Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper
by Bea Peterson
The Hoosick Falls Fire Department has served the community for 167 years. On Saturday, January 24, officers were installed at the Annual Banquet. A scrumptious dinner was served by Jean’s Place. Outgoing Chief Robert Bornt was Master of Ceremony. Rev. Dale Hall gave the Invocation that included a moment of silence for all deceased members, and the Benediction. Music was provided by Matt Shaw.
[Read more…] about New Officers Installed At Hoosick Falls Fire Department
by Alex Brooks
The Petersburgh Planning Board began its meeting on January 26 with a public hearing on a minor family subdivision proposed by Raymond and Genevieve Bogucki. This would divide their 185 acre lot into one parcel of 4.9 acres containing the house and garage and another lot containing the remaining acreage. Both lots have plenty of road frontage on Hill Hollow Road.
[Read more…] about Petersburgh Planning Board Action – Mobile Home Ordinance Revisited
by Kieron Kramer
In spite of the weather hysteria, the Grafton Planning Board held its regular meeting on Monday at 7 pm under the guidance of Planning Board Chairman Tom Withcuskey. There were two new faces at this meeting. Linda Laveway was appointed at the Organizational meeting on January 5 to fill the vacancy caused by Pete Gundrum’s resignation in early June for personal reasons. Allison Kirchner is the new Secretary to the Planning Board, replacing Jessica Crandall, who left in order to concentrate on her job and her academics. There was no one in the audience, probably because of the dire weather reports. All Board members were present except Arthur Surprise. There was no snow.
[Read more…] about Grafton Planning Board Action – New Faces
compiled by Bea Peterson
The Town of Hoosick Board held its organizational meeting at 6 pm on Monday, January 12. The following appointments and resolutions were passed.
submitted by Gail Smith
The Red Cross’ first 2015 community blood drive in Hoosick Falls will be held at Hoosick Falls First Baptist Church at 80 Main Street, Hoosick Falls, on Friday, February 6, from 1 to 6 pm.
Hoosick has Heart has set its goal at 500 units again this year for all drives in the Town of Hoosick, including community, school and business.
To make your appointment, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or go online at redcrossblood.org to make your appointment.
Let’s start the year off with a bang and help fill that blood bank.
The Lebanon Valley Heritage Center announces a new exhibition, of Shaker and other antique tools, to run from January 30 through March 31, 2015. The many tools displayed, from private collections, include rare items such as two types of corner drills, an assemblage of jeweler’s tools and a “traveler.” The exhibition will be of interest not only to collectors and aficionados of old tools but also to followers of local history and the general public.
The Heritage Center is a collaboration of the New Lebanon Economic Development Committee, the Lebanon Valley Historical Society and scores of dedicated volunteers. The Center welcomes individual visitors and groups Fridays 2 to 4 pm, Saturdays 10 am to 12 pm, Sundays 11 am to 1 pm and by appointment. It is centrally located in the Valley Plaza Mall on Rts. 20/22. Through evolving displays, maps, books, old magazines and newspapers, photos, furniture and other objects, and multimedia, the Center showcases New Lebanon’s fascinating history of over 250 years; it also serves as a tourist bureau offering current maps (road and trail), guides, listings of events and lodging and eating places, and other information of interest to visitors.
submitted by Andy Zlotnick, Scoutmaster, Troop 222
Troop 222 spent December planning a full day visit to the Capitol in Albany, NYS Police Aviation Unit and the Troop G Headquarters in Latham. The Scouts of Troop 222 along with the Cub Scouts of Pack 911 spent the morning of December 29 touring the NYS Capital Building. The tour was taken by over 35 Scouts and their families and took about one hour. [Read more…] about Troop 222’s Day In Albany In December
The Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation Foundation (The Health Center) is playing cupid this Valentine’s Day. The Center’s Foundation will be selling premium red roses and fine milk chocolate covered strawberries to raise funds for the foundation. “It’s a win-win! Treat your Valentine to beautiful red roses or delicious milk chocolate covered strawberries while supporting a local non-profit organization,” said Joyce Davis, Foundation Board President.
The community is encouraged to order at Artistic Hair Designs, Hoosick True Value, Maggie’s Beauty Shop and Thorpe’s Pharmacy. Milk chocolate covered strawberries start at $10 a box and red roses range from $20 to $50, and you can choose to include a card. The $50 packages include a combination of milk chocolate covered strawberries, a card and premium red roses.
Pick-up will be at 43 Church Street (the former Goober’s Pizza) on Friday, February 13, from 3 to 6 pm or Saturday, February 14, from 9 am to 1 pm. Street parking will be readily available as well as parking in the lot across the street.
For more information on ordering, please call Christina at 518-423-5636. If organizations would like to arrange for larger orders (20+ dozens), delivery can be arranged.
BCS Senior Kyle Burdick has played soccer since he was four years old. His experience and commitment was evident this year as the team was undefeated during the regular season becoming CHVL league champions. The team also reached the third round of sectionals, only losing to Lake George – their toughest competitor.
[Read more…] about Berlin’s Kyle Burdick Is BCS December Scholar Athlete
To the Editor:
In 1962 an horrific event occurred in the Town of Berlin and made national news when a propane tanker truck lost its brakes on the Plank Road.
Today, in the Town of Berlin’s firehouse, there is a sample piece of the propane tanker truck that shows the faulty welding of the tank wall. This sample is part of several that were taken to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute metallurgical lab for testing to determine why the propane tank ruptured. The tank was supposed to be ultra-safe and was guaranteed to be Fail Safe. However, with human error, poor quality control, no serious government oversight; the impossible occurred, the tank ruptured.
Part of the Town of Berlin was instantaneously filled with a giant fog blossom of explosive propane gas. It was suppertime in this community and someone cooking supper on a gas stove or burning papers or with any open flame set this gas cloud off. It had filled every nook and cranny, including the residents homes, and when it blew it laid all four walls of some of the houses on the ground and killed some of the residents.
Both of my parents perished in this devastation, one living for two days and the other three. They were in horrific pain – a memory that has never left me. To my knowledge the driver and eleven or twelve people were also killed.
Anyone who wishes to view the sample at the firehouse should contact Ivan Wager, he was in the Berlin Fire Department when this occurred and is in charge of the display.
If the proposed Stephentown liquefied fracked gas line, under a very high pressure of 1460 PSI (pounds per square inch), were to rupture, it would create a similar cloud of gas many times larger, with devastating results. Most of the new jobs will be for morticians picking up the bodies. Our rural volunteer fire departments and rescue squads if anyone survived would be overwhelmed.
These are gigantic, foreign owned corporations, National Grid is owned by the British, New York State Electric and Gas is owned by the Spanish. Kinder Morgan plans to ship its gas product through Stephentown on its way to Boston to sell to overseas buyers. Stephentown is considered by them a wasteland. We will have to wait and see if they, the citizens of Stephentown have enough courage and community spirit to defeat this threat.
My personal concern, even though I no longer live in Stephentown, is for two of my sons, their wives and my granddaughter who all live in very close proximity to this proposed pipeline. I also have many friends and acquaintances there. We should band together and not let this giant corporation determine what should be done with our beautiful valley.
Sincerely,
Daniel McCumber
Petersburgh, NY
