Lenape at Glacier Falls

10/18/2017

Things to do this weekend from visitor association - Forestburgh Playhouse is showing Rocky Horror! We went to see Madagascar this summer and it was great...fun venue.

As most visitors know, a visit to the Forestburgh Playhouse is more than just going to see a show – it's an experience! It's a beautiful spot to have a cocktail or enjoy dinner and cabaret at the Forestburgh Tavern. This weekend, Rocky Horror Picture Show opens LIVE and audiences are encouraged to come in costume. There are only four performances of this sought after show - October 20th and 21st, 27th and 28th. So, get your tickets today!

What better way to wrap up summer in the Sullivan Catskills than watching the incredible Slam Allen close out the Downtown Barn's 4th season! Slam always plays to a sold-out crowd – be sure to get your tickets in advance.


Eva-Maria Zimmermann and Keisuke Nakagoshi have electrified audiences from Carnegie Hall to Tokyo, the duo – known as ZOFO bring their duet arrangements of famous orchestral pieces to the Bethel Woods Event Gallery in P.L.A.Y. the Classics – a collaboration of the Shandelee Music Festival and Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.


On Saturday in The Event Gallery at Bethel Woods Center for The Arts, the community is invited to Engage, Experience and Explore Soul Inscribed - as they bring their music to young audiences across the world. This fourpiece band mixes up a brew of Hip Hop poetics and soulful vocals. They flow seamlessly between crafted songs and improvisation grounded in the traditions of Jazz and Hip Hop.


Halloween is just around the corner and while you've been trying to decide what to dress up as this year - we've been busy updating our blog with perfect Halloween adventures for all. Be sure to check it out here!

Welcome to our Sullivan Catskills,

12/13/2016

Nice summation of renaissance getting noticed
Sullivan County is
Nov 29, 2016
By Roberta Byron-Lockwood & Jennifer Grimes
By roberta byron-lockwood and jennifer grimes

There is hardly a feature on Upstate New York travel these days that doesn't highlight Sullivan County as being “where it's at.” With new businesses, energy and ideas springing up across the county, there is a very real Renaissance taking place here. And with The Catskills trending throughout social media, the Sullivan County Visitors Association (SCVA) is capitalizing on the momentum by re-branding the county as “Sullivan Catskills” (www.sullivancatskills.com). To drive home the idea that we are energized, with a fresh outlook, our website is undergoing a facelift we look forward to unveiling early in 2017.
This year we contracted with the PR firm The Door to pitch our Sullivan Catskills to influencers who will help build our brand among Metro New York travelers. 2016 saw press coverage of Sullivan County (CATSKILLS) tourism in The New York Times, Food & Wine, Architectural Digest, Vogue, Thrillist, Inside Hook, and many more, focusing on the buzz surrounding our hotels and inns, farms and restaurants, extraordinary scenery and overall energy.
With this surge in popularity, SCVA members have started using the hashtag in social media posts to link the county with the overall positive Catskills vibe. It is hoped that all residents and business people will use the hashtag to promote the many positive elements of Sullivan Catskills life when posting on social media.
SCVA's marketing efforts also included TV ads, an MTA tourism ad campaign and new investments to attract visitors to the Catskills/mid-Hudson Region. And the State is set to nominate the 1969 Woodstock festival site at Bethel Woods to the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
We have big plans for 2017, when we'll roll out our slogan and will push our message across all paid, earned and owned marketing channels and platforms. Once again we'll welcome the Catskill Challenge and Ride the Catskills, which saw Governor Cuomo and other leaders take to our roads and waters to promote our local tourism. Mysteryland USA is back at Bethel Woods, and the area will see a boost when Veria Z Living Wellness Center opens the doors to its 131 room wellness resort next year. SCVA is exploring the exciting opportunity to create a Welcome Center near the Adelaar site to meet and influence the existing visitors as well as the additional anticipated visitors.
And of course Montreign Casino & Resort at Adelaar, the largest casino development in the state, is in the works, and the numbers are staggering, both in the monies that are being spent, and in the anticipated surge of 4 million in tourists who will visit. Already numerous ancillary projects have been approved or are under way, to capitalize on this new travel market, including 300 additional rooms already in the pipeline and we certainly anticipate more to come.
Today our county is already enjoying economic spikes in sales tax and median housing sales. It provides a taste of the good things to come.
SCVA and its Board of Directors have been working to maximize the increasing opportunities coming our way to market our unique and desirable assets, and to plan for the changing landscape as the county's tourism sector evolves and flourishes.

