ALBANY, NY: The August Save the Pine Bush vegetarian/vegan lasagna dinner was the setting for Mike Venuti, the new director of the Pine Bush Discovery Center, to describe what the Pine Bush Discovery Center will be and the progress on the Discovery Center. Mr. Venuti began by briefly describing his background. He has worked with … Discovery Center
by Lynne Jackson OK, Crossgates has been in the news a lot recently. Actually, they made it into the international news. Save the Pine Bush has received emails from out raged people as far away as Sydney Australia, and California. People are mad. To recap: On Monday evening, March 3, Stephen Downs and his son … Crossgates is a Bad Neighbor
by Lynne Jackson ALBANY, NY: The September Save the Pine Bush dinner at the First Presbyterian Church was the setting for a presentation on alien and invasive by Steve Rice, PhD. of Union college. Dr. Rice began by talking about the early efforts to bring fire back into the Pine Bush ecosystem. The thought was … Invasive Species in the Pine Bush
by Lynne Jackson ALBANY: Albany City Commission of the Department of General Services Willard (Bill) Bruce spoke at the May Save the Pine Bush dinner. Mr. Bruce began by showing slides of how landfills are constructed. He emphasized that the Rapp Road landfill is not just a dump, it is a highly-engineered structure and there … Its not a Garbage Problem Its an Economic Problem
All that sand was left by a glacial lake. The Pine Bush ecosystem sitting on that sand, however, may have been created by Native Americans practicing fire management techniques. At least, that’s what some people believe. One of those people is Dr. Harvey Alexander, professor at the College of St. Rose, who spoke at … Save the Pine Bush
By Oily Bakken and Rude Crude In recent months, the media has carried stories about huge quantities of crude oil being brought into the Port of Albany from the Bakken oil fields of North Dakota by CP Rail, where it is stored and transloaded onto barges or tanker ships to be moved on to distant … The Crude Oil Threat to New York State: The Capital Region as the Focus of Oil-by-RailThe Crude Oil Threat to New York State: The Capital Region as the Focus of Oil-by-RailThe Crude Oil Threat to New York State: The Capital Region as the Focus of Oil-by-Rail
ALBANY — If the crowd at the Polish Community Center on Wednesday ran the state Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany would not get permission to expand its Rapp Road dump in the environmentally-sensitive Pine Bush Preserve. Several hundred people packed the DEC hearing on the city’s request, with loudest applause going to dump opponents, like … Dump expansion rapped
“Study Shows Low Lyme Disease Risk” reads the headline in the Albany Times Union June 13, 2001. Comforting words. “Lyme disease is very difficult to catch, even from a deer tick in a Lyme-infested area, and it can easily be stopped in its tracks with two capsules of an antibiotic, a new study shows. Two … Lyme Disease Update
ALBANY, NY: Paul Tick and Tina Lieberman spoke at the January 15, 2020 SPB dinner about plans by Lafarge to burn tire at its cement factory in Ravena, twelve miles south of Albany. Paul began his comments with saying that when he moved to the capital region 32 years ago, he immediately looked for activists … Burn Tires vs. Clean Air
by Lynne Jackson ALBANY, NY: The July SPB veggie lasagna dinner at the First Presbyterian Church was a forum for a bevy of politicians. Everyone came out to support Pine Bush preservation, a welcome change from previous elections. Candidates from Albany, most facing primaries in September attended as well as Ken Runion, candidate for Guilderland … 9
Willow Street Again Letters The following excellent letter appeared March 21,1999 in the Hearst-owned Times Union under the title, “Improve Downtown and Preserve Pine Bush”: To the Editor: Why is the Albany Common Council approving Pine Bush development (Drumlin Fields office building) when there are plenty of vacant parcels in downtown and on … Willow Street Again
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: “If we lose reverence for any part of life, we lose reverence for all of life,” said Save the Pine Bush member Lou Ismay at the April 17th SPB dinner at which Lou spoke about his launching the Protect Your Environment (PYE) Club at SUNY Albany fifty years ago. He … Honoring Lou Ismay at the April SPB Dinner
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: David Ellis of Rensselaer Residents Against Toxic Dumping and Lou Sebesta of Stop Trucks Assaulting Rensselaer (STAR) spoke at the May 15th SPB dinner about “Done with Dunn Landfill: Negative Impacts of Dunn C/D Dump Operations” in Rensselaer, and their efforts to close it. Later in the evening, George Keleshian … Done with the Dunn Dump
by Christine Kielb Tom Ellis and Christine Kielb of Stop Trucks Assaulting Rensselaer (STAR), a group of Rensselaer residents and their allies, are continuing their work fighting the tractor trailer truck traffic passing through city neighborhoods to and from the Dunn Construction and Demolition (C&D) landfill. This landfill operation, larger than the Colonie and Albany … Truck Traffic in Rensselaer: Update
by Christine Kielb Each weekday, from 6:30 am to 4:00 pm, up to 100 large tractor trailer trucks (18-26 wheelers) arrive off the Dunn MemoriaI Bridge onto Broadway Street in the City of Rensselaer. These trucks travel north on Broadway, turn east onto Partition Street and proceed up and down its steep hills through residential … Landfill truck traffic in Rensselaer affecting quality of life for residents.
