During the November village board meeting, Steve Schreiber, chairman of the grassroots Committee for a Quiet Zone in Voorheesville, voiced concern with how the project has stalled since an August update.

On Election Night, three of the four incumbent New Scotland Democrats facing Republican challengers were still facing uncertain futures as a number of absentee ballots had yet to be counted. But the Democrats breathed a collective sigh of relief on Nov. 17 after the release of the absentee-ballot counts. However, the recanvass results recently released by the Albany County Board of Elections should give Democrats pause as they show that Republicans — there are six for every 10 Democrats in town — are becoming more competitive.

Susan Albright, Timothy Albright, Meadowdale

Peter Drao, Charissa Mayer  New Scotland

During a recent public hearing on the village’s proposed local law that would have Voorheesville opt out of both retail sales of marijuana and on-site consumption, the board of trustees heard very little in the way of agreement for its proposal. 

VOORHEESVILLE — Valentine A. Ciupek, a high school athlete, worked a variety of jobs as he and his wife raised two children. He retired as a head account clerk after a 33-year career with the state.

Mr. Ciupek died on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, after a brief illness. He was 96.

NEW SALEM — Edwin Wood of New Salem was a World War II veteran who worked as a millman and was always willing to help others.

 A loving father and adoring grandfather and great-grandfather, he “went to be with the Lord” on the afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, his family wrote in a tribute. He was 93.

The four Democrats who all held leads on their four Republican or GOP-backed challengers on Nov. 2 continued to do so after Nov. 17, when the absentee ballot counts were released by the Albany County Board of Elections. 

VOORHEESVILLE — Gail Brown is a catalyst.

She brings life to her community by pulling varied entities and people together to make things happen.

The longtime head of Youth and Family Services at the Voorheesville library, Brown has just been named Public Librarian of the Year by the New York State Library Association.