Cornwall's Youth Speaks Up on Election 2008

CORNWALLY, NY – On November 4, 2008, Cornwall, along with the rest of nation, will vote for a new president.

But how much do the residents of Cornwall know about the election at this point in time? Who do they support? And what do they think the results of the election will be?

When it comes to the 2008 presidential election, Cornwall’s residents seem to make up a big melting pot. Some are Republicans, while some are Democrats. Some are very well-informed on the issues, and others seem to fall short.

“For the Republicans you have Giuliani, McCain, and Thompson,” said Charles Butehorn, 20, Cornwall resident and a junior with a history major at SUNY Plattsburgh. “McCain’s not gonna win because he doesn’t have enough campaign money, um, Giuliani’s too liberal for Republicans, and Thompson is just like Bush: really conservative, anti-abortion, and pro-military.”

Butehorn feels that the Democrats need to step up. “Our parents, they had JFK,” he said excitedly. “And [Barack] Obama could be that for us.”

He also thinks Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton has a chance. “The Democrats are for the middle class, which is why they could use Hillary,” said Butehorn as he pushed up his glasses to stop them from sliding down his nose. “Hillary is for the middle class.”

Butehorn said he plans on voting for either Obama or Clinton. He also mentioned that he is disappointed because he cannot vote in the primaries. Because of this, he said, he won’t know who he’s going to support until the general election takes place.

Although Butehorn was very knowledgeable on the subject, others in Cornwall were not as much.

“I don’t know a thing,” said Evelyn Kelly, 17, senior at Cornwall Central High School, while laughing. “Seriously.”

Kelly said she considers herself a Republican, but that she knows nothing about the nominees. Her boyfriend sitting beside her then began to laugh, and Kelly playfully hit him. “He’s laughing at me because I’m stupid,” she said.

When asked how she’s planning on voting in 2008, Kelly shook her head. “I’m not voting. I don’t really know anything and I’m too stupid too vote.”

While he is a Democrat, Chris Engan, 19, a Cornwall resident, is on similar page as Kelly.

When asked how he was planning on voting in 2008, Engan needed a long moment to think. “My decision wouldn’t be based on all that much research,” he said while playing with his lip piercing. “[I would vote for] I don’t even know his name. Some black dude. I really liked how he talked.”

Still, others, such as Shanna Friedman, 20, Cornwall resident and junior with a communications and media major at Marist College, fell in between these two extremes.

“I like Barack Obama, said Friedman. “I just think he’s different, and like, I read an article about him once and thought what he had to say, I don’t know, I just liked him. I agreed with what he had to say. And this is stupid, but I think it’s cool that he’s black. I think we need a president who isn’t a white male.”

Rae Quinn, 18, senior at Cornwall Central High School agrees. “So far I would vote for Obama,” she said. “Unless Al Gore ran.”

Although both Friedman and Quinn say Obama has their support, they didn’t necessarily think he could win the election.

Friedman feels Obama’s involvement in the political process is more of a symbolic gesture. “I think it’s possible that he’s gonna win,” said Friedman. “But I think more than anything he’s just going to set an example for other minorities.”

Butehorn feels the election will either go to Obama or Clinton. However, he feels that the Democrats are too divided.

And while he thinks Giuliani has a chance because “everyone likes him after Sept. 11,” Butehorn says a lot of people are also criticizing him for that. “That’s what he’s running on,” he said. “Just Sept. 11.”

Cornwall, on the whole, seems to be made up of many different faces and opinions. While the 2008 presidential election may seem far off in the distance, it’s really just around the corner.

And although the residents of Cornwall may not completely agree on who they support or what the end result of the election will be, one thing is clear. In the words of Butehorn, “America needs a new image.”

A Transition in Cornwall Part II

CORNWALL, NY – For 26 years, Cornwall-on-Hudson, a village within the town of Cornwall, was under Republican rule.

Then, on March 20, 2007, according to the Times Herald-Record, Joseph Gross turned Edward Moulton out of office when he defeated him in the race for mayor.

Cornwall residents describe Moulton as conservative and out-dated. Conversely, as Cindy Valicenti, 43, a housewife in Cornwall put it, Gross is “a little different than the typical town politician.”

The election of a new mayor in Cornwall-on-Hudson represents an even larger idea: Cornwall’s gradual transition from a town of conservative, traditional values to one of a new, liberal outlook.

