Villa Roma rebounds; increases expected in tourism and jobs

Posted by · April 24, 2008 4:24 AM

Villa Roma rebounds; increases expected in tourism and jobs

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The main entrance of the Villa Roma remains under construction, but soon the facility will sport a spiffy new look.Times Herald-Record/CHET GORDON

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By Victor Whitman

Times Herald-Record

April 24, 2008

LINK TO ARTICLE IS HERE:

http://recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080424/NEWS/804240318

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CALLICOON — In these tough economic times, there's one bright spot for western Sullivan County: The Villa Roma will soon be back at full strength.

The resort surrounded by gentle green hills plans to open its $27.3 million new main hotel area by mid- to late June and hire 200 workers, bringing employment back to 500.

For two summers, the Villa and the shops in several hamlets have suffered while the resort rebuilt the main portion of the hotel, which burned down in April 2006.

Three months later a flash flood washed across the property, drenching time-shares.

Last summer the Villa was able to accommodate about 50 to 100 people in the hotel, about a quarter of the norm.

"We're moving along fairly nicely," Vice President Paul Carlucci said Tuesday, while workers buzzed around in hard hats and sparks flew from welding machines.

On Saturday, the Villa will hold a job fair, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the main hotel. The resort is looking for waiters, bar staff, cooks, groundskeepers, all the way up the ladder to corporate management. These jobs will pay everything from $10 an hour to $50,000 annually.

Workers still have much to do in the new three-story building, which includes a 650-seat dining room, lounge, ballroom, kitchen, 150-seat cafe, corporate offices and a lobby.

The new main hotel area won't have guest rooms, unlike in the old 1940s-era building, which was added onto several times over the decades.

In much of the 65,000-square-foot building, the dry wall hasn't yet been hammered up. Soon, though, the concrete floors and metal stair cases will be covered with plush carpeting and tiles, and the hotel will take on a look of shimmering greens, reds, beiges and blues.

The Villa is also finishing off the pool area, adding a fifth outdoor pool with a water playground, a 30-person Jacuzzi and 265,000 brick pavers — believed to be second only to the number used in the vast walkways at Bethel Woods.

This is all good news for shop owners, who rely on Villa employees and guests.

"Since the hotel burned to the ground, it has cut down on business tremendously," said Susan Bodenstein, standing behind her counter at The Secret Garden in Jeffersonville.

Villa guests often wander into her gift shop, buying speciality candles shaped like pastries.

"You need local business to survive, but the Villa Roma is the icing on the cake."

[email protected]

Wild trout: a different kettle of fish

Posted by · April 24, 2008 4:15 AM

Wild trout: a different kettle of fish

Thursday, April 24, 2008

MORGAN LYLE

LINK TO FULL ARTICLE IS HERE:

http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2008/apr/24/424_fly/

Photographer: Marc Schultz

Joshua Argus, 6, of Wilton is shown by Ron Dorn of the Clearwater chapter of Trout Unlimited the correct way to tie a fly for trout fishing.

Think you can tell a wild trout from a stockie? And is there a reason to differentiate between the two?

Most of us fly-fishers have at least considered the differences between trout born and bred in the stream and those brought to the stream in a truck for our catching pleasure.

For some people, the difference is important. They consider wild trout more challenging and satisfying to catch, believing that wild trout have more acute survival instincts than trout reared by

humans in hatcheries. And they find the pristine places where trout can reproduce to be the most beautiful and authentic settings for trout fishing.

I share their enthusiasm for wild fish, and I believe that restoring and protecting self-sustaining trout populations should be job

No. 1 for local, state and federal conservation authorities.

Some streams are managed as wild-trout water, such as the Vermont side of the Battenkill River or the West Branch of the Delaware in New York. Others are just so far off the beaten path that no one has ever bothered stocking them, and they harbor only native brookies.

Generally, if you catch a trout in one of those places, you can be confident it was born there.

But my favorite rivers tend to be the ones where wild trout and holdover hatchery fish live side-by-side, such as the New York side of the Battenkill or the Beaverkill in the Catskills. Anglers fishing such streams often venture guesses about whether the trout they’ve caught are wild or stockies,

usually based on appearance.

