Thursday, January 2, 2020

The New York Public Library Kicks Off 2020 With A Challenge for all New Yorkers: Make a Resolution to Read For 20 Minutes a Day

The Library—celebrating its 125th anniversary this year—encourages patrons to “drop and give us 20 . . . minutes of reading” in the “gym ad” like challenge, offering book recommendations and a new “Book Of The Day” newsletter to help 

New York City, New York – The New York Public Library is encouraging every New Yorker to make a reading resolution in 2020: read, read to your child, or encourage your kids to read for at least 20 minutes a day.

The reading challenge was issued in an animated “ad” sent this morning to the Library’s 1.1 million subscribers. The animation is reminiscent of ads for gyms (popular around New Year’s Day), and encourages New Yorkers to get library cards, see book recommendations, and sign up for a new “Book of the Day” newsletter at nypl.org/2020. 

“Looking to start a new chapter in 2020,” the animated ad asks. “Exercise your mind! Try a no-sweat

Hot/Cold: Expressions in Wax Exhibit: January 14-February 16, 2020

Poughkeepsie, NY -- Arts Mid-Hudson Gallery will host Hot/Cold: Expressions in Wax, an invitational exhibition curated by Tracy Leavitt featuring works created using the versatile and evocative substance of wax. This exhibition includes 11 different artists some of whom use wax in its hot, fluid state known as encaustic, some of whom prefer to work with it in its more viscous form called cold wax, and some of the artists utilize both forms in the same artwork. The show will run from January 14th - February 16th with an opening celebration on January 17th and a closing brunch on February 16th. 

The Hot/Cold: Expressions in Wax exhibition explores innovative and compelling work made possible through the medium of wax. Additionally, the title serves to loosely define the thematic concern of visually expressing opposing forces. Through contrasts of shape, subject, textures, and color, both within some singular works but also in the placement of quiet, soft pieces next to sharp-marked, bright waxworks, the show provokes a sense of quiet and calm which leads to the cataclysmic and then back again, a constant turning.    

ARTISTS:
Mountain Fog, Regina Quinn.
Kaitlyn Niznik
________________
Arts Mid-Hudson Gallery is open 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.weekdays with special weekend hours for this show of Saturday 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. There will be a Cold Wax and Oil painting workshop during February - dates and time TBD. The Gallery is located at 696 Dutchess Turnpike, Suite F, Poughkeepsie, NY  - Tel. 845-454-3222. www.ArtsMidHudson.org

__________________________________
Arts Mid-Hudson is the preeminent nonprofit arts service organization serving the Mid-Hudson region. Since 1964 our initiatives have engaged and promoted the arts benefiting our artists, arts organizations and communities. Arts Mid-Hudson provides vision and leadership to support thriving and diverse arts in the Mid-Hudson region.  
 
For more information about Arts Mid-Hudson and future arts events, sign up for the weekly E-newsletter at www.artsmidhudson.org
 

Works & Process at the Guggenheim presents Anthony Roth Costanzo Spring 2020 Season Opening Night Cabaret Monday, January 6, 2020 at 7:30pm

Works & Process, the performing arts series at the Guggenheim, presents an
Opening Night Cabaret to kick of the Spring 2020 Season on Monday, January 6, 2020 at 7:30pm.

Before he was an opera singer, countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo (Akhnaten and Glass Handel) was a Broadway baby moving from community theater to national tours, and eventually to the Great White Way. Now, Costanzo is looking back to go forward. For one night only, in the New York premiere of his cabaret, he revisits his childhood, drawing on the leading ladies, crooners, and icons that helped form him. And, in a twist, he finds just enough low to balance out his highs.  Developed with the Bearded Ladies Cabaret for Opera Philadelphia's Festival O19. Directed by John Jarboe. Musical arrangements by Heath Allen. Scenic design by Machine Dazzle.

