Rensselaer County
Three Local Families Are Memorialized By The County
by Kieron Kramer
The families of three eastern Rensselaer County citizens who were memorialized by resolutions at last month’s Rensselaer County Legislative session came to the presentation period at the County meeting on May 14. The three citizens are the young fire fighter from Berlin, Steve Kellar, the beloved school bus driver and former Hoosick Falls Councilman, John “Ersel” Hickey, and Ray Darling, Sr., the Supervisor of the Town of Grafton at his death. The presentations to the families of deceased pillars of the community, those who have made the history of the County, are quite emotional and moving.
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Walter A. Wood Alumni Reunion
The Walter A. Wood Alumni Reunion will be held on Saturday, June 8, at the Pittstown Volunteer Emergency Corps Building. Dinner will be served at 12:30 pm. Special classes to be recognized are the graduating classes of 1963, 1953, 1943 and prior years. Anyone who has graduated fifty years ago or more is eligible to attend. Any graduate who has not received a letter and is interested in attending, please contact Mrs. Janice Tate at 518-686-7036. Reservations close on June 1.
Troy’s Great Fire
Kathy Sheehan, Rensselaer County Historian, will present a program on Troy’s Great Fire of 1862 to the Poestenkill Historical Society. “The air was full of smoke and cinders!”…
A major portion of Troy was destroyed when a spark from a locomotive started the fire on the wooden covered Green Island Bridge with ashes cast as far as Poestenkill and Sand Lake. Troy was one of the first communities in this area to buy steam controlled fire trucks so the firefighters were able to contain the fire laterally. The fire was stopped at what is now 8th Street to the east, Federal Street to the north and Congress Street to the south.
Come and hear many more interesting facts regarding this event. The date is May 28 at 7 pm at the Poestenkill Town Hall. For more information, please call Pat at 283-5223.
Rensselaer County Legislature – A Bank Needed In The Valley
by Kieron Kramer
The Rensselaer County Legislature’s meeting on Tuesday, May 14, contained a sizeable amount of news regarding the Eastwick area. And this time it had nothing to do with Hoosick Falls sports. The families of Steve Kellar, Ersel Hickey and Ray Darling Jr. appeared in the well of the Legislature to receive presentations memorializing their loved ones. Funding for several bridges in our area, the new Dairy Princess and mortgage tax distributions were also on the agenda.
A resolution, introduced by Legislators Stan Brownell and Lester Goodermote, stating support for establishment of a bank in the State Route 22 corridor in eastern Rensselaer County passed unanimously.
The resolution says. “Due to a change in corporate priorities, the Bank of America located on State Route 22 in the Town of Berlin closed in 2012…The loss of the Bank of America means residents wishing to transact banking business need to travel a considerable distance to either the Town of Hoosick, the Town of New Lebanon in Columbia County or across the State border to Massachusetts…Transacting bank business for some residents in the eastern area of our county can sometimes mean a round trip of up to one hour…This Legislative Body wishes to recognize the need for location of a new bank and puts forth this resolution as a statement of support for such efforts and further pledges any possible help and assistance for such efforts.”
In an interview after the meeting Brownell said that following the appearance in area papers of last week’s news release about this issue, he was contacted through the Legislative offices by the Coxsackie National Bank which showed interest in the former Bank of America property. Brownell said he passed the information along to Berlin Town Supervisor Rob Jaeger, who has been trying to find a replacement for the Bank of America.
The property will be auctioned off on May 22 by the Max Spann Real Estate and Auction Co. There have been two open houses so far, on May 8 and May 15. Berliners are hoping that one or more of the bidders will be a bank. It is a turn key situation for a bank, Brownell said.
Brownell and Goodermote Say More Convenient Bank Service Needed in Eastern Rensselaer County
submitted by Rich Crist, Rensselaer County Legislative Liaison
Rensselaer County Legislators Stan Brownell and Lester Goodermote say residents of eastern Rensselaer County need more convenient banking options following the closure of a Bank of America branch late last year.
The closure by Bank of America of the Berlin branch means there is no bank service in the Taconic Valley – State Route 22 corridor between the Town of Hoosick and the Town of New Lebanon in Columbia County. A number of residents have been forced to travel across the state border into Massachusetts for banking service.
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The Savvy Caregiver
The Savvy Caregiver Program, from the Alzheimer’s Association, is a free, six session training series that helps family caregivers better understand the changes their loved ones are experiencing and how to best provide individualized care along the continued decline associated with Alzheimer’s or dementia. The course will be held on Wednesdays from 4 to 6 pm on June 5, 12, 19, 26 and July 3 at the Brunswick Community Library, 4118 State Highway 2, Troy. Register by calling 518-867-4999 x200 or by emailing tgarmley@alz.org.
Sullivan Jones VFW Post 7466 Breakfast
The Sullivan Jones VFW Post 7466 located in Poestenkill invites the public to its Monthly Buffet Breakfast on May 12 from 8 to 11 am. Breakfast includes eggs, home fries, sausage, pancakes, French toast sticks, toast, fruit, coffee, tea and juice. The cost is $7 for adults, $3 for 6 to 12 years old and free for children 5 years and under.
The Future Of New York’s Forests
On Sunday, May 19, the New York Forest Owners Association, as part of their “Restore New York’s Woodlands” initiative, will host a free woods walk to celebrate the many benefits forests provide and discuss solutions for the threats they face. Walter Kersch will lead the woods walk on the trails of the Pine Ridge XC Ski Area, 1463 Plank Road, Petersburgh, at 9 am. A band sawmill demonstration is included.
Wear sturdy shoes for hiking, dress for the weather and apply your preferred insect repellent.
Please register with Phil at 518-895-5346 so we can plan for parking and handout materials. Directions can be found at www.pineridgexc.com.
