All hail the Polliwog campers (entering 1st or 2nd grade) at the Pocono Environmental Education Center’s Nature Day Camp. Provided photo. ‘I made a lot of cool friends this summer’ It’s no secret this past year and a half has been stressful for everyone, especially kids. After months of hybrid learning... News 24 Mar 2023 | 04:18
Between March 2020 and February 2023, SNAP Emergency Allotments provided a second monthly payment to recipients, either an extra $95 or bumping the monthly total to the household maximum, whichever was greater. (Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture, New York State Academy of Dietetics & Nutrition, N.Y. Office of Temporary & Disability Assistance) Snapping out of it After nearly three years of providing eligible households with extra money for groceries, the final SNAP Emergency Allotments... Local News 28 Feb 2023 | 10:08
Just how dirty is your dirt? A big pile of orphaned dirt lies on the shoulder of Gate Schoolhouse Rd. in Goshen, one of a number of disowned dirt piles... Local News 20 Jun 2022 | 06:55
The new Amazon fulfillment center, SWF1, was the biggest building in the county when it opened last year, but will soon be the third-largest warehouse in the Town of Montgomery, NY. ( Photo: Becca Tucker) Locals mount grassroots resistance to mega-warehouse blitz Amazon’s million-plus-square-foot warehouse in Montgomery, NY, was the biggest building in Orange County when it opened last... Local News 17 May 2022 | 04:37
Desk, before and after (Photos provided by Angèle Tanyeri) ‘We each have a message in our mess’: Super-organizer Angèle Tanyeri is here to help Angèle Tanyeri calls herself a “recovering perfectionist.” The founder of Reclaim Professional Organizing, LLC & Lifestyle... Local News 11 Apr 2022 | 03:23
In a survey of over 180 local long haulers, fatigue, brain fog, and cough were the most common symptoms. Graphic by Christina Scotti. Covid long haulers battle exhaustion — and more than a dozen other symptoms The Rev. Dr. Rhonda Myers, a pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Goshen, N.Y., said she used to wake up in the morning... Local News 10 Mar 2022 | 12:05
Sarah Escobar skis in the 2022 Winter Olympics (Photo provided by Elena Escobar) ‘Being the first gave me such pride’: Sparta native shares her peak experience at the 2022 Winter Olympics As the first woman to represent Ecuador in the Winter Olympics, and the sole Ecuadorian to compete in Beijing, Sarah Escobar... Sports 25 Feb 2022 | 04:56
Save the date for these local holiday events Seriously, no “Bah, Humbugs” this year, okay? Get ready to bring on the jolly. The holidays are back after a year of Covid-caused... Entertainment 06 Dec 2021 | 12:31
Bus drivers needed sign in Franklin, NJ ( Photo: Jeanne Straus) ‘It’s beyond anyone’s control’ Across the country, a national shortage of bus drivers added another layer of disruption to the 2021 school year. Local districts... Local News 22 Sep 2021 | 09:18
Peter T. Mulhare Sr. Peter T. Mulhare Sr. of Milford, Pa., passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, at Garnet Health Medical Center in the Town... Obituaries 20 Aug 2021 | 12:12
A retail dispensary next in Portland, Maine. Five minutes after it opened on a recent Sunday morning, a dozen customers were inside, shopping. ( Becca Tucker) Do we want a bud shop in our town? Now that recreational marijuana is the law of the land in five states from New Jersey to Maine, towns and villages across... Home 20 Aug 2021 | 10:36
What stays? What goes? As the start of a new school year looms, Straus News wondered what routines and equipment from last year would remain and... Back to School 18 Aug 2021 | 08:07
A class at Delaware Valley High School, which provided full-time, in-person instruction from start to finish (Photo provided) Top of everybody’s wish list: Ending the year in class School districts can see the finish line after a tough year negotiating remote, in-person, and hybrid instruction, and everything... Local News 10 May 2021 | 02:13
Kathleen was feverishly sewing masks at the beginning of the pandemic. Then she started sewing them for a friend’s toddler’s stuffed animals. Local nuts confess they have gone down the rabbit hole Dear Readers, A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column for this newspaper about how I’ve gone Pandemic Nuts. My evidence was... Local News 11 Mar 2021 | 02:36
From left to right: Kristee Chaplin, Dan Doyle, Toni Chaplin, and Dawn Chaplin. Meet the poster children of disc golf After this publication released a story on the rise of winter sports, we abruptly received an email from a man who said we... Local News 23 Feb 2021 | 10:11