The following is a quote from Stephen Hawking, a world renowned physicist: "We are close to the tipping point where global warming becomes irreversible. Trump's action could push the earth over the brink to become like Venus with a temperature of 250 degrees and raining sulfuric acid. Climate change is one of the great dangers we face and it's one we can prevent if we act now. By denying the evidence for climate change and pulling out of the Paris Agreement, Trump will cause unavoidable environmental damage to our beautiful planet, endangering the natural world for us and our children.

"I believe evolution has in built greed and aggression to the human genome. There is no sign of conflict lessening and the development of militarized technology and weapons of mass destruction could make that disastrous. The best hope for the survival of the human race might be independent colonies in space".

This shook me enough to see the need to share his dire warnings. The USA should be in support of all the other 190 countries who are in support of helping the planet by recognizing and working on a solution to Global Warming.

Coincidentally on this evening's news, I saw Al Gore being interviewed on this issue. He said we are past some tipping points. One is that Antarctic (South Pole) lost a big ice chunk that IS going to make the ocean levels rise jeopardizing Miami, NY and coast lines around the world. Island nations could lose millions of people. Al Gore also has a new movie out on these issues.

Hopefully we can make a difference before it is too late. Reevaluate your thinking and lifestyle to see how you can make a difference.

Barbara Fornal
Accord

N.I.M.B.Y. Not In My Backyard. However, Heartwood is so much greater than this. There are many examples of NIMBY across the nation currently, despite the proclamation that new developments and change are "progressive." Many examples exist in our beloved Hudson Valley even. We collectively associate NIMBYism with an elitist or egocentric point of view, although most of us have experienced this feeling. When a new development proposal comes to town, it's often a knee-jerk reaction to be opposed, particularly when that development stands to change the landscape and the character of the area you call home. Opposition to Heartwood is more than just a legitimate emotional reaction, ignited by genuine concerns for our community being exploited for corporate profit; it is a substantial regulatory issue.

There is currently a large-scale luxury resort /"eco-friendly" lodging facility called Heartwood, being proposed in Gardiner, NY. The 141-acre parcel of land borders State Route 44/55, as well as the Shawangunk Kill River corridor. Formerly operated as a tree farm, a "Glamour Camping" or "Glamping" facility is now in the works. Seventy (70) cabins, along with a public restaurant, events barn, indoor / outdoor pool, main lodge, bocce courts, tennis courts and 165-vehicle parking lot, as well as several other amenities are planned. So, what's the problem, and why the opposition?

From a legal standpoint, there are no zoning regulations specific to this national trend of Glamour Camping facilities, now coming to the Town of Gardiner. This provides inconsistencies in how to properly regulate such developments. For example, if the proposed parcel of land (again 141-acres) is compared to a housing subdivision, zoned for 5-acre lots, this calculates to a maximum of 28 houses. If an average-sized American household is 4-5 people, a housing subdivision calculates to a maximum capacity of 112-140 people on this same parcel.

Using the Heartwood site plan occupancy documents, the 70 cabins will house 166 adults. This calculation does not include children of said guests. It is important to take into consideration that number of guests is only for those staying in the proposed cabins. This does not consider the occupancy on any given day, of the additional guests at the events barn or the 4,639-square foot restaurant, which is open to the public. Therefore, their numbers are very much an underrepresentation as to the number of people expected on the premises. According to the Heartwood documents, an estimated 12,600 gallons of water will be consumed or utilized per day. Concerned Gardiner residents believe this to be a gross underestimation, given the sheer volume of people and the demands of the facility.

Going back to the housing subdivision comparison, the average household uses 300 gallons of water per day. By simple math, this calculates to 8,400 gallons of water per day for a 28-house subdivision.

It is important to state that we are not in favor of a housing subdivision for this parcel of land, but merely are highlighting how zoning deficiencies cause regulatory inconsistencies, depending on the proposed usage. There is no specific zoning to regulate this type of luxury resort / glamping usage. Heartwood's supposed "eco-friendly" lodging facility will have a greater impact on the land, area resources and Town of Gardiner infrastructure, than the residential / agricultural use it's currently zoned for. Because of a greater density of people using that same piece of land, it is hardly eco-friendly.

No, we do not want this built in our backyard, but it is a larger issue than just us. The current Heartwood proposal is so much greater than NIMBY. If approved by the Gardiner Planning Board, without changes to the current zoning codes, Heartwood sets a precedence for any similar future developments in the Town of Gardiner.

The Town of Gardiner needs to institute a moratorium, which will allow a 6-9 month window of opportunity to scrutinize, research and update current zoning regulations to ensure the character of our community is maintained.

Jonathan Lozier and Kimberly Newkirk-Lozier
Gardiner

I appreciate and respect Mr. Hull's opinions of and experience in purchasing and reviving malls. However in the instance of the Hudson Valley Mall, the vision laid out is surprisingly limited and definitely obsolete. The plan to simply 'reinvent and reintroduce' a renovated retail and restaurant destination will fail, as times have moved on from the mall model of consumer shopping. No manner of unveiling or repackaging will change this fact, and Mr. Hull seems to be relying on past successes (or maybe failures) to predicate a fantasy resurgence manifest in a reborn Hudson Valley Mall. It won't happen.

The property and its basic premise are obsolete, and will become ever more so as time passes. The only hope it has for survival is a complete, "way out of the box" rethinking. Mixed uses, indoor sports, housing types, town offices, satellite campuses, "maker spaces," year-round indoor food growing gardens, alternative medicine health clinics, conference centers, alternative energy production centers — you name it, the Hudson Valley Mall could become something completely new — and even exciting. But retail? No.

