DO NOT MISS the NEWBURGH LITERARY FESTIVAL!

 The Newburgh Literary Festival begins Friday, Oct. 18 with the Spring Street Reading Series, featuring author Mitchell Jackson, winner of the Whiting Award and the PEN/Hemingway Award for debut fiction; and poet Gretchen Primack, whose work has appeared in The Paris Review, Prairie Schooner, Ploughshares, The Antioch Review and many other poetry journals. This event will be at the Atlas Industries Building, 11 Spring St. in Newburgh. There will be a 6:30pm reception, with readings starting at 7. It’s FREE, though donations will be gladly accepted!

Then, Safe Harbors of the Hudson will host the Main Event on Saturday, Oct. 19, with a program of readings, interviews, podcasts, film clips and Q&A with nationally recognized authors and poets. Among them will be Maria Dahvana Headley, creator of the celebrated, topical adaptation of Beowulf, The Mere Wife; Molly Ringwald, actor and author of the critically acclaimed story collection When it Happens to You; Bettina “Poet Gold” Wilkerson, Dutchess County poet laureate; Edwin Torres of Nuyorican Poets Café; and award-winning novelists Panio Gianopoulos, Danielle Trussoni, Crystal Hana Kim, and Elizabeth (Betsy) Crane. This will all be held at the Safe Harbors Lobby at the Ritz, 107 Broadway, Newburgh, from 2pm-6pm. Topping off the festival, there will be a 6pm-8pm Local Authors Fair and Meet-and-Greet Cocktail Reception.

For some reason, they are letting me participate in this, so I’ll be there Saturday evening alongside the luminaries to meet you and to sell SIGNED copies of my new novel, “Louey Levy’s Perfect Pitch.” Tickets to this full day’s events are available online at http://bit.ly/2oDL9ld until noon on Friday and at the door on Saturday. (Students can pay just $10 at the door with valid ID.)

Sunday, Oct. 20 will feature two writing workshops, How to Tell the Story of Your Life, led by novelist and memoirist Danielle Trussoni at the Ann Street Gallery, 104 Ann St., from 10am to noon; and Surprise Yourself; Surprise Your Reader, with poet Ruth Danon at Atlas Studios Gallery, 11 Spring St., 1pm-3pm. Tickets are $25 per person, per workshop, at http://bit.ly/2oDL9ld. Seats are limited, so get your tickets soon!

And finally, as if that weren’t cool enough, on Friday and Saturday, the Ann Street Gallery will be presenting TEXT, a group exhibit of text-based art which has been curated in conjunction with the Literary Festival. Check out the art either day, for FREE!

Yeah, you can get a SIGNED copy of my new novel at the Newburgh Literary Fest this Saturday night, Oct. 19!

"Louey Levy's Perfect Pitch" ... Available Now at Oliver & Chatfield!

My new novel, “Louey Levy’s Perfect Pitch,” is on sale now at the Oliver & Chatfield giftshop, at the corner of Liberty and South William streets in Newburgh. Get your SIGNED copy at this ultra-cool venue!

Pick up your signed copy and then — BONUS — enjoy a cup of coffee from Rob’s Roast, right next door!

Asa Has Good Taste in Literature

One of our great Newburghers, my little friend Asa, clearly has good taste in literature, as can be seen in this photo taken Sept. 29 at my Book Signing and Publication Party on Liberty Street. I have no doubt that he has finished it already and is busy reviewing it for the New York Review of Books. Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/31O2g28 or here: http://bit.ly/2MZbeXe or, better yet: at 6 pm on Saturday, Oct. 19 at the Newburgh Literary Festival at Safe Harbors, Broadway and Liberty Street, for just $15 (cash or check). I’ll sign it for you! Hope to see you there.

Asa is NOT waiting for the movie version.

Sugarloaf is Burning

Still don’t think Global Warming is a thing? On this hottest-ever day in September, I can look across the river from my porch and see brush fires breaking out all over Sugarloaf Mountain, just south of Beacon.

And you can’t drag fire hoses up there, friends.

I'm 70 Years Old Today: Bring On the Twist in a Cup!

I’m 70! I’ve had my life: Now i’m having my ice cream!

Thanks for all the good times, Dairy Island!!

The Difference Between Tim's Mowing and My Mowing

After Tim mows the lawn, it looks like the outfield at Yankee Stadium. After I mow the lawn, it looks like the infield at the Colloseum … the Roman Colloseum, when the lions were done chomping on the gladiators.

Somehow, the yard doesn’t have that peaceful, “Tim’s-Been-Here” look to it, after I mow.

