Saturday April 20, 2024 
Volunteer Museum Teachers Needed
Do you enjoy working with children? Do you love learning new things? Do you have a few hours at least once or twice a month to give? Then join a team of volunteer museum teachers and guide children as they journey through the Hudson River Trading Game! Based on the life of Hudson River sloop owner Philip Van Rensselaer of Cherry Hill, the interactive school program immerses 4th and 5th grade students in 18th century trade and travel on a 34-foot game board. Teaching experience is not necessary, but teamwork and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment is a must. Training is provided. The program is 3 hours long, offered mornings November through June, at the Albany Visitors Center at Quackenbush Square in downtown Albany. Interested? Contact Shawna Reilly: shawna@nullhistoriccherryhill.org, 518-434-4791.
AARP Tax Aide Program Volunteers Needed
AARP Tax Aide Program is looking for volunteers. The Tax Aide Program is a free tax preparation service for all members of our community. There are many opportunities that are available for our volunteers. Tax Preparers work directly with the tax payer to complete their tax return. Client Facilitators welcome taxpayers and help organize their paperwork. Technology Coordinators manage computer equipment. Local Coordinators who manage the site, volunteers and schedules. Communications Coordinators who help recruit new volunteers. We have sites in Columbia and Rensselaer Counties. Volunteers will receive training. To become a volunteer, you will need to register for the Tax Aide Program. You can register at NYTaxAide.org. In the upper right of the window click on Volunteer with AARP Tax-Aide link and follow the instructions. If you have any questions, please contact Jerry Seeley at jseeley1018@nullgmail.com.
Help Keep Our Service Men & Women in Afghanistan Warm
Edward C. Swartz Southern Tier Senior Center’s Community Service Group is participating in a project for service men and women serving in Afghanistan. We are knitting and crocheting scarves for them to help keep them warm this coming winter. We are asking for donations of yarn or funds to purchase the yarn. Yarn needs to be heavy (no wool) and dark colors; black, navy, deep green, brown, or camouflage. We have a specific pattern available for any of you wishing to help by making scarves. Please stop by the center to pick up a copy of the pattern. Donations can be brought to the center or mailed to: Edward C. Swartz Southern Tier Senior Center, 1800 East Schodack Rd., Castleton, NY 12033. Please call 518-477-6581 for more information.
Search and Rescue Volunteers Needed
The Tri-State Emergency Team is recruiting volunteers to provide wild land and underwater searches within a 100-mile radius of Waterford, NY. This includes all aspects of field and underwater search. The Tri-State Emergency Team responds when requested by NYS Forest Rangers and other police agencies throughout New York State, Western Vermont, and Massachusetts. We are looking for certified scuba divers, experienced boat handlers, and people who enjoy hiking and the outdoors in general and who wish to help people in need. The Team will provide training and complete support as needed. Our headquarters is located in Waterford.
Applicants need not live in Waterford to volunteer. If interested, please call 518-237-6744 or visit our website at www.tri-state emergencyteam.org.
B-I-N-G-O!
Bingo is more than a game. Many people laugh at the image of older people playing bingo, but it has benefits, that folks are not aware of.
Reflexes and coordination decline naturally as seniors age, but bingo requires players to identify numbers as they are called and mark their cards accordingly at a quick clip. Studies show that bingo can significantly improve the hand-eye coordination of many seniors. As the game requires a great deal of mental flexibility and alertness to grasp, identify, and remember specific information, bingo may also help improve your loved one’s cognitive acuity and short-term memory.
Bingo events typically involve a lot of laughter and excitement. As laughter triggers a number of physical changes in the body that can boost the immune system, relieve stress, and even diminish pain, bingo can actually promote your loved one’s general health. Players make friends and become more social, as well.
The Watervliet Senior Center offers bingo on Thursdays at 12:45 and after some of our monthly dinners; the third Wednesday of every month. Call 518-273-4422 for more information.
On-Going Bottle Drive
Drop-off your containers and say: “For friends of the North Greenbush Library”, at 6 Cent Redemption II; 461 Main Ave., Wynantskill. Donations will benefit the North Greenbush Library Friends.