Opening Night Chairs: Joanna Fisher, Bart Friedman, Andrew J. Martin-Weber, and Anh-Tuyet

BIRTHDAY PARTY PACKAGES ON SALE JANUARY 8

Central Islip, New York – The Long Island Ducks today announced that Birthday Party Packages for the 2020 Ducks season will go on sale to the general public Wednesday, January 8, at 10:00 a.m. Fans seeking to host their child’s birthday party with the Ducks are encouraged to call (631) 940-3825 at that time for the best availability. Those interested can also email groups@liducks.com.
 
2020 Birthday Party Packages will continue to feature several unique experiences and inclusions. During the game, the birthday boy/girl will have the chance to join QuackerJack on top of the dugout as the entire crowd sings “Happy Birthday.” Additionally, his/her name will be announced over the public address system and be displayed on the ribbon board.
 
Additionally, all birthday parties with the Ducks include (all items subject to change):
 
-10 box seat game tickets
-Food, beverages and snacks for 10 guests
-One commemorative t-shirt for the birthday child
-One autographed baseball for the birthday child and nine Ducks souvenir logo baseballs for guests
-10 unlimited passes to the Ducks Kids Zone, featuring three inflatable attractions
 
Members of the Ducks Kids Club, presented by Bethpage Federal Credit Union, will be able to book their birthday party one day early as an exclusive perk with their membership. Reservations for Kids Club members may be made beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 7. To become a member of the Kids Club and take advantage of this special benefit, please CLICK HERE or call (631) 940-3825, ext. 102.
 
The Long Island Ducks are members of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and play their home games at Bethpage Ballpark. For further information, call (631) 940-DUCK or visit www.liducks.com.

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

VILLAGE OF TARRYTOWN 2020 HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

The following is a list of the Village’s holidays for the 2020 calendar year.

Whenever there is a holiday during the week, garbage pick-up is suspended on the
day of the holiday or the day proscribed in the Village’s personnel contracts.

The regular sanitation collection resumes the following day unless you are
otherwise noticed.

2020
Wednesday, January 1 New Year’s Day
Monday, January 20 Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Monday, February 17 Presidents’ Day
Friday, April 10 Good Friday
Monday, May 25 Memorial Day
Friday, July 3 Independence Day (observed on July 3rd)
Monday, September 7 Labor Day
Monday, October 12 Columbus Day
Wednesday, November 11 Veterans’ Day
Thursday, November 26 Thanksgiving Day
Friday, November 27 Thanksgiving Friday
Friday, December 25 Christmas Day

SINCE GARBAGE IS NOT PICKED UP ON THE ABOVE HOLIDAYS, PLEASE
NOTE THESE DAYS ON YOUR 2020 CALENDAR. THE 2020 VILLAGE
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE
www.tarrytowngov.com.

Friday, December 27, 2019

Don’t Miss All Aboard with Thomas & Friends at The New York Botanical Garden Saturdays, Sundays, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 4–26, 2020

New York City, New York - Children join Thomas and Driver Sam on a fun-filled, sing-along, mini-performance adventure during All Aboard with Thomas & Friends™. In Thomas Cleans Up, everyone’s favorite blue locomotive arrives at Knapford Station with a trainload of materials to dispose of. Kids help him and Driver Sam figure out how to recycle everything to protect the environment and save Earth’s precious natural resources. Make sure to have a professional photo taken with the Really Useful Engine to capture the special day.

All Aboard with Thomas & Friends joins The New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show®, a beloved New York City tradition. The 28th annual Holiday Train Show showcases Central Park and its iconic architectural treasures. Enchanting model trains zip through a display of more than 175 New York landmarks, each re-created with bark, leaves, and other natural materials. This year, the Holiday Train Show is presented in an immersive indoor winter wonderland adjacent to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory as the Conservatory’s palm dome undergoes restoration. Replicas debuting this year include the Belvedere Castle, the Dairy, the Naumburg Bandshell, Bethesda Terrace, and two graceful pedestrian bridges. The Holiday Train Show runs through Sunday, January 26, 2020.