They believe that if their trout’s adipose and pectoral fins are intact and its colors are nice and vivid, their trout is wild. But the man who runs the Department of Environmental Conservation’s 12 hatcheries says that’s not necessarily true.

“In my view, there is no 100 percent, reliably certain way to distinguish between wild and hatchery- reared trout based on appearance,” said Phil Hulbert, superintendent of fish culture for the DEC. “Clipped fins removed for studies or population estimates would be quite reliable, but, of course, not all hatchery-reared fish are marked in this manner. Color is far from consistently reliable. We add a pigment-enhancing ingredient to several of our pelleted diets, so it is not unusual to see colorful spring yearling stocked fish that look very much like wild fish.”

Yes, it’s common for hatchery fish’s fins to be worn down, but “the degree of fin erosion [and fin regeneration] is certainly variable,” Hulbert said. “So, again, you do not have a foolproof technique, but one that will allow some level of discrimination.

“I know that back in my field work days, I handled enough hatchery fish at our hatcheries to know there are always some that would fool you into thinking they were wild fish based on appearance.”

Maybe the bigger question is, as long as you enjoyed catching your trout, does its origin make a difference?

It’s true that wild trout can put an angler to the ultimate test — ask anyone who has been skunked by feeding-but-fussy fish on the West Branch’s glassy pools. But given a little time to acclimate to their surroundings, hatchery trout can mount a respectable defense, too.

And remember, every “wild” brown and rainbow trout you will ever catch in New York state is a descendant of a stockie. The only trout that occur naturally in New York are brookies, and while we all love them for their beauty, their feistiness and their resilience, let’s face it, they can be pretty easy to catch.

I don’t know if we would want to turn back the clock 500 years to a time when you could walk on six-inch brookies from Montauk to Massena.

For me, the ideal would be an improved version of what we have now: a generous selection of rivers that are never stocked, and fishing and ecological regulations on the rest of the rivers that would make it possible for today’s stocked rainbows and browns to become the parents of tomorrow’s “wild” trout.

Greene County considers selling properties

Posted by · April 23, 2008 7:01 AM

Greene County considers selling properties

By Ariel Zangla, Freeman staff

04/23/2008

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19508786&BRD=1769&PAG=461&dept_id=74958&rfi=6

CATSKILL - Greene County lawmakers are considering selling several county-owned properties, including one that some legislators say should not be sold.

Legislator Karen Deyo, R-Catskill, told her colleagues during a meeting this week of the Legislature's Buildings and Grounds Committee that a task force had reviewed the ownership, value and liability associated with all the county-owned properties. She said the task force reviewed 55 county-owned sites and concluded 42 of them were being used to their "highest and best use."

The task force is recommending eight of the remaining properties be sold at public auction in June or July, Deyo said.

Deyo, who chaired the task force, said the group looked at the county's needs and spoke to department heads before making its recommendations.

"We didn't take anything lightly," Deyo said.

The task force is recommending the county sell: a portion of property in the town of Athens commonly referred to as Green Lake Park on Valley Road; three vacant lots at 100, 102 and 104 Bridge St. in the village of Catskill as one parcel; three vacant lots on Main Street in the village of Catskill, commonly referred to as Waterfalls Laundry, as one parcel; and vacant land at 150 Railroad Ave. in Tannersville.

The task force said the Waterfalls Laundry property has approximately 160 feet of frontage on the Catskill Creek and was appraised recently for $280,000.

Legislators Forest Cotten, D-Catskill, and Dorothy Prest, R-Catskill, said the county should not sell the Waterfalls Laundry property. Prest said the property is used for the local farmers' market, which is growing, and there is a need for additional parking in the area.

Legislator Charles Martinez, R-Coxsackie, said many people are encroaching on the property and the county is liable. He also said the county has been unable to control the property for years.

Legislature Chairman Wayne Speenburgh, R-Coxsackie, said lawmakers would vote next month on the proposed sales of the properties.