“I guess it’s slowly changing,” said Sarah Quinn, 24, employee of The 2 Alices.

But why has Cornwall been historically Republican?

Sarah Quinn feels that Cornwall’s close proximity to West Point Academy could be a factor. “West point is only five to ten minutes away,” said Sarah Quinn while scrubbing the countertop at The 2 Alices. “I think that’s why it’s been conservative for so long.”

She says those who come into The 2 Alices from West Point Academy sometimes are displeased with a liberal presence. “They get all irritated or it makes them angry if anything says ‘fair trade,’” said Sarah Quinn. “They think it’s a direct challenge to free trade.”

However, others reason that Cornwall’s conservatism is even more deeply rooted.

According Bill Webber, 51, a book publisher, the nineteenth congressional district, to which Cornwall belongs, had for a long period of time been represented by Hamilton Fish, a staunch conservative. Webber claims that the area is so Republican that when Fish’s son ran for the same position as a Democrat, even with his family’s famous last name, he still lost the election.

Still, some believe that the Republican presence in Cornwall is mostly made up of elderly individuals. “The older men and women [in town] are definitely more Republican,” said Rae Quinn, 18, senior at Cornwall Central High School, while sipping a drink at The 2 Alices. “They’re the people who have lived here all their lives.”

This opinion is reflected in Geraldine Satterly, 78, a clerk at Cornwall Public Library. Satterly was reluctant to admit that Cornwall has become more liberal. At the same time, however, she boasted the fact that she supports tradition.

So in what ways is Cornwall becoming more liberal? Many feel that the election of Mayor Gross alone is enough evidence.

“We just elected a very liberal mayor,” said Sarah Quinn. “We had a very conservative mayor for a very long time, and this guy is very concerned with not tearing down trees to build new places, and solar power.”

When asked why she feels Cornwall elected such a radical mayor, Valicenti, who claims she hasn’t noticed a political transition in town, seemed hesitant to answer. “I think you’ll find [Mayor Gross] was voted in because people were maybe ready for a change, but mostly because they were sick of the same old mayor,” said Valicenti.

While he feels that Cornwall’s residents are somewhat resistant to change, Randy Hornman, 39, a furniture designer and custom woodworker agrees a transition is definitely evident in the new mayor.

“I think the current mayor very much is more social minded,” said Hornman while chewing on an organic corn muffin in between thoughts. “He cares more about all people across the board. He reaches out to people. He’s native to the town and passionate about the community he grew up in.”

However, there is more to Cornwall’s liberalism than just its new mayor.

The young people in Cornwall seem to believe the town’s new politics are popular among their generation. “I don’t know many kids from our high school who aren’t liberal,” said Rae Quinn. “And if they were [conservative], they definitely wouldn’t show it.”

Chris Engan, 19, agrees. “From what I’ve been experiencing, with all the new kids all grown up who are living here, [liberalism is] the mind set,” he said

Engan sees a difference between generations in his own family. He says he recently discovered his father is a Republican. “He’s all for the war and Iraq and I would tell him ‘It’s not like they’re attacking us and we’re defending, it’s like we’re attacking them.’ He just doesn’t see what I’m saying. He’s really closed-minded about that stuff,” he said.

Valicenti also supports this claim. She says that, while she considers herself a fairly liberal person, her son is even more liberal than she.

Many feel that new local businesses best demonstrate the transition in Cornwall. “A few families are opening new businesses that are more liberal,” said Rae Quinn.

Sarah Quinn seconds this opinion. She says The 2 Alices, where she works, is one place where liberals seem to flock. The crowd at The 2 Alices, Sarah Quinn said, consists of artists, people who drive hybrids, and people who dress interestingly.

According to Sarah Quinn, another local business that is helping transform Cornwall is Bloomberg Hill Farm. Every Wednesday, she said, they sell only organic food. “Even if [the people going to Bloomberg Hill Farm] are not liberal, they’re starting to appreciate things like that,” said Sarah Quinn.

Hornman feels his furniture designs, which are more on the modern side, exhibit how Cornwall is becoming somewhat more open to new ideas.

Valicenti doesn’t believe that Cornwall is becoming more liberal. However, she does recognize that new people have been moving into the community. “I think it’s always been an insular community,” she said while packing up the car after a day at the park, “even though there’s been a large group of people moving in the last decade.”

Others, such as England, agree with Valicenti’s statement. “I think [Cornwall is changing] with the increase of population,” she said.

