It is with great sadness that we learned that Chet Burch passed away on New Year’s eve. Chet was a long-time volunteer with Save the Pine Bush, becoming involved more than 40 years ago. Most recently, Chet volunteered at dinners, making sure the church was open and available for our monthly lasagna dinners. A beautiful … Save the Pine Bush Loses a Friend
Even Environmentalists Have a Sense of Humor Even Environmentalists Have a Sense of Humor A sense of humor is essential to surviving the rigors of being an activist and fighting one of the oldest political machines in the U.S. Have you ever heard of the Ladies Against Women? I understand the group was formed to … Even Environmentalists Have a Sense of Humor
Location Is Everything – Kunstler Offers Solutions Location Is Everything Kunstler Offers Solutions By Daniel Van Riper We are living in "the national automobile slum. That is the human ecology of the United States." Thus spoke novelist and reformer of architecture James Howard Kunstler, who returned to speak at the May 13, 1998 Save the … Location Is Everything – Kunstler Offers Solutions
From Andy Arthur, our hike leader: Save the Pine Bush Hike Canceled That said, you are more then welcomed — and encouraged to take your own hikes at the Albany Pine Bush. Unlike other public lands in the area, the area is snow and ice free. Additionally, based on my recent walks in the preserve, … Walk in the Pine Bush!
by Tom Ellis ALBANY, NY: At the March 16 SPB dinner, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy spoke about Environmental Accomplishments and the Agenda for the Future. Mr. McCoy began with, “There is so much we’ve done” and “You’re organization — Save the Pine Bush — has been the rock of our community.” Mr. … Dan McCoy Speaks at Save the Pine Bush
Save the Pine Bush Raises Money Save the Pine Bush Raises Money If you asked me what my least favorite activity is, I would say "fund-raising". Its no fun. But, we have discovered that our work to preserve the Pine Bush costs money. And because a lot of people believe as we do, we have … Save the Pine Bush Raises Money
Michael Breslin Speaks Michael Breslin Speaks by Ehren Evans Albany County Executive Breslin spoke at August’s lasagna dinner. It was an exciting opportunity for members of Save the Pine Bush to learn more about county government and the county executive. Mr. Breslin said his stint as county executive is the best job he ever … Michael Breslin Speaks
Democracy Survives – Just Barely Once Again Democracy Survives Just Barely Once Again By Daniel Van Riper The solidly right-wing Democratic Party, demoralized and mostly ignored by large corporations, managed with the help of the voters to overcome and shake the extreme right-wing Republican Party this past November 3rd. Only their vast ocean of … Democracy Survives – Just Barely Once Again
Candidates Night at SPB Candidates Night at SPB Three Candidates for Common Council President Tell Us About Themselves by Lynne Jackson All three candidates for Common Council President spoke at our August dinner to an attentive audience. Rezsin Adams introduced the candidates in alphabetical order. Gregory Burch spoke first. A lifelong resident of Albany, Burch … Candidates Night at SPB
The Two Month Debate – Jennings and McEneny In A Death-Grip The Two Month Debate Jennings and McEneny In A Death-Grip By Daniel Van Riper Part 1: The Challenger State Assemblyman and Albany mayoral candidate Jack McEneny found himself being interviewed by the editors of the local media outlet for the Hearst Corporation, the Times … The Two Month Debate – Jennings and McEneny In A Death-Grip
Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission Begins an Updated Plan for Pine Bush Preservation Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission Begins an Updated Plan for Pine Bush Preservation Colonie, NY &emdash; The Town of Colonie Community Center was the site of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission’s Scoping Session Hearing on the Commission’s updated plan for Pine … 9
The Emperor’s New Plan The Emperor’s New Plan by John Wolcott The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission has as much of an acquisition plan as a certain famous emperor once had a new suit of clothes. Land owner and grassroots environmentalists alike are impatient with the Commission’s having published a map showing "Full Protection" parcels … The Emperor’s New Plan
Show Down Over Roundup Show Down Over Roundup by John Wolcott Invading black locust trees are crowding out and over shadowing native Pine Bush plants including the blue lupine which is essential to the survival of the Karner Blue. Black locust trees, along with bulldozer happy developers, are one of the many threats to the … Show Down Over Roundup
Save the Pine Bush Action Alert! Coyotes in the Moonlight Response to the Commission’s Final Implementation Guidelines by Lynne Jackson "It was a cold night in January, snow on the ground, full moon, not a creature moving a muscle," began Jerry Mueller, at the January Lasagna Dinner. He had to get out of the house … Save the Pine Bush Action Alert!
