Editor’s note: Thanks, Steve Lurie, Director, Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival, for sending us the following press release:

Founded by Pete Seeger, Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival (The Clearwater Festival) is the country’s oldest music and environmental festival and takes place on June 16 & 17. Over the weekend, hundreds of musical artists will appear at the beautiful Croton Point Park in Croton-on-Hudson, NY in Westchester County to perform on 7 bio-diesel and solar powered stages.

Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at www.ClearwaterFestival.org, or by calling (845) 236-5596. Tickets range from $60 (single day) to $200 (weekend pass with camping). Clearwater Members receive a 20% discount. Kids 12 & under get in for free.

This year’s Festival features a global line-up that has cross-generational appeal. From Folk to Bluegrass, Native American to African, Cajun to Swing and Indie-Rock to Blues, we have a line-up that transcends musical boundaries and geographic borders.

We’ll also be celebrating a number of milestones with sets by Arlo Guthrie & The Guthrie Family (Woody Guthrie’s 100th birthday), The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (50th anniversary) and Walkabout Clearwater Chorus (25th anniversary).

The full line-up and stage schedules are available by clicking here.

Highlights for Saturday, June 16 include: Béla Fleck, Dawes, Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thiele, Arlo Guthrie & The Guthrie Family, Tinariwen, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band, Joan Osborne & The Holmes Brothers, Donna The Buffalo, Tom Paxton, Aoife O’Donovan, Tim O’Brien, Tom Chapin, Joanne Shenandoah, Sara Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, Raul Midón, Guy Davis Band, David Amram, Tao Seeger Brass Band, Melissa Ferrick, Joel Rafael, The Chapin Sisters, Forro In The Dark, Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, Jesse Lege & The Bayou Brewe and many more.

Highlights for Sunday, June 17 include: Ani DiFranco, Martin Sexton, Dawes, Balkan Beat Box, Deer Tick, Loudon Wainwright III, Alejandro Escovdeo, The Klezmatics, Peter Yarrow, Tim O’Brien, Toshi Reagon & Big Lovely, Jill Sobule, Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek, Ollabelle, Holly Near, Joe Purdy & The Giving Tree Band, Dala, Bhi Bhiman, David Wax Museum, Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys, Vanaver Caravan, Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole, David Amram, VaJose Conde, Alsarah & The Nubatones, BraveCombo and many more.

The Clearwater Festival is a festival family-oriented weekend event taking place every year at Croton Point Park in Westchester County. The Festival offers attendees an opportunity to gather to enjoy music, celebrate the Hudson River, and take part in the organization’s commitment to protecting our environment and community, and mission to inspire, educate and activate the next generation of environmental leaders.

The Festival’s family-oriented programming includes the Family Stage, juggling and roving artists, face painting plus lots of otheractivities and vendors. Kids 12 years old and under get in free.

Performances that make the Clearwater Festival unique include Story Grove, where festival goers can sit under the cool shade trees and listen to America’s best-loved storytellers. The Arm-of-the-Sea Theater, a contemporary mask and puppet theater company, performing large-scale production by the river’s edge.

New to the festival this year is The Traveling Musical Petting Zoo - from accordion to zither, The Zoo’ is a fully interactive, hands-on exhibition for musicians, young and old, novice to professional.

The Festival offers much more than just great musical artists; at the Working Waterfront, attendees can go out on small boats andtall ships, including the sloop Clearwater and the Mystic Whaler.

The Discovery and Tideline Tents feature Clearwater’s original hands-on environmental education programs and Hudson River research.

The Environmental Action Tent will highlight Clearwater’s watershed and environmental justice initiatives in cities up and down the Hudson.

The juried Crafts Area showcases over 50 crafters and folk artists with quality hand-made items, demonstrations and workshops. The Green Living Expo Tent is the place to learn about products, services, concepts and technologies that can inform your lifestyle and business choices.

The Artisanal Food & Farm Market features twice as many vendors as last year and showcases local farmers and small-scale food processors based in the Hudson Valley and the surrounding regions. There will also be demonstrations and farm songs throughout both days.

Last year, and for the first time, the festival expanded the Zero Waste program to include the entire festival grounds. This year, we continue to fine tune this effort including finding a closer facility to manage compost generated during the festival.

The festival is wheelchair accessible and most stage programming is staffed with American Sign Language Interpreters.

All proceeds from the Clearwater Festival directly support Clearwater’s environmental education, advocacy and research to help preserve and protect the Hudson River and its tributaries, as well as the communities of the Hudson River Valley.

