Why don't we have a Hudson Valley forum?

[ckhthankgod]

Here is some event information: https://hudsonvalley.news12.com/page...lley-events#!/

https://mommypoppins.com/kids/spring...ester-families

https://wpdh.com/spring-fest-ulster-county-ny/

[ckhthankgod]

Hudson Valley vendor market gives small businesses a boost: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/ce...all-businesses

SUNY New Paltz students conduct research on lake health: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/ce...on-lake-health

Farm-to-cafeteria initiative has New York students looking forward to Thursdays: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/ce...school-lunches

Sullivan becomes first county to utilize New York State Security Operations Center: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/ce...ity-initiative

[ckhthankgod]

These shops create a bookstore trail spanning the Hudson Valley: See the list: https://www.recordonline.com/story/n...TOWN-NLETTER65

"What started as a doodle on the back of a bookmark quickly escalated into a regional social activity spreading across eight counties and comprising nearly 40 bookstores.

The Hudson Valley Book Trail was founded in 2019 by Walt and Claire Pahucki, owners of the Montgomery Book Exchange and the Children’s Chapter in Orange County.

“That’s the epitome of our philosophy – there’s no competition,” Claire Pahucki said. “Collaboration over competition.”

“It hurts me in no way to tell someone to go look for a title at another shop,” Walt Pahucki said. “We should all be working together.”

The pair worked with a series of local graphic designers to draw up a map, which is available for purchase on tote bags at nearly every stop along the trail.

“We had to get a bigger bag to fit all the stores,” Walt Pahucki said.

While the book trail continues to expand as new stores open in the region, the Pahuckis envision one day linking it with other regional trails for wine, beer and coffee.

The Montgomery Book Exchange

The Montgomery Book Exchange was founded in 2015 after Walt Pahucki retired from his career in the Army and was laid off from another job.

The used bookstore runs on book donations from community members.

“We thought at first we wouldn’t be able to keep the shelves stocked,” Claire Pahucki said. “Now we’re practically giving books away and our shelves are still full.”

The Montgomery Book Exchange is known for its quarterly bag sale, which allows patrons to walk away with all they can carry between two handles for only $10.

“That’s one of the most rewarding things about this,” Claire Pahucki said. “We see families come in for the bag sale that might not come by otherwise, and we know that we’re sending them away with plenty to read until the next time we see them.”

The couple also host a weekly online sale, offering stacks of 15 books for $20, available for pickup or delivery.

The collection process has amassed an almost serendipitous quality to it, Walt Pahucki explained.

“When someone comes in looking for a specific title or a book on a certain topic and we don’t have it,” he said, “whatever they’re looking for usually turns up in our stacks or on our shelves within the week.”

In addition to regular book signings and author events, the store also hosts the wares of 15 local merchants on tables throughout its space.

The Pahuckis seek like-minded vendors — usually in the business of selling used, vintage or repurposed items — and handle monthly sales on behalf of each seller, taking only a small cut for processing fees and monthly expenses.

In between the bookshelves and vendor stalls are large, comfortable wooden tables, open to patrons for crafting, community meeting spaces and board game meetups.

“There’s a lot of talk about third spaces, and we want MBE and the Children’s Chapter to be where people meet and hang out,” Claire said.

Third spaces is a sociological term for the places where one’s time is spent outside the home and work – first and second spaces, respectively. Since the pandemic, many businesses have expanded their focus from strictly providing a product or service to fostering an environment for socializing – often without the pressure of making a purchase or consuming alcohol.

Here are the shops in the Hudson Valley Book Trail

Rensselaer County

Yellow Lab Vintage & Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C4OPSDgA...BiNWFlZA%3D%3D

Yellow Lab Vintage & Books
9 Broadway, Troy, NY 12180

518-203-7111

One of the newest additions to the Book Trail, Yellow Lab opened in July 2023. The store offers used books and vintage clothing, furniture and home decor, and hosts children’s storytimes and monthly “Down and Dirty” salons – “freewheeling discussions for broadening one’s base of knowledge through the company of others.”


