The words on the Jack Shainman Gallery/The School, on Broad Street in the Village of Kinderhook, have changed from “Truth Be Told” to “Truth.” In a New York Times article, online January 14, gallery owner Jack Shainman said that artist Nick Cave made the change to words in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 18, and the inauguration of President Joe Biden on January 20. Photo by Emilia Teasdale
This new historic district marker will be placed near the Ancram Post Office. Photo by Art Bassin
ANCRAM—One definition of a sign, according to Merriam-Webster, is “a public notice that advertises something or gives information.”
Maybe the most important thing about a sign is that it has to be visible to fulfill its purpose. Figuring out exactly where that visible place is has proved to be a challenge over the past few months since the Town of Ancram came into possession of a marker denoting the hamlet of Ancram an historic district.
The town won a grant through the William G. Pomeroy Foundation applied for by town resident John Hoffman. The marker says, “Ancram Hamlet Historic District has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017 by the United States Department of the Interior.” Read more…
KINDERHOOK—The village Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) met on Zoom December 28 to discuss the application from Jack Shainman Gallery/The School about the gallery’s newest exhibit: the words “Truth Be Told” in large, black letters on the exterior of the building at 25 Broad Street/Route 9.
ZBA Chairman Jerome Callahan told the online audience of over 50 people that this was a meeting to review the application from Mr. Shainman and his lawyer, William Better, asking the board to overturn the ruling by village Code Enforcement Officer/Building Inspector Peter Bujanow that the work could not go up since it was a “sign” or “banner.”
The words have been modified recently and will most likely come down at the end of the month. According to an article in the New York Times, this piece by artist Nick Cave will be installed on the Brooklyn Museum this spring. Read more…
HUDSON—The Columbia County Board of Supervisors approved a contract to spend $500,000 on body worn cameras for the Sheriff’s Office at its Year End meeting December 30. But some believe more planning is necessary before activating the cameras for the benefit of the community.
Body worn cameras got favorable responses at Police Reform Panel meetings in December. At one such meeting, Stockport Police Chief James Delaney said the cameras “protect the officer, they protect the town, and they protect the individual being interviewed by the police.”
County Sheriff David Bartlett said the cameras allow “additional accountability.” And Greenport Police Chief Kevin Marchetto said they “protect us from lawsuits. It would be nice if insurance companies bought them for us.” Read more…
HUDSON—The best part of being a commissioner for the Hudson Housing Authority (HHA) was “being able to achieve positive changes in the lives of residents,” said T. Randall Martin, looking back at his almost four years on the HHA Board.
Mr. Martin, a professional videographer, joined the board in January 2017 and left it this fall because of business pressures. During his last year, he served as the board’s chairman, before that he served as its vice chairman. The HHA runs the income-restricted 135-unit Bliss Tower and Columbia Apartments in Hudson. Read more…
HUDSON—Finances, the high school swimming pool and health measures dominated the Hudson City School District (HCSD) Board of Education meeting January 5.
The new stimulus package that Congress passed in December includes four times as much money for “education-related expenses” as the previous package but still less than what advocates had hoped for, Businesses Administrator Jesse Boehme reported. Of this, New York should get $4 billion, which “we’re waiting to see how the state will distribute,” he said.
“We’re still unsure of the amount of state aid we will be receiving this year,” Mr. Boehme added later. The possibility that the state will cut up to 20% less than budgeted for this school year still looms. Read more…