by Tom Ellis Albany, NY: Kim Fraczek, Co-Director of the Sane Energy Project spoke on “Gas Infrastructure — The Big Picture” at the January 18 SPB dinner. She is very enthusiastic opinionated, and optimistic about blocking construction of many of the proposed natural gas pipelines in New York. She displayed an interactive, online map of … Kim Fraczek Speaks about the Sane Energy Project and Mapping PipelinesKim Fraczek Speaks about the Sane Energy Project and Mapping Pipeliness
CALL 866-846-4075 The Pilgrim Pipelines would carry explosive fracked oil along the New York State Thruway and through six counties, from Albany to New Jersey, and return flammable refined products north. If constructed, the two pipelines would threaten our drinking water, risk the safety of dozens of communities, and promote fracking and climate change chaos. … Call-In Week to Governor Cuomo – Coming Up January 23-27, 2017
NEW SCOTLAND — A man of principle and passion, Peter Henner worked for causes he believed in with the same logic and commitment he used when playing chess. He tackled his legal work as he tackled mountains on climbs with his wife — with a sense of adventure. “He always told everything straight,” said Nancy … Peter Henner
By Tim Truscott Henry L. Diamond, New York State’s first environmental conservation commissioner, who was appointed by Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller on the inaugural Earth Day in 1970, died on February 21 in Washington at age 83. Mr. Diamond recalled in a recent article in The Environmental Forum that, at the time, in the … Henry Diamond, First DEC Commissioner, Dies
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Retired University at Albany economics professor and McKownville Improvement Association president Don Reeb was the speaker at the November 18 SPB dinner. Don spoke about SUNY Poly — formerly College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE): The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Don is 82 years old. He said the neighborhood contain 900 … Don Reeb — The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
In 1996, the Iroquois Pipeline Co. pleaded guilty to four felony counts and paid multimillion dollar fines for overseeing hundreds of criminal violations of the Clean Water Act during the construction of a 375 milelong gas pipeline across New York state. A decade later, the construction of the Millennium Pipeline resulted in the same … Say ‘No’ to proposed pipeline
By Brian Nearing — Published in the Times Union, Saturday, June 27, 2015 It’s a long way from a sea of natural gas wells scattered through Pennsylvania’s Bradford County to Libby Reilly’s organic farm off Clarks Chapel Road in Nassau. And it is even longer from her farm, where about two dozen beef cows … Crossing paths: Area farmers fear risks from 2 gas pipeline proposals
By Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Michael McLaughlin, the Director of Research for Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, was the SPB dinner speaker on May 21, filling in for McCoy who was attending the convention of the NYS Democratic Party. He said he is involved in many of McCoy’s policies. Mr. McLaughlin said the Polystyrene ban signed by … Michael McLaughlin, Director of Research for Albany County Executive Dan McCoy Speaks to SPB
by Tom Ellis On December 12, when Albany County Executive Dan McCoy signed legislation passed by the county legislature a month earlier that bans chain restaurants and eateries from using polystyrene (Styrofoam) take-out food containers, he credited his three children, especially Egan, a senior at Albany High School, for pressuring and reminding him to be … Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, Styrofoam Ban and Protection of the Pine Bush
an editorial by Melissa Hale-Spencer, reprinted from the Altamont Enterprise, July 18, 2013 First they came for the socialists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I … The road to justice is paved with truth
Editor’s note: we all love turtles at Save the Pine Bush and Rezsin thought others would enjoy this success story SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico’s governor on Saturday signed a law to protect a swath of land along the island’s northeast coast that is a top U.S. nesting site for the … Puerto Rico protects premier turtle nesting site