Stopping Terrorism in 3 Simple Steps

Congress can stop terrorism in the U.S. in three simple steps. How, you ask?

1.     Look at your clothes. Right now. Look at them. Are you wearing the uniform of a municipal law-enforcement officer, or of an active-duty member of the United States armed forces? No? Then, Congress should TODAY, not tomorrow, outlaw your carrying a handgun or any automatic or semi-automatic firearm, whether “concealed” or not. Notice that this will not apply to rifles of the caliber used for hunting animals that you intend to eat. Notice also that it does not apply to blunderbusses, or matchlocks, or flintlocks, or whatever you call them, that re-enactors use.

2.     Congress should also TODAY, not tomorrow, outlaw buying or selling ammunition for any guns at all, except those hunting guns referred to above. Congress could also make an exception for non-lead ammo for shooting animals that you intend to eat. I have nothing against hunters, and I’d much rather have you shoot and eat a deer than hit one with our car (again). But birds eat many animals that have been shot, and when those animals have been shot with lead bullets, the birds die.

3.     Congress should also fund TODAY, not tomorrow, meaningful, no-questions-asked gun-buyback programs in every county in the U.S. The returned guns could be melted down and made into musical instruments, or memorials to the thousands of American citizens killed each year by terrorists – by which I mean, people with guns. 

These three steps may sound too “Big Brother” for you. If so, I ask you to recall a certain Christmastime at Sandy Hook Elementary School. And then recall the many, many mass shootings that have happened in our country since then, including, most recently, three in one week.  

Guns don’t kill people: People with guns kill people.

Notice that I say the three steps outlined here are “simple,” not “easy.” Our elected representatives have shown a wretched, supine reluctance to do anything about terrorism. We must redouble our efforts to let them know their NRA-funded cowardice is unacceptable, and for their part, they must grow a pair of ovaries and take these three simple steps. Right now. Before school begins.

Meanwhile, here is a great article from the new New Yorker: http://bit.ly/2KqYAfi

Are You Panting for a Good Book?

The Barking Goose Bookstore, Bar & Cafe is selling signed copies of my new novel, “Louey Levy’s Perfect Pitch.” The Barking Goose is the place to go to enjoy good friends, good books and good beers. It’s on North Plank Road in the little “mall” that’s DIRECTLY across from the I-84 East exit ramp, in the Town of Newburgh. (If you’re on that exit ramp, stay in the left lane.) http://bit.ly/2SK6LXW

Of course, “Louey Levy’s Perfect Pitch” is also for sale at Amazon.com and BN.com, but it’s sooo much better to buy local — and The Barking Goose has signed copies!

In this sequel to “Louey Levy’s Greatest Catch” (which is also for sale at the Barking Goose), Louey is in college during the late 1960s. The battle for abortion rights is on; the Vietnam War is on; the Sexual Revolution is on; and somehow, despite everything, the hilarity is off the charts. Get your copy today, and let me know how you like it!

The Vintage Advantage

My new novel, “Louey Levy’s Perfect Pitch,” is now for sale at The Newburgh Vintage Emporium, that cool place on Rt. 9W just before (or after, if you’re headed south) the ramp to Rt. 84 East. The shop has lots of great Newburgh-related stuff, and it’s a fun place to wander around after picking up a copy of “Louey Levy’s Greatest Catch” or the brand-new sequel, “Perfect Pitch.”

While you’re there, say hello to my friend Anthony.

Let me know how you enjoy “Perfect Pitch!”

The “secret passage” into and out of the Newburgh Vintage Emporium is off of North Plank Road, next to the V&V Steakhouse. (This tip is provided for anyone who can’t figure out how to get into the Emporium parking lot without ending up in Connecticut.) Stop by to get your copy of “Louey Levy’s Perfect Pitch!”

The Thing They Tell You, and the Other Thing They Tell You

First they tell you one thing, then they tell you another thing. Have you, too, heard these contradictory “things”?

THE THING THEY TELL YOU: Park as far away from the Mall entrance as possible, so that you get some exercise walking to and from your car when you do your shopping.

THE OTHER THING THEY TELL YOU: Park as close to the Mall entrance as possible, even if you have to drive around for 20 minutes to get a good spot, to minimize your chances of getting mugged in the lot.

THE THING THEY TELL YOU: Always put your emergency brake on when you park, so your car doesn’t roll away.

THE OTHER THING THEY TELL YOU: Never put your emergency brake on unless you’re on a steep hill, to avoid wearing out your emergency brake.

