The two local State parks kicked off the summer season Memorial Day weekend for boating, hiking and countless other recreational opportunities. Cherry Plain State Park is open for camping, swimming and day use, on weekends only, starting May 25. Grafton Lakes State Park is currently open daily from 8 am to dusk, and the swimming season began May 25.
The sandy beach at Grafton Lakes will be open for swimming Friday through Tuesday, May 25 through June 24 and then daily until Labor Day from 10 am to 6 pm. From July 1 through Labor Day, Cherry Plain State Park’s beach schedule will be daily 10 am to 6 pm. Both beach areas are equipped with comfort stations. GLSP’s swimming area and bathhouses are handicapped-accessible.
Boating opportunities at the parks include canoeing, rowing, kayaking, sailing and the use of electric powered motors. Rowboats and canoes are available for rental at both facilities. Kayaks are also available at GLSP. Boat rentals will be available at both sites on weekends only until July 1. The rental schedule will be expanded during July and August. The public may launch their own boats during park open hours from designated boat launches.
Cherry Plain State Park will offer camping on weekends only, May 29 through July 1, and then daily through Labor Day. For reservations, visit www.reserveamerica.com.
Both parks also offer numerous hiking trails and excellent fishing opportunities as well as summer programming. For summer fun enthusiasts, GLSP has playgrounds, a softball field, volleyball nets, horseshoe pits and a basketball court as well as a variety of day use tent and pavilion rentals. The park will also offer summer programs. The June calendar is currently available online at www.nysparks.com/parks.
Starting Memorial Day weekend, vehicle user fees are $8 per car when the beach is open and $6 per car when the beach is closed at both parks through Labor Day.
For more information about upcoming programs or for directions to the parks, please contact GLSP at 518-279-1155. For more information about New York State Parks, please visit our website at www.nysparks.com.
Richard J. Tregurtha
Petersburgh – Richard J. Tregurtha, 63, of Lewis Hollow Road, Petersburgh, NY, died on Wednesday, May 22, 2013, after an extended illness under the care of Community Hospice of Rensselaer County.
Born in Stoneham, MA, on June 6, 1949, he was the son of the late Edward J. and Alice Copeland Tregurtha. He had lived in Petersburgh since 2001 after moving from Grafton, NY, where he had lived since 1992. He had worked for Confortex in Watervliet, NY, Troy-Bilt in Lansingburgh, NY, and most recently at RPI in their maintenance department. He was an avid hunter and fisherman.
Survivors include his former wife, Susan Clark of Glenmont, NY, a daughter, Alice Furbush of Ohio, a sister, Diane and her husband Joseph DeVito of Everett, MA, several grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
A private gathering will be held for Richard at his home at a later date. To remember him in a special way, memorial contributions to the Community Hospice of Rensselaer County, 295 Valley View Blvd., Rensselaer, NY, 12144, would be appreciated. The Thomas M. Barber Funeral Home of Petersburgh is assisting the family with arrangements.
Thomas B. Wheeler
Stephentown – On Friday, May 24, 2013, Thomas B. Wheeler, 85, passed away peacefully in the home where he was born on December 22, 1927. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, their seven children, their twelve grandchildren and his four sisters. Tom was in the US Navy. He taught school for many years at Onteora Central School in Boiceville, NY, and New Lebanon Central School in New Lebanon, NY. After retiring in 1989, he worked at Madden’s Garage in Stephentown, NY.
A Visitation Service was held on Monday, May 27, from 4 to 6 pm at the Hall & Higgins Funeral Home, 457 NY 43, Stephentown.
Co-op Classes For Home School Students
by Bea Peterson
Fridays are quiet now at the Community Alliance Church in Hoosick Falls. For most of the school year, however, Fridays from 9:30 am until 12:30 pm are very busy. That is when 100 youngsters, their Moms and some Dads, from Berlin, Petersburgh, Hoosick, Hoosick Falls and Arlington and Manchester, VT gather at the Church for Christian based Home School Cooperative Classes. The youngsters, from 29 families, range in age from toddlers to 18.
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The Life Of George Holcomb – Lucrative Days Peddling Cider & Cake
Monday, October 1, 1827: Today I took the single wagon and went to Canaan peddling cake and cider. I cleared five dollars.
