Fantasy illustrations on view at Butterfield Library | See page 7 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013 69 MAIN ST., COLD SPRING, N.Y. | www.philipstown.info Plans for Post Office Dunkin’ Donuts ‘Committed to Still on Track Staying in Cold Gas station changes from Spring’ Citgo to Gulf, large signs Temporary retail trailer questioned slated for February By Liz Schevtchuk Armstrong By Michael Turton fforts to bring a Dunkin’ Donuts to the former Elmesco gas station in Cold e are committed to staying ESpring stepped up this week, with in Cold Spring.” That was arrival of a building permit “Whow United States Postal application in the Cold Service (USPS) spokesperson George Spring village office Flood described the future of Cold and confirmation Spring’s post office in a recent telephone by the gas station interview. The current lease with Food- proprietor that plans Lt. Col. Peter Molin outside his departmental offices Photo by K.E. Foley town Plaza and its owner George Serrou- for a Dunkin’ Donuts kas will keep the post office in its current continue on course. location through the end of January 2014. Meanwhile, the Every Day is Veterans Day Flood confirmed that plans are in gas station, convert- A West Point instructor’s for, the all-consuming contribution of place for a trailer to be moved onto the ed from Citgo to Gulf, the veteran. vacant lot located at the corner of Mar- is pursuing installation of an array of new blog highlights works of “How does a nation show thanks? How ion Avenue and Benedict Road, directly Gulf signs, which came under the scrutiny behind the existing post office. The lot war veterans does the average citizen show thanks? I of the village’s Historic District Review think people are concerned about this. has been staked to show the location of Board Wednesday night (Nov. 13) and await By Kevin E. Foley They don’t know exactly what they should the trailer. Scheduled to open on Feb. 1, it a likely trip to the Zoning Board of Appeals. do. So it often comes out in this phrase will offer the same retail services as the Tracked down Thursday morning in eterans Day (Nov. 11) comes and ‘thank you for your service.’ People know current post office – including more than the Port Washington area, Syed Hussain, like many holidays quickly passes. the soldiers have done something most 300 post office boxes, mailing of pack- who described himself as owner-manag- VPerhaps we pause and reflect for a are not asked to do. Yet how do you render ages and regular mail and sale of stamps er of the Gulf station, emphatically said moment on the sacrifice and hard-bitten thanks given the indeterminate nature of and other USPS products. “yes” when asked if he intended to create service of those in the military and their the wars? Were they well fought or won? a Dunkin’ Donuts in Cold Spring. Plans families. Some of us say “thank you for What are you thanking them for? That for converting the garage into a Dunkin’ your service” if the opportunity arises. becomes a sticking point,” said Peter Mo- Donuts while retaining the gas pump op- A relatively few attend a ceremony of re- lin near the start of an interview on how eration developed under Kenny Elmes, membrance and gratitude unless it is part people might begin to understand the ex- the former owner of the gas station-car of a larger event such as a football game. perience of today’s veterans. repair garage. Elmes spent months get- For veterans themselves, every day is Lt. Col. Molin is a veteran himself with ting approvals from the Planning and Veterans Day. For the living, especially service in Afghanistan training the Af- Historic District Review Boards in 2012 those who served in war zones, every day ghan army under battlefield conditions. and his sale of the business this past recalls the dead who once stood next to These days the active duty infantry sol- spring took the village by surprise. them. For the wounded, and there are dier of 26 years also holds the position of A new site for Cold Spring’s post office “We don’t know yet” when the Dunkin’ many of them because we can now pre- Associate Professor of Literature at the remains uncertain. Photo by M. Turton Donuts might emerge on the site, as that de- serve life with miraculous effectiveness, U.S. Military Academy. When teaching at pends on how long it takes to get the building every day carries a reminder of the loss, West Point and active duty military du- permit and everything in place, Hussain told pain and physical redefinition of the per- ties permit, Molin also pursues a passion The search for a new post office loca- (To page 4) Philipstown.info/The Paper in son in the world. for promoting