THE THING THEY TELL YOU: Keep written records of all your financial information, especially your taxes, so that when you need to turn them over to your family (or a lawyer) some day, they’ll be easily accessible.

THE OTHER THING THEY TELL YOU: Keep all your records electronically, so you don’t waste paper.

THE THING THEY TELL YOU: Toss out all expired medicines; if you use expired ones, they can make you sick, or at least be ineffective. The dates are on the bottles for your protection.

THE OTHER THING THEY TELL YOU: You can use medicines, including over-the-counter ones, almost indefinitely. The dates are on the bottles so the manufacturers can get you to buy more.

THE THING THEY TELL YOU: Sign the back of your credit cards as soon as you receive them, so you can prove they’re yours.

THE OTHER THING THEY TELL YOU: Never sign the back of a credit card; if it gets stolen, now the thief has not only your credit card, but also your signature.

THE THING THEY TELL YOU: Let water run from your faucet for 5 minutes before drinking it, to make sure the lead and other toxins are flushed from your pipes.

THE OTHER THING THEY TELL YOU: Hold your glass under your faucet immediately upon turning it on, so as not to waste water.

What contradictory bits of advice have you heard? I have a feeling this is just “Part 1” of a series of blogs on this theme.

Friday's Hike Down (and Back Up) the Palisades

You’ve seen the Palisades a thousand times from the train on the east side of the Hudson, just before you reach New York City. Don’t you ever wish you could hug those rocks, spidering all the way to the bottom? Tim and i started at the top, hiked past an oddly friendly deer and a castle, and then down to the shore. Steep as it was, that was the fun part. Getting back up was a bit much. Here are some photos.

The New Jersey Federation of Women’s Clubs built this “castle”, halfway down the Palisades, for … some reason that must have made sense at the time. You can climb to the top for great views across the Hudson, though.

Ladies and Gentlemen: The Palisades, on the New York-New Jersey border. They are steep and they are very far above the river. Don’t fall down!

“We can see Jon’s apartment from here!” Our son Jon lives in the Grystone building, in Yonkers.

It is a loooong way down to the river. Don’t jump!

But then finally you reach the bottom, and walking the shoreline trail feels like the most glorious thing anyone could do.

Enjoy the sun on some yellow poplar leaves as you start the long trek back up to the top. What a great hike!

The Era of Jane Crow is Upon Us

One hundred years ago, our nation was still in the throes of the era of Jim Crow. Yes, the 13th Amendment had abolished slavery in 1865 and yes, the 14th Amendment, in 1868, had granted former slaves citizenship, and yes, the 15th Amendment, in 1870, had even given male former slaves the right to vote (50 years before any women in the U.S. won that right).

But 11 Southern states had formed their own country rather than give up slavery, and those states began concocting other means of keeping black folks from enjoying the benefits of the law of the land.

As soon as the last federal troops withdrew from Southern soil and Reconstruction ended, in 1877, the former Confederate states fought on the local and state levels to thwart all federal laws recognizing black people as citizens, much less as equals to whites. They pointed to “states’ rights” as their rationalization for instituting poll taxes as a voting requirement and for mandating the segregation of blacks and whites in education, employment, housing, transportation, restaurants, pools, parks, hotels, theaters and more. This is not even to mention the discriminatory Southern justice system, or the constant terrorism aimed at blacks in the form of lynchings, home burnings, and the birth of the Ku Klux Klan. All of these lasted well into the 20th century.

Since 1973, we have had a new law in this land – the Roe v. Wade decision, enshrining the right of women to choose whether and when to bear children. But today we are seeing the rise of Jane Crow: harmful laws enacted by fearful men in various state legislatures that are making a federally legal medical procedure, arrived at by a woman and her doctor, nearly impossible to obtain.

Reactionary state legislators saw President Trump’s appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court as an invitation to pass anti-abortion legislation. They’re actually hoping these laws will be challenged and end up before the now conservative court, which would overturn the right to have an abortion.

Most states abide by the Roe decision, which legalizes abortion until the fetus reaches viability, usually at 24 to 28 weeks. But Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi and Ohio have prohibited abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. In reality this is a complete ban, since most women do not even learn they are pregnant until they are more than six weeks along. Alabama recently passed a ban on all abortions, even in cases of rape.

And now that we have entered the era of Jane Crow, who knows what will happen next?

The assault on women’s reproductive rights is in full swing. Ninety percent of the counties in the U.S. have no abortion clinic at all; in Texas, it’s 96%. We now have to travel many miles for this crucial service. Who can take off from work to do that? Who can afford childcare during that time? Unsurprisingly, Jane Crow laws harm minority women more drastically than white women.