Greene County considers selling properties

Posted by · April 23, 2008 7:01 AM

Greene County considers selling properties

By Ariel Zangla, Freeman staff

04/23/2008

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19508786&BRD=1769&PAG=461&dept_id=74958&rfi=6

CATSKILL - Greene County lawmakers are considering selling several county-owned properties, including one that some legislators say should not be sold.

The task force is recommending eight of the remaining properties be sold at public auction in June or July, Deyo said.

Deyo, who chaired the task force, said the group looked at the county's needs and spoke to department heads before making its recommendations.

"We didn't take anything lightly," Deyo said.

The task force said the Waterfalls Laundry property has approximately 160 feet of frontage on the Catskill Creek and was appraised recently for $280,000.

Legislator Charles Martinez, R-Coxsackie, said many people are encroaching on the property and the county is liable. He also said the county has been unable to control the property for years.

Legislature Chairman Wayne Speenburgh, R-Coxsackie, said lawmakers would vote next month on the proposed sales of the properties.

Thomas Cole Exhibition Includes Famous Katterskill Falls Sketch

Posted by · April 23, 2008 6:44 AM

Exhibition for Cole House PRIVATE THOMAS COLE COLLECTIONS ASSEMBLED FOR CEDAR GROVE HOMECOMING

April 23, 2008

It was announced today by Elizabeth Jacks, director of The Thomas Cole National Historic Site at Cedar Grove, the launch of the 2008 season with an exhibition of rarely seen oil sketches of famous Cole paintings, including Cole's oil study for Kaaterskill Falls. The 2008 special exhibition, "Thomas Cole's Sketch Paintings: An Exploration of the Creative Process" opens to the public on Sunday May 4. There will be a free viewing of the exhibition on opening day (10am to 2pm). Many of the objects are coming from several private collections and therefore have rarely been seen by the public. In addition, renowned Smithsonian American Art Museum Chief Curator, Eleanor Jones Harvey, will be guest speaker at 2pm. The talk is $7 for non-members and $5 for members.

Cedar Grove Director, Elizabeth Jacks, will be a guest on the WAMC morning talk show, Roundtable May 2. Your interest in attending and covering the May 4 event is welcome and appreciated.

Sample Image

Press worthy story leads might include; Cedar Grove: From Yard Sale to Homecoming (The story of Thomas Cole, the father of American landscape painting and his descendants fateful Cedar Grove yard sale of the 70's, to a resounding return of success.) Smithsonian Chief Curator Visits Catskill (An interview with Cedar Grove opening day guest speaker, and renowned Smithsonian American Art Museum Chief Curator, Eleanor Jones Harvey.) Art Flourishes In Upstate NY (Dia, Olana, Hudson, Catskill), and Old Homes Becoming Centers for Art (e.g; Olana, Cedar Grove, etc.) Interviews and background information will be made available.

Exhibit: May 4 - October 26.

Regular Hours: Thursday through Sunday 10AM - 4PM with the last tour departing at 3PM. Tickets for the tour are $7.

This exhibition is made possible in part with public funds from the Greene County Legislature through the Greene County Cultural Fund, administered in Greene County by the Greene County Council on the Arts.

Contact:
PR: Brian Branigan (518) 943-4292
For more information you can call Cedar Grove Director, Elizabeth Jacks at (518) 943-7465 or visit http://www.thomascole.org .
Cedar Grove is located at 218 Spring Street,Catskill, NY near the western entrance to the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, with easy access from the New York State Thruway, Exit 21.

Please see PDF for more information: http://www.brianbranigan.com/cedargrove/2008COLESKETCHPAINTINGS.pdf
Hi Res photos available upon request.

###

Epinions.com Catskills Review by top reviewer jps246

Posted by · April 23, 2008 6:34 AM

New York State's "Other" Mountains and Park - The Catskills

Apr 08 '03 (Updated Apr 23 '08)

LINK IS HERE:

http://www1.epinions.com/content_95311466116

Pros
Accessible, Not Overdeveloped, Enchanting, Challenging Mountains, A Gem

Cons
Don't go on a holiday weekend - it can be busy!

