The Advertiser 122222

Winter Festival on Saturday, January 21, 2023

The Winter Fest will feature outdoor events along with indoor exhibits, food vendors, and family-friendly recreational activities. The event is free of charge and will take place from 11:30 AM-3:00 PM.

Adults can join in a guided snowshoe outing, learn to fish, or borrow snowshoes for a free demo around the park.

For the kids, the Winter Fest offers its popular snow bowling hill, snowball toss, and ice skating, as well as horse drawn wagon rides. Other outdoor offerings this year include free snowmobile rides! Warm up inside with balloon animals, crafts, community tables, and live animals. Refreshments

By NEWS STAFF

BERLIN — The state’s acquisition of 1,300 acres of forest and grassland in the Taconic Mountains is being heralded as a boost to recreation and a step toward preserving critical open space.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation announced the protection of the tract in the Rensselaer County town of Berlin, which will connect the Taconic Ridge and Berlin State Forests.

“DEC and our partners are continuing to collaborate with stakeholders to permanently protect the Taconic Ridge and the valuable ecological and recreational opportunities it provides,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “This newest 1,300 acres will help connect and enhance DEC’s existing state forest network and builds upon our ongoing progress in conserving this Capital Region natural treasure.”

The acquisition will link together more than 12,000 acres of state forests, Seggos said in a statement.

New York bought the parcel for $890,000 through the state’s Environmental Protection Fund to protect forested steep slopes leading to the top of the Taconic Ridge. It includes a tributary of the Little Hoosic River, a wild trout stream, and 80 acres of critical grassland habitat. The parcel will be managed for uses such as sustainable timber production, watershed protection, wildlife habitat and recreation.

Located along the Massachusetts and Vermont border, the Taconic Ridge and Berlin state forests are primary gateways in

RSV, flu shrink supply of children’s Tylenol

By KRISTI GUSTAFSON BARLETTE

ALBANY — Among the Elf antics and images of the menorah in social feeds are pictures of empty store shelves and pleas from desperate parents seeking children’s Tylenol bringing back memories of spring 2020 when personal care products were nearly impossible to find.

The shortage, which started earlier this month and has not eased, is due to a combination of factors, local experts said.

“When a drug or product becomes hard to find it’s because the demand for the product has increased,” Linda Lombardi, a pharmacist at Young’s Pharmacy in Averill Park , said. “One of the reasons the demand is so high is because everyone is sick.”

Influenza in New York was categorized as geographically widespread for the 10th consecutive week, with hospitalizations sharply increasing from week to week, according to a Dec. 10 flu report from the state Depart-

ment of Health. Last week saw nearly a 20 percent increase in flu tests with three influenza-related pediatric deaths.

But flu is far from the only concern. Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, continues to be a problem for children. Respiratory illnesses, such as flu and RSV, often cause a fever and pediatric formulations such as liquid acetaminophen and ibuprofen are what parents turn to to help their ill children.

Tylenol reduces fever and it’s considered a safe product,” Lombardi said. “So it’s a first-line choice for pharmacists and doctors.” Apart from Tylenol, many pharmacies also have their own generic brands of children’s acetaminophen.

The White House put out information last week that supply is abundant — it is the demand that is impacting shelves.

Michelle Murphy, founder of Capital District Moms, a local group for parents, has scoured the Capital Region for children’s ibuprofen and acetaminophen, sharing with her followers where she’s had luck finding the fever-reducer.

Her two best tips: check smaller retailers, such as Stewart’s. Also, oftentimes stores such

the Taconic Mountains that conserve important natural resources and provide outdoor recreational opportunities, state agency officials note. Their rolling hills, forests, scenic vistas and over 34 miles of trails, including the Taconic Crest Trail, are ideal for hiking.

The Taconic Crest Trail runs along the New York, Vermont and Massachusetts border, with a maximum elevation of almost 3,000 feet at Berlin Mountain, the DEC says. A popular section of the trail begins in Petersburgh and leads to the “snow hole,” a cave-like crevice where snow is often found even in summer. There are also two miles of roads throughout the state forest.

The purchase builds on other recent acquisitions including more than 5,700 acres announced in 2020 in partnership with The Conservation Fund.

For more information see: Taconic Ridge State Forest.

Holiday Concert

as Walmart or Target will say the medication isn’t available when you try getting it for pickup. But, if you go inside and check the shelves, you may have luck.

Dr. Gloria Guptill, an internal medicine physician at the Delmar Community Care Physicians office, has seen her patients dealing with the shortage for the past month. Guptill,

1,300-acre spread designed to help water quality, wildlife habitat

The Taconic Ridge and Berlin state forests, along the Massachusetts and Vermont border, are primary gateways in the Taconic Mountains that conserve important natural resources and provide outdoor opportunities.

Singers with the Averill Park School District Treble Choir perform Monday as part of the holiday music performances at the Empire State Plaza lunchtime holiday concert series on the Concourse at the Plaza in Albany.

Love Lutheran Church Christmas

Jesus is the light of our Christmas, the Joy of our Hearts, the Hope of our World!! Please join us as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. Christmas Eve Service - Saturday, December 24th, at 7:00 pm. Christmas Day Service - Sunday, December 25th, at 10:00 am.

Love Lutheran Church address: Pheasant Lane & Middlesex Road, East Greenbush, NY. Phone: 518-477-8685.

Christmas Services at Saint John’s Episcopal Church, Troy

Christmas services: Christmas Eve: 4 p.m. Family Eucharist and Children’s Sermon; 9:30 chime concert, 10 p.m. Eucharist.

Sunday in-person worship resumes Sunday, January 1st at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. The 8 a.m. spoken service follows a more ancient Eucharistic Rite in Elizabethan English. The 10 a.m. modern Eucharistic Rite is preceded by hymns on the tower chime and is both live-streamed and in-person. Hymns are accompanied on the regal pipe organ, and Communion music is often from contemporary repertoire. For more information about music at Saint John’s, be in touch with Tiffany Dzembo, Choir Director, at tdzembo@stjohnstroy.org.

Coffee hour follows in the gym after the 10 a.m. service. Join us!

The Thrift Store will re-open on Wednesday, January 4th. The store is usually open from 9 until noon on Wednesdays and Saturdays, along with coffee and conversation with clergy,

Sand Lake Historical

parishioners, and neighbors. Do stop by!

Children’s Christian Education will resume on Thursday, January 5th, from 3:30-5:30 and on Sunday mornings from 10 until 11:30! Children can draw near to God as they reflect on passages of Scripture and elements of liturgy in a hands-on curriculum, Sundays at 10 am, beginning October 2nd. For information about this or upcoming events, be in touch with Gaby Gastelum, Children’s Christian Education Director, at ggastelum@stjohnstroy.org.

Our next food pantry, which includes fresh produce, will be Saturday, January 7th, from 10 until noon. All are welcome.

All activities are at 146 1st Street in Troy (518)274-5884. The Rector, the Rev. Judith Malionek, can be reached also at rev.jmalionek@ stjohnstroy.org.

Church of the Redeemer

Join us on Saturday, Christmas Eve at 2:00 for our Christmas celebration. Following the service, we will have coffee hour and socializing.

The Church community is again collecting nonperishable food items for the food pantry.

Hot Mess Crafters meets Wednesday December 21 at 10:00. Later in the day, at 2:00, there will be Bible Study where we are studying how the Holy Spirit guides and helps us.

Remember that Thrift Shop will be closed the month of January.

