Abrahamson: Shiffrin, with 'nothing to lose,' wins Olympic giant slalom gold

Mikaela Shiffrin made it look — almost — easy.

Mikaela Shiffrin | Photo: USA TODAY Sports.

February 15, 2018 02:54 AM

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea - As the late, great Tom Petty said, the waiting is the hardest part.

Confronted with weather-related delays that pushed back the start of her 2018 Winter Games. the American ski star captured the keen mental edge it takes to ski on the edge, but not beyond, to win Olympic gold in the women's giant slalom.
  

In Sochi, an 18-year-old Shiffrin won gold in slalom but finished fifth in GS. She vowed to become No. 1 in GS, too.

Turning 23 next month, she is now a two-time Olympic champion, winner of a first medal for the United States in women's giant slalom since Julia Mancuso's Torino 2006 gold. Shiffrin is also just the sixth woman in Olympic history to win gold in both the slalom and giant slalom, joining the likes of Andrea Mead-Lawrence of the United States and Croatia's Janica Kostelic.
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Empire Park Pass

Sweet Deal

If you haven’t already bought your Empire Pass online at the $65 price, act now! The new 2018 Empire Pass can be shared among a household and is the key to all-season enjoyment at state parks, forests, beaches, trails, nature centers and more. The pre-season sale price is good through March 31, 2018. Learn more

Questar III & NYS Parks partner to offer student art exhibit

Feb 9, 2018 | Questar III BOCES, School District, School Library Service |

For the second year, Questar III and the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation are partnering to create a student art exhibit at Schodack Island State Park. The group is seeking local Pre-K to grade 12 student works to display at the 1,052-acre site located on the eastern shore of the Hudson River. The exhibit is open to all students in grades Pre-K to 12 in Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene Counties.

The park has been designated an estuarine sanctuary, and a portion of the park shelters a bird conservation area that is home to bald eagles, cerulean warblers and blue herons that nest in the cottonwood trees. Eight miles of multi-use trails wind through a variety of ecological communities.

To highlight the rich cultural and environmental history of this park in the heart of the Questar III region, student-created work will be displayed throughout the park in weatherproof cases, built by students in Questar III’s Constructional Technologies program last year. Entries should focus on the park’s natural or cultural history, recreational opportunities, or natural beauty.

The Winter Olympics

PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games

Olympic games

What’s Next After the Repeal of Net Neutrality

The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to discard so-called net neutrality rules that prevented broadband providers from slowing sites or demanding payments from them for fast delivery. The decision opens the door for very different consumer experiences on the internet. The rules will go into effect in the coming weeks.

Here is a guide to what will happen next:

“People should not be intimidated by the F.C.C. simply saying it has preemptive authority..."
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Annual Super Bowl Sub Sale February 4, 2017

CASTLETON VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE

Another successful year... 🏉

Annual Super Bowl Sub Sale

February 4, 2017  

Blotter

State and Local Police activity



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Landfill opposition

Entrance to the Dunn C&D Landfill Thursday Jan. 11, 2018 in Rensselaer, NY

Winter Walk & Parade!

Valatie WinterWalk & Parade 

Parade begins at 5:00 Winterwalk festivities at 6:00                 

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Brookview Art Studio

BROOKVIEW ART STUDIO

See below for a list of scheduled classes and workshops, hosted by Suzanne Pazienza. Please pre-register as class size is limited!

These are "tickets" and you can purchase the listed class, event, or workshop online with a credit card.

Schodack BOE tonight.

Town Board Meeting Agendas and minutes are available on the Town's website

Wednesday @ MHHS

Candidate Forum

Library Board Meeting

Castleton Public Library - Monday, Nov. 20, 7:00 p.m.

Monthly meeting of the CPL Board of Trustees. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

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Schodack candidate forum Nov. 1

The public is invited to come, meet the candidates, and participate in the question and answer format forum.

Innovative, Effective Responses to Climate Change

 BE SURE TO VISIT  OUR RENEWABLE ENERGY & SUSTAINABLE LIVING FAIR, 

OCTOBER 28, DOANE STUART SCHOOL RENSSELAER, NY  

The recent news about climate change, hurricanes, firestorms etc is sobering and relates to a significant, often overlooked, cause of climate change namely, the massive amounts of food that we throw away.

This ends up in landfills and, in rotting, emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. We seem to be challenged by climate change wherever we look.

Castleton residents warned: Boil water

http://www.castleton-on-hudson.org/index.php/2-uncategorised/125-update-on-water-main-break-10-13-17-7-pm
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Quilt Raffle!