Free Legal Help for Federal Tax Problems
The IRS is now using private debt collectors (PDCs) to collect unpaid federal taxes. You may receive letters and phone calls from private debt collectors, but all payments must be made directly on the IRS’ website (irs.gov) or by check or money order made out to the “US Treasury.” You can request that your account be sent back to the IRS so that you can dispute the debt, request an installment agreement or to request a hold on collection. If you receive a notice from the IRS or a PDC you should call the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic at the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York. We can help you with this and many other income tax issues. The Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic can be reached at 518-462-6765 or 1-800-462-2922 if you need help. This clinic does not generally provide tax return preparation services.
~Submitted by Krzysztof Wendland, Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York
Village of Nassau General Election
The General Election of the Village of Nassau, County of Rensselaer, will be held at the Village Municipal Building, 40 Malden Street, in said Village on the 19th day of March 2019, and the polls will be open at 12:00 noon, and close at 9:00 p.m.
The Village Clerk designates the following offices as vacant at the end of the current official year, to be filled for the following term:
Mayor for the term of Robert W. Valenty for the term of four years.
Trustee for the term of David Scaccia for the term of four years.
Trustee for the term of Randy Howarth for the term of four years.
Justice for the term of Michael Conway for the term of four years.
Election is open to voters registered with Rensselaer County Board of Elections. The last day to register with the County Board of Elections is Friday, March 8, 2019.
~Melissa Turner-Bulan, Village Clerk
Warm PJs for Cold Nights Needed
CoNSERNS-U in Rensselaer is collecting Pajamas for distribution to children in needy families. This effort with its specific focus is an addition to the organization’s ongoing community support work. The continuing economic downturn keeps bringing new needs to the surface, and the number of families seeking assistance increases.
Colleen Pidgeon, Director of Co-NSERNS-U, reports that the list of families in need has grown again in the last year. Co-NSERNS-U is collecting sleepwear for youngsters aged new born to 18. Individual donations may be dropped off at 50 Herrick St across from the Train Station in Rensselaer. Ms. Pidgeon also hopes Church groups and Civic Organizations may see the opportunity for a project to help in this need. Co-NSERNS-U is open M-F, 8:30-4:30, 50 Herrick St, Rensselaer, and the phone number is 518-463-8571.
Center Brunswick UM Church Announces Financial Scholarship for Tamarac HS Grads
The Finance Committee of the Center Brunswick United Methodist Church has announced that it will award $500 to a student to be selected from the Tamarac High School Class of 2019. The money may be used for any type of expenses related to further education. Students do not have to belong to this Church, any other church or religion to be eligible for this award.
Interested students must apply for this award no later than March 1, 2019. The application can be obtained from the school’s guidance department or from our website at (www.Center BrunswickUMC.company).
This award is given in memory of Harold and Mabel Keyes through a trust funded by their last will and testament. Mabel taught in the Brunswick schools and continued teaching Sunday School at Center Brunswick UMC for many years after she retired. Through this award, her love of helping young people learn and grow will continue to reach the youth of our community.
The Center Brunswick United Methodist Church is located at the intersection of Routes 7 and 142 in Troy.
Support the Averill Park Yearbook Club
Do you want to promote your business to hundreds of families, for years to come? Are you interested in supporting The Averill Park High School students at the same time? Consider a space in the Threshold, Averill Park High School’s Yearbook!
To secure a space in the Averill Park High School’s Yearbook, please send detailed typed information including: Business Name, Address, Email, Website, Phone number, along with a design of your message, any photos (cannot be returned – Do Not Staple Photos!) and/or business cards. You may email, mail or hand-deliver your information and payment. You will receive email confirmation that your ad was received.
- Full Page: $300 (Max. 6 photos)
- Half Page $150 (Max. 4 photos)
- 1/4 Page: $100 (Max. 2 photos)
- 1/8 Page: $65. (Max. 1 photo)
All ads will be printed in color. Artwork and business cards are accepted. (Do not submit Telephone directory/ Newspaper quality). Photos may be reduced or enlarged.
Digital files should be emailed to: blosteinm@nullapcsd.org/baileya@nullapcsd.org. Checks can be made payable to Averill Park H.S. Yearbook and mailed to:
APHS Yearbook, Averill Park High School- 146 Gettle Road
Averill Park, NY 12018. Submissions should be received no later than February 1, 2019.