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: In late February, the NYS Inspector General released a 40+ page report trashing Ward Stone, accusing him of bullying his subordinates, intimidating his supervisors, misusing state funds, and being some sort of a monster. The report drew considerable news coverage including a February 28 article in the New York … Ward Stone is a Hero
ALBANY — Fires used in the Pine Bush to restore native habitat of scrub pine and open grassland also greatly reduce chances that hikers will pick up ticks that could carry Lyme disease. A study by two Union College professors has found areas of the Pine Bush that have already been restored carried 98 percent … Pine Bush fires cut tick threat
by Grace Nichols ALBANY, NY – Neil Gifford, Conservation Director at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, has been working in the Pine Bush since the early 1990s. He describes the mission of the Albany Pine Bush Commission, a body representing the many different governmental interests in the Pine Bush land, as “to preserve the pitch … Habitat Restoration and Mitigation Project: How it Fits in to the Preserve Goals for Restoration” Neil Gifford Gives Save the Pine Bush Dinner Talk in March, 2011
By BRIAN NEARING Staff Writer 2010 ALBANY — Honeysuckle smells sweet and its red berries make a colorful splash in the fall, but this flowering shrub may be a magnet for deer with ticks that spread Lyme disease. A recent academic study found that areas around dense thickets of honeysuckle are 10 times more likely … Plant linked to Lyme risk
Last Chance to Say No to Besicorp! STOP BESICORP! STOP A POWER PLANT AND A PAPERMILL, TWO OF THE MOST POLLUTING INDUSTRIES, FROM COMING TO OUR COMMUNITY! Besicorp promises jobs and tax revenues. Is it worth it? Besicorp will make $340 Million in revenues in the first year, but… it will pay the City of … Last Chance to Say No to Besicorp!
by Lynne Jackson ALBANY: Grace Nichols spoke about pesticides at the June Save the Pine Bush vegetarian lasagna dinner at the First Presbyterian Church. Pesticides include herbicides, insecticides and rodenticides. Grace explained that unlike other types of pollution which are a by-product of making something, pesticides are designed to kill organisms. Pesticides are a whole … The Great Pesticide Hunt
ALBANY, NY: Just when you thought it was safe to go to the mall, Pyramid Crossgates proposes yet another project to destroy Pine Bush and potential Karner Blue habitat. Albany City Hall was the setting for Pyramid to describe to the Albany Common Council Zoning Committee how its proposal to build a residence inn hotel … Crossgates Casts a Dark Shadow Over the Pine Bush
The Good News, The Bad News And The Ugly Truth The Good News, The Bad News And The Ugly Truth June/July 1995 By Daniel Van Riper Like it or not, Pine Bush preservation has become one of the major defining issues in the Capital District. Perhaps this is because it is a black and white … The Good News, The Bad News And The Ugly Truth
Conservancy, Albany are Partners in Pine Bush Land Deal Conservancy, Albany are Partners in Pine Bush Land Deal The following is part of an article from the Times Union, Nov. 14, 91 by James Denn. We’re not sure about some of the details, but here it is. The Nature Conservancy, a national not-for-profit environmental group, … 7
Pyramid is Back! Hoblock Makes A Deal Pyramid is Back! Hoblock Makes A Deal by Daniel W. Van Riper, July/Aug. 92 Pyramid Corporation, hiding behind an entity called Albany Commons Associates, wants to buy prime Pine Bush from Albany County and build strip malls. The acreage threatened with destruction, located along Washington Ave. Extension, is … Pyramid is Back! Hoblock Makes A Deal
Save the Pine Bush Construction Begins Before Court Decides Case Construction Begins Before Court Decides Case by Daniel W. Van Riper, July/Aug. 91 Barry, Bette and LeDuke have begun construction of a 70,000 sq. ft. office building in Albany’s ecologically sensitive Pine Bush while State Supreme Court Justice Daniel H. Prior decides whether or not … 7
Lasagna Makes You Smarter Lasagna Makes You Smarter It’s Nutritious and Fun By Daniel Van Riper The Old Machine Author and political observer Frank Robinson spoke to the November dinner crowd at 1st Presbyterian Church in Albany. He is probably the foremost authority on the old and defunct Albany O’Connell Democratic political machine, an entity … Lasagna Makes You Smarter
by Claire Hughes, Staff writer Excessive development of rural countryside, which leads to the loss of some animal species there, could be the reason the Capital Region and other areas of New York have seen recent spikes in rates of Lyme disease, according to a study being published this week. A group of researchers, including … Study Links Lyme Disease, Rural Building
