February 28, 2015

Public Forum Pipeline meeting TODAY!

Public Forum on a Proposed Fracked Gas Pipeline
Through Rensselaer County, NY

Saturday, February 28, 2015  12-3 p.m.
Nassau Sportsman Club
370 Boyce Rd. Nassau, NY

February 27, 2015

No Shutdown For Now: Congress Passes Week-Long Homeland Security Patch

Congress has narrowly averted a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security for one week, setting up another funding showdown for next Friday.

Putin wanted him dead? Now he's dead.

Vladimir Putin

Boris Nemtsov had been quoted as saying he was concerned that the president might want him dead over his opposition to the conflict in Ukraine

Kremlin critic killed...

Where no man has gone before...Thank you Mr. Nimoy!

Leonard Nimoy, the sonorous, gaunt-faced actor who won a worshipful global following as Mr. Spock, the resolutely logical human-alien first officer of the Starship Enterprise in the television and movie juggernaut “Star Trek,” died on Friday morning at his home in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles. He was 83.

February 26, 2015

31 Days of Oscar

Sounds like some serious binge-watching!

http://31days.tcm.com/day-27/1982-1989/schedule



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Net Neutrality Prevails In Historic FCC Vote


Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler listens to a speaker during a FCC hearing on the net neutrality on February 26, 2015 in Washington, DC. AFP PHOTO/MANDEL NGAN        (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)
FCC Chairman Not Wheeler

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WASHINGTON -- The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to approve strong net neutrality rules in a stunning decision, defying vocal, months-long opposition by telecom and cable companies and Republicans on Capitol Hill.

February 25, 2015

Missing Halfmoon teen found in Florida


Updated: 02/25/2015 5:47 PM
Created: 02/25/2015 1:13 PM WNYT.com
By: WNYT Staff

ORLANDO, FL.- Henry Ytterberg, the teen who was reported missing from his Halfmoon home earlier this month has been found. During the time he was missing, he turned 16 years old.

February 23, 2015

EDITORIAL: What’s the threat from measles?

 by PARRY TEASDALE

IF YOU HAD MEASLES as a kid you may not remember having them. For most Baby Boomers born before the vaccine was introduced in 1963, measles made you sick and itchy, you stayed home from school until the spots went away and life went on.

Thousands of kids were hospitalized by complications associated with measles–respiratory illnesses and even encephalitis. Some died. Back then my parents wouldn't have told me about that. Would yours?

There were an estimated 4 million measles cases a year in the U.S. before the vaccine. That’s a lot of illness. It was also a lot of people not likely to get measles again because their immune systems had developed antibodies to the virus. But the vaccine meant you could avoid measles instead of surviving them. 

This vaccine, now given as part of a cocktail of vaccines against other childhood maladies, transformed measles from a threat to a memory.

Read more...

February 22, 2015

SUNY Financial Aid Days - Saturday, Feb. 28

SUNY will host Financial Aid Days for all prospective college students at 46 of their campuses across the state on Saturday, Feb. 28. You do not need to be an applicant of a SUNY college to participate. 
These days are designed to answer questions and provide assistance regarding the financial aid application, types of aid, and the award process. 
Most sites will also offer hands-on assistance from financial aid professionals in completing the FAFSA including web access to complete the FAFSA. 
Locally, Hudson Valley and Columbia-Greene Community Colleges will hold their events on Feb. 28. You must register in advance for this program. To register or for more information, click here...
Posted 1/26/15.

Schodack Schools open despite boil water advisory

Boil Water Advisory Due to Village Water Main Break; School Will Still Open on Monday

Due to a water main break in the village, all three school buildings are under a boil water advisory until at least Monday, Feb. 23. This will not prevent schools from opening. Water coolers and cups are already in place in all three buildings. Plastic has been placed over water fountains. Signs directing individuals to avoid drinking tap water have been distributed. Chartwells Food Service is aware as well. “We’re all ready for school on Monday and even for tonight’s basketball game,” said Buildings and Grounds Superintendent Matt LaClair. “We’ve done this before when the village experienced water main breaks in the past.” 
Posted 2/20/15.

Print at home movie tickets through AAA

Did you know?

Regal Premiere Print-at-home E-Ticket

Print tickets at home! Tickets are valid at all Regal Entertainment Group locations nationwide for all showtimes*, including first-run films! Premiere print-at-home e-tickets are available immediately and DO NOT EXPIRE!

Price: $8.45 per ticket (Box Office: up to $14)
At checkout, a $2.25 processing fee PER ORDER (not per ticket) will apply. 

Regal Premiere Movie tickets are also available. Click here for more details.

You MUST bring a printed version of the ticket and it MUST contain a legible barcode for scanning at the theater. Mobile phone presentation or web access to your tickets at the theater will not be valid for admission.

