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* Winner: 13 Better Newspaper Contest Awards *New York Press Association, 2013 & 2014 What to do in the garden now See page 15 FREE | FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2015 69 MAIN ST., COLD SPRING, N.Y. | www.philipstown.info Haldane Board Withdraws Support for Supt’s Reorg Plan Members conclude public resistance too strong for success By Kevin E. Foley t a special session of the Haldane School Dis- trict’s Board of Education last Tuesday eve- Aning (July 28), the five trustees reluctantly de- cided against going forward with an administrative reorganization plan by Dr. Diana Bowers, the school district’s superintendent, after they had appeared to be supporting it. The plan, which proposed creating a new position of assistant superintendent for current High School Principal Brian Alm, among other changes, was intended as part of an effort to implement the dis- trict’s new strategic plan and also retain the current administrative team by offering them a promotional opportunity, not an easy thing in a small district. The idea met with significant opposition from sever- Crews began paving South Mountain Pass on Thursday morning (July 30). Photo by Michael Turton al perspectives starting at a public hearing on July 21. (To page 3) South Mountain Pass Paving Foes Lose Court Bid to Halt Project New road work commences; tious debate, on June 10 the Town Board approved a 1,310-foot South Mountain Town Board approves Pass drainage project, to be complement- furnace restrictions ed and protected by the paving work. Represented by David K. Gordon, a New Paltz–based lawyer, on Wednesday By Liz Schevtchuk Armstrong morning the Old Road Society and its al- pponents of paving the western- lies went to the state’s Putnam Supreme most stretch of South Mountain Court civil division in Carmel, filing OPass took their case to court this their bid to stop the paving by obtaining week but failed to obtain a temporary re- a temporary restraining order, in a state straining order to stop the roadwork. law Article 78 proceeding. The court At a Town Board workshop Wednesday called for a hearing under Justice Victor Jen Daly, Haldane School Board president, and Superintendent Diana Bowers night (July 29), Philipstown Town Super- G. Grossman that afternoon. Photo by K.E. Foley visor Richard Shea, In the ensuing proceedings, “the named as a defen- “We obviously came to the dant in the case, judge refused to along with the conclusion that this is a good project grant a temporary whole Town Board, and it’s going to be a benefit to the restraining order, Democrat Seeks Beacon Mayoralty which is a good announced the re- entire town.” Ron Ray lays out his plans for change sult of the judicial thing for us,” Shea informed his Town action. By Brian PJ Cronin Paving began less than 24 hours later. Board colleagues and the public Wednes- However, the window for further liti- day night. “We obviously came to the on Ray has called the City of gation remains open and the town has conclusion that this is a good project Beacon his home for 26 years. In until Sept. 4 to answer the allegations and it’s going to be a benefit to the entire Rthose years he’s been witness to in the 19-page petition-cum-complaint town.” He and other Town Board mem- a lot of changes, and in his opinion, not brought by the plaintiffs, the Old Road bers extended thanks to Philipstown all of them have been positive. Society and like-minded paving adver- Highway Superintendent Roger Chirico, “I’ve seen a touch of gentrification,” saries. who planned the paving and drainage he told The Paper. “When I walk down In other town business Wednesday, the projects, and Stephen J. Gaba, who rep- the street now I don’t see many people Town Board adopted new rules for oper- resents Philipstown in court and whom I know anymore, and I’ve lived here ating outdoor wood-fired furnaces. Shea described as “a super-sharp per- since 1989. It’s not as diverse as it used son I think we’re really lucky to have” as to be because of the rent. The rents are South Mountain Pass paving town attorney. becoming unaffordable.” Twisting, with steep 10 to 15 percent After the meeting, Shea commented grades, South Mountain Pass runs di- Rising rents and property taxes pric- further to The Paper. “I’m glad it’s over, ing out longtime locals is becoming a agonally southeast roughly 2 miles from that’s for sure,” he said of the court hear- Route 9D, ending at Route 9 in Westches- familiar complaint on the streets of ing. He explained that the next step is Beacon. But rather than simply com- ter County slightly beyond the Putnam “to start paving tomorrow [Thursday, County–Philipstown border. After weeks plain, Ray has decided to do something July 30]. It was scheduled and then we about it. He recently threw his hat into of acrimonious