Greene County

https://www.instagram.com/magpiebook...c-3f965d0d74ef

Magpie Bookshop
392 Main St., Catskill, NY 12414

518-303-6035

“Specializing in awesome,” Magpie offers secondhand books with an emphasis on fiction, children's literature, travel, food and history. The bookshop is easily recognized for its signature red library cart out front.

Read & Read Again
4853 NY-81, Greenville, NY 12083
518-708-9837

Billing itself as the “quintessential small-town bookshop,” Read & Read Again offers a hearty selection of new and used books and gifts.

Briars & Brambles
61 Route 296, Windham, NY 12496

518-750-1249

Briars & Brambles is known for hosting three monthly book clubs – Prosecco & Prose, Books & Bios, Great Novels in Literary History – the latter two offer options for virtual participation; as well as seasonal art shows, featuring the work of artists local to the Catskills, and the Story Walk.

In partnership with Windham Arts Alliance, the Story Walk is a free, family-oriented activity that promotes literacy, exercise and togetherness. A different page of the selected book is posted every few yards for families to read, discuss and even act out together as they stroll the Windham Path, beginning at the Route 23 entrance.


Columbia County

https://www.instagram.com/chathamboo...3-9a47d610585d

The Chatham Bookstore
27 Main St., Chatham, NY 12037

518-392-3005

This used book store offers a monthly book club in partnership with the Chatham Public Library, showcasing fiction authors who are Black, Indigenous and other people of color.

Librarium
126 Black Bridge Road, East Chatham, NY 12060
518-392-5209

This used book store, named for the Latin word meaning “bookcase,” has been in business since 1979, specializing in poetry, art and children’s books.

Rodgers Book Barn
467 Rodman Road, Hillsdale, NY 12529

518-325-3610

A used book store founded in 1972, Rodgers Book Barn offers a self-proclaimed selection of “old and unusual books, bought and sold” – all tended to by Sappho, the resident tuxedo bookstore cat.

Little Red Book Shack
2710 US-9, Hudson, NY 12534

518-537-5027

The Little Red Book Shack is the physical component of Melanie Nelson Books, an online retailer, offering used books, CDs, cassettes, vinyl, comic books and postcards.

Spotty Dog Books & Ale
440 Woodson St., Hudson, NY 12535

518-671-6006

With a dozen beers on tap – featuring an emphasis on local offerings – Spotty Dog is a popular community hangout, regularly hosting author events, readings, book signings and live music performances. The bookshop has offered books, art supplies, stationery, toys and gifts for more than two decades.


Ulster County

Barner Books
3 Church St., New Paltz, NY 12561

845-255-2635

Known for its selection of regional history books, Barner Books specializes in rare and special editions, plus children’s books and literary ephemera.

Inquiring Minds
200 Main St., Saugerties, NY 12477

845-246-5885

6 Church St., New Paltz, NY 12561

845-255-8300

Founded in 2003, Inquiring Minds offers a selection of used books and regularly hosts open mic nights for poetry and children’s storytime.

The Saugerties location includes a cafe space, and the New Paltz location often sells textbooks and required readings for students at nearby SUNY New Paltz.

Rough Draft Bar & Books
82 John St., Kingston, NY 12401

845-802-0027

Anchoring Kingston’s historic Four Corners intersection, Rough Draft operates as both a bookstore and a bar and café, offering beer, wine, cider, coffee and local pastries. The bookshop is home to the Sustainable Hudson Valley Book Club and hosts near-nightly events, including local book launches, trivia, game nights, open mic and live music performances.

Half Moon Books
35 N. Front St., Kingston, NY 12401

845-331-5439

48 Broadway, Tivoli, NY 12583

845-757-1155

At the heart of Kingston’s historic Stockade District, Half Moon Books offers a selection of rare and used books and regularly hosts poetry readings and book signings by local authors.

O.U.R. Bookshop
97 Partition St., Saugerties, NY 12477

845-246-3106

O.U.R. Bookshop offers more than 25,000 used and rare books, plus vintage postcards, magazines, CDs, DVDs, sheet music, prints and ephemera.

