015

HeNyack

Villager,Nyack

NY

2 The Nyack Villager June, 2015

The Nyack Villager June, 2015 3

The NyackVillagerJune, 2015 Vol. 21 No. 10Mailed on or near the first of each month to every residential addressin eight river villages—Upper Nyack, Nyack, Central Nyack, South Nyack,Grand View, Upper Grandview, Piermont and Palisades NY.

On the Internet atwww.nyackvillager.comE-mail news releases to us at [email protected] Deadline for our next issue, July 2015 is June 15.Please include a contact name and telephone number

In this issueDepartments

4 REPORTER AT LARGE• Hard to Believe ...• Good News for South Nyack• About our Summer issue• Nyack’s Famous Street Fair• Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill

5 LETTERS to The Nyack Villager

6 JUNE ENJOYMENTS Art & entertainment this month

7 COMMUNITY NOTES What else is happening in June

18 CALENDAR Highlights in June

19 OP-CALENDAR PAGE Useful local phone numbers

Columns8 FROM VALLEY COTTAGE ANIMAL HOSPITAL

Dr. Petro on dental care for pets

9 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK T-Nee Angels revisited

11 FROM ORANGETOWN TOWN HALLSupervisor Stewart on Anellotech

12 THE RESIDENT FOODIE A short history of Strawberries

13 REMEMBER THE DAYS? Jim Leiner porch-sitting

14 BOOK TALK BY ALISON STONE

14 THEY GOT WHAT?! Donna Cox on current trends in real estate

15 TO THE THEATRE Holly Caster on Gi-Gi

Features

14 TOP BABY NAMES IN 2014

On our June coverSummer Comes to the Hudsonphoto by Shel Haber, © 2015 The Nyack Villager, Nyack, NY

REPORTERat large

Hard to believe ...It’s hard to believe that we’re writingthis column again.

Another accident at Indian Point Nu-clear Reactor—this time an explosionand fire ...

another spill into the Hudson River,degrading the beloved waterway ...

another statement by a ranking con-gress member demanding that the plantbe phased out ...

another reminder that 20 millionpeople live within 50 miles of IndianPoint, ... that a major accident wouldmake the tri-state area uninhabitablefor generations ... and that evacuation isnot not an option ...

another sidestepping by the NRA ofthe obvious danger to us all. \e Nu-clear Regulatory Agency that is sup-posed to protect public health andsafety seems unwilling or unable to pro-tect much of anything ...

another recital of the vulnerability ofU.S. nuclear plants to terrorist attack.

We have the sickening feeling that adisaster on the order of the one atFukushima will have to happen beforethe danger is taken seriously.

Short history of strawberriesSee page 12

Dental care for petsSee page 8

Men Cooking at Nyack Centersee page 7

New face on the $20 billSee page 4

Baby Falcon CamSee page 7

Reporter at Large continues on page 4


REPORTERat large

Harriet Tubman and the $20 billby Shel Haber

The national campaign to put the image of a woman onthe new $20 bill has a winner: it is Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman was an escaped slave who bravely returnedto the South many times to lead her family and hundredsof other slaves to freedom. Mrs Tubman also served duringthe Civil War as a spy, scout and nurse. Born into slaveryin Maryland on March 1822, she grew up working fromdawn to dusk under the blistering sun, enduring beatingsand whippings. She was lashed five times in one day andcarried the scars for the rest of her life.

In 1849 she escaped Maryland and went North, leavingbehind her husband, her parents, sisters and brothers.

In December 1850, she received a warning that her niece,Kessiah, and her two young children were going to be sold.Mrs. Tubman chose not to remain in the safety of the North.Instead, she made it her mission to rescue her family andthen others living in slavery. She helped the entire familymake the perilous journey to Philadelphia. She returnedto the South at least nineteen times to lead hundreds ofother slaves to freedom, earning the affectionate nicknameMoses for her leadership.

Before long the slave owners also became aware of her andput bounty on her head. Intelligent and courageous, sheeluded bounty hunters. The reward for her capture eventu-ally went up to forty thousand dollars.

Rescuing slaves became even more dangerous and difficultwith the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. This lawstated that escaped slaves captured in the North must be re-turned to slavery in the South. This led to the kidnappingof many former slaves and free blacks living in Free States.Law enforcement officials in the North were legally com-pelled to aid in the capture of escaped slaves, regardless oftheir personal principles.

The Fugitive Slave Act reinforced the existing words of theU.S. Constitution, In Article IV section 2: “ No Person heldto Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof,escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law orRegulation therein, be discharged from such Service orLabour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party towhom such Service or Labour may be due.”

In response to the law, Mrs. Tubman re-routed her rescue ef-forts to Canada, which prohibited all slavery.

From 1859 through 1913, Mrs. Tubman’s home was inAuburn, NY. The land was sold to her in 1859 by anti-slavery Senator William H. Seward.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, Harriet Tubman firstworked for the Union Army as a cook and nurse and laterbecame an armed scout and spy. She was the first womanto lead an armed expedition in the war, guiding the Com-bahee River Raid, which liberated more than 700 slaves inSouth Carolina.

There will be an interesting little historical footnote if Mrs.Tubman’s image the placed on the $20 bill; twenty dollarsis the amount she received from the U.S. government asher monthly pension for her service as a nurse, scout, cookand spy during the Civil War and included government sup-port for her status as the widow of a veteran.

On the $20 bill today is Andrew Jackson, who owned hun-dreds of slaves and was a slave dealer. Jackson is hated bythe Native American community because, as president ofthe United States, he used the army to force many nativetribes from their green forest ancestral homes in the East toarid lands hundred of miles to the West.

There were two rounds of online voting to choose the imageon the $20 bill. The public was invited to select a nomineefrom a slate of 15 inspiring American women in history.Over a period of 10 weeks, more than 600,000 people castvotes and Harriet Tubman emerged as the winner.

On May 12, 2015, the group,Women On 20s presented apetition to President Obama to inform him of the results ofthe balloting and to encourage him to instruct Secretary ofthe Treasury Jacob Lew to use his authority to make thischange in time to have a new bill in circulation before the100th anniversary of women’s right to vote in 2020.

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remem-ber, you have within you the strength, the patience, andthe passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”—Harriet Tubman

Proposed design of $20 bill honoring Harriet Tubman

Shel Haber, a film art director, is the co-founder of TheNyack Villager.

About our Summer Issue—The Nyack Villager’s 2015 Summer Issue will combineJuly and August. It should arrive in your mailbox onor about July 1st.

Ads and columns for the Summer Issue need to be inour hands before June 15.

The Nyack Villager office will be closed all of July togive Shel, Jan and the staff a chance to soak up a littlesunshine.

The office will be back up and running by August 1st.

We will accept ads for the September issue until Aug. 15.

Have a lovely Summer! Shel & Jan

Good news for South NyackSome good news for the residents of South Nyack—theNY Sate Thruway Authority announced it is moving thewalking and biking path entrance to the new Tappan ZeeBridge from a residential neighborhood at the corner ofSouth Broadway and Cornelison Avenue, to a large tractof state-owned land at Interchange 10.

This is a major victory for South Nyack residents andofficials who had been fighting the state for just thissolution for over a year.

South Nyack residents were very concerned that theirneighborhoods would be overrun with visitors andparked cars and were worried about traffic safety.

The bicycle and pedestrian path across the new TappanZee Bridge will be a great attraction—inviting us tobike and walk across the magnificent Hudson River.

Nyack’s Famous Street FairSunday, July 12 from 10am to 5pm—

Main Street and South Broadway will be lined with fairbooths brim-full of quality handmade crafts, uniquegifts, art, antiques and collectibles—all at greatprices. Surprises for people of all ages. Children’s area.Scrumptious food, too, and much more.

For information call Jack Dunnigan at 845. 358.9126.

Free admission; rain or shine.


Lettersto the editor

An open community forum.

Opinions expressed are those ofeach letter writer; The Nyack Villager

need not agree.