England thinks the increase of the population is evident in fact that the town was forced to build a new, bigger high school. “The new school is in New Windsor,” she said. “Everybody is bussed over there. It’s interesting because the population is growing.”

Satterly also agrees that there are new people moving into the community. “We have a lot of people who are moving up from the city, or what we consider the city, you know, Rockland, and they’re different,” she said.

However, Webber argues that, while the town is making a transition toward liberalism, it’s not strictly local. “The revolution in the nation against the Republican Party is because of Bush’s administration,” he said.

“Bush has not been investing in the future,” said Webber, while getting ready to take his son to soccer practice. “He’s leaving your generation in terrible condition.”

While Cornwall may not be the most liberal town, the majority agree that a transition is occurring. A town that used to have a heavy conservative influence is now beginning to see a liberal presence.

“I think the liberalness is coming,” said Hornman. “It’s definitely not a New Paltz though, you know? Not yet.”

Cornwall Students Speak Up About Budget Cuts

CORNWALL, NY --Cornwall School District’s budget is almost never passed the first time.

Consequently, cuts must be made to extracurricular activities such as clubs, programs, and sports.

But which activities make the cut and which do not?

“Basically, our budget is never passed the first time,” said Alex McCarroll, 20, graduate of Cornwall Central High School and organizational communication major at SUNY New Paltz. “And we are always threatened to go into a contingency budget. The first things that are cut are the art programs and never sports.”

Tracey Swithers, 17, senior at Cornwall Central High School agrees. “Well, the drama club isn’t supported at all by the school,” said Swithers. “But the others are.”

Swithers claims that sports teams usually have the upper hand when it comes to budget cuts. ”With the budget votes, what usually gets cut is not the sports,” said Swithers.

Anna Konvit, 17, senior at Cornwall Central High School, also says this is true. When asked why the school seems to support sports more than art, Konvit said, “More people get caught up in the hype, and I think culturally it is more acknowledged and appreciated.”

Konvit feels it is unfair that the school will take time away from classes for a sporting event, such as a pep-rally, while the school would never take that time out for an event involving art.

“Even though [art] is a lot more rewarding for communities and individuals,” said Konvit, “it may seem more intimidating.”

According to Konvit, Cornwall School District may fund sports more than it funds arts because it wants to have an “all-American” image. “Typical suburban school, sports teams, perfect families, yay!” said Konvit.

However, some students disagree with the notion that the arts are better supported by the district.

Brigid Doulin, 15, sophomore at Cornwall Central High School says she has seen firsthand that the budget does not only affect clubs; cuts have also been made on sports teams. “I know people that, you know, it’s been a lot harder to come up with the money. I’m on the tennis team and I know the coaches have been able to help out with kids who couldn’t come up with the money [for uniforms],” said Doulin.

Brian Clark, 20, junior at Boston University and graduate of Cornwall High School said he didn’t participate in the arts in high school, but played on the soccer team.

Clark says his team definitely felt the budget cuts just as much as any art organizations in Cornwall. “[Our uniforms] were mismatched until our senior year,” said Clark.

Elliott Lewis, 17, senior at Cornwall Central High School concurs. “Well, for tennis we buy our own uniforms and equipment,” said Lewis.

A middle ground seems to be that, while Cornwall School District doesn’t physically give money to clubs and organizations involving art, it supports them in other ways.

“I don’t know about the funding, but I do know [the school is] very involved in the arts,” said Geraldine Satterly, 78, clerk at Cornwall Public Library.

According to McCarroll, everybody involved in the drama club volunteers their time; they do not get paid. “Tony, a chorus teacher, builds sets and is the music director for the plays. And Vick directs the band and runs the pit band for the plays,” said McCarroll.

McCarroll sees this as a true demonstration of the school’s dedication to the arts: Teachers donate their time without any monetary reward.

When asked which activities the school supports the most, Doulin said, “I think that the school supports the people who take their own time. The school supports that and they honor that.”

Swithers agrees that, despite the lack of funding allotted by the school’s budget, it has remained supportive of the activities to which she belongs. “Any performing art, they try to incorporate as many people as possible,” she said.

On the other hand, some feel Cornwall Central High School has shown little or no interest in certain organizations, and, in some cases, fund-raising is done strictly outside of school.

Konvit claims she and her peers received absolutely no support in developing a new environmental club. “When we got [the environmental club] started, the community reached out and donated supplies and labor, not the school,” said Konvit.