The Bottom Line
Hike, ski, raft, just take the time to absorb the mountains that the Dutch settlers called the “Devil’s Playground” because there truly is wonder and mystery here.

Full Review

Have you heard of the Catskill Mountains? They are the home of the real Woodstock, the land where Rip Van Winkle slept for years, the Mountains first seen by Henry Hudson on his maiden voyage up the Hudson River, a vacation destination for many downstate New Yorkers, home to some of the first grand resorts in the country, and in some ways, a wilderness that's only about 2 hours north of New York City.

The Catskills are often lost in the shuffle of New York State, which is, in many ways, so many different things. The first thing someone thinks of when they hear New York is of course, New York City. But that's not fair either. Mention “mountains” and “New York” and most people will probably think of the Adirondack Park in the northern portion of the state.

Unless you’re from the area, or you have had a reason to be in the Catskills, you probably haven’t heard of them, or might have some faint idea that there are some mountains south of Albany but north of New York City.

I grew up in the Catskills so I should know. My parents and I lived in the Hudson Valley, but we have a weekend home the Northeastern Catskills, right near the stunning 2000 foot to 3000 foot escarpment that marks the boundary between the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. I was at that home just about every weekend from the time I was born, until I went away to college. I lived there full time when I was a forest ranger in the Catskills and since I’ve been working in Maine and now Massachusetts, every chance I get, I’m back there.

Maybe I’m biased, but I haven’t found an area that hits me the way that the Catskills do yet and I’ve been to plenty of mountain ranges around the Northeast and the rest of the country. Sure, New Hampshire and Maine have higher mountains with stunning alpine areas, the Adirondacks in northern New York are larger, same with the Greens in Vermont, there’s the Berkshires in Massachusetts too, but the Catskills have a certain charm and mystique that I think is almost indescribable and makes them so very special.

I’m going to focus my review mostly on the Northern Catskills, those mountains and areas that are mostly within Greene County and Ulster Country, which is where most of my experience (and mountains) are.

Where are the Catskills?

For some simple geography, the Catskill Park is about 50 miles southwest of Albany and about 150 miles north of New York City. To the east the mountains are bounded by the Hudson River Valley and to the west they gently taper out into gently rolling terrain. The largest concentration of the highest peaks and rugged terrain is in the Northern portion of the mountains, but the highest peak, Slide Mountain at 4,204 feet is located in what would be considered the Southern Catskills. There are also several other higher peaks located near Slide including Wittenberg and Cornell Mountains.

The Mountains Themselves

Want some geology speak? The Catskills really aren’t mountains in the truest sense of the word. Millions of years ago there was a great mountain range along the east coast of the US (today’s Appalachians are the basement remnants of those mountains) and as those mountains eroded over time, the debris flowed westward out across New York and Pennsylvania. Over time the eastern mountains eroded and the debris from them was buried further, and eventually then uplifted. So in a sense, the Catskill Mountains are really just an eroded plateau.

One of the most striking features of the Catskills is their eastern escarpment. This is where the rocks of the Catskills end, and the Hudson Valley begins. With the Hudson River at sea level (0 feet), the mountains rise up in a wall that is 2000 to over 3000 feet in height. Driving in the Hudson Valley – this imposing wall greets you to the Catskills.

To the west, the mountains slowly decrease in height and eventually the terrain becomes flatter and flatter – there is no great escarpment in the western Catskills.

The roughest and wildest terrain is in the northeast Catskills, which include the Schoharie valleys along with the Devil’s Path Range, the Blackhead Range and several other smaller ranges of mountains.

The Catskills have few lakes (except for New York City’s reservoirs) and most mountains are very steeply sloping with frequent lines of cliffs as you travel up the mountains. There are some spectacular waterfalls though, Kaaterskill Falls, which is the highest waterfall in New York State is located just south of North and South Lake in the Northeastern Catskills.