Think about the empty, yawning anchor spaces there: Macy's and JC Penney — what retailer operating in this Internet economy would be possibly be interested enough to even pay the utility bill? The answer is "none." The trend is also undeniable up and down Ulster Avenue — gone are Montgomery Ward's, Sports Authority, Gander Mountain, Ruby Tuesday, Laz-E-Boy, Talbot's, Office Depot, etc.

The writing is on the wall, in large day-glow graffiti lettering: big box retail and malls as we knew them over the last half century are in their last gasps. Let's have a public forum "design charrette" for the Hudson Valley Mall and together vision an entirely new life for our mall on the hill, "post retail" and retooled for a vibrant future.

Brad Will
Kingston

As President Donald Trump's White House darts from one crisis to the next, it is easy to miss statements that tear at the core of who we are. Recently, our commander-in-chief trashed "upper state" New York (his words) when he plainly told us to leave our homes and our state and move to another state like Wisconsin.

We have very real challenges in every region in Upstate New York. We are not going to overcome those challenges by running away from them. Instead, like we have throughout our history, we will roll up our sleeves and get to work to build a better tomorrow. From the Erie Canal to women's suffrage to innovative technology, it is what we have always done.

I ask my fellow Upstaters to join me in denouncing the president's recent comments.

Because this is our home. And we're not going anywhere.

U.S. Rep. Paul D. Tonko
20th Congressional District
Amsterdam

I am shocked and horrified by the Nazi rally that occurred in Charlottesville. I believe it is the responsibility of every elected official at every level of government to denounce these unacceptable actions in our modern day society. I am disappointed my representative in the Ulster County Legislature was one of the officials who refused to issue any statement condemning these racist demonstrations. Like hundreds of other representatives across the country, he was unwilling to take a stand against this awful ideology of racism. It is this silence that enables racism all across this country. When a representative is unwilling to condemn these beliefs, whether they be a town councilperson or a U.S. Senator, they allow these beliefs to go unchallenged thus making them seem acceptable. I am writing this letter to say it is NOT acceptable. It is time we elect local officials who push back on ideologies of hate. In me, the people of Shawangunk and Wawarsing will have a representative in the Ulster County Legislature who they can count on to actively fight this racism in our country, not sit back in silence while it unfolds. Whether you be a Republican, Democrat, or Independent, now is the time to unite against something we all agree is unacceptable and elect people who will reflect those values. Finally, rest in peace Heather Heyer, the woman who died in Charlottesville as a result of the terrorist attack. She died defending her nation as a true patriot. Her sacrifice must never be forgotten.

Andrew Zink, Candidate
for Ulster County's 14th Legislative District

Our nation, our state and our county are quite adept at putting band aids on problems to make the masses feel better. But the band aid doesn't fix the problem, it just offers false hope.

Two such band aids are the Safe Act and the Sanctuary City or State Laws. These two band aids do absolutely nothing to solve either of the problems they purport to address.

The Safe Act is touted as a preventive measure to keep a mass shooting from happening in New York State. The Safe Act limits the number of rounds of ammunition in a clip to 10 or less. It makes it illegal to have a mean rifle. It has list of the things you can't have like a pistol grip, collapsible stock, threaded barrel, or muzzle suppression. It mandates pistol permits be renewed every 5 years.

But what it doesn't do is address mental health and firearms education. It does nothing to keep illegal guns off the streets. The second amendment says owning a firearm is a constitutional right but with every right there is a corresponding responsibility. Every citizen should be educated on what a firearm is and how it is made safe, even if said citizen is never going to own a gun themselves. Every mass shooting in the last decade has been linked to mentally ill or unstable persons. Mental healthcare must become a priority in this state. If you see something say something must apply to mental illness. There must be a way to report your suspicions without blowing up the mentally ill person's life or yours. Our first responders must obtain more training to understand and help the mentally ill person. Illegal firearms are flooding into this country and little is being done by the government on any level.

We need to stem the flow of illegal firearms, treat the mentally ill, and educate the masses on the proper use and care of firearms. These things will do more to prevent mass shootings than any component in the Safe Act.

Sanctuary acts are the cruelest of all band aids. They bathe the illegal immigrant in a false sense of security when they have built their lives on a foundation of quicksand which will shift under their feet with every new election cycle. Just because a municipality has a sanctuary policy it will not prevent the feds from arresting any illegal immigrant in that municipality. Labeling a municipality a sanctuary just tells the human traffickers where to drop their cargo.

What we need is to demand that our immigration policies be adjusted if they are not meeting the current needs of the citizens of United States of America. Starting with hitting businesses with crippling fines if they hire an undocumented worker. It needs to become too expensive to hire illegal immigrants. We need to fix the guest worker program. Make it simpler to get a work permit and easier to renew that permit as needed. We need to find paths for people to pay fines and apply for work visas when they overstay their work visa or fail to renew it on time. This way the foundation they built their lives on is not so unstable. For the "dreamers," four years of military service earns them the right to sit for the citizenship test is another possibility for the undocumented to come out of the shadows and live their lives. Sanctuary policies are false promise and false hope; these families deserve better answers than this band aid.

"Band aid" policies help no one and demean the population into a false sense of security. Let's roll up our sleeves and work to really fix the problems our nation. While the flower of commonsense doesn't grow in everyone's garden surely we can come up with something better than band aid polices.

If I am successful in my bid for the Ulster County Legislature in District 15 I will propose real solutions to these everyday problems.

Cassie Spoor
Ellenville