Free fishing, sponsored by New York State, is Saturday and Sunday, June 29 and 30, from 9 to 11 am at Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center. Fish without a license. Guides will be available to help you get started if you’ve never fished before. Use our fishing poles or bring your own.
Grafton
June Events In Eastwick Area State Parks
Fans of frogs, fish, and constellations will find intriguing programs at Grafton Lakes State Park in June.
On Friday, June 28, enjoy our Star Watch, a free tour of the night sky with Albany Area Astronomers and their telescopes, starting at 9:30 pm. In case of overcast skies, program will be moved to Saturday the 29th. Enter the park for this after-hours program via the Winter Entrance on Long Pond Road and follow the signs to the Star Watch.
On Saturday, June 29, Department of Environmental Conservation’s Fisheries Educators will offer a drop-in fishing clinic from 11am until 2 pm by the Long Pond docks. Learn about local fish and try casting off the dam with fishing poles provided by DEC. Both Saturday and Sunday, visitors can fish without a license in Grafton Lakes State Park and Cherry Plain State Park as part of the statewide free fishing weekend.
Swimming is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm through Labor Day. Entrance fees are $8/vehicle. The Park is open daily for hiking, picnicking and biking from 8 am until dusk. For more information about park programs, call Liz Wagner at 279-1155.
Grafton Town Board Action – Grafton Trail Riders Variance Passes
by Alex Brooks
At its meeting on June 10, the Grafton Town Board tried for the third time to pass a variance allowing the Grafton Trail Riders to have limited camping on their property at 29 Trail Riders Way. This time the resolution passed unanimously with a 4-0 vote. Councilwoman Marie Claus was not present.
[Read more…] about Grafton Town Board Action – Grafton Trail Riders Variance Passes
Sullivan-Jones VFW Monthly Breakfast
The Sullivan-Jones VFW Post 7466 will be holding its monthly buffet breakfast on Sunday, June 9, from 8 to 11 am in Poestenkill. Breakfast includes eggs, home fries, sausage, pancakes, French toast sticks, fruit, toast, juice, tea, coffee and milk.
The cost for adults is $7, $3 for children 6 to 12 years old and free for children 5 years and under. Please come and enjoy!
Scholarships For Children’s Nature Camp
The Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center announces that scholarships are available for children aged 6 through 9 to attend a one week nature camp. The “Summer Outdoor Learning Adventure” is held from 9 am until 3 pm, with after care hours available. Children spend the entire day outdoors learning about nature and having fun. Each day is spent hiking, exploring and discovering things about the natural world around us. The scholarship covers the full cost of the one week session. Paid registrations are also still being accepted. Please visit our website at www.dykenpond.org or contact the Center at dykenpond@fairpoint.net or 518-658-2055 for an application and more information.
Grafton Planning Board Action – Land For Kids
by Kieron Kramer
The Grafton Planning Board met on Monday, May 20, and accepted the applications for two subdivisions, both on Edelmann Lane near the town line with Pittstown. One was the major subdivision of property owned by Clark Edelmann and his sister MaryLou MacNaughton into five parcels. The other was a three lot minor subdivision of the old Harbinger estate by Lawrence “Jamie” Meracle, Jr. [Read more…] about Grafton Planning Board Action – Land For Kids
Grafton Trail Riders Variance Fails
by Alex Brooks
The Grafton Town Board held a Special Meeting on Tuesday, May 28, to consider a variance for the Grafton Trail Riders Club concerning overnight camping in travel trailers. Grafton Town Supervisor Frank Higgins read a resolution which appeared to be the same one offered two weeks ago at the regular meeting, and it failed by the same vote as it did two weeks before. Marie Claus, Rick Ungaro and Mike Crandall voted against it, and Higgins and Barbara Messenger voted in favor.
Tom Withcuskey asked if he could speak. He expressed impatience at the continuing impasse. “Enough’s enough,” he said. He said he and others have been working on this resolution since January. Withcuskey said he was the coordinator of the effort, with input from the Grafton Trail Riders, the Town Attorney and the Supervisor.
Councilman Rick Ungaro then offered his own version which was substantially similar but confined the overnight camping to just the one weekend in September known as the Over the Mountain weekend. Higgins asked him if the Town Attorney had seen this version of the resolution, and Ungaro said no.
Ungaro made a motion to pass his resolution, and Mike Crandall seconded it, but Supervisor Higgins said they could not vote on it until the Town Attorney had seen it, and he made a motion instead to adjourn the meeting, which was approved.
Marie Claus complained that she was not consulted or notified about the Special Meeting. She only knew about it because she read a notice in The Eastwick Press. She asked that the Supervisor and the Town Clerk contact all Board members when a Special meeting is scheduled.
With nothing accomplished, everyone filed out of the meeting room. There were knots of people in corners of the building and out in the parking lot expressing frustration.
Time Capsule Openings
The Berlin Central School District will open the time capsules at the Grafton Elementary School and the Stephentown Elementary School. The items in the time capsules will be turned over to the Historical Societies of the two towns.
Everyone is welcome to attend these events and share your memories of the schools.
The Stephentown Elementary School time capsule opening will be on Saturday, June 8, at 10 am. The Grafton Elementary School time capsule opening will be on Saturday, June 22, at 10 am.
Feathers Of Hope At The Stephentown Historical Society
Author Barbara Chepaitis will give a talk, “Feathers of Hope: Berkshire Bird Paradise and the Human Connection With Birds,” at the Stephentown Historical Society meeting on Monday, June 3, at 7:30 pm. The meeting will be at the Stephentown Heritage Center on Garfield Road, Stephentown. It is free and open to the public. The building is handicapped accessible. For directions or information, phone 518-733-0010.
The Berkshire Bird Paradise Sanctuary in Grafton is a bird sanctuary for disabled and injured birds which strives to give them a safe haven to live, thrive and rehabilitate as best they can. Peter Dubacher started the Berkshire Bird Paradise, a certified not for profit company, back in 1972 as a “labor of love.” It has grown into one of the largest bird sanctuaries in the country with over 1,000 birds and almost 100 different species.
About 40% of the birds are permanently disabled and will be there for the rest of their lives. The disabled birds live in habitats custom designed to be as natural as possible and to challenge them to work and climb and be productive. The goal is to “allow the birds to live out their natural lives with dignity.”
The sanctuary has evolved into an outdoor educational institution, where visitors and students on field trips or on college internship programs can learn about birds. The sanctuary is also a small botanical garden with hundreds of plants and exotic flowers. It is open every day, weather depending, from Memorial Day weekend until the end of October.
Chepaitis is the author of eight published books and is on the faculty at the Western College of Colorado low-residency creative writing program. Feathers of Hope was her first non-fiction book. She has followed it with Rescue of Eagle Mitch, also involving the Berkshire Bird Paradise. Mitch, a wounded Steppe Eagle, was rescued in Afghanistan by a Navy SEAL and an Army Ranger. Barbara facilitated the journey of the now-flightless bird to its home at the Grafton sanctuary.
Grafton VFD And Ladies Auxiliary Breakfast
The Grafton Volunteer Fire Department along with the Grafton Ladies Auxiliary will be holding an All You Can Eat Buffet Breakfast on Saturday, June 29, from 8 to 11 am at the Grafton VFW – Fire Hall on South Road (County Route 85).
Belgian waffles, pancakes, French toast, eggs (made to order), sausage gravy & biscuits, bacon, sausage, home fries, toast, orange juice, coffee and milk are on the menu. The cost is $9 per adult, $4 for kids 12 and under and free for kids five and under.
We look forward to serving you.