The Catskill Park

The Catskill Park was created in 1885 to protect New York City’s water supplies (many of the city’s reservoirs are in the Catskills with underground aqueducts running water southward to the city), and to provide outdoor recreational activities for the public. All public lands in the park are protected by the “Forever Wild” clause in the State constitution:

"The lands of the state, now owned or hereafter acquired, constituting the forest preserve as now fixed by law, shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed . . ."

It’s interesting to note that New York State is the only state that offers constitutional protection to the public’s lands within the Catskill and Adirondack Parks. These lands cannot be developed (without an amendment to the State Constitution), cannot be sold and must be left in a “forever wild” state in perpetuity for future generations. These lands are known as “Forest Preserve.”

About half of the Catskill Park is publicly owned, the other half is privately owned, thus like the Adirondack Park, the Catskills are one of the few “parks” that is a mix of private and public lands.

This clause however, has been interpreted to mean that trails can be built and thus the Catskills have an extensive hiking trail system. Some peaks still remain trailless, but no matter what your skill and physical condition, you can find a hike that will suit you in the Catskills.

All public land is open to the public for hiking, camping, fishing and hunting. Private land access is variable and it depends on the landowner. However, most trailheads are located on public land, so as long as you stay on marked trails, you will not run into any problems.

You can camp anywhere in the Forest Preserve so long as you are at least 150 feet from any open water (streams, creeks, rivers and lakes), 150 feet from any trail, 150 feet from any road and below 3500 feet. Elevations above 3500 feet are more fragile high mountain habitats and thus camping is prohibited above this elevation.

There are several state run campgrounds through the Catskills. Two of the most popular are North and South Lake Campground and Woodland Valley campground. Both provide great access to the rest of the Catskills. These campgrounds provide basic services, but do not have electricity or water available at the sites.

Towns and Villages in the Catskills

Several major towns and villages dot the Catskill landscape.

Woodstock is just south of Catskills proper, located just beneath Overlook Mountain. This Woodstock is the “true” Woodstock - of festival fame. The original Woodstock festival took place several miles to the south and west. The real Woodstock village offers an eclectic choice of curiosity shops, book stores, clothing stores, new age stores and more. The village green, at the center of town is one of the best places for people watching. Woodstock also boasts some local theater companies and other types of public performances. Both a summer and winter destination (though best in the summer) – Woodstock is a definite stop on any Catskill trip.

Hunter/Tannersville/Haines Falls – These three towns in the Northern Catskills are home to the Hunter Mountain Ski Resort and provide access to the Mountains of the Devil’s Path Range (a range of mountains, all over 3500 feet tall that run for over 20 miles – the Devil’s Path – one of the Catskills’ few long distance trails runs over this grueling range), along with several other small mountains. North and South Lake Campground is located in Haines Falls. All three offer restaurants and some shopping opportunities.

Windham – Home to the Ski Windham Ski Resort, Windham is a quaint small town with excellent restaurants and shops.

Phoenicia – Phoenicia is the gateway to the southern Catskills and also the base of the rafting businesses on the Esopus River. You can eat at some great restaurants, shop, or if you are feeling adventurous, take a rafting or tubing trip down the Esopus River. The Belleayre Mountain Ski Resort is located about 20 miles further up the road and the world's largest kaleidoscope is located just to the south of town at Emerson Place.

Want to camp in the Catskills?

Looking for a campground in the Catskills? New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) runs several throughout the Catskills. There are also a number of private campgrounds in the park too. In addition if you are hiking along the Park's trails, camping is allowed on State lands so long as you are not camping in a site specifically marked as "no camping" or at least 150 feet from any trail, road or waterway/waterbody.

Some park campgrounds:
Devil's Tombstone Campground and Day-Use Area
Woodland Valley Campground

So Why Should You Visit The Catskills

All the words in the world aren’t going to give you an accurate picture of these mountains, from the imposing and amazing escarpment, to the hidden waterfall deep in the forest, the Catskills truly are a wonderful and amazing place. You will find popular destinations, historic places, and private, secluded and secret treasures. Take a few days, hike a trail, go skiing, just take the time to absorb the mountains that the Dutch settlers called the “Devil’s Playground” because there truly is wonder and mystery here.