There's still time to buy your raffle tickets for this beautiful quilt! Winner to be drawn on 10/18. Tickets $5 each or 3 for $10.

Advertise: http://thescene-thescene.blogspot.com/p/advertise.html

Toss it? No way!

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Maple Hill High School was named a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School!

Maple Hill High School was named a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education on Sept. 28, the only school in the Capital Region to receive the honor. This recognition was awarded to 342 schools throughout the country and only 19 schools in New York State.

Volunteer!

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For Immediate Release

2017 RENEWABLE ENERGY & SUSTAINABLE LIVING FAIR

Judith Enck will be the 2017 Renewable Energy & Sustainable Fair keynote speaker. Many other informative people will be presenting at this Fair too. The event will occur on Saturday, October 28 from 10 - 4 pm at Doane Stuart School 199 Washington Ave. Rensselaer, NY. Admission and parking are free.

Judith is a dynamic community leader who has spent her entire career working to protect public health and the environment.

Irma

http://wnyt.com/weather/hurricane-irma-strengthens-to-a-category-4-storm/4594704/?cat=10114

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Main Street Day!

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Village-wide Garage Sale

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Bargains throughout the village!

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FREE Tours

NYSOG Welcomes Visitors

Sitting majestically atop Albany's State Street hill, the New York State Capitol has served as the seat of government for New York since the 1880s. The building is a marvel of late 19th-century architectural grandeur, built by hand of solid masonry over a period of 32 years.

All tours of the New York State Capitol are free of charge.

Security: Visitors to the Capitol are required to pass through metal detectors and have bags scanned through an x-ray machine. Personal belongings such as backpacks and large bags should be left behind. Sharp objects, such as pocket knives, nail clippers, weapons, and nuisance devices such as whistles and noise makers are not allowed into the building.
Weekday Walk-In Tours
When: Monday – Friday (no tours on holidays)
Times: 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
Location: Capitol State Street Lobby Information Desk
Reservations: Not required, except for 10 or more people
Self-Guide Tours: Visitors are also welcome to take a Self-Guided Tour during normal building hours.

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Cruise down to the State Park

The car show that was scheduled for Friday, August 18, has been rescheduled for next Friday, August 25. 

Be sure to join us. Dash plaques and other gifts will be given out to participants. Also, the Best of Show will not only get a trophy, but also win a $25.00 gift certificate for RockAuto.com.

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River Rest

Castleton

River Rest

As part of their Silver Award Project, Skyler Misiaszek, Olivia Neumann & Katy Hannay have designed and constructed a small public park in the Village of Castleton.

"Mayor, Robert Schmidt, liked our idea and agreed to be our advisor for the project," said Skyler Misiaszek.

Join the ribbon cutting ceremony this Thursday August 17th, 2017 at 6pm along with representatives from the Anchor, Castleton-On-Hudson Main Street Association, Village Historian, Village Planning Committee

Walk like MADD!

SPAC - 108 Avenue of the Pines
Saratoga Springs, New York
Starts 09/16/2017 @ 10:00 am
Ends 12:00 pm

Event details

Watch the video on NewsChannel 6


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Expired medication?

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For Immediate Release

For Immediate release: 

                                             

2017 RENEWABLE ENERGY & SUSTAINABLE LIVING FAIR

Stop NY Fracked Gas Pipeline (SNYFGP) the People of Albany United for Sustainable Energy (PAUSE/350.org) and theSierra Club Hudson-Mohawk Group are organizing the largest indoor/outdoor Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Fair ever held in the Capital Region. The Fair will occur on Saturday, October 28 from 10 - 4 pm at Doane Stuart School199 Washington Ave. Rensselaer, NY.

Building off its success last year, the 2017 Renewable Energy will expand to include a Bike Expo and exhibits about how we can break free from fossil fuel dependency and live sustainably. 

There will be a 2017 Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Fair organizational meeting on August 9 at 6:30 pm at the Citizen Action office 94 Central Avenue in Albany, NY for anyone wishing to help come up with new ideas for this year's Fair and help us organize the Fair.

SNYFGP, PAUSE and the SIERRA CLUB are seeking exhibitors and displays for residential, commercial or community solar, wind and geothermal energy, insulation and other energy efficiency products and services. Earth-friendly and sustainably sourced products and crafts are desired too, as are cycling and energy-related vendors. To register for this Fair, go to: http://stopnypipeline.org/ events/2017-renewable-energy-fair/

“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.”