Special Gift for that Special Someone
This dollhouse gift will bring many days of joy and a lifetime of memories. Custom upgraded from the Greenleaf “Harrison” model (with movable walls). It has 3 stories and 8 rooms. Local architect builder has added unique features such as: skylight in the “secret play room” upstairs where you can see the Minnie Mouse wallpaper…hand crafted base and cornice molding in all rooms…hand crafted operable doors for all rooms. Wallpaper in all rooms. Roof shingles were separately purchased in sheets, but hand sanded and set in. There is even a small gold bead from antique jewelry used as the front door knob. Overall dimensions are: 34”W, 30”H, and 20”D . Scale is 1 in. to 1 ft. Asking price of $650 covers kit costs and materials for custom work. It is also 100% deductible as a donation to the Elmwood Cemetery Association. Please e-mail Sanwax@nullnycap.rr.com asap to assure your purchase. Make your check payable to Elmwood Cemetery Association and mail to their address at P.O. Box 415, West Sand Lake, NY. We thank you and wish you the best of the Holiday season.
Free Knit and Crochet Group
Rensselaer County’s Everett Wagar Senior Center, 2 Roxborough Road, Grafton NY– Would you like to help crochet or knit hats, mittens, lap robes, teddy bear sweaters or scarves for nursing homes, veterans, the homeless and school children?
Clothing Shed Donations
Latham-Colonie Council #3394 Knights of Columbus, Columbiettes and the Columbian Corporation, located at 328 Troy Schenectady Road, Latham, N.Y. 12110, are partnering with St Pauly Textile, a Western New York textile collection company, to raise needed funds for our Council home and the charitable programs we support; Boy Scouts, Center for Disability Services, local sports teams and Community Maternity Services to name a few.
This is an ongoing fundraiser with an environmentally friendly component, we are collecting textile products that will be sold all over the world instead of having them go to the landfill. Latham-Colonie K of C Organization earns a percentage per pound of the donated items.
Our Council welcomes this win-win opportunity to provide a needed service to our surrounding community by recycling used serviceable items, we have the ability to raise funds without impacting the already stretched to the limit charitable dollar.
What to drop off:
Used Clothing, shoes, sneakers, belts, purses, linens, pillowcases, blankets, curtains, and stuffed animals
**What Not to Drop-off:
Furniture, electronics, household items, books, toys, garbage, pillows, rags, and fabric scraps.
www.lathamcoloniekofc.com, 518-783-0572
Renss. Co. Legislature kicks off ‘Golden’ Tradition of collecting items for the Mohawk Hudson Humane Soc.
Chairman of the Rensselaer County Legislature Michael Stammel announced the Legislature would once again be collecting essential items for the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society in Menands.
“Our tradition of collecting goods for the humane society began in 2005 when our staffer, Linda Golden, organized the first collection effort. It has been called the ‘Golden’ Tradition since then, even after her retirement”, said Chairman Stammel.
“The humane society is struggling to care for many animals from the recent animal hoarding case in Troy, so now is a good time for us to offer them assistance”, said Vice Chair Kelly Hoffman.
“Linda Golden is an animal lover, and we are proud to continue this tradition in her honor, especially at this time when the humane society needs the extra help”, said Majority Leader Ken Herrington.
The Legislature will be collecting all varieties of unopened pet food, small blankets, new or like new towels, cat litter, training pads, cat toys (no catnip), leashes, Kong toys, Swiffer Wet Jet liquid cleaner and pads, and more. A complete list can be found on the Legislature’s Facebook page “Rensselaer County Legislature”. The items will be collected in the Majority office near the third-floor entrance to the County office building. Anyone with questions can call 518-270-2880.
~Submitted by Harry J. Tutunjian
Happy New Year Sand Lake
Crystal Lake, early 1900s. L to R: Lillian and Clara Wilkinson, Clara Hack, Mrs. Fairbanks, Alice Beebe.
Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year. 2018 was a busy year in the Town Historian’s office. Here is a brief review of the past year and a look forward to 2019.
Oral History Project: Special thanks to Bill Middleton, Ed Barlow, Rich Castle and Andrew Mace for coming in and telling their Sand Lake stories. Jim Powers of Westfield Productions is making the process simple and enjoyable. We’re looking forward to continuing but need the stories of Sand Lake women. These stories of our community’s past will be edited and be available in DVD form from our library. They may also be available on the new town website. If interested in participating, call me at 518-674-2026, ext. 120.
Hazel Drew Update: John Holser held a sold out focus group fundraiser at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts in November. Look for a premier sometime in the spring or early summer of Who Killed Hazel Drew?: The Murder That Inspired Twin Peaks. John is also working on an educational film that will focus on Sand Lake and its role in the industrial revolution.
