February 2024

Table of Contents

From the Supervisor's Desk

Solar Update

Help Wanted

Copake Fire Department

Bicentennial Celebration

Winds in the Wilderness

Knit Club

Park Commission Easter Egg Hunt

Grange Events

Copake History

What's Happening at the Library

Columbia County Mental Health Center

Memorial Bricks

K.I.S.S.

From the Supervisor's Desk            

January was a very eventful month, but not in the way we anticipated. Bill Gregory’s highway crew brought over more than 100 chairs from the Park Building to augment what we already had here, and Bob Callahan set them up in this courtroom (they’re still here) so we could accommodate all the people expected to attend the public comment hearings on the Shepherd’s Run Solar Project proposal. But less than four hours before they were set to begin, ORES postponed the hearings.

Then came the weather. You will recall that Copake suffered back-to-back storms, with high winds and mixed precipitation. Some wind gusts apparently exceeded 70 miles per hour. We were hit harder than any other town in Columbia County. Power lines went down, as did some poles. On January 13, almost 1,400 Copake homes and businesses were without power; we had more than 50% of the county’s outages. Roads were blocked by fallen trees and snow drifts. I was in frequent contact with Highway Superintendent Bill Gregory who, together with the highway employees, worked tirelessly to clear roads and provide access to NYSEG repair crews. The Copake Fire Company responded to numerous calls about flooded basements.



After speaking with Copake’s NYSEG contact and getting not especially encouraging restoration time estimates, I decided to open the Park Building as a warming center. Bob Callahan staffed it, and notifications on Facebook, the NYSEG outages web page, and the electronic sign at the Copake Fire Company invited townspeople to come over to the park to warm up and to charge their cell phones until 11 p.m.

The next morning, when I called the Fire Company, Chief John DeRocha invited me to tour with him to assess the damage. Taconic Shores were especially hard hit: the roofs of several homes were damaged by big, fallen fir trees; several cars were crushed; several roads were blocked. Miraculously, there were no reported injuries. We reopened the warming center because there were still more than 200 homes without power. By late afternoon, power had been almost completely restored and, at 5 pm, we closed the warming center.

I want to thank Bob Callahan, Chief DeRocha, Bill Gregory, and the entire Highway Department for their hard work and cooperation during and after the storms. I also want to acknowledge the guidance of David Harrison, Columbia County’s Director of Emergency Management, and NYSEG’s Melany Putnam, who called me frequently with updates and posted Copake’s warming center information on the NYSEG website.

Finally, I want to thank the many Copakeans who checked in on their neighbors, shared food, shared warmth if they had generators, and endured a difficult few days with calm and gratitude for the many people who worked to return Copake to a measure of normalcy.    

Richard Wolf

Copake Supervisor

Solar Report

On Feb. 6, Executive Director Houtan Moaveni of the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) announced that Hecate Energy’s application for a siting permit to construct and operate a 60-megawatt solar factory (known as Shepherd’s Run) in Craryville, had been dismissed. According to Ben Wisniewski, our excellent attorney for solar matters, this is the first time a siting application has been dismissed by the state.

  

In his decision, Moaveni said dismissal was warranted because Hecate could not obtain title or a leasehold interest in all of the land parcels upon which the proposed project would sit. He was critical of Hecate’s failure to notify ORES when the developer knew its option to lease a 60-acre parcel was expiring. The option expired on September 17, 2023, a month before ORES issued Hecate a draft permit. The clear implication is that ORES would not have issued a draft permit had it known that Hecate did not have control of the 60-acre parcel. In fact, the executive director wrote that Hecate should have notified ORES even earlier, in August, 2023, that its option-to-lease agreement with the landowner was expiring and had not been renewed. Had ORES known about this by August 25, the implication is that ORES would not have issued a Notice of Complete Application at that time. The executive director wrote that Hecate’s “lack of transparency and timely action” required dismissal of its application, concluding that “(d)eparting from [ORES’ siting process] to address Hecate’s own mistake is unsupportable as a matter of law, and would adversely impact the integrity of the…process.” 

This decision is welcome, but the saga of Shepherd’s Run is not over. Although the application was dismissed, it was dismissed “without prejudice.” This means Hecate may submit a new application for a somewhat smaller facility. Hecate has written to me that it will seek approval for a 42-megawatt project.

We hope that this time Hecate will work with Copake to address our well-documented concerns about its proposal. This should begin with Hecate’s willingness to incorporate the proposals of the ad hoc Working Group, including creation of a 300-acre public greenspace to effectively shield the facility components and create nature walks and bicycle paths, which would turn Shepherd’s Run, as I’ve said too many times already, “from an eyesore into a tourist attraction.” Hecate also needs to address the concerns of homeowners who will be most adversely impacted by the presence of tens of thousands of solar panels directly across the road. Their property values will surely plummet, and they should be compensated.