WHEN: All Aboard with Thomas & Friends
Saturdays, Sundays, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 25, & 26, 2020
There are either three or four performances each day; times vary between
9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Visit nybg.org for the full schedule.

WHERE: The New York Botanical Garden
Ross Hall
2900 Southern Boulevard
Bronx, New York

TICKETS: Admission to performances is included with the purchase of Holiday Train Show with
All Aboard with Thomas & Friends tickets. Seating is first-come, first-served, and
begins 30 minutes prior to the show time. Specific timed tickets must be reserved.
Visit nybg.org for more information and to purchase tickets.

Mount Vernon Receives $136,154.09 as First Repayment from Lawsuit Against Former Mayor Thomas and Co-Conspirators

According Mount Vernon on December 26th released the following:

Mount Vernon Receives $136,154.09
as First Repayment from Lawsuit Against Former Mayor Thomas and Co-Conspirators

Today, the City of Mount Vernon and Board of Water Supply received a check in the amount of $136,154.09 from the law firm of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, representing all funds paid to their law firm from the Board of Water Supply for the criminal defense of former Mayor Richard Thomas. 

 
On December 23, 2019, the City and the Board of Water Supply filed suit in Westchester County Supreme Court against ten defendants, including former Mayor Richard Thomas and former Corporation Counsel Lawrence Porcari, for using money from the Water Department as a “slush fund” to pay for the criminal defense of former Mayor Richard Thomas and former Buildings Commissioner Daniel Jones. The case will continue against the remaining defendants notwithstanding the payment by Boies Schiller. 
 
“I promised the People of Mount Vernon that I would clean up the fraud, waste, and abuse in the City and the Water Department and get the City its money back,” said Mayor André Wallace. “Today, we received a down payment. We will keep going until it is all accounted for. I want to thank Water Commissioner Carlton Spruill and Corporation Counsel Lauren Raysor for their efforts in helping to deliver on this promise. This case sends an important message that if you steal from this City, we will come after you. I appreciate the quick action of Boies Schiller in helping right this wrong.“

Friday, December 20, 2019

Theater Resources Unlimited announces the annual essential workshop Raising Money for Theater 2020: Who, How and When to Ask Saturday, January 25, 2020

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) presents its much-anticipated annual workshop, Raising Money for Theater 2020: Who, How and When to Ask, on Saturday, January 25, 2020 from 10am to 6pm at Studios 150, 150 W. 46th Street, Studio 5, 7th floor. E-mail TRUStaff1@gmail.com or register online at https://truonline.org/events/raising-money-2020/.

It's more important now than ever for the voices of theater to be heard, so if you have a production that cries out for an audience, get ready to move ahead with passion and a plan. For producers, one important step is finding the money and resources to bring your projects to fruition. We invite you to acquire some basic tools and crucial information that will help you to overcome your money shyness and effectively reach out to supporters. From pitching techniques and presentation skills to legal requirements and business planning, plus a wealth of first-hand experience from more than a half dozen producers who are currently active in the Broadway and off-Broadway worlds, we promise you an informative, empowering and inspiring day.

Workshop faculty will include (confirmed so far):

CUNY Dance Initiative and John Jay College Present the World Premiere of Gabrielle Lamb's Plexus (a Work in Knots)

Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, 
524 W. 59th Street, NYC

Friday, February 7, 2020

The CUNY Dance Initiative and John Jay College, in collaboration with
Pigeonwing Dance, present the World Premiere of Gabrielle Lamb's
Plexus (a Work in Knots) on Friday, February 7, 2020 at 7:30pm at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, 524 W. 59th Street, NYC. Tickets are $25 ($15 students/seniors) and can be purchased starting January 2, 2020 at https://www.pigeonwingdance.com/pwd/plexus.
 
