Mayor's Message: Election Day is Today (Polls Open till 9 pm), Local Luminaries, Art, Veterans, Project Share, Family-to-Family and “We Are Still In”
Posted on: November 5, 2019 - 6:06pm
Dear Everyone,
Many of you wrote saying how much you enjoyed reading the recent media coverage about the businesses in our Village – special thanks to our Downtown Advocate for her help in both soliciting the articles and in letting us know what was actually published. I’ll send you more links on a periodic basis. In the meantime, Harvest-on-Hudson is participating along with Saint George Bistro in Hudson Valley Restaurant Week (November 4 to 17) so make the most of the wonderful deals they are offering! Also, the 2019 Hastings-on-Hudson Shop Local Holiday Gift Guide is ready and online at www.destinationhastings.org. As always we encourage you to shop locally … many of our merchants depend upon this season to keep their business thriving and sustainable.
Election Day: November 5
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Today is Election Day and if you haven’t voted yet please make a point of exercising your constitutional rights. The polls are open till 9 pm and the polling locations are the usual ones: The Community Center; Protection Firehouse; Uniontown Firehouse; Andrus Nursing Home; and Riverview Manor Firehouse. If you’re unsure of your polling place, click on this Board of Elections link and follow the directions:
Local Luminaries: November 7
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As part of the “Local Luminaries” series, Hastings Public Library presents Climatologist Michael Schlacter, who will speak on Seasonal Shift. Michael will highlight the difference between weather and climate, and why the causality of extreme weather should be differentiated from global warming. Following a brief overview of his research and data, Michael will let the audience direct the conversation, entertaining questions and offering responses. Michael Schlacter is an atmospheric scientist and Chief Climatologist at the consultancy he founded shortly after graduating from Cornell University with a degree in atmospheric physics. He provides statistical climate prediction, extreme weather advisories, and weather risk management research to retailers, filmmakers, hedge fund managers, agriculturalists, and reinsurance agents, among others. The lecture will take place on Thursday, November 7, 2019, from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Orr Room in the Library.
From Silk Road to Hudson River: November 7
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The Hastings Village Arts Commission exhibit of Mansheng Wang’s work: "From Silk Road to Hudson River" is up now at Village Hall with an opening reception this Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. The exhibit will be on show till January 2020. Mansheng, a resident of Dobbs Ferry, will also be hosting a talk at the Hastings Library this coming Sunday, November 10th at 2 pm.
Take a Veteran to School Day: November 8
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On “Take a Veteran to School Day” our veterans visit the Elementary, Middle and High Schools to talk to the students about their experiences serving in the military and they entertain questions from the kids. The goal is to help the children understand the significance of Veterans Day. Please ask your children what they learned and come out on Veterans Day, next Monday, November 11 at 11 am at the VFW, to pay tribute to the sacrifices made by the men and women in our armed services, as well as their families.
Project Share Thanksgiving Dinner: November 26
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Every year Project Share, run by Jeanne Newman and her crew of over 200 mostly student volunteers, organizes a huge Thanksgiving feast for about 800 homeless people. The guests are brought to the High School gym and are served a full Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings. The gym is beautifully decorated, students serve the meal, and there’s live music. Everything - from the travel to the food - is paid for by donations. This year Project Share has partnered with Network for Good on fundraising. The interface is easy to navigate and offers potential contributors lots of giving options. Click HERE for the site. This year is Project Share’s 30th anniversary (though Jeanne and Rob don’t look a day over 22!) so please give generously and help make this campaign even more successful than the previous ones!
Family-to-Family
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Join Family-to-Family's annual Thanksgiving turkey drive! The goal is to provide a turkey plus a side dish for all 660 struggling families in their program, including 70 families in Hastings and Dobbs. Please consider making an online donation (https://www.family-to-family.org/donate/) of $25 for one turkey plus a side (potatoes, stuffing, etc.)... OR drop off a $25 Foodtown or Stop & Shop gift card at their office (located at 416 Warburton Avenue, across from Antoinette's). They add “if we're not there you can slip it in the mail slot!”
We Are Still In
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And finally, for those of you who like me are concerned by the announcement that our Government has served notice it is quitting the Paris Climate Agreement, I wanted you to know “We Are Still In.” We Are Still In is a coalition of municipalities, states, tribes, businesses, universities, faith groups and others. In 2017, this group opposed the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and our Village became a signatory as a result of our membership in the bipartisan US-based Climate Mayor’s coalition. We are committed to demonstrate leadership on climate change through meaningful actions right here in our Village. Our Climate Smart Communities Task Force and Conservation Commission are leading this effort but many of our Boards and Commissions are collaborating with them to achieve these goals – special thanks all of you!
Upcoming Events
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Click here for a list of “Upcoming Events” organized by Village staff as well as community members. A very special thanks to our IT team for keeping this list current!
See you at the polls!!!
Sincerely,
Nicola Armacost
Mayor