Last year, on an ordinary July afternoon, a Palisades family like many others was outside enjoying the warm summer air. Several members were sitting on the porch reading the paper, some were chatting, while others were working in the garden. Those in the garden inadvertently disturbed some yellow jackets that flew out of the flowerbed and buzzed angrily around them. Then, seemingly without warning, the wasps attacked and stung one of them.

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Alice Haagensen’s Palisades and Snedens Landing Re-issued
At 3:30pm on Sunday, May 18, Alice Gerard will give a talk at the Palisades Free library about the republication of Palisades and Snedens Landing, first published by her mother Alice Haagensen in 1986 but long out of print. She will have copies of the book with her for purchase. This book covers the history of our community from the earliest times to the end of the nineteenth century and contains 122 pages of narrative history and photographs as well as another 97 pages of appendices. Alice Gerard’s book Palisades and Snedens Landing: the Twentieth Century is a continuation of the earlier book.

RABIES
This past March, an Orangeburg woman was bitten by a rabid coyote while defending her dog from its attack. The police shot the coyote dead and tests on its brain performed by the Rockland County Health Department were positive for rabies. In an unrelated incident, a woman was bitten by a raccoon found in her basement. This animal is still on the loose. Rabies is especially prevalent in raccoons, coyotes, bats, skunks, and foxes. If you see a wild animal acting strangely, do not try to engage it, but let it go away on its own. If you need assistance, you may call the Orangetown Police Department at 845-359-3700 and ask to speak to an Animal Control or Police Officer. If people or pets are in immediate danger, call 911. Free rabies vaccinations are available from the Rockland County Department of Health at the Rockland County Fire Training Center in Pomona.

Saturday, June 14, is the date for this year’s Old Fashioned Strawberry Festival at the Palisades Presbyterian Church. The Festival runs from 2:00pm to 6:00pm, rain or shine, on the Church grounds. Enjoy strawberry smoothies, lemonade, and of course the famous strawberry shortcake (with homemade whipped cream) while having fun with neighbors and friends. Face painting and other children’s activities make this a great family outing, too. For more information, contact the Palisades Presbyterian Church at 845-359-3147, or visit the Church website at: www.palpresny.org

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For many in our area, the thwack of titanium against resin can inspire euphoria, but for Orangetown officials, it’s more likely to bring on headaches. Orangetown’s two public golf courses, the 27-hole Blue Hill Golf Course and the nine-hole Broadacres, operate at an annual deficit and cost taxpayers some serious money. As Rockland County struggles with huge fiscal challenges – largely by putting a heavier financial burden on towns – it’s questionable how long Orangetown can afford to foot the bill for these two golf courses.

We have 2 new websites!
Palisades Community Center: www.palisadescc.org
Palisades Farmers’ Market:
www.palisadesfm.org

For everything Palisades, visit the 10964 website: www.palisadesny.com

To sign up for Palisades E-mail Alerts and Palisades Community Center news: pcc@Palisadesny.com

My Blossom, a twelve-year-old wirehaired dachshund, died very suddenly on Monday, November 25, 2013. He died as he had lived, with fervor. He was born on January 15, 2001, the sixth puppy in a litter; his mother was our dog Dandelion. I’ve written about his mother’s delivery of eight puppies in the January 2001 issue of 10964. So I will not repeat. I will summarize.

Dr. Tro Kalayjian & wife Rosette welcomed the arrival of their daughter Aleen this past December. The couple, who also have a two-year-old son, recently moved to Palisades where Tro grew up. He has just completed his residency and is now affiliated with Pascack Valley/Hackensack Hospital.

SO MAYBE those deep sale Prada pumps never stretched the way you thought they would. Or maybe your t’ween daughter’s designer jeans won’t squeeze over her post-adolescent curves. Or maybe you just can’t justify paying four figures for a high-end bag…then Merry Go Round in Northvale is the place for you.

117 Washington Spring Road
PO Box 687, Palisades, NY 10964
845-359-3147
ppc10964@gmail.com,
www.palpresny.org

OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00am to 2:00pm Please check out our facebook page! www.facebook.com/ThePalisadesPresbyterianChurch

Stories from the Past: Reconstructing Global Climate Change
March 30, 3:00pm at Lamont-Doherty
Humans are changing global climate at a pace unprecedented in Earth’s history but past climate trends can help us to understand where our modern climate is headed. Although we cannot make direct measurements of the past atmosphere, we can use marine records preserved in fossil plankton that accumulates on the sea floor. The cores of ancient ocean sediments gathered by Lamont-Doherty scientists for more than 50 years tell a compelling story of climate change and its effects.