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: Don Rittner was the guest speaker at the June 20 SPB dinner. Don was introduced by John Wolcott who said Don took Albany by storm in 1973 with his archaeological research of the Isaac Truax Tavern on the King’s Highway that George Washington stopped in six times. He said Don … The Way We Were
ALBANY, NY: Save the Pine Bush filed suit in New York State Supreme Court over the Albany City Planning BoardÕs approval of the Roman Catholic Diocese senior housing project in the Pine Bush. The Planning Board violated the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) in approving this project on an essential Karner Blue Butterfly migration … Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission Proposes a New Plan – Mark October 18 to Attend Hearing
By Matthew Hamilton Albany: There is an unmistakable glow that illuminates the Albany skyline each night. For tourists, the lights are an attraction to the largest city on the Hudson River north of Yonkers. For nocturnal migrating birds, it’s also an attraction — and that’s the problem. The state is set to announce Monday that non-essential … New York state going dark to save birds
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY— “The future is bright,” said John Ciovacco, President of Aztech Geothermal, at the November 15 SPB dinner. He spoke about “Geothermal Heat Pump Systems as One solution to Climate Change.” Aztech was founded in 2007, the first installations were in 2009, and 350 installations have now been completed. Mr. Ciovacco … Geothermal Power is Possible in the City
April 17, 2001 Supervisor Runion, Members of the Council, Ladies & Gentlemen: Thank you for letting me speak tonight My name is Candace Lider and I live near the Dicaprio Farm. First, I want to thank the Town of Guilderland for their foresight in purchasing this beautiful property for the enjoyment of the residents of … Save the Pine Bush
Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 7 p.m. Stanford Home Hearing Information Hearing Notes January 23 Hearing Canadians are Coming! Archeological Information Photos – Outdoor Photos – Indoor Bonding Editorial Preservation Donate Contact Skip the ‘state of the union’ on Tuesday, January 23rd, and join the ‘state of Niskayuna’ rally and gathering at 7 … Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 7 p.m.
Yes, the King’s Royal Yorkers are Coming! Stanford Home Hearing Information Hearing Notes January 23 Hearing Canadians are Coming! Archeological Information Photos – Outdoor Photos – Indoor Bonding Editorial Preservation Donate Contact Yes, the King’s Royal Yorkers are Coming! Well, one man is representing the Captain Richard Duncan Company. Background: In the 1777 … Yes, the King’s Royal Yorkers are Coming!
Congratulations to Tom Ellis for his excellent letter-to-the-editor which appeared in Thursday’s Times Union (12/30/10) concerning the SWMP plan, the proposed solid waste authority and the possibility of an incinerator being constrducted in the area. The letter is shown below. In addition to the points Tom made in his letter, it should be mentioned that … Rethink Plans for Disposal Facility
Letter to the editor, Times Union, July 21, 2015 Photos by John Wolcott of Holy Innocents Fate of Albany’s historic Holy Innocents church unclear An opportunity to save the former Church of the Holy Innocents Seriously Endangered Church of The Holy Innocents Section of former Church of Holy Innocents collapses Read excerpts from a book … Save Holy Innocents Church, Albany, New York
by Tom Ellis RENSSELAER, NY: The Covid-19 pandemic highlights a major problem with government in the USA, NYS, and locally. Executive agencies employ vastly more people than legislatures despite the complaint that legislatures are bloated. Elected executives (presidents, governors, county executives) appoint commissioners and other top staff, often subject to approval by a legislative body, … COVID-19 and Dunn Landfill
WHEREAS: Rezsin Adams was born on February 13, 1927, and grew up in the Bronx; and WHEREAS: Rezsin is an unassuming hero, a woman of small stature who always has a smile on her face. However, she has been at the heart of Albany’s peace and justice movement for decades and was dubbed the “Grande … Proclamation — Monday, February 13, 2017 to be: “Rezsin Adams Day”