The Church of the Redeemer is an Episcopal church located on at the corner of Third and Catherine Streets. There is handicap parking, a

Society

Announces 2023 Schedule

SLHS will be presenting the following public programs, from January to June 2023:

January 10th, Sand Lake “Show & Tell” Returns! Check your attic, your junk drawer, or that box on the top shelf of your closet – who knows what you’ll find? We’re looking for artifacts, photos, old documents of Sand Lake’s history – or yours. New for 2023: if you’ve been working on any locally-based historical research (a popular Covid pastime!) please share it.

February 14th, Edmonia Lewis. East Greenbush Town Historian Bobbie Reno will discuss Edmonia Lewis, noted American sculptor of mixed African American and Native American heritage, born right here in Rensselaer County. You’ve seen her on a postage stamp, now come hear her story.

March 14th, The Rensselaer Glassworks. Phil Bernnard of the National Bottle Museum will discuss Rensselaer Glassworks, one of Sand Lake’s early industries (and gave us “Glass Lake”). Hear the history of the works, the succession of owners, and the technology of 18th and 19th century glassmaking. Phil is asking attendees to bring any “Glass Lake glass” specimens they have, too.

April 11th, Covid-19 History Project. Committee report and presentations and a sharing of experiences from the SLHS Covid History Project. Let’s make Covid history!

May 9th, Annual Meeting. Elections, annual report to the membership – and more!

June 3rd, (tentative) Annual Gala. Final date and location to be an-

ramp in front, and a parking lot in the rear.

Fr. Robert Haskell may be emailed at rhaskell2@nycap.rr.com

Candlelight Christmas Eve Celebration at Salem Church

Celebrate Christmas on Saturday, December 24 at 6:30pm, Salem United Methodist Church, 349 Shaver Road, West Sand Lake. Bring the whole family to this kid-friendly, candlelight service celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, Light of the World. All are welcome, come let us adore him!

Christmas Eve Worship at the North Chatham United Methodist Church

The North Chatham United Methodist Church will hold its Christmas Eve Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols at 5:00 PM on Saturday, December 24th

This is a beautiful service with traditional Christmas carols and Bible readings about the Nativity story. All are welcome! The church is located at 4274 Route 203 in the hamlet of North Chatham. If you can’t make it in person the service will be available on Zoom, through the same link that we use for Sunday worship services – please see our website (northchathammethodistchurch.org) for details.

For more information on North Chatham United Methodist Church, please call 518-7663535 or visit our website. Thanks and we hope to see you soon, in person or on Zoom!

nounced. Don’t miss this highlight of our year!

June 13th, The Pretty Fantastic Mr. Fox. Albert Rodmond Fox, industrialist, glassworks owner, State Senator, mover-and-shaker, and the Fox who gave us Fox Mansion. Learn about one of Sand Lake’s early leaders and speculate on why we live in Averill Park and not “Foxboro.”

All SLHS programs (unless otherwise noted) are held at the Sand Lake Town Hall Courtroom, 8428 NY Rte. 66, Averill Park, beginning at 7:00 pm. More information at http://sandlakehistory.org/. Like us on Facebook.

Rensselaer Plateau Alliance January Speaker Series

RPA warmly invites you to Culverts and Aquatic Organism Passage on the Plateau with Andy Dangler and Melissa Toni as part of our January Speaker Series. Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 7pm on Zoom

Many different agencies fund, permit, and deliver projects involving culverts under roadways. This discussion covers the Federal level of involvement in culvert replacement and the incorporation of Aquatic Organism Passage through the culverts. We will talk about the biology of the streams on the Plateau, how culverts interact with the watercourses, and the regulatory setting at the Federal level regarding replacement, rehabilitation, and restoration of culverts and stream crossings. The discussion will include several local examples, including the July 2021 flooding events.

Pre-registration is required. The suggested voluntary donation is $5, though any amount is welcome. Head over to rensselaerplateau.org/ events to register and receive the zoom link or reach out to Dan Morse at dan@rensselaerplateau.org for more information.

The Largest-Circulation Print Newspaper in New York’s Capital Region

Published Every Thursday Distributed Weekly To 180,000 Homes

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Jennifer Morrell 518-454-5513 jmorrell@timesunion.com

DESIGN DEPARTMENT

Roberta Mullins Rick Mullins

CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT

Margaret Bunkoff 518-454-5503 Margaret.bunkoff@ timesunion.com classifieds@ crwnewspapers.com Fax: 518-454-5542

DISPLAY AD DEADLINE: Friday 4:00pm

CLASSIFIED AD DEADLINE: Monday 1:00pm Twin Bridges Edition Monday 1:00pm Saratoga North Edition The Advertiser

Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The majority of the ads in this publication were created by and are the sole property of Local First and cannot be reproduced without express permission from the publisher.

Dear City of Rensselaer Residents

The Mayor is inviting you to subscribe to the “City Newsletter”. We understand not everyone is connected on social media and we want to make sure everyone is informed about the exciting things that are happening in the City of Rensselaer.

Some of the information to be included in the City Newsletter will be updates on new and/or existing developments within the city, up to date contact information for all City Departments as well as a list of upcoming events and meetings.

If you would like to start receiving the City Newsletter directly to your email, please send your name and address to info@rensselaerny.gov

We look forward to keeping you informed and updated on all the things happening in the City of Rensselaer.

Mayor Michael Stammel

News From Averill Park CSD

Congratulations to junior David Morelli, who participated in the NYSSMA Conference All-State Festival, as part of the Symphonic Band. To achieve this honor, David had to audition at the

spring NYSSMA Festival on an All-State level solo (professional level). Few students are selected for this honor, as it is reserved for the highest achieving student musicians throughout the state. Way to go, David!

In total, 388 students qualified for the 202223 first marking period Honor Rolls at Algonquin Middle School. Job well done by all our Middle School students. Keep up the good work!

Algonquin Middle School and Averill Park High School students performed in holiday concerts and did an outstanding job. Bravo, everyone!

As always, for the latest news from the District, please visit our website – averillpark.k12.ny.us. You can also follow AP on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Submitted by Dr. James Franchini, Averill Park CSD Superintendent

Lights in Sand Lake Christmas Eve Luminaire Display

Light Up Christmas Eve with The Sand Lake Historic District.

The neighbors on Routes 66 & 43 and Shumann Rd. will have our annual luminary display on Christmas Eve - Saturday, December 24th

Lighting of the luminary candles begins around

7:00pm and will continue as long as weather permits or until the candles burn out.

If you live in the area and want to participate, place luminaries along the road on your own property. For more information please contract Dawn or Bruce at 518.674.5210 or by email at knivad@yahoo. com.

Greetings from the Sand Lake Town Clerk’s Office

Sand Lake Town Offices will be closing at noon Friday, December 23 and will be closed on Monday December 26 to celebrate the Holiday Season.

All of us in the Sand Lake Town Hall wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season and a Healthy and prosperous New Year.

Barbara Hansen, Town Clerk

Town Hall Closes for Christmas

Debra L. Curtis, Schodack Town Clerk, wishes to remind residents of Schodack that the Town Hall Offices, and Highway Department will be closed on Monday, December 26, 2022 and Tuesday, December 27, 2022 .

The Town Hall offices will resume standard business hours on Wednesday, December 28,2022.

The Schodack Transfer Station will be open on Saturday, December 24, 2022.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the Town Clerk at 518- 477-7590, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:30am to 4:30pm.

Christmas Eve Open House at Rensselaer Senior Center

Saturday, December 24th From 4 to 8pm.

