Alplaus Weather

Alplaus Post Office News

A new flat rate priority box has been added to the products the USPS is selling (two sizes). They cost $7.70 whatever it weighs, whatever fits in, wherever it is going in the U. S. They work great for heavy items.

Tax season is here. There are many forms available at the Post Office if you need them.

I have been asked by the main office to remind post office box holders to please use your PO Box number as your correct mailing address. If you would like to use your street address along with your PO Box number have the PO Box number just above the city and zip line.

Stay warm and think spring,

Kathy Boyle

Don't Forget Valentine's Day, February 14!

Honor George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, our greatest presidents

What’s inside

On the Hill…………..…….…………….……..2

Alplaus Fire Department Calls - January…..2

From Distant Readers………………………..3

Battered Women's Shelter Update…………3

Culver Travel Update…………………………3

Alplaus Historical Society…………………….3

The Auxiliary………………..………………….4

Holtermann 50th Anniversary………………..4

Auxiliary Quilts Take Wing…………………..5

Alplaus Explorer Post 885…………………...6

Hawaiian Lu"au……………………………….6

Community Luncheon………………………..6

Alplaus & Gasoline……….…………………..6

ARA News…………………………………..…7

Proposed Development…..…………..……7

Trains………………………………………...7

Sewers......... ..…….……………….…….…7

ARA Annual Meeting……………....……....7

Paying Dues………………………………..7

New PO Box Rent Applications……………8

On the Hill

I am putting the February Home Town News together a little earlier than usual as Judy and I will be off to Chicago to visit our sons there very soon. It all depends on the stork's delivery schedule for our first grandchild. Please wish her/him a safe delivery.

Those who keep asking for a "good old fashioned winter" should be satisfied already this year. There has been plenty of snow since Christmas and it has been colder than I remember for a number of years. Last Friday (January 28th) registered 21 degrees below zero on the new thermometer I received for Christmas. Brrr! Very few days have been colder than that in the 38 years we have called Alplaus our home.

The Alplaus Auxiliary's quilts are getting up and out in the world. Take a look at the pictures on page 5 of wounded soldiers with their lap quilts made right here in our friendly village…..AWH

PS. A note of thanks to Bob and Michelle Mazur, new neighbors on Second Street, who have volunteered to back me up on editing and producing the Home Town News when I'm away… Art

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Alplaus Fire Department

Calls for January 2005


Date	Alarm Time	Incident #	Call Type	Location	# Fire Fighters	Fire Fighter-Hrs
04 JAN 2005	17:52	000001	Medical Emergency	Bruce Drive	7	3.2
06 JAN 2005	13:26	000002	Medical Emergency	Glenridge Road	7	2.6
07 JAN 2005	03:18	000003	Medical Emergency	Bath Street	7	3.2
07 JAN 2005	13:36	000004	Medical Emergency	Glenridge Road	4	0.8
07 JAN 2005	16:33	000006	Other Emergency	Alplaus Avenue	11	4.2
07 JAN 2005	18:36	000005	Medical Emergency	Alplaus Avenue	6	2.4
18 JAN 2005	17:47	000007	Mutual Aid Standby	Grooms Road	9	17.9
19 JAN 2005	17:24	000008	Medical Emergency	Maple Avenue	4	1.6
23 JAN 2005	08:18	000009	Medical Emergency	Riverside Place	9	6.0
23 JAN 2005	09:09	000010	Medical Emergency	St. Anne	10	5.2
24 JAN 2005	08:11	000011	Medical Emergency	Hetcheltown Road	5	3.0
29 JAN 2005 30 JAN 2005	13:49 09:59	000012 000013	Medical Emergency Medical Emergency	Hetcheltown Road Mountainwood Drive	9 11	4.4 7.3

From Distant Readers

From: Cliff & Bertha Lundy

To: 'Clifford Hayes'

Sent: Saturday, January 08, 2005 2:13 PM

Subject: RE: Alplaus HTN

Hi Cliff,

I did get the new website address from George Clements. However, thanks for sending it to me anyway and all the others on the list of Alplaus Kids. That included Joan Heckler Lundy and my sister Ruth Lundy Mosher. I sent it on to Charles Foot.

Tell the persons that prepared and put the Alplaus HTN on the Internet that it looks and reads good and to keep up the “good work”. Tell them “Thanks”. Some of us are proud of our hometown even when we do not live there. Thank you for mailing the hard copy of the HTNs for several months.

