Rochester Smoke Out

Stronger Together – the 2016 United States presidential campaign slogan of Hillary Clinton – is kept alive by Rusty Foxidation, Leggs, Sassy Ka~Boom, Sandstorm, Off-Track Betty, Mimic, Mirackle Whip, Madame Manatease, Jane Bondage (front row, center), Eleanor Bruisevelt, Jeez Louise, Squirrel Jam, Wreckuiem, Kell On Wheels, D.LyRIOuS “Dani” Maniac…

Despite the cool roller derby names, the Mid-Hudson Misfits was formed with a mission, said Jane Bondage (a/k/a Amberly Jane Campbell, Publisher of Shawangunk Journal): to offer “a sort of safe haven for all women of all different backgrounds and walks of life.”

“Our league is made up of a diverse group of women and non-binary people from several counties in the Mid-Hudson Valley region. We come from different backgrounds and different occupations, but we are united in our love of flat track roller derby. We are strong, athletic individuals. We are community focused. We are anything but cookie cutter and we are proud of it. We are the Mid-Hudson Misfits!”

Well, you may be the Mid-Hudson Misfits, but you are not taxpayers in the Town of Rochester.

Amberly Jane Campbell, Publisher of Shawangunk Journal, lives in New Paltz.

Laura Palermo is a resident of Kingston, but that does not curb her effort to influence a vote in the Town of Rochester, and here are her ridiculous reasons for writing the article:

Funny, the Editor of Shawangunk Journal, forgot to add this disclaimer to Laura’s article:

Moreover, as a group, the Mid-Hudson Misfits are polluting the social media with their cute, but idiotic appeals to the voters of Rochester. You be the judge:

Thanks for the entertainment!

jdm

(to be continued)

On Tuesday, October 12, Mike Baden and Skate Time’s owners held their first public information session on the proposed purchase of the property.

The majority of the attendees opposed the deal and made their reasons public:

– the cost mentioned ($2,060,000) covers only the purchase, and do not include ($5,000,000) retrofitting the space for offices…

– the timing is terrible, another COVID variant could sweep in and shut everything down again…

– you just bought it for $1,330,000, now want to sell it for $2,060,000, why the increase?

– we’re a small town, cannot afford this huge 30-year mortgage…
$2,060,000 Skate Time purchase + 5,000,000 Skate Time renovation + 5,000,000 existing buildings renovations = $12,060,000

— this skate rink was not built for full-time occupancy…

— it’s cheaper to build new than to repair…

— there is no potable water on the property…

The “pro” side was in minority, mostly members of the Mid-Hudson Misfits roller derby team and their junior wing, the Mid-Hudson Mischiefs (above, middle). They stressed how vital the rink was for their team, their community, and their general well-being. None of the “pro” speakers pay taxes in the Town of Rochester… It’s worth noting that Shawangunk Journal publisher Amberly Jane Campbell (above left) is a member of the Mid-Hudson Misfits roller derby team. That explains the newspaper’s strong “Vote yes!” stance! As for Marge Bonner (above right)… please, don’t get me started.

Unfortunately, most of the information offered is not accurate.
Compare the numbers above – offered at the public information session – with the actual numbers below:

jdm

PS – Using the image of the candlelight vigil during the presentation was extremely tacky!

(to be continued)

Stephen Apkon (Steve) and Marcina Lee Hale-Cristobal bought the Skate Time 209 for $1,330,000.

Now, two years later, they want to sell it to the people of Rochester for $2,060,000…
for a modest profit of $730,000. Not bad for two people swimming in not-for-profits.

Stephen Apkon (Steve) and Marcina Lee Hale-Cristobal claim that the asking price is justified by the improvements they made to the property.

Improvements? What improvements?