Richard Wolf

Help Wanted

The Town Board of the Town of Copake will be accepting letters of interest and resumes for the following positions:

Copake Summer Park Director

Copake Summer Park Assistant Director

Information and job descriptions can be obtained from the Supervisor at (518)329-1234 ext. 1. Letters/resumes must be sent to 230 Mountain View Road, Copake, NY 12516 Attention: Town Clerk or emailed to copaketownclerk@townofcopake.org.

Help Wanted

The Town Board of the Town of Copake will be accepting letters of interest and resumes for the following position:

Copake Economic Development Advisory Committee-Member



Letters/resumes may be sent to: Town Clerk, 230 Mountain View Road, Copake, NY 12516, or emailed to: copaketownclerk@townofcopake.org.

Help Wanted

The Town Board of the Town of Copake will be accepting letters of interest and resumes for the following positions:

Zoning Board of Appeals Clerk

Park Commission Member

Letters/resumes may be sent to: Town Clerk, 230 Mountain View Road, Copake, NY 12516, or emailed to: copaketownclerk@townofcopake.org.

Town Announces Bicentennial Celebration Calendar

Kellie Nardin, Chair of the Copake Bicentennial Committee, has announced the schedule for the bicentennial celebration. The wide variety of events will be held during the spring and summer of 2024 and include something for everyone. The town has received generous support from the Rheinstrom Hill Community Foundation as well as Columbia County Tourism to fund these events. The schedule is as follows:

Special Town Board Meeting - April 4, 2024

The bicentennial celebration will commence with a Special Town Board meeting in the Copake Town Hall at 7:00 pm on Thursday, April 4, 2024. The meeting marks the 200th anniversary of the first town meeting. The public is invited.

“Your Town” – a Musical at the Copake Grange - April 5 - 7, 2024

Local playwright Carl Ritchie has written an original play, titled “Your Town.” Featuring local talent as well as professional actors, the play is loosely based on “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder, as well as the minutes from the first town meeting in April 1824. The play will be directed by Mr. Ritchie and performed at the Copake Grange Theater, with evening performances at 7:00 pm on Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6, and matinee performances at 2:00 pm on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7. The costumes are designed and donated by J. Kevin Draves.

Rail Trail Art Project – July 6, 2024

This event for children will include art activities based on nature and the area’s history. The event will be held at the Pavillion in Taconic State Park in Copake Falls at 10:00 am. Pre-registration is required. Please register by sending an email to Copakebicentennial@gmail.com.

“Come Home to Copake” Picnic - July 13, 2024 11:00 am to 8:00 pm at Copake Memorial Park. Rain Date: July 14, 2024

Current residents and anyone who has ever lived in Copake are invited to attend this town picnic. The event will feature live music, an art exhibit, car show, and attractions to amuse children, including a hot dog eating contest and sack races. A dessert baking contest will be judged by Nancy Fuller of Copake and the Food Network Show Farm House Rules. Families are invited to bring a picnic lunch and/or dinner, but food will also be available for sale. Copake Fire Company will be doing a Chicken BBQ with pre-sale tickets only. They can be purchased at Copake Town Hall. The Ghent Band will play at 2:00 pm and Night Train will play at 6:00 pm. The picnic will be an opportunity to share memories, renew old friendships and make new friends.

Bicentennial Parade and Picnic - August 17, 2024  Rain Date: August 18

The finale of the bicentennial celebration will be a parade in the Hamlet of Copake, followed by a celebration at Catamount. The parade will line up at 2:30 pm by the Copake Fire Department on Center Hill Road and will step off at 3:00 pm. All local organizations and businesses are invited to participate in the parade. Grand marshalls are former supervisor Angelo Valentino, former town clerk Vana Hotaling, Flora Bergquist and Edgar Masters. To register for the parade write to CopakeParade@gmail.com

The grounds at Catamount will open at 5:00 pm. Attendees are welcome to bring picnic dinners or may purchase food and drink at Catamount. There will be live music and chairlift rides. The evening and the celebration will conclude with fireworks.