ALBANY – A long-time educator Brian Howard has died after falling off his roof while shoveling snow

Brian Howard was in education for more than 40 years. He served as a teacher, principal, and superintendent in Berlin, Troy, and Queensbury School Districts. He was also the principal of Chatham High.

Howard's death is a sad reminder of how careful you need to be when clearing the snow from your roof. His wife found him when she came home.

Brian Howard's wake is Tuesday night 4-7 Mcdonald funeral home and funeral is Wednesday 9:30 at at Augusta church.

In wake of 5-year-old's death, raise concerns about effectiveness of official supervision

Judge Gerard Maney
  Albany Co Family Court
 (Will Waldron / Times Union)
In the months leading up to his death, 5-year-old Kenneth White slept in a La-Z-Boy recliner wedged into a small bedroom in a cluttered trailer he shared with a half-dozen people, 10 cats and five dogs.

He isn't the only Capital Region child to die while under the supervision of child protective services. In one case, an infant was tortured for weeks, his bones broken, his anus torn. Another infant was born with drugs in its system, but was still sent home with a drug-addicted mother.

The reports don't cover all child deaths in the area. [Many] were limited to the reports the state decided, without detailed explanation, to make public. 
Read more...

What can be done?  Leave a comment.

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February 20, 2015

All kinds of trouble!

The village of Castleton is under a boil water advisory is in effect for the next two days, or until further notice.

A boil water advisory is in effect for the next two days, or until further notice.
Anyone traveling in Rensselaer, Rte. 9 & 20 are shut down near Aiken Ave. because of a water main break.

NASSAU- The Village of Nassau has a water main break located on Albany Ave, Route 20.
A boil water advisory is in effect until further notice.


 
Calendar items listed for Free

East Greenbush car thefts

Times Union reports..
EAST GREENBUSH — Four teens were arrested Sunday, and one police officer was injured after a series of thefts from parked cars, town police said.

Joseph W. White and Michael R. Palmer, both 19, of East Greenbush were charged with felony burglary. White also was charged with felony assault.

In an unrelated incident, Nicholas W. Keil, 16 of East Greenbush, and a 15-year-old from Valatie, whose name was not released, were charged with larceny.

Around 7:30 a.m. a Connecticut Avenue resident came home to find two men in his garage stealing tools, police said. He tried to stop the pair, but they pushed past him and ran off down the street. The homeowner called police and provided a description.
Read more...

Traffic Alert!


NASSAU - Route 20 is closed between Route 203 and Phillips Street because of a water-main break.

February 19, 2015

The falls are partially frozen -

2015
Hard to believe, but the Niagara Falls waters partially froze last week. Here are some of the incredible images by 500px photographers, capturing the beauty of this occurrence. 


Declutter class!

Spend Saturday with a Pro!

Declutter and organize to invite natural energy flow into your home and create a sanctuary that you deserve!

In the first hour of this class, professional organizer, Julie Ulmer of Minding Your Manor will be discussing the benefits to de cluttering and the keys to successful organizing and will share many tips on how to get started and then how to maintain your newly organized space!

http://www.mindingyourmanor.com/

February 17, 2015

Okay, Winter...you win!

Before the snow is fully removed, the Castleton DPW was called out at 7:30 p.m.for a water main break near Edgewood Terrace.



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February 15, 2015

Updated: Friday, February 13 2015, 08:15 PM EST 

OLD CHATHAM -- This cat may be down one of its nine lives after he was found frozen to a road in Old Chatham. Little Brook Farm, a nonprofit farm that rescues animals, posted the story of the cat they're calling Valentine on their Facebook page. They say a friend found the cat on the road and thought it was dead. After noticing the cat was still breathing, the friend says he literally peeled the animal off the road and took him to the farm. They warmed him up by the fire and wrapped him in towels. The cat is now recovering and has been given a clean bill of health from the vet. (Photos and videos courtesy of Little Brook Farm)

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February 13, 2015

Sailing away on The good ship Lollipop

Shirley Temple dies

Shirley Temple Black, who rose to fame as arguably the most popular child star in Hollywood history, died late Monday night, her publicist said.

She was 85.

February 12, 2015

Why you shouldn't give your doctor your Social Security number

Consumer Reports February 10, 2015 3:00 PM
You’re filling out a pile of forms at the local hospital or when seeing a physician. You jot down your name, address, and insurance information. Then you come to a space for your Social Security number. Should you fill in those precious nine digits? If it’s your doctor or hospital asking, the answer is “No!” But it’s not so simple if you have Medicare or the question comes from your health insurance company. 
Here’s what you need to know.
Bob Simon, an award-winning CBS News correspondent whose career spanned nearly 50 years and many major international conflicts, was killed in a car crash in Manhattan on Wednesday. He was 73.
Mr. Simon, who was in his 19th season as a correspondent for “60 Minutes,” won dozens of honors, including 27 Emmy Awards and four Peabody Awards, in a career that dated to the 1960s. He covered many significant news events during the course of that career and, as a war correspondent, was captured by Iraqi forces near the Saudi-Kuwait border during the opening days of the Persian Gulf war in January 1991.

