The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Local News

Letter To The Editor – Petersburgh Seniors Suck It Up

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Mr. Editor,

I am writing to clarify a point regarding the Petersburgh budget as reported in last week’s Eastwick Press.  The 10% cut in contractual services that was reported was actually on top of the cuts already made in previous budget workshops. For instance, the budget for the Seniors was actually dropped 40% from $4,230 to $2,500.

We Seniors are willing to tighten our belts for a year. This financial crisis was primarily caused by the damage from the May storms, and, keeping it in perspective, it could have been worse. Folks elsewhere have lost their  homes, incomes or lives from natural disasters. So we are proud to suck it up and do our part.

We also stand behind our youth who took an even larger cut (from $7,665 to $3,000). We will support them wherever we can if their parents take on the task of fundraising, and we urge others in the community to do the same.

Mary Lou Walters,

President Petersburgh Sunshine Seniors

Lebanon Valley Historical Society Annual Meeting

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The Lebanon Valley Historical Society invites one and all to its Annual Meeting Potluck Dinner on Monday, November 18, at the New Lebanon Town Hall (change in venue) at 6 pm with special guest speaker David Stocks on “Shakers in their own voice.” Beverages will be provided.

We hope you can join us for wonderful food and a great program.

Grafton VFD And Ladies Auxiliary Breakfast

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The Grafton Volunteer Fire Department along with the Grafton Ladies Auxiliary will be serving an All You Can Eat Buffet Breakfast on Saturday, November 30, 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!

Bernice Lewis To Perform At The New Lebanon Library

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Berkshire based folk musician Bernice Lewis will perform at the New Lebanon Library on Friday, November 22, at 6:30 pm. This event is free and open to the public although donations for the performer are appreciated.

A fixture on the coffeehouse circuit, contemporary-folk radio and at major folk festivals, Lewis, who studied vocal improvisation with Bobby McFerrin and guitar technique with Alex DeGrassi and Guy van Duser, has been a featured performer on National Public Radio’s “Mountain Stage” program and a finalist in the 1987 New Folk Songwriting Contest at the prestigious Kerrville (Texas) Folk Festival. She sings from a woman’s perspective with wit and eloquence in distinctive, powerful vocals that have been described as “utterly and uniquely her own.”

For further information, please call the Library at 518-794-8844. The Library is located at 550 State Route 20.

Festival Of Trees

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Rensselaer County’s Everett Wagar Senior Center, 2 Roxborough Road, Grafton, will be holding a Tree Festival again this year. Start thinking about how to decorate a 2 to 5 foot Christmas Tree for the Festival of Trees in Miniature at the Center in Grafton.  Trees will be displayed from Sunday, November 24, through Sunday, December 22.

The trees may be traditional or completely original but no taller than five feet and should be in place by November 23.  Local businesses, organizations and individual community members are invited to participate; prizes will be awarded.  Categories for prizes will be business or organization, adult group, adult individual, child group, child individual, most original and best traditional.

If you are interested in displaying a tree please call Donna Walker at 279-3275 or the Senior Center at 279-3413.

Dublin Porter Performs Music Of Ireland At The New Lebanon Library

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Irish music trio Dublin Porter will perform at the New Lebanon Library on Friday, November 15, at 6:30 pm. The repertoire of this Berkshire band focuses on the dance music and airs of Ireland.

For further information on this event, please call the Library at 518-794-8844. All are welcome and the event is free. The Library is located at 550 State Route 20, ¼ mile north of the yellow blinking light at the intersection of Routes 20/22.

Stephentown Texas Hold’em

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The Stephentown Volunteer Fire Department will hold a Texas Hold’em Tournament on Saturday, November 16, in the Stephentown Fire Hall, located at 35 Grange Hall Road in Stephentown. The doors will open at 5:30 pm and close at 6 pm. Play begins at 6:15 sharp.

No advance registration is required. A donation of $35 per player will be accepted and give the player 6,000 in chip value. Players can make an additional $10 donation at the door for 2,000 extra in chip value. This tournament will pay one place for every 10 players with a minimum of four places and a maximum of 9 places.

A free buffet will be served at the first break and refreshments will be available.

Celebrating The Rensselaer Plateau

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The Rensselaer Plateau Alliance is sponsoring a joint gallery show from November 15 through the month of December highlighting the Rensselaer Plateau. At the Sand Lake Center for the Arts, view current photographs of the Plateau by three area artists. At the Sand Lake Town Library see an exhibition of materials on loan from the Grafton Historical Society. [Read more…] about Celebrating The Rensselaer Plateau

Kevin McGuire Is Scrooge In A New Staging of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

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Broadway star Kevin McGuire returns to the Capital Repertory Theatre as Ebenezer Scrooge in Patrick Barlow’s rousing new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. McGuire – who founded the Theater Company at Hubbard Hall – was recently at theREP, playing artist Mark Rothko in John Logan’s critically-acclaimed Red and previously appeared as Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha. He plays a decidedly different Scrooge downtown, surrounded by actor/musicians who remember the fun found in the original tale.

Barlow, an English actor/comedian/playwright, is best known for his hit Broadway adaptation of the espionage thriller The 39 Steps. He has built a career on stripping stories down to their basics and finding frivolity in the midst of tension. In The 39 Steps, one actor played the role of spy hunter Richard Hannay, and three actors played everyone else, often switching characters at high speed in mid-scene. The result was a Charles Ludlam-like wackiness that never lost sight of the true heart of the tale.

Similarly, Barlow’s take on A Christmas Carol – which is being given its second national production at theREP –  is funny, sweet and redemptive, with, as the playwright said, “The beating heart of Dickens still safe and sound within.”

At theREP, a wonderful quartet, featuring Kevin Kelly, Marcy McGuigan, Doug Trapp and Kristyn Youngblood, creates Victorian London all around McGuire’s stingy Scrooge. In addition to juggling roles, they are creating even more characters with puppets (wait ‘til you see Tiny Tim!) and straw dolls, singing Yuletide favorites and providing all of their own accompaniment on a variety of musical instruments.

Preview performances for the family-friendly A Christmas Carol, which runs approximately two hours with one intermission, take place November 22-24. Opening night is Tuesday, November 26. Regular performances continue through Sunday, December 22. Performance times are 7:30 pm Tuesday through Thursday and 8 pm Friday and Saturday with matinees at 3 pm Saturday and 2 pm Sunday and Wednesday, December 4. The Capital Repertory Theatre is located at 111 North Pearl Street, Albany. Tickets range from $20 to $60. Students with valid ID and children under 17 pay $16 for all shows. For tickets and information on other events surrounding these performances, call Tickets by Proctors, 518-445-7469 or visit capitalrep.org.

NYS Youth Snowmobile Safety Course Offered In Grafton

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On Saturday, December 7, the Grafton Trail Blazers Snowmobile Club and the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will host a snowmobile safety course for young people ages 10 to 18. Students must be at least 10 years old on the day of the course. Parents are encouraged to attend and participate. The course will be held at the Grafton VFW/Fire Hall on South Road from 8:15 am to approximately 5 pm. The course will be taught by NYS certified volunteer instructor Jim Blessing. The course will cover topics such as NYS laws and regulations, riding skills, trail emergencies, protecting the environment, maintenance and repair, trailering, etc.  To register, call the Grafton Lakes State Park office at 279-1155 or email Elizabeth.Wagner@parks.ny.gov with the parent’s name, student’s name and age and your phone number.  Space is limited, so no walk-ins please. The course is free of charge, and lunch will be provided.