To the editor:

After Adam told me a few weeks ago to be careful because bikes were being stolen from the Croton Harmon station racks, I switched to a “station bike.”

Yesterday, I took the 6:57 into NYC, and arrived back in Croton at 4:13 to find that my “station bike,” which was parked under the southern-most staircase, was stolen. Lock, helmet, and all.

I called it in right away, and Officer Tramaglini took my information down. It’s a medium-frame, royal blue, 21-speed mountain bike made by Mongoose.

My hope is that this letter will prompt my fellow commuters, the employees at the DPW facility, Croton parking and law enforcement, and passers-by to be on the look-out for those committing these thefts.

Sincerely,

Ross M. Weale Jr., Croton-on-Hudson, New York

PS. Big ups to Adam for warning me about the bike thefts, and thereby sparing me from having my much more expensive “non-station bike” stolen. Ride safely, my friend.

Through the CHOOSE program for seniors at Croton-Harmon High School, a unique evening presentation for students, and parents is being held this Monday, May 14, 2012 at 7:00 pm in the CHHS auditorium.

One of the student participants, Matt Weale, has been interning at the non-profit Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison, a program that operates inside the Sing Sing Maximum Security Correctional Facility in Ossining, and provides college classes to inmates through Mercy College. As part of Matt’s CHOOSE experience, he has arranged for a free screening of the award winning documentary, “Zero Percent,” a film that brings viewers inside the classrooms of Sing Sing to meet student-inmates, and gain an understanding of how higher education is changing their lives.

After the screening, there will be a QA session with the Executive Director, Sean Pica, who was a member of the first graduating class of this program.

Watch theatrical trailer:

To the editor:

The Harmonize Group would like to ask if you would consider posting the following link to our new Harmon FAQ document on Crotonblog: http://tinyurl.com/HarmonFAQ

Thank you,

The Harmonize Group

To the Editor:

As everyone reads this, the 2012 Croton Bridges group will already be in Nicaragua building two houses in the community of Piedra Menuda. Our group is a branch off of the non-profit organization Bridges to Community which is located in Ossining, NY. We have many people to thank but there is one in particular that really went above and beyond to help get us to Nicaragua. That person would be Gabe, of Grouchy Gabe’s Grill.

Gabe generously offered his restaurant for a benefit dinner we held in late January. Not only did he offer his space for the night, but he also selflessly volunteered to provide and prepare the delicious food for our gala. This kindness and giving is what we experience on each of our trips. The people of Nicaragua welcome all of us strangers with open arms and a giving heart. Gabe’s willingness to help demonstrated what this trip is all about.

The evening offered two seatings, both of which did not have an empty seat in the house. The place was transformed into a Nicaraguan Bistro serving native dishes such as pernil al horno, chicken al ajillo, chili con carne and rice and beans. If you still had room Gabe whipped up arroz con leche, flan and tres leches cake for dessert. The event was a huge success raising over $1,100 thanks to Gabe, his wife Rebecca, their son Charlie and his friend Nick. They all did more for us than we could have asked for.

We would also like to say thank you to the members of our community, friends and families who have supported Croton Bridges, not just this year, but in years past. By coming to our different fundraising events and making generous donations, you have all helped our group make a difference in the lives of so many Nicaraguan families.

Although the community sees him as Grouchy Gabe, the Croton Bridges group will forever remember him as the kind and selfless person he truly is. And for this, Grouchy Gabe, we thank you tremendously.

Sincerely,

The 2012 Croton Bridges Group:

Lauren Lopano, Katie Marcus, Erin Ricciardi, Satchel Aviram, Matt Weale, Julia Heyman, Kyle Ricciardi, Julia Penberthy, Michael Corvenus, Mallory Pound, Timothy George, Marc Frattini, Christine George, Dani Douglas, Matt Gennarelli, Lucy Stockton, Luann Ricciardi, Andy Starr, and Matthew George.

The Croton Yacht Club will be sponsoring its second annual “Hudson River Day” celebration on Saturday, September 11th from 11 AM - 4 PM at the Croton Yacht Club located at 6 Elliot Way in Croton-on-Hudson.

The mission of the event is to promote interest in the history and ecology of the river, to cultivate future local environmental leaders and to promote, enhance and protect river related recreational resources.

The event features a combination of presentations and hands on exhibits throughout the day targeting both children and adults, focusing on the history and ecology of the river. Presentations shall address river history, river ecology, environmental and conservation movements and an “armchair excursion” along the Hudson.

