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On Walnut Mountain, Liberty’s past is coming back into view.This weekend, the Town of Liberty will officially open the W...
06/01/2026

On Walnut Mountain, Liberty’s past is coming back into view.

This weekend, the Town of Liberty will officially open the Walnut Mountain House History Trail, a one-mile round-trip interpretive walk near the summit of Walnut Mountain.

The trail tells the story of the Walnut Mountain House, a mountaintop hotel built in the 1880s that once drew visitors looking for cool air, sweeping views and a retreat from everyday life.

The project grew out of years of volunteer research by Lisa Lyons and Ruth Huggler, along with support from town officials, students and community partners. Historic postcards, family photographs and careful walks across the mountain helped bring the story of the long-gone hotel back to life.

Visitors can now follow the trail, stop at interpretive panels and imagine what Walnut Mountain looked like when the hotel stood above Liberty.

Read and Listen for more:
https://wjffradio.org/on-walnut-mountain-libertys-past-comes-back-into-view/

A well-known barbecue spot in Livingston Manor is beginning a new chapter.After five years in the Catskills hamlet, The ...
05/31/2026

A well-known barbecue spot in Livingston Manor is beginning a new chapter.

After five years in the Catskills hamlet, The Smoke Joint is handing over operations to the team behind Smokd Barbecue.

Jennifer Grossman of The Smoke Joint and JP Medina and Sarah Banks Medina of Smokd describe the transition as an evolution rooted in community, hospitality and shared culinary values.

The Medinas, who built a following with Smokd at the Big Eddy Brewing Company in Narrowsburg, say the Livingston Manor restaurant brings them back to where their careers in the region began more than a decade ago.

JP Medina says Smokd Barbecue will reflect a mix of identity and place, blending Texas barbecue, Colombian influences and New York ingredients.

The restaurant is expected to reopen under its new operators in the coming weeks, pending final approvals.

Read and Listen for more:
https://wjffradio.org/from-smoke-joint-to-smokd-livingston-manor-restaurant-begins-next-era-under-new-ownership/

Rising Cases of Lyme Disease: What You Need to KnowCases of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses are rising acros...
05/30/2026

Rising Cases of Lyme Disease: What You Need to Know

Cases of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses are rising across the country, and health experts say warmer temperatures and expanding tick habitats may be part of the reason.

Dr. Kavita Aggarwal of Optum Medical Care says ticks are surviving longer and moving beyond traditional hotspots in the Northeast. Lyme disease remains the best-known tick-borne illness, but ticks can also carry infections including ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis and babesiosis.

Aggarwal says prevention starts with simple habits: wear long sleeves and pants, use insect repellent, stay near the center of trails, and check for ticks after spending time outdoors — especially on children after camp, playgrounds or hikes.

After coming inside, she recommends showering promptly and putting clothing in a hot dryer for at least 10 minutes.

“Please enjoy the beautiful Hudson Valley,” Aggarwal says. “We should not be limited. But as long as we’re safe, then we’ll be fine.”

Read and Listen for more:
https://wjffradio.org/tick-borne-illnesses-on-the-rise-as-experts-urge-year-round-vigilance/

Stop Lock and Look: Preventing Heatstrokes in 2026A car can become dangerously hot in just minutes — and for children, t...
05/30/2026

Stop Lock and Look: Preventing Heatstrokes in 2026

A car can become dangerously hot in just minutes — and for children, the risk is even greater.

Laura Dunn, a highway safety specialist with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, says children are especially vulnerable because their bodies cannot regulate temperature the way adults’ bodies can.

On average, 37 children die each year from heatstroke after being left in a vehicle. NHTSA’s new “Never Happens” campaign is aimed at a common misconception: that this kind of tragedy could never happen to a loving, attentive parent.

“Unfortunately, never does happen,” Dunn says.

The agency urges parents and caregivers to build a simple habit into every trip: stop, look and lock.

Read and Listen for more:
https://wjffradio.org/stop-lock-and-look-preventing-heatstrokes-in-2026/

Join us for History of a Brief Time, a performance by The Kingfisher Project’s Bill Williams reflecting on the loss of h...
05/29/2026

Join us for History of a Brief Time, a performance by The Kingfisher Project’s Bill Williams reflecting on the loss of his son to opioid addiction and his family’s journey through grief, struggle and healing.