ONE OF THE SIMPLE PLEASURES of living around here was going to Vince Castagna’s Tappan Auto shop on Route 303 and Oak Tree Road to get my car inspected. I’d walk in to his tiny waiting room furnished with old car seats with the stuffing lolling out, newspapers, vintage magazines with their covers torn off, out-of-date calendars, oil cans, anti-freeze, tires and decades of dirt and whatnot, all that you’d expect from that line of work, and hidden by the clutter in plain sight would be Judy, Vince’s wife, in all her comforting bulk, stationed at her little desk doing crossword puzzles out of a crossword puzzle book. She’d look up at me as if I were interrupting, and I guess I was, but then she’d quickly get down to business and call Vince in from the garage to take care of me. They were a team. He’d drive the car into the work bay, get out, let her climb into it, and she’d call out numbers he’d crunch into some sort of hand-held device, then pronounce me inspected. It was the same year after year. After completing the ritual, Judy would charge me $25 and I’d be on my way.

Member of the Ramapo Catskill Library System and ANSER Network
19 Closter Road, Palisades, NY 10964
Tel: 845-359-0136 | Fax: 845-359-6124
www.palisadeslibrary.org

HOURS: Monday to Thursday 11:00 to 9:00pm, Friday, Saturday 11:00 to 5:00pm, Sunday 1:00 to 5:00pm.
Next Meeting of the Board of Trustees: Wednesday, April 9, 7:30pm at the Library. All meetings are open to the public.
HOLIDAYS: Closed Easter Sunday, April 20

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Member of the Ramapo Catskill Library System and ANSER Network
19 Closter Road, Palisades, NY 10964
845-359-0136, Fax 845-359-6124
www.palisadeslibrary.org

Hours: Monday - Thursday 11-9, Friday - Saturday 11-5, Sunday 1-5.
Next Meeting of the Board of Trustees: Wed., December 11, 7:30PM at the Library. All meetings are open to the public.
Holidays: Closed December 24 at 3PM and all day December 25. Closed at 3PM on December 31 and all day on January 1 and January 20.

Director: Maria Gagliardi; Board of Trustees: Sabelle Frasca, President; Michele Kalotkin, Vice President; Helena Power, Secretary; Holly Seeger, Treasurer; Mary Ann Brueckner; Paul Goldman; Leslie Hayes; Roger Hooker; Jonathan Plowe.

Palisadians have a tendency to look south towards NYC, instead of to the rest of Rockland County. But vital issues north of here will eventually affect us as well; it’s important to learn the facts about two of them: the proposed United Water desalination plant in Haverstraw and the problems of the East Ramapo school district.

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This fall the Palisades Free Library will complete an exciting renovation project that will expand and improve the services we can offer our residents. The last major building improvement was in 1996. The renovation will update the functional space and energy efficiency of the building while retaining the library’s warmth and historic charm.

Ernest de la Torre
The August issue of Architectural Digest featured a distinctive SoHo loft recently completed by Palisades resident Ernest de la Torre. Created as a residence for a client of New York and Philadelphia, the apartment interiors are modern and classic. A cozy outdoor living space, complete with fireplace, renders this loft a versatile indoor and outdoor living space year-round.

The building of the new Tappan Zee Bridge requires dredging of the river bottom for the construction of pylons to support two new spans. The degree of damage this dredging will inflict on the local ecosystem is not precisely known, but what is known is that the dredging project is the largest in the history of the Hudson.

A beautiful summer evening — four of us having dinner together outside on the terrace below the house. My tenants Danny and Aline Lehrecke had invited me to share their grilled chicken, and we were catching up on events, since I had been away for three weeks. It was a peaceful night, although there were the usual late-day noises: a passing train across the river, a cricket or two, a distant barking dog.

JOIN US AT OUR END OF SEASON FARMERS' MARKET DINNER

the Market dinner 2010 celebration
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Saturday, May 18, 7:00 to 9:00pm.
Under twinkling lights, enjoy food straight from the farm to our table in the company of friends and neighbors.

Please R.S.V.P. so we can get a headcount. www.brownpapertickets.com/event/372261
Volunteers and underwriters are needed!