Events and exhibits will include: a seining exhibition where local marine life will be captured, displayed and later released; viewing tanks where local marine life can be identified and observed; exhibits on local Native American culture, colonial life, the Osborne Boat manufacturing industry and current marine research; hands on exhibits for children such as toy sailboat making, fossil making and fish printing; sail boat rides; local artist displays and sales.

Food and beverages will be available including the best fish chowder on the Hudson. Admission is free so please come and join us in a fun filled, educational and family focused event you will surely enjoy.

For additional information please contact Dennis Kooney at dennis@kooney.com.

Mayor Leo Wiegman has appointed a first-ever Arts Liaison for the Village to help foster even closer collaboration between the Village and the area’s vibrant and diverse arts community. He named Marion Mitchell Callis, of Hale Hollow Road, to the two year volunteer post for the period ending April 1, 2012.

While the Village did appoint a “Public Art Committee” years ago to assist on public art such as the mural art at train station, the new role of a Village Arts Liaison would be much broader. The Arts Liaison will be a two-way conduit for any salient arts related issues, requests or questions between the local arts community and the Village.

The Liaison would be the point person for the Village on arts-related matters to whom the Village could send its questions and inquiries. And, vice versa, when members of the local arts community have proposals or questions that they would like to raise with local government, this Liaison will make sure the message lands on the right desk in Village Hall. An initial task for the Arts Liaison will be compiling a list of contacts of local arts organizations, from the non-profits to the for-profits, from children’s theater to comedic arts education, and from photography workshops to music studios.

“We needed someone with broad interdisciplinary artistic connections, great people skills, and a demonstrated track record of accomplishments. Ms Callis arrives with tremendous international credentials and great ideas to help us better understand the needs and resources of our local arts groups,” notes Mayor Wiegman.

“We created this volunteer post in Croton to take advantage of the intersection among history, arts, and economics. The Village’s History Office has a tremendous archive of both art for its own sake and documentary art of all kinds. Our arts community has always been strong, from theater and dance, to sculpture, film, illustration, design, and more. Our economic future depends on how we tap into our history as a creative and expressive community to bring even more arts-related work and collaboration to our area. Why not make the arts a hallmark of our economic engine?” continues Wiegman.

Ms Callis holds a Master of Arts from Florida State University as well as advanced arts and appraisal certificates from University of London, Christies, and New York University. Her curatorial and directorial experience includes work in Florida, Louisiana, Connecticut, Washington DC, and New York.

“It will be a privilege to engage with the arts groups and officials in our area, and to delve more deeply into this community’s rich history,” says Ms Callis, “I look forward to collaborating with a wide range of individuals and groups, to make the most of what we have now, and to explore new ideas and projects with them.” Ms Callis can be reached at artsliaison@crotononhudson-ny.gov.

For additional information, please contact Janine King, Assistant Village Manager, at jking@crotononhudson-ny.gov, or 914-271-4781.

Visitors can win one of three Fujifilm cameras at Van Cortlandt Manor’s River Day on Sunday, Aug. 1, by taking pictures and posting them on Flickr.com. The festival-style River Day, which takes place from 12-6 and is sponsored by Fujifilm, is devoted to the history and ecology of the area’s watershed. It features kayak rides, performances, and hands-on activities for all ages that teach children and adults about the area’s fragile watershed.

Visitors are encouraged to bring their cameras, capture the event, and post their best work on Flickr for a chance to win one of three Fuji cameras. Top prize is a Fujifilm FinePix HS-10. Two runners-up will win a Fujifilm FinePix Z700EXR. Cameras provided by Fujifilm. Full details are online at www.hudsonvalley.org.

River Day includes two theatrical performances. From 3-4pm, the Hudson River Ramblers will be performing “Once Upon the Hudson,” a tour of more than 400 years of river heritage in authentic songs and primary source based stories. Comprised of Jonathan Kruk, the raconteur renowned for telling “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” and folksinger Rich Bala, the Hudson River Ramblers put on a rollicking show featuring a cast of characters that includes a mythical giant, a doomed explorer, an obsessed inventor, a humble general, a pirate, an imp, a “spitting devil,” and a mule named Sal.

From 2-3pm, the Arm-of-the-Sea theater group will be performing “City that Drinks the Mountain Sky.” The group uses poetry, lusciously painted puppet figures, and beautiful mask characters in this production. Musicians performing include Jim Keyes and Dan Einbender. Local tree service experts SavATree will be offering a wood-sawing activity throughout the day.

