Liberty

My parents bought their first home in Liberty, NY in the summer of 1993. Moving to the economically depressed Sullivan County was both a shock and a relief for me after having faked my way through upper-class living in Warwick, NY since I was born.

I quickly grew to hate Liberty; It seemed to be a redneck town despite its ethnic diversity. Small-town gossip was rampant. It was easy to find at least two dilapidated houses on every street. Businesses closed up almost as quickly as they opened. There was nothing to do there - the closest mall was 45 minutes away and many kids (myself included) spent more than a few hours hanging at the 24-hour diner ordering multiple coffee refills (and not much else), simply because we were so bored. I vowed to get out as soon as I could, and get out I did.

But after living, working, and going to school in NYC for three years I decided I wanted to attend New Paltz. Surprise, surprise, I ended up back in Liberty because the rents are more affordable (though still high) than the areas I considered in Ulster and Duchess counties.

As you can see, my reasons for wanting to cover the Liberty beat are personal. I don't hate Liberty anymore, but it is still a place where people get out of as soon as they can. There is so much I still do not know or understand about the town that helped raise me. It is a transitioning neighborhood, but change has come at a snail's pace. The Sullivan County Renaissance -- a group dedicated to the beautification of Sullivan County towns -- has prettied up Main Street with a couple benches and potted flowers, but most store fronts are still empty. Many people, young and old, still feel as bored and trapped and exasperated as I once did. I have a feeling that there is a lot going on behind the scenes here.

Some listening posts so far are the gazebo on the front lawn of the little-used community center, the pizza parlor on the corner of main street, and certainly the diner that everyone in town goes to.

One story idea is the effect of what local newspapers call the "brain drain." In other words, the town's best and brightest often leave the area and never return. This provides little hope for economic turn-around and a higher standard of living for Liberty.