‘The Legendary Neversink’ author honored

MONTICELLO, NY — Author Justin Askins was honored by Sullivan County legislators last week in a ceremony at the Government Center, with the spotlight on his 2007 book, “The Legendary Neversink: A Treasury of the Best Writing About One of America’s Great Trout Rivers.”

The ceremony featured an address by Sullivan County Historian John Conway, who related tales of the Lenape Indians, who lived along the banks of the Neversink in the summer months for hundreds of years before Europeans settled in the region and took advantage of the plentiful trout that inhabited the Neversink and Delaware Rivers. Unlike modern fishermen, they didn’t catch the fish with lines, hooks, bait and dry flies. Instead, said Conway, the women of the tribe would grind up walnut tree bark, mix it with water to make a paste, and drop it in the water. This would “render the fish stupefied, and they could be easily scooped up off the surface of the water in great numbers.”

Askins, who is a resident of Forestburgh, said that, while he has fished and kayaked many rivers from Yellowstone National Park to the Yukon, the Neversink River is “the river I’m most in love with.”

Gunther bill to create historic marker list

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — Legislation introduced by Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, which would create an index of state historic markers, has passed the Assembly and is now awaiting the signature of Governor’s David Paterson. Gunther said, “I introduced this legislation at the request of Mrs. Barbara Hahn, a longtime community beautification leader and Sullivan Renaissance volunteer.”

Hahn was responsible for helping to obtain a historic marker for the Jeffersonville School in 2007.

Gunther said, “This is a great Sullivan Renaissance effort that will be a great resource for all New Yorkers and I thank Barbara for all of her hard work.”

Mushroom plant legal challenge rebuffed

WURTSBORO, NY — The New York State Court of Appeals has declined to hear a case against the Yukiguni Maitake mushroom plant filed by the Basha Kill Area Association against the Mamakating Planning Board.

The attorney for the planning board believes that this will put an end to the legal challenges. However, several conditions still need to be met in building the plant, including a permit from the state Department of Environmental Conservation. It may also need a permit from the Delaware River Basin Commission.

Yukiguni has amended its original plans and now intends to build a smaller plant, employing 120 people rather than the 210 originally planned, and growing 15 rather than 30 tons of mushrooms a day. It has also modified the proposed growing technique to reduce the quantity of water used, down from 400,000 gallons daily to 95,000 per day.

The Basha Kill Area Association maintains its opposition to the plant, and according to its president, Paula Medley, says it is “not going away.”

Concord site accepted for cleanup program

KIAMESHA LAKE, NY — The Concord Hotel and Resort site applied for acceptance into New York State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program in May, and a 14.5-acre portion of the site was accepted into the program. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the New York State Department of Health are currently reviewing the Remedial Investigation Work Plan submitted by Concord Associates, LLC to investigate contamination at the site. NYSDEC previously approved an application submitted by the company proposing that investigative and remedial activities be implemented to facilitate use of the site for mixed-use purposes including residential, commercial and parking.

The study will seek to define the nature and extent of contamination, identify its sources and assess the impact of such contamination on public health and the environment. Previous environmental assessments of the site identified petroleum compounds potentially associated with underground storage tanks, fuel distribution lines and dispensers.

Public comments can be submitted to Michelle Tipple, Project Manager, NYSDEC Region 3, Division of Environmental Remediation, 21 South Putt Corners Road, New Paltz, NY 12561.

Man drowns in Delaware

BUSHKILL, PA — A 34-year-old man drowned in the Delaware River late Sunday afternoon. His name had not been released as of press time, pending confirmation of his identity.

The man drowned while trying to swim across the river with three friends. They swam successfully from the Hialeah Picnic Area in Pennsylvania to Labar Island, but the victim struggled when they continued toward the New Jersey shoreline, and one witness who saw him tried but failed to assist him.

The man’s body was recovered at about 7:30 p.m. in approximately 12 feet of water.