The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Rensselaer County

Rensselaer County Passes 2 Millionth Congregate Meal Mark

By

County Executive Kathleen M. Jimino recently reported that the County has surpassed the 2 million mark on meals provided to senior citizens.  “Rensselaer County has strongly supported programs and services aimed at helping our senior citizens stay healthy and in their homes for as long as they desire and are able, support that has and will continue under my watch,” stated Jimino.

The congregate meal program serves nutritionally balanced meals to senior citizens five days a week at the five Senior Services Centers located throughout the County. County Operated Senior Centers are located in Grafton, Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer, Schodack and Troy and host services from nutrition, health, legal, transportation and home care services as well as information and opportunities on how to stay active and volunteer locally to the nearly 26,000 Rensselaer County residents aged 60 and over.   Senior Services programs are administered through the Rensselaer County Unified Family Services Department for the Aging.  Each Senior Services Center also sponsors a number of events and activities including those aimed at providing education, recreation and entertainment opportunities.   

Information on the County’s programs can be obtained by calling the Rensselaer County Unified Family Services Department for the Aging at 518-270-2730 or by visiting one of the Senior Services Centers.

In concluding her remarks Jimino said, “The programs and services offered through the Department for Aging can significantly improve the quality of life of many of our senior citizens, and I urge seniors and members of their families to take a look at the services available.”

County Legislator Stan Brownell Charged With DWI

By

by Bea Peterson

Rensselaer County Legislator Stanley Brownell has pleaded not guilty to a DWI charge incurred on August 10 in Springfield, VT. According to Brownell’s attorney Daniel McManus, Vermont law states a first time offender has a right to refuse a breath test. Brownell refused it. “He is innocent until proven guilty,” said his attorney. “We haven’t seen the video that was taken in the processing room by Springfield Police.” He feels that the video will provide more evidence on Brownell’s behalf. McManus asked that people keep an open mind until the case comes to court. “It’s unfortunate that because of his position in the Legislature this case has had a lot of publicity.”

“Legislator Brownell has pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence. He expects to bring the case to trial some time this fall,” said Richard Crist, Republican Legislative Liaison from the Rensselaer County Legislature Majority Office. He added that so far as he knew, recently published stories appearing in several local daily newspapers had the facts correct.

The Eastwick Press does not have a copy of the police affidavit at this point, but, according to published reports, Brownell was stopped for driving 50 m.p.h. in a 40 m.p.h. zone. He was also alleged to be weaving in his lane, which his attorney disputes. Brownell reportedly admitted to police that he had consumed alcohol earlier in the evening. 

The case is scheduled for the Windsor, VT, District Court at 3 pm on October 8.

Experimental Paving Project On Route 43

By

 

A Callanan crew led by Francis Grant lays down an experimental type of asphalt on Route 43 across from Dave’s Market last Thursday. Photo by Pat Flint.
A Callanan crew led by Francis Grant lays down an experimental type of asphalt on Route 43 across from Dave’s Market last Thursday. Photo by Pat Flint.

Another First For Stephentown

by David Flint

The second phase of paving on Route 43 from Stephentown to the Massachusetts line began last Thursday with the laying down of an experimental new type of blacktop called warm mix asphalt (WMA). Stephentown was the first site in eastern New York State selected for the use of this new technology which originated in Europe. According to Peter Van Keuren, spokesman for the New York State Transportation Department (NYSDOT), the WMA process allows conventional hot mix asphalt to be produced at a reduced temperature, thereby saving fuel at the plant and reducing emissions at the plant and in the field for the workers and inspection staff.╩ The savings realized in energy can range from 10% to 50%.╩Since each ton of hot mix produced uses the equivalent of two gallons of diesel fuel to heat, reduced fuel consumption, he said, is obviously of interest.

He added that WMA also reduces the aging of asphalt in the plant, which may provide for a longer lasting pavement when compared to hot mix asphalt.╩ Van Keuren said that NYSDOT is allowing contractors to place trial sections, as here in Stephentown, in order to learn the benefits and limitations of different types of WMA technology.╩ 

NYSDOT has already used over 30,000 tons of WMA on State owned roads, mostly in the Syracuse area using a number of different forms of the technology. Demonstration projects have also been carried out on some county and town roads.