Postmark Books
449 Main St., Rosendale, NY

845-658-2479

Founded in 2016 and sitting on the banks of the Roundout Creek, Rosendale’s only bookshop offers a vast selection of new books and stationery, as well as custom floral arrangements and bouquets through its in-house studio, Nissi Meadows Floral Design.

Patrons may catch a glimpse of Rosie, the bookstore’s (sometimes) resident tabby cat.

The Golden Notebook
29 Tinker St., Woodstock, NY 12498

845-679-8000

Named for the founder’s favorite Doris Lessing novel, the Golden Notebook has been offering used books since 1978, and recently pivoted to sponsoring book fairs at local schools.

Through its association with the Woodstock Book Fest, the store has hosted and sponsored events featuring Pulitzer Prize winners William Kennedy and Paul Muldoon, Man Booker Prize winner Lydia Davis, as well as Philippe Petit, Neil Gaiman, Steve Earle, Colm Toibin, Cheryl Strayed, Andre Dubus III, Augusten Burroughs and Zephyr Teachout.

Mirabai of Woodstock
23 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock, NY 12498

845-679-2100

Billing itself as “the Hudson Valley’s oldest and most comprehensive spiritual/metaphysical bookstore,” Mirabai offers books, jewelry, crystals and statuary, as well as online workshops, healing sessions, tarot card readings and psychic consultations.


Dutchess County

Binnacle Books
321 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508

845-838-6191

Binnacle Books specializes in new and used literature, poetry, literary nonfiction, political history, art, drama, philosophy, graphic novels, and children's books.

The Beacon bookshop also helped found the Prison Books Project, a collaboration with Blackbird Infoshop, Half Moon Books, Oblong Books, Rough Draft Bar & Books and World’s End Comics to provide books to locally incarcerated individuals.

The Merritt Bookstore & Toy Store
55-57 Front St., Millbrook, NY 12545

845-667-5857

Featuring a selection of books, toys, puzzles and gifts, the Merritt also hosts local book launches and author talks, community readings and regular “Merritt @ the Market” excursions to the Millbrook Farmers Market.

The Book Cove
22 Charles Colman Blvd., Pawling, NY

845-855-9590

The Book Cove offers new and out-of-print books, specializing in reference books, classics, gardening, history, religion and music, as well as stationery, candles, soaps and home decor.

The Three Arts Bookstore
3 Collegeview Ave. #1, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603

845-471-3640

A favorite of Vassar professors for assigning textbooks, the Three Arts features a selection of books on sports, travel, cooking, fiction, nature, reference, language and poetry, as well as a sizeable collection of children’s books.

H.A.S. Beane Bookshop
5 E. Market St., Red Hook, NY 12571

845-835-8333

Specializing in antiquarian and collectible books, children’s books, classic and modern literature, foreign literature, philosophy, religion, history, archeology, poetry, art, architecture, gardening, cookbooks, crafts, science, nature, and state and local history, H.A.S. Beane also offers 15% off purchases through Red Hook’s Ultimate Discount Card.

Oblong Books
6422 Montgomery St. Suite 6, Rhinebeck, NY 12572

845-876-0500

26 Main St., Millerton, NY 12546

518-789-3797

Named as a nod to “the Oblong” – the colloquial name for the Hudson Valley in its early colonial days – the bookstore was founded in 1975 as a bookshop and record store in Millerton. The Rhinebeck location opened in 2001. The Oblong hosts fundraisers for schools and nonprofits, as well as author conversations and book signings, online events and workshops.


Orange County

Sadie’s Books & Beverages
37 North St., Middletown, NY 10940

845-670-4463

Sadie’s Books & Beverages is the first-of-its-kind “bookseum,” a term coined by founder Yaa Yaa Whaley-Williams to encompass the blend of Black history, art and literature showcased in her shop. Interspersed among the displays are small samplings of products by local Black-owned businesses.

Sadie’s Studio, an alcove in the back of the store reserved for artists and creators, can easily transition from movie set to sound stage to photo studio, complete with tripods, microphones, lighting and production equipment.

Montgomery Book Exchange
84 Clinton St., Montgomery, NY 12549

845-764-1787

A used bookstore that also showcases the products and wares of a dozen local artists and vendors, the Montgomery Book Exchange regularly hosts fill-a-bag events for $10 and weekly live sales on Facebook.