Roberta Byron-Lockwood, is President/CEO of the Sullivan County Visitors Association. Jennifer Grimes is the Founder of Red Cottage, Inc and an SCVA Board Member - See more at: http://www.scdemocratonline.com/webpages/opiniondetail.aspx?id=8c88de0b-c297-4671-b864-dbc7af7a05e9 .vBl9i8NM.dpuf

11/20/2016

The help wanted classifieds are really building up here...

this looks like a great opportunity - classes begin Nov 28th for healthcare jobs....Applications are now being taken for the Jobs Waiting sessions starting November 28 at BOCES' St. John Street Education Center in Monticello. To find out more, contact the Sullivan County Center for Workforce Development at 845-807-0618 or visit jobs­waiting.com. - See more at:

Boot camp' for job-seekers debuts locally this month
Nov 17, 2016
By Dan Hust - staff writer

By: Contributed photo
Christopher Elliott, a graduate of Jobs Waiting's Westchester County “boot camp,” talks with a potential employer, Susan Hynson of Memorial Sloan Kettering, during his graduation ceremony, which doubled as a job fair. (He's now employed by ENT and Allergy Associates.) The Sullivan County version begins November 28.
MONTICELLO — Jodi Kay Pino had been out of work for more than a year.
The 47-year-old had been a successful office-worker for over two decades, leaving the industry to raise four kids.
But her return to the working world collapsed when her company relocated out of the area, costing her a customer service position.
She spent months trying to figure out a path, then heard about Jobs Waiting.
“The program was brilliant,” Pino says. “It helped me think about what I had to offer in a new way. ”
That's the goal, says Amy Allen, the vice president of the Westchester County Association, which manages the federally-funded Ready to Work program that is led by Westchester County.
“This is a good example of government money spent right,” she remarks, referring to the $9.8 million the government awarded to the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Development Board to unfurl Jobs Waiting across a seven-county region, targeting the rapidly growing healthcare industry. (The involved counties are also partners in the effort.)
Over 200 people have gone through the program in the past year, with the majority now employed. Orange County just graduated a class of 33, Ulster County's version is in progress, and Sullivan County's first class starts November 28.
The latter session has room for 25-30 people who have been unemployed for more than 26 weeks (when benefits run out).
The services in these classes - one-on-one career counseling, professional skills assessments, career readiness workshops, financial planning, social media training, professional mentoring, business communication development, and opportunities to network with healthcare employers - don't cost a thing to participants.
But take note: there's a reason this is referred to as a “boot camp.”
“They have to commit to coming four days a week for six weeks,” says Allen.
While some travel expenses can be reimbursed, applicants must ensure they make it to every class, and on time.
“It's really demonstrating you're committed to putting the time in ... and that you're going to be actively involved in your job search,” Allen adds.

The Sullivan County Center for Workforce Development has already contacted area healthcare organizations for that purpose.
“I think there's a real strong possibility of jobs at the end [of the program],” affirms Laura Quigley, the Center's executive director.
The positions are often in customer service and other non-clinical roles, though there are opportunities for further training towards becoming a registered nurse, clinician assistant, ultrasound technologist, MRI technician, certified medical biller or coding clerk.
Crystal Run Healthcare hired three recent graduates, who started at $12.50-$13 an hour (more, if they have prior experience).
“It is refreshing to see how eager these folks are to get back into the workforce,” notes Tara Kammarada, Crystal Run's human resources director. “They want to work!”

Sullivan County, NY's hometown paper has been a trusted part of the county's life since 1891. Independently owned and operated by the same family since 1927, the newspaper is published every Tuesday and Friday (twice-weekly) and is a proud member of both the New York Press Association and the Nation...

05/08/2016

Happy Mother's Day!

INQUIRING GARDENERS WANT TO KNOW

When can I plant summer bulbs?

Summer bulbs include: tuberous begonias, caladium, cannas, dahlias, gladiola, gloriosa lilies, elephant ears, liatris, nerines, oxalis, pineapple lilies, freesia, tuberose and tigridia to name a few....

Summer bulbs need warm weather and warm soil. There is no calendar planting date. Once the soil has dried out and warmed up to about 60° F or more, it’s time to get summer bulbs in the ground. An easier rule of thumb to remember is, if it’s warm enough for your tomatoes to be planted it is also time to plant your summer bulbs. You can start them indoors and get a jump on the season. Happy Gardening!

04/14/2016

Explore it all in the Sullivan County Catskills (April 13-April 19, 2016

03/22/2016

Construction progress! http://oxblue.com/pro/slideshow/montreigncasino

01/24/2016

A very small percentage of players pick their own numbers and it’s well known that most players buy Quick Picks.

12/29/2015

New York is stripping the monopoly on gambling away from Native American tribes and racetrack slot parlors by awarding three commercial gaming licenses.