The fourth Hazel Drew roundtable took place in early December with David Bushman and Mark Givens. Their book on the 1908 Teal Pond murder is due out sometime in March. Part Two Productions from Brooklyn has optioned the book for a possible film. Sand Lake residents as well as Drew family relatives are still looking for a break to solve the murder.
Exhibits and displays: Thanks to Bob Shuey for his Civil War weapons exhibit that ended in December. Deborah Gardner Jewell’s exhibit on the 1919 Bloom Family Auction will be up through the winter. You’re invited to share your family’s history. Call with your ideas. Methodist Farm, Auto racing, local businesses would be great to look back on.
Sand Lake Historical Society Annual Fundraiser: Save the date, Friday, June 7th. An old- time barn dance, round and square, will be held at the historic Crystal Cove Dance Hall. We’ll go back in time to one of the places that made Crystal Lake known as the “Coney Island of the north”.
Suzanne Heggie Werner joins Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon Board of Trustees
Suzanne Heggie Werner has joined the Board of Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon.
Werner moved to Hillsdale, NY in 2016 to raise alpaca at Green River Hollow Farm. She is the owner, along with her husband Robert Werner, of Fluff Alpaca, a shop in Hudson, NY that sells clothing and textiles made from alpaca fiber.
Werner holds a JD from New York University and a BA from Mount Holyoke College. She also attended Tunghai Universtiy in Taichung, Taiwan, where she pursued her study of the Mandarin language. She practiced law and taught English for many years before joining the Central Intelligence Agency in 2001. She worked first in the Office of General Counsel and later served as the Branch Chief of the Chinese language branch of the East Asia Division in the Directorate of Operations.
Two of Werner’s aunts were deeply involved with Shaker Seminars, an annual meeting of Shaker scholars and enthusiasts that was particularly popular in the 1970s and 1980s and continues to this day as a project of Hancock Shaker Village. “Thanks to my aunts, I was exposed to the history of the Shaker utopian community growing up and own some lovely Shaker items. As an adult, I continue to appreciate the Shaker principles of gender equality, the importance of communal work, and the beauty of simplicity, all of which have deep relevance in today’s society. I am thrilled to support Shaker Museum | New Lebanon and now sit on their Board.”
Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon stewards the historic site in New Lebanon, New York, which is open year-round for hiking and self-guided tours, and offers tours, exhibitions, and public programs seasonally. Please visit shakerml.org for more information, to explore the collection online, and to find out about programming in 2019.
Resolve to give blood with the Red Cross
The American Red Cross encourages people to help meet the urgent need for blood and platelets by resolving to give blood this January – National Blood Donor Month.
The critical role of blood and platelet donors has been celebrated each January for nearly 50 years during National Blood Donor Month, which coincides with one of the most difficult times to maintain a sufficient blood supply for patients. Busy holiday schedules, extreme winter weather and seasonal illnesses often impact donor turnout this time of year.
The Red Cross encourages eligible donors to resolve to give blood or platelets regularly, beginning in January. All donors who give blood or platelets during National Blood Donor Month in January at Red Cross blood drives in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island will receive a $5 Dunkin’ Gift Card via email as a thank you for helping save lives during National Blood Donor Month.* A valid email address must be on file at the time of donation.
Make an appointment to donate blood or platelets by downloading the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Another way to help keep the blood supply strong in the new year is to host a Red Cross blood drive. To learn more about hosting a blood drive and to sign up, visit RedCrossBlood.org/HostA Drive.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities Jan. 2-31
Rensselaer County
Berlin
1/21/2019: 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., United Methodist Church, 17 South Main Street
East Greenbush
1/21/2019: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., East Greenbush Community Library, 10 Community Way
1/25/2019: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church of East Greenbush, 6 Gilligan Road
Nassau
1/16/2019: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Mary’s Church, 26 Church Street
Poestenkill
1/24/2019: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Evangelical Lutheran Church, 772 Route 351
Troy
1/11/2019: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., Troy Boys and Girls Club, 1700 7th Avenue
1/23/2019: 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Hudson Valley CC, Siek Campus Center Exhibition Room, 80 Vandenburgh Avenue
1/24/2019: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., RPI, 15th Street
1/24/2019: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Russell Sage College, 65 First Street
1/26/2019: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Hope Lutheran Church, 470 Winter Street Ext.
