Planners get earful 1(1ds programs : S A . • on center proposal i at Empire State Plaza~ ummer utomotlve • 0 See Page 3 ' 0 Family entertainment 0 inside '~ tto·~~tsozt AN a~w1aa \ ,~ iAI'i ili:VM.Y13:0 tSt ,All1!l!lli1 JI 11!Rd 113H31B:L31! S6E dtL MOt~ tO-t0-60 6tt9t tSOZt HHIA••~••••••••••••••••••••• • '1'1"11 ''I "1'1' "'II 1'1"11 "'I Letter perfect Bob Alessi tapped for WTC site work about the city and the nation. I'm going -"'-"'--'~"""'By JOSEPH A. PHILLIPS *'=W<~//.-"'"'·',.,.,..~"' to be a part of a team doing something The public agency charged with really important. Just being a part of the redeveloping lower Manhattan in the team is daunting. wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks - But it just makes and particularly, deciding what to do with you feel good." the site of the former World Trade Center Alessi, who ~formally unveiled the public discussion serves as chief process for that task last week .. Six attorney to the proposed rebuilding plans released last town of Bethlehem Wednesday by the Lower Manhattan and counsel to the Development Corporation drew most of town board, said the attention, but the announcement a)so the selection was included an honor- and a challenge - made after a very for a local attorney. competitive Alessi The LMDC announced that Delmar's process, Robert Alessi and the firm he serves as responding to a lead partner- LeBeouf, Lamb, Greene & detailed request for proposals LMDC put MacRae, with offices in New York and out. The criteria the corporation laid out' ;., Albany - have been designated as were for experience ~ith complex environmental and land use counsel to the environmental matters, large-scale zoning board of the LMDC. Alessi will thus be and planning in New York' City, • front and center in the expected SEQR experience in open-space landmarks and review of the already-controversial Trade cultural institutions as well as a commitment to New York. Sean Murray of Murray Painting puts the finishing touches on the post oHice on Delaware Center redevelopment plan. Avenue in Delmar last Saturday. Jim Franco "I'm truly honored," said Alessi. "But Alessi and his partners are no also, I really don't think about this as it strangers to a project of this scale. They involves just me and my firm. This is really provided similar counsel to the board of the American Museum of Natural History in the design of1ts new Rose Center for Earth and Space on Central Park West and are serving in that capacity for the 'Coastie' enjoys stay on Japanese ship redevelopment of utility Consolidated Edison's East Side properties· - the largest development in Manhattan since =*~~--~-~--~---- By KATHERINE McCARTHY Rockefeller Center, Alessi said. j ~-=->>>~'"''"" "We were chosen because of our When Robert Shaye graduated from involvement in many of the larger Bethlehem Central High School in 2000, he headed right for the United States . D ALESSI!page 32 Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn. Now in his· junior year, he recently spent three week~ as one of the first two cadets in an exchange program with the Japanese Coast Guard. On May 31, Shaye flew to San Francisco, where he boarded the Japanese Coast Guard Academy training vessel, Kojima. He and fellow "Coastie" Laura Salemme joined two U.S. Coast Guard lieutenants to sail through the Panama Canal and on to New York • City aboard the Japanese ship . "I was·very interested in experiencing a different culture," Shaye, who lived in Nepal until he was four years old, said of the reason he applied to sail aboard· Kojima. "I traveled a lot in high school, and with the Coast Guard, I've been to Haiti and Africa." Robert Shaye, second from left, and his Japanese buddies indicale everything is A-OK. Shaye said he had been most worried about the language differences he would The Japanese cadets had just Guard, and the ranking system struck experience during his stay on Kojima. graduated and were a little older than Shaye as similar, as was the opportunity "I brought a Japanese dictionary and Shaye. Most of the officers aboard ship to "shoot the stars," or navigate celestially. learned a little before boarding," he said. spoke English. Still, Shaye said, "I used While training on the U.S. Coast Guard's "The Japanese cadets spoke some a lot of hand gestures and spoke slowly. ship, Eagle, last year, Shaye had learned English. They started learning it'in high The communication became a lot of to use a sextant, and aboard Kojima, they school and continued on at the Coast fun." had a chance to travel back in time as they Guard Academy in Japan." Rather than come away with a sense negotiated their way by the stars into the of differences between the two Coast Panama Canal from the Pacific Ocean. Guards, Shaye was impressed with the Crossing the Panama Canal is a big •• similarities. "I was more surprised at , deal in both services, Shaye said, and that than at our differences," he said. everyone aboard Kojima celebrated with "We're two different cultures with a traditional Japanese dinner. The amount 6 similar services." THE SPOTUGHT$.75 The ships, the mission of the Coast D COASTIE/page 13 I'' • ' . • ~ i ' .... t ' • t ... ' ~ • ' ' .. THE SPOTLIGHT Selkirk man dies in cycle accident Police arrest man for DWI ;=-.