Thanks for ambulance Corp articleTo The Nyack Villager—Thank you for the excellent article featuring the NyackCommunity Ambulance Corp. Having been an activemember for six years, I was delighted to see the historyand work of the Corp made available to the commu-nity. I know from experience the dedication of thesepeople. With warm hearts and professional skill, thesevolunteers put on their uniforms and leave home andcomfort to serve Nyack. "Day and Night, For Healthand Life" is not just their motto, it's what they do.Bravo NCAC!—Cathy Radziemski, Tempe, AZ

Permission to reprintDear Jan—Thank you so much for publishing our article on NyackAmbulance. There is just nothing that reaches morepeople in the River Villages [than The Nyack Villager]and has more of a real Nyack look and feel.Would you be OK with our using that article, withthanks and credit, on the front page of our Sirennewsletter? It only goes to our members and staff,some of whom live out of the area, and so do not getThe Villager. Please let me know.—Best regards, Susan Hellauer, Nyack

[The editors of The Nyack Villager will be proud tohave the article appear in your good publication.]

Cluttered sidewalksThe proliferation of sandwich signs and outdoor diningin the village presents so many safety issues that it ishard to believe that everyone has a permit to clutterthe sidewalk in front of their establishments. The din-ing areas, without fail, take over most of the sidewalk;the remainder is taken over by smokers and bouncers.Is this all part of the Village's much discussed "MasterPlan"?—Name withheld at writer’s request

The NyackVillagerwelcomes letters on all subjectsfrom our readers.E-mail letters to the address onpage 19 in this issue.


AT NYACK HISTORICAL SOCIETY50 Piermont Ave, Nyack, adjacent to Nyack Library parking lot.Enter under front porch. www.nyackhistory.org 845.418 4430.

A new exhibit entitled, B. W. CHURCH—BOAT BUILDERwill be on view 1 to 4pm Saturdays and Sundays fromJune 6 thru July 26 and at other times by appointment.(Closed July 4th weekend.) This exhibit is curated by T.Robins Brown, an architectural historian who lives inNyack in the house where Church resided from 1919 to1947.

On display is a rare 1902 boat catalog, a half hull model,tools from the collection of Church’s descendants, charm-ing photographs of the Church family, a handmade toyboat and toy hutch and items related to Church’s mem-bership in The Nyack Boat Club and Knights of Pythias.There is also material on the tragedy of the fatal explo-sion of the yacht Luvina.

The exhibit is a feature of NY State's PATH THRU HISTORYWEEKEND. Curator tours will be offered at 1:30 and2:30 pm on June 20 and 21.

Historical Society of the Nyacks, 5 Admission is free; do-nations are encouraged.

ART WALK’S TENTH ANNIVERSARYFriday June 19—7 to 9pm; Saturday, June 20—12 to5pm and 6 to 9pm; Sunday, June 21—12 to 5pm.

Every June in Nyack, ART WALK turns the many shops andeateries in our lovely village into mini art galleries, withthe artists in residence. Stroll up and down the streets ofNyack, view and/or purchase the works by these wonder-fully talented artists. Shop in the stores, eat, drink andenjoy the beauty and richness for which the Village ofNyack is justly famous.

Free parking all day/evening Saturday, June 20 in thebig parking lot behind the Riverspace Theatre on ArtopeeWay, thanks to the generosity of the Mayor and theNyack Village Board.

For more info: Call Paulette Ross @p.ross 845-348-1767 or [email protected]

FLASH SKETCH MOB’S SECOND ANNIVERSARYThe tenth anniversary of ART WALK features the secondFlash Sketch Mob, brainchild of artist/writer Bill Batson.Dozens of artists of all skill levels and ages will add tothis visual atlas of our community by chronicling MainStreet from Gedney St. to Franklin Ave.

Artists gather on Sat, June 20 at 10am at Weld Realty, 4

Park Street, to receive their assignments. At 11am, hun-dreds of hands will make paintings and drawings of MainStreet, Nyack. At 1pm, the artworks will be brought backto Weld Realty where they will be labeled and scanned.All the art works created that day will be exhibited in aslide show on a large screen at the Nyack Center at 9pm.The images will also be uploaded onto a digital map cre-ated by Ben Falchuk. The goal of the Flash Sketch Mob isto create a composite landscape portrait of our 1-squaremile village.

To register, visit billbatsonarts.com

IN JUNE AT RoCARoCA / Rockland Center for the Arts, 27 S Greenbush Rd, WestNyack, NY. 845.358.0877x18 www.rocklandartcenter.org

There’s something for everyone this June at RoCA. Joinus on Saturday, June 6 at 5pm for THE AWESOME RoCABARN DANCE at the Historic Tournier-Remsen House(c.1743) Valley Cottage for Square Dancing with DavidLevy calling out the steps. Dancing to Rockland’s ownOld No. 7 Band, playing great country and classic rock fa-vorites well into the evening. All you can eat BBQ, Ham-burgers, Hot Dogs, Chicken, Pulled Pork, etc., with saladsand all the fixin's plus A WHISKEY TASTING— dessertsfeaturing a custom cake & plenty of wine, beer and softdrinks. $80pp in advance/$90 at the door.

SUMMER TERM STARTS JUNE 29. Explore your creativeside. Children and adults can take studio art classes inceramics, lampworked glass beads, creative writing,painting, drawing and much more.

Children ages 5-12 can make art all summer long atRoCA’s SUMMER ARTS DAY CAMP. The camp experienceat RoCA turns summer "sun" days into creative "fun"days. Three or four days per week available. Four, six, oreight-week sessions are offered June 30 thu August 21.

For more information or to register, call 845.358.0877 orvisit our website at www.rocklandartcenter.org

ROCKLAND COUNTY CONCERT BANDOn Sunday, June 28 at 3pm, come listen to Rockland’sown 50 member Wind Ensemble celebrate its 40th An-niversary presenting an eclectic mix of music especially

CORNER FRAME SHOP ARTIST OF THE MONTH40 S. Franklin Street, Nyack; 845.727.1240

In June: Nyack artist Tony Ziegler is Artist of the Month atHal Parker’s Corner Frame Shop.

PORTRAIT SHARED is a project that started as a Facebookpost and grew as artists from around the country and theworld shared and traded portraits of themselves and otherartists. A collection of the portraits will be on viewthroughout the month of June. An opening reception isplanned for Sunday, June 21, from 2 to 4pm.

Ju

neEnjoyments

Art and Entertainmen

t

chosen for 2015. At Cultural Arts Auditorium, RocklandCommunity College, 145 College Road, Suffern, NY. Pur-chase tickets on the band website www.RCCBNY.orgAdults $12, senior adults $10, children $8

ACADEMY OF MUSIC SUMMER FESTIVALJune 7 to 20 at 7:30pm; at Grace Church,130 First Ave,Nyack 845.745.8683 or [email protected]

General Admission $25, Students and Senior adults $20.June 7—Opening NightJune 10—MasterpiecesJune 14—An evening of intimate string quintetsJune 17—Flute and friendsJune 20—Gala Concert: Music of Grandeur

STUDENT ART SHOWPiermont Public Library. 25 Flywheel Park West, Piermont, NY845.359.4595 www.piermontlibrary.org

Opening reception: Sunday, June 7, from 2 to 3pm.

Students from Alexis Starke’s Library Art Classes will ex-hibit work created during their winter and spring sessions.In these free after-school classes, young people fromgrades 1 through 9 have explored a variety of art mediaand styles and will, through this show, also learn tomount an exhibit of their work. All are welcome to comesee what our talented young artists have been up to.above: The 2014 Flash Sketch Mob

June Enjoyments continue on page 10

AT HOPPER HOUSE82 N Broadway, Nyack, NY. 845 358.0774.

• HOPPERESQUE DANCERS AMONG USThru June 14 in the Main Gallery. Hopper House ispleased to present an exhibition of photographs by JordanMatter. His book, DANCERS AMONG US , was publishedin 2012 by Workman Publishing.