Francis Grant, a native of Stephentown and Paving Foreman for Callanan Industries, was in charge of the job on Route 43. Grant is aware that NYSDOT is excited about the potential for WMA as “the green thing” that will also serve to reduce the cost of highway maintenance in the State. Some have said that in the next five years NYSDOT will be using only WMA. Grant, however, is far from convinced that the technology in its present form is the wave of the future. This was his first experience with WMA, and he was not pleased with the quality of the job that was done. Grant said they used WMA in the eastbound lane but for the westbound lane and for the shoulders they used conventional asphalt. The westbound land and the shoulders are fine, he said, but the eastbound lane is not smooth, and it is slippery even though the material is open graded for a porous surface. The material, he said, is very difficult to work with. In his 30 years in road work, Grant said he has never worked with material this bad. He believes that the machinery currently being used to lay roads will need some adaptations to properly work with WMA. He believes the technology will eventually improve but if it is to be the wave of the future it will have to test out better than this. 

Van Keuren said he believes the WMA in Stephentown “was placed on a day that was apparently too cold and was too far from the plant and therefore has some ride and aesthetic issues.╩ The contractor is going to address some of these issues, but it is not completely determined the extent of the repairs required.” He added that NYSDOT did use the opportunity to make test samples to test for durability and to compare the new technology with hot mix asphalt.╩ In tests from other projects he said that so far the technology appears to maintain durability.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, “The benefits of warm mix asphalt technologies to the United States in terms of energy savings and air quality improvements are promising, but these technologies need further investigation and research in order to validate their expected performance and added value.”

Letter To The Editor – State And County Officials Ignore Rural Area

By

To The Editor: 

 Since 2003 we have been addressing Senators, Governors, County Legislators, politicians (and prospective politicians), regarding a transportation problem with United Family Services, Department of Aging, for transportation to and from Stephentown. 

My husband’s health required multiple doctors and treatments in the Albany area. The van service has been very sporadic. Since May of this year we have requested the van service 21 times. He received it twice. There never has been a problem with the Veterans Department going to their facility in Albany. The American Cancer Society and the Immaculate Conception Church in New Lebanon were able to give him some assistance. Our last resort to get medical transportation was to rent an apartment in Rensselaer and prepare the house for sale in Stephentown that we have lived in for 21 years. 

My husband was told it took 45 minutes each way for the van service. Not his problem, but one for the County to address. We now pay rent, a mortgage, double utilities, insurances, etc. etc. My husband has worked all his life, speaks the English language, paid into the system but is “above the financial cut-off’ for any financial assistance. Income is only taken into consideration, not the medical and everyday living expenses.  We spend billions to kill people, but pennies to improve our health care. 

Please elect the candidates who recognize and have the compassion and power to take action for those residents (especially seniors with no relatives) living in rural areas, not only in Rensselaer County, but other rural areas. 

Frances McNamara  

Rensselaer and Stephentown

Lebanon Valley Historical Society Plans Programs For 2009

By

At the meeting on September 17, the Board of Directors of the Lebanon Valley Historical Society agreed on three programs for 2009 and discussed a number of others.  They are listed below for your information.  If you have any suggestions or comments, please contact us.  We plan to have the final list ready for presentation at the Annual Meeting in November.  Remember that the Annual Meeting is also the time when members renew their memberships and vote for the slate of officers for 2009.

The three programs planned for sure are:

• “Echoes of The Echo” – Tom Bleezarde, son of a co-founder of The Echo, offers the story of the founding and early history (1940 – 1974) of “the independent home town paper of the Lebanon and Taconic Valleys.”

• Samuel J. Tilden and the Presidential Election of 1876 – Todd Houghtlin will discuss the Tilden campaign and loss, supplemented by Robert Allard’s imaginative “What If Tilden Had Won?”

• The Shaker Swamp Project, a 30 minute documentary film by Ted Timreck, was offered in June 2008 and was very popular.  Because many members missed that showing, this program will be offered in 2009.  The project is identifying the medicinal plants still found in the Swamp that were the basis of Shaker remedies and later Tilden pharmaceuticals.

Other Programs Ideas

• History of the Lebanon Valley Speedway, presented by Howard Commander, proprietor.