public discussion, site had to unschedule it” when the court ap- visits and deliberations, the Town Board the ring for Beacon’s mayoral election pearance loomed. He again defended the in the fall. Ray is backed by the city’s voted unanimously on July 14 to pave a board’s decision to pave. “This project 2,600-foot strip of the road, leading uphill Democratic Party and will be running has been voted on by the Town Board. Democratic candidate for the mayor of against incumbent Mayor Randy Ca- from Route 9D. Amid similarly conten- Beacon Ron Ray Photo courtesy of Ron Ray I feel we went (Continued on page 3) sale, an independent who (To page 5) 2 July 31, 2015 The Paper www.philipstown.info | Philipstown.info Small, Good Things said, though I do traffic in meat substitutes and protein alterna- tives, what I can’t understand The Thing, Itself are meat analogues or simula- cra: vegetarian “bacon,” “hot By Joe Dizney dogs” or “burgers.” Tofurkey! What is that?!? am a relatively indiscriminate eater Can we please call the stuff and will try most anything at least what it is? I once. This surely is the result of a Lou- I like food that tastes good isiana upbringing: by the time I was of and tastes like itself; what it is voting age I had consumed (and I daresay as it is. Do not obfuscate or con- thoroughly enjoyed) my fair share of oys- fuse the issue — which is why ters, crabs, shrimp and crawfish for sure, I am a little hesitant proffering but had also traveled the more tangential this week’s recipe: Faux Gras. Cajun foodways that led to plates of al- I came to it through former ligator, squirrel, rattlesnake and even ar- Chez Panisse pastry chef David madillo. (Yes, Virginia, it tastes like pork.) Lebovitz’s excellent food blog Further forays found meals of large (davidlebovitz.com). Now living grub worms (in Nigeria), insects (in the life of an American epicure Mexico) and a brief and previously ac- in Paris, he adapted it from Re- knowledged dalliance with a group of becca Leffler’s Très Green, Très carnivorous NYC gastronauts alternately Clean, Très Chic. [This book known as “the Offal Truth” or “the Or- is subtitled Eat (and Live!) the Faux Gras Photo by J. Dizney ganization.” (Barbequed Kosher-Uzbecki New French Way with Plant- sweetbreads in Jackson Heights were the Based, Gluten-Free Recipes for challenging them to guess its makeup, highlight of that tour.) Every Season, which says to me that the Things’ Sour Cherry Chutney.) It is an and although some have called it, this is One of my lifetime-favorite “cook- French “get” vegetarian cooking to just excellent addition and complement to a not the point: In all three instances the books” is the late veterinary epidemi- about the same degree that they “got” cheese or charcuterie plate, and I’m told pot was, as they say, licked clean. ologist Calvin Schwabe’s meisterwerk, rock ’n’ roll, which is basically not at all, that it goes well with big red wines, a Serve it on crackers or a crusty bread; Unmentionable Cuisine, a scholarly and preferring, well, an analogue to what nice rosé or craft beers. it works well with the traditional ac- fundamentally entertaining survey of they already had and did very well.] Or have it with your kale-spinach- companiments of its nominal French global culinary taboos that also provides So while we are ostensibly to enjoy this brewer’s-yeast bomb. analogue — cornichons, fruit pastes, on- recipes for myriad species of beasts, and dish as a simulacrum of foie gras — an I just had some on a baguette with a ion or shallot marmalade. (It is pictured nearly all of their body parts and flu- ethically admirable and politically cor- couple of slices of heirloom tomato and here with some of the last Small Good ids. (Admittedly, there are many dishes rect intention if you like to overthink fresh basil and would gladly do that in this particular tome even I wouldn’t these things — what we actually have again in a second. venture, no matter how entertaining it here is a simple pâté of French lentils, Now if we only knew what to call it … . is. I much prefer to stick closer to Fergus sautéed white mushrooms and walnuts. Faux Gras Henderson’s The Whole Beast, an urtext Ethical politicking aside, such a dish (Lentil, Mushroom, Walnut Pâté) for the nose-to-tail school of contempo- could potentially veer into stereotypical rary butchery and cooking.) hippie nut-loaf territory — if it weren’t for Via David Lebovitz; adapted from Très Green, Très Green, Très Chic, by Rebecca Leffler But mine is not a staunchly carnivo- the herbs, lemon juice and especially the rous pursuit — I will happily consume the optional splash of cognac (an obvious and 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon wild and cultivated fruits, roots, shoots stereotypical Gallic nod to foie gras).

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