Canaan celebrated Fourth of July on the water

by PETER FLIERL

CANAAN—The Queechy Lake Club, led by its president, Caitlin Schwaeger, saw its 44th annual Boat Parade circle the lake Sunday, July 4.

The local boat parade got its start in 1977, a year after the national Bicentennial in 1976,. Tall Ships came to Manhattan and the Hudson River for the Bicentennial, but the hassle of the drive to New York City, finding parking and navigating huge crowds was daunting. So a group of friends at the Queechy Lake discussed options.

The group consisted of Jim Durgin, Joey O’Hara, Eddie Dignam, John Crellen, and the late Barry Moore. Their “Ah, hah!” moment was the thought of having their own vessels on parade. Thus was born the Annual Queechy Lake Boat Parade to celebrate the town’s Declaration of Independence. Read more…

How much will cameras tell us?

by JEANETTE WOLFBERG

HUDSON—The Columbia County Police Reform Implementation Committee continued its discussion of body worn cameras at its July 6 meeting focusing on two points: what a recording should include from before a police officer activates the “Begin” signal; and whether officers should have to write a report about a recorded incident before viewing the recording.

A “buffer mode” tells the camera how much time to include in a recording ahead of the moment when a police officer initiates a recording with the camera’s “Begin” signal. The county Sheriff’s Office, following New York State guidelines, currently has the buffer mode set at 30 seconds before a begin signal.

Earlier this year, Supervisor Michael Chameides (Hudson, 3rd Ward) suggested changing the buffer mode setting to its maximum possible of 120 seconds. He said that would “provide more transparency,” and some committee members agreed. But County Sheriff David Bartlett had said a shorter buffer protects police officers’ privacy. A Committee member had suggested a compromise of 60 seconds. Sheriff Bartlett said had he would look into the matter. Read more…

Food insecure? This kitchen can help

by DAVID LEE

Speaking to neighbors and supporters July 10, Livingston resident Carole Clark explains the mission of the non-profit program called the Columbia County Recovery Kitchen, which is preparing and delivering high nutrition meals prepared by a professional chef. Photo by David Lee

SPENCERTOWN—In the wake of the pandemic a new organization dedicated to the challenge of combating food insecurity in the area has taken root. Called the Columbia County Recovery Kitchen, it is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization started in April, 2020. A fundraising event that attracted about 50 people was held on Saturday, July 10 to help this organization expand its work.

According to founder Carole Clark, The Columbia County Recovery Kitchen is dedicated to providing fresh nutrition-rich, balanced meals, cooked from scratch, packaged and delivered.

Ms. Clark was chef proprietor of Charleston Restaurant in Hudson for over 19 years. She sold the restaurant in 2006 and began working with children in Hudson with the Department of Youth, teaching them gardening, cooking, baking, etc. Read more…

Pot law options pose puzzles

by DIANE VALDEN

COPAKE—Opt in or opt out?

That’s the decision municipalities across the state must make in connection with the new law legalizing marijuana.

Signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo March 31, the legislation:

*Legalizes adult-use cannabis

*Establishes the Office of Cannabis Management to implement a comprehensive regulatory framework that covers medical, adult-use and cannabinoid hemp

*Expands the state’s existing medical marijuana and cannabinoid hemp programs

*Provides licensing for marijuana producers, distributors, retailers and other actors in the cannabis market

*Creates a social and economic equity program to assist individuals disproportionately impacted by cannabis enforcement who want to participate in the industry, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

At the July 8 Copake Town Board meeting, the first in-person meeting since March 2020, Town Supervisor Jeanne Mettler asked Town Attorney Kenneth J. Dow to talk about the new law and what it means for Copake. Read more…

They know a celebration when they sniff one

by DAVID LEE

The People’s Parade returned to the Village of Kinderhook this July 4 after taking last year off due to the pandemic. Marching by the Village Square are the hounds of the Old Chatham Hunt Club. The parade is open to all people and their well-behaved canines. Marchers lined up on Rothermel Lane at 11 a.m. and paraded to the Village Square. There was a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, singing of the national anthem, a talk from Village Historian Ruth Piwonka and, as he has done since 1985, Mark Leinung read the Declaration of Independence in its entirety, “warts and all,” as he put it. Photo by David Lee