New York State Comptroller Releases Report on Local Roads

Local governments across New York State spent $2 billion on road maintenance, repairs and upgrades in local fiscal year 2020, a decline of 7% since 2010 when adjusted for inflation, according to a report by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

Some local communities put road projects on hold during the pandemic, but an influx of federal money is expected to jump-start projects at the same time the Executive is proposing more funding for road repair and improvements.

According to the report, capital spending on local roads projects in the Capital District (which Washington County is included in) was $175 (See Figure 9), which was higher than some parts of New York but lower than others.

DEC Statewide Forest Ranger Highlights

Village of Fort Ann
Washington County

Wilderness Recovery: On Jan. 20 at 5:36 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call for Ranger assistance from Washington County 911 after a hiker reported finding a body at the base of Shelving Rock Falls in the Lake George Wild Forest. Forest Rangers Laczko, St. Claire, Savarie, Donegan, and Kabrehl responded. At 6:44 p.m., Rangers located the subject approximately one-third of the way up the falls. Using technical rope rescue techniques, Rangers lowered the deceased subject from the ledge in a sled. From the ground, Rangers conducted a low-angle carry up the hill. Once out the woods, the subject was turned over to the county coroner. Resources were clear at 9:12 p.m. New York State Police (NYSP) identified the hiker as 55-year-old Timothy Gillen of Peekskill.

LGLC Awarded $3.76 Million Grant for Land Protection in Putnam


The Clark Hollow Bay property as seen from Lake George. (Click image to see larger version.)

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) has been awarded $3,762,800 through the New York State Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program. The grant will be used to purchase the 59.6-acre Clark Hollow Bay property in Putnam.

The property is across Lake George from Silver Bay, adjoining more than 1,000 acres on the northeastern shore that the LGLC helped to protect more than 30 years ago. The land includes 2,530 feet of shoreline and 1,300 feet of streams that feed Lake George, as well as steeply forested slopes that would be highly susceptible to erosion if disturbed. Its protection will result in the prevention of previously-approved development that could impact the public drinking supply.

LGLC Conservation Manager Monica Dore said, “In protecting this property we will be closing the gap in shoreline protection of the northeastern region, a total of more than 3 miles of critical land buffer between the lake and its uplands. In addition, creating a contiguous block of forested land supports a wide range of wildlife.”

The Clark Hollow Bay property is also a documented summer habitat of the timber rattlesnake, which is legally protected as a threatened species in New York State.

According to a survey conducted by William S. Brown, Ph.D., and Jed Merrow on the property in 2012, “Clark Hollow Bay provides habitats for thermoregulation and protection, making the preserve a significant refuge in ensuring survival of the species.”

LGLC Board President Mike O’Reilly said, “We could not be more excited by this grant award, as it’s a huge win for water quality protection, and a final step in completing a 30-plus year endeavor in this part of the north basin. Receiving this grant will allow us to continue our energetic efforts to protect the land that protects the lake. We thank the State of New York for considering the purchase of the Clark Hollow Bay land worthy of support under this grant.”

LGLC Interim Executive Director Jeff Brozyna said, “The Clark Hollow Bay Project is the largest undertaking in LGLC history, with a total cost of $5 million. We will use the momentum from this grant to raise the remaining funds needed to complete the purchase in 2022.”

More than $272 million is being awarded to 179 projects to protect and improve water through the WQIP program, according to an announcement made by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul on December 21. Grants were awarded to projects such as land acquisition, municipal wastewater treatment upgrades, and marine habitat restoration.

Governor Hochul said, “Our state’s economic development goals cannot be achieved without clean water for drinking, recreation, and the overall quality of life New Yorkers expect and deserve. These sustained investments in water quality improve the health of our communities while creating economic opportunity through well paying, long lasting jobs.”

Governor Hochul Announces Action to Address Winter Covid-19 Surge

Governor Kathy Hochul today this past week that masks will be required to be worn in all indoor public places unless businesses or venues implement a vaccine requirement. This a major action to address the winter surge comes as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise statewide to be in alignment with the CDC’s recommendations for communities with substantial and high transmission. The State Health Commissioner issued a determination solidifying the requirement.

This determination is based on the State’s weekly seven-day case rate as well as increasing hospitalizations. The new business and venue requirements extend to both patrons and staff. This measure is effective Dec. 13, 2021 until Jan. 15, 2022, after which the State will re-evaluate based on current conditions. The new measure brings added layers of mitigation during the holidays when more time is spent indoors shopping, gathering, and visiting holiday-themed destinations.

“As Governor, my two top priorities are to protect the health of New Yorkers and to protect the health of our economy. The temporary measures I am taking today will help accomplish this through the holiday season. We shouldn’t have reached the point where we are confronted with a winter surge, especially with the vaccine at our disposal, and I share many New Yorkers’ frustration that we are not past this pandemic yet,” Governor Hochul said. “I want to thank the more than 80 percent of New Yorkers who have done the right thing to get fully vaccinated. If others will follow suit, these measures will no longer be necessary.”

