The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Rensselaer County

Youth 2 Youth Berlin Visits the County Legislature

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submitted by Biffy Cahill

On Wednesday, May 6, Youth 2 Youth Berlin did a presentation to the Rensselaer County Legislature and Rensselaer County Executive Kathy Jimino, during the legislative open forum. They thanked the legislature for sponsoring a youth’s attendance at the Youth 2 Youth Eastern States Conference in 2014, and delivered a presentation on their efforts to reduce the use of alcohol and drugs by youth in the four communities of the Berlin Central School District. [Read more…] about Youth 2 Youth Berlin Visits the County Legislature

Beryl H. Moul Memorial Grange Scholarship Opportunities

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The Beryl H. Moul Memorial Grange Scholarship was established in 1958 by West Sand Lake Grange #949 in memory of prominent Grange Member Beryl H. Moul.  Applicants must be Rensselaer County residents (for at least four years) and must be accepted in an accredited two or four year college program pursuing a career in agriculture, home economics, nursing, natural resource management, environmental engineering or pharmacology.  The application deadline which includes an official High School transcript is June 10, 2015.

Rensselaer County Farm Bureau is proud to sponsor scholarships for candidate (s) interested in pursuing a career in agriculture.  Applications must be postmarked on or before July 1, 2015.  Please send to Rensselaer County Farm Bureau

Eastern New York Farm Bureau Regional Office

PO Box 370

Salem, NY 12865

Phone: 1-866-995-7300 / eny@nyfb.org

Instructions for each scholarship, as well as others, can be found at any Rensselaer County High School Guidance Office or at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County website at www.ccerensselaer.org under “4-H Scholarships” and applications can be found under “4-H Forms.” For questions please contact Kandis at the CCE office of Rensselaer County at 272-4210.

RPA Landowner Open House

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The Rensselaer Plateau Working Forest Initiative will host a free open house on Tuesday, June 2 from 3 to 7 pm at the Old Daley Inn on Crooked Lake in Sand Lake. “This will be a great chance for landowners to learn about land conservation opportunities that might be available to them,” said RPA President Jim Bonesteel. There will be a number of tables with experts who can answer questions about Forest Legacy funding or the sale of development rights, the Master Forest Owner program, and conservation easements and other land conservation tools. We will also have an attorney/land use planner to answer legal questions and an ecologist and mapping specialist who can talk to you about the ecology of your land on the Plateau. Representatives from the Agricultural Stewardship Association, NYSDEC, New York Forest Owners Association, Rensselaer Land Trust and the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance will be available. This workshop is for people who would like to conserve their forestlands for future generations, are considering selling or donating development rights on their forestlands, or are interested in other programs listed above. For information, directions or to express interest visit http://www.rensselaerplateau.org or call 518-794-9160.

Events Coming Up At Rensselaer Plateau Community Forest

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May 30 will be a pretty busy day at the Rensselaer Plateau Community Forest. The Saratoga Mountain Bike Association will be hosting a Trail Building Workshop from 9 am to 1 pm and Lisa Hoyt, Director, Dyken Pond Educational Center, will lead a program called Forest Investigation for Families from 1 to 3 pm.

Trail Building

Are you interested in learning how to build and maintain a quality trail system? Would you like to get involved with building a brand new trail system in the Capital Region? RPA is working with the Saratoga Mountain Bike Association to host a series of Trail Building Workshops to teach the skills, techniques and science behind building and maintaining sustainable trails that could be used for a variety of activities. In the process we will break ground on a brand new trail system in the newly founded Rensselaer Plateau Community Forest. The overall workshop schedule includes three sessions. The first is on Saturday May 30, 9 am to 1 pm. Other sessions will be on Saturday July 11,  9 am to 1 pm, and Saturday Aug 8, 9 am to 1 pm. For more information and to sign up go to https://www.facebook.com/saratogamtb/events.

Forest Investigation  

How are your detective skills?  Join us to discover who lives in the Community Forest. We’ll explore the forest on a one-mile hike and look for evidence of creatures living there. Bring Field Guides and binoculars if you have them. For kids of all ages and families (suggested donation of $5 to $10).

The new 350 acre Community Forest, (approx. 220 Legenbauer Rd., Poestenkill, NY – off of Plank Rd.), will provide recreational access for Plateau residents and visitors, will serve as a demonstration area of best management practices for forest stewardship, and will provide other educational programs for adults and children.  Learn more about it on the RPA website.

There are many other exciting events scheduled that may be of interest to you. Keep informed of what’s going on with RPA, more than 30 Alliance organizations and a wide range of other groups by checking out our new data-base driven calendar of events at http://www.rensselaerplateau.org/events.