We are trying something new. We realized many of you hosted Christmas Eve parties and are no longer up to it. Don’t sit home join us as we celebrate with Good Food, Drink and Companionship. This was made possible through the County Executive’s Office and we thank him for always thinking of our seniors.

Merry Christmas to all. Call today and let us know if you can join us so we can plan our menu accordingly. Call 518-4632166 Monday thru Friday 9am to 3pm. We are located on East and Herrick Streets across from the Amtrak train station.

North Greenbush 2023 Historical Calendars

We have our new 2023

North Greenbush Historical Calendars available for purchase in the Town Clerk’s Office. Stop by Town Hall today for a calendar……. while they last………

Historical Calendars MAKE A GREAT HOLIDAY GIFT that last all year long!!!!

The Town Clerk’s Office hours are every Monday –Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Calendar prices are $12.00 for pickup, or $15.00 to have it mailed directly to your home. We accept cash or check payments payable to: Town of North Greenbush

St. Stephen’s Christmas Eve Service Info

St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 751 County Route 7, directly off of Route 150 in East Schodack, NY invites you to join us for our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with Holy Communion on Saturday evening, December 24th at 9:00 pm.

St. Stephen’s welcomes visitors from the community during the holiday season and year round at our regular 11 am Sunday services. Please call our church office at 518-4776950 for directions and additional information.

“Cookies and Carols” Program

January 8, 2023, from 2:00-3:30 PM

First United Methodist Church of East Greenbush, 1 Gilligan Rd. You are invited to attend our traditional Cookies and Carols event and finish the festivities of Christmas with an afternoon of beloved carols, poems, stories, and delicious cookies shared with friends.

The Sanctuary Choir along with Coffee House performers and a harmonious sing-along will be held in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, January 8, 2023, from 2:00 to 3:30. All are invited to this relaxing afternoon. Hope to see you there.

Family Christmas Eve Service

Christmas is about love, peace and light. You will find that our Family Christmas Celebration at Blooming Grove Reformed Church, 706 Blooming Grove Drive, Rensselaer on Saturday, December 24 from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m.

There will be hot chocolate and coffee and each family will receive a small gift as they leave. We hope to see you! All are welcome.

Happy Holidays from

INSURANCE BROKERS SINCE

STEPHENTOWN FEDERATOR CHURCH, 1513 Garfield Road, Stephentown, NY 12168, handicapped accessible, Pastor Chris Garrison Christmas Eve, December 24, at 7:30 p.m. Come and join us this year for a service of Lessons and Carols...a Christmas Eve service of special music with our choir and soloists as well as carol singing of familiar

seasonal hymns for all. All visiting family members and community members are welcome to come and share this Yearly celebration of the birth of our Christ.

Christmas Day Service, December 25, at 9:30 a.m.

Wow! How lucky are we to have our reason for the season (Christmas) to actually fall on Sunday this year. It is very difficult to justify not having A Christmas service on Christmas Sunday since this is a part of our Chris-

tian heritage. We ARE having a service that we hope you will come and enjoy before the family celebrations.

Better still bring the family with you and start your celebration with us at 9:30 a.m. we are planning lots of carol singing and perhaps a little history of a carol or two. Share your favorite Christmas cookies after at Coffee Hour.

Christmas and New Years at Gilead Lutheran Church

This year we will again have our bonfire and Carols in our parking lot at 5:30.

Our inside service will begin at 7:00 PM. It will be a Candlelight Service with communion. There will be no Christmas Day Service.

New Year’s Day Service will be our regular 10:30 AM service. It will be a service of Lessons and Carols. We will also have communion as we do every Sunday.

We are located at the intersection of Routes 7 & 278 in Center Brunswick. Everyone is welcome and we love meeting new people.

Candlelight Services at Brunswick Church

A warm invitation is extended to the community for the Christmas Candlelight Services being held at Brunswick Church.

There will be two services on Saturday, December 24th, at 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Each will be a meaningful time of fellowship and scripture readings, as well as both traditional and contemporary music. All ages are welcome, and childcare will be available. We will also have a casual service of celebration on Sunday, December 25th, at 9:30 AM.

Please join us! Brunswick Church is located on White Church Road just off Rt. 351. For more information please call the church office at 518-2793792.

Christmas and Narnia

Rediscover the childlike wonder and delight of this holy season and prepare for the coming of “God with us” in Jesus in a whimsical and playful way

Season’s Greetings

On behalf of Becker’s Farm, we wish to express our gratitude for your support and patronage throughout the year. Our customers are very important to us. We are committed to providing the finest quality plants and garden items throughout the seasons. We wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and we look forward to serving you in 2023 and beyond.

We will be closing at noon on Christmas Eve and reopen January 9th at 9am.

Wishing you all the best this Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!

David & Mark Becker and Staff

this Christmas. Travel with other seekers of joy and wonder, revisiting passages from C.S. Lewis’ beloved classic, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Our Advent Worship series weaves the stories of Narnia and the Story of God together, exploring the powerful themes of light and darkness, temptation and sin, forgiveness and hope, through the lens of Lewis’ rich tale. Join us as we bring illustrations from another world in order be reminded of God’s kingdom vision “on earth as it is in heaven.” Join us at the First Reformed Church, corner of Main Avenue and Church Street in Wynantskill, on any or all of the following dates.

· December 24—Candlelight Christmas Eve service at 7 PM; Aslan on the Move

· December 25—Christmas Day service at 10 AM; The King Arrives Among Us

Thrift Shop

The Johnsonville Methodist Church Thrift Shop, 22 Bridge St., Johnsonville, NY 12094 is open every Wednesday and the first Saturday of each month from 9- 12. Closed on major holidays. Look for our sign at the corner of Rte. 111 and Rte. 67.

A great selection of adult and children’s seasonal clothing, vintage, special occasion and career clothes, jewelry, shoes, boots, purses, toys, linens, puzzles and games, household and decorative items. Our well-organized book room has over 1,000 books.

SHAC Community Center News & Thanks

During this holiday season we are grateful for the support of the community.

This fall, our community has been making generous contributions towards our Annual Fund

programming year round thanks to the renovations made thanks to the generosity of our donors, volunteers, committee and board members.

Since our soft opening of the SHAC Center in June of 2021, dedicated volunteers have also been creating programs and offering services for residents of Averill Park and surrounding communities. Future plans include services for veterans, seniors, and families needing after school programs and daycare, HVCC continuing Ed classes and much more.

Please take notice that it has come to our attention that many items mailed to us have not arrived at our address due to a clerical error not in our control.

We believe the problem has been fixed with the help of the US Post Office, Postal Inspectors and the Inspector General’s Office.

If you have sent a donation and did not receive an acknowledgement letter from us, this means that we did not receive your donation and would ask that you contact us at info@ SHACcenter.org or call 518-674-6348.

Sky High Adventure Center, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and donations are tax deductible. We are grateful for every donation big and small and we are putting every penny of it to good use.

If you have not made a donation yet, please consider making a donation online at www.SHACcenter.org/donations.

Sky High Adventure Center Inc 27 Lake Avenue, Averill Park, New York 12018 www.SHACcenter.org | 518-674-6348

Stephentown Federated Church Christmas Schedule

to help heat and winterize the Sky High Adventure Community Center (SHAC Center) at 27 Lake Avenue in Averill Park. We will now be able to continue

Gilead’s Body and Soul, Dec. 29

Hope Everyone had a Merry Christmas and looking toward a Happy New Year.

