Ulster County is home to an increasing number of trails. The more easily traversed trails are on gentle grades established by former railroad corridors. Several of those corridors, with rich history of moving goods and people, converge in Kingston.

The trails in Kingston will not be just recreational, they will provide an important alternative for residents to get to the local market, and for kids to get to schools and activities. The trails will be easily accessible for families, strollers, wheelchairs, pedestrians, and bicycles.

Ulster County is pursuing a design study that will define a trail project linking Kingston to the Ashokan.

At the Aug. 6 meeting of the Ulster County Railroad Advisory Committee, Catskill Mountain Railroad presented a selection of photos with general statements. The presentation recognized that, if rail with trail is pursued, the single-track corridor would need to be widened. It downplayed the significant work to achieve that. It did not present a studied plan, quantifying environmental impacts, right-of-way acquisition needs, and costs.

With enough money, most things can be built. But, what are the impacts, benefits and costs, and, with that, is it feasible?

The accepted process of conceptual study, cost estimating, funding acquisition, survey, public participation, detailed design, permitting, and then construction is the path being pursued by the city of Kingston and Ulster County. It does not appear to be the path being pursued by the railroad.

For the Kingston-to-Ashokan corridor, we are at an important crossroads. It is time for the Legislature to seize the opportunity. It is not economically feasible to have both trail and rail on the single-track corridor from Kingston to Ashokan. It is time to move forward with what is feasible.

Nancy A. Clark, P.E., civil engineer
Bloomington

The entry of 52,000 to 60,000 Central American children into our country has been called a humanitarian crisis. It is also a moral crisis with political and economic dimensions that reach into our history.

These children arrive from countries where the rates of child conscription into gangs and child murder are astonishing. Between January and February, an average of 90 children were murdered in Honduras (The Hill, www.thehill.com, July 22, 2014). How can we return these children to this kind of horror?

Our government should acknowledge its own role in creating the environment that pushes desperate people to flee their homes. Through our domination of the Americas by ill-considered military aid and economics policies which benefit us, we have added to the crisis that now strains our borders.

As a religious community, we Friends — the Quakers of New Paltz — are deeply concerned. We see our complicity in our economic choices and are working to address them. But it is time for our country to rethink its outdated protectionist immigration policy and procedures.

We ask that readers call and write to their representatives. Ask the president and Congress to give these children refugee status. Ask that due process is used; that fair and competent care be taken in evaluating each child. It's no more than what many of our ancestors received.

Mary Ann Mays
Olive Bridge

I believe that Republicans intending to vote in the upcoming primary on September 9th, Tenney vs. Farber, 101st Assembly District, should be informed as to the qualifications and character of the candidates.

We are all aware of the active, conservative record of Ms. Tenney but not much attention has been paid to the failings of Sheriff Farber. The State Commission of Correction has repeatedly taken him to task for his inability to follow the rules. The proper operation of a jail is vital to the humane incarceration of the inmates as well as to the safety and security of the public. Every activity in the operation of a jail is governed by statutes, regulations and procedures — little thinking or creativity is required — yet, in this totally controlled environment, Mr. Farber has been unable to fulfill his duties.

The SCOC found that the three inmate escapes in February 2007 was a direct result of the violations of eight specific statutes, 14 failures to comply with procedures and nine actions that required the Sheriff's immediate attention.

The SCOC performance review of August 2010 revealed four violations of statute and six actions needed by the Sheriff to implement corrections and achieve compliance.

The SCOC performance evaluation of 2012 described seven violations and 20 needed actions.

I just can't see how an inept county administrator could become an effective state legislator. What do you think?

Carl Streeter
Ilion

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara is pursuing Andrew Cuomo over an offense that ought to be inexcusable, impeachable, an offense so revealing about his basic nature that he should resign without further discussion.

Cuomo's sidekick Sheldon Silver has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayers' money to cover up such offenses on Cuomo's watch. Yet they smile, they shrug in the face of the evidence, and they walk away.

And all I read in the midst of all this is that Cuomo's "numbers remain strong." Although his "approval rating has slipped a little," he is still a sure bet to win a second term.

The New York City voters who are apparently in charge of the whole state, as well as many of those citizens "up here" who voted him in, seem to have a fancy for men like this. In November, during his victory speech, Cuomo and those who again placed him in power will be obliged by decency to consider what they've done.

But they won't, and that is why they deserve one another.

