Category Archives: News

Read the latest local news from Columbia County and surrounding areas.

Ancram logs its rickety structures

by By DIANE VALDEN

Building Inspector’s book tells all. A photograph of Ancram’s number one unsafe and dilapidated structure at 73 Cottontail Road. Photo contributed. See story at https://www.columbiapaper.com/2020/06/ancram-logs-rickety-structures/

ANCRAM—Most people know about Santa’s Naughty List.

At its June 18 monthly meeting, the Ancram Town Board heard about a similar kind of list contained in a book called, “Unsafe and Dilapidated Structures.”

The Ancram list is not about recalcitrant children, but it is about out-of-control structures that could or have become a nuisance or hazard. Read more…

Second wave inevitable; testing dates upcoming

by STAFF

HUDSON—Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb reported experiencing a disturbing lack of mask-wearing and social distancing on a weekend visit to Lake George.

“I believe what I observed tells me a second wave of the coronavirus is inevitable. The streets were just as crowded as they were last year and I would estimate only 10% of those walking by us were wearing masks. At times my wife and I were the only people on the street wearing masks and we also heard derogatory remarks from those mask-less people walking by,” Director Mabb said in the June 22 Covid-19 update press release issued by the Columbia County Board of Supervisors

Mr. Mabb had high praise for shop and restaurant owners, who required masks before entering, adding he did see some unhappy people turned away because they didn’t have one. Read more…

Solar farm firm pulls plug on open house plan

by DIANE VALDEN

COPAKE—Hecate Energy will not conduct in-person open houses to solicit public comment or answer questions before it files details of its industrial-sized solar energy facility in Craryville with the state.

In Copake Councilmember and Deputy Supervisor Richard Wolf’s monthly update June 11, he said Hecate Energy, a Chicago-based energy company, has filed a Public Involvement Program, which told state officials that before filing details of its proposal to site a 60-megawatt solar facility with 200,000 solar panels on 500 acres within a 900-acre project area, it would hold two open house meetings to answer questions about the proposal from Copake residents and address their concerns.

The project area is near the intersection of State Route 23 and County Route 7, primarily south of Route 23 in the Copake hamlet of Craryville. Read more…

2nd week’s protest draws six-times as many marchers

by DAVID LEE

 Chatham police estimate that over 300 people gathered at the gazebo Saturday evening, June 13 for a Black Lives Matter march and demonstration organized by the same two women responsible for together previous weekend’s protest, Ginny Dutcher and Trisha Buffa. Chatham Police Chief Peter Volkmann, who was riding his bicycle, said he knew in advance there would be march that day but didn’t expect it to be so large. He was assisted with traffic control by State Police and Columbia County Sheriff’s Deputies. After marching though the village the crowd gathered at the Tracy Memorial Village Hall to hear brief speeches, including one for Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson. The event ended at the the gazebo, where participants lay on the ground for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in a remembrance of George Floyd. Photo by David Lee 

Gallatin Town Board meets June 24

by STAFF

GALLATIN–The June Gallatin Town Board meeting will be June 24 at 6 p.m.

This will be a virtual (online) meeting. Log-in information is posted on gallatin.yourtownhub.com .

For more information contact Gallatin Town Clerk/Tax Collector Lisa DeLeeuw, P.O. Box 67 Ancram, NY 12502 or call 518-398-7519.