Today is Memorial Day

Although established to commemorate those who died in the service of their Country, Memorial Day (formerly Decoration Day) is virtually indistinguishable from Veterans Day (formerly Armistice Day) which honors all veterans of all wars. 

Regardless, be sure to think of those who gave their lives for this great Nation and thank those veterans who are still with us.  They fought so that we could enjoy the liberty and prosperity that we do today.

Both of my parents served in the Philippines during WWII.  Dad was in the Army Air Corps and Mom was a Navy nurse.  Rarely, if ever, did they speak of their wartime experiences, although I recall Mom mentioning snakes slithering in the rafters overhead in the base hospital.

Yes, they were part of what Tom Brokaw calls "The Greatest Generation" - those who grew up during the Great Depression and went on to serve in World War II.  Mom and Dad never spoke of their Depression era experiences.  Their generation didn't.

Hopefully, each generation will think of the preceding one as the "Greatest Generation", but for reasons other than wars and depressions.

My home parish in Kingston celebrates Mass in the parish cemetery on Memorial Day, weather permitting.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate this year.  A solemn and fitting commemoration - American Flags adorn the graves of all military members buried there, whether they fell in battle or died decades later, like my parents.  The VFW Color Guard stands to one side of the altar.  Some parishioners wear their old military uniforms (equally proud of the uniform and the fact that they still fit in it, I'm sure), others are relegated to wearing  their military hats along with their civvies.  God Bless America is sung during Mass and America the Beautiful at the conclusion.

Remember to think of those Veterans who gave their lives for us today.  Remember their families and the loss they endured.  And although it's not Veterans Day, if you encounter a Vet today, say "Thanks!"

Pete Stenson

Fiacco and Gilbert - your thoughts please

Dan Fiacco and  Ed Gilbert .  OK  ...if that's what they and their  families agree is  best -  well best of  luck to them .....for  now.

With  E. Chris Defruscio now  apparently  leading  what is left of the  Republican party , we'll wait and see what the  first few items of political controversy are  coming  out  of  this  years campaign  will be.

What we know to be  fact is  this:  ALL the  foolishness  drummed up by the  reform party was ineffective in 2010.  The  false  accusations  and  trumped up  allegations from Taylor and Cristo turned more people away from them and they actually  lost  support  because of their ridiculous, arrogant behavior.

Sue Mangold and Phil Malone have been doing a  fantastic  job and the  Town Board is  functioning and the  Town is running  quite  well and  effectively.  All Town Departments are working to capacity, overtime is  down and  productivity is  up !  

All of the above is because of the cooperative efforts of  McCABE, OBrien, Malone and  Mangold !!!    The nasty and  arrogant false accustions  still coming  from the  reformers and their losing  candidates have made no dent in the  affirmative and positive efforts  of  the  Supervisor and  Town Board.

For  Dan Fiacco and Ed Gilbert :  try to  stay positive in your  campaigns.  If you should  fail and  fall into the tangled  web of  deception that was so loosely woven by Taylor and Cristo,  you will be met by even more infuriated voters than they were.
 There is no room in this  Town for the  foolish behavior  exhibited by Mike and Ann this past election.  A true  election decided by voters in Town who hear the  bona-fide solutions to the everyday problems  that actually  face the  Town by the  candidates and not the  mud-slinging crap that was  started by Cristo and  Taylor  would  truly be  refreshing !!  Think about it- an actual campaign based upon real  issues !  WOW!   That would be great !

Phil and  Sue  are  currently engaged in the  business of the  Town and many tasks have been undertaken with some having been completed ,  with more to come over the next few months.  This  town is moving  forward !

Best wishes to everyone  for a safe, enjoyable  summer !!!

East Greenbush Observes Memorial Day

Memorial Day Parade, 5/28/11

The 2011 Memorial Day Parade will be held on Saturday, May 28th at 10:00 a.m. The parade will begin at Spare Time Lanes and continue west on Columbia Turnpike to the Melvin Roads Post.

Memorial Day Observance, 5/30/11 

All Town of East Greenbush Offices, including the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Satellite Office, will be closed on Monday, May 30th in observance of Memorial Day.

Thank You East Greenbush Police

My  family  sat watching the  local news last evening at  11pm when  Jim Kambrich announced on Channel 13  that a  local  youth had been arrested  for  dealing  drugs.  The  story went on to say that he was a  Columbia High School student and that he had been charged after a  long investigation by local authorities.