MBE Children’s Chapter
8 Factory St., Montgomery, NY 12549

The Children's Chapter houses all of the kids' books available through the Montgomery Book Exchange, on display in the same space Claire Pahucki hosts her Kindermusik classes.

Golden Hour Books
181 Broadway, Newburgh, NY 12550

845-787-4185

Newburgh’s newest bookstore, opened in Fall 2023, offers a selection of used and new books and hosts author events, book club and children’s storytime.

Blue Fox Books
49 Main St., Walden, NY 12586

845-219-1974

Blue Fox Books specializes in new and gently used books, as well as literary gifts, journals, stationery, cards, candles and totes. The Main Street bookshop also hosts regular community events, including a Valentine’s-themed kitten kissing booth.

The Book & Nook
24 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Warwick, NY 10990

Warwick’s The Book & Nook offers a selection of new, used, antique, rare, first-edition and signed books, new and vintage comics and graphic novels, and stationery, toys and tote bags.

The shop regularly hosts poetry readings, children’s storytime, book signings and book clubs, and offers the store as a venue for private events.


Putnam County

https://www.instagram.com/splitrockb...d-b34bf4f7114c

Split Rock Books
97 Main St., Cold Spring, NY 10516

845-265-2080

Founded in 2018, Split Rock books specializes in literary fiction and nonfiction, small presses and children’s books. The store also offers children’s and family programming, book clubs, readings, signings and discussions.

Antipodean Books, Maps and Prints
29-31 Garrisons Landing, Garrison, NY 10524

845-424-3867

Founded in 1977, this eclectic book retailer hosts a weekly Friday Soirée – no RSVP required, and guests are welcome to bring appetizers, wine and other delicacies to share.


Rockland County

https://www.instagram.com/littlebook...f-696b97fbaac4

Pickwick Bookshop
8 S. Broadway, Nyack, NY 10960

845-358-9126

Founded in 1945, Pickwick Bookshop boasts wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling stacks of new, used and antiquarian books.


Westchester County

https://www.instagram.com/hudsonvall...1-f7a71901bdc8

Hudson Valley Books for Humanity
67 Central Ave., Ossining, NY 10562

914-847-0773

This bookstore with a social justice twist offers a selection of "used "pre-loved" books of all genres and new titles in the social justice realm, as well as hosting a variety of community events, including Zen meditation on Tuesdays and chess with Virginia every Thursday.

Books for Humanity is home to the Human Story Swap, in which attendees are partnered with “someone you might not otherwise get to know in your typical day” and given a light conversation prompt for 20-minute one-on-one conversations, and the Short Attention Span Book Club, a lunchtime program in partnership with the Sing Sing Prison Museum, which “shares stories of incarceration and reform, past and present, and brings people together to imagine and create a more just society,” according to its website.

Bruised Apple Books
923 Central Ave., Peekskill, NY 10566

914-734-7000

Peekskill’s premier bookstore offers a selection of new and used books, records, CDs, featuring 50,000 titles across more than 200 subjects."

[ckhthankgod]

This festival will celebrate playwrights in venues across the mid-Hudson Valley: https://www.recordonline.com/story/e...utm_term=adhoc

"The nonprofits in the Hudson Valley are always looking to bring new and exciting opportunities to our region.

When embarking on a creative journey that has never been done in our area, many logistical pieces need to be taken into account while keeping the momentum going for the big event.

More than a year ago, The New Deal Creative Arts Center in Hyde Park got to work on the area's inaugural Hudson Valley Theatre Festival. Running from May 3 through May 5, 2024, the event will feature readings of 12 new works from playwrights across the country and beyond in non-traditional theater spaces throughout Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster counties.

The mission of The Hudson Valley Theatre Festival is to celebrate and support new theatrical works by providing opportunity and accessibility to established and emerging local, national, and international playwrights. The 12 works for this year’s event were chosen from more than 100 submissions from all over the world, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and as far as New Zealand. Then, the submissions were read by a panel of 60 actors, directors, producers, writers, and educators from coast to coast.