Community Notes continue on page 8

TZ BRIDGE FALCON CAMThe peregrine falcon family living high atop the Tappan ZeeBridge has increased in size—baby chicks are now visibleon the Falcon Cam. We're counting three little ones. Take alook for yourself, and let us know how many you see.

Visit Nyack's Memorial Park on the Hudson for super views ofthe super crane. Bring your binoculars—you may catch aglimpse of our peregrine falcons on the hunt to feed theirchicks. Or view the live images via the TZ Falcon Cam—http://www.newnybridgegallery.com/falconcam.php

AT BIRCHWOOD CENTER85 S. Broadway, Nyack 845.358.6409 www.birchwoodcenter.com

June 6, from 5 to 7:30pm—SILENT AUCTION & YOGA TOBENEFIT NEPAL; $25 Donation.Help raise funds to aid the victims of Nepal’s devastatingearthquake with an all levels yoga class followed by a silentauction of donated art work and professional services. Every-one is invited.

MEN COOKING FOR NYACK CENTERNyack Center, 58 Depew Avenue Nyack, NY 845.721.5514or nyackcenter.org

The 15th annual MEN COOKING is on June 7, from 5 to 7 pm.$20 for adults, $10 for children (10 and under), or $50 forthe whole family.

ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARDEach year, Nyack Rotary chooses five Nyack High SchoolSophomores who have shown leadership potential in theirhome, school or community. The five attend the RYLA con-ference, designed to introduce participants to thoughts andideas which will strengthen and develop their leadershipskills. The conference is held on the campus of Mount. St.Mary College in Newburgh from June 28th to July 3rd. Thestudents for 2015 are Jacob Kronberg, Caroline Langford,Austin Stellato, Caileigh Travers, and Jelan Hall.

HUNT FOR WILD FOODS ON BEAR MOUNTAINOn Friday, May 15 at 1pm sharp, America’s go-to guy forforaging, naturalist/author “Wildman” Steve Brill, will leada foraging tour around Hessian Lake, at the base of BearMountain, for adults and kids. The 2.5 hour walking tourbegins in front of The Bear Mountain Inn.

Contact: “Wildman” Steve Brill 914.835.2153 at least 24hours in advance to sign up.

Bear Mountain Inn, 3020 Seven Lakes Dr., Tomkins CoveSuggested donation is $20/adult, $10 for children under [email protected]

Community notesTell The Villager and we’ll tell the community.

E-mail brief news release to: [email protected]



and are available through your veterinarian and petsupply stores.

Unfortunately, despite the best tooth brushing effortsat home, the tartar buildup often leads to the needfor a professional dental cleaning performed by spe-cially trained animal hospital staff. A dental clean-ing involves pre-operative blood testing with EKG,anesthesia, ultrasonic scaling and polishing, andpossibly extractions performed by specially trainedstaff using professional dental equipment. As youcan see, a professional dental cleaning is an in-volved and complex process.

As a final note, please beware of the potential prob-lems created by attempting to simply chip off thetartar. Chipping off the tarter creates grooves in theenamel that will allow the tartar to come back fasterand in greater amounts. This is why it is importantto polish the teeth after the scaling just like yourdentist does at his office.

Taking care of your pet’s teeth can help to keep yourpet healthy and ward off those nasty bad breathodors. �

Dr. Russ Petro opened Valley Cottage Animal Hospital in1980. Prior to his arrival in the Hudson Valley area, hepracticed medicine in Puerto Rico and Massachusetts.Dr. Petro attended Iowa State University, majored in Biol-ogy, and was accepted into the New York State VeterinaryCollege at Cornell University during his junior year. Hewas awarded his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in1976; his professional interests include surgery and re-productive medicine. Dr. Petro has received certification toperform bone-plating surgery for fracture repair. Hisanimal companions include cats Clooney, Morgan andStella, and a dog named Mylo. A third-degree black beltin Tae Kwon Do, he enjoys spending his spare time withhis wife, Kim, and sons Carter and Hunter.

A second reason for gooddental care is to preserveyour pet’s teeth. As tartarbuilds up on the teeth itwill push up the gumsand expose the roots(ouch!). Those teeth willusually either fall out ontheir own or need to beextracted. However, your

pet’s teeth are very important for the first part of thedigestive process whereby food is masticated beforegoing to the stomach. I have found that dogs andcats that have missing teeth tend to gulp their foodand then have digestive problems such as vomiting.

There are many ways to keep your pet's teeth clean.Giving your dog or cat special chew toys or treats, orbrushing their teeth with meat flavored toothpastesand rinses are among the most common approaches

Why does my pet’sbreath stink?

by Russell Petro, DVM

During my 40 years of practice, one of the mostcommon complaints I have heard from clientsis that their dog or cat's breath stinks. Takingcare of your pet's oral hygiene is just as impor-tant as the other preventive things we do; suchas vaccinating against diseases like Rabies.

By keeping your pet's mouth free of tartar, you areaccomplishing much more than simply giving yourpet a nice smile and pleasant breath. Medicallyspeaking, the bad breath is caused by bacterial in-fections in the gums where the tartar meets the gumline. These micro abscesses infiltrate with the sameblood supply that circulates throughout your pet’sbody and can harm organs such as the kidneysand/or liver.

From Valley Cottage Animal Hospital

A Maltese’s mouth before professional cleaning A Maltese’s tooth before professional cleaning

The same Maltese’s mouth after professional cleaning The same Maltese’s tooth after professional cleaning

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Community notes start on page 7

SAVE THE DATE: BASTILLE DAY FUNDRAISEROn Saturday, July 11, from noon to 10pm, Piermont’sChamber of Commerce plans a great celebration to com-memorate a great event. To enhance the events of thatday they ask you to consider hosting someone who couldjoin us. An example from last year was a glass blowerand a caricaturist. If you can host someone please [email protected]. More info on signing up toparticipate on Bastille Day will be e-mailed to memberslater this month. Please visit Piermont Chamber’s newwebsite, www.piermontchamber.org and click onBASTILLE DAY SPONSORSHIP.

TASTE OF NYACKTues., June 9 at 7pm; admission: $40Enjoy a sampling of Nyack's finest cuisine at the RocklandCounty YMCA's 19th Annual TASTE OF NYACK. To purchasetickets call Eileen Carson at 845.358.0632

Rockland County YMCA [email protected]

THE ROCKLAND COUNTY SOLID WASTE MAN-AGEMENT AUTHORITYpresents its SIXTH ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL DAY SUN-DAY June 7, from 11am to 4pm.• FREE!• Over 40 Exhibitors and activities galore.• Plant A Seed

•Kids yoga, face painting• Danna Banana and his band.• Tour the Recycling & Environmental Education Center.• See the live Raptor show• win Raffle prizes—a mulching lawn mower, rain

barrels, compost bins and more.• Food and beverages will be available for purchase.• The Annual Rockland Recycles Awards.• All things GREEN!• Rain or shine, great family day.

Torne Valley Road, Hillburn, NY. Visitwww.rocklandrecycles.com. �

Send your Community Notes to us [email protected]

T-nee Angels\is year, Tina Guarasci’s T-nee Angelsday care facility is twenty years old. It’s asmall, hands-on kind of place, limited tosix little ones at a time.

Pre-schoolers, starting at 18 months ofage, may be in Tina’s care for a full day,from 7:30am to 5:30pm. During thattime, Tina-mom, as she is affectionatelyknown to the kids in her care, provideshealthy meals and snacks, playtime in afenced-in yard or, in wet weather, a car-peted indoor play space, with time for cre-ative fun. \ere are frequent field trips tokid-friendly places like Nyack’s Farmers’Market.

Tina, who has a degree in early childhoodeducation from SUNY Cortland, makestime for reading every day and believes invariety to keep the day interesting.