Friday, June 14, 7:00 - 8:30 pm

Looking Back: Life on a Copake Farm

Moderator: Howard Blue

Panel Members: Stosh Gansowski, Dean Pells, Wayne Miller, Judy Ackley Whitbeck

Saturday, June 29, 1:00 - 2:30 pm

The Copake Pharmacy, Growing up in Copake

Special shared talk by Steve Kaufman, Nancy Fuller

Sunday, June 30, 1:00 - 2:30 pm

Copake Falls and Copake Lake: A Retrospective Look

Moderator: Steve Kaufman

Panel Members: Edgar Masters, Fran Miller, Jane Peck, Jed Luchow

Saturday, July 20, 1:00 - 2:30 pm

Historic Panels: A series of group discussions featuring local residents

Town Historian

Howard Blue is presenting four panel discussions to be held at the Copake Grange. The schedule is as follows:

Moderator: Howard Blue

Panel Members: Heather Thomson, Vana Stang Hotaling, Dick Barton, Steve Kaufman, Mike Fallon

Copake Businesses

Roeliff Jansen Historical Society

For the 2024 season, the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society has planned a series of events focusing on the bicentennial of the Town of Copake. The three special presentations, all to be held at RJHS during the spring, are:

Sunday, March 17, 2:00 pm

Mohican Heritage: Past, Present and Future

Sponsored by the Copake Mohican Allyship Committee

Sunday, April 28, 2:00 pm

The Rent Wars: Criminals or Crusaders?

Presented by Jill Knapp, author of the The Time for Redemption

Sunday May 19, 2:00 pm

The Bash Bish Inn - A History Shrouded in Mystery

Presented by Linda and Kim Crossman

The RJHS summer exhibition, “The Copake Bicentennial,” will open on Saturday, July 6, 2024 and will be open every Saturday and Sunday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm until October 6, 2024. The summer exhibition and all spring events will be held at the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society, located at 8 Miles Road, Copake Falls, New York.

Grange Events

Saturday, Feb. 17, 7-9pm - Local Musicians Showcase. Join Slink Moss and friends for a great evening of live music. From bluegrass to rock these bands will get you smiling and your feet tapping: Home on the Grange with Jamie Purinton, Lake Foundation, Michael “Chops” LaConte, and Blind Owls. Tickets at the door: $15 or pay what you can. Make possible in part by Stewart’s Shops and The Ackerman Foundation.

Friday, Mar. 1, 7-9pm - Open Mic Night. Live open mic is on and it’s great! The first Friday of every month. Come on down to the Grange and join us with your instruments, songs, poems, stories, skits, etc. Or just come to relax, have fun and be inspired. We have a piano. For more information, contact copakegrange@gmail.com.                  

Note: there will be no Open Mic in April (See our April 5 event below). We will resume on May 3.

Saturday, March 2, 3:30-5pm - An Introduction to Invasive Species: Identification and Management. Learn about the emerald ash borer, the hemlock woolly adelgid, Japanese barberry, bittersweet and many other invasive species and what to do about them. Presenters will be Colleen Lutz, assistant biologist with NY Natural Heritage Program and Samantha Schultz, terrestrial Invasive Species Coordinator with the DEC’s Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management. Sponsored by the Grange and the Copake Conservation Advisory Committee. Everyone is welcome to this free talk. Q & A and refreshments afterward. Donations gratefully accepted.

Saturday, March 9, 3:30pm - Classic Movie & Soup Night. Showing "The Quiet Man" in conjunction with St. Patrick's Day. After accidentally killing an opponent in the ring, boxer Sean Thornton leaves America and returns to his native Ireland, hoping to buy his family's homestead and live in peace. Instead, he falls in love with a fiery redhead, whose angry and spiteful brother tries to block the marriage.The 1952 romantic comedy-drama was directed and produced by John Ford and stars John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Victor McLaren and Barry Fitzgerald. The film features Winston Hoch's lush photography of the Irish countryside and won the Academy Award for Best Director and for Best Cinematography. In 2013, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Lenny Barham will offer commentary before the film. Stay afterward for conversation and a delicious dinner of soup (veg. options available), salad and dessert. Movie by donation. Dinner $10. Tickets at the door.

Saturday, March 16, 7-9pm - Charissa Hoffman and JeJune Jr. Back again this year by popular demand, Nashville-based artist Charissa Hoffman, with JeJune Jr. and Lucy Nelligan, will bring ukulele, voice, upright bass and fiddle to the Grange stage in presenting an evening of original music, storytelling and maybe even a few familiar tunes! Folk, rock, jazz fusion, soul/funk and more! Tickets - $15 or pay what you can. Sponsored in part by Stewart's Shops and the Ackerman Foundation.

Sunday, March 17, 4pm - Jammin’ at the Grange. Come on down to the Grange with your instruments and have a great time jamming with your musician friends and neighbors. Free.