Well, let’s review a few Yelp comments…

“The business got sold and will never be the same… The new management is making a lot of changes for the worse… They shut down the skateboard park and are turning Skate Time into some kind of hippie resort. I read they’re even changing the name to Neighborhood 209… I don’t think they are from around here… Figures.”
Anthony W. – Kerhonkson, NY – 10/10/2019

“Alright roller rink considering it’s been open for a decade, but could definitely use an update + a carpet cleaning. The amount of dust in this, and the constant smell of sulfur + cheese is bit troubling considering the price of admission is pricey compared to similar establishments. Good choice if you live within 5 miles, but any further and I wouldn’t make the drive. Apparently, the sulfur smell is actually sewage from the trailer park up the road that runs off into the pond next to roller rink.”
Wren L. – College View, Denver, CO – 11/13/2019

“We used to love this place.  New owners need to step it up. The floor was so filthy, members of our party were hurt because they fell over debris. Also, the music was slow and boring the entire night. Hopefully they will get it together.”
B.G. – Kingston, NY – 9/6/2019

Guess who answered this last comment with unadulterated bullshit…

“Dear B.G.,
We care very much about our customers experience and clean our floors between every session.  We are excited to be presenting new events coming up in the near future! As you stated, we are new owners and we are working hard to create a great place for everyone. We welcome you to come in and speak to us in person about your experience. We are always open to ways of making our Family Entertainment place better and welcome your positive input.”
Marcina H. – Owner – 9/16/2019

Here are a few photos taken days ago:

Right! The “improvements” are worth $730,000… to anyone high on mushrooms!

jdm

(to be continued)

The owners – Stephen (Steve) Apkon and Marcina Lee Hale-Cristobal – approached the Town of Rochester about purchasing the building.

Supervisor Baden signed a contract, but… the voters will need to approve the purchase on December 7, in a referendum scheduled only after the deal ran out of secrecy.

Some eyebrow-raising points in the contract:

After the deal became public, August 2nd was not good anymore, so let’s date it September 20th…

Excellent incentive for trying to sell the rink to the Town of Rochester…

Wow! Closing on December 1, referendum on December 7…

Huh?

Why the rush?

This one takes the cake!

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

jdm

(to be continued)

“We want to introduce ourselves as the new owners of Skate Time 209 soon to be Neighborhood 209” – they said.

“We are all about community and creating opportunities for families and friends to come together, connect, enjoy, feel alive and feel inspired” – they said.

“This is an amazing roller rink with one of the best skating floors around but it is much more than that as our team is working on creating events that include movie nights, live music, special presentations, activities, a children’s play space, adult nights, … just to name a few” – they said.

“Our menu is changing and we look forward to bringing you farm to table items including soups and specials made from locally grown food” – they said.

“We reside here in Accord and are excited to be a part of this community. Come by and say hello and share your ideas. We look forward to meeting you!

Steve and Marcina”

Fast forward… Stephen (Steve) Apkon and Marcina Lee Hale-Cristobal are brazenly trying to sell Skate Time 209 to… Town of Rochester taxpayers!

What the fuck happened?

jdm

(to be continued)

As published in the Shawangunk Journal, January 3, 2019, page 2

To the Editor:

The School District seemed determined to pass this approximately 62 million budget no matter what (no plan B was presented except “we’ll put the project back up for another vote,” an answer given during the Q&A meeting on November 8, 2018).

I’ve learned of Board of Elections people not being aware of this vote, unusually scheduled in the middle of the holiday season, on December 11. The School District did its best to bury – under the many details of needed repairs – the most important information, regarding the “stadium,” that “new artificial turf football field with lights” to “host events” and “generate revenue.”

After 17 years of voting in the area, I cannot recall any instance when there were NO LISTS of voters’ names and addresses, and NO IDENTIFICATION was required of those coming to vote. In other words, anybody willing was able to vote, and to be included in the total number of 1,327 voters. The result was 685-Yes and 642-No.

In less than 12 hours after the vote closed I’ve heard that the 62 million Capital Project passed! Who checked 1,327 ballots in the middle of the night? How were the voters matched with the addresses? How was the validity of the votes checked? Who supervised the counting of ballots?