Pushing and Pulling West: Pending Extensions of the Boundaries of the Pine Bush Preserve Pushing and Pulling West: Pending Extensions of the Boundaries of the Pine Bush Preserve By John Wolcott A Little Background When I first started mulling over the notion of a Pine Bush Preserve in 1971, it was with the thought … Pushing and Pulling West: Pending Extensions of the Boundaries of the Pine Bush Preserve
New Light on an Old Road New Light on an Old Road by John Wolcott Save the Pine Bush board member John Wolcott has discovered evidence of a forgotten foot path through the Pine Bush that in the 1600’s and 1700’s ran parallel to the main Albany-Schenectady Road, the Maquas Padt. Here is Part 1 … New Light on an Old Road
GUILDERLAND: Traditional Builders is proposing to construct 46 houses on a 106 acre lot in the western Pine Bush. 5This proposed site is on Lydius Street, adjacent to and west of the Dicaprio Farm (The Dicaprio Farm was acquired by the Town of Guilderland and made into soccer fields). The houses will be built on … Proposed Housing Development in Guilderland Woodsfield Estate
ALBANY, NY: On November 6, I attended a combined NYS DEC and NYS DOH community meeting about a study they did concerning the health of Albany South End residents. About fifty attended at the Albany Housing Authority office on South Pearl Street. The just-completed study looked at hospitalization rates of South End residents compared to … Air Pollution in Albany’s South End
Proposed Hotel in the Pine Bush Hotel Update: Oral Arguements in the NY Court of Appeals Tuesday, September 15 at 2:00 The Court of Appeals is next door to Albany City Hall. This is an extremely significant case, and could, if we win change who has standing in SEQRA cases. Click here to … Save the Pine Bush
by Dominick Calsolaro The Ezra Prentice Homes, an Albany Housing Authority project consisting of 179 units, is located in Albany’s South End, at the southern end of South Pearl Street (Route 32). The area where Ezra Prentice is situated is a designated environmental justice community. The residents of Ezra Prentice, Old South Pearl Street, … Environmental Injustice at Ezra Prentice Apartments and Community Health Study
ALBANY, NY: Christian Grigoraskos of the Extinction Rebellion Capital Region spoke at the February 19th SPB dinner on the topic of Climate Change: Heading for Extinction (And What to Do About It). Before he began, Lynne Jackson provided an update on the various proposals Crossgates has pending in the Town of Guilderland. Lynne said the … Extinction Rebellion Capital Region
By Terry O’Neill “The days of wine and roses did never go away”– The message of the budget Mayor Jennings has in play. For fifteen years he’s not foreseen a single rainy day. The time has come that for this fiscal fecklessness we’ll pay. His buddy George Pataki helped us live beyond our means. … Neither a Borrower or a Lender Be
Protests Links to Photos of Protests Since January of 2000, I have felt that as a Citizen of the United States of America, that it is my duty and obligation to peacefully protest economic and war policies that I believe to be wrong. It is not that I like going to these protests, but I … Protests
Is There a ‘Y’ in Guilderland? Is There a ‘Y’ in Guilderland? Guest Article By Jamie and Mary Malcolm While Save the Pine Bush (SPB) is hard at work preserving any remaining Pine Bush in the Town of Guilderland, a series of projects including a new YMCA facility, are threatening to take protected land from … Is There a ‘Y’ in Guilderland?
