The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Third Round of Testing for PFOA/PFOS in Poestenkill Finds Three New Samples in Residential Properties

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Submitted by the Rensselaer County Department of Health

A third round of sampling of properties in Poestenkill for PFOA has been concluded, with three new properties found to have levels of PFOA above state-permitted levels, county officials announced on Friday.

The results were finalized on Tuesday afternoon and prepared for public release on Thursday. The third round of testing results was announced as testing is now underway on additional properties on a voluntary basis.

The third round of testing was conducted from sites located to the north and east of Algonquin Middle School. The ten sites registered samples that show two non-detect, five detections of PFOA/PFOS below the state maximum contaminant level standards for public drinking water, and three that registered levels above the state maximum contaminant level of 10 parts per trillion (ppt).

All property owners have been contacted prior to public release of this information and provided with information regarding their samples.

For the three homes with levels above the state MCL, the state Department of Environmental Conservation will be providing bottled water while a home treatment system is installed.

The third round of testing did not determine a source for the contamination. The county and state are currently investigating the possibility of multiple, unrelated sources for the contamination.

  •  Testing started after PFOA/PFOS was discovered during state-mandated testing for PFOA/PFOS at Algonquin Middle School earlier this year.
  • The county has to date collected samples for 27 private wells, with seven wells tested at or above the drinking water standard of 10 ppt for either PFOA/PFOS. These seven include the three announced today. There are 24 samples now pending completion.
  • No source for the contamination has been determined during the three rounds of testing.
  • The lack of a source has restricted the ability for wide-spread testing.
  • Town officials have been informed, along with state Department of Environmental Conservation and the state Department of Health.

“The county continues to test residences and properties on a voluntary basis, and is providing this information as quickly as possible to the public. We can report that testing has yet to reveal a source for the contamination, and we are in fact reviewing whether there are multiple sources involved in the Poestenkill situation,” said Public Health Director Mary Fran Wachunas.

“The samples show readings that are in the teens in relation to the MCL. We continue to test to determine a source and to get additional answers for residents,” added Wachunas.

“Residents should know the county continues to work cooperatively with the state and the town to provide an effective response to this issue. Residents can call our office at 518-270-2632 if they have additional questions,” added Wachunas.

Halloween Events

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Brunswick Trunk-or-Treat
Saturday, October 30, from noon to 3 pm, at the Brunswick Sports Complex, 4165 NY RT 2, Troy.

Brunswick Library – Haunted Trail
A socially distanced Halloween event. Follow the spooky trail and grab your goody bag in the shed on Friday, October 29 – Sunday, October 31.

Center Brunswick United Methodist Church
Trunk or Treat for all ages on Halloween Sunday, October 31 from 10:30 to 11:30 am in the parking lot of the Church located at the intersection of Rt. 7 and Rt. 142. Adults—decorate the back of your cars/trucks and bring your candy. Snacks will be provided. All are welcome.

Grafton’s Trunk-or-Treat
Trunk or Treat on Sunday, October 31, from 1 to 3 pm at the Grafton VFW/Fire Hall. If you would like to volunteer, or decorate your trunk, call or text Noelle Goyer at 518-269-8988.

Hoosick Falls Halloween Parade
The Hoosick Halloween parade is Saturday, October 30, at 6 pm, in Wood Park. Prizes will be given for funniest, cutest, scariest, best family or group, best pet and most creative costumes. If any person or business would like to donate or volunteer to help please contact Kevin O’Malley at 518-894-5035 or Eric Sheffer at 518-859-6034. 

Petersburgh Kids Halloween Party
The Parks and Recreation Committee will be hosting their annual kids Halloween party on Saturday, October 30, from 2 to 5 pm at the Petersburgh Veterans Memorial Community Center. Please join us for a costume parade, pumpkin painting, bingo, games, fun and treats.

Petersburgh Trick-or-Treat Book Giveaway
Library Trustees will have books for the Trick-or-Treaters to choose from at the Trunk or Treat event from 4 to 7 pm on Sunday, October 31 at the Petersburg Baptist Church.