Well,  I for one  would  like to publicly  thank the members of the East Greenbush Police for  taking this  individual off our  streets and out of our  school.    I learned this morning  that the  boy had made bail and  was  supposed to attend  Columbia today.  I would  hope  now  that  our  District Attornies office  will take  this matter  seriously  and  deal with this  problem.   

 For  years, I have been hearing about the  drug problem at Columbia High School.    I would hope that maybe our  legal team of  local law enforcement  and  the prosecutors at the  County level  will use this opportunity to send a  clear message to others  who think East Greenbush is  a  "free-trade zone"  for  narcotics , and  maybe they will now  think twice about introducing drugs into our  schools!

 Congratulations to Chief Lavin and his  staff and  best of  luck with future investigations  such as  this  one,

Rantings of our local wingnut

Well,  selective memory is  the   order of the  day in Camp Cristo.    Losing  Town Board  candidate ,
 < sore loser  extraordinaire >   Cristo is  whining  again about  losing his  Town Board  seat and he tries  to make  the  point  that it was done by Ginny OBrien and  she's a  hypocrit, blah~ blah~blah!  

#1 - your  repooblican party had the  golden opportunity to remove  Ginny and others but they had absolutely NO IDEA  how to do it!  They had the very same  opportunity!  Your  side  sucks - too bad .

#2 -  Were your  paying  any attention at all when you were a  Town Board member?    You clearly have  no idea  about the  cross endorsements and  apparently  you have no desire to learn more - you just choose to bitch and complain because it  suits  your  need to  cry and  whine and blame McCabe  for  something else.

#3 - you lost , and  Ann lost  AGAIN!    Ray Mooney  gets it , < sorry Ray  but Mike and Phil were never getting  re-appointed>, and  apparently  several others  from your  team  get it -  what's  your  malfunction Mike?   Ask your  neighbors -  try to keep an open mind when you do, you've lost ALOT of  credibility over the past few months, so be prepared.

#4 - its probably  about  time  that you get around to what your  itching to  announce -  your  candidacy  for  some  Town position.  Your  ego can't  resist - and  quite  frankly , many of the  rest of us  like  seeing you waste your money.   Unless I miss my  guess,  your  not  going to get any  funding  from the  Republicans and  there  won't be any County  support thanks to your  big  mouth  spouting off about the  County  Exec.   Your a  doozy there  Mike, but  whatever  it is  that  spins your  wheel, you keep going  there  sunshine - your  "special" !  ;-)

GREAT NEWS..........NOT GOOD NEWS..............GREAT NEWS!!!

GREAT NEWS REPORTED ABOUT EAST GREENBUSH FIRMS!!!

 

     On Tuesday, April 19, an article in the Times Union entitled, 3 LOCAL FIRMS AMONG 50 BEST TO WORK FOR IN STATE reported that "Capital District Physicians' Health Plan, DeCrescente Distributing Company in Mechanicville, and SOLUTIONSET IN EAST GREENBUSH were among the 50 best companies to work for in New York State, according to the NYS Society of Human Resources Management and the Business Council of New York State."  http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/3-local-firms-among-50-best-to-work-for-in-state-1342702.php

 

     The Times Union also reported on Tuesday, April 19, in an article entitled, LEADING EDGE OF LEAD TESTING that "An EAST GREENBUSH company has practically cornered the market on equipment used to test lead in children's toys and furniture imported into the United States.  Late last month, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission approved a new lead testing method developed by X-RAY OPTICAL IS IN EAST GREENBUSH."  http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Leading-edge-of-lead-testing-1342707.php

 

     Finally, the Times Union, on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 reported in an article entitled REGENERON, PARTNER REPORT SUCCESSFUL DRUG TEST that "Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Sanofi-Aventis SA said Tuesday an experiemental drug used in combination with chemotherapy extended the lives of patients with advanced colorectal cancer in a study.  The companies plan to seek regulatory approval this year for the drug Zaltrap, also called aflibercept, for patients not helped by chemotherapy" ...REGENERON'S MANUFACTURING PLANT IS IN EAST GREENBUSH.  http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Regeneron-partner-report-successful-drug-test-1353642.php

 

THAT'S THE KIND OF NEWS WE LIKE TO SEE!!!!