1/28/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Troy Masonic Temple, 39 Brunswick Road
How to donate blood: Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
Kiwanis Community Christmas
In the spirit of holiday giving, the Sand Lake Community and the Kiwanis Club of Sand Lake came together to give 89 families with 191 children a Merry Christmas this year. Nationwide, the Marine Toys for Tots donations were down over 40%. Local issues challenged the success of the program. Fortunately, with the cooperation of the APCSD Faculty and Staff, Marine Toys for Tots, Rensselaer County legislators, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Algonquin Builders Club, APHS Key Club, the Boys and Girl Scouts, and West Sand Lake Hannaford Supermarkets, the Holiday Season was a blessing to needy families.
Every year for the last 26 years the Kiwanis Club of Sand Lake with the partnership of various Sand Lake Community organizations has provided needy families with food and gift baskets during the Christmas holidays. Hannaford Supermarkets provided the food gift boxes worth over $50 in food and coupons. The public purchased these boxes for $10. Hannaford Supermarkets donated over 245 boxes back to Kiwanis for the holiday family distribution. The Marine Toys for Tots provided over 500 toys for the children. Those toys were supplemented by community toy donations and purchases by The Kiwanis Club of Sand Lake. Over 750 toys and gift cards were given to 191 children ranging from 4 months to 18 years– up from 126 children in 2017. Those food and gift baskets helped make a merrier Christmas for needy families and their children.
Despite the national decrease of Marine Toys for Tots funding, an increase in distribution labor requirements and a 35% increase in the number children, the Sand Lake Community came together to help create the joy of the holidays for needy families of our town.
On behalf of all the men and women of the Kiwanis Club of Sand Lake, we wish to thank all the volunteers for their many dedicated hours and community donations to make this program a success. We look forward to next year and our continued service to the Sand Lake Community. Have a happy New Year.
~Stuart Nippes, President 2018-2019
Kiwanis Club of Sand Lake-
www.SandLakeKiwanis.org; SandLakeKiwianis@nullnycap.rr.com
Tracey Rex Reports to The People of Schodack
I believe staying in touch with constituents is an important part of serving in elective office. This monthly report is an example of my commitment to keeping residents informed of the activities of the Schodack Town Board. All meetings of the Town Board can be viewed live or at a later date for your convenience at www.townhallstreams.com or www.facebook.com/TownofSchodack.
During December, the Town Board approved the Transfer Station, Building Department, and Planning and Zoning fee schedules for 2019. These documents are available for viewing at www.Schodack.org. Additionally, the Town Board appointed Michelle Slovak to the position of Assistant to the Assessor. We welcome Michelle and are pleased to have her serve in this important position.
The Town Board recently approved an updated Employee Handbook which contains important information about the town’s employment policies and practices. Thank you to the Handbook Committee members for your dedication and contributions to this important document.
December 27 was also Ryan Mullahy’s final meeting as our Town Attorney. I truly enjoyed working with Ryan over the past year – he is intelligent, hardworking and brought top-notch legal representation and professionalism to our town. I join all residents of Schodack in wishing Ryan the best of luck in his new role as Town Justice.
On December 28, I was honored to attend the swearing-in ceremony for Rensselaer County District Attorney-elect Mary Pat Donnelly. A standing-room only crowd turned out at the county courthouse to congratulate Mary Pat and wish her well in her important role as the county’s lead prosecutor. Mary Pat is an experienced professional who is well prepared to restore integrity and performance to that important office.
As we embark on a new year, I wish to thank all of our town employees who work hard every day to make Schodack a great place to live, work and raise a family. To my fellow Town Board members, I look forward to continuing to build on our good government initiatives for the betterment of our town and its residents. To my fellow Schodack residents, I hope 2019 is filled with success, happiness, and good health.
Eric Bedell Achieves Boy Scouting’s Highest Rank
Eric Bedell, son of Betty and Dan Bedell of Nassau, has achieved Boy Scouting’s highest rank, that of Eagle Scout. Bedell was a member of Boy Scout Troop 166. He began his scouting career as a Tiger Cub with Pack 166 in first grade and continued through Cub Scouting to achieve the highest award, the Arrow of Light.
As a member of Troop 166, Eric held numerous leadership positions including Den Chief and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader. For his Eagle Scout Service Project, Bedell fundraised and coordinated a work crew that installed a bench at the baseball field in the Schodack Town Park.
