The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

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Hoosick Falls Board Village Board Meeting

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Cops, Copiers and All Things Water Related

by Doug La Rocque

Mayor Rob Allen announced up front at the Tuesday, January 11 Village Board meeting that there has been a change in the Officer in Charge position for the Village Police Department. As of that evening, Officer Paul Aleksonis will assume the department’s top spot during the suspension of Chief Robert Ashe. He replaces Officer Bernie Davock, who was appointed to the position on December 16. Officer Davock will assume the position of 2nd in command.

According to the Mayor, Officer Aleksonis has been with the Police Department since 1995 and has been Officer in Charge many times in the past when the Chief was on vacation. He is also available to work several shifts per week.

Chief Ashe’s son Justin also attended the meeting and during public comment read a letter expressing his displeasure with Mayor Allen and some other members of the Police Department [Read more…] about Hoosick Falls Board Village Board Meeting

Alfred Eberle – Obituary

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Hoosick Falls – Alfred John Emmanuel Smith Eberle, 93, a lifelong resident of Hoosick Falls, passed away peacefully at his home on December 26, 2021, following a short illness.

Born June 27th, 1928, in Albany, New York, Alfred was the son of the late John and Margaret (O’Brien) Eberle. He received his early education and graduated in 1947 from St. Mary’s Academy in Hoosick Falls. On May 10th, 1952, he married the late Anne Croteau at Sacred Heart Church in Bennington, Vermont. 

Alfred served as a corporal in the Army National Guard for a few years following World War II. His service to his country was something he was quite proud of. Following his military service and the start of his family, Alfred was employed as a production worker at the Wood Flong Corporation in Hoosick Falls. He held many jobs during his life, as hard work and supporting his family was very important to him, so important that he didn’t retire until he was 89 and a half.

Alfred attended Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, and was a 4th degree Knight with the Knights of Columbus Council #457. He was elected to be a town trustee for Hoosick Falls. He also loved apple pie and saying his catchphrase “EGBAR” which stands for “everything’s gonna be alright.” 

He is described as a true gentleman, who was selfless, giving, and kind. He also had a terrific sense of humor and a spectacular smile that was always present. Alfred was the sweetest father, and our everything according to his children. He will be so deeply missed by all those that knew and loved him. 

At the time of his death, Alfred was the oldest living Eberle. Even during his last hours, he had no complaints, as complaining was never his style. He also was a few hours shy of celebrating being 93 and a half.

Survivors of Alfred include his children: JoAnne Brown (William) of Hoosick Falls, Mary Douget (Bobby) of Basile, Louisiana, Carol Eberle of Latham, New York, Alfred Eberle (Carlos) of Sacramento, California, and Yvonne Mendelson (Mike) of Unicoi, Tennessee. Alfred is also survived by eleven grandchildren, and seventeen great-grandchildren, soon to be eighteen, as well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. 

Another important survivor of Alfred is his calico cat, Baby, who was a loyal companion for the last few years of his life. 

He is predeceased by his wife of over 65 years Anne Eberle and their son John Eberle, as well as his thirteen siblings. 

Contributions in memory of Alfred may be made to the Karen and Molly Mcgovern Fund, through the office of the E.P. Mahar and Son Funeral Home, 628 Main street, Bennington, Vermont 05201.

Guestbook Condolences may be made at www.maharandsonfuneralhome.net.

Elsie Risedorf – Obituary

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Grafton – Elsie Risedorf, formerly of Grafton, and Morris Plains, NJ, passed peacefully on January 6. She turned 95 on February 5. During the past five years she had been enjoying life in the Dallas area. Her two younger children, family and friends kept her busy. Always upbeat, the COVID-19 shutdown was just a temporary annoyance. Elsie patiently waited for her adventures to continue; during the past months she attended many events and family gatherings.

Elsie and husband Ken bought the former Mountain Top in 1987 and renamed it The Grafton Inn, where they catered or hosted hundreds of parties, celebrations, weddings, conferences, coffee hours, wine tastings and picnics during their twenty years of retirement. Ken passed away in 2010, but Elsie carried on. Soon after her 90th birthday at the Wager Sr. Center in Grafton, Elsie packed up some boxes and flew off to Dallas. She missed her life and friends in Grafton but happily settled into her new home.

Elsie was proud of her 100 percent Swedish heritage and was a lifelong member of the Vasa Order of America, a Swedish fraternal organization. Many of her cousins from Sweden have been to the Grafton Inn, and she had been to Sweden to keep the connections with her family there of over 100 cousins.

