The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Front Page

Hoosick Falls Fire Department Open House

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by Bea Peterson

Imagine your house was on fire and there were no volunteer firefighters to put out the flames and the fire spread throughout the neighborhood. Imagine you were in an accident, trapped in your car and there were no volunteer firefighters with the Jaws of Life to get you out of that car. In many places, including Hoosick Falls, it is getting more difficult to recruit volunteers for the Fire Department and the nearby Town of Hoosick Rescue Squad all the time. Volunteers make a gigantic difference. What would happen if the Town and/or Village had to have paid Rescue and Fire personnel? What would taxes be then?

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Hoffman Found Guilty In Baker Death

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by Thaddeus Flint

The jury in the trial of Brendan Hoffman, the 22 year old Stephentown man accused of manslaughter and homicide charges, as well as leaving the scene of a 2012 accident, found Hoffman guilty on 12 counts last Friday.

The guilty charges include vehicular manslaughter and homicide. Three counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and one count of reckless driving were dismissed by Judge Debra Young due to a lack of evidence.

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Petersburgh Man Arrested For Tax Evasion

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New York State Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Thomas H. Mattox and Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced on Tuesday the arrest of Eli J. Strong, 50, of Petersburgh on three felony charges stemming from his failure to file personal income tax returns. Allegedly, the defendant owes nearly $40,000 for unfiled 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 returns

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Hero Of The Chosin Reservoir

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submitted by Mary Lou Walters

At the base of the Taconic Trail in Petersburgh there is a memorial to man who surely never saw the Taconic mountains. However, to John Parkinson, the man who lives at the home there, the memory of Robert E. Devins has been there since he moved in ten years ago. In fact, ever since John Parkinson, now 86, turned 21 Sergeant Devins has been a constant presence.

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The Ice Kreme Kafé Is Open

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by Bea Peterson

The Ice Kreme Kafé on Main Street in Hoosick Falls, near the tennis courts, is open for the season. Actually, they have been open for a month. Brian Harwood laughed and said, “Yeah, it was two degrees out the day we opened.” He and his wife Elaine have leased the Kafé for the season. Brian left the construction business to work in the Kafé. “Now I make ice cream and maintain the machines,” he said. Elaine said the LaPortes started the Kafé 20 years ago this year. “We think that is kind of neat,” she said. Brian said the ice cream making recipes he is using are the LaPorte recipes.

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Rose Hewitt

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Petersburgh – Rose Mary Gerstel Hewitt died April 2, 2014, in the home that she cherished on Hewitt Road in Petersburgh, NY, with her devoted daughter Margaret by her side. She was born March 6, 1912, and had recently celebrated her 102nd birthday. In addition to her parents she was pre-deceased by her husband, Lloyd Hewitt, her sister, Katie Gerstel Doyle, and her brother, Adolph Gerstel.

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Richard Danforth

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Hoosick Falls – Richard Forrest Danforth, 72, of Hoosick Falls, NY, passed away at his home on Thursday, March 27, 2014. Born on February 20, 1942 to Ruth (Myers) Danforth and Forrest E. Danforth, he was the eldest of six children. Dick attended Hoosick Falls Schools, graduating in the class of 1960. He later went on to join the National Guard unit located in Hoosick Falls. He held many jobs during his lifetime including being a carpenter’s helper to his father and making furniture at Cushman’s in North Bennington, VT. He finally retired from a longtime position at Oak Mitsui in Hoosick Falls.

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Joan deLeon

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Berlin – Joan Beatrice (Nelson) deLeon, 80, of Green Hollow Road, Berlin, NY, died on April 4, 2014, at home surrounded by her loving family, after a courageous battle against cancer.

Born on July 28, 1933, in Brooklyn, NY, she was the daughter of the late Ruth (Hinsch) and Eric J.W. Nelson. Joan was a 1951 graduate of Huntington High School on Long Island.

Joan had the deepest love for Ralph deLeon, her adoring husband of 62 years. They married in 1952 and lived their early years in Greenlawn, NY, where Ralph ran a business and Joan raised their family. In 1969 Joan and Ralph moved their family to Berlin. In 1970 Joan returned to nursing school, receiving her Licensed Practical Nursing certification. She worked for the next 17 years for Dr. Henry Richmond in Bennington, VT. Joan left nursing to assist Ralph in running the family businesses.

She was active in the Berlin Methodist Church and the Berlin Republican party. She previously served on the Board of Trustees for the Berlin Town Library. She also enjoyed being a long term member of two book clubs.

Survivors, besides her husband, include their five children, Renee Williams and husband Richard of Pownal, VT, Ralph deLeon of Schenectady, NY, Robin Cipperly of Berlin, Richard deLeon and wife Colleen of Berlin and Roger deLeon and fiancée Victoria Calaban of Latham, NY. Joan is also survived by seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. She was pre-deceased by her sister, Carol Kirchner, and one grandchild, Rachael Williams.

A celebration of life gathering will be held Saturday, April 12, at 12 noon at the Berlin United Methodist Church, 13 South Main Street, Berlin. There will be a reception at the Berlin Fire Hall at 1 pm following the Church celebration. In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations be made to the Rensselaer County Hospice or the Berlin Free Town Library. For on-line condolences please visit www.TheRiverviewFuneralHome.com.

Elwin W. Stevens

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Hoosick Falls – Elwin W. Stevens (Steve), of Troy, NY, died in Tulsa, OK, on April 3, 2014. Elwin was born in Hoosick Falls, NY, on February 21, 1923, and was a graduate of the Walter A. Wood High School in Hoosick Falls and Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute, Class of 1945. He served as Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy on the U.S.S. Sampson during WW II and was in charge of damage control. Elwin taught at R.P.I. until 1952 when he became the University Architect for the State University of New York System until his retirement in 1990.

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