“I have warned for weeks that additional steps could be necessary, and now we are at that point based upon three metrics: Increasing cases, reduced hospital capacity, and insufficient vaccination rates in certain areas,” Governor Hochul added.

Since Thanksgiving, the statewide seven-day average case rate has increased by 43% and hospitalizations have increased by 29%. While the percentage of New Yorkers fully vaccinated continues to increase—gaining 2% from Thanksgiving weekend to now—the uptick is not fast enough to completely curb the spread of the virus, particularly among communities with low vaccination coverage.

The State Department of Health has produced nation-leading studies, published in the CDC’s MMWR and the New England Journal of Medicine, which demonstrate the COVID-19 vaccines’ effectiveness – particularly in preventing severe disease. The Department continues to urge eligible New Yorkers of all ages to get fully vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible.

Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said, “Community spread requires a community-minded solution, as the Omicron variant emerges and the overwhelmingly dominant Delta variant continues to circulate. We have the tools we need to protect against the virus – and now we must ensure we use them. There are tools each individual can use, and there are actions we can take as government. Getting vaccinated protects you, and wearing a mask is how we will better protect each other. Both vaccination and mask-wearing are needed to slow this COVID-19 winter surge.”

A violation of any provision of this measure is subject to all civil and criminal penalties, including a maximum fine of $1,000 for each violation. Local health departments are being asked to enforce these requirements.

DEC Statewide Forest Ranger Highlights

Town of Fort Ann
Washington County

Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 1 at 6:53 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for assistance from two hikers who became disoriented while hiking Sleeping Beauty Mountain. The 65- and 69-year-old hikers from Long Island were on a trail, but were not sure which trail, as the trail markers were not the same color as the markers on their original trail. Neither hiker had headlamps, maps, food, water, or hiking equipment. At 9:40 p.m., Forest Rangers Donegan and Arnold located the couple on the trail near Bumps Pond, approximately 1.5 miles from the trailhead. The Rangers provided the hikers with jackets, food, and water before escorting them to the trailhead. Forest Rangers and the hikers were back at the trailhead at 12:20 a.m.

State Senator Stec: Injured Firefighters Legislation Passes Legislature

The State Senate today gave final legislative approval of legislation that would add ‘vascular rupture’ to the list of injuries covered under New York State’s Volunteer Firefighters’ Benefit Law.

The legislation, introduced this session by Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner and cosponsored by Senator Dan Stec, honors Whitehall Volunteer Fire Company Chief James Brooks. Brooks died in September 2020 due to complications from an injury he suffered while responding to a fire in May earlier that year.

“Assistant Chief James Brooks died as a result of a line of duty injury,” said Stec. “He was doing what he loved, serving his community. The insurance fund that would help with medical expenses unfortunately did not cover his care, which totaled more than $1 million dollars.”

On May 2, 2020, Brooks suffered an aortic rupture while responding to a structural fire in the Town of Dresden, Washington County. The 27-year veteran of the Whitehall Volunteer Fire Company died on September 17, 2020, from health complications due his injury. The New York State Workers Compensation Board determined that Brooks’ injury does not qualify for insurance coverage.

The legislation (S4562a/A6767a) creates a presumption of coverage under the Volunteer Firefighters’ Benefit Law for vascular ruptures suffered in the line of duty. It would assure coverage for this type of injury in the same way that heart attacks, for example, are covered.

The legislation passed the Assembly on Thursday, June 3.

DEC Statewide Forest Ranger Highlights

Town of Fort Ann
Washington County


Hiker Rescued From Lake George Wild Forest Area

Wilderness Rescue: On May 22 at 12:30 p.m., Washington County 911 contacted DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch advising of a 28-year-old woman from Rensselaer with a non-weight-bearing ankle injury on the trail for Sleeping Beauty Mountain in the Lake George Wild Forest Area. Forest Ranger Lt. Ganswindt and Forest Rangers St. Claire and Baker responded. Once on scene, the hiker was packaged into a litter by Forest Rangers and members of the West Fort Ann and Bay Ridge fire departments, along with Fort Ann EMS. The hiker was transported utilizing the new litter wheel system to an ATV and driven to the trailhead. The injured hiker was then turned over to EMS for transport to a local hospital for medical treatment.

Town of Lake George
Warren County


Rope Rescue Training At Prospect Mountain

Rope Rescue Training: On May 20 and 21, Region 5 Forest Rangers participated in their annual rope rescue training at Prospect Mountain. This year’s training focused on low and moderate angle rescues utilizing the new litter wheel system. Forest Rangers spent two days refreshing their skills on setting anchors and patient packaging, as well as building, raising, and lowering systems. The litter wheel system has already been utilized on several rescues this month. All Rangers in the state need to maintain at least operations-level standards set by the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA). Forest Rangers have the additional opportunity to advance to the technician level to further their skill set in rope rescue.