Pantry hours remain the same 3:00-6:00 PM on the last Thursday, December 29.

Our dinner this month is a soup and sandwich night. The soups are Manhattan Clam Chowder and Vegetable Beef. Sandwiches are Chicken Salad and Grilled Cheese.

If there is a question of being open due to inclement weather please call either 518-279-3576 or 518-279-9270.

Body and Soul is still located in the Fellowship Hall of Gilead Lutheran Church which can be found at the intersection of Routes 7 & 278 in Center Brunswick.

Brooks Bar-B-Q

What’s better in the middle of Winter than Chicken BBQ?

The Sunday School of Center Brunswick United Methodist Church, 990 Hoosick Road, Troy is having a Brooks Bar-B-Q, Saturday, January 7, 2023, 2-6 pm. This will be a pick up only event.

Menu includes: Chicken, Baked potato, vegetable, rolls, drink and dessert.

Chicken dinner $15.00, Half a chicken only $7.00. Call Jill at (518) 258-2164 to reserve your meal.

Hope’s Kitchen Free Community Dinner Thursday, January 5

Begin the New Year with a delicious eat-in or take-out dinner Thursday, January 5th with Hope’s Kitchen at Cornerstone Community Church of Lansingburgh.

Hope’s Kitchen, a ministry of Hope Lutheran Church and Cornerstone Community Church, will be serving the free Community Dinner at Cornerstone, 570 3rd Avenue,Troy, from 3:00 to 6:00 PM

The dinner will be a sit-down meal, with an option for take-out if preferred. On the menu: Roast Pork Loin, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots, cole slaw, rolls and butter, and brownies for dessert. Coffee, tea and iced tea for those eating in. Free will donations are gratefully accepted.

Reservations are required for either eat-in or take-out. Deadline is Friday, December 30 Call (518)235-3851 for your reservations. Specify eatin or take-out and number of people in your group.

Latham Colonie Columbiettes Buffet

Breakfast

The Latham-Colonie Columbiettes are hosting a Breakfast Buffet on Sunday, January 8th, 2023 from 8:30 am to 11:30 am at the Latham-Colonie Knights of Columbus Council, 328 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, N.Y. 12110.

Menu includes; Scrambled Eggs, an Omelet Station, Home Fries, Corned Beef Hash, Bacon and Sausage, Pancakes and French Toast served w/ Warm syrup, A Variety of Cereals and Juices, Bananas and Hot Tea, Coffee or Hot Chocolate.

*$12 Adults, $6 Children (5-10) and under 5 Free! www.lathamcoloniekofc.com/dinners&events

Glendora

Vegeterian Club

What is your regimen of saintly eating? Last week we told you what we have for a vegan breakfast. This week we will tell you what we have for vegan dinners. Monday: beans and rice; Tuesday: clove casserole (tomato soup, cut green beans, vegan hamburger, 1/2 tsp. cloves - all topped with mashed potatoes and “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter”); Wednesday: vegan pizza; Thursday: mashed potatoes, green peas, vegan chopped meat and croutons; Friday: Campbell’s plant based Chicken & Rice on dark rye toast with grape jelly on the side. Every day we have a green salad with dinner. For supper we have soup and rye crackers or bread or rolls. What do we do for sweets? All that are not vegan.

Jokes

1. Billy, the piano teacher will be here in 15 minutes. Have you washed your hands and face?

Yes.

Did you wash your ears? Yes, the one next to her.

2. Three ropes went into a restaurant and started looking over the menu. The head waiter said, “Wait a minute, aren’t you ropes? We don’t serve ropes here. You have to leave.” Out on the sidewalk, one rope became incensed. He frazzled both of his ends and tied himself into a knot, then went back into the restaurant. He sat down to order, but the head waiter said, “Aren’t you a rope?” The rope answered, “I’m a frayed knot.”

3. Bob and Pete were very close friends and avid baseball fans. They made a pact that the first one who got to heaven would come back and tell the other one if there was baseball in heaven. Bob went first and came back and said, “Pete! Pete! There is baseball in heaven. Pete said, “Hallelujah!” Bob said, “You’re pitching Friday night!”

4. The concert pianist was asked by a reporter, “Why did you choose to play Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto? After long thought the pianist answered, “That’s what the orchestra was playing.”

5. The football coach said to the professor, “You have to pass my star player. If you don’t we will lose the series.” The math professor answered, “But he said 7x5=33.” The coach said, “So? He only missed it by one!”

The Town of North Greenbush Town Offices will be closed on Friday, December 23rd, and Monday December 26th, in observance of The Christmas Holiday.

We will reopen on Tuesday, December 27, 2022. Everyone at Town Hall wishes you and yours the happiest and healthiest of holidays this year!

A Day of Animal

Tracks:

Jan 14: Two SessionsRegister for one or both Explore some of the pristine lands around Dyken Pond Center and follow the sign, tracks and trails of the many diverse animals that live here. Deer, turkey, grouse, bobcat, fisher, fox and coyote are just some of the species that call these woods home. Learn from experienced and certified tracker Dan Yacobellis, how to read the signs they leave behind to find out where they sleep, what they eat, how they avoid detection and what is most important to them at this time of year to make it through to spring. Even get a glimpse into their subtle ways of communicating with each other and learn how to interpret their language.

Two sessions: 9 to 12 and/or 12:30-3:30.

Come for one or both $25 per session; $22 members

Preregistration required at www.dykenpond. org or call (518) 658-2055 or dykenpond@gmail.com for more info.

Tracking is a slow and studious pursuit and generally looses the interest of young children pretty quick. Children 10 and up with a passion for learning and some patience, are welcome. While tracking, we often spend long periods of time stationary in discussion of the sign, so dress for a full day in the woods and then add 2 layers!

38th Annual Ice Fishing Contest at Grafton

State Park

Grafton Lakes State Park will host its 38th annual Ice Fishing Contest on Saturday, January 14 2023 from 5:30 AM – 2:00 PM. Join in on the fun as several hundred anglers brave the cold temperatures for their chance to make a winning catch on several of the park’s ponds.

Registration begins at 5:30 AM and ends at 11:00 AM (or 12:30pm for youth) on January 14th in the park’s maintenance building, accessible via the Main Entrance. There is a $10 registration fee required for all participants ages 16 or older, with no fee for children under 16. All participants 16 and older must have a valid NYS fishing license to fish in the park at any time, including during the contest.

Big cash prizes are awarded for adults with 1st place fish and the longest length catch in all three categories of trout, walleye/chain pickerel, and yellow perch. Winning entries will receive gift cards and other prizes. Awards ceremony will take place at 2:20pm.

Tournament areas are located on Second Pond, Mill Pond, Dunham Reservoir, Shaver Pond, and Long Pond. Please note that due to preparations for our annual Winter Festival (January 21st), ice fishing is not permitted adjacent to the beach on Long Pond.

In the case of soft ice, the Ice Fishing tournament will be postponed until Sat., Feb 4th.

Grafton Lakes State Park is located off of Route 2, twelve miles east of Troy, New York. Please use the park’s main entrance on Grafton Lakes State Park Way for this event. There is no entrance fee for this event.

For more information, please call the park at 518279-1155.

Notification of Special Meeting for the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Best-Luther Fire District

Please take notice that a special meeting of the Best-Luther Fire District of the Town of East Greenbush, County of Rensselaer, New York, will be held on the following date; Friday, December 30, 2022.

