WESTERLO — James Thomas Croote Sr., a Korean War veteran and the father of four children, died on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at Albany Medical Center. He was 90.

 He was born on April 17, 1931 in Guilderland, a son of the late Lawton and Marietta Lambert Croote. He lived most of his life in Westerlo.

Barbara Kennedy, East Berne

Vickie Snyder, Berne Volunteer Fire Company Inc.

The flag will be delivered and presented at the Hilltown Memorial Day Parade by Lieutenant Commander Nathan Stempel, an East Berne native who enlisted in the Navy after his graduation from Berne-Knox-Westerlo in 2001, and would go on to earn a Bronze Star and several other decorations.

Two Berne-Knox-Westerlo students, Jeremy Martin and Maia Ballapo, have organized a car wash for Saturday to help the Sperry family. Lisa Sperry died after a May 16 crash and two of her sons were injured. The driver who hit their minivan head-on was charged with driving while intoxicated.

EAST BERNE — Lisa Sperry “gained her angel wings at Albany Medical Center” on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, her family wrote in a tribute. She was 55.

RIC Permitting Manager John Reagan told The Enterprise this week that new solar technologies will likely allow for a project with less impact than the previous one, which was spiritually approved by the Knox Planning Board but frustrated by the sudden absence of a planning board member in the middle of a critical vote. 

Jean M. Wright, a retired kindergarten teacher of 32 years, died on Friday, May 21, 2021. She was 82.

She was born on Feb. 7, 1939 with her twin Janet (Salzer) to Raymond and Alberta Wright. They joined their older sister Ruth Elaine (DeWitt).

As it works to formally establish the Heritage Museum as its own legal entity, the Westerlo Town Board is likely to create more overlap between the museum, which is a public organization, and the local historical society, which is a private organization, by creating a unified board. 

Voters were largely in favor of the district’s $23.7 million budget and its 2-percent tax decrease, a $504,000 bus proposition. The lone board of education candidate, Lisa Joslin, will replace Randy Bashwinger, who did not seek re-election.