Doulin seconded this opinion. “They recently cut fund-raising on a lot of things, but we’ve been able to fund-raise for ourselves.”

Konvit says that the environmental club was able to make an organic garden thanks to businesses like The 2 Alices, a local fair-trade coffee shop, which was selling buttons for the environmental club to help raise money.

“The school hasn’t funded [us] at all,” said Konvit. “But there’s been a lot of publicity and whatnot so we have to apply for grants and have fund-raisers and whatnot.”

The students and teachers at Cornwall Central High School have, perhaps amazingly, been able to keep their organizations up and running, in spite of low funding.

“I mean, I do think that since the budget has been cut, it’s been more money to participate in clubs,” said Doulin. “But that doesn’t mean you stop.”

And those involved in these clubs and organizations have not stopped.

When asked how she personally benefits from being involved in the arts at Cornwall Central High School, Swithers’ face lit up. “It’s given me more confidence,” said Swithers, “and it’s another thing for me to do. I don’t do many sports, so performing arts is another option,” she said.

Konvit says she has no negative feelings toward sports. However, she feels that schools’ budgets need to better balance arts and sports.

“I love soccer, but I also love other things,” said Konvit. “And I think basically all school systems need to drastically change their curriculums to a more holistic approach so people can experience the playoff football game of the art world.”

Palaia Vineyards Lyme Disease Benefit

CORNWALL, NY – Palaia Vineyards, a local vineyard and winery in Cornwall, New York, hosted a benefit on Sunday which raised money to aid in awareness and research for Lyme disease.

The walls of Palaia Vineyards are lined with old memorabilia which make it reminiscent of your local Applebee’s. Inside, all souvenirs play off the popular milk ad and ask, “Got Wine?” Everybody seems to know each other; mothers greet each other with hugs, and their children run around freely outside as if the vineyard is their own backyard.

According to Joe Palaggi, 21, employee and partial owner, the vineyard hosts about three events per month.

“It keeps people happy and at peace with each other,” said Palaggi.

And this event was no exception. With a $25 donation toward Lyme disease, those involved enjoyed live music, free wine-tasting, and a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

“I’m having so much fun,” said Cornwall resident Flair Banke, 40, who looks like a free-spirit straight out of the 70s. She then leaned in and spoke in a whisper, “Especially after the wine tasting.”

Bernie Sussman, 74, who works as a museum curator for the Boy Scouts of America, and reminds you of every young child’s rosy-cheeked grandfather, was volunteering at the event.

“Well, it’s a wonderful day,” said Sussman. “Truthfully, [the weather] shouldn’t be like this at this time of year, and obviously it’s nice when any crowd gets together. There are nice vibes. How could you not like it?”

Kate White, 25, a public relations representative for Hawkins International, who actually suffers from Lyme disease herself, said she came to the event to get away from the city for the day. “It’s a very Sunday, easy-breezy, simple, nice, country thing for people who live in the city,” said White.

One employee at Palaia Vineyards, Nicole Kozlowski, 20, said she was enjoying the event, even though she was working. “Of course I think it’s a good idea. It’s benefiting a disease,” said Kozlowski. “It’s also a good social gathering. People can take it easy and not worry about work”

When asked if she was having fun, Kozlowski added, with a playful sigh, “Yeah, I’m good. I’m stuck to this chair, and I’ve got the box of money.”

Once inside the benefit, participants had the opportunity taste the wine the vineyard has to offer, as well as purchase it by the glass or bottle. People could also buy food, as the event was being catered by a local Italian restaurant. Consequently, many saw the event as a great opportunity for local businesses.

“I cannot tell a lie,” said Banke. “Coming on a nice sunny day was my first priority, but I wanted to support the local businesses, too.”

Rob Mandel, 43, and member of the band 87 North who performed at the event, agrees. Events like this are helpful for the town’s tourism and economy, he said.

However, despite everyone’s happy mood, which could perhaps be attributed to the wine, most participants genuinely cared about the issue at hand: Lyme disease.

According to Banke, while on stage, one of the guitarists took the opportunity to speak about how Lyme disease personally affected him.

“It’s really sad because the first guitarist said he had Lyme disease, and that it went to his brain,” said Banke as she became visibly upset. “[He said the Lyme disease] was so bad that he couldn’t move and had to stop playing guitar. We’re all sitting here having wine, but we can’t forget what this is really about.”

