Community helps Red Rock firefighters search for missing dogs

by DAVID LEE

RED ROCK – This might be just another missing dog story except that the two dogs, Diesel and Zoey, are members of the family of Tab and Melissa Eigenbrodt who live in the forested hills of Red Rock. They have been community volunteers and activists for decades, and when the word got out that their dogs had run away, people responded in a manner that surprised even them. The poster featuring the two dogs has been shared on Facebook more than 7,000 times and they’ve heard from people they have never met wondering if there is anything they can do to help.

The Eigenbrodt’s have both been volunteer firefighters for many years. Mrs. Eigenbrodt is currently the chief of the Red Rock Volunteer Fire Company. They both work for the U.S. Postal Service.

Diesel is a Dalmatian who frequently rides in the Red Rock Fire Company’s antique fire truck in parades and Zoey is a bluetick coonhound. The dogs ran from the house on Saturday, March 2. They were reported on Tuesday, March 5 by somebody in the vicinity of Adams Point Beach at Queechy Lake, but when the Eigenbrodts arrived a few minutes later, the dogs could not be found. Read more…

Critics want studies of Livingston gas plaza plan

by CARMEN HENRIQUEZ

Looking south/southeast at the intersection of Routes 9, 9H, 23 and 82, the property in the foreground is where Global Partners, owner of the Xtra Mart chain of stores, wants to build a new, larger store and gas/diesel filling station. Photo by David Lee

LIVINGSTON—The Livingston Planning Board held a public hearing on Wednesday March 6, at the Livingston Town Hall to give the community an opportunity to voice opinions on the proposed Global Partners gas station and store. The room was packed, with many people standing. All members of the Planning Board were present.

Global Partners, the company that owns the Xtra Mart chain, has submitted an application for a gas station and convenience store on the northeast corner of the intersection of US Route 9 and State Routes 9H/23 and 82.

The new structure would be 4,800 square feet with 16 gasoline dispensing locations and a 4,000 square-foot canopy, two diesel dispensing locations whose canopy would measure 1,000 square feet, two enter/exit driveways on Route 9H and one on Route 9, 32 parking spaces and a diesel island truck queue. Read more…

Cascino has big ‘farm’ plans

by DIANE VALDEN

COPAKE—No need to worry, Salvatore Cascino is no longer in the “recycling” business, his representative told the Copake Planning Board last week.

His message was that the board should not be suspicious or question whether the buildings Mr. Cascino has already illegally built on his 300-acre property and the new buildings he proposes to build there will be used for agricultural purposes—just as he says they will.

Mr. Cascino, 79, of Larchmont, Westchester County is a convicted felon who has spent the past 21 years amassing violations of federal, state and town laws for illegal dumping, building and excavating at a place he calls Copake Valley Farm, along the east side of Route 22. Read more…

In Chatham, short-term rentals spark prolonged debate

by EMILIA TEASDALE

CHATHAM–The Town Board held another public hearing on the proposed new zoning law March 7. It drew a full house at Town Hall, with most people addressing the issue of regulations on short-term rentals.

Many who spoke are homeowners who either rent out part of their property or own a second home in town that they rent for short-term stays. There were also several business owners from the Village of Chatham who spoke in support of having short-term rentals in the town to bring tourism to Main Street.

The town is proposing changes to the current zoning law that would be in line with the town’s Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2009. A committee of residents and Town Board members as well as Town Planner Nan Stolzenburg has been reviewing the laws and making changes since last 2017. Read more…

ICC launches effort to boost state test participation

by EMILIA TEASDALE

VALATIE–Under pressure from the state, a committee of teachers, parents and school administrators in the Ichabod Crane School District hopes to encourage more parents of students in grades 3 to 8 to have their children take the state assessment tests this spring. With that goal in mind, the distirct has scheduled an information night Thursday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m.

At a Board of Education meeting Tuesday, March 5, the committee discussed the upcoming information night. Middle school teacher Melanie Moon told the board that one of the committee’s goals is “to build a partnership with parents.”

Since the state began the assessments in 2013, Ichabod Crane has had a large “opt-out” rate, a term applied to parents who have refused to allow their children to take the assessment tests. Their refusals have not affected students’ grades or the school district’s state funding. Read more…