Bedell is in his first year at Hudson Valley Community College studying Communications and Media. He reached his goal of Eagle on October 4 and received his Eagle badge during a court of honor ceremony December 16, 2018.
The East Greenbush Kiwanis thanks the community for making their Shoe Drive a success!
The East Greenbush Kiwanis Club would like to thank the members of our community for their support of our Shoe Drive! We are thrilled to announce that we surpassed our original goal of collecting 100 bags of shoes (with 25 pair per bag). Thanks to your generous donations, we were able to collect 110 bags, for a total of 2,750 pairs of shoes! These shoes will be used as inventory for start-up businesses in third world countries, where entrepreneurial skills will be taught to interested residents, particularly women. The funds we collected for this project will be turned back into our community and will be used for many of our child-centered projects, such as Adopt-a-Family, and our Miracle League Dinner.
Thank you again for your tremendous support!
News from Averill Park CSD
The Averill Park Athletic Hall of Fame Committee, in conjunction with the Averill Park Athletic Booster Club, has announced its Hall of Fame Class of 2019. The nine members include seven athletes and two coaches, including athletes Steve Allard (’83), Mollie DeFrancesco (’98), Suzanne Ernst (’96), Kenny Gunderman (’83), Abby Jackson (’04), Jared Morine (’06), Suzie Snyder (’00) and coaches Earl Retzlaff and Paula Maniscalco. An induction ceremony will be held on April 13. Congratulations to all!
Students involved in SAAD have been busy working with Tobacco 21 – Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation to address the growing vaping issue that is happening both locally and nationally. Students are learning new and creative ways to educate their peers and will speak with area legislators about the issue.
Later this month, on January 31, there will be an informational night for eighth grade students entering the high school next year. Important information will be discussed at this time and we encourage all parents and guardians to attend from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium.
As always, for the latest news from the District, please visit our website – averillpark.k12.ny.us. You can also follow AP on Facebook and Twitter. Meeting the needs of, and creating opportunities for, every student, every day.
Submitted by Dr. James Franchini, Averill Park CSD Superintendent
Brittonkill CSD Updating Census
The Brunswick (Brittonkill) Central School District is currently updating census information for those children residing in the district who will be eligible for Kindergarten for the 2019 – 2020 school year. Your child must be 5 years of age on or before December 1, 2019 to be enrolled.
If you have a child who will be entering Kindergarten at Tamarac Elementary School in September 2019, you may complete a form online. Just visit the school website at www.brunswickcsd.org, click on “Register a Student” and complete the Kindergarten Registration Survey Form.
We will be holding a Kindergarten Information Night at Tamarac Elementary School on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at 7:00 pm. Notices will be mailed to everyone in the census.
We are now accepting tuition paying, non-resident applications. If you are interested, please visit our website at www.brunswickcsd.org or call the Registrar’s Office for more information at (518)279-4600 ext. 2006.
Phillip Doin named to Trine University Dean’s List
ANGOLA, IN — Phillip Doin of Petersburg, a student on Trine University’s main campus, earned Dean’s List recognition for the Fall 2018 term.
Doin is majoring in Criminal Justice.
To earn Dean’s List honors, main campus students must complete a minimum of 15 hours and have a grade point average of 3.500-3.749.
AP Announces Kindergarten Registration for 2019-20 School Year
The Averill Park School District has begun the process of registering boys and girls for the 2019-2020 Kindergarten Classes. If you, or someone you know, has a child who will be five years of age on or before December 1, 2019 please contact the district registrar at 518-674-7050, extension 7201 to make sure that the child is listed on our school census. This will guarantee that you will receive all upcoming kindergarten information by mail. Registration paperwork should be hand delivered by the parent or guardian to the district registrar at the district office at the Averill Park High School during the month of February. Registration hours are Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 3:30 PM with extended evening hours on February 13th & 28th until 7 PM. Registration forms are accepted on a walk-in basis only. No appointment is required. All paperwork must be completed by 2-28-2019. New York State Public Health Law, Section 2164, requires certain immunizations (shots) to enter kindergarten and attend school. Please check with your health care provider as soon as possible to make sure your child has all the needed immunizations. They are listed below.