― Kurt Vonnegut

Repair Cafe!

The next Repair Cafe will be Saturday, August 12 from 10-2 at the Village Hall. Bring your beloved but broken item, and volunteers will do their best to repair it for free!
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Speed Week

State Police announce start of “Speed Week” enforcement campaign

Troop A will conduct a week-long enforcement initiative to crack down on speeding and aggressive drivers across the state. The “Speed Week” campaign runs today through Tuesday, August 8.

Re-arrested Green Island sex offender active on Facebook

July 25, 2017 06:50 PM

GREEN ISLAND - Larry Cusack is the self-proclaimed mayor of Swan Street and he's still reeling after one of his newest neighbors, William Goodman, was charged with menacing a young mother during a hike on Peebles Island just more than a month after his release from prison following a 1992 rape.

New York asks pool owners to look for tree-killing beetles

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York state officials are asking swimming pool owners to look for a tree-killing invasive beetle when they clean their pool filters.
The Department of Environmental Conservation is running its annual Asian long-horned beetle swimming pool survey through Aug. 30. 

This is the time of year when the insects become active outside of the trees they are infesting.

Volunteers are asked to check pool filters and skimmers and send in pictures of suspected Asian long-horned beetles.

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FYI

THE EAST GREENBUSH TOWN PARK WILL BE CLOSING AT 5 PM ON MONDAY 7/17. WE ARE ORGANIC TICK SPRAYING THE PARK. ABSOLUTELY NO ENTRANCE WILL BE ALLOWED UNTIL 8 AM TUESDAY 7/18. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD.

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Repair Cafe - Saturday, July 15

The Village of Castleton-on-Hudson will be hosting Repair Cafe (click to see CNN video of Repair Cafe in Pittsfield) at the Village Hall, 85 South Main Street, on Saturday, July 15, from 10 AM to 2 PM. Bring your beloved but broken item and volunteers will do their best to fix it for free.

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Schodack Island State Park

Bring the family and cruise-on-in to the car show at the Schodack Island State park. 
Entry fee is just $10 per car with proceeds to benefit Park Programs.presented by the Friend of Schodack Island State Park, Inc.


Enjoy live Entertainment during open mic night.
Bring your appetite for the Barbecue provided by the Schodack Landing Fire Department.
Check out the cars competing for awards: *Best in Show or
*People's Choice





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Troy Police's entire drug unit placed on administrative leave

Troy's police drug unit put on administrative leave
By Kenneth C. Crowe II
Updated 10:38 pm, Thursday, June 15, 2017

The city police department's drug unit was placed on administrative leave Thursday, according to several city officials.

TROY – The city police department's drug unit was placed on administrative leave Thursday, according to several city officials.

Officers placed on administrative leave are still paid. They can only be suspended without pay following a hearing. Such a suspension would last for 30 days before they go back on the payroll.

City Councilwoman Kim Ashe-McPherson, who chairs the council's Public Safety Committee, said she learned Thursday night that the entire unit was placed on administrative leave.

Ashe-McPherson said she was given a cryptic description that the situation involved "papers," but she was unable to learn more about what that means. She said she tried to contact police Chief John Tedesco for information but was not able to reach him.

The six-member unit is commanded by a sergeant and works off-site from police headquarters. It is based at a different location in the city to protect the identities of confidential informants.

The drug unit is about five percent of the police department's authorized strength of 130 officers.

Capt. Dan DeWolf, the department spokesman, referred all inquiries about the situation to City Hall.

Detective Aaron Collington, president of the Troy Police Benevolent Associationthat represents the six officers, referred questions to Mayor Patrick Madden.

The mayor's spokesman, John Salka, said, "It's a personnel matter. The city does not comment on personnel matters."

Tuesdays at the Park

Music in the Park

Event Date:
Tuesdays - 6:00pm to 8:00pm

June 6th (rain date 6/7/17) Peacefull Country Band
June 13th (rain date 6/14/17) Winchester & Young
June 20th (rain date 6/21/17) Triskele
June 27th (rain date 6/28/17) Tri-County Banjo Band
July 11th (rain date 7/12/17) Yankee Doodle Band

SCHOOLS 5 Capital Region schools earn state distinction for high achievement, progress

REWARD SCHOOLS

Five local high schools were dubbed “Reward Schools” on Friday, a state designation reserved for the highest achieving schools in the state that also serve as a model to others on markers like progress and academic equity.

