The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Local News

Saving the Ash Trees

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Grafton Lakes State Park Press Release

My First Summer at Grafton:

Hi, my name is Wren Martinson! I’m very excited to be a part of the Grafton Lakes State Park team. This summer I participated in an initiative to prevent the invasive emerald ash borer from killing ash trees in our park.

Armed with a box of wasps and a day of training from a regional biologist, I marched out into our woods and released the wasps onto ash trees. Why, you may ask, was I bringing wasps into the park? A study of over 10 years has shown that these tiny 1/4-inch wasps seek out and kill emerald ash borers with minimal risk to disrupting the environment. And no, they do not sting! They use their ovipositor, their egg-laying apparatus, to lay their eggs in the emerald ash borer larvae. When the wasp eggs hatch, they kill the emerald ash borer larvae before it has a chance to mature and reproduce. Once the local infestation of ash borers has subsided, the wasps will die out too since they solely rely on the emerald ash borer to lay their eggs in. The ecosystem can then resume its natural course.

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Dawn M. Meyers – Obituary

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Dawn M. Meyers, 83, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away surrounded by her family on Monday, October 21, 2024, at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC). She resided with her husband of 63 years, Gustave (Gus) E. Meyers III, on Kelyer Avenue at Babcock Lake (Grafton, NY).

Dawn was born on January 23,1941, in Bridgeport, CT, the daughter of James W. and Catherine (Youd) Livingstone. She was the oldest of five children. Dawn married the love of her life, Gustave (known to her as Buddy), on September 2,1961. Gus and Dawn had three children and resided in Stratford, CT, for 34 years prior to making Grafton their permanent home. While in Stratford, Dawn was a nurse, working at both Bridgeport Hospital and 3030 Park Nursing Home in Bridgeport, CT. Dawn loved caring for her family and home. She was an avid reader, cook, gardener, and news aficionado, and spent her life helping others, particularly her family. [Read more…] about Dawn M. Meyers – Obituary

Francis E. LeBarron – Obituary

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Hoosick Falls — Francis E. LeBarron, 75, passed away on Friday, October 25th at his residence on Bovie Hill Road. He resided there with his loving wife Antoinette (Toni Baker) LeBarron.

Francis was born on July 2, 1949, in Troy, NY, son of William and Bertha (Boesse) LeBarron. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force serving from 1968–1971. Francis was employed at Johnson Control in Bennington, VT and at Elhannon Landscaping in Hoosick, NY. He enjoyed coin collecting, gardening, horseshoes, bowling, fishing and getting together with friends and family for weekly dominoes games.  [Read more…] about Francis E. LeBarron – Obituary

Philip Leonard – Obituary

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Philip Leonard passed away peacefully at his home in Hoosick Falls, NY on October 19, 2024 surrounded by his family. Born on May 16, 1926, in Monticello, NY, Phil was the son of Gertrude (Winokur) and Harry Lashinsky, both naturalized citizens who immigrated through Ellis Island from the Polish/Russian border in pursuit of a better life. His dad worked tirelessly to bring the rest of the family to the United States, instilling a strong sense of dedication and hard work. He loved and looked up to his older sisters, Ann and Belle, who set the standard for the importance of education, and made sure he went to college. Phil took on various jobs to earn his way through college by driving taxi cabs in the Catskills in the summer, driving a laundry truck, and refereeing basketball games. [Read more…] about Philip Leonard – Obituary

BURN BAN DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY

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The entire state is at high risk, please everyone be careful.

AN ORDER AND DECLARATION OF A BURN BAN FOR THE TOWN OF NEW LEBANON UNDER A LOCAL DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY – EMERGENCY ORDER NO. 2024-01

WHEREAS, the Supervisor of the Town of New Lebanon does hereby find that current conditions within the Town, due to severe drought and excessive wind, create a public safety hazard that would be worsened by outdoor burning; and [Read more…] about BURN BAN DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY

Don’t Trash It, Smash It

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Press Release from the Rensselaer County Legislature
After Halloween, don’t let your pumpkins go to waste! Bring them to Knickerbacker Park, 191 103rd Street, between 10 am and 1 pm on Saturday, November 2nd for a fun-filled day of smashing, smushing, and recycling. Not only will this event offer a great way to dispose of your pumpkins in an eco-friendly way, but it will also be packed with activities for the whole family. Rensselaer County and the City of Troy have partnered together to host this new event that will be both fun and educational.

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Big Apple Crunch

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Submitted by Hoosick Falls Central School Communications
Early this month, Hoosick Falls Central School (HFCS) elementary students, grades UPK – 4, participated in a fun competition organized by the FarmOn! Foundation. Every year, schools in New York are invited to host a Big Apple Crunch Event and to post their event pictures and videos on social media, to be entered into a competition to win a $1,000 Victory Garden from the FarmOn! Foundation. HFCS embraces farm to school practices where and when possible, and their cafeteria purchases all of their apples locally from Perry’s Orchard in Eagle Bridge. Perry’s is owned and operated by Jim and Anita Perry, and was founded in the 1970s. They have approximately 800 apple trees planted on their 5-acre orchard, and feature 10 NY apple varieties. On October 10th, the HFCS PTA handed out apples to everyone in the elementary school, and the students and staff gathered in groups to take the ‘big crunch’ together. Throughout the months of September and October, students enjoyed many apple-themed crafts, learning activities, field trips, and more. This was a fun and healthy way to celebrate fall in upstate NY, and HFCS is hopeful that they will be awarded the funding so they can get gardening.

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Newly Purchased Community Center Opens with Record Attendance

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Town of New Lebanon Press Release
Within 48 hours of its purchase, New Lebanon’s new Community Center entertained almost 200 community members at two different events – a record attendance for any new establishment in New Lebanon in recent years. The final steps of the purchase of this former firehouse, belonging to the Lebanon Valley Protective Association (LVPA), were made by the New Lebanon Town Board on Thursday, October 17th at a special meeting where Ed Godfroy, LVPA President, signed the contract. “I am so excited for the opportunity to utilize the Community Center on a full-time basis. A huge thank you to the LVPA for allowing us to run a trial Community Center for three days a week for the past year,” said New Lebanon Town Supervisor Tistrya Houghtling.

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Immaculate Conception Church

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November 3rd marks the long-awaited official reopening of lmmaculate Conception Church of Hoosick Falls. Built in the 1870s, the structure was undergoing age-related repairs when 2017 torrential rains flooded the building, causing further damage and extended closure. Until the needs of the upstairs worship space could be met, services were held at St. Mary's School, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, the First United Presbyterian Church, and ultimately downstairs in the church basement. These accommodations remain greatly appreciated by our parish community. Through the Grace of God, numerous donors, various professionals, and many volunteers, Christmas Mass 2023 brought a return upstairs. This year, recent installation of new windows on both sides of the altar presents a suitable time for formal celebration.

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Nancy L. Jones – Obituary

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Petersburgh – Nancy L. Jones, 83, of Petersburgh, NY, passed away peacefully on Thursday evening, October 17 at Albany Medical Center, surrounded by her loving family. Born on June 6, 1941, in White Mills, NY, she was the daughter of the late Edward and Hazel Lee.

Nancy was known for her opinionated, stubborn nature, but even more so for her quick wit, sarcastic humor, and warm heart, traits she lovingly passed on to her children. She lived a simple but joyful life, spending summers camping at Lake Champlain, indulging in her love for Amazon shopping (with an impressive collection of emery boards!), and cherishing every moment spent with her family. Despite the challenges of time and age, Nancy maintained her sense of humor, finding joy in everyday moments and making the most of each day. [Read more…] about Nancy L. Jones – Obituary