This special meeting will be held at the Best-Luther Fire Station at 303 Old Best Road, West Sand Lake, New York 12196, at 7:00 p.m. on that day.

This notification is being given to the news media pursuant to the provisions of Section 104 of the Public Officers Law of the State of New York.

By order of the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Best-Luther Fire District.

Taylor Milkiewicz, Secretary, Best-Luther Fire District

Events at Castleton Public Library, 12/25-12/31

CPL is located at 85 S. Main St., Castleton, NY. All events are free. Questions? Call 518-732-0879.

Events & Take-Home Kit: Make a Snowman Kit- Pick-up now through Saturday, December 30. Celebrate the beginning of winter by making a snowman craft to decorate your home!

Perler Bead Crafts - Mon., 12/26, 12:006:00pm - Use your imagination to make awesome creations with perler

beads!

Cool Science: Lava Lamps - Tues., 12/27, 3:00 - 5:00pm - Discover the science behind how lava lamps work, and make your own simple lava lamp!

Pajama StorytimeTues., 12/27, 6:00pm - Feel free to wear your pajamas or bring a stuffed animal friend to this evening storytime! For ages birth to 8 years.

Beading BonanzaWed., 12/28, 3:00 - 7:00pm - Stop by the library to make bracelets, necklaces, and other creative beaded crafts!

Winter Bird Feeder Storytime - Thurs., 12/29, 10:30am - Join us for a special storytime and activity! Listen to stories about winter birds and then make your own simple bird feeder. Hang it up outside to help keep the local birds fed during the winter months!

Teen Time: Cocoa and Coloring - Thurs, 12/29, 4:00pm - Teens in 6th-12th grades are invited to relax with hot cocoa, light refreshments, and coloring sheets!

New Year’s Day Crafts - Fri., 12/30, 10:00am6:00pm - Ready to get excited for 2023? Stop by to make special New Year’s Day crafts to decorate your home!

Bridge Club - Fri., 12/30, 10:30am - Come play bridge with us! Geared toward beginners and players who need a refresher.

Library Closed - Sat., 12/31 - Closed for New Year’s Eve.

North Greenbush Public Library Update

We’ll be making snowy

owl poppers on Thursday, December 22 at “Crafternoon for Kids” and noisemakers for New Year’s celebrations the following Thursday, December 29. Stop by the children’s room between 3 and 5 PM.

And don’t forget, Tuesday Storytime continues indoors for your little ones on December 27 at 11 AM in the Annex at Town Hall. Join our Tween Book Club for a discussion of the book “The Thing About Jellyfish” by Ali Benjamin.

We’ll meet Thursday, December 29 at 5 PM. Snacks

and a related craft are included.

We will close for Christmas on Saturday, December 24 through Monday, December 26, and will reopen on Tuesday, December 27 at 10 AM.

New Year’s closing will be Saturday, December 31 through Monday, January 2, 2023. We reopen Tuesday, January 3 at 10 AM. Library hours are Monday-Friday, 10 AM-7 PM; Saturday, 10 AM-2 PM.

Questions? Call the library at 518-283-030

From the Desk of Janice Hannigan Kerwin, North Greenbush Town Clerk

Lakes

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Do We Need Bigger Mines in Averill Park?

Rifenburg Construction has submitted a sketch plan to the Sand Lake Town Board requesting that 70 acres of land be rezoned from residential and agricultural to natural resources extraction to that it can be mined.

While the sketch plan states that “Rifenburg does not plan to excavate below (bedrock)”, there is no language to prevent them from doing so. Once the gravel is depleted, they will face the choice of spending money to make the land nice again for reclamation, or earning more money by mining the already exposed bedrock. As a business, they will be compelled to do the latter. Mining

the bedrock creates potentially substantial risks to the wells of the dozens of homes around the mining area. If our residents can no longer get potable water from their wells, home values will plumet for all those affected and for many not affected directly, simply by association.

Our Town Board is duly elected by our residents to manage our town (and it’s evolution) in the best interest of the town as a whole.

The sketch plan was submitted by 4 parties, all of whom would benefit financially if it were approved.

There are dozens of residents who would be negatively impacted to varying degrees by this plan. There are over

East Greenbush Town Hall, Highway Garage, and Transfer Station Closures for Upcoming Holidays

Ellen Pangburn, Town Clerk, and Michelle Eckler, Deputy Clerk, extend their warmest wishes to you and your family and friends for a happy and healthy holiday season.

They would like to remind Town residents that the East Greenbush Town Hall and Highway Garage will both be closed on Monday, December 26th and Monday, January 2nd in observation of the upcoming holidays.

The Transfer Station will be open at 8:30 on Saturday, December 24th, and Saturday, December 31st, however, closing at 3:00. Reminder that the Transfer Station is closed on Mondays.

If you need to reach someone during town closures, please call Dispatch at 518.479.2525.

Regular business hours for the Town of East Greenbush Town Hall and Highway Garage will resume on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. Regular hours for the Transfer Station will resume on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2023.

Please reach out to the Town Clerk’s Office if you have any questions at 518.477.7145, between the hours of 8:30 and 4:30. Ellen or Michelle would be happy to help you. Happy holidays!

Averill Park CSD Announces Kindergarten Registration for 2023-24

The Averill Park School District has begun the process of registering boys and girls for the 2023-24 Kindergarten Classes. If you, or someone you know, has a child who will be 5 years of age on or before December 1, 2023 please contact the district registrar at 674-7050 extension 7201 to make sure that the child is listed on our school census.

This will guarantee that you will receive all upcoming kindergarten information by mail. Registration paperwork will be started online and completed by appointment with the district registrar at the district office at the Averill Park High School during the month of February. Registration hours are Monday through Friday from 8 AM

Twelfth Night Returns to Crailo and Schuyler

Mansion State Historic Sites!

Join us for an evening of merriment! On Saturday, January 7, 2023, Crailo State Historic Site will again welcome visitors for its annual Twelfth Night

Celebration. From 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. the site will host an open house with Yuletide decoration, live music, reenactors, hearthside cooking by a crackling fire, 17th & 18th century inspired refreshments and other Dutch Albany traditions!

In addition, the Marketplace Museum Shop will be open, as well as our

museum exhibits. Then cross the river, where the celebration continues at Schuyler Mansion’s “Salutations of the Season!,” with 18th-century inspired refreshments, live music, wassail toasts around the bonfire (weather permitting), and a good time for all! Special Combination Admission to both sites: $8

250 bona fide town residents who have signed a petition that urges the Town Board to deny this application. The combined assessed value of their homes is more than $125 Million, which is many times the combined assessed value of the land owned by the 4 parties asking for this land to be rezoned.

If our Town Board is truly working in the best interest of the town as a whole, they have no choice but to deny this application. I hope and pray that they do, and that there is no other financial incentive working against the good of the town as a whole.

Adam Stewart, Averill Park

to 3:30 PM. Registration forms are accepted by appointment. All paperwork must be completed by 02-28-2023.

New York State Public Health Law, Section 2164, requires certain immunizations (shots) to enter kindergarten and attend school. Please check with your health care provider as soon as possible to make sure your child has all the needed immunizations. They are listed below.

Required Immunizations for Kindergarten (Number of Doses)

*Polio 4 (3 doses if 3 rd dose received after 4 th birthday)

*Hepatitis B 3

*Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis 5 (4 doses if 4th dose received after 4th birthday)

*Measles/Mumps/Rubella 2

*Varicella (Chicken Pox) 2

Age Requirements

Children who are five years of age on or before December 1, 2023 are eligible to attend Kindergarten this September. As a parent you have an option to enroll your child in school at age five or withhold your child until the school year in which he/she turns six. Children born between 7/1/17 and 6/30/18 must attend kindergarten in the coming school year. Children born between 7/1/18 and 12/1/18 may attend during the 20232024 school year or may wait until the following year.