Battered Women's Shelter Update

by Elizabeth Burke

I would like to take this time to thank everyone who contributed items to the Battered Women’s Shelter of Schenectady. I delivered a large car load of items in December and several boxes of items in January.

This is an ongoing project. Check the post office for lists of items needed.

Culver Travel Update

from Bob and Alice Culver

To all, we had a "good trip" down to Florida, very cold on Friday, snowy on Saturday and very windy on Sunday. Some fun in a 36 foot motor home!

Good arrival at Crystal River on Tuesday. It is "cold" here this morning (56 degrees) but livable, I guess we can survive!

Alplaus Historical Society

by Bob Culver and Kathy Boyle

The Alplaus Historical Society met on January 20, 2005 with very light attendance. The general consensus of those present was not to pursue incorporation for now. It involves a great deal of meaningful paperwork, approvals and some costs. It was noted that even the Town of Glenville Historical Society is not yet incorporated. It is something we can pursue in the future!

Our Star Researcher, Cliff Hayes, brought in some more photos and material. These photos are of the street when Cheney's was an "Esso" gas station and of a 1920's delivery truck. He also presented some info from the "Reunion" last September.

A copy of the recording of Jack Donlon's recollections of growing up in Alplaus, taken from his interview last year, was given to his family. New (to us) pictures of Alplaus taken by Francis Spoonogle have been donated by Ruth Donlon. Pictures were also donated from Ken Biebers niece, Carla VanRiper.

Michael McHale brought in a very old house plan book from the 30's that he is willing to share. It may have some information on the older homes in the village.

The house questionnaire has been circulated to Hill Street, First Street, Butterfield Avenue and Second Street. The rest of Alplaus will be receiving the questionnaire in the near future.

Hopefully we will get some interesting photos, stories and history from this project. If you have not received a questionnaire and would like to get a head start on filling it out, copies are available at the post office.

The next meeting of the historical society will be March 17th at 7:00 pm at the firehouse. All are welcome to attend.

E. GRAY WATKINS

ATTORNEY AT LAW

GENERAL PRACTICE

REAL ESTATE

WILLS, TRUSTS & ESTATES      371-6125

CORPORATE LAW                      1745 RT. 9

PERSONAL INJURY               Clifton Park, N.Y.



THOMAS H. CULVER                       399-5557

   38 SARATOGA ROAD          SCOTIA, N.Y. 12302

                       Residential – Commercial

      HOLLENBECK PAVING CORP.

BLACKTOP

      DRIVEWAY          ROAD       PARKING AREA

Alplaus Explorer Post 885

by Alex Coppola

Alplaus Explorer Post #885 held elections for 2005 officers at the beginning of December 2004. The results are as follows:

Alex Coppola, President

Omar Hay, Vice President

Kailyn Sheppeck, Treasurer

Sean Young, Recording Secretary

As the second year of Explorer Post #885 began, Alplaus Fire Department Chief, Andy Coppola, appointed two Lieutenants for the Explorers, Kailyn Sheppeck and Alex Coppola. Our explorer post was invited to participate in a drill with the East Greenbush explorer post where we searched for a victim in a simulated structure fire. We experienced how it would be if we were to go into a burning building to search for a victim. The entire three-story house was filled with smoke, and it was not possible to see anything. This realistic experience helped put in perspective what it would be like to really do a search and rescue.

Explorer Post #885 is currently planning a trip to New York City where we will visit the New York City Coast Guard to take a tour of their station and equipment. This will be a great learning experience for our explorer post to see how other larger stations are run.

The Alplaus Explorers are currently seeking new members. Members should be at least age 14 years old and should have completed the eighth grade. For more information call Kathleen Sheppeck at 399-7115 or Andy Coppola at 399-7441.

Respectfully submitted,

Alex Coppola, President

Explorer Post #885

Proposed Development. On February 2nd, the Glenville Town Board tabled the vote on the zoning change to multi-family for two of the five parcels developer Chris Myers plans to use for the proposed 52-townhouse development off Maple Avenue. The board also decided to make the zoning plan vote contingent on approval of the final site plan; an unusual move and one that the developer is not happy about (see the local section of the Daily Gazette on Saturday, February 5).

The bulk of the discussion about the final site plan, including any discussion about a traffic light or roundabout at the intersection of Maple and Alplaus Avenue will be through the planning and zoning commission. They will talk about this project on Monday, February 14th at 7:30 pm.

