In Bloomingburg –
What happened to last Thursday's scheduled village board meeting? Notice on the door said it should be happening but the only people in attendance seemed to be crickets, or at least their distant calls.

In Mamakating –
Look for a crowd almost as big as that which came out at last weekend's Founders Day in Wurtsboro for this Thursday's July 20 public hearing on the town's draft comprehensive plan, especially with the Basha Kill Area Association sending out alerts. The process has taken a year and a half already and seeks economic sustainability through tourism and other eco-friendly means. More next week.

In Marbletown –
Former town supervisor Thomas Jackson has been named Ulster County's new public works commissioner, shifting over from his role as director of the Ulster County Real Property Tax Service Agency, and previous work running county Public Transit. Congrats!

In Rochester –
Feral cat populations, battling animal control services, and not-un-normal zoning procedures have all become part of the town's political season this year. Then again, this IS a place where charges of pornography and worse have been known to change votes in the past...

In Orange County –
A bit of a shock as the county has reacted to the number of marines who died in the recent plane crash in Mississippi on July 10. Nine of the 15 were stationed at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, bringing a national tragedy home, as county officials noted.

In Ulster County –
Questions about applicants not truthfully answering questions about bankruptcies and felony convictions has led the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency to look deeper into the leadership of companies seeking tax breaks through the agency, and include charges to cover background checks in the future. Could we be finally heading to a new age of civic accountability?