The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Local News

Developer Withdraws Glamping Application from Petersburgh

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by Alex Brooks

At a special meeting of the Petersburgh Planning Board held on Monday, December 13, Chairperson Janet Spitz said the application for approval of a high-end camping resort on East Hollow Road has been withdrawn by the developer. The communication from the developer’s attorney confirming withdrawal of the application did not state the reason for it, but it appears to be about additional permits that may be required and the possibility that it would be be declared a Type 1 action under SEQRA, which would require an extensive (and expensive) environmental review. The Eastwick Press contacted said attorney, John Hartzell, who said [Read more…] about Developer Withdraws Glamping Application from Petersburgh

Stephentown House Heavily Damaged By Fire

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by Doug La Rocque

Stephentown Firefighters were called out in the early morning hours on Tuesday, December 14, to battle a structure fire at 116 Knapps Road, just east of the NYS Routes 43 and 22 intersection. According to Rensselaer County Director of Public Safety Jay Wilson, the Knapps awoke to find a fire in the wall near a wood stove. They managed to escape safely, but [Read more…] about Stephentown House Heavily Damaged By Fire

A Glimmer of Hope for Route 7 Traffic

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by Doug La Rocque

If you have ever traveled NYS Route 7 (Hoosick Road) during rush hour or on weekends, you have probably had a few not so pleasant words about the traffic situation. It is often backed up so it takes many turns of a traffic light to proceed, exiting and entering the road can be quite the challenge and is sometimes a nightmare for emergency vehicles. Traffic was a major topic of discussion for the Brunswick Planning Board when they deliberated the new Aldi, Hannaford and [Read more…] about A Glimmer of Hope for Route 7 Traffic

Hoosick Falls Municipal Parking Lot Changes Have Unintended Consequences

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by Doug La Rocque

The Hoosick Falls Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, December 14 opened with a public hearing on Local Law #3, which restricted parking on Elm Street near the Village Pizzeria to 15 minutes. The change involved a 60-foot section of the road. There were no speakers, and the Board later passed the law unanimously. What did spark debate, however, was an October change that limited the number of all night parking spaces in municipal lots, particularly the one off [Read more…] about Hoosick Falls Municipal Parking Lot Changes Have Unintended Consequences

SVMC Restricts Visitors

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Submitted by SVMC

In response to a sustained surge in cases of COVID-19 throughout Vermont and to mitigate the spread of the virus, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), part of Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), will suspend in-person visits for hospital patients starting Monday, December 13. Visitor restrictions also include the health system’s practices and off-campus offices. Visitation at SVMC and other hospital systems has been restricted during times of increased transmission throughout the pandemic.

The policy has some exceptions:

[Read more…] about SVMC Restricts Visitors

New Water Source Announced for Hoosick Falls

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by Doug La Rocque

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has released their decision on how to provide a new permanent source of clean drinking water for the Village of Hoosick Falls. That decision calls for:
• Developing two new groundwater supply wells. Existing test wells south of Hoosick Falls will be converted to production wells;
• Retaining one existing village well. Redundancy is required in the case of an outage of the primary wells;
• Constructing a water transmission line from the new wells to the village water treatment plant along public rights of way;
• Continued operation of the public water supply treatment plant to remove naturally occurring elements, and ensure disinfection and distribution to meet applicable water supply requirements; and
• Retaining the existing GAC treatment system to ensure removal of ambient organic compounds.

The two new well sites are on land off NYS Route 22 south of the Village, owned by Jeff Wysocki and Jerry LaCroix. That is what many had speculated would be the answer for a year now, ever since DEC [Read more…] about New Water Source Announced for Hoosick Falls

Helping for the Holidays

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Through the generosity of people in the area, the Berlin Community Food Coset provided Thanksgiving dinner boxes to 15 families, cooked a turkey for one family and delivered individual meals to 6 people and couples. The Closet is working on collecting food for Christmas baskets. Hams, yams and cake mixes are needed. Stewart’s gas cards are needed as well. If you know of families that are in need of Christmas food and are not receiving help from another pantry, please contact the United Methodist Church by calling 518-658-2942.

Donations can be left at Taconic Mountain Insurance, with the Berlin Town Clerk or by calling to make arrangements for someone to meet you at the church.

On Saturday, January 15, from 9 to 11 am, the Food Closet will sponsor a free, take out only soup, bread and dessert buffet. Reservations are required, and can be made by calling the church at the number listed above.

[Read more…] about Helping for the Holidays

Latest PFOA/PFOS Testing Finds Three New Contaminated Wells in Poestenkill

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Submitted by the Rensselaer County Department of Health

A seventh round of sampling of properties in Poestenkill for PFOA has been concluded, with three new properties found to have levels of PFOA above the state-permitted levels, County officials announced on Thursday, December 2.

The results were finalized Wednesday and prepared for public release. The seventh round of testing results follows a sixth round last month in which no new properties were found to be [Read more…] about Latest PFOA/PFOS Testing Finds Three New Contaminated Wells in Poestenkill

Schodack Planning Board Highlights

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by Denise Wright 

During the December 6 Schodack Planning Board meeting, public hearings were a topic for discussion. The first was about Schuurman Road’s Schodack Golf 12 lot subdivision. The 294 acre project is looking to extend the water district approximately 900’. Board members voiced concern about drainage and the culvert on Schuurman Road. The presenter assured the Board they were not pushing water out on Schuurman Road. The Board approved the subdivision to go to engineering. 

The second public hearing was about the proposed special permit for a cemetery [Read more…] about Schodack Planning Board Highlights

Questionable Section of Track Is Under Repair in Hoosick Falls

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Throughout the summer, State, County and local officials have been urging Pan Am Railway to do something about an undersized culvert (disputed by Pan Am) that they contend is undermining the rail bed on a section of track near Railroad Avenue. County Legislator Bruce Patire and Hoosick Councilman Jerry McAuliffe have been leading the charge for the repairs, citing a NYS Department of Transportation safety inspection that said there is movement of the tracks when [Read more…] about Questionable Section of Track Is Under Repair in Hoosick Falls