It would appear she’s got it right: her filesare full of testimonials from happy parents."T-nee Angels was a godsend when I waslooking for day care for my daughter,”writes one of them, “I wanted a personaland nurturing experience and that is ex-actly what we got. Tina knows childrenand she was able to give my child thewarm, loving and personal attention thatshe needed. I truly believe that her pre-school experience with T-nee Angels wasinstrumental in her future academic suc-cess.”

Another writes, “We have been part ofT-nee Angels Day Care for almost 7 yearsnow and are so grateful for all that Tinadoes to accommodate the needs of notonly our children but our entire family.When we decided to use Tina as our daycare provider we never expected to findsomeone so warm, loving and nurturing.”

As Tina herself says, “At T-nee Angels,you’re part of a day care family, not a daycare factory.”

T-nee Angels, 23 Haven Ct., Nyack NY845.358.4470. �


NEW KIDS

ON THE BLOCK


AT NYACK LIBRARY59 South Broadway, Nyack. [email protected] 845.358.3370 All events free unless noted.

• June 11 at 7 pm—READING THE WOODSJoin Donald "Doc" Baynes, former Environmental Educa-tor at Sterling Forest helps you learn the forest and its in-habitants. Please Register

• June 15 at 7 pm—HOMEOPATHIC TOOLBOXJoin Laura Josephson, CCH, for a presentation on guide-lines for treating spring and summer allergies using ho-meopathy and other natural remedies. Please Register

• June 18 at 1pm—SENIOR'S GUIDE TO AVOIDINGSCAMS, BULLYING & PROPERTY FRAUD. Please Register.

• June 26 at 1pm—SUMMER READING PROGRAMKICK-OFF CELEBRATION for children ages 5—11 whoare registered for the SRP. Celebrate heroes big andsmall! Register for the Summer Reading Program andget your ticket to the Kick-Off Celebration.

• June 26 at 3pm—TEENS SUMMER READING KICKOFFPARTY: Unmask Featuring Magic of Amore–Phenomenon(Mentalist Show), Grades 6-12 www.nyacklibrary.org

AT NEW CITY LIBRARY220 N. Main Street, New City (845) 634-4997All events are free of charge.

• June 9 and 10 at 7pm—FROM OXYCONTIN TOHEROIN: TEENS AT RISK. The growing prescription drugproblem in suburbia and what can be done.

• June 10 at 7pm—COMMON MISTAKES DOG OWNERSMAKE & HOW TO FIX THEM. Why does your dog chew,bark, jump and have accidents? Local dog trainer BrettShelby discusses dog behavioral problems that are cre-ated by their people.

• June 10 at 1:30pm—19TH CENTURY NEOCLASSICISM& ROMANTICISM. Explore the difference between theseartistic movements with Joan Quinn.

• June 24 at 2pm—INVASIVE PLANTS OF NEW YORKA Cornell Cooperative Extension master gardener explainswhy some plants are considered invasive; steps New YorkState is taking to limit their impact.

All films presented digitally. Info: 845.353.2568Tickets (unless otherwise noted): $11 gen’l adm; $9 studentsseniors & gen’l members; $8 student & senior members.Purchase tickets at door, in advance from 800.838.3006

or online at www.rivertownfilm.org

Readers with questions should call 845-353-2568

Wed, June 10 at 8pm at Nyack Center, 58 Depew Ave, Nyack

� LockeThe night, a man, his car, and his phone make up thewhole of this tight, tense, solo road movie in which thejourney turns out to be more interesting than the destina-tion. The viewer is drawn in, captivated, watching astranger’s face turn into a life.

Wed, June 24 at 8pm at Nyack Center, 58 Depew Ave, Nyack

� Keep On Keepin’ OnDirected by Alan Hicks; 2015, USA, 84 min rated R

A moving and affectionate glimpse at the relationship be-tween the great trumpeter Clark Terry, 92, and JustinKauflin, 29, a talented, blind pianist.

Music after the film—Celebrate Clark Terry with Steve Bernstein (Sex Mob) andEric Lawrence (The Levon Helm Band) �

If you send us news releasesto be printed in these pages, you might want to usethe form we designed for your convenience.

Go to The Nyack Villager website(www.nyackvillager.com/) Touch “events” (3rd itemfrom left on the bar near the top of the screen).

Using your computer keyboard, fill in all the blanks onthe form, then click “submit.”

Your info will be on my desktop within minutes.That’s all there is to it. Ain’t technology wonderful?

JUNE ENJOYMENTS start on page 6

• SCULPTURE IN THE GARDEN—a selection of large-scale sculptures in a group show organized by Eric DavidLaxman. Exhibiting artists: Thea Lanzisero, Eric DavidLaxman, Elaine Lorenz, and Conrad Levenson. June 5 thruOct 4 with a reception First Friday, June 5 from 6 to 8pm.

• THE EVER PRESENT SUN June 20 thru Aug 16 in theMain Gallery; reception June 20 from 5 to 7pm.A new exhibition of work by John F. Simon, Jr. (b. 1963).Simon is known for his software-based installations andprojections. For this exhibition, Simon will produce anew site-specific, freestanding sculptural work inspired byEdward Hopper's paintings of urban exteriors.

• OUTSIDE LOOKING IN June 5 thru Aug 2 in the HallwayGallery; reception First Friday, June 5 from 6 to 8 pm.To create these paintings, Elinor Schnur uses a digitalcamera to capture images of bars and cafes with reflec-tive windows that expose the interior of the spaces whilerevealing the people and objects on the exterior.

• EDWARD HOPPER: MEMORABILIA AND EARLY WORKIn the Sanborn Gallery and Hopper Bedroom: early draw-ings, paintings, and etchings; model boats made by Hop-per, paint boxes, and an easel.

• ARTIST OF THE MONTHArtist members of Hopper House display work in the giftshop each month with receptions on First Fridays. JuneArtist of the Month: Diane Rosen; reception, 6pm, June 5.

• MUSIC IN THE GARDEN—Summer Jazz Concert Series:Six consecutive Thursdays at 7:30pm from July 9 thruAug 13; our 35th year of Summer Jazz. Details to come.

• WANTED: VOLUNTEER GRANT WRITERSHopper House seeks experienced writers to participate inwriting grants to engage support for art exhibitions, edu-cation programs, and special projects. An Annual mem-bership, gift membership and invitations to events arecomplimentary for our writers.Contact: Victoria Hertz: 845.358.0774.


From OrangetownTown Hall[Editor’s note:STOP ANELLOTECH lawnsigns are getting to be a commonsight in and around OrangetownTownship, so we asked Andy Stew-art, Orangetown Supervisor, to devote his Junecolumn to his thoughts on Anellotech’s plans tocreate a research facility for dealingwith a classof highly toxic industrial chemicals which theyplan to vent into the air we all breathe by wayof an eight-story smokestack. All perfectly safe,they contend.]

by Andy Stewart, Orangetown Supervisor

Over the past several months you mayhave seen stories from local news sourcesabout a controversial project called Anel-lotech. What is Anellotech, and what isall the fuss about? In this month’s col-umn I’ll share my thoughts and offer ashort Q&A for readers wondering aboutthis issue.

Q: What is Anellotech? What are theyplanning to build, and where are theyplanning to build it?

A: Anellotech is a company that aims toturn organic waste materials like sawdustinto basic, toxic chemicals – benzene,toluene and xylene (BTX) - for use in awide range of industries. In March,2013, the company established their cor-porate headquarters and a R&D labora-tory in a building on the Pfizer campuson Middletown Road in Pearl River. Lastsummer Anellotech applied for permitsto construct an addition to their existing

facility to conduct further tests.\e proposed addition is 84 feettall with a 15 foot high ventsmokestack pipe attached to thetop of the building. Anellotechclaims that the expansion oftheir facility would create about15 jobs and any air pollutionwould be minimal.

Q: What are the possible public healthimpacts of this facility?

