West Stephentown – Helen Rice Kenyon Johnson, 101, of Route 43, West Stephentown, NY, died Sunday, June 9, 2013, at her residence surrounded by her loving family.
Born in North Schodack, NY, she was the daughter of the late Henry and Gertrude Mackey Rice and the wife of the late Joseph A. Kenyon and J. Franklin Johnson. She had resided in North Schodack until moving to West Stephentown in 1933. She lived in Troy, NY, for 13 years, moving back to West Stephentown upon the death of her husband, Frank. Mrs. Johnson was educated at Rensselaer High School and Albany Business College.
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Stephentown
Get Along Little Dogie
by Thaddeus Flint
And they’re off! The riding has begun at Stephentown’s newest business, Cinch ‘em Up Stables, which opened Saturday, June 1.
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A Little Night Music Party To Benefit The Stephentown Memorial Library
Join the Friends of Stephentown Memorial Library for an evening of A Little Night Music on Saturday, June 15, from 7 to 10 pm at the Berkshire Mountain House Bed & Breakfast, 150 Berkshire Way, Stephentown. Music for the party will be provided by Doug Schmolze, performing a varied repertoire of solo guitar and vocal music.
Tickets for the benefit cost $25 per person and include two glasses of wine, plentiful delicious hors d’oeuvres, decadent desserts and hot and cold beverages. Tickets are available at the Library, at the door or from any of the Friends of Stephentown Memorial Library. There will also be the opportunity to purchase “mystery” bottles of donated wine for $10 each and take part in a 50/50 raffle. Proceeds will benefit operation of the Stephentown Memorial Library. Call Mona Berg at 518-733-6923 for more information or directions.
Doug Schmolze, tenor and classical guitarist, studied at the Berklee School of Music and is also a Certified Music Practitioner, trained in the Music for Healing and Transition Program. His music for this event will come from the greats of the decades of the 20s, 30s and 40s such as George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and Harold Arlen. Schmolze will also play some international music and classical guitar solos.
Berkshire Mountain House Bed & Breakfast is a spacious contemporary inn, situated on a hilltop with incredible views of the mountains from its broad decks and many windows. The location is reached from Route 22 via Wyomanock Road.
Two Stephentown Vets Nominated For Hall Of Fame
by David Flint
At a ceremony at the Half Moon Town Hall on May 14 State Senator Kathleen Marchione recognized the service of 14 veterans from around the 43rd State Senate District. The occasion was to announce the Senator’s choice for induction into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame. Nominated to represent the Veterans of Stephentown were World War II veterans Vincent Devlin and Franklyn Mooney.
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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.
Upcoming Events At The Stephentown Memorial Library
June is National Safety Month and the Stephentown Memorial Library is offering three programs to help the community increase its safety awareness. SML is partnering with The Sexual Assault and Crime Victims Assistance Program (SACVAP) for Rensselaer County for these programs. SACVAP is committed to reducing the trauma of sexual assault, crime and violence as well as providing community education for its prevention. More information can be found at the website: http://www.nehealth.com/Medical_Care/SAM/Sexual_Assault_Center/.
• Bullying/Cyber Bullying/Bystander Intervention for Children – Tuesday, June 4, at 6:30 pm. School age children are invited to join us for this informative program about bullying. This session defines what bullying/cyber bullying behavior is and the idea of bystander intervention. Additionally, this program will offer information to help your child deal with bullying behavior, how your child may help somebody being bullied and what a bully can do to change his or her behavior.
• Parental Information on Bullying/Cyber Bullying – Monday, June 10, at 6:30 pm. This presentation discusses bullying/cyber bullying behavior from a parent’s viewpoint and outlines what to do if your child is being bullied or is a bully, as well as suggestions to provide to your child if they see someone being bullied. All parent, caregivers, and other adults who work with children are welcome to this program.
• Safety for Seniors – Protect Yourself – Tuesday, June 11, at 2 pm. This program provides personal safety information for adults over the age of 60 who may be targeted because of age and/or vulnerability and includes crimes at home, on the street and on the internet as well as frauds and scams targeting seniors. The program also shows how to avoid becoming a victim of financial exploitation. Coffee and light refreshments will be served.
Registration is not required but is appreciated for these programs.
• Social Security Online Services – Informational Program. On Wednesday, June 5, at 1 pm the Library welcomes Michael Dinneen from the Social Security Administration. He will be explaining the new online My Social Security program which allows access to social security benefit information online. He will help individuals set up an online account. Please join us for this informative program.
For more information on any of these programs or to register for programs, call the Stephentown Memorial Library at 733-5750 or stop by during our Library hours. Also check our website, www.stephentownlibrary.org for regular updates.
Horseback Riding In Stephentown
submitted by Cassidy Chamberlain, Cinch’em Up Stables
Come be a cowboy or cowgirl for the day at Cinch ‘em Up Stables’ grand opening on June 1 and 2. There will be door prizes and giveaways. Take a horseback ride up on the mountain trails which have amazing views of the surrounding mountain ranges and on most days the beautiful Catskills Mountains can be seen. Or take a ride through the tall grassy fields and ride along the Kinderhook Creek.
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Thomas B. Wheeler
Stephentown – On Friday, May 24, 2013, Thomas B. Wheeler, 85, passed away peacefully in the home where he was born on December 22, 1927. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, their seven children, their twelve grandchildren and his four sisters. Tom was in the US Navy. He taught school for many years at Onteora Central School in Boiceville, NY, and New Lebanon Central School in New Lebanon, NY. After retiring in 1989, he worked at Madden’s Garage in Stephentown, NY.
A Visitation Service was held on Monday, May 27, from 4 to 6 pm at the Hall & Higgins Funeral Home, 457 NY 43, Stephentown.
Stephentown ZBA Denies Motocross Use Variance
by David Flint
The Stephentown Zoning Board of Appeals decided Wednesday in a split vote to deny a use variance to Howard Commander that would have allowed him to construct a Motocross park in a residential zone. Board Chairman Roland Barth joined with Board Members Freling Smith and Peter Ellard in voting to deny the variance. Board Members Joseph Champion and Richard Sime voted to grant the variance.
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