In Plexus (a Work in Knots), Princess Grace

Works & Process at the Guggenheim presents West Side Story

Ivo van Hove and Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker

January 27, 2020 at 7:30pm

Works & Process, the performing arts series at the Guggenheim, presents West Side Story: Ivo van Hove and Anne Teresa De Keersmaekeron Monday, January 27, 2020 at 7:30pm.
 
When the original production by Jerome

Thursday, December 19, 2019

TWO BARD COLLEGE STUDENTS WIN PRESTIGIOUS STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2020

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.— Two Bard College students were awarded a highly competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship by the U.S. Department of State. 

Bard College student Tatiana Alfaro ’21 has won a highly competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships from the U.S. Department of State.


Art history major Tatiana Alfaro ’21 has been awarded $5000 towards her studies at Bard College Berlin. “I’m so happy to have received the Gilman award. It’s definitely an honor and was unexpected. My experience with Gilman will enhance my experience abroad. Studying in Berlin will help me have a more global view on the art world, and specifically, what I want my role within it to be. I believe it will be a good opportunity for me to see my personal and academic interests overlap, not only as an art historian but as a global learner.”


Bard College student Mary Reid ’21  has won a highly competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships from the U.S. Department of State.


Biology major Mary Reid ’21 has been awarded $3,000 for her term at the Lorenzo di Medici Institute in Florence, Italy. “Studying abroad is an aspiration for many students but financial concerns are often an impossible barrier. I am incredibly privileged to reach for my own aspirations as a result of this scholarship, my supportive friends, and my wonderful family. While abroad, I hope to gain a greater knowledge of new cultures and ideas, as well as an increased sense of autonomy and introspection. I am eager to make my study abroad experience live up to my childhood ambitions. Thank you to everyone who has made this possible.”

Gilman Scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply towards their study abroad or internship program costs with additional funding available for the study of a critical language overseas. The Gilman scholarship supports American undergraduate students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad and, since 2001, has enabled more than 31,000 outstanding Americans of diverse backgrounds to engage in a meaningful educational experience abroad. The program has successfully broadened U.S. participation in study abroad, while emphasizing countries and regions where fewer Americans traditionally study. The late Congressman Gilman, who served in the House of Representatives for 30 years, chaired the House Foreign Relations Committee, and was honored with the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Medal in 2002, commented, “Study abroad is a special experience for every student who participates. Living and learning in a vastly different environment of another nation not only exposes our students to alternate views, but also adds an enriching social and cultural experience. It also provides our students with the opportunity to return home with a deeper understanding of their place in the world, encouraging them to be a contributor, rather than a spectator in the international community.”  gilmanscholarship.org


About Bard College
Founded in 1860, Bard College is a four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences located 90 miles north of New York City. With the addition of the Montgomery Place estate, Bard’s campus consists of nearly 1,000 parklike acres in the Hudson River Valley. It offers bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and bachelor of music degrees, with majors in nearly 40 academic programs; graduate degrees in 11 programs; nine early colleges; and numerous dual-degree programs nationally and internationally. Building on its 159-year history as a competitive and innovative undergraduate institution, Bard College has expanded its mission as a private institution acting in the public interest across the country and around the world to meet broader student needs and increase access to liberal arts education. The undergraduate program at our main campus in upstate New York has a reputation for scholarly excellence, a focus on the arts, and civic engagement. Bard is committed to enriching culture, public life, and democratic discourse by training tomorrow’s thought leaders. For more information about Bard College, visit bard.edu.

South Street Seaport Museum presents The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience

NOW THROUGH December 29, 2019
 
FINAL SIX DAYS!

The South Street Seaport Museum presents The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Show Experience, a fun-filled hour-long experience complete with a 25 minute interactive puppet show, activities, and the opportunity to take a picture with The Very Hungry Caterpillar, through December 29, 2019 with three performances on select dates at 10am, 11:30am, and 1pm at the Melville Gallery at 213 Water Street, NYC. Tickets are $25 (children under one are $5 with accompanying paid adult ticket) and are available via the Museum website at www.seaportmuseum.org/hungrycaterpillar or directly from OvationTix at https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/1020990.
 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by author/illustrator Eric Carle has delighted generations of readers since it was first published in 1969, selling more than 43 million copies worldwide. Carle's well-known books have captivated readers with his iconic colorful hand-painted tissue paper collage illustrations and distinctively simple stories. His work has introduced generations of children to a bigger, brighter world - and to their first experience of reading itself.
 
