* Winner: 13 Better Newspaper Contest Awards *New York Press Association, 2013 & 2014 Day Trip: Mount Gulian Historic Site See page 14 FREE | FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2015 69 MAIN ST., COLD SPRING, N.Y. | www.philipstown.info The End of Accused the Road Murderer NYS Parks Department Remains in won’t consider legal off-road access on Mount Beacon Custody Grand jury votes but no By Brian PJ Cronin indictment handed down yet s summer draws near, residents of Dutchess and Putnam counties By Michael Turton Aare hitting the trails throughout the Hudson Highlands with wild aban- peculation continues to swirl don, soaking up the sunshine and getting around events leading up to and back to nature. But for some residents, Sfollowing the April 30 arrest of the good times may be coming to an end. 35-year-old Angelika Graswald, charged This summer, Scenic Hudson is sched- with the second-degree murder of her fi- uled to turn over stewardship of the ancé, Vincent Viafore. Scant information trails they currently maintain on Fish- has been made public by investigators kill Ridge and Mount Beacon to the New and Viafore’s body is yet to be found. York State Parks Department, eliminat- On Tuesday, May 5, some media outlets ing some of the confusion as to who is reported that a grand jury had indicted responsible for which patch of land Graswald on second-degree murder, how- throughout the Highlands. ever the reports proved premature. A tele- “It’s a bureaucratic nightmare up phone call from The Paper to the Orange there,” noted David Rocco, who led the County Court on the afternoon of May 6 volunteer efforts to restore the Mount HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! Sherman Williams celebrates Yankees victory with his mom. confirmed that a formal indictment has Beacon Fire Tower. “You start at the See Little League highlights on page 16. Photo by Cecily Fluke Hall not yet been handed down. bottom and you’re in the city of Beacon. Grand jury investigation continues You go halfway up and suddenly you’re Under New York State law, a defendant in Fishkill. Then you start passing back charged with a felony in criminal court and forth between Scenic Hudson land must be released within six days unless a and the state’s land. And Scenic Hudson preliminary hearing is held, resulting in doesn’t have police authority.” continued incarceration. Alternatively, a Scenic Hudson may not have police au- defendant can be kept in custody beyond thority, but the New York State Parks De- six days if the district attorney files writ- partment does. And they plan on using ten certification with the court that an that authority to invoke a long-standing indictment has been voted on by a grand law that’s been loosely enforced in the jury. Such a submission indicates only past: the forbiddance of Jeeps, ATVs, and that a vote by the 23-member grand jury other off-road vehicles on the trails that has been taken, not that a final indict- traverse Mount Beacon and Fishkill Ridge. ment has been issued. As The Paper has reported over the The preliminary hearing for Graswald last few weeks, the issue of off-road ve- scheduled for May 5 in New Windsor was hicles on the mountain has been a thorny canceled and the case shifted to Orange one for quite some time. On one hand, County Court in Goshen. The Paper has state laws clearly forbid the use of such learned, from a source familiar with the vehicles on the mountain. On the other case but who requested anonymity, that hand, off-roaders have been traveling the certification indicating the grand jury has trails for generations, and have been in- voted on a charge against Graswald has strumental in clearing the mountain of been submitted to the court, however it is (Continued on page 6) Mud wallows on Mount Beacon caused by tire treads Photo by B. Cronin not yet known if (Continued on page 3) Await Harassment Trial Verdict An incident at the March 2014 Cold Spring election By Michael Turton he vast majority of defendants who appear at the Cold Spring Jus- tice Court do not see their cases go to trial; Richard Weissbrod, Thowever, is an exception. The Cold Spring resident faced a charge of harassment in the second degree at a bench trial before Judge An- thony Costello on Thursday, April 30. Putnam County Assistant District Attorney David Bishop prosecuted the case while Poughkeepsie-based attorney Steven Patterson represented Weissbrod. The trial was a classic case of “he said, she said,” centered on Weiss- brod’s behavior at the Cold Spring firehouse during the March 18, 2014, village election. The firehouse