News

Veterans honored and remembered. The annual Veteran’s Day Parade and Ceremony in Hudson was held Sunday, November 11 beginning with a wreath laying at the 7th Street Park veterans monument. The parade marched down Warren to 4th Street, ending at the county Court House. The color guard included (l to r): Air Force Senior Master Sergeant Victoria Hill; Karl Weingaertner, Scout Troop 752, Hillsdale; Zachary Zibella, Scout Troop 102 , Hudson; Charlie Webster, Hudson Legion Post 184; Gary Vogel, Hudson VFW Post 1314; Ed Coons, Hudson Legion Post 184. Veterans read the names of Columbia County soldiers who were killed in various conflicts since World War I. Randy Staats (above r) read the names of soldiers killed in Vietnam, Beirut, Iraq and Afghanistan. Vince Grimaldi, VFW Post 1314, welcomed the gathering; Rabbi Daniel Fried, Congregation Anshe Emeth, read the invocation; the Hudson High School Band played the Star Spangled Banner. Mayor Rick Rector greeted the assembly and DAR Regent Jeane LaPorta and VFW Auxiliary member Judy Snow placed a wreath at the foot of the World War II monument. The guest speaker was Capt. Kathryne Rodhe of State Police Troop K, Livingston Barracks. The ceremony ended with a salute by the VFW 1314 rifle squad and the playing of taps. Photo by David Lee

Many from county served in World War I

by HOWARD BLUE

LAST SUNDAY, November 11, marked 100 years since the signing of the armistice that ended the fighting in what we now know as the First World War.

Last week The Columbia Paper published photos of some county residents who served in the U.S. armed services during that war along with brief accounts of their service as originally reported in the book “Columbia County in the World War.” Accompanying them was an overview of the county’s contribution written by Copake historian Howard Blue. This week we conclude his presentation with additional photos he selected of other WWI veterans. Copies of “Columbia County in the World War” are available at local libraries.

Physician Hamilton Southworth of North Chatham served in the Army even though, as the father of three children, he might have been exempt from military service.

Read more…

ICC enrollment now predicted to hold steady

by EMILIA TEASDALE

KINDERHOOK–The Ichabod Crane school board heard an update on an enrollment study from consultant Paul Seversky at the board meeting November 6. Dr. Seversky first conducted an enrollment study in the district in 2009, which showed that enrollment in the district was declining. At last week’s meeting Dr. Seversky said that looking at live birth data and the trends of families moving into the district, Ichabod Crane’s enrollment should stay stable over the next eight years.

“That’s good news,” he told the board.

He said that there has been a decline in children born in the district but it was not as steep as the decline in other parts of the state. He said the decline in enrollment is not just being felt in upstate counties but also in districts he works with closer to New York City in Westchester County. Read more…

This road’s not your road

by DIANE VALDEN

COPAKE—Sorry Sal, no road for you.

The Town Board voted unanimously not to hand over ownership of Lackawanna Road to Salvatore Cascino at its November 8 meeting.

Last month the Town Board received a letter dated September 26 from Mr. Cascino which said he had been approached by Town Highway Superintendent Bill Gregory asking him if he would like the town to “relinquish… its right of passage on Lackawanna Road…”

Mr. Cascino, 78, of Larchmont, Westchester County, is a convicted felon who has spent the past 20 years amassing violations of federal, state and town laws for illegal dumping, building, paving and excavating at a place he calls Copake Valley Farm, along the east side of State Route 22. Read more…

G’town voters back ending town police

by CARMEN HENRIQUEZ

GERMANTOWN—Amid the highly charged mid-term election campaigns, the ballot for voters Germantown also included Proposition 1, asking whether the town should adopt Local Law No.2 of 2018 which abolishes the Germantown Police Department.

At a special meeting in August the Town Board unanimously voted to abolish the Police Department, but after the board voted a petition was circulated and enough signatures were collected to require a referendum on the ballot for the November 6 elections.

The lines at one of the polling sites in Germantown were at times long, and according to Paula Hurley, “I waited close to 45 minutes. The place was packed.” Despite the lines and torrential rain voters were not deterred from casting their ballots. The measure to abolish the town Police Department passed by a vote of 490 to 372 in the unofficial count Tuesday night. Read more…

Camphill Village opens a new Village Green in Copake

by DAVID LEE

Paula Levai (l) and her mother Rosi Levai (r) cut the ribbon to mark the grand opening of the remodeled Village Green at Camphill Village in Copake on Friday, October 26. The renovation of the building—which houses the organization’s bakery, gift shop, coffee shop, and lunch cafe—was funded by donors, many of whom are family members of Camphill residents. The Village Green is considered the social hub of Camphill Village, and it is open to the public. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, beginning November 3. Photo by David Lee

COPAKE – Camphill Village was founded in 1961 as a community dedicated to creating an environment of dignity and purpose to people with developmental differences. The village has grown over the decades, and on Friday October 26, the ribbon was cut on a new structure known as the Village Green. Among the many workshops and endeavors offered at Camphill are a bakery, lunch cafe and a gift shop, which now have new accommodations adjacent to a bright new community room. The Village Green also houses a library of books, magazine, and, soon to come, laptops and touchpads.

The room was filled on Friday for the grand opening ceremony which included music and a theatrical presentation by residents.

William Vogt, who is former Camphill Board Chairman and Capital Fund Chair, thanked the donors who made the project possible, many of whom were in attendance. In addition to the Village Green, he noted that the capital fund paid for upgrades of residence buildings and grounds and the construction of a new sugar shack for maple syrup. Read more…