Kimberly Izar

X-Snow Project Enlists Catskills Residents as Citizen Scientists to Measure Snow

X-Snow is a NASA-supported snow science project to increase the number of available snow measurements in the Catskill and Adirondacks regions. Project scientist Dr. Marco Tedesco says that to do so, he’ll need the help of local residents. He says that snowflakes, big and small, can tell you a lot about upstate New York’s terrain. […]

Largest $2.9M Medicaid Fraud in Orange County Comes as Healthcare Scams Grow, DA Says

Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler and New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced in October that the county prosecuted the largest Medicaid fraud scheme ever prosecuted by the Orange County DA’s office, allegedly stealing $2.9 million in Medicaid fraud. A couple named Rohail Raja and Sharma Alam were arrested and charged with Grand Larceny […]

Orange County

New Community-Led Food Pantry in Livingston Manor Fills ‘Choice Pantry’ Gap

Garbanzo beans, potatoes, even laundry detergent are a few items stocked at Calliope & Gael Grocers, a new community food pantry on Main Street in Livingston Manor. Designed like a grocery store inside the recently retrofitted backroom of home goods store Life Repurposed, people can choose what pantry goods they’d like to throw in their […]

Advocates Say Opioid Settlement Funds in New York Are Still Too Slow to Arrive – and Hard to Track

New York has secured over $2.5 billion in opioid settlement funds. But how much of those dollars has actually improved rural communities most affected by the opioid overdose crisis? That remains relatively unknown.

New York Orange County Sullivan County Ulster County

Voters Will Decide Whether Pa. Supreme Court Justices Stay On: What You Need to Know

Election day is tomorrow, Nov. 4. On Pennsylvania ballots, voters will decide whether to retain three Supreme Court justices: Justices David Wecht, Christine Donohue, and Kevin Dougherty. Radio Catskill spoke with Kadida Kenner, founding CEO of voting rights organization New Pennsylvania Project about why court elections matter and what’s at stake this November. Here’s what […]

Pennsylvania

Damascus EMS Report Increase in Emergency Calls as Volunteer Pool Shrinks, Medicaid Reimbursement Threats

Inside the large white ambulance, there’s a radio system, oxygen tanks, and other life-saving equipment. It’s one of two medical vehicles that Damascus Volunteer Ambulance Corps uses to serve people in case of an emergency. “It’s basic life support. We are here to expeditiously get you to major medical care,” said John Tucci, president of […]

Pennsylvania

Middletown Redirects Federal Funds for Emergency SNAP Relief Amid Government Shutdown: How to Apply

Middletown Mayor Joseph DeStefano opened applications on Wednesday for an emergency food relief program for people receiving SNAP benefits as the federal government enters its fifth week of its shutdown. DeStefano says his office has been flooded with calls from parents, grandparents, and one woman who said she only has three cents left on her […]

Viral “Take Me Down to Stewy’s” Song Pays Tribute to New York Staple, Stewart’s Shops

Stewart’s Shops is a beloved gas station and convenience store with hundreds of locations across the Catskills and upstate New York. For many residents in rural communities, it’s a staple and, and oftentimes, the only place open for those late-night ice cream cravings and lemonade. A new rap song called “Take Me Down to Stewy’s,” […]

Election 2025: What to Know About Town Supervisors

There are more than 930 towns across New York state. Many big and small towns have important elections coming up this Election Day, including in Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster counties. Chris Koetzle, Executive Director of the New York Association of Towns (NYAOT), says local elections can make a big difference in smaller, rural communities. The […]