March 22-24, Fri. & Sat. 7:30pm, Sun. 3pm - “A Shayna Maidel” A Shayna Maidel, Yiddish meaning “pretty girl,” tells the story of the reunion of two sisters after World War II, one having survived the Nazi concentration camps. Produced by The Two Of Us Productions, the award winning theater company. You won't want to miss this exploration of human strength and frailty punctuated by moments of humor & hope. Tickets $20, $15 for seniors. For tickets, go to www.TheTwoOfUsProductions.org or call 518-329-6293.

April 5-7, Fri. 7:00pm, Sat. 2pm & 7:00pm, Sun. 2pm - “Your Town” Celebrate Copake’s bicentennial at the Grange with laughter, romance, and songs for the whole family! Written and directed by local playwright Carl Ritchie, producing artistic director of Taconic Stage Company, “Your Town” features local talent as well as professional actors and is inspired by “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder, as well as the actual minutes of the first town meeting in April 1824. The play is one of the first events in Copake to celebrate the bicentennial of the town. Tickets are free and reservations will be available on the Grange website copakegrange.org/events.

For more information about the Grange and events or to join, go to copakegrange.org. The Copake Grange is located at 628 Empire Rd., Copake, NY 12516. Parking for Grange events is limited - please park at the Municipal Lot on Church St. if the Grange parking area is full.

Copake History

Rattlesnakes at Bash Bish Falls

In addition to the pleasures that many people get from seeing and hearing Bash Bish Falls and, for some, from swimming in the pool underneath the falls – even though it is illegal – at least two other purposes have brought people there over the years. Numerous visitors, including Hudson River School Artist John Frederick Kensett, came to paint the falls. And in the 1950s, a local man, Jim Whitbeck, came for an unusual commercial reason.

As Gary Peck recalled some years ago, when he was 15, Whitbeck, who was older, invited him to go up to the falls with him to catch rattlesnakes, which he was selling to a Connecticut laboratory which milked their venom to make anti-venom serum. Peck went along but with some trepidation. On their arrival, Whitbeck, carrying a stick with a hook on the end and a second one that was forked, plus a white bag, led Peck partway up the rocks next to the falls. “Wait for me here,” he told the teenager. Just before he was about to ascend farther, he pointed to a small stone ledge and said, “I see one. It's a good thing you didn't move or go in that direction. If you had tried to follow me you probably would have put your hand right on that spot.”

Using the stick with the hook, Whitbeck quickly picked up the snake and dropped it into the open bag that he had asked Peck to hold. Just a few minutes later, hearing rustling in the leaves, he went after a second snake. “This one’s a good five feet long,” he said. This time, after hooking it, he put the fork on it, picked up its body with his hand and quickly moved it to just beneath the snake's head to control it.

Soon afterward Whitbeck and Peck went back to Whitbeck’s car and they drove back down into Copake Falls to the Squirrel’s Nest, a bar. “Anybody want to see some snakes?” Whitbeck called out soon after ordering a beer for himself and a soda for Gary. “Yeah, yeah,” a couple of people responded, to which Jim said, “Okay Gary, open the bag." Whitbeck then put the hook into the bag and ever so slowly for dramatic effect, pulled out one of the snakes and, as several people screamed, tossed it onto the floor.

Using the stick, he prevented the snake from coiling, which it needed to do in order to strike at anyone. After letting the snake do a little guided dance for five minutes, he finally picked it up and put it back into the bag. A little later, with the entertainment over, the two left.

My thanks to Gary Peck, the source of this story.

What’s your story – about your Copake family – or your childhood in Copake? RSVP Howard Blue at copaketownhistorian@gmail.com

What’s Happening at the Library?

Thursday, February 15, 1:00 pm.

Book Marks! Book Club. Join our nonfiction book club, Book Marks!, led by Circulation Librarian Robin Gottlieb. Meets the 3rd Thursday of every month. This month we are reading All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles. Copes are available through the Mid-Hudson Library System, Hoopla, and Libby.

Tuesday, February 20, 12:00 p.m. on Zoom

10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's - Join the Columbia County Libraries for a virtual talk on the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's. Alzheimer’s and other dementias cause memory, thinking and behavior problems that interfere with daily living. The Alzheimer’s Association® developed the new 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s education program to help people recognize common signs of the disease and to know what to watch for in themselves and others.

● Explores typical age-related changes.

● Describes common signs of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

● Offers tips for how to approach someone about memory concerns.

● Explains the importance of early detection and benefits of diagnosis.

● Details possible tests and assessments for the diagnostic process.

● Identifies helpful Alzheimer’s Association resources.

To register and receive the Zoom link, email programs@hudsonarealibrary.org.

This program is presented in partnership with the Alzheimer's Association and the Columbia County Libraries Association