An audience Q&A will follow the performance.

The event takes place Saturday, May 30, at 5 p.m. at the Lew Beach Community House. Tickets are $20 and will be available at the door. All proceeds benefit Radio Catskill.

For more information, call 845-482-4141 or email [email protected].

Hey, guess what? We won an award.Radio Catskill has received a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Podcast in small...
05/29/2026

Hey, guess what? We won an award.

Radio Catskill has received a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Podcast in small market radio for "Health on the Margins."

The series takes a deep look at the health care system in rural communities across our region, including Sullivan, Ulster, Orange and Delaware counties.

Congratulations to the Radio Catskill team on this well-deserved recognition.

Haven’t heard the podcast yet? Follow the link in our bio to listen to the full series of Health on the Margins. .news

Listen here:

https://wjffradio.org/health-on-the-margins/

Shoulder Check Brings Mental Health Message to the RinkA movement born from one family’s loss is bringing a simple menta...
05/29/2026

Shoulder Check Brings Mental Health Message to the Rink

A movement born from one family’s loss is bringing a simple mental health message to the rink: reach out, check in and make contact.

After losing their 15-year-old son, Hayden, to su***de, Rob Thorsen and his family created Shoulder Check — an initiative that turns a familiar hockey phrase into an act of care. A “shoulder check” can be a hand on someone’s shoulder, a text, a conversation or any small gesture that lets another person know they are not alone.

“He was the ultimate hand-on-shoulder guy,” Thorsen says of Hayden. “You noticed him for his presence, but you remembered him because of his empathy.”

The message is simple: Don’t wait for someone to ask for help. Check in. Make kindness a contact sport.

More information is available at shouldercheck.org.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline.

Read and Listen for more:
https://wjffradio.org/shoulder-check-brings-mental-health-message-to-the-rink/

How Barbara Hall Crafted a New Portrait of Heart’s Ann Wilson in Documentary FilmBarbara Hall says making In My Voice, t...
05/28/2026

How Barbara Hall Crafted a New Portrait of Heart’s Ann Wilson in Documentary Film

Barbara Hall says making In My Voice, the new documentary about Heart singer-songwriter Ann Wilson, still feels surreal.

A lifelong fan, Hall says Wilson’s music has been part of her soundtrack since she was a teenager. Now, she’s helping tell the story behind that unmistakable voice — from Wilson’s rise in rock music to the quieter, more private parts of a life spent performing and reinventing.

The documentary screens Friday, May 29, at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, followed by a live Q&A with Hall and Wilson.

“It’s a huge honor,” Hall says. “I’m on the road with a rock star!”

Bethel Woods is a financial supporter of Radio Catskill.

Read and Listen for more:
https://wjffradio.org/how-barbara-hall-crafted-a-new-portrait-of-hearts-ann-wilson-in-documentary-film/

05/27/2026

Sullivan County Youth Book Festival Returns May 30

Books, music, face painting, food trucks — and a dragon who loves tacos.

The Sullivan County Youth Book Festival returns Saturday, May 30, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ethelbert B. Crawford Public Library in Monticello.

Families can meet authors and illustrators, take photos with book characters, enjoy activities, and catch children’s rock band Roly Poly Guacamole at 1 p.m.

The festival is held every two years and helps kick off summer reading programs across Sullivan County libraries.

Read and Listen for more: SEE LINK IN BIO

What’s Next for Data Centers in Pa.? State Lawmakers Are Split on How to Regulate ThemPennsylvania lawmakers are split o...
05/27/2026

What’s Next for Data Centers in Pa.? State Lawmakers Are Split on How to Regulate Them

Pennsylvania lawmakers are split on how to regulate the rapid growth of data centers across the state.

The state House has passed several bills that would require more transparency around water and energy use, protect ratepayers, and give communities more tools to respond to proposed projects. But in the Republican-controlled Senate, leaders say they want to take a broader approach before moving individual bills.

As demand for AI and cloud storage grows, so do concerns about energy costs, water supplies, and local impacts.

Read and Listen for more:
https://wjffradio.org/whats-next-for-data-centers-in-pa-state-lawmakers-are-split-on-how-to-regulate-them/

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