Required Immunizations for Kindergarten Immunizations Number of Doses:
Polio 3-4
Hepatitis B 3 Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis 4-5
Measles/Mumps/Rubella 2 Varicella (Chicken Pox) 2
Katelyn Ooms Named to Bloomsburg Univ. Fall 2018 Dean’s List
Katelyn Ooms of Rensselaer has been named to the Fall 2018 Dean’s List at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.
Ooms, a Speech Path Audiology major, is among more than 1,900 students named to the Dean’s List.
To qualify for Dean’s List, a student must earn a quality point average of 3.5 or higher (based on 4.0) during the semester.
Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 8,900 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in the colleges of Education, Business, Liberal Arts and Science and Technology.
Rensselaer High School Reunion for Graduating Classes between 1970-1979
May 18, 2019 6pm at Birch Hill’s Grand Pavilion, 1 Celebration Way, Castleton, NY 12033
Buffet BBQ, Cash Bar, DJ Entertainment, Door Prizes and Memories.
If you graduated from Rensselaer High School or Saint John’s Academy, a teacher, or school staff from these schools between 1970-1979, you are in the right place. Cost / Payments, before Feb 15, 2019 $55, after Feb 15, 2019 $60. Checks or Money Order payable to: Renss Rams Reunion can be mailed to Renss Rams Reunion, PO BOX 276, Rensselaer, NY 12144. Please include full name / maiden and year graduated.
For additional information, visit our FB page: Renss Rams Reunion 1970’s or send email to Renss.Rams.Reunion.1970s@nullgmail.com
Thank You from The Bread of Life Food Pantry
The Poestenkill Bread of Life Food Pantry extends a sincere THANK YOU to all those who graciously donated food items and/or made a financial contribution to our Pantry in 2018. Your generosity allowed our Pantry to successfully serve an expanding number of LOCAL FAMILIES during their time of need. The Bread of Life Food Pantry continues to operate from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Village of Poestenkill on the first & third Thursday of each month from 5 to 7 PM and the fourth Saturday of each month from 10 AM to 12 Noon.
Poestenkill Town Board – Meeting Minutes
Thursday, December 20, 2018
The Town is planning to upgrade its street lights, save energy and reduce operating costs by installing LED lightings, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) can partner with the town on this. A NYPA representative met with the Board explaining the annual energy savings and answered questions. A motion was made carried with 5 ayes to authorize the Supervisor to proceed with the project.
Supervisor Jacangelo reported a draft resolution regarding the sign posting law for land use applications. He explained that the publishing of legal notices in the designated newspaper of the town is insufficient to accomplish this objective. It is the purpose of this proposed local law to have a sign posted directly upon the affected premises setting forth the nature and purpose of the proposed application. A public hearing on this proposed law will be held at the January 17, 2019 Town Board meeting.
Supervisor Jacangelo reported that the Highway Superintendent has requested that the Board pass a Local Law restricting parking on Town roads during snow events. The general thought is to prohibit parking on Town roads from October 1st- April 1st when there is significant snowfall until such time as the snow is plowed and removed from the streets. A public hearing is expected to be scheduled on this proposed local law.
The Town Board unanimously passed a resolution acknowledging the completion of an audit of the Town Justice Court financial records.
The Town Board unanimously passed a resolution participating in the first update of the Rensselaer County multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan.
These minutes to be approved at the next town board meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 17th, at 7pm.
For more information, go to www.PoestenkillNY.com.
~Submitted by Councilman Eric Wohlleber
Rensselaer resident Waeya Lin selected as Wing’s Outstanding Airman of the Year
Senior Airman Waeya Lin, a resident of Rensselaer, was selected as the 109th Airlift Wing’s Outstanding Airman of the Year for 2018, based on his superior leadership, job performance, community involvement and personal achievements.
Lin joined the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing in Scotia, New York in 2016 with the Medical Group as a medical technician. He is a 2012 graduate of Rensselaer High School and obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry from Elmira College, Elmira, New York, in 2016. Lin was recently accepted into the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.
Lin will go on to compete for the New York Air National Guard Outstanding Airman of the Year.
Schodack Town Hall Closes for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Debra L. Curtis, Schodack Town Clerk, wishes to remind residents that the Schodack Town Hall Offices will be closed on Monday, January 21, 2019, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. The Schodack Town Hall Offices will resume its regular business hours on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. The Transfer Station will have regular standard business hours on Tuesday, January 22, 2019.
If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the Town Clerk at 477-7590, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm; and Saturday, 9:00am to 12:00pm.
