GARDEN CLUB NEWS–JULY 2026
Club and community members enjoyed a morning bird walk along the Andes Rail Trail at the end of May led by Delaware-Otesgo Audubon Society members Charlie Scheim and Sandy Bright. We had a lovely time learning the songs of warblers and other birds while they played hide and seek in the forest canopy.
NEWS FROM THE HUNTING TAVERN
Opening July 4: Andes’ Cabinet of Curiosities. This enlightening (and entertaining) exhibition, drawn from the Hunting Tavern’s collection, focuses on historical artifacts and oddities. For example, there’s a “swatch from the trousers worn by undersheriff Osman N Steele on August 7, 1845” when he was shot to death during the famed farmers’ rebellion known as the “Anti-Rent War.”
CLOSED GUTTERS AT LIBRARY APPROVED FOR ICE AND WATER PREVENTION ANDES POOL READIES CLASSES AND SWIMMING FOR SUMMER OPENING SPEED ALERT SIGNS AWAITING POLE SUPPORTS AND INSTALLATION–JULY 2026
Board presented and approved changes to the Senior Citizen Property Tax Exemption Rates. These exemptions provide relief to Andes senior citizens in lower income brackets. The tax relief is on an incremental sliding scale based on need, from 50% for all Seniors with yearly income less than $30,000 through 20% for incomes $35,800-$36,700. Eligible seniors can find an application to file at the Town Hall.
BLUESTONE MILLS SPRING WATER APPLIES AS AN LLC TO REOPEN GLAMPING DOME SITES ON UPPER PERCH LAKE ROAD REQUESTED PUBLIC HEARING AGAIN HELD FOR DELAWARE INN SUBDIVISION –JULY 2026
Vera Korol and Adam Crispo own 130 acres at 1394 Upper Perch Lake Road overlooking the Pepacton Reservoir. They hope to square off 2 acres in the center of this triangular property to construct four, separate, wood-plank platforms; each housing one Dome-Shaped Camping/Glamping entity for short-term rental. (Glamping is a slang term for glamorous camping.)
LIBRARY NOTES
Many events are taking place in July, all at the Andes Public Library! Please visit our website at andeslibrary.org and click on Upcoming Events at a Glance (under Announcements) or the direct link to Upcoming Events. You can pick up a printed calendar at the library.
THE LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN by Marjan Kamali–JULY 2026
Best-selling author Marjan Kamali’s newest novel, The Lion Women of Tehran, is both timely and moving. Seen through the eyes of two seven-year-old girls, fast-friends from wildly different backgrounds, the book follows their fates during four decades of social and political unrest in Iran, beginning in the 1950s up to the 1980s.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD YOGA REPORT–JULY 2026
And if you’re new to yoga and looking for a comfortable environment in which to experiment, you might appreciate Adrienne’s low-key style. “All are welcome,” she says. “Come out and give it a try if it’s something that you’ve always been curious about.”
The class is $15, cash or Venmo.~
https://www.catskillspuravidayoga.com~
HATS ON!
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, Bake Sale, and Crazy Hat Contest at the end of May did not go quite as I had hoped, but we had fun nonetheless.
ALIAS GRACE–JULY 2026
A psychological thriller, heavy in the aura of the times, it evokes the true 1843 conviction of Irish immigrant and domestic servant, 16-year-old Grace Marks, along with stable hand James McDermott for the double murder of her employer Thomas Kinnear and his pregnant housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
THE WAY WE WERE–JULY 2026
Cyclone Hits Andes
Andes was struck by a cyclone about 3 o’clock Thursday afternoon [in the July 23rd edition] and while it lasted only a few minutes a large amount of damage was done. Its equal was never seen here. In the village about a dozen of the large maples were blown down and many limbs torn off.
ANDES THRIFT SHOP TREASURES – June 2026
There are many things that one can find at the Andes Thrift Shop- including books and many odds and ends.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT RECEIVES DELAYED FREIGHTLINER TRUCK LIBRARY SEEKS NEW GUTTERS TO PREVENT ICY WATER DAMAGE TWO PRESSEURE PUMPS COMING FOR GLADSTONE HOLLOW SYSTEM – June 2026
May 2026 Town Board Meeting
DELAWARE COUNTY NEW YORK BOARD OF ELECTIONS PRIMARY ELECTION * TUESDAY JUNE 23, 2026 * 6 AM – 9 PM – June 2026
Announcement of a County wide Republican Primary.