-..-..w.~~._,,>:O<W>X-;-»»»»»'""-''--,_,"'*"'-;-o;.; attempted to pass another vehicle more than three hours while A Cohoes man was arrested on arrested Francesconi for DWf . By JOSEPH A PHILLirS Sunday, July 14, in North Beth- and also ticketed him for =""'''"----~--<'.w"N»"''-''·'-'"'''''''""'"..,._,_- -.'''''"'"'"'"'""''·''' and lost control of his motorcycle, detectives and traffic safety A Selkirk youth died of injuries going off the road and striking a investigators examined the lehem and charged with driving speeding and crossing hazard sustained in a Tuesday, July 16, guardraiL Ejected from the accident scene. According to while intoxicated (DWI). and an markings. ' motorcycle accident near Henry motorcycle, he then struck a tree, witnesses, Thorn had gathered Albany man charged in a May Francesconi was ordered to Hudson Park - and police suffering severe trauma as a earlier with friends at the park and incident pleaded guilty to DWI appear in Town Court on Aug. 6 .. believe speed, and possibly result. had just left the group, alone, at last week in Town Court. In an earlier case, Thomas J"'- alcohol, could have been factors Units of the Selkirk Fire the time of the accident. According to police. Officer Natale Jr., 45, of 14 Albion Drive, in the fatal crash. Department, Bethlehem Ambu­ According to a statement Adam Hornick was on patrol in Albany, charged with Felony DWI Bethlehem police received a lance Service and Albany County released after the accident by the vicinity of Krumkill and on May 16, appeared in court on, 91lcall at 8:59p.m. reporting an paramedics all responded, along police spokesman Sgt. Thomas Blessing roads shortly after3 a.m. July 16 before Justice Theresa accident on Lyons Road, the with Bethlehem police. Thorn Heffernan, "Speed appears to be on July 14 when he observed a Egan and entered a guilty plea to principal access between River was transported by Bethlehem a factor in the accident and northbound vehicle on Blessing a reduced misdemeanor DWI~ Road and the park. According to ambulance to Albany Medical alcohol involvement is still under traveling at excessive speed. count. police, Christopher M. Thorn, 22, Center Hospital, where he was investigation." Following the vehicle onto Natale was fined $500 and a of River Road, exiting the park on pronourtced dead. Schoolhouse Road, he stopped it $125 state-mandated surcharge. a 1999 Honda motorcycle, Police closed Lyon Road for at Jean Lane. His license was revolked for one' Bethlehem chamber After administering field year, and he was sentenced to to host two mixers sobriety tests and a preliminary three years probation. He was Bethlehem Chamber of screening on Anthony J. also ordered to face a Victim~ Francesconi, 36, of29 Walnut St., Impact panel and undergo Commerce will sponsor two Cohoes, with the assistance of' drinking driver remediation. mixers. The first will be on Officer David Caputo, Hornick Wednesday, July 31, from 5 to7 p.m. at Hokkaido restaurant, located at the corner of Feura Two injured in accident Bush Road and Route 9W in Glenmont. Bethlehem police reported an Ambulance to St. Peter's Hospital The cost is $3 at the door with automobile accident on Thursday, for treatment of minor injuries a reservation. To make reser­ July 18, on Bridge Street in South and released. A third passenger < vations, call439-0512. Bethlehem that sent the driver in the vehicle was unhurt in the The second is a chamber and a passenger to the hospital incident. mixer, sponsored by the chamb­ with minor injuries. According to According to the report, Nate L ers of Bethlehem, Guilderland, the accident report, an eastbound told police a westbound vehicle Latham and Southern Saratoga. vehicle driven by Jesse D. Nate, had crossed his path, forcing him It will be held on Wednesday, 18, of So'uth Bethlehem spun off to brake and lose control of the Aug. 14, from 5 to 7 .p.m. at the road on a curve just west of vehicle. But traffic investigators ' Lanthier's Grove in Latham. Pictuay Road, striking a pole and recovered no evidence of a then a fence before c0ming to a· second vehicle involved in the stop. mishap and identified no 4 Nate and a passenger, 17-year­ witnesses. old Katherine E. Nowak, were No charges have been filed.