The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Verizon Cell Tower Extension Placed on Hold in Brunswick

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by Doug La Rocque

The application by Blue Sky Towers III, representing Verizon Wireless, to increase the height of the cell tower under construction on property at the corner of Creek Road and Menemsha Lane has been deemed by the Planning Board and the Brunswick Building Department to be incomplete. That determination was made prior to the Board’s March 17 meeting, important because under Federal Communications Commission guidelines, the Planners had only 30 days to act on the application. By deeming it to be incomplete, that so called shot clock is suspended.

The original tower application was for a 105 foot structure, but meet with vehement opposition from area residents, and the Planning Board eventually approved an 85 foot tower, placed in a stand of pine trees, and disguised to look like a tree. It has been indicated that any extension back to 105 feet would have to face another public hearing.

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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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Hoosick Town Board Unveils ARPA Spending List

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At their March 14 meeting, the Hoosick Town Board gave final approval to the organizations and projects they plan to spend their first installment of American Rescue Plan Act funding on. The largest expenditure will be $30,000 toward a Capital Improvement Project planned for the Town of Hoosick Rescue Squad building. Hoosick employees will also share in the monies, with each non-elected full time employee receiving $1,000 and non-elected part-time office employees slated to receive $500.

Here is a list of the remaining distributions:

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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

Elizabeth Reynolds – Obituary

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Elizabeth Sophia Goodermote Reynolds died March 7, 2022 in the home that she treasured in Echo Park, Berlin, NY, aware and grateful that her family was by her side. Even at the age of 104 years, she still had a formidable will to be fully present, commanding the moments that she could and reaching out to give her love to her family. She had lived independently until a fall at age 102, and was then able to remain in her home with the kind care of her granddaughters.  

Elizabeth was born December 11, 1917, and grew up in the years following World War I. Her parents were Arthur J “Carpenter Art” Goodermote and Marcia Vincent Goodermote. Elizabeth’s childhood days were great fun as her family was one of five on Plank Road that included five children each, making a total of 25 kids who played 2 Old Cat Bat, slid downhill on wintertime’s unplowed Plank Road and swam in the brook together, developing in her a natural ability to create her own fun, engage others and easily make new friends. She learned early to work hard, form and express an opinion, get away with some moments of feistiness and put care for others into practical action. To her last breath she prided herself on being Plank Road Tough. These gifts served her well throughout her life as she enjoyed friendships with many of all the generations. Rare in current times, she would handwrite letters and cards and call to stay in touch, inviting people to come visit. [Read more…] about Elizabeth Reynolds – Obituary

William E. Knuetter – Obituary

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Petersburgh – William E. Knuetter, 86, died after a long illness on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at his home of nearly 60 years. Born on June 27, 1935, he is the son of the late William H.F. Knuetter and Harriet M. (Wilbrandt) Knuetter.

Bill was raised in Petersburgh and Berlin and was educated in The Berlin Central Schools. He was employed as a heavy equipment operator for Callanan Industries for over 35 years. Even in retirement he loved to work outside around the house on his backhoe. He enjoyed NASCAR, country music, polka music, baseball, his casino trips and feeding the birds. Bill loved his family and would do anything he could to help them. His favorite thing to do was Sunday dinners with family and being around the table with them during holidays.  [Read more…] about William E. Knuetter – 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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State to Study Route 7 Traffic

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Long Awaited Review May Include Smart Lights in Brunswick

by Doug La Rocque
For many years, and in particular during public hearings about three new major developments now under construction along Hoosick Road (NYS Route 7), members of the public have been very vocal in their complaints about traffic along that road including the many stop and goes, volume, lengthy backups and the almost daily accidents. When the addition of another signal light at the intersection with Lord Avenue was proposed, several started calling for a NYS Department of Transportation (DOT) traffic study. Research at that time indicated the last DOT study was about 20 years ago, and so much has changed since then.

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Hasselwander Indicted on Murder and Strangulation Charges

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Remanded Back to Jail Without Bail

by Doug La Rocque
22-year-old Ian Hasselwander was arraigned Tuesday afternoon, March 15, in Rensselaer County Court before Judge Jennifer Sober on one count of Murder in the 2nd Degree and one count of Strangulation in the 1st Degree. Hasselwander pled not guilty to both counts. Judge Sober set April 29 as the tentative date for further proceedings and remanded Hasselwander back to the Rensselaer County Jail without bail until such time. Hasselwander was arrested by the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office on March 4 in connection with the disappearance and subsequent death of 20-year-old Morgan Bates of Eagle Bridge.

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