Lamont-Doherty Open House
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory 2012 Open House will take place on Saturday, October 6, from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm at Lamont-Doherty, 61 Route 9W.
Fun and informative activities for earth science enthusiasts of all ages. For more information please call LDEO Events: 845-365-8998.

Fire Prevention Week
Fire Prevention Week is October 7 through October 13. Remember to clean those chimney flues and review emergency escape routes with your children in case of fire.
• Plan two escape routes out of each room.
• Practice fire drills at least twice a year.
• Teach family members to stay low to the ground when escaping from a fire.
• Teach family members never to open doors that are hot. In a fire, feel the bottom of the door with the palm of your hand. If it is hot, do not open the door. Find another way out.
• Install smoke detectors on every level of your home. Clean and test them at least once a month. Change batteries at least once a year.
• Keep a whistle in each bedroom to awaken household in case of fire.
• Check electrical outlets. Do not overload outlets.
• Purchase and learn how to use a fire extinguisher (5 lb., A-B-C type).
• Have a collapsible ladder on each upper floor of your house.
During Fire Prevention Week, The John Paulding Engine Company Ladies Auxiliary, Sparkill/ Palisades Fire District will be sponsoring a free document shredding day for residents only at the Sparkill Fire House on Route 340 on Saturday, October 13 from 9:00 am to 12 pm or until the on-site truck is full. Donations are welcome.

Palis-Agers to Meet October 18
The group will meet on Thursday, October 18 at 1:30 pm, in the Community Room of the Palisades Presbyterian Church. We will have an opportunity to talk about our lives and our problems while we share the usual refreshments. We will miss Claude Baker, who came to many of our meetings; this issue of 10964 includes an article about him.

The Children's Shakespeare Theatre
CST will launch its 14th season this fall with a fast and zany production of Macbeth presented by the Knaves. This 90-minute production will take you on a whirlwind of a ride into the mind of a maniacal killer and through the torturous avenues of witchcraft and deepest evil.
With a cast of only 14 kids, the darkest of Shakespeare’s tragedies will hurtle through time with furious sword fights and thrilling poetry.
Macbeth plays on Friday, 10/26 at 7:00 pm and Saturday, 10/27 at 2:00 and 7:00 pm.
Tickets available on Brown Paper Tickets: brownpapertickets. com
Ticket prices: $15 adults, $12 seniors, $10 kids (18 and under)

Annual Winter Coat and Food Drive
Coats, hats, scarves, sweaters, etc. for all ages (infant to adult) and non-perishable food will be collected for People to People and the Martin Luther King Center. Items can be dropped off at the Palisades Community Center Saturday, October 27 to Friday, November 2, between 10:00am and 4:00pm. Volunteers are needed to sort. Contact PCC@Palisadesny.com

(Click to enlarge)

Katie Elevitch
Katie Elevitch CD release Veteran’s Day Event! Sunday November 11th, at the Turning Point, Piermont, NY (359-10890). A full band show featuring songs from her new CD that explore her relationship to her late father, a decorated WWII veteran, and his own relationship to war. Katie’s new CD will be for sale, as well as Morton Elevitch’s book Dog Tags Yapping, a first person account of his war experience through letters and cartoons. Proceeds from this event will help Katie attend a special yoga teacher training to learn how to help veterans heal emotionally and manage stress through yoga. Go to Katie’s blog RockandRollYogi.com for more info. Show details and tickets for sale at turningpointcafe.com.

Burglary Season
Orangetown Police have noted that prime burglary season is October through March. This is because it gets dark early and houses are dark until people return home from work and activities, a sure sign that no one is home. The recommendation: keep your lights on a timer to go on just before dusk, as soon as the season changes.

Tappan Zee Bridge
Plans to replace the 55-yearold Tappan Zee Bridge moved dramatically ahead when, on August 30, Governor Cuomo — with the approval of the NY Metropolitan Transportation Council — officially requested a federal loan for the project. While there are a number of important issues ranging from funding to environmental concerns that still need to be resolved, it’s clear that the Tappan Zee Bridge is deteriorating rapidly. According to newnybridge.com/read the plan.pdf, maintenance on the current bridge ($750 million for ten years) has run about $200,000 a day for the last ten years.

Lamont Doherty Observatory Special Research Scientists Dr. Paul Richards and Dr. Klaus Jacob who have been actively involved in the bridge planning for the past four years, voice their concerns over a little publicized issue. They submitted a detailed criticism to the DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement) regarding inaccuracies and significant omissions in a section of the plans characterizing regional earthquakes. “The DEIS sent a dismissive comment that ignored our criticism. This response does not inspire confidence that N.Y. State has expertise on board to evaluate issues related to the likely occurrence of earthquakes in the region, or to the way in which a new bridge will be built that can resist earthquake ground motions,” reports Richards.

Union Arts Center Opens
The old firehouse in Sparkill at 2 Union Street has been meticulously and exquisitely renovated by its new owner, Simon Basner, into performance and teaching space for use by the local art community. For inquiries about using the space, or for information about scheduled events, go to unionartscenter.com

Ash Trees Threatened
The Emerald Ash Borer, is heading our way according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A purple bag hanging from a tree at the triangle on Woods Road is one of 80 it has installed in three New York counties to monitor the borer’s arrival. The exotic beetle, native to Asia, was probably brought into the country through wood packing used to ship goods. It was first discovered in 2002 in Michigan. Now detected in fifteen States (New York being one), it is responsible for the death of tens of millions of ash trees.
Early symptoms of an infestation include dead branches near the top of a tree or wild leafy shoots growing out of its lower trunk. Infested trees will decline from the top down and will be dead in one to three years. In infested areas, even trees treated with insecticides are likely to succumb. Cut and stacked ash wood more than one year old can harbor larvae and pose a risk for the borer’s spreading. If your trees show signs of an infestation contact the State agriculture agency (866-640-0652).

VOTE TUESDAY NOVEMBER 6
6:00 am to 9:00 pm
All Palisades residents vote at the Esplanade, 640 Oak Tree Rd.