As NO CONNECTION can be made between the sheet of paper considered “ballot” and the voter, how can we be sure that “No” votes were not replaced with “Yes” votes?

Shame on the RVCSD for making a mockery of the voting.

Manuela Michailescu
Kerhonkson

“The Lord has called me and I have decided to follow the path that our Lord has led me on. I am beginning my journey hopefully to be ordained in the Permanent Deaconate of the Roman Catholic Church… I will work to serve the needs of the poor, the infirmed, and all those I meet who need help. I look forward to preaching the word of God and showing my love of God and for my fellow men and women through how I conduct myself daily.”
– Carl Chipman

Unfortunately, the Merriam-Webster dictionary – and not the Bible – is the relevant book when one thinks of Carl Chipman:

Liar
1. a person who tells lies; has a reputation as a liar…
Synonyms: deceiver, fibber, false witness.
Usage: “Carl Chipman is a shameless liar.”

Traitor
1. a person who betrays a friend, principle; one who betrays another’s trust…
Synonyms: betrayer, backstabber, double-crosser.
Usage: “Carl Chipman has been called a traitor to the Republican Party’s cause.”

Weasel
1. a deceitful or treacherous person…
Synonyms: scoundrel, wretch, swine, bastard, creep, louse, rat, toad, snake in the grass,
skunk, dog, cur, scumbag, scumbucket, scuzzball, sleazeball, sleazebag, slimeball,
nogoodnik, nasty piece of work;
2. achieve something by use of cunning or deceit…
Usage: “Carl Chipman weaseled his way into five Town of Rochester Supervisor terms.”

Windbag
1. person who talks at length but says little of any value…
Synonyms: boaster, bragger, show-off, blusterer, trumpeter, swaggerer, poseur, peacock.
Usage: “With a windbag like Carl Chipman, who needs solar energy?”

Brown noser
1. a person who acts in a grossly obsequious way…
Origin: the assumed result of ass-kissing.
Usage: “Carl Chipman has been brown-nosing all party chairmen to get lines on the ballot.”

Obsequious
1. characterized by abject obedience…
Synonyms: servile, sycophantic, fawning, unctuous, oily, groveling, submissive, slavish.
Usage: “Carl Chipman has been embarrassingly obsequious to anyone with money.”

Idiot
1. a foolish person, especially someone who has done something stupid…
Synonyms: fool, ass, half-wit, dunce, dolt, moron, imbecile, numskull.
Usage: “Carl Chipman bought, with our money, a toothpick-like flagpole for Veterans Park.”

If you still harbor the hope that Carl Chipman lived according to the Bible’s Matthew 7:12
click here for evidence to the contrary.

From keeping his fellow town board members in the dark to hiring his family members… from inventing conversations with non-existent banks to burning the burgers at a celebration of the town volunteers attended only by his family and a friend from Arizona… from covering for the biggest tax cheaters in town to making statements to the press without having awareness or understanding of the facts… Carl Chipman proved to be an accomplished asshole.

I hope everybody remembers the ultimate idiotic statement he made in Shawangunk Journal: “I want to make the Town of Rochester the world capital of gay marriages.”

Meanwhile, on Route 209 across A & M Hardware, this jewel brightened the town for the duration of Chipman’s ten years in office:

After ten years of milking his registration in the Republican Party to get elected under false pretenses, the POS announces:

“Effective yesterday I have changed my political party affiliation from the Republican Party to the Working Families Party. I believe the 2-party system has failed us and both the Republican and Democrat Parties kowtow to special interests which line their coffers with cash.”
– Carl Chipman

But, while despising both Parties that helped him make a living – Republicans and Democrats alike – Carl Chipman has no qualms about accepting from them the Pride of Ulster County Framed Sheet of Paper. Go figure!

What more can I say Carlito, except… “adios and vaya con Dios!”

– Jon Dogar-Marinesco