He wrote about that experience in his 1992 memoir,  The title referred to the length of his captivity.  Read more from the NYTimes

Do you own or manage land along a stream?

The Hudson Estuary Trees for Tribs Program offers free native trees and shrubs for planting along the tributary streams in the Hudson River Estuary watershed. We are looking for new sites for plantings. Our staff can help you with a planting plan and work with your volunteers on site.

Trees for Tribs is now accepting applications for Spring 2015 planting projects. Applications received by March 1, 2015 will be given preference.

For more information about the program including project applications and fact sheets, please visit the DEC website,www.dec.ny.gov/lands/43668.html or contact the Hudson River Estuary Program's Stream Buffer Coordinator, Beth Roessler at (845) 256-2253,  or HudsonEstuaryTFT@dec.ny.gov .

Since 2007, Trees for Tribs has been responsible for planting more than 36,000 native trees and shrubs along 17 miles of stream with the help of over 7,500 local volunteers. These plants will help protect water quality, fish and wildlife and also reduce erosion and flooding.

Please forward this email to potentially interested landowners and partners.

Thank you,
Beth Roessler
Stream Buffer Coordinator, Hudson River Estuary Program/ NYS Water Resources Institute, Cornell University


Headlines than caught my eye...News in a Nutshell

February 11, 2015

House Passes Keystone Bill, Sending It To Obama For Veto

WASHINGTON -- The House of Representatives passed the Senate version of legislation approving construction of the Keystone XL pipeline on Wednesday, sending the bill to President Barack Obama's desk for an anticipated veto. 

The bill passed by a vote of 270-152.

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Old Glory

Vets speak at BOE meeting about improperly placed flag

Watch here...
DUANESBURG, N.Y. (NEWS10) – After the American flag was seen tossed in a bin on the floor of a local elementary school, some area veterans were outraged.

Veterans gathered at the Duanesburg Board of Education meeting on Tuesday to ask district leaders to take action after a picture shared online showed an American flag carelessly tossed in a bin.

February 10, 2015

Solar employs more people per megawatt-hour of electricity than any other energy source

US solar industry employed 173,807 people, up 21.8 percent from a year before
That's 10 times faster than job growth in the overall US economy, which was just 2 percent over the same time period, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Solar jobs now outnumber coal mining jobs two-to-one and are quickly catching up to jobs in oil and gas extraction, as well.

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"His comedic brilliance is second to none."



Jon Stewart, the comedian-turned-faux newsman who transformed The Daily Showinto a cultural powerhouse over the course of 16 years at the anchor desk, is leaving the show later this year.

Stewart announced his coming departure during the taping of Tuesday night’s show, and Comedy Central president Michele Ganeless confirmed it in a statement. It wasn’t immediately clear what Stewart’s next move will be, nor was it clear who would replace him or whether the show will continue.

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Between a rock and a tractor trailor!

 Update:


Man jumps of bridge to avoid traffic!
ALBANY -- Police activity shut down the westbound lanes of I-90 on the Patroon Island Bridge after a man jumped off the bridge to avoid getting hit by oncoming traffic. Officials say the man's car slid into the guardrail on the bridge. When he got out of the vehicle to make his way to the rear of the car, he apparently realized he would be pinned by oncoming traffic, and jumped over the side of the bridge in an attempt to escape. Albany Fire Chief Warren Abriel says witnesses working on the bridge saw the man jump and land on a snow bank more than 50 feet below. They say despite the fall, the man was able to walk up the side of the hill and back onto the bridge, where he was then struck by a tractor trailer going about 25 miles per hour. According to authorities, the man was taken to Albany Medical Center with broken bones in his arms, road rash and lacerations. His condition is unknown at this time.

Read more...

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February 9, 2015

How many people saw your ad today?

Advertise locally - Visitors to the Schodack SCENE could very well be your next customers!


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Snow Emergencies

SCHODACK: The Town of Schodack has declared a snow emergency in anticipation of forecasted weather effective from Noon Sunday, February 8 until Noon, Tuesday, February 10, 2015. No on street parking during this period.  Please place trash and recyclable containers on driveways and not on streets during this period as well.  Thank you for your cooperation.

EAST GREENBUSH: The town of East Greenbush has declared that a snow emergency will be in effect from February 7, 2015 at 6 p.m. to February 10, 2015 at 11 p.m. Local residents are reminded that all vehicles are prohibited from parking on any public streets for the duration of the snow emergency. Also, all garbage cans/ recyclable containers are to be confined to resident’s driveways.