Tutors are Needed in Rensselaer County

Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County needs volunteer tutors in Rensselaer County and Albany County, and you can help! As a tutor you can develop new skills, make friends, and see how your efforts make a difference in your community. Would you like to help someone to read and write, or to speak English as a new language? We can train you. A tutor training workshop starts on January 21 at the Albany Public Library. To find out more, join us for a Volunteer Opportunities Information Session via Zoom at 12:00 noon on January 10. Contact mhellerlvorc@aol.com to register. Visit the website for more information: www.lvorc.org

adults/ $7 seniors and students/ $2 children under 12. Single site admission also available.

Twelfth Night, or the Feast of Epiphany, was one of the traditional holidays celebrated by the Dutch and English of 17th and 18th century New York. Falling on January 6th, this was the final holiday of the season, marked by unsurpassed feasting and revelry. Come and celebrate with us! Snow date: Sun., Jan 8th, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Once part of the Van Rensselaer family’s vast landholdings, today Crailo tells the story of the early Dutch inhabitants of Albany and the upper Hudson River Valley. Located at 9 ½ Riverside Ave in historic Rensselaer, the museum is open by appointment Nov – Apr. For further information about this and other site programs and events, please call (518) 463-8738, visit www. parks.ny.gov, or find us on Facebook.

Rensselaer Plateau Alliance Presents January Nature Book Club

You are warmly invited to RPA’s Nature Book Club, with Rama Hamarneh, PhD. One evening a month, we will meet on Zoom to discuss a book we have read, and the work’s relationship to nature. We will explore multiple aspects of nature in literature - represented through multiple genres and authors from around the globe.

January’s meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 31 at 7pm on Zoom. The Zoom link for each meeting will be sent out to the book club email list a few days before the meeting. The book club is free to attend, and all are welcome.

For January 2023, we’ll read All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot.

All Things Bright and Beautiful is the beloved sequel to Herriot’s first collection, All Creatures Great and Small, and picks up as Herriot, now newly married, journeys among the remote hillside farms and valley towns of the Yorkshire Dales, caring for their inhabitants—both two- and four-legged. Throughout, Herriot’s

deep compassion, humor, and love of life shine as we laugh, cry, and delight in the portraits of his many varied animal patients and their equally varied owners.

This book is available through the Upper Hudson Library System in physical format, on Hoopla via the library as an ebook and audiobook, at Market Block Books, and through other book sellers. Head to rensselaerplateau.org/ rpa-book-club for more information.

From the Desk of Janice Hannigan Kerwin, North Greenbush Town Clerk

We are collecting new or homemade scarves, hats, gloves and mittens, along with socks & pajamas to give to those in need this winter.

Please stop by the North Greenbush Town Hall located @ 2 Douglas Street Wynantskill, New York and place your donations under our Christmas Giving Tree located just outside the doors of the Town Clerk’s Office. The closest entrance for the Town Clerk’s office when dropping off your donation would be the entrance by the Gazebo in our back parking lot.

Please help us keep someone a little warmer this winter by donating to our Christmas Giving Tree. If you should have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call my office @ 518-2834306, Monday – Friday, 8-4 and I would be happy to assist you in any way that I can. If you would like me to come to you anywhere in our town, just call the office and I can set up a time and day that is convenient to gather your donations.

Recruiting AmeriCorps Volunteers

older adults and individuals who need help to live safely and independently in their own homes. There are several flexible opportunities available such as grocery shopping and transportation. We currently serve Albany and Rensselaer counties. For those that meet the income guidelines, there is even a modest stipend available.

If your organization currently utilizes volunteers and would like to find out how we can partner or if you’re interested and have questions, please send us a note at americorps@communitycaregivers.org . Also, Visit Community Caregivers at www.communitycaregivers.org.

Bread of Life Food Pantry Donation Request

The “Bread of Life” food pantry in Poestenkill has just begun our 8th year of serving our community and neighbors. As we see food costs rising dramatically, we realize more donations of food will be needed.

When you are shopping for grocery’s, we would greatly appreciate it if you would pick up a few food items to donate to our pantry. Here is a list of our most requested staple food items that our guests want..

Breakfast cereal for adults and kids, sugar, flour, baking oil, bottled apple juice, canned fruit, canned hash, canned chili, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, cookies and snacks, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, Parmesan cheese, canned baked beans, instant and ground coffee.

55+

CAPITAL DISTRICT - Community Caregivers has partnered with AmeriCorps Seniors and is actively recruiting volunteers who are 55+ join a national volunteer movement and help their neighbors.

Our volunteers provide support, at no charge, to

Just a few of these items two times a month would be so helpful for our neighbors in need. You may drop them off at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Poestenkill,side entrance in the container. We check it daily and date and shelve each item for our open dates. Please check use by and expiration dates before donating. Thanks so much for your help. Our contact number is (518) 283-6045.

The Polar Plunge, benefitting Our Lady of the Snow Parish’s food pantry, kicks off the main events at 11:30AM. As always, the Plunge includes a playful prize for the silliest costume offered by the Friends of Grafton Lakes State Park, so start planning your January beach attire! To pre-register for the Plunge, please call Ray Dozois for more information at 518-663-5648, or call the park welcome center at 518-279-1155.

Note that this year’s Ice Fishing contest is being held on the weekend before, Saturday, January 14th. Please call the park for more information: 518-279-1155.

Grafton Lakes State Park is located off of Route 2, twelve miles east of Troy, New York. Please use the park’s main entrance on Grafton Lakes State Park Way for this event. There is no entrance fee for this event. For more information, please call the park at 518-279-1155. A full schedule of events will be available in early January on the park’s website (parks.ny.gov).

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which are visited by 78 million people annually.

SUPPLY

CONTINUED FROM 1 who is a mom, also has had a hard time finding children’s Tylenol for her family.

“Since this pandemic started, avoiding sickness is key,” said Guptill, who has become a trusted and authoritative medical voice, of sorts, for her 16,000-plus followers on Facebook. “Keeping kids home from school when sick, wearing masks in crowds, etc. We are being hit hard with viruses right now.”

For most children, the viruses are self-limited and with rest, fluids and TLC, the children will do well, Guptill said.

But despite that reassurance, when you’re a parent in the throes of illness, the feeling of desperation to help your child is intense.

“People thought the toilet paper shortage was bad, but you can use other things for toilet paper,” Murphy said. “If you didn’t have toilet paper you could survive. If you don’t have Tylenol there would be an issue.”

Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Tylenol, says it is ramping up production, Guptill said, so hopefully the shortage will ease in the new year.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Rensselaer

Hope 7 Food Pantry

TROY - The Hope 7 Food Pantry located at 520 Pawling Avenue, Troy NY serves the East Side of Troy, Wynantskill and North Greenbush.

Pantry Hours: Mon-Fri - 9:30am-11:45am; Thursday5pm-7pm. Last Saturday of each month 9:30am-11:45am What to bring: Proof of residence (Troy’s East Side, North Greenbush, or Wynantskill) - (utility bill to your address in your name). ID’s for each person residing in household.

‘Crisis for animal welfare’

By MELISSA MANNO

When Nicole Yancy’s dog, Riley, began displaying erratic behavior on a recent Sunday afternoon, she and her boyfriend anxiously called around to local emergency veterinary clinics to no avail.