Teresa Gasparini, the New Deal Creative Arts Center’s executive director, is at the helm of this year’s event. Gasparini stated, “It is incredibly exciting to support new works and playwrights while breaking out of the traditional theatre settings and bringing these readings into breweries, cafes, and libraries to make this a true community event.”

The 2024 lineup was announced in late winter and consists of the following: "After" by Mike Ackerman, "All the Young Punks" by Jeff Roda, "Beauty" by Gary Blackwood, "Charlotte’s Letters" by Jennifer O’Grady, "Control of the Dirt" by Louise Schwarz, "Dig We Must" by Paul Allman, "Ex-Gay Bar" by David Simpatico, "Like Kissing Moonlight" by Stacey Upton, "Madness Most Discreet" by Donna Hoke, "MLES2GO" by Michael P. Adams, "Mutability" by Straton Rushing, and "The Maple Street House" by Melissa Matthews.

Each play has its own director and cast.

The casts, which are made up of over 30 Hudson Valley actors, will perform the staged readings at the partnering businesses and organizations throughout the region.

This is very different from what most theatergoers are used to. This year’s partners consist of The Hudson House & Distillery, Hudson Valley LGBTQ+ Community Center, Hyde Park Library, Kingston Standard Brewing Company, Newburgh Brewing Company, Norma’s Café, Oakwood Friends School, Obercreek Farm, Poughkeepsie Public Library District (Boardman Road Branch), River Valley Arts Center, and Staatsburg Library.

Gasparini concludes, “Overall, a theatre festival plays a vital role in fostering cultural vitality, social cohesion, economic growth, and artistic expression within a community.”

Supporters can purchase tickets in advance to each show or purchase a weekend pass which offers access to all available readings throughout the weekend. A schedule for the event can be found on New Deal’s website (newdealarts.org) along with links to purchase tickets.

If you go

What: The Hudson Valley Theatre Festival

Where: Various locations

When: Friday, May 3 - Sunday, May 5, 2024

More information: Visit http://www.newdealarts.org/hudson-va...atre-festival/ or email hvtf@newdealarts.org "

[ckhthankgod]

Hudson Valley Film Commission touts premieres partially shot in region: https://www.dailyfreeman.com/2024/04..._content=alert

" A half dozen film and television productions premiered in April that were shot in Hudson Valley locations including Kingston, Woodstock, Red Hook and Olivebridge, according to the Hudson Valley Film Commission.

Additionally, the commission said on Tuesday that a half dozen projects are set to begin production in the region in May.

The commission said productions that had scenes shot in the Hudson Valley and premiered in April or are set to soon are:

“Between the Temples”

Nathan Silver’s feature film, which world premiered at Sundance, will be screening at the Tribeca Festival on June 13, 14 and 15. The film is distributed by Sony Pictures Classics, which has slated a theatrical release for Friday, Aug. 23.

Filming took place during the spring of 2023 in Red Hook, Woodstock and Kingston, at locations including Le Canard Enchainé, Congregation Emanuel, Early Terribe, Immaculate Conception Church, Red Hook Golf Club, River Radiology, Tubby’s, and a day at Kingston Studios.

The screwball comedy was inspired by Nathan Silver’s mom, Cindy Silver, a Hudson Valley resident who decided to plan for her bat mitzvah in her mid-60s, a description said.

Carol Kane plays the elderly bat mitzvah student who forges an unlikely bond with a depressed cantor, portrayed by Jason Schwartzman.

“Blackout”

Director Larry Fessenden and his company, Glass Eye Pix, have worked on a dozen films in the Hudson Valley, the commission said. “Blackout” was released theatrically by Dark Sky Films on March 13 and was made available for rent on streaming platforms on April 12.

The film will also screen at the Tinker Street Cinema in Woodstock on May 17 with Fessenden as a special guest.

Production took place during the fall of 2022 in Woodstock, Olivebridge, Andes and Kingston. Locations included the Woodstock Building Supply and Byrdcliffe Arts Colony. The cast features Alex Hurt, James LeGros, Mike Buscemi and Kevin Corrigan.

