The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Hoosick Falls

We Sure’nuff Had a Parade

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by Doug La Rocque
As The Eastwick Press pointed out last week, what the pandemic couldn’t do this year Mother Nature did (postpone the St. Patrick’s Day parade), but a week later even she was in a much more benevolent mood, holding off the Saturday rain showers until later in the day so revelers could march down Main and Church Streets in all their Irish finery. 

Last year the parade organizers were able to hold a “Halfway Hooley” in September, and while enjoyable, many commented it just did not feel like St. Patrick’s Day. That was not the case this past Saturday, March 19, when almost all of the bands and floats scheduled to take part the previous Saturday were able to return.

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Hoosick Falls CSD Budget Taking Shape

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by Chris Tergliafera

At the March 17 regular meeting of the Hoosick Falls Central School District Board, the 2022-2023 budget, introduced during last month’s meeting, continued to take shape. The School Tax levy, which currently sits at 3.5%, is already far lower than it was during the initial presentation. It was explained that the tax levy would more than likely already be under the 2.65% allowed increase, if it weren’t for the increasing costs of fuel and electricity. The current tax levy of 3.5% is not final, and work will be done in the coming weeks to bring it down further. 

In addition to the budget, the upcoming vote will also see three School Board seat vacancies and a number of propositions. The first proposition has to do with adding to the existing capital project approved in 2019. No further funds are needed — approval would allow for adding to and changing the scope of the project, while remaining under the previously approved amount.

Next is the bus purchase proposition, which would

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Joan M. DeRosa – Obituary

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Hoosick Falls – Joan Marie (Keegan) DeRosa, 80, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 19, 2022, surrounded by her family. She was born on July 24, 1941 in Hoosick Falls, New York, daughter of the late Charles M. Keegan and Margaret (O’Neil) Keegan.

Joan graduated from St. Mary’s Academy and continued her education at Samaritan School of Nursing where she graduated as a registered nurse. Her work gave her the opportunity to care for patients in both Florida and then New York City before returning to her hometown of Hoosick Falls. Her nursing career started with working on the floor but then transitioned to the nursery, a place she especially enjoyed. After retirement, she continued helping others as a social worker in Rensselaer County where she worked for over 20 years. Her career speaks to who she was: a caregiver to all. [Read more…] about Joan M. DeRosa – Obituary

A Little Snow Can’t Keep a Good Parade Down

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Hoosick Falls St. Patrick’s Day Parade Rescheduled for Saturday

by Doug La Rocque
What COVID-19 could not do this year, Mother Nature did: cancel the annual March St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Village of Hoosick Falls. But you cannot keep a good parade down. Returning in September last year made over as a Halfway Hooley, there was great anticipation for the parade’s reappearance on Saturday, March 12. What was not anticipated was a winter storm, initially forecast to drop up to as much as a foot of snow. Too much snow was afoot to think about safely holding a parade, so once again the March date met its fate. But like the little leprechaun standing there with his dukes up, this year’s parade is not going down without a fight. The organizers are hoping for a little “luck of the Irish” and have rescheduled the event for Saturday, March 19, even though Mother Nature looks like she might “rain on the parade.”

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More Overnight Parking Provided in Hoosick Falls

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by Doug La Rocque

At their February meeting, the Hoosick Falls Board of Trustees heard several comments about a lack of overnight parking in the Village, forcing more cars onto the street. At that time, the Trustees promised to look into the matter, and returned at their Tuesday, March 8 meeting with a proposal to change the rules for the Church Street parking lot. The Board approved a resolution that converts the 14 parking spaces in the middle of the lot from time restricted to 24 hour parking, hoping this will help ease the problem.

Police Review and Reports

In March last year the Trustees approved the State required police review plan. Part of that plan was the establishment of a Police Review and Reform Board for the Village. After a year of work putting together all the pieces, a local law was introduced to formally establish that Board. It will consist of five members, all serving one-year terms and appointed by the Trustees. The Village Clerk and the Deputy Mayor will serve as non-voting members. A public hearing will be held at 6 pm on Tuesday, April 12.

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Hoosick Falls St. Patrick’s Day Grand Marshall Announced

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Dennis Casey has been selected as the Grand Marshall for the 2022 Hoosick Falls St. Patrick’s Parade to be held Saturday, March 12, at 1 pm.

Dennis is a lifelong resident of Hoosick Falls, except for a few years after college. He returned because he missed his hometown and he understood and appreciated the value of living in a small town surrounded by farms, woods and hills. He attended 12 years at St. Mary’s Academy, graduating in 1960 with the last class from the old building.

Dennis, or Casey, as many know him, has contributed to his community in many ways. He worked

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4-H Fashionistas

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The Fashionistas 4-H Club recently met to whip up a creative Valentine’s Day project: paper quilling. The girls found this project to be really enjoyable. For context, quilling is a bit of a time-consuming activity, but does create an adorable result in the end. It consists of folding and curling paper to make miniature pictures and decor. Coming up next, the 4-Hers will

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Hoosick Falls Village Police Officer Dies in Crash

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Not on Duty at the Time

by Doug La Rocque

Hoosick Falls Police Officer Matthew Waldron succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday morning, February 15, following an auto-tractor trailer accident on NYS Route 67 in Schaghticoke. According to investigating NYS Troopers, Officer Waldron was traveling eastbound when he struck the rear of the truck. The driver of the tractor trailer was not injured. Officer Waldron was not on duty at the time. Emergency Services transported Officer Waldron to Troy’s Samaritan Hospital, where he later passed.

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Hoosick Town Council Meeting

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ARPA Money Decisions Put On Hold

by Doug La Rocque

The Hoosick Town Council came into the Monday, February 14 meeting expecting to “pull the trigger” on their plans for the use of the first installment of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money, slightly more than $173,000, but ended up tabling the measure until another time for several reasons. Chief amongst them was the fact that Councilman Bill Hanselman was unable to attend the meeting, and the Councilors wanted his input.

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Hoosick Falls Trustees Meeting

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Parking, Cops and Cats Center Stage at Trustees Meeting

by Doug La Rocque

In October of last year, the Hoosick Falls Village Board passed a local law amending the parking rules in the Village, and in particular at the Church Street parking lot. Twelve spaces close to the Tri-State Federal Credit Union became 2-hour parking, while others were limited to all day but not overnight, with the rest dedicated as 24-hour spots. The Board has been getting feedback since that this may have had unintended consequences, especially when snow emergencies are called. A number of possible solutions were bandied about but the Trustees were not ready to act on any particular solution at the Tuesday, February 8 meeting. 

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