A: Benzene, xylene and toluene arehighly toxic chemicals and many peopleunderstandably worry that dangerouslevels of these chemicals could be emittedthrough the vent smokestack or throughan accident in their storage or transporta-tion. Many in Pearl River believe that thecommunity already suffers from abnor-mally high cancer rates due to nearby in-dustries over many years. \erefore, eventhough Anellotech argues that they willput safety measures in place to protectpublic safety and keep emissions of thesechemicals well below allowed levels, peo-ple are quite reasonably unwilling totrust these assurances.

Q: Do you believe the facility would bedangerous?

A: I hope it wouldn’t but I can’t say forsure, and that’s the problem. From whatI have seen, I am not comfortable assur-ing members of the public that the emis-sions from Anellotech’s facility wouldpose no threat to their health. \at’s whyI have opposed this project for months,ever since it became clear that Anellotechwould be unable to prove that their proj-ect is safe.

Q: If you’re the Supervisor and you opposeAnellotech, it won’t get built, right?

A: Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.Anellotech’s plan is allowed under thelight industrial zoning of the Pfizer site,so neither I nor the other elected officialson the Town Board had the power tovote on the application. \e Town’s Zon-ing and Planning Board reviewed it, andthough I opposed approval, a 5-2 major-ity of the Planning Board okayed Anel-lotech’s application at their April 22meeting.

Q: Now what?

A: A lawsuit which has been filed by con-cerned residents could halt the project. Ifthe lawsuit fails to stop it, I will do all Ican to ensure that Anellotech is rigor-ously and continuously monitored andthe public’s health is protected to thegreatest extent possible. I have also pro-posed revisions to the Town’s zoning lawsto prevent Anellotech from ever expand-ing from R&D to manufacturing, and toprevent other companies like Anellotechfrom coming to Orangetown. \is towncode review process will be ongoing andI welcome suggestions of areas of thetown code that require revision in the in-terest of protecting the public and theenvironment.

Q: Can you answer other questions aboutAnellotech?

A: Sure—e-mail me at [email protected] call me at 359-5100 x2261 �


• Humans have been enjoying cultivated strawberriessince the 1500s, when explorers brought one of thestrawberry’s grandparents to France from Virginia. Butthe transplanted strawberries refused to reproduce inFrance—until a Frenchman working in Chile found anew variety, with really big berries. He brought some toFrance and planted them next to the ones from Virginia.Bingo! They started producing baby plants—and anew strawberry was born. Today, the great-great-great-great grandchildren of those early strawberry plants aregrowing all over the world, mostly in the northern hemi-sphere.

• In ancient times, the strawberry was a wild plant. Inancient Rome, strawberries were prescribed for symptomsof melancholy, fainting, all inflammations, fevers, throatinfections, kidney stones, halitosis, attacks of gout anddiseases of the blood, liver and spleen.

• The strawberry was a symbol for Venus, the Goddessof Love, because of its heart shape and red color. Thereis a very old legend that if you break a double straw-berry in half and share it with a member of the oppositegender, you will fall in love with each other.

• In the New World, Native Americans were alreadyeating strawberries when the Colonists arrived. Theymixed crushed berries and cornmeal to make strawberrybread. The Colonists developed their own version of therecipe, creating the world’s first Strawberry Shortcake.Our family recipe follows.

Consider theStrawberry

• More than half of U.S. kids pick strawberries as theirfavorite fruit.

• The United States grows 20% of the world’s straw-berries—making us the leading producer. Next areSpain, Japan, Poland, Italy, South Korea and China.

• According to the Agriculture Dept., each American

Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtlessGod never did.—17th c. English writer, Dr. William Butler

gobbles up 4.84 pounds of strawberries per year.

• One cup of strawberries contains only 55 calories.

• Strawberries are grown in every state in the U.S. andevery province of Canada. California alone produces onebillion pounds of strawberries each year.

• A member of the rose family, the strawberry is not aberry—its seeds are on the outside—and strictlyspeaking, its not even a fruit. The edible part of theplant is the enlarged receptacle of the flower. The visi-ble seeds that dot the surface of the strawberry arecalled achenes. (Pronounced a-KEENS.) An achene is atype of dry fruit borne by some plants where the ripenedovary contains a single seed.

• Wild strawberries flourished in Italy as early as 235BC. The first documented botanical illustration of astrawberry plant appeared in a book of herbs printed in1454. Nobody knows when they started growing inNorth America but wild strawberries greeted the first Eu-ropean settlers when they landed in Virginia in 1588.

Grandma’s StrawberryShortcakeShortcake is a kind of biscuit or scone. This one getsits tenderness from the buttermilk. It is best to makethis when strawberries are at peak season, in June.

Serves six

INGREDIENTS

• For the strawberries—1 pound ripe strawberries, hulled1-2 tablespoons sugar or to taste

• For the biscuits—2 cups all-purpose flour1/3 cup granulated sugar1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1 stick cold butter, unsalted, cut into small pieces1 egg, large1 cup heavy cream1/2 cup buttermilk

• For the whipped cream topping—2 cups heavy cream2 tablespoons superfine sugar

METHOD

For the biscuits: set oven temperature to 425.° Placerack in center of oven. Line baking sheet with foil orparchment.

In large bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking powder, bakingsoda and salt. With pastry blender, work the butterinto the dry ingredients; the mixture should resemblecoarse cornmeal.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, heavy creamand buttermilk.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and,with a rubber spatula, stir in the cream mixture until

the dough comes together and is evenly moist. Gatherthe dough into a ball and gently knead four or fivetimes. If the dough is too dry to form into a ball, workin more cream, one teaspoonful at a time.

Place the ball of dough on a floured work surface and,with a rolling pin, roll it to 3/4” thickness. With a 3”inch biscuit cutter, cut the dough into six biscuits.

Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the topswith cream and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake10 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are lightlybrowned. Let cool while you whip the cream.

Just before serving, whip the cream in a chilled bowl;add the superfine sugar and whip with a hand-heldelectric mixer until soft peaks form.

To assemble the shortcakes, split the warm biscuits inhalf horizontally with a serrated knife; transfer half ofeach biscuit to a dessert plate.

Spoon about three-quarters of the reserved berries andtheir juice evenly over the biscuits. Top with a generousdollop of whipped cream and cover each with the otherhalf of the biscuit.

Spoon more berries and cream over each shortcakeand serve immediately. �

THERESIDENTFOODIE by Jan Haber


Remember the days?by James F. Leiner

Sitting on the front porch

I recently took an evening tourof my old neighborhoods inNyack and South Nyack andyou know what I noticed?Folks don’t seem to sit on theirfront porches any more. \eporches are still there—someeven with furniture, but I didn’t see anyonesitting outside and enjoying a lovely sum-mer evening. I passed a few inviting oldporch swings, but nary a person swingingto enjoy a light breeze. I wondered if theprivacy of rear patios or an air-conditionedfamily rooms has taken over.

I grew up in the days before air condition-ing in the three-story house on the cornerof Washington and Cedar Hill Avenueswith its huge screened in porch. It was mygrandparents’ home. My family’s favoritesummer pastime was to spend evenings onour porch. \ere was both a woodenswing on the end of the porch as well asone of those padded metal gliders and afew assorted rocking chairs. We wouldgather after supper to catch up on theneighborhood news as folks often stoppedby to chat. Mrs. Fenton, taking herevening walk, would stop to say hello. Itseemed almost weekly Mrs. Cranston cameover to tell my grandmother about her lat-est cat. If I remember correctly theCranston family were some of the earlyfounders of the old S.P.C.A, and theirhouse across the street always had plenty ofanimals around it to watch. Many of theneighbors, Mrs. Wirtensen, Mrs. Hoffee orMrs. Roseoff would stop to swap recipes orjust sit and chat. Aunt Jean and Uncle Ray,who had a great sitting porch on theirhouse at 65 Washington, would stop for aglass of the ever-present ice tea. If Pop orUncle Harry came down to sit; they alwayshad an extra can of beer for visitors. I usedto like sneaking down late in the evening tosleep on that old glider. Nana removed theplastic covers and replaced them withpadded cushions; all I needed was a lightblanket and I was camping on the frontporch.