Tuesday: I went peddling cake and cider and pies at Brainard’s Bridge. I cleared about seven dol.
Wednesday: Today I went to Pittsfield to cattle show peddling. I carried four dollars worth of Whitings and Rosses cake from Greenbush and two dollars 12 cents worth of J. Bull’s of Lebanon, and sold out and 20 gal of cider. I cleared eight dollars.
Thursday I returned to Pittsfield peddling with a chest of Bull’s cake and half a barrel of cider. I sold out. I cleared about nine dollars today.
Thursday, October 11: Carted two loads of cider to H. Platt’s still, six casks each. I got two gal of cider brandy towards my brandy that I am having stilled. Tonight I went to our annual school meeting.
Saturday, October 13: We gathered apples. Tonight we ground apples for cider. I paid my school bill to brother Wm, as he is one of the trustees. My schooling for this summer for two children is one dol and fifty two cts.
Saturday, October 20: Today I took the single wagon and carried my wife’s sister Hannah Twichel to Troy and got a passage for her on a Canal boat. She is to pay one cent per. I crossed over into West Troy to see Mr. James Landon about his paying me up a note which was the remainder for a pair of fat cattle, but he was not at home, and I was informed by his neighbors that he was broke down and stopped business. I returned into Troy and left said note with the City Collector Mr. Wilson. I stayed tonight to a tavern opposite Price’s tavern
Sunday, October 21: This morning I paid my bill was 19 cts, and today I came home. My gate fee was 29 cts and my bill was ten cts for wine going and I paid 3 cts for cider to Woodward’s and I fetched home with me a 14 year old by the name of Hosnocker, and if both parties is suited, I keep her this winter and school her only enough to have her living.
Tuesday: Today I took the wagon and my wife and I went to the Shakers, went there and asked them to give Mrs. Polly Hasket some things to keep house with. We consider the said Shakers is indebted to her for her work there all her days, but they would give her nothing, because they said Mr. Hasket had abused them. Tonight we husked corn a spell.
Wednesday: We gathered apples and ground some apples this evening.
Thursday: We gathered some apples and we made cider, and this evening we made cider.
Berlin Bank Goes For $73.5k
by David Flint
Berlin’s bank building was sold at auction Wednesday for only $73,500. Although staff from Max Spann Real Estate & Auction Company were waiting, no one showed up at the bank to bid on the property. According to Norman Zimmer, Director of Operations at Max Spann, all of the bidding, by ten pre-registered bidders, took place either online or at their auction site in New Jersey.
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Local Veterans Honored On Armed Forces Day
by Bea Peterson
Months of research and organizing went into the “Memorial Day – A Local Tribute” sponsored by Voice of a Vet and Heroes at Home at the HAYC3 Armory on Saturday, May 18. Spearheading the efforts were Gail Smith and Howie Wright. Much of the research was done by Tom McMartin and Charles Filkins.
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New Lebanon Board Votes To Move Sidewalk Project Forward
by Thaddeus Flint
A plan to get the people of New Lebanon walking along their “miracle mile,” at least on one side of it anyway, with new sidewalks to be installed from Lover’s Lane to the high school, moved a bit closer to reality Tuesday.
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Stephentown ZBA Denies Motocross Use Variance
by David Flint
The Stephentown Zoning Board of Appeals decided Wednesday in a split vote to deny a use variance to Howard Commander that would have allowed him to construct a Motocross park in a residential zone. Board Chairman Roland Barth joined with Board Members Freling Smith and Peter Ellard in voting to deny the variance. Board Members Joseph Champion and Richard Sime voted to grant the variance.
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Petersburgh Town Board Action – Petersburgh To Get Solar Panels
by Alex Brooks
At a special meeting on Thursday, May 9, the Petersburgh Town Board agreed to a proposal from Monolith Solar to install solar panels on the Town Hall property which will supply electricity to all four buildings in the Town Municipal complex. The solar array will be mounted on the back section of the Town Hall and in the side yard east of the building, and it will be sized to supply all of the electricity used by the Town buildings. The solar panels will be installed, maintained and owned by Monolith Solar, and the electricity generated will be sold to the Town under a long term contract. It is expected to be at least 25% cheaper than what the Town is currently paying.
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