Save the Pine Bush Forces Developer to Remove Water Lines from Pine Bush Preserve Save the Pine Bush Forces Developer to Remove Water Lines from Pine Bush Preserve by Lynne Jackson In a victory for the Pine Bush, the developer of a luxury housing sub-division along the border of Guilderland and Albany has been … 9
Judge Cobb Grants Injunction Judge Cobb Grants Injunction State Defends Pine Bush ALBANY, NY &emdash; Justice George L. Cobb granted a preliminary injunction January 23 on construction of a six-unit housing subdivision in the Pine Bush in State Supreme Court today. He also granted a request for 60 additional days for the State to respond. … Judge Cobb Grants Injunction
Developer Takes Preserve to Build Water Lines Developer Takes Preserve to Build Water Lines Save the Pine Bush Sues the Albany Pine Bush Management Commission & Others Save the Pine Bush filed suit on December 15 against the Albany Pine Bush Management Commission, the Town of Guilderland, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation … Developer Takes Preserve to Build Water Lines
Albany Common Council Denies Dunes Residents Chance to be Heard Albany Common Council Denies Dunes Residents Chance to be Heard by Lynne Jackson July 1, 1996, Albany City Hall, was the place where the Common Council refused to listen to 25 or so angry Dunes residents who wanted the opportunity to speak. Charlie Touhey wants … 9
Draft Environmental Impact Statement DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT for Avila House Independent Senior Campus Lead Agency: City of Albany Planning Board 21 Lodge Street, Albany, New York 12207 Contact: Nicholas Dilello (518) 434-2532 ext. 28 Project Sponsor: First Colun1bia, LLC 26 Century Hill Drive Latham, New York 12110-2128, (518) 213-1000 Report … Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Thanks to anthrax, our new national hobgoblin, the federal Centers for Disease Control have been in the news a lot these days. Yet a report released by the CDC late in 2001 on a very different public health menaceÑurban sprawlÑhas gone largely unnoticed. According to the striking findings of the report, ÒCreating a Healthy Environment: … Unhealthy Choice
A snow-covered field near Crossgates Mall may become a battleground over the effect of building in the Pine Bush and on that ecologically fragile area’s bellwether symbol, the Karner blue butterfly. Environmentalists are trying to fend off the nation’s largest independent hotel developer, which wants about four acres west of the mall’s movie theaters for … Garage Sale Sucess!
SCHENECTADY — The Woodlawn Preserve is getting closer and closer to full protection. After years of negotiations, the City Council finally adopted a management plan for the preserve last week. The plan will help keep the remnants of Pine Bush ecology that remain in the badly deteriorated preserve, and lays out the steps to restore the flora … Schenectady Pine Bush sees Preservation boost
Proposals for Paving the Pine Bush Come Fast and Furiously Proposals for Paving the Pine Bush Come Fast and Furiously Guilderland, Albany consider destroying Full Protection Areas Guilderland, Feeney and Ford: Town of Guilderland Planning Board officials heard a preliminary proposal to destroy 103 acres of Pine Bush by allowing 30 plush, expensive houses to … Proposals for Paving the Pine Bush Come Fast and Furiously
Save the Pine Bush Victorious! – Developer Removes Water Lines! John Wolcott It was John Wolcott’s tireless enthusiasm and research that ensured Save the Pine Bush’s victory. Wolcott had spent years writing to government officials explaining the problem with Willow Street, but no one listened until Save the Pine Bush sued. Wolcott is Save the … 9
Washington Protest, January 18, 3003 Washington Protest, January 18, 3003 Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 Many marchers on M Street. Tyranny Response Team
Washington Protest, January 18, 3003 Washington Protest, January 18, 3003 Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 Marchers carry more signs. Peace puppets. Everyone wants peace. Marchers walk along Independence Avenue. A false security bomb. Bush rides a bomb. This helocopter followed us all day. The police looked down on the marchers. Donald Rumseld, … 23
The 1996 Clean Water, Clean Air Bond Act The 1996 Clean Water, Clean Air Bond Act What It Is, What It Isn’t, And What Some Of It Might Be An Exposé by John Wolcott First of all, New York State’s "Clean Water, Clean Air Bond Act" is, on the surface, just about what it’s title … The 1996 Clean Water, Clean Air Bond Act
