District explores teacher removal options OSee Page3 0 ZtO£-tSOZt XN RVK1~Q • ~AV 3HVMV1~a tSt XHVHSI1 ~11Slld K3H31H~~S Stt dt~ MZt £0-t0-60 6ttSt tSOZl HHI4~••••••••••••••••••••••• the Towns of Bethlehem & New Scotland Volume XLVIII No. 35 75ents 24,2003 Bethlehem on EPA Terrier toter 'dump' short list By KRISTEN OLBY The 93-acre plot sits near the former Niagara Mohawk facility and is owned · A strip of industrial land 'along Route by Castleton based developer Victor 144 in Bethlehem' remains in the running Gush. to. serve as a: dewatering site along the Other potential dewatering locations shores of the Hudson, despite the town's . were removed from the initial list c .'repeated objections. The site would be because they lacked river, road or rail ·;,used by the Environmental·Protection ·access or had development projects 'Agency (EPA) to construct a temporary already s.lated .. · · facility used to transfer and remove water "OG Real Estate had just the from dred!fed PCB contaminated · opposite. !thad rail service, had access sediment. to the river and it did have adequate The EPA released its trimmed list of 7 space available for construction of a potential sites last week from 24 facility and also rail spurs," said Leo originally selected. The remaining sites Rosales, community involvement stretch from Fort Edward as far south as coordinator for the EPA The sludge left Bethlehem. The list will be reduced to behind will be transported by rail cars two or "three dewatering locations by for off-site disposal. ~arly next year. The $500 million The federal agency hopes to retain a dredging project is expected to last six southern location in case a number of years. General Electric's Fort Edward potential dewatering sites to the north and Hudson Falls manufacturing plants are eliminated. dumped 1.3 million pounds of PCBs into Gush has presented plans to the town the river over a 30-year period prior to 1977. 0 EPA/page 16 BC (:autions parents .about pertussis case student rides a Bethlehem school bus, By KRISTEN OLBY along with other Bethlehem Middle School students. Parents ofBethlehem Central Middle School children are urged to be on the "Transportation compiled a list of all lookout for symptoms of pertussis, or students who may have been on the whooping cough, after a private school bus," said Jessica Scheckton, media student was diagnosed with the disease. relations representative for the district. A student at He brew Academy in Letters were sent home Sept. 19 to Albany was diagnosed with the highly roughly 120 Bethlehem parents whose contagious disease last week. The children could have come into contact with the infected student. Pertussis is a contagious disease · -Gloria Lent of Delmar and her rat terrier, Mia, enjoy the annual Fireplug Walk in involving the respiratory tract caused by Schenectady's Central Park last Saturday. Jim Franco 0 PERTUSSIS/page 16 j f;iiCdti~~li~~:} ~" '-;I ·~. -: __,-: ·_.1 : _, ___ ' ' ' -- '"- ' - '-_.: : t BC board ditches BCHS turning lane . BYJl<Fji~TENQLBY . •: •· .. · ( By LINDA DeMATIIA the traffic problems caused legitimate and other state agencies to see if a concerns, architect Richard Peckham of turning lane is required," Loomis said. ~~e~\t~J:~~~~tv~m~~l~~te.~~~ ' Questioning the need for and balking Collins & Scoville told the board he could "If it is determined that a turning lane is render~d comrnercial,:,inaustrial J at the cost of a proposed turning lane not recommend making it a part of the required, somebody is going to have to . retall. business.~:s'• ill. the l on Delaware construction project. build it during tbe time the other Avenue at the high "We are con­ construction is going on, and some entity school, Bethlehem cerned with the is going to have to pay for it and we .:-·---~-<>'"'",' -_ ...•.. :. •,' ' of··-.-': ... ,::·--~: l<;g······.a.}::.-. :·· .., .- ·.·!··.· t~~ Central board of We don't believe it is volume of traffic at believe that is the state." ,_ ,_, ,.: . , __ ·:·.;'•-, . -'· ' education mem­ appropriate tor the bond the high school," he Board members who didn,t like the bers removed the said. "But we proposal the first time they heard it liked project from the issue. It is not state aidable. obviously would like it even less after considering it for a few $93 million Richard Peckham to see the state pay weeks and unanimously voted to remove construction for it; it is a state the turning lane from the bond issue. project that will go road. We don't Loomis also reminded attendees at the before voters on Nov. 18. believe it is appropriate for the bond issue. meeting that the traffic problems were The idea of a turning lane was It is not state aidable." presented to the board earlier this The idea of withdrawing the road 0 TURNING/page 17 month after traffic problems were improvement from the bond issue was studied by Creighton Manning received enthusiastically by Super­ Engineering of Albany and