served as a polling station that day. Tak- ing such case to trial is not without considerable cost. In court that day, in addition to Judge Costello and the two attorneys, were the court clerk, a court stenographer, four witnesses and two reporters. Calls to Bishop and Patterson to determine what factors prevented such a relatively minor charge from being settled without the expense of a trial were not returned. Harassment in the second degree is clas- sified as a “violation,” an offense considered less serious than a misde- meanor. The website newyork-defense-lawyer.com (To page 3) Bannerman’s Island, near where kayak incident occurred File photo by M. Turton 2 May 8, 2015 The Paper www.philipstown.info | Philipstown.info Small, Good Things Another Green World By Joe Dizney For me, Alice Waters offers the ultimate ver- here’s a palpable urgency at work sion of this dish, with in the garden as the natural world a “Green Risotto” of as- Ttries hard to fully extract itself paragus and fresh peas, from the now-gentle-but-still-lingering bound together at the grip of this year’s insistent winter. last minute by a fresh It seems as if all the early spring flow- fava bean puree. While ers—bulbs, forsythia, fruit trees—explod- this is undeniably el- ed all at once, dotting the still-brown egant, our late-breaking landscape with wild flashes of color and spring coupled with a life. The trees have been a bit behind in self-imposed mandate leafing out, although I noted with con- to try and remain lo- sternation this week that the garlic mus- cally sourced (and keep- tard seems to be going great guns. ing in mind the persis- But spring’s greens finally seem to be tent California drought) upon us, and nowhere is it more appar- leave both the favas ent than at the farmers market. I cele- and peas off limits, at brated sorrel a couple of weeks ago, but least for now. But as the it’s been a challenge to maintain focus aforementioned spring while shopping when confronted with onions also signal, it is the forgotten food wonders beginning to ramp season, and that Asparagus risotto Photo by J. Dizney reappear in the market. is something to cheer as I want desperately to celebrate each well, so I’m suggesting or some fresh herb, the “eat fresh, eat lo- a compromise, but even it is not a neces- and every permutation in this column, we make this a joint celebration. cal” voice in my head says it’s too early. sity. This recipe is all about the season. but a biweekly schedule just can’t keep It should be acknowledged that ramps, That version will just have to wait until But for argument, let’s just say I did want up with the available bounty. Ironwood or wild garlic, have become a hot ticket in the ramps are long gone and the local to do something extra special: Madura Farms was at the Cold Spring Farmers’ the food world (last weekend Basilica Hud- peas have hopefully made an appearance, Farms’ table at the market last week dis- Market a couple of weeks ago with pun- son in Hudson, New York, hosted its fifth but that’s another story. Lemon is here as played the first morels I’ve seen this year, tarelle, a recent exotic transplant from annual Ramp Fest) and consequently are and I’m hoping the patch of ground under- the mid-Italian regions of Tuscany and in danger of being overharvested. Cave- neath a certain elm tree will be reveal- Lazio. This had me hyperventilating! But ats regarding responsible and sustainable Spring Risotto With ing the similar treasures soon. Now then it only comes to market for a short consumption are in order, i.e., know your those would be a welcomed addition. couple of weeks (although there will source and forage responsibly. (Glynwood Asparagus and Ramps be another chance in the fall). Already Farms, presenting at the Fest, prepared Serves 4 to 6 (depending on generosity) we’re moving on to beautiful early leafy a downloadable tip sheet for responsible greens, most of which are best served by harvesting at basilicahudson.com.) 7 to 8 cups stock (vegetable or ¾ pound asparagus, trimmed of tough a simple vinaigrette or quick sauté and Ramps are more-than-a-little asser- chicken) ends, bias cut into 1-inch pieces demand rapid and regular enjoyment. tive: If you’re partial to them, it’s best 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (reserve tips) Spring onions and young garlic are to consume them fast, as refrigerator 3 tablespoons olive oil 6 to 8 ramps, greens and stalks in their early prime right now, too, and storage will strongly impact everything 1 medium shallot minced chopped and reserved separately definitely worthy of a look.