Sloatsburg — There’s a place tucked away at the top of Pine Grove Lakes with a clear, perfect view of sunsets that slide behind mountains to the west. The snaking traffic of the NY Thruway quietly makes its way far below. Continue Reading

Sloatsburg — Sometimes it comes down to that little bit of effort a student or athlete puts in alone, off the field or away from the classroom, that makes a real difference. These days, players and parents from all sorts of Suffern High School sports and activity programs are putting in some of that extra work at the FieldHouse, located at the Indian Rock Plaza in Suffern. Continue Reading

Sloatsburg — On a cold, clear morning a small group gathered at the Grove in Pine Grove Lakes, an acre-plus block of tall pines that is a favorite deer haunt during berry season. Two people worked a cement mixer near the basketball court, while deeper amid the trees Boy Scout Troop 2146 was busy as support crew for Justin Leanza, Troop Patrol Leader and Eagle Scout candidate, the highest individual award possible given by the Boy Scouts of America. Continue Reading

Sloatsburg — Frosty breath and hot chocolate. Songs sung with friends and families. Bright burning candles amid decorated trees and hearths. Gift giving and dinner celebrations. Many of these postcard pictures of how we approach our holiday activities come directly from the Victorian Era. But whether it’s Christmas or Hanukkah, Yuletide or Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice or Wassailing, new or old, fervent or jolly, most all holiday celebrations this time of year are rooted in communal celebration–for health and harvest, for safety, for family, for friends. Continue Reading

Sloatsburg — This season’s annual parade of colors was hardly seen this year. Instead, leaves did a quick fade to brown after the early, odd snow storm blew through and seemed to just quietly drop, barely bothering to change colors. Now with the promise of temperatures turning cool, it’s time to warm up with some holiday cheer. Continue Reading

Sloatsburg — Set back off Rt. 17 in Sloatsburg, directly across from Village Hall, stands the original white Methodist Episcopal Chapel built on land given by Jacob Sloat and through donated work in 1843. The Chapel is the first dedicated place of worship in these parts and has been used continuously since opening — as school, dining hall, thrift shop. Continue Reading

Sloatsburg — Just in time for the dark early mornings and frosty breath, commuters can give a little cheer with their morning coffee. The Metro-North Port Jervis Line is set to re-open for service on Monday, November 28, which means no more bus and no more fuss for the approximately 2,300 daily train passengers from Port Jervis to Sloatsburg. Continue Reading

Sloatsburg — Hikers into Harriman State Park know it as pretty much the last stop for a bite of lunch, bottled water or supplies. Locals like the convenience store and deli counter, where most mornings there’ll be a coffee run as residents head out Rt. 17 on their way to work. The building has been on Seven Lakes Drive forever, since Bob and Dolores Manning opened shop as Miele’s back the 1950s, serving ice cream and hot dogs at the takeout window. But Sterlington Station is still sort of a secret in Sloatsburg. Continue Reading

Sloatsburg — When Hurricane Irene hit Rockland County at the end of August, the Ramapo River, swollen from summer rains, ran swiftly through central Sloatsburg, spilling its banks and flooding homes and businesses. For days afterward the village was alive with uniformed workers; firemen pumping out flooded basements, police and national guardsmen keeping order and directing traffic; phone and electrical crews repairing downed lines. Continue Reading

The long and very active life of a significant Sloatsburg force ended quietly this past Friday when Joseph Miele, 84, died at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern. He left behind a living legacy that goes well beyond Sloatsburg and is so woven into the fabric of the community that his accomplishments are essential parts of  life in Ramapo: the fire department, police force, the American Legion Post on Grant Street in Sloatsburg. Continue Reading