Witness these timeless classics come to life during an interactive story time at The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience.
 
Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience features a variety of puppets, faithfully adapting three of Eric Carle's stories, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, and of course, the star of the event - The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
 
The experience lasts approximately sixty minutes, including a puppet show with special audience participation elements. Plus, all attendees will have the opportunity to take a picture with The Very Hungry Caterpillar!
 
Each performance will feature The Very Hungry Caterpillar paired with the story listed below:
12/21, 12/26, 12/28, 12/29:
10am - Brown Bear, Brown Bear; 11:30am - 10 Little Rubber Ducks; 1pm - Brown Bear, Brown Bear
12/22, 12/27:
10am - 10 Little Rubber Ducks; 11:30am - Brown Bear, Brown Bear; 1pm - 10 Little Rubber Ducks
 
 
Melville Gallery is a historic building and there are four steps to enter the building. Please contact us at 212-748-8600 with access questions.
 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience is sponsored by the Howard Hughes Corporation.
 
ABOUT SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM
The South Street Seaport Museum, located in the heart of the historic seaport district in New York City, preserves and interprets the history of New York as a great port city. Founded in 1967, and designated by Congress as America's National Maritime Museum, the Museum houses an extensive collection of works of art and artifacts, a maritime reference library, exhibition galleries and education spaces, working nineteenth century print shops, and an active fleet of historic vessels that all work to tell the story of "Where New York Begins."

ORANGETOWN SECURES FUNDING FOR NEW PLAYGROUND COMPLEX AT VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK IN ORANGEBURG

The new playground will allow children of all physical capabilities to play side-by-side with their friends and family
(Orangeburg, NY) - Orangetown has secured funding to completely replace all playgrounds in the Town with brand new equipment and rubberized surfacing. Included in this funding is a fully-inclusive and modern $500,000-plus replacement of the large Veterans Park playground complex that will allow children of all physical capabilities to play side-by-side with their friends.

“As my time here as Supervisor winds down, I am extremely proud as a parent and public servant to be able to leave these new play areas to be enjoyed by a generation or more of families in Orangetown, including those with children that have physical limitations, for years to come,” said Orangetown Town Supervisor Chris Day.
 
Earlier this year, Supervisor Day and members of the Town Board held a ribbon cutting ceremony at Emilio DiFrancesco Memorial Park in Sparkill to celebrate the first new playground installations in Orangetown in over 25 years. They include rubberized surfacing and more modern equipment to increase accessibility and improve residents' experience. In addition to Emilio DiFrancesco Memorial Park, the other new structures are located at Cherry Brook Park in Pearl River and Stoughton Park in Tappan.

Funding is coming through a mix of bonds, a secured $250,000 grant from State Senator Carlucci, and an expected $250,000 grant from State Assemblywoman Jaffee. The new bonds are offset by bonds that the town has recently paid off and therefore will not add to the town’s debt load.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Shanghai Ballet and China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. present GRAND SWAN LAKE at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts January 17-19, 2020


Shanghai Ballet and China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. presentDerek Deane's Grand Swan Lake from January 17-19, 2020at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, NYC. Tickets are $36-$176, and will be available online atDavidHKochTheater.com, by phone at 212-496-0600, or by visiting the David H. Koch Theater Box Office at 20 Lincoln Center Plaza. Performances: Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 1pm.
 