• Historical importance of Native Americans in the Valley, presented by Town Historian Kevin Fuerst.

• The Underground Railroad in Lebanon Valley.

• Columbia County Historical Society presentation on CCHS activities and plans.

• School history, possibly with Lenny Brown III presenting.

• Churches of the Valley – focus on the Baptist Church in Lebanon Springs, which has not been recently discussed.

• Restaurants Past and Present – The Pillars, The Showboat, Mario’s, Lenny’s, Fresco’s.

Incidents Of Rabies In Rensselaer County

By

 

A cat tested positive for the rabies virus in a populated area of Rensselaer County.  The cat was captured on September 4 in the area of Capitol Boulevard and Route 150 in Sand Lake.  Sick or rabid animals will demonstrate unusual behavior, such as no fear of humans, wandering around during daylight and wandering into residential areas.

If your domestic animal has wounds from an incident you did not see, prior to September 4, you should have the animal evaluated by your veterinarian.

A raccoon tested positive for the rabies virus in a populated area of Rensselaer County.  The raccoon was captured on September 14, in the area of Highland Ave. and Bleecker Ave. in the City of Troy.  Typically, raccoons will feed out of dumpsters, garbage cans and on food left out for other animals.  Therefore, the County Health Department reminds residents of the importance of securely covering their garbage cans.  

Keeping pets up to date on rabies vaccinations is also very important. This not only to protects the pets but also protects family members from potential exposure to rabies and the post-exposure rabies shots.

Rensselaer County Officials are reminding residents of the precautions, as well as the steps to follow if you or someone in your care comes into contact with an animal that could be rabid.

Rabies exposure can include a bite, a scratch or saliva contact with a rabid animal.

Residents should avoid contact with wild or stray animals.

Report all animal bites or contact with wild animals to the Rensselaer County Department of Health for follow-up.

Although rabies is normally transmitted through a bite or scratch of an infected animal, the virus can be transmitted by contact with saliva through mucous membranes (such as eyes or nose) or through broken skin. Therefore it is important to remember if your pet or any animal is attacked or wounded by a potentially rabid animal, to protect yourself first and never handle the wounded animal with your bare hands.

For more information on rabies prevention, including the schedule of rabies clinics for your pets or what you should do if exposed to a potentially rabid animal, please contact the Rensselaer County Department of Health at 270-2655 or visit our web page at http://www.rensco.com/publichealth_vm_2.asp.

Second Electronics Recycling Day Set For October 4

By

The Rensselaer County Legislature is again joining with eLot Recycling to sponsor an electronics recycling day for County residents in October, Chairman of the Legislature Neil J. Kelleher announced.

The second electronics recycling day will be held Saturday, October 4, from 9 am to 2 pm at the upper parking lot of the County Office Building, 1600 7th Avenue, downtown Troy.

The second electronics recycling event follows the inaugural electronics recycling day held in March which was rated a big success by County officials and eLot. More than 350 cars visited the event, and approximately 50,000 pounds of recyclable electronics were dropped off.

“The first recycling day was a tremendous success and a real service for County residents. We expect the second day will also be a success and thank eLot for their continued partnership with Rensselaer County in this endeavor,” said Kelleher.

 In the months following the inaugural recycling day, representatives from eLot and the County Environmental Management Council worked to schedule the second recycling event.

 Electronics that can be recycled include computers, copiers, printers, scanners, fax machines, air conditioners, refrigerators and various household appliances. There is no cost for County residents, except for a $10 charge per television and a $30 charge per wood console. Proof of identification may be required for those wishing to participate.

“This recycling effort helps protect the environment and allows residents to dispose of these items safely and inexpensively,” said Legislator Alex Shannon, chairman of the Legislature’s Environmental Committee.

 “eLot Recycling is excited to be holding another recycling event with Rensselaer County. The last event was a huge success, and we kept 50,000 pounds of mixed electronics and appliances out of the waste stream. We look forward to assisting all of Rensselaer County residents at our October 4 event, and we look forward to keeping Rensselaer County green,” said eLot’s Peter Bindleglass.

Residents with questions about the second Rensselaer County Electronics Recycling Day are invited to call the County Environmental Management Council office at 270-2888.