Stephentown Halloween Party and Trunk-or-Treat
Saturday, October 30, 1 to 3 pm (Rain date, October 31) Join us from 1 to 3 pm on Saturday, October 30 at the Stephentown Fire Hall. All games, activities, and crafts will be held outside with appropriate social distancing. Prizes for best costumes, best trunk decorations and best dog costumes. Costume contest will end at 2 pm. We are looking for people to decorate their trunk and hand out candy for kids at the Halloween Party. If you would like to participate, please go to the library’s website to sign up. 

 
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New Lebanon’s Repair Cafe A Success

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The Columbia NE Repair Cafe, held at the Firehouse in New Lebanon on Saturday, October 23, was a smashing success. Ten organizers from the Climate Smart Communities Task Forces of New Lebanon, Austerlitz, Chatham and East Nassau welcomed a steady stream of visitors from as far away as Taghkanic and Albany, and as nearby as up the road in New Lebanon. Other event volunteers and the 20 fixers who spent the day plying their skills on a wide variety of repairs

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Hoosick Falls-Tamarac Gets Easy Win

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Hoosick Falls-Tamarac: 42
Corinth (0-6): 0

It was not expected to be a competitive game. It wasn’t.

Two minutes into the game the Wildcats led 14-0. With three minutes left in the first quarter, HF-T led 28-0 and the game was over at that point. Every point in the game was scored before the half. Junior varsity players were inserted midway through

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Dolley Madison Visits Wood Park in Hoosick Falls

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by Bea Peterson

On a recent Sunday afternoon residents, family and friends of Wood Park enjoyed a visit with Dolley Madison, the charming wife of President James Madison. Dressed in a beautiful red velvet empire style dress with matching turban, historic interpreter Phyllis Chapman, along with visuals coordinator and husband Michael Chapman, enchanted folks with tales of the life of this very special lady. Dolley told her audience she was raised a Quaker, a life too plain for her. She was widowed at a young age and left with a young son

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Sewers, Chromebooks and Horses Discussed by Hoosick Falls Central School Board

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by Alex Brooks

The Hoosick Falls School Board met for their regular monthly meeting on Thursday October 21, the day the building reopened after a sewer line problem had closed the building to students for two days. Board President Joe Patire and Superintendent Pat Dailey expressed their thanks to those who responded to the crisis and were able to get the sewer system operational again in just two days—including Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds Paul Baker who was in the middle of coordinating the emergency response the whole time, the Capital Project architects from Synthesis LLP who came out immediately to

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Toys for Tots Another Success

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by Amy Modesti

For many years Brunswick Harley Davidson has hosted the annual Capital Region Toys for Tots Ride. The event is sponsored each year by the Marine Corp League, whose goal is to collect new unwrapped toys and distribute those toys to less fortunate children at Christmas. Once again, several hundred motorcyclists gathered

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Proposed Changes to Aldi Site

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by Chris Tergliafera

It took developer David Leon two tries and several years to see construction begin on the site for an Aldi grocery store, a KFC and Wendy’s fast food restaurant. Work on the Hoosick Road site has begun, but Mr. Leon’s representatives were back before the Brunswick Planning Board on Thursday evening, October 21, to ask for some modifications. The most important of these is eliminating the

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Grafton’s Upcoming Mass Food Giveaway

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Catholic Charities CC Move Program, the Northeast Regional Food Bank and The Eastwick Press are happy to announce that a mass food giveaway will be held Wednesday, November 3, starting at 9 am at the Grafton Lakes State Park parking lot. This will be the third such giveaway held at GLSP, with the first two feeding more than 200 families each time. Volunteers will be handing out meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, canned goods and other food stores to anyone who would like them. All you need to do is show up. There is no charge for any of the products. COVID-19 protocols will be followed.

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Drug Take Back Day Another Successful Event

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On Saturday, October 23, Walgreens Pharmacy in Schodack participated in the Drug Take-Back Program in conjunction with the Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly, Rensselaer County Sheriff, and Schodack Police Department. Children could meet Batman, get a safety ID card, see a firetruck

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