Best time to visit the Catskills?

Depending on your preferred activity, summer and fall are the best times to visit the mountains I think. Holiday weekends can be quite busy, even on the trails, so plan accordingly. If you're a skier, then by all means get up there for the snow in the wintertime!

Some Web Resources on the Catskills:

There are plenty of web resources on the Catskills, here are just a couple of links on some basic information

http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dlf/publands/cats/ - The State of New York’s official Catskill Website for public lands
http://www.nynjtc.org - The New York – New Jersey Trail Conference – maps of the entire Catskills and their volunteers maintain many of the foot trails
http://home.epix.net/~ab257/esopus.html - information on Esopus River Rafting and Tubing

Final Thoughts

The Catskills are more than an afterthought in New York - they really are their own destination. Everyone will find something of interest here - and it's amazing that there's such a wilderness and wild experience less than three hours from New York City.

More Northeastern US Destinations

The Adirondacks (NY) / White Mountain National Forest (NH) / Catskill Mountains (NY) / Acadia National Park (ME) / Bellayre Mountain (NY) / Hunter Mountain (NY) / Ski Windham (NY) / Burke Mountain (VT) / Catamount (MA) / Jiminy Peak (MA) / Whiteface Mountain/Lake Placid (NY) / Tuckerman Ravine (NH)

Recommended:
Yes

Best Suited For: Friends
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime

Comments on this Review

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Bristol Mountain Joins Fight Against Belleayre

Posted by · April 23, 2008 6:11 AM

Bristol Mountain joins fight against state-owned resort

South Bristol, N.Y. -

The owner of Bristol Mountain Ski Resort has joined a coalition of business owners fighting what they claim are unfair competitive practices of Belleayre Mountain, a state-owned and operated ski facility in Ulster County.

According to the Coalition for Economic Equality, an organization of private companies that are losing business because of competition from Belleayre, the state facility is a threat because it pays no taxes, doesn’t buy health and other types of insurance or workers’ compensation, or pay for dozens of usual and normal operating expenses. As a result, Belleayre can offer below-cost tickets, and competing recreation centers have lost business, the coalition charges.

“Recently, a central New York ski club which had booked a trip to Bristol Mountain canceled at the last moment because Belleayre offered them $15 tickets,” said Bristol Mountain owner Dan Fuller. “We can’t sell $15 tickets and stay in business.

“At a time when state government is facing budget deficits and everyone is having a hard time financially, it seems silly that New York taxpayers are subsidizing millions of dollars worth of ski tickets so Belleayre can give them away or sell them at a loss,” he added.

Fuller said Tuesday that the ski club that went to Belleayre instead of Bristol had about 40 members, and losing that business alone won’t make or break Bristol. But the incident illustrates how Belleayre’s “predatory policies” can hurt private businesses over the long haul, he said.

“All we want to do is compete on a level playing field,” said Fuller.

Rick Roxin, general manager of Hunt Hollow Ski Club in Naples, said Hunt Hollow isn’t directly affected by competition from Belleayre. Even so, he said the state-supported facility makes it even harder for private resorts to be successful, what with escalating fuels costs and other expenses to deal with.

According to the coalition, Belleayre lost more than $1.1 million a year over the past two years despite receiving millions of taxpayer dollars. “This will only get worse,” said Russ Coloton, head of the coalition and president of Hunter Mountain Ski Resort.
Coloton’s resort is in Greene County in the Catskills, and he said the coalition will lobby state officials to place “financial controls” on Belleayre, making it responsible for paying its way like private resorts do. If the state goes forward with a plan to expand the facility without making those changes, “the result is putting a number of private recreation enterprises out of business,” Coloton stated.

“It will mean millions of dollars of local taxes lost, thousands of people put out of work, and it will be bad news for the communities we have been a part of for years.”
For information, visit nytaxpayers4equality.org.

