Stephentown – Pauline Virginia Weaver Brazie, 77, died early Sunday morning, March 30, 2014, at the Springside Rehabilitation & Skilled Care Center in Pittsfield, MA. Born in East Nassau, NY, on November 16, 1936, Pauline was the daughter of the late Albert and Grace Williams Weaver.
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Memorial Aviary At Berkshire Bird Paradise
by Bea Peterson
The entryway to the Berkshire Bird Paradise will soon be beautified and enhanced, an elaborate cage will be constructed and a barn will become a bird museum. This will all happen as a result of a New York City woman who loved a Rock Dove/Pigeon named Puffy. When Puffy died his owner wanted a memorial built in his name. Peter Dubacher, owner and operator of the Berkshire Bird Paradise in Grafton said the woman is a frequent contributor to the Paradise and she generously donated $100,000 to make the Puffy Memorial Aviary a realty. [Read more…] about Memorial Aviary At Berkshire Bird Paradise
Summer Camp Topic Of Special Board Meeting
by Bea Peterson
The Town of Hoosick Board held a special workshop meeting on Thursday, March 20, to discuss the Town’s Summer Camp program. Supervisor Mark Surdam, Deputy Supervisor Jeff Wysocki and Councilman Bruce Patire were in attendance. Councilman Dave Sutton was out of town. Patire started the discussion by saying “I will not be surprised to not see the pool open.” This would definitely change the face of the Summer Camp as a good portion of the Camper’s days were taken up with swimming lessons and free swims. Another pool related issue regarding the Camp is keeping the youngsters away from the pool area while work is underway. [Read more…] about Summer Camp Topic Of Special Board Meeting
TRACS Meeting On Heroin Problem
By Thaddeus Flint
An announcement a few weeks back by New Lebanon Town Councilman Matt Larabee that heroin and hypodermic needles had been found on a roadside next to a grave yard managed to get some attention lately in the digital world. But a local anti-drugs coalition is still finding it difficult to get residents concerned enough about the problem to do something about it in reality. [Read more…] about TRACS Meeting On Heroin Problem
James John Brazie
Stephentown, NY – James John Brazie, 77, passed away on Saturday, March 22, 2014 at the Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, MA after being stricken at the Springside Nursing Home in Pittsfield. Born in Pittsfield, MA on October 19, 1936, he was the son of the late James Winthrop Brazie and Lillian Ethel Harris Brazie. At the age of 15 he moved from Pittsfield to Stephentown and attended Berlin High School.
Jim was 17 when he began working for W.J. Cowee, Inc. in Berlin on May 29, 1953. He retired as plant manager in May 2001 after 48 years of service to the company.
Jim built his own home in Stephentown and loved deer hunting on his property and being in the woods. He was a practical joker and enjoyed collecting bottles and cans as a hobby.
He is the beloved husband of Pauline Virginia Weaver Brazie whom he married on January 28, 1956, loving father of James Paul Brazie of Louisiana, grandfather of Ashlea (Travis) Frederick, great-grandfather of Elsie and Jamisyn Frederick, brother of Raymond (Carol) Brazie of Harkers Island, NC, Phyllis Bartlett of Richmond, MA, Arlene Losaw of Wallace, NC and the late John William Brazie, and close friend of Andy Adams of Stephentown. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be Saturday at 12 noon at the Hall & Higgins Funeral Home, 457 NY Route 43 in Stephentown. Interment will follow in Garfield Cemetery, Stephentown. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday prior to the service, from 11 am until 12 noon.
In lieu of flowers, contributions would be appreciated to the Stephentown Volunteer Fire Dept. Rescue Squad, 396 State Route 43, Stephentown, NY 12168.
Condolence book at www.ParkerBrosMemorial.com.
Hoosick Falls St. Patrick’s Parade
It Rained On The Parade!
by Bea Peterson
Holding a parade in March in this part of the Country is a crapshoot. Some years the weather is unseasonably warm. Other years snow has to be hauled away from the parade route. This year the parade got off to a great start with almost pleasant temperatures. Then suddenly the temperature dropped and sleet and rain fell just long enough to get everyone soaking wet.
County Moves To Take Hoosick Falls Property By Eminent Domain
by Kieron Kramer
At its regular meeting on March 11, the Rensselaer County Legislature passed a resolution that will break the deadlock at the former WCW, Inc. property at 1 Mechanic Street in Hoosick Falls. In February of 2011 the County commenced an in rem tax proceeding against the property, owned by JW Realty and then transferred to Four J’s One Mechanic Street, LLC, for property tax delinquency in the amount of $1,213,000 owed the Village of Hoosick Falls. [Read more…] about County Moves To Take Hoosick Falls Property By Eminent Domain
NYSDOT Schedules Route 22 Repaving
by Kieron Kramer
In a letter dated February 25, Acting Regional Director of the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Sam Zhou responded to the Rensselaer County Legislature’s letter of February 3 prioritizing improvements to New York State routes within the County. Zhou’s letter says, “In consideration of your letter and after careful consideration and a review of available funding, I am pleased to let you know that we are scheduled to begin paving on Route 22 and Route 20 in the coming 2014 construction season. Route 22 will be paved from the Columbia County line north, 9.4 miles, to Cherry Plain. We are proposing to pave from Cherry Plain to Petersburgh in 2015.”
Stephentown Town Board Action – Bert Hager Road Bridge To be Replaced
by David Flint
Bids for constructing a new bridge on Bert Hager Road were opened prior to the start of the regular Stephentown Town Board meeting on Monday. Six bids were received ranging from $248,589 from Stephen Miller General Contractors Inc. out of Mayfield, NY, up to $317,700 from New Century Construction based in Watervliet. [Read more…] about Stephentown Town Board Action – Bert Hager Road Bridge To be Replaced
Petersburgh Town Board Action – Clerk’s Hours
by Alex Brooks
The Petersburgh Town Board meeting began with another long presentation by Tom Berry on a variety of topics. He presented to the Board thick stacks of paper which contained information about gravel, road building methods and materials and other things. Supervisor Krahforst stopped him twice during the presentation, the first time to complain that he was “lecturing” and going on too long and the second time, when Berry started to talk about his employer, to ask him to stick to Town business.
Joe Dunlop was concerned that Town Clerk Callie Crisp had cut her public hours. [Read more…] about Petersburgh Town Board Action – Clerk’s Hours