JACOBSON GRANTED SWITCH FROM TRAILER TO MANUFACTURED HOME, BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENTS APPROVED FOR THE DELAWARE INN – June 2026
Various variance requests.
PUBLIC HEARINGS HELD FOR BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE DELAWARE INN, DIRTY GIRL FARMS, AND ANDES GENERAL STORE REBOOT – June 2026
Read all about the new Andes General Store proposition.
THE WAY WE WERE – June 2026
A new 5 cent postage was issued; coldest June in 50 years – and other tidbits of the day.
THE JOYS OF ESCAPIST READING – June 2026
I confess to being addicted to escapist reading. After devoting most of my adult life to literary classics, I have fallen in love with books that have simple plots, dynamic characters and feel-good endings. How did this come about?
100 YEARS AGO–APRIL 1926
Mrs. William T. Hyzer will move to Walton next week. She was unable to obtain rooms in Andes and so leaves town. [Ed.: The more things change….]
GROWING TOGETHER: Transplanting and Seed Viability –APRIL 2026
This month we will continue with a conversation on seedling transplanting. Whether you have started your seeds or intend to, here are some things to consider when ready to transplant:
BECOMING KATHARINE GRAHAM: A REVIEW–APRIL 2026
The arc of a competent but painfully shy and self-abnegating daughter and wife rising to the status of a captain of industry at the heart of cultural change, making courageous and impactful decisions, is so delicious that our attention never flags
LIBRARY NOTES–APRIL 2026
By Carol Fontaine From American Library’s The Scoop blog: The American Library Association (ALA) has selected A Guardian and a Thief (Knopf) by Megha Majumdar as the winner of the 2026 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, and Things in Nature Merely Grow (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux) by Yiyun Li as the winner of the 2026 Andrew Carnegie…
WHAT ARE WE FOR?–MAY 2026
“Try” being the operative word. At a certain point, we think we know ourselves and we know the world, so we don’t have to alter our world views. They’re settled, right?
ANOTHER SPRING, ANOTHER LITTER PICKUP!–APRIL 2026
Another Winter is nearing its end. Soon the big piles of snow will be gone and the roads will again show us their accumulation of litter. Once again, a small but growing group of dedicated volunteers will be out cleaning roads in Andes. We’d love to have more help!
HAVE FUN AND SUPPORT WORK AT THE ANDES RAIL –APRIL 2026
We will be holding a BBQ fundraiser at the Andes Hotel at 4 pm on Sunday, May 31st to raise the money for these materials. Mark your calendars and be sure to join us for fun and to support the Trail.
FAKE SPRING–APRIL 2026
Now I am slowly working my way through what was cut off of the vine. See that pile in the picture? That’s not even all of it! I’ve decided that a section of the nearby garden could use a small fenced edging.
THE CALICO REBELLION – March 2026
A screening of the Calico Rebellion was viewed at the First Presbyterian Church.
ANDES GARDEN CLUB: GROWING TOGETHER: Seed Starting Basics – March 2026
Birgitta instructs us as to how grow plants from seeds during the months of March and April
THE BIG C on Netflix – March 2026
Judy totally enjoyed and recommends this Netflix streaming series.
SELF ENTERTAINMENT ON A CATSKILL NIGHT – March 2026
Michael enjoyed taking a walk in plenty of snow.
DID YOU KNOW? – March 2026
Did you know that Andes was once home to a respected educational institute?
ROBERTI REPORTS BRIDGE REPAIRED ON ANDES RAIL TRAIL DANA SCUDERI-HUNTER APPOINTED TO ZONING LAWS COMMITTEE DARWIN SAVINON HIRED AS PART-TIME ASSISTANT TO ASSESSOR – March 2026
Rail Trail Bridge Repaired; various zoning regulations discussed.
MINOR SUBDIVISION DISCUSSED FOR 227 DELAWARE AVENUE ORGANIZATION OF ZONING FOR TOWN/HAMLET CONTINUES – March 2026
Minor subdivisions discussed by the Planning Board.
RITCHIE GABRIEL SWORN IN AS TOWN SUPERVISOR APPOINTMENTS MADE TO TOWN GOVERNMENT ROLES – February 2026
Ritchie Gabriel sworn in as Town Supervisor and other
Appointments.
ANDES GARDEN CLUB: Your Garden In Winter – February 2026
Writing this article a month in advance can be tricky. Chances are good, by the time this column is printed, many of us will be ready for the Winter season to be over. It is not so much Winter, but the short days, overcast skies, cold, wind and snow of this time of year. Yeah,…
CHICKENING OUT – February 2026
Diane informs us that with a few days of sunshine the chickens were laying many eggs.