Contact Julie Sherwood at (585) 394-0770, Ext. 263, or at [email protected]

Ang Lee Directing an Adaptation of Taking Woodstock

Posted by · April 23, 2008 3:12 AM

http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/04/23/ang-lee-directing-adaptation-of-elliot-tibers-taking-woodstock/

Ang Lee Directing an Adaptation of Taking Woodstock

April 23, 2008
Source: Variety
by Alex Billington

Oscar-winning director Ang Lee has directed nearly everything - the Hulk, gay cowboys, sexual spies, kung fu experts, romantic sisters - now he's tackling the greatest concert of all-time - Woodstock! Lee will direct and Focus Features president James Schamus will write the screenplay for a film based on Elliot Tiber's memoir "Taking Woodstock: A True Story of a Riot, Concert, and a Life." While not exactly about the concert itself, the story instead focuses on a motel owner who inadvertently sets in motion what would eventually become one of the most unforgettable concerts in history. Production is expected to begin before year's end with a $5 to $10 million budget.

The film will focus solely the lead character of Elliot Tiber and feature a "colorful" ensemble as well. Although it will be set during the "politically turbulent" summer of 1969, there's no word (at least in regards to licensing) on whether the film will actually feature any of the music from that time. Schamus explains his enthusiasm for the project: "Elliot's exuberant and heartfelt story is a perfect window onto the Woodstock experience. It explores an inspiring historical moment when liberation and freedom were in the air." Let's just hope that makes for a good story on screen, too.

Ang Lee and James Schamus have worked together previously as director/writer on 10 films, including: The Ice Storm, Ride with the Devil, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hulk, and Lust, Caution. If you've liked any of Lee and Schamus' work previously, it's likely Taking Woodstock will deliver in the same vein. You can pick up a copy of the book on Amazon.com and check out the story of Elliot Tiber and Woodstock before the film goes into production - something that I'd highly suggest.

Owners have way to fight landmen when pressure tactics used in search for natural gas

Posted by · April 22, 2008 3:44 AM

The forms used to file a complaint against individuals who negotiate natural gas leases on the behalf of the energy companies can be downloaded at the American Association of Professional Landmen Web site at www.landman.org or by contacting the Farm Bureau of New York field office at (607) 535-3072.

ELMIRA STAR GAZETTE
https://www.stargazettenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080330/COLUMNIST01/803300329

Owners have way to fight landmen
Complaint forms available when pressure tactics used in search for natural gas underground.
March 30, 2008
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Phoenix Drilling driller Tim Billings, left, and floor hand Justin Billings, right, operate equipment for East Resources on Pennsylvania Avenue in Pine City.

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It's now easier for landowners to lodge complaints about the landmen who knock on their doors and try to strong-arm them into signing a lease for the rights to natural gas that may be under their property.

In the past, property owners could complain to the state Attorney General's Office about harassing or misleading tactics used by some landmen trying to lease the tracts of land that drilling companies explore for natural gas deposits.

In 2004, the property owners did complain, especially to representatives from the Attorney General's Office in Binghamton at gas leasing seminars.

Most speakers accused landmen of using misleading information and pressure tactics and discouraging them from consulting attorneys as they pursued leases for energy companies.

Two years later, in 2006, the office announced a 12-point agreement that regulated how landmen were to deal with prospective clients.

Fortuna Energy Inc., with local headquarters in Big Flats, was the only company named in the settlement and was ordered to cover the $100,000 bill for the investigation.

But the guidelines affect all the energy companies looking for gas in the Southern Tier.

Now, the New York State Farm Bureau and the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL), headquartered in Texas, have collaborated on a formal complaint form that can be downloaded from the landmen association's Website at www.landman.org.

The complaint forms also will be distributed at gas leasing seminars sponsored by the state Farm Bureau.

Farm Bureau field adviser Lindsay Wickham credited the AAPL for developing the complaint form and bringing the bureau into the mix.

But the landmen's group had good reason, he said. The Farm Bureau's endorsement goes a long way with property owners who have come to rely on the agency for other services.

And the endorsement came with a cost; the bureau has arranged for the state Attorney General's Office to compile the forms and check the complaints.

The landmen's group would have preferred that another agency not be involved.