Cohoes Navy Captain salutes USNS Charles Drew after vertical replenishments
(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nick Bauer)
U.S. Navy Capt. Robert Bryans Jr., from Cohoes, New York, salutes to the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE 10) as the guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) prepares to break away during a vertical replenishment in the Arabian Gulf, Jan. 4, 2019. The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and these strategic choke points.
Emma Limoges of Averill Park named to Dean’s List at Lehigh University
Dean’s List status, which is awarded to students who earned a scholastic average of 3.6 or better while carrying at least 12 hours of regularly graded courses, has been granted to Emma Limoges of Averill Park, NY in the Fall 2018 semester.
For more than 150 years, Lehigh University (lehigh.edu) has combined outstanding academic and learning opportunities with leadership in fostering innovative research. The institution is among the nation’s most selective, highly ranked private research universities. Lehigh’s four colleges – College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business and Economics, College of Education and the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science – provide opportunities to 7,000 students to discover and grow in a learning community that promotes interdisciplinary programs with real-world experience.
Local Students Named to Hamilton College Dean’s List
The following local residents were named to the Dean’s List at Hamilton College for the 2018 fall semester:
David Sills of East Greenbush (12061). Sills, a junior majoring in music, is a graduate of Columbia High School.
Hannah Katz of Averill Park (12018). Katz, a sophomore, is a graduate of Averill Park High School.
To be named to the Dean’s List, a student must have carried throughout the semester a course load of four or more graded credits with an average of 3.5 or above.
Additional information about the college can be found at www.hamilton.edu.
Local University of Rhode Island students named to Dean’s List
The University of Rhode Island is pleased to announce that more than 5,500 undergraduates have qualified for the fall 2018 Dean’s List. The students represent nearly all of Rhode Island’s cities and towns, all six New England states, New York and New Jersey, and many other states and nations.
To be included on the Dean’s List, students must have completed 12 or more credits during a semester for letter grades with at least a 3.30 quality point average. Part-time students qualify with the accumulation of 12 credits with a 3.30 quality point average. The list includes students who have not yet declared their majors as well as those from all of the University’s undergraduate academic colleges.
The following students from your area have been named to URI’s fall 2018 Dean’s List:
Macie Bentley of Petersburg, (12138); Katherine Blake of Rensselaer, (12144); Ian Cooper of East Greenbush, (12061); Rachel Doody of Troy, (12180); Allison Doyle of Rensselaer, (12144); Michael Evans of Castleton, (12033); Olivia Godell of East Greenbush, (12061); Emma Hayes of Troy, (12180); Braden Howe of East Greenbush, (12061); Joe Kennedy of Troy, (12180);
Matthew LaHera of Castleton On Hudson, (12033); Hannah Letzelter of Wynantskill, (12198); Madison McGuire of Troy, (12180).
Note: Students who qualified for the Dean’s List, but have restricted access to their information under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) guidelines, are not included on this public listing. Students may adjust these restrictions on eCampus.
NG Common School District Announces
Little Red School House Kindergarten Registration
North Greenbush Common School District has opened phone registration for children attending kindergarten for the 2019-2020 school year. In order for your child to attend kindergarten, they must be 5 years old on or before December 1, 2019. Parents of children eligible to attend kindergarten in September must call the District Office at (518) 283-6748 by February 1, 2019. An orientation meeting for parents will be held in the spring.
Explore the Mount at an open house in January
NEWBURGH, N.Y.–Get a taste of the college experience at Mount Saint Mary College’s open house for high school students on Sunday, January 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the campus, 330 Powell Ave. in Newburgh, N.Y.
High school students may speak with academic advisors about their plans, while being wowed by the college’s magnificent views of the Hudson River. Advisors and counselors will help students regarding their application, transferring credits, and obtaining financial aid.
Students will also meet faculty and current students, tour labs, and discover internships and research opportunities.
Prospective freshmen and their families can learn about undergraduate programs preparing students for careers in Nursing, Business, Education, Social Services, Communication/Media, Math, Information Technology, Science, Philosophy, Religion, and more.
The Mount’s prestigious Nursing program is a popular major among freshmen. Mount Nursing students enjoy state-of-the-art simulation labs and clinical relationships with more than 40 area hospitals. The Mount’s passionate faculty are dedicated to the success of both their undergraduate and graduate students.
For more information or to register, visit www.msmc.edu