One clinic said they were too short-staffed. Another told the couple they were so backed up that they could only see pets in life-threatening emergencies.

The next morning, after finally getting in to see an emergency veterinarian in Latham, they were told their dog had an enlarged spleen and liters of blood in her abdomen. They had to euthanize her the next day.

Yancy’s story is not unique. Across the country, state and locally, there is an unprecedented veterinarian shortage that has overwhelmed practices with a deluge of clients and stretched an already overworked industry to its limit.

“I understand there is a shortage of help and it’s hard on everyone. I just wish there was some way we could’ve gotten help that day we called around. I feel like she would’ve had a similar outcome either way, but it was disheartening to hear they couldn’t see her ‘unless she’s dying’ when she actually was dying the entire time,” Yancy said.

Turning animals away has become an all too familiar response for veterinarians who face mounting pressure from demands for pet care intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. And it’s a trend experts expect will worsen, with nearly 41,000 additional veterinarians needed to meet the demands of companion animal health care by 2030, according to a recent study from MARS Veterinary Health.

The crisis has been set into motion by a number of contributors. For one, the number of retiring veterinarians has outpaced those entering the field, said Tim Atkinson, executive director of the New York State Veterinary Medicine Society.

The staffing shortage, however, does not mean that fewer people are pursuing the career, Atkinson said. Classes are still full at veterinary schools throughout the nation. Instead, there are also factors at play that have led long-term veterinary staff to leave the field.

To sum it up, he said, it’s “become less pleasant to be a veterinarian and much less pleasant to be front of house.”

At Albany County Veterinary Hospital, the loss of one of its veterinarians and a relief doctor have placed a heavy burden on the two who remain, including the practice’s owner, Virginia Jarvis.

Prior to the pandemic, Jarvis, 55, began cutting back her hours as she approached retirement. Now her weeks are overbooked, and each day is spent treating 20 to 25 clients including a record number of urgent cases.

“The emergency clinics are so short-staffed that whereas before we had the ability to transfer patients that we couldn’t see or (see them) after hours, that’s now limited in the Capital Region for the first time in 30 years,” she said. “We have to figure out ways to keep treating patients when we don’t have any overflow capability anymore.”

Jarvis said she put out a hiring ad for an associate veterinarian about a year ago but received little interest and recently took it down. The shortage, she believes, is due to so many veterinarians leaving the field in the early days of the pandemic, including not only retirees but also those that became overwhelmed by pandemic-era pressures of working in the clinics.

TOWN MANAGER

TOWN OF MANCHESTER, VERMONT

The Town of Manchester, Vermont seeks an engaging, collaborative and experienced Town Manager. Manchester (pop. 4221) is a charming and vibrant New England community located in the Northshire of Bennington County, surrounded by the Green Mountain National Forest and close to several resorts. The Town has a thriving tourist and retail economy and strong tradition of community engagement.

“I think during the pandemic, a lot of people saw it as a good time to get out, then things progressed and we quickly became overwhelmed with all of the people staying home with their pets and it became too stressful because we weren’t able to take care of everyone that needed us,” she said.

In 2019, 63 percent of the nation’s active veterinary workforce was female, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Jarvis said the gender gap likely contributed to some leaving the field after enduring the stress of seeing clients all day while also having to take care of their families.

The only solution, she said, is for more veterinarians to enter the field to take the places of those who’ve left — but with veterinary medicine having always been a career of passion, the heightened strains of the job might be enough to dissuade some potential students.

“There’s definitely more stress, more grief. It really hurts when I’m unable to find a place to transfer a critical patient at the end of

the day, or when I need to turn an animal away,” Jarvis said.

For animal lovers, the reward of incurring a huge sum of educational debt is a lifetime spent working with animals — but as the job becomes more taxing, Jarvis said she believes young people might instead pursue medicine, where they can earn a higher salary to pay off what they owe.

While veterinary school can cost about the same as medical school — hovering around $200,000, depending on location — veterinarians earn a median annual wage of $100,370 compared to the roughly $208,000 for physicians, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When Jarvis graduated from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1993, she said she spent the early years of her career earning $35,000 annually while paying $600 a month in loans.

There are also more options available to those pursuing human medicine — with more than 150 medical schools in the U.S. compared to just 32 accredited schools of veterinary medicine.

In New York, efforts are under way to attract and train more veterinarians. In 2020, Long Island University welcomed its inaugural class of 100 students in its new accredited veterinary college on its campus in Brookville. The class will graduate in 2024, and the hope is the new program will help to relieve the encumbered industry.

But until then, overbooked and understaffed clinics will forge ahead with the limited manpower available.

Albany County and Sand Creek veterinary hospitals are among myriad practices unable to accommodate new clients. Albany’s Parkside Veterinary Hospital has also stopped accepting new clients, and for current clients, routine appointments are being scheduled at least five months in advance.

The few that are still treating new patients are warning the public of potential delays. The Central Veterinary Hospital in Albany posted on its website that meeting the heightened demand for veterinary services at all levels has proved to be difficult for staff and that the practice has had to “prioritize sick and urgent appointments.” The practice also announced that it has cut back on its boarding services because it doesn’t have the staff to keep up.

The stresses on the industry are due in part to record-level pet adoptions during the pandemic coupled with increasing animal cruelty cases and dog intakes that have also overwhelmed local rescue organizations. For instance, Mohawk Hudson Humane Society recently ended 16 of its municipal stray-dog sheltering contracts due to the surging demand for its services.

The veterinary shortage is affecting the organization on every level, from intakes to its ability to provide care, said MHHS Senior VP of Operations Gail Hughes-Morey.

“Right now, we have all of these animals in homes where they can’t get veterinary care because people are having a hard time either affording it or getting access to it, which means a lot of people are looking to re-home their pets or letting them loose,” she said. “We’re seeing increases in intakes. We’re seeing an increase in owner surrender and strays. The number of animals coming in is huge.”

The shelter has been inundated by requests for help with veterinary care, but under state law, it is only able to provide income-qualified spay and neuter surgeries and basic vaccines — and with its second veterinarian recently retiring, the shelter has been buckling under the weight of the demand.

“Telling people no feels terrible when they’re just trying to do the right thing for their pet,” she said. “The way all of this came together and created this crisis … I feel like I’m not saying that loudly enough: it is a crisis for animal welfare.”

The shelter is hiring a second veterinarian, but it’s been difficult competing with private practices offering six-figure salaries and large signing bonuses due to desperation, Hughes-Morey said.

MHHS is also seeing a spike in its low-cost euthanasia requests, whereas it previously only scheduled one to two euthanasia appointments a week, the shelter is now booking two to three per day and having to turn people away. “The reality right now is that if your pet is sick and suffering, it might be a while before you can get them in to see a veterinarian,” she said.

Even alternative veterinary medicine is feeling the impacts.

Kristina Dallas runs Ancient Arts Veterinary in Saratoga Springs and has been a holistic veterinarian for more than two decades, helping to heal her clients’ pets with diet modifications, acupuncture and chiropractic therapy.

As a specialist without a degree from a veterinary school, Dallas is an additional resource for clients looking for sources of alternative medicine, but she is not a replacement for primary care veterinarians. Instead, she works alongside the community’s accredited veterinarians and has seen firsthand the pressure they face.

“I’m trying to fill in where I can, my assistant and I draw blood work and can help lighten the load a bit, but I can also only handle so much and I already have so many clients,” she said.