Shanghai Ballet comes to the David H. Koch

Ulster Chamber Events

Networking Mixer @ Keegan Ales
November 18
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
20 St. James Street
Kingston, NY
Sponsor: Benedictine Health Foundation
Tommy Keegan, owner of Keegan Ales<http://www.keeganales.com/> in Kingston, will host November's Chamber Networking Mixer. Chamber members are invited to take a tour through this iconic brewery and sample the latest craft beers for the holiday season, Super Kitty and Double Chocolate Stout. These brews are available for a limited time and once they're gone, they're gone. You can also sample Keegan's other great beers like Mother's Milk, Joe Mama's Milk and Old Capital, just to name a few. Complimentary refreshments will also be provided as you network with fellow Chamber Members. There is no charge for Chamber Members and Prospective Members to attend but reservations are required. Mixers are open to Chamber Members 21 years of age and older. Call the Chamber office at 338-5100 or register online at www.UlsterChamber.org<http://www.UlsterChamber.org>
Ulster Chamber Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Holiday Inn Express & Suites
November 19
11:00 am
2777 Route 32
Saugerties, NY

Chamber Breakfast Meeting "History is Just Our Beginning"

Second Annual Kingdom of the Sweets Family Fun Night at the National Museum of Dance


SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY,  - The National Museum of Dance is pleased to announce the Second Annual Nutcracker’s Kingdom of the Sweets Family Fun Night will take place Thursday, December 5, 2019 from 4:30 to 7:30 pm. There will be a craft, raffle, candy bar, and creative movement, plus pop-up Nutcracker excerpt performances by the Museum’s School of the Arts. The cost is $5 per child. We hope you will join us for this festive occasion!

The Museum is an official trolley stop for the Victorian Streetwalk. Leave your car at the Museum and head downtown. Trolleys will run approximately every 20 minutes.

The National Museum of Dance is now open for winter hours Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sunday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Please visit our website at www.dancemuseum.org for more information about upcoming exhibitions and programming. To volunteer at the National Museum of Dance email info@dancemuseum.org or call 518-584-2225 x 3001.

RIOULT Dance NY presents Behind The Process Friday, November 22, 2019 at 7:30pm at RIOULT Dance Center

PLEASE JOIN US:
Friday, November 22, 2109 at 7:30pm

RSVP to Michelle Tabnick, 646-765-4773, michelle@michelletabnickpr.com
RIOULT Dance NY presents Behind The Process on Friday, November 22, 2019 at 7:30pm at Rioult Dance Center, New York City's newest space for dance, 34-01 Steinway Street, Astoria, NY 11101 (entrance on 34th Avenue). For more information, please call 212-398-5901 or email alyssa@rioult.org.
 
Behind the Process features a deconstruction

AARP 6-Hour "Smart Driver" refresher class

Cortland, New York - Saturday, December 7, 2019

A six-hour driver refresher course geared for drivers aged 50 and older, but open to drivers of any age, is being offered on Saturday, December 7 from 9:00am-4:00pm, and a one-hour lunch break will be provided. Course is approved by the N.Y.S. Department of Motor Vehicles for points and insurance reduction. Participants are encouraged to bring a sweater or jacket. Must pre-register w/ County Health Dept. 607-758-5509

Date:
December 7, 2019
Time:
9:00 AM
Location:
Cortland Community Center
Address:
90 Central Ave
Cortland, NY 13045
Contact:
607-758-5509
Email:
Cost:
$25 $20 with current AARP Membership Card at class Payable only by Cash, Check or Money Order

Friday, October 4, 2019

City of Poughkeepsie Sets Public Information Session For YMCA Site Submissions

Poughkeepsie, NY – The City of Poughkeepsie will hold a public information session on
Wednesday, Oct. 23 regarding possible future uses for the former YMCA site on Montgomery
Street. The meeting will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Changepoint Church, 260 Mill St.,
Poughkeepsie.

In early September, the city released the four submissions it had received in connection to
reuse of the site and then appointed an advisory committee that includes members of the
public to review the applications and make recommendations to the administration.

Two of the respondents – one suggesting a Swimming Past the Boundaries Aquatic Center,