July 8 — Greetings to all! Summer is upon us. We have now begun to lose a minute of sunlight in the morning and night. Many of the spring birds have already had young ones and the young ones have already fledged. Fawns are rapidly growing and getting bolder in their moves, sometimes to their own detriment. There seems to be many rabbits out along the roadside. The Japanese Knotweed is really taking over our roadsides as well as along the banks of the Delaware River. Town of Bethel Highway Superintendent Robert Bonnaci has advised me that the Town of Bethel Highway department is now out mowing along the Town of Bethel roads. Highway Superintendent Bonnaci told me that they had to wait five weeks for a part for the mower. The Town of Bethel is out mowing on Swiss Hill today.
Did I say that it is chicken barbeque season? If you like to go to chicken barbeques, pancake breakfasts and roast beef dinners in Sullivan County, you must have run into Russell Reeves, our County Clerk and Mike Schiff, our Sheriff. On several occasions I have kidded Russell and Sheriff Schiff that they could have a type of Michelin guide on ranking our local fundraisers. Which dinner has the best barbeque chicken? best dessert? best maple syrup? best gravy for the mashed potatoes (for the October round of roast beef dinners.)?  Save the dates! The Kenoza Lake Fire Department will be holding its annual chicken barbeque on Saturday, July 23. The White Sulphur Springs United Methodist Church will be holding a BBQ on Saturday, July 9. The Boy Scouts in Jeffersonville will be having a BBQ Saturday, July 16. The Kauneonga Lake fire department will have a BBQ on Saturday, July 30.
Tuesday, August 23, there will be a SPECIAL ELECTION to fill the vacancy of Congressman Antonio Delgado’s vacant congressional seat. Any registered voter can vote in this special election. Also, on August 23, primary day for the NYS Senate position.
Last week’s Home in the Country featured the sale of the two Stewart/Murphy funeral homes. Where will folks in western Sullivan have their funeral services? Kauneonga Lake or Narrowsburg?
A year ago, Dave Slater’s cow was on the lam for more than two months. She is back on Brown Farms with a calf and so far, so good, she is staying put. No trips to Kenoza Lake Estates or to the Ackerman or Kubernik residences.
Mets fans are biting their nails. The Mets only have a 2.5 lead over the Braves. Yikes!
Every morning I receive the MidHudson News, an email newsletter (free) that Harold Gross distributes. Today’s MidHudson News states that Sullivan County is the only county in the greater Hudson Valley that is not designated a “High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area” and US Senator Charles Schumer is hoping to change that. He called Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy to urge the county’s approval.
Sullivan has the worst opioid overdose death rate in the state and the designation would provide it with federal support and additional resources to stop drug traffickers, the senator said. He said 15 percent of all of the deaths in Sullivan County in 2021 were attributed to the overdose epidemic.”
Our Kenoza Lake Historian, Leslie Loeffel shares the below with us:
“One hundred years ago, Kenoza Lake had four stores operating simultaneously in the downtown area: Becker’s drugstore, Zipkin’s store, Cafiero’s store, and Raum’s store. William Becker’s drugstore on the lake was a confectionery and souvenir store as well as a drugstore that sold remedies like “Knox-a-Cold Tablets,” “Hay’s Hair-Health” to restore gray hair to its natural color, and “Digestoneine” for those who wanted a new stomach. Zipkin’s store (previously H.A. Meyer’s) carried groceries and dry goods, anything from California prunes (10 cents per pound) to water pails to underwear to fireworks. Charles Cafiero sold fruit and vegetables, at first from a wagon and then from a motor truck as well as from his store. Raum’s store was the place to get your tickets for “Thunderclap,” a movie special at the Jeff Masonic Hall to benefit the Jeffersonville Baseball Club.”
Donna (nee Hassis) Schuelie is getting her Catskill Travelers group back on the road. She recently sent me some updated information on updated travel trips. If you are not on her distribution list, please text or call her at: Text/call: 845-428-6773 or email her at donna.schuelie @yahoo.com
If you are looking for a present for a family or friend, why not purchase a gift certificate from Donna. Makes a great present!
No Kenoza Lake news column next week.