The Rogovoy Report 12.31.23

From around the corner to around the globe...

Dec 31, 2023

THANK YOU to all who have heeded the call and have upgraded to a paid subscription to the Rogovoy Report (or to my other newsletter, Everything Is Broken). Thanks to you, we have achieved our goal of reaching over 100 paid subscribers — which without my even being aware of this has earned me the title of a “Substack Bestseller.”

That being said, with a total of over 3,000 subscribers, it would be great to get paid subscriptions from 10% of those receiving one or both newsletters. I guess that’s a goal for 2024. It would also help to grow the subscription list significantly - so please share the newsletters widely with friends and/or on social media using the built-in share button.

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In its 15 years of existence, the Rogovoy Report has always been free. This is a commitment I made at the outset, and I still stand by it.

Fortunately, over the years, there have been plenty of readers who – with little prompting -- have expressed their appreciation for the work and time that goes into creating the weekly Rogovoy Report and its companion newsletter, the Weekend Cultural Preview, in the form of voluntary paid subscriptions.

To all of you who have already chosen the path of voluntary paid subscribers, thank you. I cannot overstate how much your enthusiasm and support mean to me.

Subscriptions are $5 monthly or $50 annually. I know this all adds up quickly – believe me, I pay for subscriptions to way too many Substacks and even more to the news sites and online magazines from which I gather and curate the news to present to you – but it would be a great help to my efforts. At least it would help defray some of my expenses.

If you would like to pay something less than $50 or $60 per year, how about you sign up for the $5 monthly subscription and then just cancel your payments after a few months, at the point when you feel like you have paid enough for the year. Really, I won’t mind this at all. And you will still continue to receive the Rogovoy Report after you cancel your payments. What a deal!

Thank you so very much.

Seth Rogovoy
Editor, The Rogovoy Report

REQUIRED READING

How to Be Happy Growing Older

(The Atlantic) - Next to one’s birthday, the passing of the calendar year induces us to reflect on the march of time in our life. This is not a welcome subject for many — which is perhaps why a lot of people simply redefine old age virtually out of existence. When Americans were asked in 2009 what “being old” means, the most popular response was turning 85. Yet the average life span in the United States in 2022 was only 76. Apparently, then, the average American dies nine years before getting old. The impulse to define old age as “older than I am now” is not surprising, given all the ways our culture worships youth — its beauty, vitality, and entrepreneurial energy — and offers us any number of options for spending time and money to stop or slow down the clock of aging. And as if the adulation of youth weren’t enough, the stigmatization of seniors is always at hand, through overt discrimination, ageist stereotyping, and crass “OK Boomer”–style contempt. This can make the inevitable passage of years into a grim prospect for a person. But it shouldn’t have to mean that. True, getting old brings visible signs of physical decline, and may rule out some activities and opportunities. But in other ways, aging can involve growth and improvement — of character, perspective, and overall happiness. In a real sense, we should start looking forward to being old.

READ MORE:

I want a city, not a museum (NYT)

Why are we so bad at getting better? Because we no longer convalesce (New Yorker)

’Why are they forgetting about us?’: Sudan watches allies turn from war to aid Ukraine and Gaza, as Sudanese military conflict has killed thousands and created what UN says is world’s largest human displacement crisis (The Guardian)

Lynn Pyenson Says Goodbye to the Farmington River Diner and Her Customers on Christmas Eve as Diner Closes

(Berkshire Eagle) OTIS, Mass. — As Katie McLaughlin and her mother tucked into a breakfast of a giant blueberry pancake, eggs over easy, hash browns, bacon and toast, her eyes widened as she learned that the place was closing — for good that very day. The diner is being sold at the end of the week to a couple who have a different vision for the venue and plan to reopen it under a new name. A native of Albany, N.Y., diner owner Lynn Pyenson grew up in Mechanicville, N.Y., working at her grandfather’s restaurant, Central Dairy. She met her husband, Andy Pyenson, when she was working at the East Lee Steak House. They married 30 years ago in Otis, a second marriage for both, and they now have great-grandchildren.

Iconic NYC Bakery Moves to Hudson

(HV360) HUDSON, N.Y. - A Manhattan bakery famous for its sourdough bread, croissants and organic pastries has moved from the Big Apple to Hudson. Mel the Bakery has set up shop at 324 Warren St., the former home of the popular Breadfolks. Prior to the move, Mel The Bakery had been a fixture on Ludlow Street since 2020. (Ed. - The bread and pastries from Mel are spectacular. My waistline is expansively happy about this development. My internist is not.)