by Lynne Jackson ALBANY: Democratic candidate for Albany County District Attorney David Soares spoke at the August Save the Pine Bush dinner at the First Presbyterian Church. Paul Clyne, the incumbent District Attorney who is also running, was invited by did not attend. SPB invited Mr. Soares because in order to save our wild places, … David Soares – Candidate for Albany County District Attorney
NYC 10-27-07 NYC 10-27-07 My friend Kathy and I went to New York City to protest the war. It was very wet. According to the organizers, 45,000 people marched on the streets. It is time to stop the killing! Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Home Veteran Against the War No one died … 4
Protest the RNC Protest the Republican National Convention On Sunday, August 29, I went with 275 other Capital District residents to the United for Peace and Justice protest of the Republican National Convention. These are the photos that I took. The protest was peaceful. What were we protesting? We were protesting George W. Bush’s war … 4
Washington – 01-27-07 Washington – 01-27-07 Home | Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9 Beautiful sculptures Beautiful sculptures Beautiful sculptures Beautiful sculptures "I’m Not a Hippie" m So many people – people as far as … 4
Anti-War Protest, September 24, 2005 Anti-War Protest, September 24, 2005 With two companions, Kathy and Alice, I went to Washington for the historic anti-war march on Saturday, September 24, 2005. Oraganizers of the protest believe over 300,000 people decended on Washington, DC to express our opposition to the Iraq war and our solidarity with the … Anti-War Protest, September 24, 2005
Land Crunch in the Pine Bush Land Crunch in the Pine Bush by John Wolcott We’d Rather Have Been Wrong Save the Pine Bush knew that unresolved difference between development desires and acquisition wish lists were heading toward a major clash in the Pine Bush. Even so the present situation of 85 "hot spots" has … Land Crunch in the Pine Bush
No Credit Given – A Letter From the Commission No Credit Given A Letter From the Commission By Daniel Van Riper In their latest newsletter the Albany Pine Bush Management Commission gives credit for the rehabilitation of the parcel of land off Apollo Drive that used to be a truck parking lot to 3 corporations, … 9
by Lynne Jackson Seventy- five houses are proposed for this 100 acre site in the western most part of the remaining Pine Bush in Guilderland, the last parcel of the largest roadless area in the Pine bush. This proposal, named Woodsfields Estates after what it will destroy, is part of the largest roadless area remaining … Woodsfields Estates – Houses that Should Not Be Built
Start of March Start of March We were quite packed in at the start of the march. The huge streets were simply packed. Note people sitting on top of stone fence.
At the same Town Board meeting where the Board passed a zoning amendment prohibiting commercial soccer fields in residentially zoned areas, the Town Board heard a presentation by its director of parks about the town’s own proposed soccer fields in the Pine Bush. The zoning amendment passed by the Town Board specifically prohibits commercial soccer … Town of Guilderland Wants to Build Soccer Fields
NYC 03-20-04 NYC 03-20-04 Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 Police Police & Barricades Grandmothers Against War A Much Better World is Possible War is the Ultimate Child Abuse In Iraq People in Pink Stop Me! I Don’t Feel Safer Oil Take a Hike Bush Lies – Who Dies? Yo … 4
by Lynne Jackson The first part of this series was printed in the February/March, 2005 newsletter and is a summary of a presentation given by Neil Gifford at the October, 2004 SPB lasagna dinner. The Karner Blue Butterfly Federal Recovery Plan has three priorities. In New York State, scientists are focussing on priority one, which … How fares the Karner Blue?
Historic Action 02-01-07 Historic Action, February 1, 2007 Historic Action Network sponsored a walk from the Riverside Club and Freihofer Building in Lansingburg, across the 112th Street bridge to Waterford to show the connection between these beautiful historic buildings and the Hudson River. More than 30 people participated. Historic Action Network believes these buildings should … 4