“Charley’s secret is he thinks he’s a werewolf,” the commission said in a press release. “He can’t remember the things he’s done but the papers report random acts of violence taking place at night in this small upstate hamlet. Now the whole town must rally to find out what is tearing it apart: mistrust, fear, or a monster that comes out at night.”

https://youtu.be/ZxqeLCAWx7M

“Fallout”

Amazon Prime’s Fallout, premiered on April 10. The series written and by Jonathan Nolan stars Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Walton Goggins and others in a story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. Also featured in two episodes is Hudson Valley actor, playwright and filmmaker, Michael Cristofer as Elder Cleric Quintus.

The Hudson Valley Film Commission started working with the production in August of 2021. Over the next nine months, dozens of other locations were considered by the location team. Ultimately, filming took place in July of 2022 at the Widow Jane Mine in Rosendale with cast members, Aaron Moten (Maximus), Micahel Rapaport (Knight Titus), Michael Emerson (Wilzig) and Belgian Malinois, Lana 5 as CX104.

For truck parking and prep work, the Film Commission recommended Ulster County Community College nearby. “Several other locations were scouted but the mine ended up being the sole regional location used,” the commission press release said.

https://youtu.be/V-mugKDQDlg

“The Green Veil”

This series premiered on the new, free streaming platform, The Network, on Tuesday, April 30.

“The Green Veil” is a scripted anthology series about oppression in 1950s America, a description said. It stars John Leguizamo and was directed by Aram Rappaport, with music by Philip Glass. The series also features Hani Furstenberg (“Angelyne”), John Ortiz (“American Fiction”), Irene Bedard (“Avatar: The Last Airbender”) and Jessica Marza (“West Side Story”). Select local actors included Owen Clarke, Sean Cullen, Anni Krueger, Tim Miller, Wayne Pyle and others, the commission said. Local crew highlights included Heidi K. Eklund Casting, Amy Hutchings Casting and Jamie Buckner as production manager.

Featured locations included Red Hook’s Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Kalina Farm, the Historic Village Diner and other locations in Spackenkill, Woodstock and Bearsville.

The eight-episode thriller series was filmed in the Mid-Hudson Valley during 2020 and 2021.

https://youtu.be/RAwHvfoWlac

“The Jinx” (Season 2)

On April 21, the docuseries “The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst” premiered on HBO. Sound editing and mixing for the series, as well as the original 2015 docuseries, was also handled at Ulster County-based C.A. Sound. The supervising sound editor and re-recording mixer for both seasons was Coll Anderson. Assistant sound editor Katrina Henson worked on the second season.

The series continues the investigation into Durst’s crimes, revealing hidden material, Durst’s jail calls and interviews with people who had never before come forward. New episodes are airing Sunday on HBO.

https://youtu.be/ShYl5K8Nlq8

“Ripley”

Another April release that benefited from post-production in the Hudson Valley is the Netflix mini-series “Ripley” which follows a down-on-his-luck grifter (Tom Ripley) who is hired by a wealthy man to travel to Italy to urge his vagabond son to return home, the commission said. Tom’s acceptance of the job is the first step in a life of deceit, fraud and murder, the description said.

Sound effects editing for the series was handled by Ulster County’s Wyatt Sprague, whose prior work includes “Roma,” “Rustin,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Little Women,” “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” “The Better Angels” and “Aviator.”

https://youtu.be/0ri2biYLeaI

[ckhthankgod]

Eggs benedict and mimosas: Here are 20 great brunch spots in the Hudson Valley: https://www.timesunion.com/projects/...harecount=Mw==

About Saugerties, This waterside town in Upstate NY is one of the best in Northeast, voters say: https://www.newyorkupstate.com/trave...oters-say.html

[ckhthankgod]

Goshen, Legoland New York offers limited-time, reduced children's ticket price: https://www.recordonline.com/story/n...TOWN-NLETTER65

"Legoland New York Resort is open just on the weekends for now. But soon, starting Thursday, May 23, the Goshen theme park will be open all week, and in advance of that comes a limited-time offer.

Until June 30, a one-day child's admission ticket is just $29 with the purchase of a full-priced (from $54) adult ticket. Up to four children's tickets can be bought at that price per adult ticket.