MINOR SUBDIVISION APPROVED FOR 1731 CANADA HOLLOW ROAD AIRBNB AND SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT COMPLIANCE DISCUSSED – February 2026
“Planning Board Meeting” discussions of Minor Subdivisions in Canada Hollow, and other zoning regulations.
TOWN OF ANDES GRANTS UNIQUE VALET “PARKING” CONCESSION – February 2026
A funny and sarcastic view of parking situation in Andes
THE RESIDENT: LET IT RESIDE FOR A WHILE – September 2024
Judy reviews “The Resident” and highly recommends it.
ERIC VAN BENSCHOTEN JOINS THE PLANNING BOARD PROPOSAL TO ALLOW ATVs ON TOWN ROADS – June 2023
Privilege of the Floor: Chris Caiazza presented a proposal to allow all terrain vehicles (ATVs) legal access to drive on town roads. They are a club of ATV users and feel regulating ATV road privileges will be a safer alternative to current unregulated road use. The Town Board will check with their attorney and discuss the matter for further review. No decision was made regarding the proposal.
THE WAY WE WERE – February 2023
Death announcements, February temperature statistics and other interesting tid-bits.
BOOK REVIEW: The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson – January 2023
A work of tremendous scope and ambition, this novel dares to imagine what it would take to protect the entire world from environmental collapse.
CATSKILLS CHARACTERS – December 2022
The mural in the library is coming along “slowly but slowly,” as my husband would say. It’s the Catskills, after all. No “New York minute” around here! Rip Van Winkle is just waking up in the scene after sleeping 20 years. Hopefully I won’t take that long!
LIVE-WIRE STUDENTS CREATE A LIVING FENCE – June 2022
By Buffy Calvert A living fence now surrounds the outdoor garden plots on Andes Central School grounds. For two weeks Ed McGee’s 7th and 8th grade science students and Sharon Tucker’s elementary art class have been hard at work removing sod and digging a trench 18 inches deep, extending the arc of the arbor previous…
GARDEN THERAPY: Perdy Persicarias – Fleeceflowers – June 2022
This article by Mel is all about “Fleeceblowers – or Persicarias”
BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT ON BUSSEY HOLLOW ROAD APPROVED; POTENTIAL CATSKILL HARVEST CARBON-NEUTRAL GREENHOUSE SENT TO PUBLIC HEARING – June 2022
Town of Andes Planning Board Meeting
PUBLIC HEARING HELD ON PROPOSED TRANSIENT RENTALS LAW; POTENTIAL TOWN GAS STATION SITES STILL LOOK PROMISING – June 2022
Town of Andes Board Meeting
DEP POLICE GIVES HELICOPTER ORIENTATION TO ANDES FIRE DEPARTMENT – June 2022
The DEP Police showed their newest helicopter with its state-of-the-art technology to the Andes Fire Department and discuss ways the two organizations can work together in a state of emergency.
LIBRARY NOTES – June 2022
By Pamela West-Finkle Summer is here! Yay! We made it through another Catskill Mountain winter. I’ve heard that phrase and said it to myself every year. I am happy to announce we have an action-packed Summer! In celebration of our Summer Reading Program “Oceans of Possibilities” and the 100th Anniversary of our library, I plan…
BOOK REVIEW: Briefly noted – Earthly Remains by Donna Leon – June 2022
As the New York Times critic Marilyn Stasio has said: “Donna Leon can do no wrong . . . [Earthly Remains] is one of her best.”
THE WAY WE WERE – May 2022
How many of the older inhabitants remember the winter of 1873-4??? Read all about it.
OLD TOWN HIGHWAY GARAGE IS OFFERED FOR SALE VIA SEALED BIDS Audit shows $124,000 Increase in Town General Fund – March 2022
Hamlet sidewalks, streetlamps, frozen water lines, mechanical issue at transfer station, and much more.
THE WAY WE WERE – March 2022
Town clerk issues a marriage license but left without tying the know – and other mini stories.
MOUNTAINEER TRACKS – March 2022
The third quarter began on January 31st. I am pleased to report that nearly 75% of our 5-12 students were named to the Superintendent’s List, High Honor, or Honor Roll for the second quarter.
MUSINGS ON TENNIS – November 2018
Gino plays tennis on Andes’ courts, enjoys it, but realizes he doesn’t play like his 25-year-old self did.