One potential solution is to change licensing requirements and establish a position akin to a general practitioner in traditional medicine that doesn’t require a veterinary degree. But this and other solutions brought to the table — from incentivizing veterinarians to practice in New York to launching new programs at state veterinary schools — are long-term solutions that offer little relief for those struggling in the present.

A detailed job description and position announcement are posted at https://manchester-vt.gov/employment-opportunities/.

Salary range is $95,000 to $125,000 commensurate with experience and education and includes an excellent benefits package. Requirements include a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, management experience, preferably in municipal government, and substantial knowledge of municipal government operations, the duties of municipal officials, and state and federal law provisions affecting municipalities.

To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, and contact information with three references by January 3, 2023 to municipal. recruitment@vlct.org with “Manchester Manager Search” as the subject line. E.O.E.

The Town Manager reports to the Town’s five-member selectboard and is responsible for the Town’s daily operations. The manager directly supervises approximately 34 full-time and 80 seasonal part-time employees, administers an operating budget of $6.25 million, and oversees all financial, public works, public safety, personnel, economic development, recreation, and community relations matters for the Town.

Veterinarian shortage, surge in need of care overwhelm clinics in the Capital Region

HANDYMAN

SNOW

SNOW

SNOW

LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.

Management,

NAME: Kinstin’s Boutique LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on October 25, 2022. Office location: Rensselaer County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to 995 Stony Point Rd, Castleton, NY 12033. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: Grunt Works Design & Development LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on November 18,2023. Office location: Rensselaer County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to 938 Broadway, Rensselaer, NY 12144. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF FORMATION

OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: Gampy’s Beverage Service, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/26/2022. Office location: Rensselaer County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to 29 Elmwood Court Wynantskill, NY 12198. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of the above Limited Liability Company (“LLC”). Articles of Organization (DOM LLC) filed with the Secretary of State of New York (“SSNY”) on November 15, 2022. Office location, County of Albany. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any such process served to: WGB HOLDINGS, LLC, 27 Mount Riga Avenue, Latham NY 12110. Purpose: Any lawful act.

Notice of Formation of Sound Therapy Shop LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/26/2022.

Registered Agent location: Albany. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 34 Wildwood Drive, Pearl River, NY 10965. Purpose: any lawful activity

RAY’S AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE CENTER, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/19/22. Office: Rensselaer County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 25 North Street, Troy, NY 12180. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Restored Hearts LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/07/2022. Office: Rensselaer County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 4 West Road, Stephentown, NY 12168. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

SLANTE VALLEY, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/02/2022. Office loc: Rensselaer County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Denes Laplante, 600 Muitzeskill Road, Schodack Landing, NY 12156. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Willa’s World LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 11/14/2022.

Cty: Rensselaer. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 2107 Bridle Path, Austin, TX 78703. General Purpose

Meeting Sand Lake Fire District #2 will take place on Thursday, January 5, 2023 at 6:30 p. m., at the Fire District Office, 35 Eastern Union Turnpike, Averill Park, New York.

The purpose of the meeting is to elect a Chairman of the Board for 2023, to make appointments for calendar year 2023 for Fire District Secretary, Fire District Treasurer and to designate the official newspaper, banks, and Attorney for the District for 2023. The place, time and dates of the monthly meetings of the Board of Fire Commissioners for 2023 shall also be established at this meeting.

Robert E. Blaauw Fire District Secretary Averill Park - Sand Lake Fire District

(1) tained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) air bottle. The purchase is necessary to replace an air bottle that sustained damage, and has been condemned by an approved inspector. The purchase will the District to maintain a proper inventory of air bottles necessary for the protection of firefighters engaged in firefighting and other operations where unsafe breathing conditions exist while in the performance of the protection of lives and property protected by the District.

The Board has resolved that adequate funds exist in the SCBA Reserve Fund to support this $1,500.00 expenditure and proposes to withdraw that amount for this purpose.

THE 2023 ANNUAL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING OF THE AVERILL PARK - SAND LAKE FIRE DISTRICT #2

In compliance with Public Officers Law section 104 which governs open meeting notification.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that 2023 Annual Organizational Meeting of the Averill Park -

East Greenbush Community Library

Mon/Fri 10-6p; Tue/Wed/Thu 10-8p; Sat 10-5p; Sun 1-5p. Library closed: 12/24, 12/25 & 1/1; closing at 5 pm on 12/31. We offer programs for adults, teens & kids. Go to https://events.eglibrary.org or call 518-477-7476 for a full list of programs - registration is required unless noted otherwise. 10 Community Way, E. Greenbush NY 12061.

The Winter Reading Challenge starts January 9th for all ages! Stay tuned to our website for participation details.

The Friends mini-book sale is open year-round! See the sale display in the main library next to the public computers and main entrance. Selections are refreshed often.

12/28, 7-9p: What have you been reading lately? Join our Wednesday Night Book Chat to share your recent reads and gather recommendations from librarians and

other readers. Look for our WNBC Facebook post at https://www.facebook.com/eglibrary. No registration required.

1/3, 6p meeting / 6:30p program: Join the Greenbush Garden Club to watch document A Garden for All Seasons, Butchart Garden in Victoria, British Columbia. Register.

1/9, 1-6p: Red Cross Blood Drive. Appointments

LEGAL NOTICE TO RESIDENTS OF THE AVERILL PARK –SAND LAKE FIRE DISTRICT # 2, TOWN OF SAND LAKE, COUNTY OF RENSSELAER NEW YORK

Permissive Referendum Resolution

The Board of Fire Commissioners (Board) of the Averill Park – Sand Lake Fire District No. 2 (District) has resolved to expend up to $1,500.00 for the purchase of one (1) Self Con-

This Resolution is adopted subject to permissive referendum of the qualified voters of the District, pursuant to section 6G of the General Municipal Law.

are recommended; walk-ins are welcome. To make an appointment call 1-800-733-2767, go to www.redcrossblood.org or use the Free Blood Donor app.

1/11, 3p: Tech-Talk Webinar: How to Keep Yourself Safe When Shopping, Surfing, and Working on the Internet.

1/15, 2p: Qigong Meditation: Join us for an introduction to meditation in motion for the mind & body.

1/16, 10:30a: MLK Day Movie: Selma (PG13), the unforgettable true story chronicles the tumultuous threemonth period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition.

1/19, 1p: 3rd Thursday Matinee: Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris (PG). Stay tuned to our calendar for Feb. & Mar. movies

1/22, 2p: Historical Society: Bobbie Reno presents Hampton Manor Past & Present

1/23, 10:30-5p: AARP SMART Driver Course

Looking for Baseball Umpires

CAPITAL DISTRICT - Capital District Baseball Umpires Association is looking for new members for the 2023 season. Training classes are now forming.

Please call Bob Umholtz at 518-986-5987 or go to cdbua.com for more information.”

LEGAL NOTICE TO RESIDENTS OF THE AVERILL PARK –SAND LAKE FIRE DISTRICT # 2, TOWN OF SAND LAKE, COUNTY OF RENSSELAER, NEW YORK

Robert E. Blaauw Fire District Secretary Averill Park - Sand Lake Fire District # 2

ithout seeing the photos with this listing, it would sound fairly typical: A three-bedroom, one-and-a-half bathroom home a little less than 2,000 square feet, on almost an acre of land. But when you see how that square footage is contained, maybe your jaw does what mine did and drops a little.

HOUSE OF

THE WEEK