Children must be between the ages of 2 and 12 years old. Tickets can be purchased at www.legoland.com/new-york/tickets-passes/tickets. They are valid only on the date selected and must be used by June 30.

New to Legoland New York this year is The Minifigure Skyflyer, an aerial gondola-style ride enabling attendees to travel between the upper and lower levels of the 150-acre park. Scheduled to be operational this summer, the Skyflyer is an interactive ride. Minifigures will tell how they designed and built the ride, but they'll need help to make it fly.

Attendees will help "charge" the gondola's batteries, and then follow a rainbow road to the boarding platform's disco-themed floor. Families are then invited to show off their dance moves.

There are seven themes to the Skyflyer, from pirates to space to disco. Once aboard, the interaction continues where one can learn how to talk like a pirate or an alien language, or participate in a sing-along.

"There's a lot to enjoy at Legoland New York, but it's a big resort and our fans asked us for more ways to move easily from the upper and lower levels of the park," said Stephanie Johnson, divisional director of Legoland New York in a prepared statement. "We take our guests feedback seriously and the Minifigure Skyflyer gives them a way to do exactly that while igniting creativity, sparking imagination, and inspiring movement through disco and dance."

[ckhthankgod]

After backlash, MTA offers discounts for Lower Hudson Valley ferry, bus passengers: https://www.recordonline.com/story/n...TOWN-NLETTER65

"The MTA, facing a backlash over state-backed discounts for New York City commuters, has come up with a plan to appease Lower Hudson Valley residents who need to cross the Hudson River to catch trains into New York City.

For the first time, Metro-North Railroad will offer weekend service on the Haverstraw-Ossining ferry, which links riders west of the Hudson in Orange and Rockland counties to Grand Central-bound Hudson Line trains.

Orange and Rockland residents who park at Metro-North’s North White Plains garage for Harlem Line trains into New York City will get a 25% discount. And monthly tickets on cross-Hudson buses and ferries will be slashed under a pilot program that runs through Veterans Day.

It’s not the 10% discount commuters who ride commuter rails inside New York City will receive but it’s something.

“It is no secret that the folks who live west of the Hudson River don’t get the same quality of frequency and reliability of service as we have on the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven Lines,” MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said. “As we approach the onset of congestion pricing, we want to make sure there are a few more options for people in Orange and Rockland Counties to get to this amazing Metro-North service.”

It started with congestion pricing

Frustration with MTA service west of the Hudson has gotten louder in recent months as the start date for the authority’s controversial congestion pricing program nears. At the end of June, drivers of passenger cars will pay a $15 toll for travel below 60th Street.

Rockland County has joined New Jersey in a court challenge of congestion pricing.

The upset heightened earlier this month when the MTA explained that the discount plan would not extend to Lower Hudson Valley commuters.

“This is yet another example of Hudson Valley residents paying their hard-earned tax dollars to the MTA, only to watch all the benefits go to New York City,” said Rep. Pat Ryan, a Democrat whose district includes Orange County.

The MTA says the discount plan was established by state lawmakers to create incentives for intra-city travel on Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road.

Gov. Kathy Hochul supports congestion pricing, touting the impact it will have on reducing traffic and pollution.

Ferry, bus discounts

As part of the new pilot program, monthly tickets on cross-Hudson buses and ferries – the Haverstraw-Ossining, and Newburgh-Beach ferries, the Newburgh-Beacon bus and the Hudson Link – will be deeply discounted.

The monthly UniTicket fare for the Haverstraw-Ossining ferry, currently $43.75, will drop to $13.75. And a ride on the Newburgh-Beacon ferry, now $14.50, will cost $1.

The monthly fare for the Newburgh-Beacon bus will also go to $1 from its current $10. And a monthly Hudson Link Bus ticket to either Tarrytown or White Plains will be cut by half to $30.

“Rockland County residents are clamoring for public transit service into New York City,” said State Sen. Pete Harckham. “The new weekend ferry service and the UniTicket discounts on the Hudson Link bus service and the MTA two ferries are a good start toward exploring new ways to enhance travel options for Rockland.”