When Judy and I went looking for a homeof our own we knew we needed one with afront porch where we could add a swing.With the help of Clint Foster, and the folks

at the Lydecker Agency, we found the per-fect house with the porch we dreamed of;

a small village home on a quietstreet with sufficient room forour swing. We purchased thehouse in 1973 and then camethe problem: I couldn’t find awooden porch swing no matterhow many antiques or junkshops I visited. On a trip outto visit some relatives in Ohioin 1977 I finally found the an-

tique porch swing I’d been seeking. It wastucked in the attic of my Aunt and Uncle’sgarage. After a few repairs and a new coatof yellow paint it was perfect! Hooks werealready there in the porch roof; maybesomeone in the old house had a porchswing before we got there?

My front porch swing was a great place torelax. \e best place to think about myday or sit and talk with the family. With aroof above I could even enjoy the porch ina light rain storm. \ere is nothing quiteas dramatic as watching the lightning andhearing the rumble of a thunderstormrolling down the Hudson River from myfront porch swing. It seems so long agonow when I would come home and sit onthe porch for a while relaxing before sup-per. I enjoyed an up-close view of all thewalkers and the vehicles going down to-ward the Nyack Boat club or the WestShore Apartments along the river. Duringthe street fairs I would see the same carsmaking the round-robin from one end oftown to the other seeking a parking spot.Sometimes as I looked out at the cars,someone would wave, either because Iknew them or just becauseI was there. As I think back on those daysnow summers seemed so special.

In Fall it was a dream to watch the colorfultransformations of the trees along theblock. I could almost see the leaves turningfrom bright green to orange and thenbrown. Warm fall days soon turned cloudyand cold and evenings turned busierpreparing for the holidays, meetings or ap-pointments. I always hoped for a shortwinter. I looked forward to the coming ofSpring when I could once again sit on myfront porch swing and watch the worldpass by; you’d be surprised what you cansee swinging on a front porch.

The Nyack Villager thanks Jim Leiner for helping usall ‘Remember the Days.’ �


by Donna Cox

\ere has been a lot ofattention lately givento websites offering online home valuations. Simply enter an address andvoila the program will assign a value to a particular property. It isn’t thatthese sites lack value or utility. \ey often offer information on a home’smarketing history, when the property last sold, the sales price and otherinsightful data. However, when it comes to determining price, there are somany variables that even the most sophisticated software can’t come closeto determining a home’s value. We know that all homes with four bed-rooms and 2.5 baths are not created equal – even those within a few blocks of each other. A com-puter program can’t begin to capture the magic of a magnificent view or the “wow factor” of a uniquehome with stunning architectural details, both of which have a significant impact on the value of ahome. Interestingly, one site encourages users to go to sellers with their computerized printout asproof of what the value of the home is. As a seller would you accept less just because a computer saysyou should? As a buyer, whose determination of value is more important – yours or a software pro-gram’s? Technology is great, but when it comes to valuing real estate I still remain pro-human. Withthat, here are the homes that sold in April.

• THEHOMES LISTEDBELOWWERE SOLDBYAVARIETYOFBROKERS PROUDLY SERVINGTHERIVERVILLAGES.

Summary Source: GHVMLS YTD Comparison Report

April 2015 YTD vs. April 2014 YTD - Single Family HomesNew Inventory (the number of homes coming on the market) decreased 18.8% (69 YTD 2015 vs. 85 YTD2014). \ere was a 28.6% increase in the number of sales (36 YTD 2015 vs. 28 YTD 2014). \e averagesales price for homes that have sold decreased 7.6% to $616,063. Overall, the average sales price for homesthat have sold in Rockland County (inclusive of the river villages) was $415,848, down 3.1% over the sameperiod last year.

April 2015 YTD vs. April 2014 YTD - Condos/Co-opsNew inventory (the number of condos coming on the market) decreased 39.4% (20 YTD 2015 vs. 33YTD 2014). \ere was a 0% increase in the number of sales (11 YTD 2015 vs. 11 YTD 2014). \e aver-age sales price of condos that have sold decreased 22.4% to $254,300. Overall, the average sales price forcondos that have sold in Rockland County (inclusive of the river villages) was $207,448, down 1.5% overthe same period last year. �

BiLevelBiLevelCondoColonialCo-OpColonialCo-OpCo-OpCape CodCondoCondo

5 West St210 Jewett Rd531 N. Broadway211 Kuyper Dr38 Fourth Ave #3L10 Spring St3 Salisbury Pt #1B1 Salisbury Pt #2D450 S. Broadway57 Harbor Cove5-7 Lawrence Park

$475,000520,000375,000624,000195,000342,500210,000127,500347,000

1,700,000160,000

$499,000550,000399,900629,900199,990375,000239,000139,000369,000

1,800,000170,000

42.132.112112.121

43342311421

C. NyackU. NyackU. NyackNyackNyackS. NyackS. NyackS. NyackU. GrandviewPiermontPiermont

STYLE LOCATION ADDRESS BEDROOMS BATHS LIST PRICE SALE PRICE

They got what?!BOOKTALKby Alison Stone

Secret Lives of theUnderground Railroadin New York Cityby Don Papson and Tom CalarcoMcFarland Publishing, January 2015

Slavery, the buying and selling of kidnapped Africans andtheir descendants, is one of the most shameful chapters inAmerican history. Fortunately, there were those who recog-nized slavery for the atrocity it is, and fought to end it. Dur-ing the years before The Emancipation Proclamation,thousands of escaped slaves were helped to freedom by abrave network of men and women, many in our area.

Secret Lives of the Underground Railroad in New York Cityis a thoroughly researched account of this freedom network,led by Sydney Howard Gay. A sickly, frail man, Gay pos-sessed tremendous courage, devoting his life to the aboli-tionist paper The Standard, and to running the Railroad.

Part One of the book details Gay’s awakening from slaverysupporter to abolitionist, as well as the alliances and rival-ries among Gay and other key figures, including FrederickDouglass and Louis Napoleon. It also shows how money(used to purchase slaves from their masters) and courtrooms(where decisions were made about slaves brought intoNorthern states) were as essential to liberation as secrettransportation and safe houses.

Part Two draws on Gay’s meticulously documented accountsof the people he rescued and transported, as well as de-picting the Draft Riots and ensuing violence.

Scholars and historians will find this an indispensible vol-ume. While lay readers may be daunted by the slow-movingfirst part, it is worth plodding through. Sadly, this book’s les-son about how oppression perpetuates unless met withstrong and continued resistance is still relevant today. �

Alison Stone is the author of four poetry collections, including“Dangerous Enough” (Presa Press 2014), and “They Sing atMidnight,” which won the 2003 Many Mountains MovingPoetry Award and was published by Many Mountains MovingPress. Her poems have appeared in The Paris Review, Poetry,Ploughshares, Barrow Street, Poet Lore, and a variety of otherjournals and anthologies. She has been awarded Poetry’sFrederick Bock Prize and New York Quarterly’s MadelineSadin award. She is also a painter and the creator of TheStone Tarot. A licensed psychotherapist, she has private prac-tices in NYC and Nyack, where she treats individuals, couples,and families.

The Nyack Villager welcomes review copies of books on allsubjects. Send them to Book Talk, c/o The Nyack Villager,PO Box 82, Nyack, NY 10960. We promise we’ll look themover carefully but we can’t promise we’ll review them all.

10 TOP BABY NAMESOF 2014

1. Jackson2. Aiden3. Liam4. Lucas5. Noah6. Mason7. Ethan8. Caden9. Jacob10. Logan

FOR THE BOYS1. Sophia2. Emma3. Olivia4. Ava5. Isabella6. Mia7. Zoe8. Lily9. Emily10. Madelyn

FOR THE GIRLS


To the Theatrewith Holly Caster

Gigi=NoNoIt’s easy for a reviewer or audiencemember to sit back and criticize;we haven’t spent hundreds, if notthousands, of hourslearning our craft, fac-ing rejection and hard-ship to follow ourdream. However it’snot easy for me towrite a review sayingjust how bad Gigi is.But it is bad.

