Celebrating Labor Day

 

This is one of many murals painted by artists across the country as part of the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1934 to 1943 to celebrate the range and energy of the American labor force. 

If you're not familiar with the Federal Art Project category of the WPA's efforts at rebuilding the nation as we came out of the Great Depression -- or even if you are and haven't seen examples in a while -- you can find a lot of information online. And, you can find an 11-image slideshow here from The New York Times. 

Here in Rensselaer County, the main U.S. Post Office on Broadway in Troy has such art on its lobby walls. Seen below are "Legends of the Hudson" and "Rip Van Winkle," both painted in 1938 by Waldo Pierce.

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Last summer bulk trash disposal near

The final date is coming up for the City of Troy's summer schedule for bulk trash disposal at the city’s Alamo facility, located on Main Street next to the Rensselaer County Jail.

The Alamo will be open on the third Saturday of each month from 7:30 a.m. through noon for bulk trash disposal on Saturday, September 17.

Troy residents may dispose of yard waste, tires (cost of $3 per tire) and bulk trash (furniture, carpets, etc.). This service is available to city residents who can present identification and proof of residency. Regular garbage, recycling, or hazardous waste materials will not be accepted.

For more information, residents can contact the Department of Public Works at 270-4579 or visit online.

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Troy picks planning/community development commissioner

Steven Strichman

Troy Mayor Patrick Madden today announced the selection of Steven Strichman as Commissioner of Planning and Community Development for the city. Pending approval by the City Council, he will begin serving on Monday, June 13.

“Steven understands the many challenges facing our upstate communities,” Madden said. “The unique set of skills and knowledge he brings to the position will be critically important in strengthening the diverse neighborhoods across Troy, expanding economic opportunity and help shape the long-term development of our city."

"I am excited to return to Troy to support and drive the transformation that is now under way,” Strichman said. “I look forward to working with Mayor Madden and the people of Troy, using my successful experience in planning and neighborhood revitalization to further the redevelopment efforts in the Collar City."

As Planning Commissioner, Strichman will oversee the Planning and Community Development departments and will work closely with the Mayor’s office and other departments to develop and administer projects, plans and programs to improve commercial, housing and economic conditions in Troy. He also will direct the implementation of the city’s Comprehensive Plan, its first in six decades, which is intended to guide development of the city for the next 20 years.

Most recently, Strichman was executive director of The Capital Region Land Bank and zoning officer for the City of Schenectady, where he oversaw zoning and planning operations, including community redevelopment efforts to address abandoned and blighted properties and regional initiatives. He has been the city of Schenectady's liaison to the Metroplex Construction coordination group that has driven Schenectady Economic Renaissances with new investment of more than $750. He currently serves as the secretary of the New York State Land Bank Association.

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Is July 1 on your summer budget list?

For those of you doing your budgeting before plunging into summer travel and other activities, a reminder that we're about seven weeks from the deadline for payment of your second-quarter THCA dues, which falls on Friday, July 1.

As always, you can save the cost of a stamp by dropping your payment in the white lock box below the mailbox gazebo bulletin boards. Checks should be made payable to THCA.

As Treasurer Jerry Gordon has explained via various emailings, you can pay quarterly, semiannually, or annually. If you have any questions, just give Jerry a call.

Thank you.

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City sets summer schedule for trash disposal

City of Troy officials have just announced the summer schedule for bulk trash disposal at the city’s Alamo facility, located on Main Street next to the Rensselaer County Jail.

The Alamo will be open on the third Saturday of each month from 7:30 a.m. through noon for bulk trash disposal.

Troy residents may dispose of yard waste, tires (cost of $3 per tire) and bulk trash (furniture, carpets, etc.). This service is available to city residents who can present identification and proof of residency. Regular garbage, recycling, or hazardous waste materials will not be accepted.

The Alamo summer schedule:
• May 21
• June 18
• July 16
• August 20
• September 17

For more information, residents can contact the Department of Public Works at 270-4579 or visit online.

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Please be aware of this problem

This posting on the Terrace mailbox gazebo bulletin board is self-explanatory.

If you have any sort of standing water on your property -- such as birdbaths or water garden features without circulating pumps; persistent groundwater accumulation, etc. -- please be sure to get it remedied ASAP on an ongoing basis. Such conditions are incubators for mosquitoes and, as such, are public health dangers.

In addition to other mosquito-borne diseases, the deadly Zika virus currently is in the news as it spreads. You can catch up on the latest information on Zika by clicking here.

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What a difference a year makes

As I look out the window here on the Terrace on this 40-degree day I see grass, bright blue skies, and lots of sunshine.

When I looked out the same window on this date a year ago, here's what I saw.

AND, FROM THE WEATHER CHANNEL ...

(Click on chart to enlarge)

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Joe Alaskey, iconic voice actor, dies

Joe Alaskey

Joe Alaskey, one of the entertainment world's most recognized voice actors, died Wednesday at the age of 63.

Joseph Francis Alaskey III was born in Troy on April 17, 1952. He was the brother of Terrace resident John (Ned) Alaskey. They were the sons of the late Dorothy DeLuca, an early Terrace resident.

Joe, who had been battling cancer,  succeeded the late Mel Blanc as the voice of such iconic characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, and Plucky Duck. Joe also narrated numerous TV shows and provided voices for video games.

Joe received an Emmy Award in 2004 for his performance on the Cartoon Network's "Duck Dodgers." He also voiced the Grandpa Lou Pickles character on "Rugrats" for three films and the spinoff TV series, "All Grown Up."

He also supplied the voice of Richard Nixon in the film "Forrest Gump," Yosemite Sam in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?," Stinkie in both "Casper" and "The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper." And, he played Jackie Gleason in the TV movie "King of the World."

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New mayor's 'State of City' address online

Troy's new mayor, Patrick Madden, last night delivered his first "State of the City" address.

Go here to access a copy of the address.

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Troy water restrictions lifted

• This announcement from Troy City Hall was released today (1/26/16):

Mayor Patrick Madden today announced that the boil-water advisory for affected residents of the City of Troy has been lifted. The citywide water restriction and state of emergency for Troy has also ended, effective immediately.

“I want to thank all city employees, particularly our Department of Public Utilities crews, for their tireless efforts to repair the affected main and restore water service to our customers during last week’s break,” said Mayor Patrick Madden. “We will continue to monitor the system while exploring long-term solutions to address the widespread issue of aging water infrastructure that impacts many of our upstate communities.”

The recharging of the water system required a Boil Water Order be issued by the City of Troy as required by the New York State Department of Health. As a result, a limited boil-water advisory was issued to affected businesses and residents by the City of Troy on Saturday, January 23. All those affected by the boil-water advisory were verbally notified by the Department of Public Utilities on Saturday.

Additional information and updates will be available on the City of Troy’s official Twitter page. It can be found at http://twitter.com/TroyCityHall. 

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In memory of Harvey Bailey

• This is the obituary supplied by the family of our beloved neighbor Harvey Bailey. Harvey was a dedicated volunteer for the Terrace at Highpointe Community Association for many years.

Harvey S. Bailey, of Troy, passed away Sunday January 10, 2016, at home surrounded by his loving family and caregivers after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

He was born in 1934, in Albany, to the late Harvey A. Bailey and Mary (Yakaitis) Bailey. He was a graduate of St. Joseph's Academy in Albany. In 1956, he married Lorraine Gervais and together they raised four children, his greatest joy. Harvey was employed by A & B Auto Supply in positions of increasing responsibility for over 40 years, retiring in 1995.

Harvey enjoyed doing home repair and remodeling projects at home, for his neighborhood association and especially for his children. He enjoyed traveling to the country's beautiful national parks, playing golf and relaxing in Florida and at his condo in Ocean City, Maryland. He was an avid New York Yankees fan. He was a communicant of St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Waterford, N.Y.

In addition to his loving wife of 59 years, he is survived by his children, Robert Bailey of Albany, Kim (Michael) Zebrowski of Clifton Park, Dennis (Mary) Bailey of Delmar and Mary Ann (Philip) Spiezio of Greenwich; brothers James Bailey and William Bailey. He was predeceased by his brother Daniel Bailey. He is also survived by his cherished grandchildren; Julia and Kara Zebrowski, Amanda and Michael Bailey and Philip, Jeremy, Victoria and Alyssa Spiezio and several nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Charles Weissman and the staff at NYOH, Landmark and The Community Hospice of Rensselaer County. Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Harvey's family Wednesday, January 13, 2016, 4 to 7 p.m. in the Lasak & Gigliotti Funeral Home, now located at 208 North Allen Street, Albany. Funeral services Thursday, January 14, 2106, at 9 a.m. from the Lasak & Gigliotti Funeral Home, Albany thence to St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Waterford at 10 a.m. where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Interment will immediately follow the Mass at Our Lady of Angels Cemetery, Albany.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Mary of the Assumption Restoration Fund, 119 Broad St, Waterford, NY 12188 or to The Community Hospice of Rensselaer County, 295 Valley View Blvd., Rensselaer, NY 12144. To leave a message for the family please visit LGFuneralHome.com.

Your new THCA officers for 2016-17

Steven Sanders

Our new Terrace at Highpointe Homeowners Association board selected Steven Sanders as president at its organizational meeting. Like all board members, he will serve a two-year term.

This is Steven's first go-round on the board, and we thank him for his community spirit. Also new to the board is Ned Alaskey, who now is second vice president and chair of the Grounds Committee.

Joan Richardson returns as first vice president, Jerry Gordon as treasurer, and Colleen Walsh as secretary.

Our thanks to outgoing president Claire Steiner and outgoing second VP John Victor for their diligent service.

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1st quarter dues deadline near

A gentle reminder: First-quarter 2016 dues must be paid no later than Friday of next week, January 1.

As always, you can save the cost of a stamp by dropping your payment in the white lock box below the mailbox gazebo bulletin boards. Checks should be made payable to THCA.

Treasurer Jerry Gordon recently sent out an e-mail to all of you explaining the various ways to pay -- quarterly, semiannually, annually -- as well as a reminder that there is a slight increase in dues from this year. If you did not receive such a notice, please contact Jerry ASAP.

Thank you.

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A classic family Christmas image

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Garbage pickup schedule for holidays

Troy City Hall has announced that there will NOT be the usual Friday garbage pickups this week or next because of the holidays.

Instead, please be sure to put your garbage cans and recycling bins out on Friday night for Saturday pickup this week and next.

Best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and a lot less garbage in your lives.

-- Bill Dowd

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A very happy Thanksgiving to all

This oil painting by the iconic artist Norman Rockwell is called "Freedom from Want." It also is known as "The Thanksgiving Picture" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas."

It is the third work in the "Four Freedoms" series of four oil paintings by Rockwell inspired by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1941 State of the Union Address, a speech known as "Four Freedoms."

The painting was created in November 1942 and published in the March 6, 1943 issue of The Saturday Evening Post magazine. All of the people in the picture were friends and family of Rockwell in Arlington, Vermont, who were photographed individually and painted into the scene.

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Thanksgiving holiday trash pickup

Don't forget to put out your garbage cans and recycling bins on Thanksgiving night for Friday morning pickup.

Troy city officials said that while that schedule, which is normal for the Terrace and surrounding neighborhoods, will be in force there will be no bulk trash pickup on Friday because sanitation crews are doubling up to pick up refuse normally picked up on Thursdays in other neighborhoods.

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1st quarter 2016 dues coming up

A gentle reminder: First-quarter 2016 dues must be paid no later than Friday, January 1.

As always, you can save the cost of a stamp by dropping your payment in the white lock box below the mailbox gazebo bulletin boards. Checks should be made payable to THCA.

Treasurer Jerry Gordon recently sent out an e-mail to all of you explaining the various ways to pay -- quarterly, semiannually, annually -- as well as a reminder that there is a slight increase in dues from this year. If you did not receive such a notice, please contact Jerry ASAP.

Thank you.

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Update: New Troy City Charter passes

UPDATE (11/4/15): Voters in Troy passed by about a 2-to-1 margin the proposed new City Charter that was presented on the Election Day ballot in the form of a ballot question.

(Originally published 10/5/15)

There will be more for Troy voters to select than mayoral and City Council candidates in November. There also will be a ballot question asking for a simple "yes" or "no" vote on a new City Charter.

The proposed Charter is the result of eight months of public hearings, open working sessions, and periodic updates from an appointed nine-member bipartisan Charter Commission. (Full disclosure: The terrace's Bill Dowd is a member of that panel.)

It is the first full-fledged updating since the 1970s of the document that delineates how the City of Troy is governed.

If you haven't already checked out the new Charter, you can access it, or a simplified executive summary of its major points, on the City's own website. Click here.

Just look for both links as shown in the accompanying illustration.

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'Meet the Troy Candidates' this Tuesday

If you want to get a closer look at the candidates for the office of mayor and for City Council, Tuesday will be the day.

The Troy Neighborhoods Action Council will host a “Meet the Troy Candidates” forum from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Troy Middle School, 1976 Burdett Avenue.

The panel will be moderated by Lisa Lewis, former editor of The Record.

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