RENSSELAER: The City of Rensselaer has declared that a “SNOW EMERGENCY” will be in effect beginning SUNDAY February 08, 2015 at 8:00pm. No Parking will start on the ODD side of the streets for a 24 hour period. After 24 hours, there will be NO PARKING on the EVEN side of the street. Vehicles in violation of this Local Law will be subject to ticketing and/or towing. The “SNOW EMERGENCY” will be continued until such time that the City of Rensselaer calls off the snow emergency. The City website will have all up to date notifications and cancelations concerning this emergency.
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Pageviews today 601
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Pageviews last month 9,029
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CANCELLED!


A pipeline through Schodack?  
There is a public information session coming up, hosted by the company Kinder Morgan, on Monday, February 9, from 6 - 8 pm at Green Meadow Elementary.  

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February 8, 2015

9&20 Diner to re-open under new management!

After some minor renovations 
Christakts Mikilliats will re-open the 9&20 Diner  at  1842 Columbia Turnpike at the end of March or Early April!


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Day after day, after day!

Boston, Albany, N.Y. and Worcester, Mass. are among the cities where a foot or more of snow could pile up.



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February 7, 2015

Severe weather...really? Come ON!





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Murder!

Updated: Friday, February 6 2015, 10:26 PM EST 
Tiffany Van Alstyne indicted for murder of Kenneth White ALBANY -- Albany District Attorney David Soares announced on Friday that Tiffany Van Alstyne, 20, had been indicted for the murder of 5-year-old Kenneth White. Van Alstyne was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of second degree murder and one count of first degree manslaughter. She's accused of killing her cousin Kenneth on December 18th near the home on Thacher Park Road in Knox where the boy was living with his aunt, Van Alstyne's mother. Van Alstyne is expected to be arraigned in county court sometime next week.

Read more...

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February 6, 2015

High Traffic areas chosen for red light cameras

Updated: Friday, February 6 2015, 05:54 PM EST

ALBANY -- After months of debate and review, Albany has selected the locations where 20 red light cameras will be installed. The intersections were announced at a meeting with the Albany Police Department on Friday. 
According to authorities, the locations selected are: 
Second Avenue and Frisbee Avenue 
Central Avenue and Colvin Avenue 
Central Avenue and Henry Johnson Blvd. 
Central Avenue and King Street 
Central Avenue and Quail Street 
Delaware Avenue and Holland Avenue 
Everett Road and Watervliet Avenue Extension 
Henry Johnson and Clinton Avenue 
Lark Street and Madison Avenue 
Madison Avenue and North Main Avenue 
Madison Avenue and New Scotland Avenue 
Madison Avenue and Quail Street 
Madison Avenue and South Pearl Street 
New Scotland Avenue and Ontario Street 
New Scotland Avenue and Manning Blvd.
 Northern Blvd. and Shaker Road 
Russell Road and Western Avenue 
Washington Avenue and North Main Avenue 
Washington Avenue and Quail Street 

February 2, 2015

Pipeline Opponents Form Multi-state Alliance

Concerned citizens from three states and over two dozen organizations have joined forces to fight the proposed Kinder Morgan Tennessee Gas Pipeline Northeast Energy Direct (NED) project. The group’s current members hail from New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire and call themselves The StopNED Coalition to reflect the regional scope of their mission.  “NED is a massive pipeline, extending over 350 miles from Pennsylvania to eastern Massachusetts, and the impacts to homeowners,

Schodack Island State Park

Cindy Schultz / Times Union) 
Winterfest was held on Saturday at Schodack Island State Park in Schodack Landing. Events included ice skating, snow shoeing and a scavenger hunt.

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February 1, 2015

A pipeline through Schodack?

There is a public information session coming up, hosted by the company Kinder Morgan, on Monday, February 9, from 6 - 8 pm at Green Meadow Elementary.  The original plan for expansion was along the existing pipeline route, and that crosses through Schodack from west to east.  Now the company wants to lay the new pipe along a power line right-of-way, and with this alternative plan they are planning to build a new compression station in Rensselaer County, quite possibly in Schodack.  The same company has a compression station along Route 66 in Chatham already. The company's filed plans show that the compresssion station could be in the area between Routes 9 and 20 (south of the split) kind of near Shufelt Rd.

Watch this video for more information.

MONDAY — FEBRUARY 9, 2015 — Castleton-On-Hudson, NY
NEW LOCATION (formerly Nassau, NY)
February 9: Schodack, NY
Green Meadow Elementary School Cafeteria
234 Schuurman Road, Castleton-On-Hudson, NY 12033

What could possibly go wrong? Read more...


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