For the past few years Elsie lived in a beautiful care facility just a few miles from family. The staff there, along with her friends and family members, all made her life sweeter and richer in every way.  

Elsie is survived by her three children, five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and numerous cousins in the United States and Sweden.

Rest in peace, Elsie.

[Read more…] about Elsie Risedorf – Obituary

Hoosick Town Council Meeting

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Updating Assessment Values

by Doug La Rocque

Assessor Tony Rice told the Hoosick Town Council on Monday evening, January 10, it’s time to look at property values again, noting overall property values are up by about 10 percent. He is very quick to emphasize this is not a reassessment, simply an update to keep the Town’s equalization rate at 100 percent. This means homes are assessed at their true value, not a percentage of it.

Mr. Rice said during the last year, many homes in the Town are selling at $100,000 higher than their assessed value. He also indicated these updates should take place [Read more…] about Hoosick Town Council Meeting

Four Area Dams Listed by DEC as Unsound

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Rating Does Not Mean Failure Is Imminent

by Doug La Rocque

A recent survey of dams around New York State by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) obtained by The Eastwick Press places three dams in the Town of Grafton and one in the Town of Berlin on their unsound list. The DEC however explains a Condition Rating of Unsound refers to “dams with deficiencies of such a nature that the safety of the dam cannot be assured.” The unsound ratings do not mean that [Read more…] about Four Area Dams Listed by DEC as Unsound

At Home Test Kits Are Distributed to Area School Districts

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by Doug La Rocque

After some small delays, the school districts in The Eastwick Press coverage area have all reported they have received a supply of the at home COVID-19 tests kits promised over the past weekend by Governor Kathy Hochul. These kits are part of the Governor’s plan to help keep children in the classroom even if a classmate tests positive for the virus. Until this week, such classmates would have been subject to a 5- to 10-day quarantine. Governor Hochul is suggesting these at home test kits be used by parents if they wish to check their child for COVID-19 and if negative, they would be allowed to return to in-classroom learning under the districts’ COVID-19 protocols.

Each test kit contains two tests per student. As Hoosick Falls School Superintendent Pat Dailey stated in a letter to District parents, this is not a [Read more…] about At Home Test Kits Are Distributed to Area School Districts

Schodack Planning Board 

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by Denise Wright

The January 3 meeting of the Schodack Planning Board opened with public comment from one resident voicing concern over the sequence of burials and rate of funerals in the Muslim Community of Troy’s proposed cemetery on Phillips Road. According to Muslim Community members, the estimated rate of calculated graves incorporated the high pandemic death rates of approximately 35 to 50 per year. The resident hoped that a vinyl fence could be installed behind the residences that would be affected. Planning Board members approved the special permit and site plan with the stipulation that [Read more…] about Schodack Planning Board 

As Long as the Need Exists They Will Come

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by Doug La Rocque

The Hoosick Falls Central School once again played host to a mass food giveaway in their parking lot on Wednesday, December 29, and once again the vehicles filled the lot and were lined up on NYS Route 22 waiting to get in. In all, 435 households representing 1,421 people were fed. The event is co-sponsored by Catholic Charities, the Capital District Area Labor Federation and the Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office. In all, 39 volunteers helped hand out 14,729 pounds of food provided by the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York.

In 2021, Catholic Charities CCMove program held 114 of these food drops, serving nearly 71,000 households.

Plans are underway for several more of these giveaways in 2022, the first in Rensselaer County being on Tuesday, January 25 at the Italian Community Center at 1450 Fifth Avenue in Troy, starting at 9:30 am.

[Read more…] about As Long as the Need Exists They Will Come

Hallelujah the Roof Is Finished – Immaculate Conception in Hoosick Falls

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by Bea Peterson

“Well, except for the punch list, it’s finished,” said Immaculate Conception Volunteer Project Manager Greg Laurin. Plagued with one problem after another, it seemed that this first phase of the church repairs would never be completed. The work was supposed to start the fall of 2020. That plan fell apart when the original contractor backed out. Another contractor, able to take on all phases of the roof repair, including repairing and painting the steeple, making and installing all the soffits, gutters and shingling the steep and flat roofs, had to be found. Fortunately CentiMark, a national company, agreed to do the job. By then it was winter, followed by COVID-19, followed by a shortage of materials. Donated shingles for the roof were delayed [Read more…] about Hallelujah the Roof Is Finished – Immaculate Conception in Hoosick Falls