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New Paltz Principle •

Federal Trade, Local Print: How Trump’s Tariffs Will Impact Hudson Valley Publications.

On February 1 President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico, invoking a national emergency over immigration and drug trafficking to do so.  


The following day Genia Wickwire received an email: “Hey. Tariffs coming. That’s going to be added to your bill.”  


Wickwire is the associate publisher of Hudson Valley One, a family owned digital and print publication in the Mid-Hudson Region that covers the towns of Kingston, Saugerties...
The Legislative Gazette •

Stefanik Honored At Republican Gala

New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik garnered strong support from Republican leadership at the 2025 New York Republican Gala, where she received the first ever “America First” award amidst reports of a possible run for governorship.  
The six-term congresswoman, who represents District 21, received the award in front of  Republican leadership at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, New York on April 15. She was presented the award by the gala’s host, State Republican Committee Chairman Ed Cox, followi...
The New Paltz Oracle •

Hundreds Rally in Gardiner for ‘Hands Off!’ Protests

Hundreds of activists lined the sidewalks of Gardiner’s Main Street on April 5 to protest President Donald Trump’s administration, the Department of Government Efficiency, tariffs, oligarchs and a deluge of other federal policies and orders. 


They were joined by over 3 million other protestors across the U.S. who held demonstrations of resistance against the Trump administration in over 1,400 cities and towns in both Republican and Democratic states. 


These demonstrations were part of the...
New Paltz Principle •

The New Paltz Volunteer Fire Department Could Run Out of Volunteers Says Recruiting Officer.

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – A substantial tax increase may be coming to New Paltz residents, as the New Paltz Fire Department is running out of volunteers, which could force the town to explore other higher-cost fire safety options.  


The potential shortage of firefighters was discussed at the New Paltz Town Board meeting on Feb. 20 when the chief recruiting officer for the fire department, Steve Greenfield, made a series of public comments criticizing what he called a lack of action from local politic...
The Legislative Gazette •

Teachers Unions, State Officials Urging Families To Fight Back Against Federal Education Cuts

Leaders in education met in a virtual press conference in early March to discuss the potential for substantial cuts in federal funding to education as part of a nationwide series of protests. 
The conference was hosted by the American Federation of Teachers, a national union of educators, and spearheaded the organization’s “Protect Our Kids” day of action, a nationwide series of more than 2,000 events and social media actions that took place.
“All of this is about protecting our kids and protect...
New Paltz Principle •

New Poll Shows LGBTQ+ Fear Over Expected Trump Administration Policies.

Most LGBTQ+ Americans believe that President Donald Trump’s expected policies will have a negative impact on them, and that the federal government is more hostile to LGBTQ+ individuals than local government, according to a newly released Pew Research Survey.  


The poll asked 3,959 LGBTQ+ individuals from both the Republican and Democratic parties a series of questions relating to the current political climate.  


Participants were asked to state the impact they believe that Trump’s expected...
The New Paltz Oracle •

College and Shango Halls to be Demolished and Rebuilt

College and Shango halls, two of the oldest and most historic buildings on campus, will begin renovations at the start of the spring 2026 semester amid quality-of-life complaints and concerns over preserving the building’s history.


The mixed-use academic and residential halls will undergo complete demolition before being rebuilt as a new 10,000 square-foot academic building, estimated to be finished in 2030.  


At the start of the renovation, residents of the two halls will be relocated to...
The Legislative Gazette •

Hochul Prioritizes Family Affordability in State of the State Address

Children and middle-class families were the emphasis of Gov. Hochul’s recent State of the State Address, in which she outlined her plans to lower the cost of living for New York households. 
Hochul outlined a range of proposals relating to middle class families and childcare, sharing her plans for tax cuts, expanding the child tax credit, implementing universal school lunch, and stating her desire for universal childcare.
“Your family is my fight,” Hochul said near the beginning of her confident...
The New Paltz Oracle •

Gym and Credit Union to Occupy New Paltz Savings Bank

The New Paltz Savings Bank building, the empty storefront next to the Bicycle Depot on Main Street, will have two new occupants in 2025. 


The building, located on 27-29 Main St., was acquired in 2021 by Wells Fargo NP LLC, with primary John Joseph, the owner of Southern Realty & Development, “a commercial real estate ownership, development and management company.” Since that acquisition, the building has remained unoccupied, but that is set to change as the village has approved plans for both...
The New Paltz Oracle •

Mountaineers Detail Kyrgyzstan Climb at Rock and Snow

A week after meeting at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ, second-year students Ben Chorba and Dennis Vink hopped in a car together and set off to the Adirondacks to hike the Trap Dike on Mount Colden.  


Only a few years later, the duo was 6,000 miles from their school, summiting a peak in the developing, post-soviet nation, Kyrgyzstan.  


Vink and Chorba shared their experiences of their month-long stay in Kyrgyzstan and how they got there in a presentation at the Rock and...
The New Paltz Oracle •

Village Mayor Requests Designation of School Zone From DOT

In the wake of multiple hit-and-run incidents, Village of New Paltz Mayor Tim Rogers asked why New Paltz lacks the school zones present in other municipalities.  


“We’ve had this conversation before, and plenty of other safety pedestrian activists have as well. Why don’t we have a school zone in front of the middle school on South Manheim and also Main Street?” Rogers asked.


 The answer is local politics. Main Street is a state highway, and so, according to the mayor, the village has neith...
The New Paltz Oracle •

Election Day In Full Swing At SUNY New Paltz

Nov. 5 marked Election Day in which on-campus SUNY New Paltz voters casted their ballots for federal, state and local elections in the Elting Gym between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.


New Paltz students told The Oracle their opinions on the election process and why they felt the election was important to them. “[I voted for Kamala Harris], because I value democracy, and I think the foundation of this country was built on everyone having rights, everyone having liberties, despite history,” said Gabriella...
The Daily Catch - •

Big Gay Hudson Valley Isn’t Just for Pride Month

The Hudson Valley is hosting many different Pride celebrations this month. One local nonprofit organization that has presented LGBTQ+ activities is Big Gay Hudson Valley (BGHV), which has an annual schedule of such events, called Pride Along the Hudson. But June is just one month out of many when BGHV is bringing people together to form and strengthen community.
BGHV partners with local businesses and organizations to create their year’s programs. For example, on May 19, BGHV hosted Pride in the...
LymeDisease.org •

The dark reality of living with Lyme disease

By Kyle BredbergI have lived in New Paltz, New York, my whole life and throughout that time, have grown accustomed to many of the seemingly odd local rituals that our town performs.One of these oddities is that in elementary school, New Paltz students learn to tuck their jeans into their socks, stuffing them full until their feet look like weird upside down sock puppets before departing on a field trip.This is all part of the general awareness for ticks that the Hudson Valley strongly promotes t...