Art Shows

Until October 11 - Peter Baryshnikov has a show of photographs up at the National Arts Club, 15 Grammercy Park South. Admission is free.

Until October 13 - David Wolk has a show of photographs up at the Goldsmith Gallery in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

In 2008, at the annual Palisades Community Center (PCC) meeting, the community was very vocal, yet again, about their concerns of safety on Oak Tree Road, primarily speeding and the lack of a sidewalk between the PCC and RT 9W. So began the concerted effort to get a sidewalk installed. For six years the community attended countless town meetings to give impassioned speeches, and e-mailed letters to three successive town supervisors and the town board. Finally, after years of twists and turns, we were thrilled when, in early September, a construction crew appeared and in less than three weeks our sidewalk was in.

As of now, by 2017, a low slung, 143- foot tall rectangular office building will rise above the ribbon of trees north and west of the George Washington Bridge – a monument to the marriage of big money and small town politics. Perched on the cliffs opposite the Cloisters, the tower will be the first visible structure built since John D. Rockefeller, Jr. donated 2500 acres to the Palisades Interstate Park Commission in the 1930s. Rockefellerʼs gift was to prevent quarry companies from blasting parts of the magnificent geological formation into gravel. Now, in the digital age, the natural beauty of the cliffs is under siege again.

We thank Michael Tersigni as he steps off the PCC Board for his dedicated service. For our handicap ramp project, he donated his architectural skills and helped to oversee all aspects of the project. He and David Palachek gave freely their graphic design talents. We will miss him, but are delighted that he has offered to assist us with the handicap bathroom and kitchen project.

On March 29, Town Supervisor Andy Stewart and Superintendent of Highways Jim Dean came to a community meeting at the Palisades Community Center to discuss the status of the Oak Tree Road sidewalk. The meeting gave us the opportunity to discuss the sidewalk and other traffic safety concerns and to express our frustration at the delay in the sidewalk project that we have been advocating since 2008. Jim Dean and Andy Stewart assured us that it will be completed this year.

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.