Clarke. intendent Leslie Loomis and board Engineering & Surveying of New members, who were never happy about it Lebanon as part of the State to begin with. Environmental Quality Review Act 6 "We will work with the traffic engineers THE SPOTUGHT$.75 (SEQRA) process. Acknowledging that PAGE 2- September 24, 2003 Open house set Police arrest one for OWl The Ravena Coeymans Bethlehem police made one erratically on Sept. 18 at 12:52 Historical Society is presenting an arrest for driving while a.m. open house of the Blaisdell intoxicated (DWI) hist week. Police said Hood failed field Family Collection on Sunday, Gwen Hood, 23, of 488 sobriety tests and charged her Sept. 28, from 1 to 3 p.m. at village Kenwood Ave., Delmar was with DWI. hall. 15 Mountain Road, Ravena. stopped by police for driving INTRODUCING * * * * * * * * WAYNI laCHAPPilll BCHS soptomore Denise Feir;t~in shows off the sign she designed. For NEW SCOTLAND TOWN SUPERVISOR Student wins sign contest * Lifetime Resident, Greater New Scotland By KAT -jEi=!lf-JE McCART -jy a diverse group of children," & Bethlehem Area Flagler said. "She chose subdued Six children, an overeized colors, which are nice ein~e the * Married to Sherry Markel, 2 Children; Jeff, 25 pencil anc the school motto ;:reet school is in a residential & Jennifer, 21 new vis~r:ors to Hamagrael neighborhood. I was impcessed Elementary 3chool, on the sign that a ninth grader came up with * CAREER- Bethlehem Police Dept. 1978-2003, that BCES sophomore Denise that idea." Retired Business owner since 1985 Feirstein :iesigaed last spring. Feirstein heard abo·1t the * FOUNDER- Police K9 Training Program Feirstein won the PTNs $300 contest at school. "Flie" were prize for fle best design for" new handed out in art class," ?eirstein First Traffic Safety Program sign and );ad :he honor of painting said. "It sounded like a good Wayne LaCbappeUe * Policy & Research Development, the sign herself this sun:mer. opportunity. I brainstormed, and While thinking about new tried out a lot of differer_t irleas." "Our town needs leadership that Dept. of Criminal Justice Services playground equipment and a new Feirstein also turned to 1er 11- will be proactive rather than * A WARDS • Meritorious Service sign last eprbg, the PTA decided year-old sister, Audrey, for advice. to sponsor a design contest for "She had a lot of good ideas," reactive in bringing about clean • Distinguished Service high schc·ol students. Feirstein said. residential and light commercial * AVAILABLE- Full time without any special interests 'I'Ve wanted to give back to the Asked how importan: art is to growth; and still preserve our students of Bethlehem," PTA her, Feirstein only paused for a beautiful community' secreilly May Beth Flagler said. minute. "I give up my lunch "The onl:> criteria were th~t the period to take it," she said. As for Elect words Hamagrael Elementary the prize money, Feirstein is School needed to be on the s:gn, putting the $500 toward a :ar. and the sJbmission had to ·Je on More important than the prize a 14-.nch by 22-inch poster money, though, is the ; egacy WAYNE laCHAPPEllE board" Feirstein has left at the school, DEMOCRAT INDEPENDENCE From the submission,;;, the where students will read their * * * * * PTA boarc and Hama;:rael motto in her hand-painted design. YOUR VOICE WILL BE HEARD IN TOWN HALL principal Cynthia D'Angelo, "Growing minds, Smiling Faces, choose Foirstein's. "Denise drew Hamagrael -the best of p.aces." Over 30 Shoppes and, ...,.-r-"'-~ - ~- - ~ ~ '"'- . •.. r1l -¥?'* -,.,~ BAH·f1 ~tlfiJICES SPfCIAtfi MUS I~, \JIDEOS, Charter On~ Bank D~~~;Jravel Delaware Plaz/ ~iquQ( f Lf clRO HI cs Key Ba~k··~---- CingJI~r wlr~~ss Friar Tuck Bq~k}'~9P'. Coconuts ··~I \~ ~\ Newsroom & Tobacconist Radlo;Shack ~OOD tN?rth Country.\ :\.. GNCV! Comp~tef RenaissancE lsaaemy Day Car~ ~ K·B To~ -. v SALONS Hannaford. fi!f fl ll: i ' c'!t ~ Br.uegger's Bagels .·i.ll .~.!:! The PapeuMiiJ Hi!Hrnark·-· ~Choices Hair Studio ..--r~ Y>--.j1 ~ CLOTHING /f RemfXPremier & Day Spa ... a·sh.l·.o.. · n'B.· .ufg-"7 ..:r. d Yan'sJy.binese.Bu=.~etL - ~ "~ • 11ea~L' a en Nails Design The"Hiaaeweafe ·.~. '%- ~ r Sally Beauty Supply · Pizza House For leasing infortti,a~on, call Scissor Society Delaware Plaza AssociateSi.t 439-9030 or Fine Properties at 446-1388. Friendly service and convenience with plenty of free parking. }Jl just arouna the corner THE SPOTLIGHT September 24, 2003 PAGE 3 BC looks into procedure for teacher dismissals Irish up ' BY KRISTEN OLBY The board of education could bring formal charges against Gunner, an option it is apparently As the Bethlehem Central weighing seriously. School District contemplates a high school teacher's future in the "If you are going out in public classroom following his arrest for and doing what he did, I think you indecent exposure, the district is have to have some concerns also worki~g to quell parents' about what he'd be like in front of concerns.