I will preface my re-view by saying that theaudience around meseemed to be having agreat time, truly enjoy-ing the show, and leap-ing to their feet inovation. Good forthem. Long may Gigi run and earnmoney for its participants. But…it’s bad.

Based on the 1958 Best Picture Oscar-winning film, which was based on the1944 novella, which also became aFrench film and an American play, Gigi isnow a musical on Broadway. Hearing theoverture begin, despite the rather tinnysound of the orchestra, I had high hopes:I like the score of Gigi I love all thingsBelle Epoch, I love theater and beingtransported to another time and place.However, I quickly deflated, for as thecast started singing and posturing, all myattempts to suspend disbelief vanished.

\ose were actors notParisians, parading aroundin a splashy Broadway show,not on a Paris street. Whatthey wore were costumes,not clothes. A character ad-dressed the audience, with-out a French accent. I’mokay with that: after all,

people inFrance speakFrench, notFrench-accentedEnglish. How-ever, Gigi issuch a Frenchstory—aboutcourtesans andMaxim’s and theCan-Can—thatthese Americanactors, beingvery American,simply didn’twork. Perhapsif anything on-

stage had been more naturalistic? But no.\e songs were sung Sung SUNG andthe actors ACTED!

As Gigi Vanessa Hudgens never stopssmiling, and gesturing, and never for asingle moment inhabits the skin of a1900s French girl. Yes, she hits all thenotes, but with no emotion, no sense ofthe period of the piece. Her line read-ings—“I know you like me beTTer thanthe others. I’m so glad I cheaTTed atcards”—never become real.

\e plot, largely about money, class,aging, and living life to the fullest, is to-

tally lost. \ere’s no sense of how impor-tant it is to her lower-class family for Gigito make a match with a wealthy man.Gigi’s grandmother first appears in a gor-geous costume, looking like a millionbucks. She shouldn’t. Her clothes shouldbe lived-in at best, probably frayed andfaded. Gaston, the male lead and poten-tial catch for Gigi, is supposed to bejaded. But this Gaston is excited bythings he sees at the World’s Fair. Gastonis supposed to be excited by nothing,which is one of the reasons Gigi and heryouth and enthusiasm attract him,change him. In an effort to reduce anypotential audience discomfort, Gaston’sage has been lowered: he looks about 3years older than Gigi, thereby removinganother crucial plot point about rich menand young mistresses. \e older charac-ters—Gigi’s grandmother and Gaston’suncle—sing a beautiful duet called I’mGlad I’m Not Young Any More, but lookyoung and vital and therefore remove allthe bittersweet feelings behind the song.

\e songs are mostly enjoyable, althoughsung oddly, again not naturally. Writtenby Lerner and Loewe, who also wrote MyFair Lady, the score includes I RememberIt Well, an ode to the past and memoriesboth accurate and inaccurate. I’m afraidmy memory of this production of Gigiwill never be more than “disappointing.”

Holly Caster has lived in Nyack with herplaywright husband, two kids, and twocats for over 10 years. She is by trade awriter and by nature a fan of theater,movies, books, history, & art. �


History of America in Songby Shel Haber

\e history of America is not all foundin books. Some of our history is in thewords of the songs we sing. From theAmerican Revolution to today, songs havecaptured the American story.

� In the early days of the American Rev-olution, the British redcoats ridiculedGeorge Washington’s army, whom theyviewed as an undisciplined ragtag mob, asthey sang—

Yankee Doodle went to townA-riding on a pony,Stuck a feather in his capAnd called it macaroni.

Fath'r and I went down to camp,Along with Captain Gooding,And there we saw the men and boysAs thick as hasty pudding.

� But the Americans took the same song,and accompanied by fife and drum, sangthe same verses as they marched into battle.In a series of battles at Bennington andSaratoga, the Americans decisively de-feated the British forces.

Why come ye hither, Redcoats, your mind what madness fills?In our valleys there is danger, and there's danger on our hills.Oh, hear ye not the singing of the bugle wild and free?And soon you'll know the ringing of the rifle from the tree.

Oh, the rifle, oh, the rifleIn our hands will prove no trifle.

Tell he who stays at home, or cross the briny watersThat thither ye must come like bullocks to the slaughter.If we the work must do, why, the sooner 'tis begun,If flint and trigger hold but true, the sooner 'twill be done.

� After the revolution, an election woulddecide the future of the American nation.\e question to be answered—would allmen or only those who owned propertyhave the right to vote?

The gloomy night before us lies,The reign of terror now is o'er;Its gags, inquisitors and spies,Its hordes of harpies are no more

Rejoice, Columbia's sons, rejoiceTo tyrants never bend the kneeBut join with heart and soul and voiceFor Jefferson and Liberty.

Here strangers from a thousand shoresCompell'd by tyranny to roam;Shall find, amidst abundant stores,A nobler and a happier home.

With Jefferson's election all free men hadthe right vote but it would be decades and

many songs before women or AfricanAmericans would join them.

� As the new nation spread Westward,farms and businesses sprang up—alongwith a new problem. Shipping productsEast was difficult and expensive. In 1825the Erie Canal was constructed. It flowedfrom the Great Lakes 425 miles to theHudson River, linking markets along theroute, ensuring the viability of fledglingAmerica.

I've got an old mule and her name is SalFifteen years on the Erie CanalShe's a good old worker and a good old palFifteen years on the Erie Canal

We've hauled some barges in our dayFilled with lumber, coal, and hayAnd every inch of the way we knowFrom Albany to Buffalo

Low bridge, everybody downLow bridge cause we're coming to a townAnd you'll always know your neighborAnd you'll always know your palIf you've ever navigated on the Erie Canal

� A book and a song changed how 19thCentury Americans viewed slavery.\e book was Uncle Tom's Cabin, pub-lished in 1852 by Harriet Beecher Stowe.It demand that America live up to theideal that all men are created equal. \islittle book contributed to the outbreak ofthe Civil War. \e song was John Brown'sBody.

At sunset on Sunday, October 16, 1859John Brown led 16 white and five blackmen on a raid to capture the weaponsstored at the Harpers Ferry arsenal. Hisplan was to arm the local blacks, to startan insurrection to free the slaves. Brown'sraid failed and he was captured. Tried bythe Commonwealth of Virginia for trea-son, he was hanged.

Two years later, thousands upon thou-sands of federal troops marched South,singing this song—

John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave,But his soul goes marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah,Glory, glory, hallelujah,Glory, glory, hallelujahHis soul goes marching on.

With cannon fire rumbling in the distance,Julia Ward Howe visited the Union en-campments near Washington DC and

heard soldiers singing as they marched offto war \at night she wrote a poem bycandlelight. It was to the tune of JohnBrown's Body. Published in 1862, He At-lantic Monthly named the poem He Bat-tle Hymn of the Republic.

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:His truth is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!Glory, glory, hallelujah!Glory, glory, hallelujah!His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps,They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:His day is marching on.

� While the Civil War was still beingfought the US government opened thou-sands of acres of free land in the West.Called the Homestead Acts, land was givento farmers who would operate their ownfarms. People traveled thousands of milesto claim their piece of America.

Did you ever hear tell of Sweet Betsy from Pike,Who crossed the wide mountains with her lover Ike,Two yoke of cattle, a large yeller dog,A tall Shanghai rooster, and a one-spotted hog.

The Shanghai ran off, and the cattle all died,That morning the last piece of bacon was fried.Ike got discouraged, Betsy got mad,The dog drooped his tail and looked wondrously sad

They swam the wide rivers and crossed the tall peaks,And camped on the prairie for weeks upon weeks.Starvation and cholera, hard work and slaughter--They reached California 'spite of hell and high water.