The vote to change zoning is not a sure thing. If you feel strongly about the issue, please attend the planning and zoning meeting. You should also contact board members and the town supervisor to let them know your feelings about the project.

Your input does make a difference. It's unclear right now when the town board will schedule a vote on the zoning change, but much of the work on the project will already be done by the time that vote is scheduled.

Mr. Myers has suggested he might pay for a traffic light or roundabout at the Alplaus Avenue - Maple Avenue intersection that would help to manage the traffic congestion on that corridor. A light at that intersection has been approved by Schenectady County for some time (thanks to efforts by traffic committee representative and Alplaus resident Alice Culver, among others), but there has been no funding to put up a light. If the developer installed a light at Alplaus Avenue, he would make his entrance directly across Maple Avenue and the home there—which is the original Alplaus School—would need to be removed.

Trains. If you kept track of extended stops caused by trains, please don’t forget to send me the information so that I can share it with the town.

Sewers. The project is still being reviewed by the comptroller’s office and there is nothing new to report.

Alplaus Residents Association Annual Meeting. Each March, Alplaus residents get together to catch up on the news of our hamlet at our annual meeting. This year, that gathering of friends and neighbors will be Thursday, March 31 at 7:30 pm. at the firehouse. We do updates by various groups, elect officers, and usually have a presentation by town or other officials.

I have a few things I’d like you to do:

1) Mark the date on your calendar and plan to attend. Get a sitter and come together if you have kids.

2) Bring your $3 or $5 family dues.

3) Let me know of any suggestions you have for topics or speakers.

4) If you have anyone you’d like to nominate for the Alplaus Residents Association Board or to be an officer, please contact Nomination Chair Keith Abatto at 399-6624 or kabatto@eone.com. Self-nominations are welcome, and your nominee doesn’t already have to be on the board to be considered as an officer. They do need to be a resident of the Alplaus Fire District.

I’ll have more about the meeting in my March column.

Paying Dues. About once or twice a month, I treat myself to a medium latte at Uncommon Grounds coffee shop. It costs me $2.58 and I leave the change for a tip, making it a round $3 price tag. It's an interesting parallel that ARA dues are now $3 per person ($5 per family). All I need to do is pay that $3 once a year (not once or twice a month) and I help to sponsor our Fourth of July parade, camp scholarships for kids at Skye Farm, the Alplaus Run-Around, and the holiday party in December.

Don’t forget to pay your dues this March. If you don’t pitch in, we won’t ring your doorbell or elbow you off the parade route on the 4^th, but you’ll know you did something to enhance our wonderful small town life. If you don’t attend the meeting, but still would like to support us, please send your dues with a note to P.O. Box 185 or drop it off in an envelope at the post office. Thank you.

Barb Casey, ARA President

bcasey@skidmore.edu

399-5714

.New PO Box Rent Applications

by Kathy Boyle

I recently had a meeting with our overseeing office. At this meeting I was told of new requirements needed by the postal service regarding post office box holder customers.

In the next week or two I will be receiving new box rent applications. Each box holder will need to fill out an updated box rent application with current information, such as phone numbers, physical addresses, persons allowed to pick up mail, etc. Also required will be two forms of identification (ID). I will have a list of acceptable identifications for you to use.

All this information is required because of a new computerized system and new postal regulations. I will do my best to assist you with any questions or concerns so this process is not so daunting.

Along with updating applications a new box rent payment system will be implemented. Box rents will be due annually or semi- annually at the existing rate. I will put notices in your box when you are due on the first of the month. You will have to the end of the month to pay your box rent with an additional 10 day grace period after the due date. After the 10 day grace period, the computer will no longer recognize your box as current and mail delivery will stop. If that happens, you will have to start over with a new box rent application.

My hope is that these new requirements will not scare away my existing customers. The Alplaus Post Office is a unique community oriented business that I hope will survive for many years to come. Again feel free to talk to me about any questions you may have.

EDITOR/PUBLISHER Art Harris REPORTER ????????????

HTN web address: www.alplaus.org

HOME TOWN NEWS

ALPLAUS, NEW YORK 12008

February 2005 Vol. 129 No. 2 ____________________________________________________________________________

E. GRAY WATKINS

THOMAS H. CULVER 399-5557

BLACKTOP

THOMAS H. CULVER 399-5557

BLACKTOP

Alplaus & Gasoline

by Cliff Hayes