Mark Bischof
Goshen

A reader urges that there should be no cease-fire in Gaza until the Hamas tunnels and rockets are destroyed. But this will not solve the problem for Israel or for Gaza.

Gaza is an "open air prison" whose residents can neither leave nor receive visitors. So they build underground tunnels to the outside. We are told that this is bad. But what do we expect? A people is being held hostage by Israel.

Israel builds its own tunnels into Palestinian territory. They are called settlements in the West Bank. We keep telling the Israelis that this is bad, but their government does not listen. Palestinian lives and livelihoods are disrupted by the settlements, which take prime land, redraw the map of the West Bank, disrupt the road network with detours and foster a two-tier highway system. The Jewish settlers have their own highways in the West Bank that the Palestinians cannot use.

Palestinians should stop shooting rockets into Israel. Israel should stop shelling Gaza and let Palestinians there have access to the outside world. They should also stop building settlements in the West Bank.

Owen Reynolds
Goshen

Now is really not the time to assume the anti-fracking movement has enjoyed a political victory. There is lots of political support for fracking in Albany and in western counties -- even a lawsuit for Gov. Cuomo, demanding it. I personally know a family near Binghamton who signed one of the thousands of gas leases in Broome County. They plan to move to Florida when their water becomes undrinkable! Ironic, since Florida will be under salt water thanks to the carbon dioxide and methane drilled by the oil and gas industry.

Cuomo is still the decider. Now is the time to let him know we are still strong, still serious. "Governor's Day," Aug. 21, at the New York State Fair in Syracuse, is the perfect opportunity. We will have a large, noisy rally in front of its main entrance from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with speakers at 12:30 p.m. We'll stand together to say no to fracking and yes to a renewable energy economy that protects our most vital resources, public health and agriculture, to remind Cuomo that this is still our government.

New Yorkers Against Fracking has local buses leaving that morning. Reserve a bus seat online at nyagainstfracking.org.

Joan Walker-Wasylyk
Woodstock

On behalf of Poplar Grove Cemetery Association, we would like to thank the following for helping us, along with Phillipsport Community Center, achieve the Sullivan Renaissance 2014 Golden Feather Award for Community Beautification: Jack Weiser, Bob Speziale, Diane & Jim Denman and Denman Construction, Sandy Radinsky, Dan Lybolt, Andy Weil, Christine Saward, Collin Frost & Family, Joe & Joanne Santacroce, Tommy & Pam Walker & Family, John Brown, Matt Migliaccio, Matt Mordas, Buddy Platt, Pamela Phelps, Tim Butler, Kohl's Associates in Action, Boys & Girls Club, Ace Hardware of Ellenville, Thornton Hardware, Ellenville Shoprite, Napanoch Walmart, Methodist Church Congregation of Phillipsport and Summitville, as well as all of the many other individuals and neighbors who gave of their time, services and money.

Our combined community efforts have restored Poplar Grove Cemetery and made it once again a place of beauty and serenity.

All plot holders are invited to join us at our Annual Meeting of Poplar Grove Cemetery Association on August 22nd at 7 p.m. in the Phillipsport Community Center, Red Hill Road, Phillipsport.

Janet and David Lybolt
Poplar Grove Cemetery Association

I just returned from biking the Montreal rail trail, Le Petite Train du Nord, for five days with six friends. What a great opportunity to observe the utilization and benefits of a long linear park. The economics were obvious; seven of us spent six nights in area lodging, ate three meals a day, and did a bit of retail shopping, along with nights out for a couple of cultural experiences. Many people we met along the way were also visitors to the area and doing much what we did. At least three groups of visitors were three-generation families who decided to meet on the rail trail.

Over the course of five days, we saw every user imaginable, but I was most surprised by the number of handicapped children and adults enjoying the trail. Nature, health benefits, community, safe recreation, eco-friendly transportation, relaxation, and economic development, all rolled into one public resource. I also couldn't help but wonder as I traveled the beautiful countryside how many people come to visit and decide to stay, maybe even relocate businesses.

This is what I want for us in Ulster County — a public asset used to its fullest to benefit many.

By the way, there was no train segment on this rail trail. Ulster County's plan for a segmented trail with train provides even more benefit.

Support county legislative Resolution 275 and encourage legislators to get our rail trail under way. There are many of us anxiously waiting.

Joan Reynolds
Woodstock