� Newspapers of the day described theGreat Plains as earthly paradise, whereyou could and drop a seed in the groundand crops would instantly spring up.But according to He Housewife’s Lament,there were folks who didn’t think theyhad it so easy—

One day I was walking, I heard a complainingAnd saw an old woman the picture of gloomShe gazed at the mud on her doorstep (’twas raining)And this was her song as she wielded her broom

Oh, life is a toil and love is a troubleBeauty will fade and riches will fleePleasures they dwindle and prices they doubleAnd nothing is as I would wish it to be.

There’s too much of worriment goes to a bonnetThere’s too much of ironing goes to a shirtThere’s nothing that pays for the time you waste on itThere’s nothing that lasts us but trouble and dirt.

� In the 1870s the average factory and


Congress passed an eight-hour law onJune 25, 1868 but the law was largely ig-nored. In the 1880s the issue was revived.

Eight hours for work, eight hours for rest,Eight hours for what we will;Eight hours for work, eight hours for rest,Eight hours for what we will.

As America grew, most of her peoplefound jobs, a very few made fortunes andsome lived in poverty.

� Although divided by politics, mostAmericans united when it came to games.

Take me out to the ball game,Take me out with the crowd;Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,I don't care if I never get back.Let me root, root, root for the home team,If they don't win, it's a shame.For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,At the old ball game.

� On April 6, 1917 America went towar. \e majority of Americans favoredneutrality but when German U-boatssank unarmed ships, American publicopinion turned against Germany.

Over there, over there,Send the word, send the word over thereThat the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are comingThe drums rum-tumming everywhere.So prepare, say a prayer,Send the word, send the word to bewareWe'll be over, we're coming over,And we won't come back till it's over, over there.

� \e Roaring ‘20s—the ten years thatfollowed World War I—was a time of ex-cess and wild-eyed optimism.

Blue skies smiling at meNothing but blue skies do I see

Never saw the sun shining so brightNever saw things going so rightNoticing the days hurrying byWhen you're in love, my how they fly

Blue days all of them goneNothing but blue skies from now on.

� \e Wall Street Crash of 1929 was themost devastating stock market crash inUS history and led to the 10-year GreatDepression.

Once I built a railroad, I made it runMade it race against timeOnce I built a railroad, now it's doneBrother, can you spare a dime?

Once I built a tower up to the sunBrick and rivet and limeOnce I built a tower, now it's doneBrother, can you spare a dime?

� On September 1, 1939 Nazi Germanyinvaded Poland, beginning World War II.

When the lights go on again all over the worldAnd the boys are home again all over the worldAnd rain or snow is all that may fall from the skies aboveA kiss won't mean "goodbye" but "hello to love"

� On December 7, 1941 in a surprise at-tack, Japan bombed the American navalbase at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, killing1,177 Americans. \e USA immediatelydeclared war on Japan and Germany.

Let's remember Pearl HarborAs we go to meet the foeLet's remember Pearl HarborAs we did the Alamo.

� On May 7, 1945 Germany uncondi-tionally surrendered to the Allies. OnAugust 6 and 9, the U.S. dropped twoatomic bombs on Japan. On August 14,Japan surrendered, ending World War II.

I'll be home for ChristmasYou can count on mePlease have snow and mistletoeAnd presents under the tree

Christmas Eve will find meWhere the love light beamsI'll be home for ChristmasIf only in my dreams.

� On March 8, 1965, the first U.S. com-bat troops arrived in Vietnam. On April30, 1975 Saigon fell, American troopswithdrew and the war ended.

Come mothers and fathersThroughout the landAnd don't criticizeWhat you can't understandYour sons and your daughtersAre beyond your commandYour old road isRapidly agin'.Please get out of the new oneIf you can't lend your handFor the times they are a-changin'.

� \e Selma-to-Montgomery march forvoting rights culminated in the passage ofthe Voting Rights Act of 1965.

We shall overcomeWe shall overcomeWe shall overcome some day.

Oh, deep in my heartI do believeWe shall overcome some day.

We'll walk hand in handWe'll walk hand in handWe'll walk hand in hand some day.

� A music festival in Woodstock NewYork, August 15—18, 1969 was billed as

An Aquarian Exposition: Hree Days ofPeace & Music.

What would you think if I sang out of tuneWould you stand up and walk out on me?Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a songAnd I'll try not to sing out of key

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friendsMmm, I get high with a little help from my friendsMmm, gonna try with a little help from my friends.

� \ough the Equal Rights Amendmentfailed in 1979, the quest for social justiceit inspired changed the way Americansviewed women and their work.

I am woman, hear me roarIn numbers too big to ignoreAnd I know too much to go back an' pretend'cause I've heard it all beforeAnd I've been down there on the floorNo one's ever gonna keep me down again.

Oh yes I am wiseBut it's wisdom born of painYes, I've paid the priceBut look how much I gainedIf I have to, I can do anythingI am strong (strong)I am invincible (invincible)I am woman.

� On November 9, 1989 the Berlin Wallcame down, ending 44 years of Cold War.

Imagine there's no heavenIt's easy if you tryNo hell below usAbove us only skyImagine all the peopleLiving for today...

You may say I'm a dreamerBut I'm not the only oneI hope someday you'll join usAnd the world will be as one.

� On August 28, 2013, the 50th an-niversary of Dr. Martin Luther King'sI Have a Dream speech, one hundredthousand visitors thronged the LincolnMemorial.

This land is your land, this land is my landFrom California to the New York island;From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream watersThis land was made for you and me.

As I was walking that ribbon of highway,I saw above me that endless skyway:I saw below me that golden valley:This land was made for you and me.

I've roamed and rambled and I followed my footstepsTo the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts;And all around me a voice was sounding:This land was made for you and me.

Shel Haber is the co-founder and co-editorof He Nyack Villager.

June 2015oFlower:ROSEsymbol ofromantic love

Birthstone:MOONSTONE

symbol of healthand long life

SUN MON TUES WED THU FRI SAT

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30

R

S

R

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firstquarter

last quarter

new moon

full moon

ROCABARN DANCEsee pg 6

ROCA’sSummerArts DayCamp begins

see pg 6

ART WALKbeginscontinuesthru Sun.see pg 6

FLASHSKETCHMOBtodaysee pg 6

STUDENTART SHOW

atPiermontLibrarysee pg 6

Artist ofthe Month

at CornerFrame Shopsee pg 6

Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.—Charles Dickens

s

Nationalyo-yo Day

InternationalPicnic DayFlag Day

Father’s Day& Summerarrives

National Yo-Yo Day was established as June 6th in honorof the birthday of Donald F. Duncan Sr.

The first Father's Day celebration was in Spokane, Wa. onMay 18, 1910.

Picnics date back to Medieval times, when outdoors feastswere held to celebrate successful hunts. Picnics grew inpopularity during the Victorian Era in England.



prefix unless otherwise noted: 845

TheNyackVillagerEditor JAN HABERContributing Editor SHEL HABERCorrespondent BILL DEMARESTPublishers JAN & SHEL HABERCommunity advisor FRANCES PRATT

Founded in 1994, The Nyack Villager is published monthly, mailed on or about the first of each month to every postal address in eight Hudson Rivervillages—Nyack, Upper Nyack, Central Nyack, South Nyack, Grand View, Upper Grandview, Piermont &Palisades (zipcodes 10960, 10964 & 10968).

Columnists JIM LEINER • DAN SHAW, LCSWJON FELDMAN • RIC PANTALE • VICKYSCHWAIDHARRIET CORNELL • HOLLY CASTER • DONNA COXBILL DEMEREST • SUPERVISOR ANDY STEWARTTHE VETS AT VALLEY COTTAGE ANIMAL HOSPITALTHE MEDICAL STAFF OF NYACK HOSPITAL

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All rights reserved. Reproduction without written permission is forbidden.

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The Nyack Villager June · 2015-06-05 · The Nyack Villager AnindependentmonthlynewsmagazinecelebratinglifeandtheartsintheHudsonRiverVillages June 2015 PRSTSTD USPostage PAID permitno