Catholic Bishop of Albany, Edward B. Scharfenberger, Statement on Return to In-Person Church Services


The Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Albany, Edward B. Scharfenberger, D.D. (left), stands with Fr. Rendell Torres, Pastor of the Chapel of the Assumption (right) in a previous visit to Huletts Landing in 2014.

‘A Return to Mass’
Article taken from the Evangelist (May 17, 2021)

Warmest greetings and every prayer as we approach the end of our journey through this great season of Easter. May you, your families and friends, and indeed all those of good faith, experience the Easter gifts from our Lord of peace, joy and life. For many, if not all of us, Lent, Holy Week and Easter this year have a special and perhaps new meaning. This is especially true as we recall, only too well, the situation we faced last year, with the general lock-down and the suspension of public liturgies in our churches and parish communities.

Indeed, to call the last months that we have lived through “stressful” or “tough” would seem to be a major understatement! Everyone has experienced some form of trial or cross, not least because it has been so unexpected and so prolonged. I feel that for many of us, one of the heaviest burdens has been the unknown: living in uncertain times and sailing through uncharted territory for so long. Despite our fears or worries, we have often had to be strong and resilient for others, not least our family and, indeed, our parish family, even if we have experienced great loss. Hopefully too, we have drawn strength and direction from our relationship with God and from our parish/church family. So, our Lord’s resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost certainly takes on a new and perhaps even more profound meaning this year for all of us!

Perhaps too, we can reflect again and discern whether now is the time to return to being at Mass “in person.” Discernment is such a difficult and tricky thing! Yet, it is an integral and essential part of being a disciple. As St. Ignatius of Loyola notes in his Spiritual Exercises, choosing between a good thing and a bad thing is often relatively clear and easy. However, choosing between two goods is so much harder. This is what we might need to face at the moment. On the one hand, we must be safe and healthy and we must keep others safe and healthy too. On the other hand, there is the supreme good of the Mass, the sacraments and prayer. For example, having Mass online is great, but we know that it cannot be a substitute for being there in person and most especially for receiving our Lord in Holy Communion, for He is “real food and real drink” (John 6: 55). Furthermore, our faith is indeed an incarnational faith: one of presence and communion in many ways, especially one of a physical presence. We often speak of the obligation to go to Mass. Yes, there is certainly an obligation, of course, but there is so much more too. Now is a great time to take a fresh look at this matter and see what is best to do, given our own circumstances.

With all this in mind, given the recent changes in regulations and after considerable consultation; from the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Sunday, 6th June 2021), I will remove the general dispensation from the obligation to go to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days given back in March 2020. However, there would still be a particular dispensation from this obligation for those in certain circumstances; such as those who are sick or who are at risk, or who care for those who are sick or at risk, or those who experience a significant anxiety or fear of getting sick from being in a public setting.

It is hard to gauge how many people might return to being present at Mass in person because of this return to the norm. Evidence, admittedly anecdotal, indicates that many people would continue to make a prudential judgment about what to do. It may or may not be necessary for parish leaders to make considered decisions about what best to do, as they have done throughout the pandemic. Whatever the case, given the ongoing limits on the capacity of our churches (especially due to social distancing), it may not be possible for people to attend Mass and that good intention would also be included in that particular dispensation. Again, as you have done throughout this pandemic, a prudent and considered decision should be made by each person.

In charity and concern for others, at the Mass and other liturgies, we should continue to follow the various directives regarding health protocols such as social distancing, face masks and sanitizing. As the next few months unfold, the various liturgical guidelines will continue to be examined and more of the special arrangements put in place will be lifted, as and when it is safe and possible to do so. I would also like to thank deeply and personally parish leaders, staff and volunteers and Diocesan staff for all the incredible hard work that they have done and the amazing initiatives that they have launched, in keeping us safe as we celebrate the Mass and the sacraments in these difficult times.

The promise of new life that Jesus brings at Easter and, of course, the powerful and practical gifts of the Holy Spirit, are also then about our present, as well as our future. As Jesus says: “I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly” (John 10: 10). Our experiences over these last months may well have been hard and difficult, but, please God, we have also experienced light, goodness and hope. The terrible effects of the health crisis have also made us aware, and even made us rethink, what is really important in our lives; what really matters. Life is a gift and indeed a gift from God, but it is as fragile as it is precious. It cannot be taken for granted.

So, this year, it strikes me that the message of Easter about resurrection and new life is especially about the here and now. So, perhaps now is the time to focus on that Easter message of a resurrection right now. Yes, of course there are still obstacles and difficulties; but there are also all those Easter gifts of hope, strength and determination. Above all, let us experience that Easter gift of “peace.” Remember that the first words of our Lord to the apostles gathered as frightened people in the Upper Room were “peace be with you” (John 20: 19).

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Edward B. Scharfenberger
Bishop of Albany