Hudson River Recreation will be performing kayak demonstrations during this celebration of the environment, allowing experienced kayakers to test drive new models while beginning kayakers can get their feet wet learning the sport.

“Both the Hudson River and the Croton River have been a source of commerce, travel, food, and recreation for centuries. Through games, workshops, and demonstrations, we’ll delve into the past and present uses, thoughts, and concerns about these rivers,” said Althea Corey, site director of Van Cortlandt Manor.

Costumed interpreters will demonstrate how 18th-century Hudson Valley residents performed such marine-related tasks as fishing and net making, and will demonstrate 18th-century tasks such as open-hearth cooking, coopering, brick making, and blacksmithing. Visitors will be encouraged to lend a hand. Children’s activities include tinsmithing, origami figures, pottery, bookmark making, and watercolor painting. Project WET organizes a children’s game called the Incredible Journey.

A number of regional educational organizations and environmental advocacy groups are bringing hands-on educational activities to River Day, including Saw Mill River Audubon, Teatown Lake Reservation, Riverkeeper, Peekskill Boat Works, Ferry Sloops, and the Toll House Museum. Local expert archeologists MALFA will bring exhibits of artifacts from digs in the lower Hudson region. The Traditional Small Craft Association will display a wooden Adirondack guide boat. Picnic food from Geordanes in Irvington will be available.

The Croton River, which empties into the Hudson River about a half-mile past the Manor House on the Van Cortlandt estate, was used in the 18th century as a dynamic water source, powering gristmills and sawmills. The Van Cortlandt family kept its boats moored just beyond their icehouse, enabling the transportation of people and goods down the Hudson River. Today, the Hudson River still carries great cargo ships to and from New York City and other stops along the way, but both rivers are also abundantly used for fishing and boating throughout the spring, summer, and fall.

Admission to River Day at Van Cortlandt Manor is $12 for adults; $10 for seniors; $6 for children 5-17; and free for children under 5 and HHV members. Tickets are available online at www.hudsonvalley.org. Van Cortlandt Manor, a Historic Hudson Valley site, is at 525 South Riverside Avenue (off Route 9) in Croton-on-Hudson. For information: 914-631-8200.

Pursuant to Section 223-11-B of the Village Code I, the Croton-on-Hudson Village Manager, as designee of the Superintendent of Public Works, has declared a temporary water emergency based on extraordinarily high water usage levels.

The following mandatory restrictions are effective July 8, 2010 until further notice:

• No washing of automobiles in any form, with the exception that windshields and glasses necessary for the proper operation of the vehicle may be washed or cleansed only.
• Lawn sprinkling and sprinkling of shrubs, flower gardens and vegetable gardens with hose or sprinkler will be only allowed on an odd-even schedule. All residents with even number addresses will be allowed to water on days with even number dates - all residents with odd number addresses will be allowed to water dates with odd number dates.
• No filling of pools of all sizes and the operation of pools of all sizes not using recirculating water.

Parties suffering extraordinary hardship on account of these restrictions may to apply to the Village Manager for relief therefrom.

Anyone who violates the above restrictions will be subject to a summons as prescribed under Section 223-14 of the Village Code.

Dear Neighbor,

Did you know that Con Edison provides consumers with many cost-saving and energy saving tips? I thought I would pass some of these useful offers along to you to help cool your summer bills as well as your home.

Cool your home more efficiently

Con Ed is offering a $30 rebate to residential customers who replace their room air conditioners with Energy Star models. Energy Star A/C’s are at least 10 percent more efficient than standard models. For an application, visit: http://www.coned.com/energyefficiency/PDF/Room%20AC%20Form.pdf

If you have central air-conditioning, keep the condenser unit’s coils and fins clean. Remove grass, leaves and other debris that may collect on them.

Green your home

Con Ed recommends that you shut off your computer daily. If you leave the computer on, the fans are running constantly. For your laptop and PC, check the power management function. Put it in sleep mode whenever possible or turn the monitor off when not in use.

For printers and scanners, turn them off at night.

Avoid printing whenever possible! The less you print the more energy you save all around.

Replacing a boiler, water heater or refrigerator? Contact Con Ed to see if you are eligible for a rebate. Better yet, let Con Ed know when you are replacing your refrigerator and they will arrange to pick up your old refrigerator at no charge in order to recycle it.

As always, I look forward to hearing from you.

— Bill Burton, Westchester County Legislator, 9th District