11/26/2015

From the Sullivan County Democrat - From a career day at Monticello CSD. Important advice for getting a position with the casino. Besides the 1500 casino jobs there are many more in " IT jobs, food and beverage jobs, administration, and maintenance"


MONTICELLO — The Monticello Central School District kicked off its “Week of Possibilities” with a Career Pathways Fair and spaghetti dinner at the High School. The district is focusing on education as essential component of opportunity. The evening, which took place on November 3 from 4-6 p.m., was arranged by Dana Taylor as the Supervisor of Special Programs. Students could access the fair during the day with their teachers, but were invited to return with their parents for an up close and personal look at many of the local employment opportunities. Employers, including Jeff Bank, Sullivan County BOCES, the Ethelbert B. Crawford Library and Ramapo-Catskill Library System, SullivanArc, Cornell Cooperative Extension, The Center for Discovery, Crystal Run Healthcare, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts and more provided information about opportunities for students.
At 5:30 p.m., students and their parents were able to attend a presentation by Charles Degliomini, Executive Vice President, Government Relations and Corporate Communications of Empire Resorts, Inc. Better known as “Charlie D., the casino guy,” Degliomini presented not only on the upcoming Montreign casino project, but the myriad opportunities it will provide for employment. Introducing Mr. Degliomini, Monticello Superintendent of Schools Tammy Mangus explained, “Education leads to a career. Somewhere along the way, the nation's education system got a little lost. Charlie D. is here to talk about being career ready. His experience spans both the private and public sectors.”
Degliomini was excited to speak to the many students and their parents. “I am the casino guy, and it is a pleasure to be here. I do a lot of speaking engagements, but this is my first time speaking to students and parents. We haven't yet spoken about the future of our kids in Sullivan County … historically we always hoped that students would graduate from a good school like Monticello, go to college and get a job somewhere else. Now we are talking about 2400 new jobs in Sullivan County.” He provided an in depth overview of the master plan for not only the casino at Montreign, but the various other amenities the 1700-acre former Concord site will provide. A video, touting a “Catskill destination reborn,” presented the project. “We competed against some of the biggest casinos in the world and they chose us and our partner.” The destination property will include the 1.5 million-square-foot casino with a 93,000 square-foot casino floor, an eighteen story hotel with a meeting and event space, fine dining Italian steakhouse, indoor waterpark, the Catskill Marketplace retail village, and a completely updated Monster Golf Course, designed by Rees Jones.
After presenting the project, Degliomini explained to those in attendance the variety of jobs that will be available, from union work during construction to the variety of daily positions to make the casino successful. “Start thinking about getting ready to work for us. It's not just dealers; the casino is one part, 1500 jobs. We will have IT jobs, food and beverage jobs, administration, and maintenance. You have a great resource here with Sullivan County Community College, get in touch with them and join the hospitality program.” He explained the timeline, and that the minute the license is finalized, there will be two years to open, and wanted to touch on what it means to be “career ready.” “This is a highly regulated industry. You can't show up with arrests, etc. and want to work. You need a clean record. Everyone will need a license from the New York State Gaming Commission; they look at your background and any financial improprieties. Piercings, a Mike Tyson face tattoo, won't work for us. We have a zero tolerance policy for drugs … your decisions today will impact your employability.” Degliomini explained that the jobs will have benefits including retirement, health insurance, and highly competitive salaries, and be mostly union. The company's preference is to hire locally, “however, if you don't have the life skills, are not presentable, and can't be punctual, it's not going to happen. I'd like to see everyone go to a two- or four-year college, but we will also have great union careers for people who college is not for.”
Mr. Degliomini concluded his talk with questions and answers about the casino, and implored all in attendance to make good choices that will allow them access to the many opportunities Montreign will offer. He urged everyone to remember their decisions today will greatly affect their employability with Empire Resorts or anywhere. “If I am scaring you about that, I hope I am. We have a very high standard for our casino and our employees ...”
M

- See more at: http://www.scdemocratonline.com/webpages/newsdetail.aspx?id=d6bf3d0c-8c8f-4c1f-9a77-24df9a1b4db4 .0jQQEgNp.dpuf

Sullivan County, NY's hometown paper has been a trusted part of the county's life since 1891. Independently owned and operated by the same family since 1927, the newspaper is published every Tuesday and Friday (twice-weekly) and is a proud member of both the New York Press Association and the Nation…

11/25/2015

The historic heart of the Borscht Belt is getting a stylish makeover with design-forward accommodations and artisanal everything, from cider to clothing.

11/10/2015

Please join us in honoring the sacrifices of US Veterans past and present!

Are there any veterans in YOUR family that you'll be thinking of?

10/19/2015

The most enticing autumn drive in the northeast - and the second best in the whole country - is right in our back yard.The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway -