Keeping up with local news

In case you missed the notice, this site offers you a 24-hour-a-day link to the top news stories for Troy and Rensselaer County.

Just click on the links in the right-side "rail" to connect with online sites from local newspapers, magazines and TV stations from throughout the Capital Region. Plus, updated weather reports and statewide news headlines.

'Winter Toyland,' the 2009 holiday party

Our third straight year at The Epicurean at Sterup Square was another success in a string of Terrace holiday parties.

The December 14 event drew 33 people, and literally dozens of toys were donated to our Toys For Tots outreach.

Here are some images captured at the event by Bill Dowd, who co-chaired the event with April Dowd.

Ice storm damage being cleaned up

We lost a number of trees to the recent ice storm -- one on each side of the Terrace entrance and one in the common area -- and are having their remains carted away this week, weather permitting. As always, thanks to Harvey Bailey and Tom Chichester for jumping on the situation.

If you have broken limbs, branches, etc., from the storm, please put them on the road in front of your house Wednesday and Thursday. They will be picked up and fed into a chipper as part of the cleanup service for which the Terrace is paying.

However, if you do not put the debris out this week and a service call is required in the future, you will be individually charged for the service.

Questions about the process should be directed to Harvey, our Grounds Committee chairman. If you can't reach him, call Tom.

Terrace ducks major ice damage

The overnight ice storm of December 11-12 that left tens of thousands of Capital Region homes and businesses without power did a bit of damage at the Terrace, but it apparently was confined to trees and shrubs.

We lost several trees near the entrance up from Oakwood Avenue (thanks to Harvey Bailey and Tom Chichester for cleaning up tree debris). Mary McKeever found a downed tree on her deck. Nadeen Thompson lost a tree, Shirley Fischer reported some water damage. And, a quick trip around the Terrace showed that we have split branches and limbs here and there.

Speaking of Nadeen, she shot these photos for us of National Grid crews working in the trees behind the first "block" of Hyland Circle where sagging crossarms on several telephone poles needed bracing.