and celebrating the art tion continues, Flood said, and will in- American culture, despite its penchant (writing, painting, photography, music) clude public input once a candidate site for violence in its many forms of enter- produced by contemporary veterans. is selected. That input will include meet- tainment, does not easily account in the For anyone interested in beginning ings with Cold Spring Mayor Ralph Fal- real social world for those who choose to understand veterans’ experiences, loon and other local officials as well as a to wear the uniform and train for com- Molin’s blog Time Now: The Iraq and public meeting and the receipt of written bat and risk death or permanent harm. Afghanistan Wars in Art, Film and Lit- comments. Flood said that local officials Citizens no longer bear an obligation to erature (acolytesofwar.com) is an in- have made a number of suggestions re- divert career aspirations when the gov- formative survey of the current modes garding a new location, including the ernment declares that war is necessary. recent veterans use to express their former Butterfield Hospital, but he de- Accordingly, those who have gone (and memories, feelings and perspective. Even clined to list any other potential sites. still go) to war in Iraq and Afghanistan a casual scroll through Molin’s presenta- During the period that the trailer today return to a world that has paid tions provides a rich menu of possibili- is used for retail transactions in Cold Spring, carriers for the four village post- Photo by L.S. Armstrong scant attention to, let alone appreciation ties for further exploration. (Continued on page 3) al routes will operate out of the Garrison post office. “There’s probably going to be Haldane Hires Interim Superintendent a trailer there,” as well, Flood said. A pro- Seasoned educator will year. Trustees approved hiring John an educational consultant, including as posal to permanently shift Cold Spring’s Chambers at their Tuesday (Nov. 5) meet- an instructor, adviser and fieldwork su- carriers to Garrison is also being consid- serve through school year ing. Chambers, who lives in Katonah, pervisor at the Future School Leaders ered but a final decision has not yet been N.Y., had served as Superintendent of Academy at the Bank Street College of reached. “It’s very complex and it de- By Michael Turton Schools both at the Byram Hills School Education in New York City. He has also pends on what happens in Cold Spring,” District in Armonk, N.Y., and the Bronx- served as a Senior Associate at Hazard, Flood said. If the Cold Spring carriers and he Haldane Central School District ville School in Bronxville, N.Y. He had Young, Attea and Associates, the search their routes are moved to Garrison perma- has hired an Interim Superinten- also acted as Interim Superintendent of firm hired by Haldane to find Villanti’s nently, that post office will have to under- Tdent of Schools, temporarily fill- Schools for the Chappaqua School Dis- replacement. go alterations and Flood said that no such ing the position being vacated by Mark trict in Chappaqua. Chambers earned a Bachelor of Arts work is currently planned. The decision Villanti who will retire early in the new Since 2008, Chambers has worked as degree from Wil- (Continued on page 5) to run Cold (Continued on page 3) 2 November 15, 2013 The Paper www.philipstown.info | Philipstown.info Mouths to Feed I was thinking about Fuchsia and bug- eating the other day, because one of the dishes I made for the Garrison School Bugs; Bunnies Forest fundraiser broke a somewhat gen- tler taboo – against eating cute animals. By Celia Barbour On the menu, alongside woods-y venison meatballs and forest-y wild-mushroom his summer I ate bugs, twice. Once tart, I offered pulled rabbit sliders. This at Glynwood, where sautéed cica- despite knowing full well from many Tdas dipped in honey were offered years’ experience that most people feel as an amuse-bouche at a pig roast, and squeamish about eating rabbit. another time at camp. There, during the I wish they wouldn’t. For one thing, rab- annual end-of-summer fair, I consumed bit is extraordinarily delicious and quite a grasshopper that had been fried in lean. For another, it seems unfair to eat an enormous wok set upon a campfire. only those animals that aren’t quite ador- I ordered mine just in the nick of time, able enough to be spared. I mean, it’s ad- moments before a flame slipped into the mirable to refuse to eat meat altogether, pan, igniting the oil in a huge pyrotech- and prudent to avoid endangered or rare nic blaze that leapt 6 feet into the air and animals — or actual pets — but to decline incinerated the remaining creatures.