[FREE] Serving Philipstown and Beacon Women to the Rescue Page 11 MAY 26, 2017 161 MAIN ST., COLD SPRING, N.Y. | highlandscurrent.com The Parsonage Street 21 An entire neighborhood of young men went to war. One did not return By Michael Turton fter the U.S. entered World War II in 1941, the two blocks of Parson- Aage Street in Cold Spring seemed to empty. Twenty-one young men who lived on the street left to fight. Miraculously, in a war in which 405,399 American soldiers lost their lives, only one of the 21 did not return. Anthony “Guy” Nastasi served in the 143rd Regiment of the Army’s 36th Infan- try “Arrowhead” Division. He fought in several major battles, beginning with the landing at Anzio, Italy, before heading to Guy Nastasi and the telegram notifying France, according to Thomas Nastasi of his mother that he had been killed in Cold Spring, who has done a great deal of action Photo courtesy of Thomas Nastasi research on the Parsonage Street 21 for a book he is writing about his uncle. bers received the Medal of Honor. Father Shane Scott-Hamblen of St. Mary's-in-the-Highlands, Jack Dickerhof and Chip On Sept. 22, 1944, Guy Nastasi’s platoon Two months before his death, Nastasi Kniffen place wooden crosses on the lawn of the church in preparation for Memorial was ordered to secure a hill near the vil- had an unlikely encounter. While march- Day. The work, which began May 22, is completed over several days. One of the lage of Saint-Alvold on the Moselle River, ing near Anzio, someone called, “Guy! crosses commemorates Guy Nastasi. Photo by Anita Peltonen near the German border. He was shot Guy!” To his surprise, it was Joe Merando, dead two days before his 25th birthday who also lived on Parsonage Street in Cold Before the war, Guy worked with his brothers getting into trouble he wouldn’t while attempting to take down a machine Spring, some 4,300 miles away. “Be care- father, Vincenzo, known around town tell their parents but used the information gunner nest. ful! We just got the shit kicked out of us!” as “Jimmy the stone mason.” Guy was to keep his siblings in line. By the war’s end, the 36th had spent Merando hollered. “I will, Joe! Nice to see known as the “protector” of the family. Nastasi loved playing the harmonica. 400 days in combat. Fourteen of its mem- you!” Nastasi yelled back. If he caught his sisters smoking or his He took one to (Continued on Page 6) Cold Spring Asks Court to Dismiss of the U.S. District Court for Southern New Butterfield Suit York, the village’s lawyer, Seamus Weir, said he planned to ask for a motion to dismiss the Says village – not developer – two-month-old complaint, which charges that Guillaro’s constitutional rights were violated decides when approval needed when the village required him to re-submit By Liz Schevtchuk Armstrong his site plan after he swapped the occupants of two buildings. he Village of Cold Spring wants a federal Román scheduled a hearing for June 2 and court to throw out a $2.5 million law- directed Butterfield Realty to respond by May Tsuit filed by developer Paul Guillaro over 26. Medical offices that had occupied the Lahey Pavilion (left) recently moved into how the village handled his plans for the devel- The developer sued Cold Spring and May- new Building 2 (right), at the Butterfield redevelopment complex in Cold Spring. opment of the former Butterfield hospital site. or Dave Merandy on March 15, alleging the Photo by L.S. Armstrong In a May 19 letter to Judge Nelson Román mayor undertook “a malicious and inten- (Continued on Page 5) Does the Man Owe You Money? $4.6 million in unclaimed owed money, and all she had to do was fill cards — that for whatever reason were re- lost people. Its data stretches to 2006. out a form to claim it, she was skeptical. turned to sender. So far this year the comptroller has dis- funds due Highlands residents Admittedly, it sounds like fake news. Companies are required by law to re- tributed $162 million, but $14.5 billion But the New York state comptroller main- port dormant accounts to the state and, remains. That includes $1.1 million owed By Chip Rowe tains a database of checks — refunds, if the owner can’t be located, turn over to Cold Spring residents and businesses, hen I alerted a friend in Garrison dividends, the balance of forgotten bank the funds to the Comptroller. The agency $693,000 to those in Garrison and $2.8 mil- that her name appeared in an on- accounts, stock certificates, insurance maintains a public database of these “un- lion to those in Beacon, for a total of about Wline database of people who were payouts, security deposits, unused gift claimed funds” to match lost money with $4.6 million (Continued on Page 13) 2 MAY 26, 2017 The Highlands Current highlandscurrent.com Putnam Discusses Consolidating tion, consolidate law enforcement, find Services health insurance savings and share garbage and recycling services, recre- Also, asks state to OK court ational facilities and programs and tax assessment resources. appearances by video Sheriff Donald Smith cited the school resource officer program in which the By Holly Crocco county provides law enforcement of- ficers stationed at schools, including s part of the 2017-18 state budget, Haldane in Cold Spring. Gov. Andrew Cuomo established In addition, the Sheriff’s Office an initiative to encourage cities, A and the Carmel and Kent police de- towns, villages, school districts, fire de- partments share training resources partments and other agencies to share as part of the Putnam County Emer- services and reduce costs, and taxes. He gency Response Team, he said. The dangled the possibility that municipali- county also patrols Lake Mahopac to ties that make this happen could receive assist the Carmel P.D. additional state funding. The plan calls on each county executive One central office to establish a panel to research ways to During the hearing, Southeast Town ONE PIECE AT A TIME — As storm clouds gather, an arborist from Philipstown Tree eliminate redundant services, establish Councilwoman Lynne Eckardt asked Service prepares to drop a branch while bringing down a dead tree on Church Street joint purchasing and share equipment County Executive MaryEllen Odell if on May 22. Photo by Anita Peltonen and facilities. her administration or the Legislature During a hearing on May 18 in Carmel, has considered downsizing the county Putnam lawmakers criticized the gover- government. Odell responded that its She pointed to Fairfax, Virginia, where Video appearances nor and state legislature for not recogniz- cost to taxpayers is already minimal. the county government administers all the Putnam lawmakers continue to push ing that the county has long shared ser- According to Odell, Putnam collects the schools in the county — serving 180,000 for the ability to bring inmates to court vices. lowest portion, per dollar, of property tax of students — through a single administra- through video conferencing. The move As an example, county officials noted any of New York’s 62 counties. In Putnam, tive office. Odell stated that with many of would require a change in state law to al- that Putnam is part of the East of Hudson for each $1 of property tax, 71 cents go to Putnam’s six school districts maintaining low a judge to determine if a defendant Watershed Corp., in which 19 municipali- school districts, she said, 18 cents to towns, separate offices with combined salaries could be beamed in from the Putnam ties work together to meet stormwater reg- 1 cent to fire districts and 1 cent to villages. that exceed $200,000 each, a significant County Correctional Facility or other ulations. It has also established a county The county gets 9 cents. savings could be made by consolidation. lockups. Currently the inmate must agree. Commission for Fiscal Vision and Account- “The big money is in the school dis- The next public hearing on the shared Odell said the county already has the ability that investigates ways to improve tricts, not the town or county govern- services initiative is scheduled for 4 p.m. equipment and is “shovel-ready” for the infrastructure, lower energy consump- ment,” she said. on June 20. change. (Continued on Page 8) HELP WANTED LIMITED EDITIONS REALTY, INC. 10 MARION AVE., SUITE 2, COLD SPRING, NEW YORK 10516 NURSE RN-LPN Riverfront Pediatric o ce seeks part-time (2-3 days a week), per diem nurse. 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How to Create a City: Create water district or Water District rates triple for 12 homes According to state law, a town must: By Liz Schevtchuk Armstrong • Map the district. • Obtain a report and plan from a lans to connect the Cold Spring professional engineer.