Banke then watched a fellow Cornwall resident drop some money into the donation box. “You know, you’re a sport,” she said to the donator without hesitation “It’s so nice to donate.”

Another Cornwall resident, Pat Dineen, 32, agrees with Banke. “Anything to raise money for a disease is a good idea,” said Dineen. “I didn’t realize how debilitating Lyme disease could be.”

Mandel also felt that the benefit was important. “Truthfully, I don’t know much about Lyme disease,” said Mandel. “But are there a lot of people raising money for Lyme disease? Probably not. I guess somebody has to do it.”

Whether people came for the wine, to help boost the economy of Cornwall, or simply just to support cause, the event at Palaia Vineyards was, by most accounts, a success.

The people of Cornwall came together to fight for a good cause, and at the same time, strengthened their own bond as a community.

““Events like this really bring everybody together,” said Bruce Perone, 40, and member of the band 87 North. “It’s all about unity.”

A Transition in Cornwall

CORNWALL, NY – It started out as one simple question: Is it time to bring the troops home from Iraq?

But what this question turned into was a lot more than expected. What evolved from this one question was a story of young people, breaking away from their town’s traditions, but unsure about where to go from there.

Cornwall, according to some of its residents, has always been conservative town. According to the US Census website, the median household income of Cornwall in 2000 was $59,537, which was $17,543 more than the national average.

And according to Sarah Ricker, 20, a Cornwall resident and student at Fordham University, the high salaries of those living in Cornwall are directly related to their political stances.

Devlin Shand, 20, a resident of Cornwall and also a student at Fordham agreed. “I would say [the people here are] strongly Republican, generally,” said Shand.

However, the younger generations in Cornwall have been moving away from their families’ conservative pasts.

“People our age living in Cornwall are mostly anti-war and probably leaning towards the left,” said Jason Gold, 20, a resident of Cornwall and student at the University of Vermont.

Ricker nodded her head in agreement. “It just seems like the younger generation is more open-minded about everything in general, like with abortion and gay rights,” said Ricker.

“[In high school], I discovered the liberal population came from specifically artists; the drama club, the band, and the chorus,” said Ricker.

All of the young people interviewed said that their views contradicted those of the majority of the town.

So back to the original question: Is it time to bring the troops home from Iraq? The unanimous answer was, not surprisingly, that it definitely is time for the troops to come home.

Those interviewed answered with responses like “absolutely,” “yes,” and “I’ve thought that for years.”

“I don’t think, based on what I know…that we are doing any good over there [in Iraq],” said Shand. “We’ve out-stayed our welcome, which wasn’t really welcome to begin with, and now being further involved is pointless.”

Ricker and Gold both also felt that there was little or no progress being made, and that the soldiers were being sent solely to die.

“The war is going nowhere,” said Gold.

“And you would think the older generations would be more anti-war, having lived through some terrible conflicts,” Ricker added.

However, despite the adamancy of their answers, these youth have taken little or no political action against the war.

They haven’t been involved with protests, they haven’t written letters to their representatives, and they haven’t even touted anti-war bumper stickers on their expensive cars.

“I couldn’t give a specific reason why [we haven’t taken any political action], aside from crazy schedules and just not really thinking of it,” said Shand. “I guess you’d say we’re passively against the whole thing, which sucks, because in a situation like this, it’s hard to affect any kind of change passively.”

Gold saw the situation similarly. “We are not motivated,” he said.

“I think it’s because we feel disconnected, and we don’t really care,” said Gold.

So what will it take to motivate the young people of Cornwall? What will it take to get them to care?

Silence. Everybody wanted a change, but nobody seemed to want to be the one to initiate it.

Ricker moved uncomfortably in her seat. Then, with a scowl on her face, she defensively spoke: “It’s not that we’re not genuinely concerned or anything like that,” said Ricker, “we want the troops back.”

“I think people are waiting for some kind of movement or protest to join, because I know I personally wouldn’t want to start the public fight against [the war],” said Shand. “If something were going on I’d be much more receptive to joining than to starting something up.”

Where do these young people go from here? They have been raised in a town that has lead them to believe in one thing, and yet they are beginning to find their own way, believing in another.

While most people in this young generation of Cornwall say that their views do contradict those of the rest of the town, nothing is being done about it. The only thing these young people can do is hope that someone will begin to lead them soon.

“I don’t see it happening as much as I would like it to,” said Shand,” but that’s not to say that we shouldn’t try.”