The schools — Averill Park, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Niskayuna, Maple Hill in Schodack and Clayton A Bouton in Voorheesville — may be eligible for grants under the designation. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake and Niskayuna received the designation last year, as well.

To earn the title, schools must rank among the top 20 percent of schools in the state for English and math performance and be among the top 10 percent of schools for gains in English and math performance.

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Team Happy Feet!

Faculty/staff have organized a Dine to Donate evening on Thursday, June 1 to support Team Happy Feet in honor of Bob Horan. More info below.



https://twitter.com/SchodackCSD
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Town Park Pavilion Reservations »

The Town Clerk's Office is accepting park reservations for the 2017 season. Keep in mind, week-ends fill up quickly, so if you are thinking about booking the park for a special event you should download the form, fill it out and submit it with your check to the Town Clerk's Office.

Take a look...Special Events During the Summer months, the Town of Schodack sponsors events such as "Music in the Park". Please check www.schodack.org/parks  for additional information, dates, and times or call 477-7590 for updates.

Memorial Day Parades

Castleton-on-Hudson/Schodack Memorial Day Parade

When: Mon, May 29, 10:00 AM

Where: Castleton-on-Hudson, NY

The annual Castleton-on-Hudson/Schodack Memorial Day Parade will be held on May 29, stepping off at 10 a.m. from Boltwood Avenue.

Mothers Day at Rocky's Music Studio

Community Clean - up

Volunteer opportunities in your community.

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Here's what's new at CPL!

Starting this month, we now loan a number of specialty items:

Fishing poles
Holiday and specialty cake and cookie pans
Home energy loss detector
Metal detectors for youth and adults

Borrowing any of these items is easy -- all you need is your library card. Just stop by our front desk and we'll be happy to assist you!

We're also proud to offer a new monthly program beginning in May! Our knitting group will meet the third Wednesday of each month from 6-8 p.m. Beginners and experienced knitters are welcome! A complete list of our May programs can be found below. 

Speaking of what's new, did you know that there's an easy way to see what items have recently been added to our collections? Click this link to browse items that have been added to our collections in the past 30 days. 

http://www.castletonpubliclibrary.org/news--resources

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Search underway for driver of crashed stolen car

http://news10.com/2017/05/02/police-driver-slams-into-east-greenbush-business-after-pursuit/

EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Police are looking for a driver accused of slamming into an East Greenbush business and another vehicle Tuesday morning.

The crash had schools on lockout, a helicopter searching in the air, and residents on edge. One driver, whose vehicle hit, was left stunned on the side of the road.

Leif Guldfeldt says his pickup was struck while attempting to make a left turn off of Columbia Turnpike.

Local Wounded Warrior Gives Back to Community

(West Sand Lake, NY) – After serving a total of 20 years in military service in both Marine Corps and US Army, local Wounded Warrior, SFC Don Tallman (R), decided that he would like to give back to the community by sharing his experience in service and connecting with other fellow warriors through STRIDE Adaptive Sports.

Tallman, who works at Union College Office of the Registrar, was an alumni ambassador for upstate New York Wounded Warrior Project and first heard about STRIDE when he attended an event in 2013 on Union College campus that was thought to be a part of the Wounded Warrior Project, but later found out that it was a STRIDE Wounded Warrior Program. At the event, Tallman got Mary Ellen Whitney’s, CEO and founder of STRIDE, contact information and reached out to her.

In 2008, while in Afghanistan, Tallman suffered nerve damage on the left side of his body, which made it difficult for him to engage in any physical activity without feeling intense pain. Like most, if not all warriors, Tallman went through a phase of depression and solitude where he would not leave home unless he was forced to. Once he got involved with STRIDE, Tallman was on the path to recovering himself physically, mentally, and emotionally. He tried skiing for the first time and realized that he was able to accomplish two things, 1.) spend time with his kids who both loved to ski and snowboard, and 2.) build his confidence to try to do activities without causing too much pain.

“Peer relationship with other comrades is probably the strongest rehabilitative prompt, I think…” says Don Tallman, “spending time with peers that have been through similar deployment or injury circumstances; those are probably the best. You share what you’ve been through and how you got through those things”.  Tallman has recently been appointed the position as STRIDE’s Wounded Warrior Program Liaison. He has a lot to offer and in store to share and engage with other local heroes and looks forward to continue building STRIDE’s Warrior program, in hopes to help ‘heal’ others through adaptive sport and camaraderie.

To Contact Don Tallman: dtallman@stride.org

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