Rensselaer County 4-H Shooting Sports

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Archery

Rensselaer County 4-H is  happy to announce that it will be starting an Archery Club to be led by two of our county Shooting Sports volunteers. Details for the club will come out soon, and we are currently registering members who are interested. The club will focus on a variety of archery related topics including: archery shooting, arrow repair, bow building, and primitive skills. This club is open to all youth 8 and above, and space is limited.

Youth Shotgun Training 

Rensselaer County 4-H Shooting Sports is hosting a basic shotgun training for youth on June 20 from 8 am to 12 pm at the Green Island Rod and Gun Club in Schaghticoke. The course focuses on firearm safety and operation, and building skills for successful shotgun shooting. Participants must be 12 years old or older and have an adult partner for the training. Cost is $20 per youth/adult partner. Firearms, targets, and ammunition will be provided. Space is limited, and limited scholarships are available.

If you are interested in either of these programs or to register, please call the Rensselaer County 4-H office at 518-272-4210 or e-mail Leland Bunting at glb76@cornell.edu.

4-H is offered through Cornell Cooperative Extension. Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Berlin High School Team Wins Regional Envirothon Competition

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On May 7, one high school and one middle school team from Berlin CSD competed in the 2015 Capital Regional Envirothon competition at New York State Power Authority’s Visitor Center in Gilboa, NY. The Berlin High School team won the competition for Rensselaer County and will advance to the state competition to be held May 27 and 28 at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY.

[Read more…] about Berlin High School Team Wins Regional Envirothon Competition

Rudy Helmo, Rensselaer County And Pittstown Expressionist Artist On Exhibit May 29 To August 28

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The Rensselaer County Historical Society (RCHS) in historic downtown Troy debuts a new exhibit on Rudy Helmo, Rensselaer County’s Expressionist Artist on Friday, May 29 as part of Troy Night Out, from 5 to 8 pm. The exhibit runs through August 28.

[Read more…] about Rudy Helmo, Rensselaer County And Pittstown Expressionist Artist On Exhibit May 29 To August 28

Malnourished Horses Taken From Owners In Berlin

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submitted by Yvonne Keefe, RCSO

On May 1, the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office received a tip regarding the welfare of two horses located at 23 South Main St. in the Town of Berlin. Deputies trained in animal cruelty responded to the location and observed a female Bay horse and female Chestnut horse.

[Read more…] about Malnourished Horses Taken From Owners In Berlin

Youth To Youth Visits The County Legislature

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submitted by Biffy Cahill

On Wednesday, May 6, Youth 2 Youth Berlin did a presentation to the Rensselaer County Legislature and Rensselaer County Executive Kathy Jimino, during the legislative open forum. Legislator Rob Bayly, Legislator Todd Tesman, County Executive Kathleen Jimino, Legislator Judith Breselor, Chair of the Legislature Martin Reid, Legislator Kelly Hoffman, Legislator Tom Walsh and Vice Chair of the Legislature Stan Brownell joined students Jordan Cahill, Rachel Cahill, Amanda Despart & Phillip Doin, along with adult facilitator, Biffy Cahill. They thanked the legislature for sponsoring a youth’s attendance at the Youth 2 Youth Eastern States Conference in 2014, and delivered a presentation on their efforts to reduce substance abuse in the four communities of the Berlin Central School District. The group of high school students received respect and praise for their knowledge and efforts.

The group, which has secured contracts with the four towns of Berlin Central School District, will send two young people from each town in exchange for their substance abuse prevention efforts and community service. It continues to seek sponsors and donations from local churches, businesses and community members.

Since getting more youth involved increases the impact of the program, the group hopes to send at least 15 kids to the Eastern State Conference this year. To do this they need to raise $6,375. For more information, please contact Biffy Cahill, TRACs President, at 518-791-2001 or BiffyCahill@gmail.com. All donations can be sent to TRACs (Together Reducing Alcohol & Drugs in our CommunitieS), c/o Biffy Cahill, TRACs President, 58 CCC Dam Rd, Stephentown, NY 12168.

Brown’s Cup Trout Fishing Tournament To Benefit The Rensselaer Land Trust

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Brown’s Brewing Company proudly announces the first annual Brown’s Cup Trout Fishing Tournament on Saturday, May 16, based at the Walloomsac Brewery in Hoosick Falls. Brown’s invites anglers of all ages to fish the scenic Walloomsac River and surrounding bodies of water during a day of outdoor family fun and friendly competition to benefit the Rensselaer Land Trust’s watershed protection and education.

[Read more…] about Brown’s Cup Trout Fishing Tournament To Benefit The Rensselaer Land Trust