So that's how they pick those things up. Above: Lazy Crazy Acres, cow-to-cone gelato makers in Arkville, make hay while the sun shines.
Happy Monday, Catskills. We're just about at the midpoint of leaf turning this week, according to the foliage spotters at I Love NY -- and with a few more gorgeous warm days on tap, it's a great time to be out and about. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Today, Washington-watchers (and newspaper editors) across the country are holding their breath, as a dramatic standoff unfolds in the nation's capital. House Republicans have attached a provision that would force a one-year delay in the new healthcare law to an otherwise straightforward short-term funding bill required to keep the federal government in business. If the funding bill does not pass, the nation will see its first government shutdown in 17 years.
Not voting along party lines in the shutdown standoff*: Our own Representative Chris Gibson, who had previously voted in favor of a failed bill that would have defunded Obamacare. In the vote on the most recent anti-Obamacare bill, Gibson and another New York State Republican, Richard Hanna of Barneveld in Central New York, were the only two GOP members of the House to break ranks. In a story this morning, Politico's Ginger Gibson speculated that Republicans in "blue states" that went for Obama in 2012 are nervous about the political consequences of a government shutdown.
Shutdown or no shutdown, New York State's new health insurance exchange opens for business tomorrow, October 1. If you're in the market for individual health insurance, check out nystateofhealth.ny.gov. Rates for the average New Yorker shopping for individual health insurance are expected to go down 29 percent under the Affordable Care Act, according to an analysis published in Forbes by Manhattan Institute fellow Avik Roy, who lambastes the new healthcare law for driving up premiums across much of the rest of the country.
While the nation frets about healthcare, Andes frets about noise: The town will hold a public hearing about a proposed noise ordinance on Tuesday, October 8. The Catskill Mountain News, whose most recent issue apparently didn't get uploaded to their website this week, reports that noise from a couple of summer camps in the town has been bothering neighbors.
The village of Stamford has sworn in its new mayor, village trustee Joan Hinman. Hinman was granted temporary mayoral duties after the sudden death of mayor Michael Jacobs in August. At their most recent meeting, village trustees voted unanimously to make her appointment official.
Don't hold your breath for the potholes in Route 23 to get fixed anytime soon, the state DOT tells the town of Windham.
Today, the town of Hunter is holding a hearing on a proposed moratorium on "commercial explosive storage magazines" within town limits. If you're interested, hie thee to the town hall at 5:45pm.
Busted: This morning, state troopers arrested a 22-year-old Holbrook man for allegedly robbing the Jeff Bank in Eldred last week. The Sullivan County Democrat points out that last week's robbery was the second one at the bank in 19 months.
Royal baby news: An Ulster County author recently got a thank-you card from the British royal family for the book she sent the new Prince George. (Here at the WP, we wonder what percent of their time the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spend up to their ears in the royal stationery.)
Most heartwarming story of the month: YNN's profile on departing Schoharie Recovery director Josh DeBartolo, who's surfing out of town on a massive wave of gratitude after spending the last couple of years helping flood-bashed Schoharie County get back on its feet. (We won't spoil it for you, but there's a wedding involved.)
The farmer on the Dell: 69 percent of New York State farms were connected to the Internet last year, up a few points from 2011 and above the national average.
On the other hand, 30 percent of the folks in the town of Shandaken have never been on a computer, according to town officials.
Over at last: The seven-week murder trial of Paul Novak, who on Friday was found guilty of murdering his wife Catherine Novak and setting their Narrowsburg home on fire to cover up the crime.
Becker's Tire Service in the Roxbury hamlet of Grand Gorge was destroyed by fire last Friday. Judging from the commenters on our story, there are a lot of people out there willing to help the business get back on its feet.
A new poll suggests a narrow majority of New York State voters support a referendum to expand casino gambling -- but only if pollsters put a positive spin on gambling while asking the question. Will New York go for gambling? We'll find out in the November elections.
NewsShed, our snappy little digest of Catskills news, weather and hot bloggy goodness, generally comes out on weekdays, God willing and the creek don't rise. Got a hot tip or a photo for the NewsShed? Send it to editor@watershedpost.com.
*Update, 10/1: Representatives Gibson and Hanna, who broke ranks with the GOP on Sunday, returned to the fold Monday night to vote for a resolution that would delay the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and remove subsidies for lawmakers. The bill was rejected by the Senate. The Daily Star's Joe Mahoney has an in-depth story on the votes taken by the two upstate New York Republicans. For a timeline of the votes leading to the shutdown, which is now in effect, see this handy New York Times flowchart.