Shire Donuts will close its Adams location on Sunday. But it is eyeing two potential spots for a new location elsewhere in the Berkshires (Berkshire Eagle)

A look back at a year of big changes in the restaurant scene in the Berkshires (B Eagle)

Different Drummer's Kitchen closing year after moving to Crossgates Mall in Albany (ATU)

Is it a cafe? Is it a furniture showroom? In Catskill, N.Y., it’s a bit of both (HV360)

Hudson Valley restaurants that closed in 2023 (ATU)

Day Line opens in Coxsackie (ATU)

The secret health superpowers of the humble nut (The Telegraph)

NEWS FROM THE BERKSHIRES

‘Like a Store Without a Cash Register’ for People in Need in Williamstown

(NEPM) WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. - Most communities in western Massachusetts have a food pantry or a meal site. But the First Congregational Church in Williamstown is home to a newly-minted nonprofit that’s kind of like a food pantry, but without food. It is designed to provide essential items to people in need that other service programs don’t. Carrie Greene cofounded Remedy Hall with Andi Bryant. “All the need that had been very real in the community for a long time was made known to people in a way that it hadn’t been before. And that’s where we really got energized to make this happen,” Greene said. People from the community donate the items. One person sent a box of toothpaste they ordered from Amazon. A man brought in toilet paper that his wife didn’t like. Another brought in a pair of used L.L.Bean boots with a soft, plush lining. Bryant calls it a store without a cash register.

READ MORE:

Great Barrington’s Affordable Housing Trust takes on the community’s largest economic challenge (Berkshire Argus)

Great Barrington Price Chopper rebranding as Market 32 (iBerkshires)

Great Barrington Police release obscured body-cam footage and report related to ‘Gender Queer’ book search at school; claim they can search every classroom at will (Berkshire Edge)

ACLU, GLAD tell Great Barrington Police and DA that school book search was ‘unwarranted and unauthorized by law’ (Berkshire Eagle)

Stockbridge joins Rest of River letter advocating rail transport of PCB-contaminated sludge dredged from Housatonic River (B Edge)

Green light looming for Berkshire Waldorf’s new campus in Stockbridge (Berkshire Eagle)

Two months after defeat of school district merger, southern Berkshires’ Eight Town Regional School District Planning Board calls it quits (B Edge)

After a long tenure on the City Council, Peter Marchetti prepares to become Pittsfield’s mayor (NEPM)

After a tragic year for pedestrian deaths, Pittsfield is using a new grant to rewrite the book on street safety (Berkshire Eagle)

Berkshire legislators explain how they stopped worrying and learned to love Gov. Healey’s tax relief plan (WAMC)

State Rep. Farley-Bouvier says Mass. has made strides in equitable early education, public school funding in 2023 (WAMC)

PEDA awards $9.8M bid for redevelopment of Site 9 in Pittsfield (iBerkshires)

Housatonic Heritage grants Sheffield’s Dewey Memorial Hall $15K (B Edge)

Williams College says graffiti on Israeli hostage posters called for violence, breached ‘both College values and Williams policies’ (Williams Record)

The historic Darrow School is closing in May, unless it can raise millions of dollars in just a few weeks (Berkshire Eagle)

Grey skies, drizzle and fog linger over the Berkshires. When will we see any sunshine? (Berkshire Eagle)

A look back at 2023 in Berkshire County (WAMC)

NEWS FROM THE HUDSON VALLEY

From Poet’s Walk to Winn Preserve, these walks offer a blend of easy trails, breathtaking scenery and the chance to commune with nature. Above, Lake Minnewaska.

Rejuvenate and Relax: Therapeutic Nature Walks in the Hudson Valley

(ATU) HUDSON VALLEY - Shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” is a practice that originated in Japan and has gained global popularity for its profound health benefits. Studies have shown that this mindful interaction with the forest environment can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, and improve overall mood. Whether you’re a long-time nature lover or just beginning to discover the outdoors, shinrin-yoku in the Hudson Valley promises a unique pathway to relaxation and revitalization.

READ MORE:

Art Omi gets $2M grant for visitors center, pavilions (HV360)

Cairo music center hopes to reach new generation of musicians (HV360)

The Local wraps up inaugural season in Saugerties, announces 2024 lineup (ATU)

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