The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Poestenkill Public Availability Sessions

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by Chris Tergliafera

On December 8, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Department of Health (DOH), the Rensselaer County Department of Health (RCDOH) and representatives from the Town of Poestenkill held two public availability sessions in the Algonquin Middle School cafeteria. The purpose of which was to inform the residents of finding, and plans going forward, in the ongoing PFAS contamination investigation. Those attending could go to one of five stations set up around the cafeteria, to find out information on various topics of concern regarding the contamination. Find out more in the full article next week in the Eastwick Press.

New Water Source Announced for Hoosick Falls

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by Doug La Rocque

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has released their decision on how to provide a new permanent source of clean drinking water for the Village of Hoosick Falls. That decision calls for:
• Developing two new groundwater supply wells. Existing test wells south of Hoosick Falls will be converted to production wells;
• Retaining one existing village well. Redundancy is required in the case of an outage of the primary wells;
• Constructing a water transmission line from the new wells to the village water treatment plant along public rights of way;
• Continued operation of the public water supply treatment plant to remove naturally occurring elements, and ensure disinfection and distribution to meet applicable water supply requirements; and
• Retaining the existing GAC treatment system to ensure removal of ambient organic compounds.

The two new well sites are on land off NYS Route 22 south of the Village, owned by Jeff Wysocki and Jerry LaCroix. That is what many had speculated would be the answer for a year now, ever since DEC

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Helping for the Holidays

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Through the generosity of people in the area, the Berlin Community Food Coset provided Thanksgiving dinner boxes to 15 families, cooked a turkey for one family and delivered individual meals to 6 people and couples. The Closet is working on collecting food for Christmas baskets. Hams, yams and cake mixes are needed. Stewart’s gas cards are needed as well. If you know of families that are in need of Christmas food and are not receiving help from another pantry, please contact the United Methodist Church by calling 518-658-2942.

Donations can be left at Taconic Mountain Insurance, with the Berlin Town Clerk or by calling to make arrangements for someone to meet you at the church.

On Saturday, January 15, from 9 to 11 am, the Food Closet will sponsor a free, take out only soup, bread and dessert buffet. Reservations are required, and can be made by calling the church at the number listed above.

[Read more…] about Helping for the Holidays

Latest PFOA/PFOS Testing Finds Three New Contaminated Wells in Poestenkill

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Submitted by the Rensselaer County Department of Health

A seventh round of sampling of properties in Poestenkill for PFOA has been concluded, with three new properties found to have levels of PFOA above the state-permitted levels, County officials announced on Thursday, December 2.

The results were finalized Wednesday and prepared for public release. The seventh round of testing results follows a sixth round last month in which no new properties were found to be

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Schodack Planning Board Highlights

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by Denise Wright 

During the December 6 Schodack Planning Board meeting, public hearings were a topic for discussion. The first was about Schuurman Road’s Schodack Golf 12 lot subdivision. The 294 acre project is looking to extend the water district approximately 900’. Board members voiced concern about drainage and the culvert on Schuurman Road. The presenter assured the Board they were not pushing water out on Schuurman Road. The Board approved the subdivision to go to engineering. 

The second public hearing was about the proposed special permit for a cemetery

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Questionable Section of Track Is Under Repair in Hoosick Falls

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Throughout the summer, State, County and local officials have been urging Pan Am Railway to do something about an undersized culvert (disputed by Pan Am) that they contend is undermining the rail bed on a section of track near Railroad Avenue. County Legislator Bruce Patire and Hoosick Councilman Jerry McAuliffe have been leading the charge for the repairs, citing a NYS Department of Transportation safety inspection that said there is movement of the tracks when

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Driver Dozes Off; Truck Goes Off Route 7

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by Steve Bradley

A tanker truck from New Hampshire was headed to the port at Albany to pick up gasoline when  it went off the north side of NYS Route 7 early Saturday morning, December 4, when the driver fell asleep. The accident occurred at 4:30 am at the Town of Hoosick/Pittstown line just east of Giuseppe’s Restaurant. Since the vehicle was

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Ashby Unveils “No Surrender” Veterans Initiative

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Submitted by the Office of Assemblyman Jake Ashby

Assemblyman Jake Ashby (R,C,I-Castleton), the Ranking Republican Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and an Army veteran, hosted the first “No Surrender” Veterans Initiative: Making PTSD a Priority roundtable event in the Capital Region on Wednesday, December 1.

The event, the first of six regional roundtables, was aimed at addressing the pervasive issue of

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James White Guilty on all Counts

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A Rensselaer County Court jury has found James White guilty on all 16 counts regarding the murder of two women and two young children at a Lansingburgh apartment in 2017. White had defended himself during the trial. He now faces the possibility of life in prison without parole when sentenced.