Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper
by Alex Brooks
The Petersburgh Town Board held a special meeting on July 7 to consider adoption of Local Laws #1 and #2. The first is a local law to enforce building codes in the Town of Petersburgh, and the second is a law to provide for securing vacant buildings in the Town of Petersburgh.
by Bea Peterson
At the Monday, July 14, meeting of the Hoosick Town Board, Town Supervisor Mark Surdam said the new pool bid package will be advertised this week. Bids will be opened on Friday, August 15. The Board hopes to receive more than one bid this time. Councilman Dave Sutton suggested that possible bidders be contacted and encouraged to submit bids.
[Read more…] about Hoosick Town Board Action – Pool And Playground
by Kieron Kramer
The Rensselaer County Legislature considered 27 resolutions at its regular meeting on Tuesday, July 8. Only four of the resolutions related directly to the communities in the Eastwick area.
Perhaps the most important, at least to the people who live in and around Hoosick four corners, the intersection of NY Rt. 7 and South Street, was the resolution opposing the closure of the Hoosick Post Office. [Read more…] about Rensselaer County Legislature – The Hoosick P.O.
by Kieron Kramer
The regular Berlin Town Board meeting, held on Thursday, July 10, was filled with gratitude – gratitude to Highway Superintendent Jim Winn and his department for installing two flag poles at the Municipal Center in time for the Fourth of July, gratitude to the volunteers who planted, placed and watered the flower barrels along the route of the Berlin July 4 Parade on Main Street and gratitude to the anonymous donor who purchased the pricey, antique Berlin Band drum and donated it to the Berlin Historical Center and to Billy Hammersmith “for bringing it up.” [Read more…] about Berlin Town Board Action – Gratitude
by David Flint
Some 300 alumni and guests attended the New Lebanon High School Reunion held on Saturday, July 12, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Pittsfield. This gathering of all the graduated classes gets larger each year thanks to the generosity of Richard Burns, Class of 1949. [Read more…] about New Lebanon High School Reunion 2014
submitted by the Parade Committee
With a crowd as big as ever, hundreds of people lined the parade route despite the threatening weather. The parade brought families, friends and communities together to celebrate our nation’s birthday in spirited hometown tradition. The morning rain subsided before the 11 am start and held off for pretty much the duration of the parade. The only July 4th parade in Rensselaer County was led by local American Legion Taconic Valley Post #937 with Color Guard. They were followed by Grand Marshal, Dianne Mosher with her husband Bruce, driven by John Kellar in his 1950 Jeepster. [Read more…] about A Successful Berlin July Fourth Parade
Eagle Bridge – Frank H. DeTraglia Jr., 81, died on July 7, 2014, at the Albany Medical Center in Albany, NY. He had resided on Old State Road in Eagle Bridge, NY, with his wife Ruth (McQuad) DeTraglia.
Berlin – Angeles T. Hall, 88, formerly of Berlin, NY, passed away on July 14, 2014, with her family by her side at St. Mary’s Hospital in Troy, NY. She is pre-deceased by Tony Hall, her husband of 45 years.
A resident of Berlin for over 30 years, Angie worked as an RN in Bennington, VT, and as an LPN instructor in Troy for BOCES (now known as Questar). Upon retirement from BOCES she occasionally worked as a substitute teacher for the Berlin Central School District and volunteered her time at the Berlin Senior Center and Our Lady of the Snow Parish in Grafton.
Surviving Angie are her three children, Audrey and husband Scott Vanderhoef of Grafton, NY, Albert and wife Kim Hall of Latham, NY, and Alan and wife Michelle Hall of East Greenbush, NY. She is also survived by her four grandchildren, Christine, Andrew, Annie and Lydia Hall. Angie also leaves behind her dear friends, Bob “Murph” Anderson and his daughter Amy, Valerie Bulson and Michael Kneutter.
Angie’s remains will be donated to the Albany Medical College’s Anatomical Gift Program. A memorial service is planned for 11 am on Saturday, August 2, at Our Lady of the Snow Parish in Grafton.
To honor Angie’s memory, those who wish may make contributions, in lieu of flowers, to the Parish of Our Lady of the Snow, P.O. Box 234, Grafton, NY, 12082.
Eagle Bridge – George E. Durkee Jr., 62, passed away on Thursday, July 10, 2014, at his residence on County Route 68 in Eagle Bridge, NY. He had resided there with his wife Linda (Ogert) Durkee.
Born on January 5, 1952, in Troy, NY, George was the son of the late George E. and Lois (Weatherbee) Durkee Sr. George was educated at St. Mary’s Academy in Hoosick Falls, NY, and graduated from Hudson Valley Community College. He enjoyed hunting and dowsing. For many years he owned and operated the White Creek Store and ran a plumbing business from that location after its closing.
Survivors, other than his wife Linda, include their son, David Durkee and wife Lauren of Dayton, ME, his sister, Nancy Rietz of Latham, NY, and two grandchildren, MacKenna and Declan Durkee.
A graveside service will be held on Saturday, July 19, at 10 am in the West Hoosick Cemetery on the Buskirk/West Hoosick Road in West Hoosick, NY. Arrangements are under the care of the Mahar Funeral Home, 43 Main Street, Hoosick Falls, NY, 12090. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice through the funeral home.
Berlin – Wesley Edmund Sandberg, Jr. (known as Wes), 76, of Luther Forest in Malta, NY, passed away peacefully in his home on Saturday, July 5, 2014. Wes was born on August 28, 1937, in the Bronx, NY, and was the son of the late Wesley E. and Dorothy Beckerith Sandberg. He grew up in Berlin, NY, attended the Crane School of Music and was a graduate of SUNY Potsdam earning his teaching degree in music. Wesley had been a music teacher for close to 30 years, first with the Shenendehowa Central School District and later with the Waterford Halfmoon Union Free School District from February 1, 1971, until he retired on June 30, 1993.
As a teacher, Wes shared his love and appreciation of music and theater with his students; he had high expectations of them and left lasting impressions on many. Like his father, Wes was gifted in the woodworking craft, creating intricate decorative boxes, cabinets and furniture. He was not one to read a manual and could fix anything; he always knew how to make it better or stronger. He was a perfectionist in all he did and worked tirelessly until he got it just right. He was always whistling, always had a piano to play and sang in a variety of local choral groups. He was an avid art, music and ballet enthusiast. Although he was a man who kept mostly to himself, those who knew him recognized Wes as a very special, unique and passionate man with exceptional sensitivity, wisdom and a hearty, loud laugh. Wes, also named “Poppy” by his only grandson Nicholas, was everything and more a grandfather and father should be, including a best friend.
Wesley is the husband of Marilyn Seidelmann Sandberg of Malta and was always there for her, the father of Lisa and husband David Hodgkinson of Scotia, NY, the brother of Doris Reichelt of Berlin and the late Caryl Sandberg, the uncle of Tammy Reichelt and Greg Goodermote and the grandfather of Nicholas Allen Hodgkinson of Scotia, Poppy’s inspiration and favorite.
Services will be held at the Gordon C. Emerick Funeral Home, 1550 Route 9, Clifton Park, NY, on Saturday, July 19, promptly at 10 am.
Immediately following the services, interment will be held for the family in the Jonesville Cemetery, A Victorian Resting Place For All. Flowers for the service are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Northeastern New York, 4 Pine West Plaza, Suite 405, Albany, NY, 12205.