In spite of the 2006 agreement, the abuses continue.

Wickham recalls a complaint he received Wednesday from a Broome County landowner who was told that if he didn't sign a lease, the drillers would set up next to his property, drill horizontally and extract the gas under his land without giving him a penny for it.

Ashur Terwilliger, president of the Chemung County Farm Bureau, remembers how a landman convinced an elderly woman to extend her lease a year before it was set to expire and before she could learn about the successful drilling nearby that could have caused her to renegotiate for better terms.

AAPL spokesman Jim Bourbeau admitted problems do occur and said, "There are people out there who shouldn't be out there."

He has fired unethical landmen under his supervision. But, he added, not all landmen are required to join the AAPL and therefore are not under his jurisdiction.

Just how far the complaint forms will go toward cleaning up the negotiations for natural gas leases is anyone's guess.

Property owners tell stories about landmen who have gotten into trouble for tricking people into signing leases merely being assigned to a different area.

Hopefully, with the attorney general's involvement, punishment will now be stiffer.

In a perfect world, the landman knocks on a door, introduces himself, identifies which company he represents and provides a copy of the complaint form before he gets down to business.

In a perfect world, the landowners would know all there is to know about their rights.

But the complaints that popped up as the gas-rich Trenton-Black River formation was explored, and those that will undoubtedly appear as the Marcellus Shale deposits are explored, point to an imperfect world in the gas leasing arena.

Marcellus Shale is estimated to hold three times the amount of natural gas produced annually in the United States.

Property owners already are reporting that landmen leasing for rights to explore the formation are downplaying that as they rebuff landowners' attempts for high bonuses and royalties.

And landmen complain that property owners use past successes of drilling operations to substantially up the ante for drilling on their land.

With the potentially huge amount of money at stake, it will take more than a complaint form to inject a much-needed dose of integrity into natural gas lease negotiations.

Ultimately, a well-educated public will be its own best defense.

But until then, the acceptance of the complaint forms and supporting documents by the attorney general should bring some additional force of law into an arena where is there is very little.

G. Jeffrey Aaron is the business writer for the Star-Gazette. His column about business happenings and issues appears weekly on the Sunday business page.

Groundwater Resource Mapping

Posted by · April 21, 2008 6:36 AM

Groundwater Resource Mapping

http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/36118.html

Canisteo Valley, New York

"The most productive aquifers in upstate New York consist of unconsolidated deposits of sand and gravel that occupy major river and stream valleys or lake plains and terraces. Ground water in these aquifers occurs under water-table (unconfined) or artesian (confined) conditions. Municipalities, industries, and farms have been built over many of these aquifers because they typically form flat areas that are suitable for development and generally provide an ample ground-water supply. This development, coupled with the high permeability of these deposits and shallow depth to the water table, makes these aquifers particularly susceptible to contamination from point sources such as landfills and petroleum storage and nonpoint sources such as urban and agricultural runoff" (quote from New York USGS).

Typical geologic cross section.

To enhance and promote proper development, management, and protection of the unconsolidated aquifers of upstate New York, the Department of Environmental Conservation has long partnered with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct mapping reports of groundwater resources of the state. USGS also partners with various local agencies. The distribution and hydrogeologic characteristics of the unconsolidated aquifers are presented at the 1:250,000 scale in a series of five maps published in 1988 on a cooperative basis between the USGS and DEC. Beginning in 1980 and continuing through today, the USGS has partnered with DEC and other entities to produce over 30 detailed hydrogeologic maps for selected aquifers at the 1:24,000 scale (see link in right margin). The aquifer maps generally include a series of 1:24,000 scale maps showing aquifer boundaries, surficial geology, location of wells and test holes, and the water-table or potentiometric surface.

A listing of cooperative publications with the USGS is availble at the NY-USGS website (see links below).

Detailed Aquifer Mapping

Cooperative Publications of NY USGS

Online Publications of NY USGS

USGS Publications Search Engine

Contact for this Page:

Bureau of Water Resource Management
Division of Water
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-3508
518-402-8233
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