The Jim Crow era really dragged on until the 1960s, with the advent of that decade’s Civil Rights laws. Let’s keep the Jane Crow era from lasting a similar hundred years or more. If politicians don’t trust women to make good decisions about our health and our families’ wellbeing, we shouldn’t trust them to lead our states or our nation.

Vote them out: End Jane Crow now.

Enjoying Newburgh Illuminated, much? Um, yes.

Did I enjoy the Newburgh Illuminated festival today? Why, yes. Yes, i believe I did. One of the fun booths I visited was that of my neighbor Joshua Brown, videographer and photographer extraordinaire, who had a cool “self-photo” setup hat I tried out. Results here!

Newburgh: Tree City, USA!

Newburgh has once again been designated a “Tree City, USA” by the National Arbor Day Foundation. This means we plant trees to shade, clean, and protect our city’s natural environment for the benefit of our own and our kids’ future. Yesterday we planted a beautiful Kwanzan Cherry Tree on Liberty Street in front of the Flour Shop, to match the other gorgeous cherry trees on that street. Come and check them out!

Newburgh’s Acting City Manager Joe Donat joined DPW workers, City Council and Conservation Advisory Council members, business owners and city activists like Dr. Hannah Brooks and her little friend Hudson in planting a cherry tree yesterday on Liberty Street. Thanks to everyone who participated!

You Know You're Old When ...

The TH-Record did a feature on me today (“The Addled and Anile,” i think, is the title of their new section) and you might enjoy not only reading the “story” on Page A-7 but also knowing that the ads on the bottom of the page were for two elder-law firms and the paper itself. I guess that’s where they’re going now, playing to their drooling and dribbling remaining readership.

Jazz at Atlas Kicks Off New Season on March 30; Tickets Available Now!

Jazz at Atlas (J@A) will kick off its 2019 season with a concert by the acclaimed and innovative trio Thumbscrew. The group will perform on Saturday, March 30 at 8 PM at 11 Spring St., just off Liberty Street in downtown Newburgh. There is ample onsite parking. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door — tickets are available now at https://thumbscrew.brownpapertickets.com.

Thumbscrew features three gifted musicians and composers — guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Michael Formanek and drummer/percussionist Tomas Fujiwara — performing their own compositions and selected standards with an exacting prowess wedded to a liberated swing. 

Guitarist and composer Mary Halvorson has been described as "NYC's least-predictable improviser" (Howard Mandel, City Arts), "one of the most exciting and original guitarists in jazz—or otherwise" (Steve Dollar, Wall Street Journal), and "one of today’s most formidable bandleaders" (Francis Davis, Village Voice). In recent Downbeat Critics Polls she has been celebrated as guitarist, rising star jazz artist, and rising star composer of the year. One of New York City's most in-demand guitarists, Halvorson is also part of several collaborative projects, most notably Thumbscrew.

One mark of bassist Michael Formanek's versatility is the wide range of distinguished musicians he's worked with. While still a teenager in the 1970s, he toured with drummer Tony Williams and saxophonist Joe Henderson; starting in the '80s he played long stints with Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Fred Hersch and Freddie Hubbard. Formanek is also a composer and leader of various bands. His occasional groups include the 18-piece all-star Ensemble Kolossus, which recorded their first CD of all-Formanek originals for the prestigious ECM label. The CD, The Distance, was released in 2016 and in addition to numerous other accolades, earned a five-star review in Downbeat. Formanek also teaches bass, composition, and improvisation in a wide range of locations in the US as well as internationally.

Tomas Fujiwara has been described as "an artist whose urbane writing is equal to his impressively nuanced drumming" (Troy Collins, Point of Departure). He’s an active player in some of today’s most exciting music. In The New York Times, Nate Chinen says Fujiwara “works with rhythm as a pliable substance, solid but ever shifting. He has a way of spreading out the center of a pulse while setting up a rigorous scaffolding of restraint ... A conception of the drum set as a full-canvas instrument, almost orchestral in its scope." Fujiwara also has many experiences outside the jazz realm, including a five-year run with the Off-Broadway show Stomp and performances with the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Fela!, featuring Patti Labelle.

Jazz at Atlas is a cooperative project of musician, writer and multimedia artist James Keepnews, and music researcher, radio host and Triple Point Records owner/producer Ben Young. Along with presenting performances by world-renowned creative musicians, J@A also offers listening sessions, dialogues with artists and classes covering the entire spectrum of creative music.

Upcoming concerts in J@A's 2019 season include:
4/20: Sun of Goldfinger — Returning to the Hudson Valley after their memorable closing set for the 2015 Beacon Jazz Festival, alto saxophonist Tim Berne, electric guitarist David Torn and drummer Ches Smith will be touring in support of their debut recording for ECM Records.

6/22: Ticonderoga — Four phenomenal musicians — Joe McPhee, Jamie Saft, Joe Morris and Charles Downs — invoke the spirit of the late John Coltrane and their own unique musical paths to forge a stirring, passionate fire sermon of a quartet.

7/27: Darius Jones' Shades of Black — Called "the most visceral and distinctive alto saxophonist of this era" by The New York Times, composer/altoist Jones convenes a quartet of outstanding talents featuring Sam Newsome on soprano saxophone, Cooper-Moore on organ and Michael Wimberly on drums.

10/5: Karen Borca Quartet — Borca, an innovative, under-recognized bassoonist, with decades of experience in the ensembles of such major artists as Cecil Taylor, Jimmy Lyons, William Parker and others, leads this thrilling quartet of veteran creative musicians including Warren Smith on vibes, Hilliard Greene on bass and Jackson Krall on drums.

Thumbscrew, one of the most innovative and talented jazz trios in the nation, will be playing at Newburgh’s Jazz at Atlas on March 30.

Meals on Wheels Needs Volunteers!

Here’s one plate we can all step up to: Meals on Wheels of Greater Newburgh is looking for volunteers. Adults of any age can help by driving or delivering the hot, nutritious meals that are cooked fresh each morning Monday through Friday at MOW headquarters at 35 Cerone Place. Volunteers arrive at 10:45 am to gather up the meals, and usually finish making their “rounds” by noon.

“You can volunteer to help out for just that hour or so on any particular weekday you want, or on any combination of days – or on all five weekdays, if you prefer!” said Executive Director Robin Bello. Volunteers usually go out in pairs – one drives, and the other knocks on doors of our clients, who can’t cook for themselves, to hand-deliver these much-appreciated fresh meals.

“Some recipients request, and receive, frozen meals to see them through the weekend, as well. We make special meals for those with diabetes, and we deliver special ‘treats’ on holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Our volunteers often say it’s the most rewarding work they’ve ever done. And the camaraderie that develops among our volunteer teams is another factor that really makes this work so special,” added President Carole McDermott.

MOW of Greater Newburgh, a 501 (c)(3) charity founded in 1972, serves the homebound in the City of Newburgh and the Towns of Newburgh and New Windsor.

To volunteer or for more information, call Ms. Bello at 845-562-3490 between 9 am and 1 pm any weekday, or visit www.MealsonWheelsNewburgh.org and follow the prompts.

Call 845-562-3490 TODAY to volunteer just an hour a week for Meals on Wheels. I love doing it, and so will you!

"First, They Came for the Reporters ... "

“ … we don’t know what happened after that.”

That’s the wording of a two-panel cartoon quoted in a recent column by the great Texan, Jim Hightower. (If you don’t read his newsletter, The Hightower Lowdown, you should start today.)

It sort of says it all.

That column was censored by the Creators Syndicate, which distributes his column to newspapers nationwide. The story behind that chillng decision is detailed in the Texas Observer, and you can read it here: http://bit.ly/2PSuDp0.

Basically, the column calls out the thieving newspaper chains that are destroying real journalism. These “hedge-fund scavengers know nothing about journalism and care less.”

High on his list of such villains is GateHouse Media, owner of, among dozens of other papers, the Middletown Times Herald-Record, which has been shedding reporters and copy editors at an alarming rate. They’re down to just eight beleaguered reporters now.

G-d help us all.

Jim Hightower, Poet, Philosopher, Cowboy and Hero.

Happy Birthday, Frederica!

Happy Birthday to Newburgh’s own Frederica Warner, who turns 101 today! (Yup, 101. She was born before women could vote in the U.S.!) She has too many achievements to list here, but probably her greatest was founding Meals on Wheels of Greater Newburgh. Our Meals on Wheels delivers fresh, hot, nutritious meals to the homebound and needy. Volunteer or donate in Frederica’s honor by calling 845-562-3490 or by going to mealsonwheelsnewburgh.org, anytime. Here are two great stories about Frederica:

http://bit.ly/2QyjVck

http://bit.ly/2Em6h56

Happy 101st Birthday, Frederica! And many more!

Chanukah Lights on my Front Porch

Tonight’s seven candles reflected in my window; beyond are lights from Cornwall.