Ravena, Coeymans officials hold first joint meeting of 2025

In News, News - Ravena, The Ravena News Herald
March 4, 2025
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By Marlene McTigue

Capital Region Independent Media

Town and village officials held their first joint meeting of 2025 recently. Contributed photo

RAVENA — Officials from the village of Ravena and the town of Coeymans gathered recently for their first joint meeting of 2025 at Village Hall, marking the beginning of a collaborative effort to address key issues in the community.

The meeting brought together officials from both municipalities, including Ravena Mayor William Misuraca and Coeymans Town Supervisor Stephen Donnelly. Also in attendance were Deputy Mayor Nancy Warner, Deputy Supervisor Michael Stott, council members, village trustees, and Town Clerk Candace McHugh.

COMMUNITY EVENTS AND FUNDING CHALLENGES

One of the primary topics discussed at the joint meeting was the future of the annual Friendship Festival.

Trustee Caitlin Appleby expressed interest in continuing the partnership with the town to support the festival, citing positive feedback from the community. Donnelly affirmed his commitment to greater involvement in the event this year, suggesting promotional merchandise such as T-shirts. Warner added that the circus would also return this summer.

Discussion then shifted to Discovery Camp, a summer program that has been previously funded through grants. However, with those funds now depleted, the school district is exploring new funding options. An email to Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District staff outlined the program’s costs, which total approximately $215,000, including staffing and transportation. School officials may consider adding the program to the district budget. Appleby offered to assist in restructuring the camp’s educational and recreational programs.

GRANTS AND DEVELOPMENT PLANS

Donnelly provided an update on the town’s interest in the NY FAST grant, which could provide $17 million toward a $90 million power substation near the Port of Coeymans. Officials discussed the grant’s impact and emphasized the importance of gathering community input on future development priorities.

TRUCK TRAFFIC CONCERNS

Stott raised concerns about truck traffic in the area, specifically in relation to a potential new truck route off Route 101. Donnelly said he is working to set up a meeting with representatives from Holcim and Heidelberg to discuss solutions.

While no major policy decisions were made, the meeting reinforced a spirit of collaboration between the village and town. Officials plan to revisit these issues in future discussions.

Related Posts

Students, teachers back in the classroom for a new school year

In News, News - Ravena, The Ravena News Herald
September 10, 2024
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By Melanie Lekocevic

Capital Region Independent Media

Elementary school principal Hakim Jones walks with several students into the building on the first day of school. Courtesy of RCS Central School District

RAVENA-COEYMANS-SELKIRK — They’re back at it again — students, teachers and staff were back in school beginning Thursday for the first day of a new academic year.

There were lots of smiling faces as old friends got together again and new friendships were formed.

The younger students had the chance to enjoy their new playground equipment at Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary School.

New staff members joined the district for their first official day of school and some veterans shuffled around to new posts. Districtwide, 18 new teachers joined the ranks of their fellow educators.

Families and teachers met up outside the schools for the start of a new academic year. Courtesy of RCS Central School District

Former assistant principal at the middle school Steve Doran starts the new school year as the new principal at A.W. Becker Elementary School. He was appointed to the post in July after former principal Debra Neubart retired.

Doran introduced himself to the A.W. Becker community in an opening day welcome letter.

“I’m thrilled to be working with your children for this school year and beyond,” Doran wrote. “I spent the last two years as the assistant principal of RCS Middle School, and I’ve become dedicated to this community.”

New staff members at the elementary school include teachers Laura Jones (grade 4) and Tiffany Valentin (special education), as well as speech and language pathologist Danielle Larlee and fifth-grade integrated co-teacher Jennifer Mapes.

Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary School is also welcoming new faculty this year — instructional coach in special education Nicole Kirk, third-grade teacher Sadie Lambert, fifth-grade teacher Darian Wood, speech teacher Cara Rogan and teaching assistant Paula Newell.

At RCS Middle School, Brian Garrity is the new assistant principal, taking Doran’s post. He comes to the district from HFM BOCES, where he was the assistant principal for four years and an English and social studies teacher for more than six years.

There’s also a new interim assistant principal at RCS High School — John Thorsen will serve in the role through December while the district conducts its search for a permanent replacement. He was formerly the principal at Chatham High School for 16 years and an assistant principal for seven years before that.

Several additional teachers have also joined both the middle and high schools.

Getting off the school bus for the beginning of a new school year. Courtesy of RCS Central School District

MORE CHANGES

This academic year all reimbursable school meals, both breakfast and lunch, will be free to all students in the four schools in the district — the two elementary schools and the middle and high schools. That is because the schools have qualified under USDA and State Education Department guidelines for the Community Eligibility Provision, which provides meal service to schools in low-income areas.

The program provides free meals to all enrolled students regardless of the family’s individual income status.

District families this year can also access the Stopfinder app, which enables them to receive information on school bus routes and other transportation issues. For instance, instead of waiting outside for the school bus, families can use the app to find out when the bus will be at their stop and go outside at that time.

The Stopfinder app also provides information on school closings and delays, early dismissal reminders, and can be used to contact the district’s Transportation Department.

The district is still short on bus drivers, so anyone interested in becoming a school bus driver can contact the district office for more information.

Here are more photos from the first day of school.

Police blotter

In News, News - Greenville, The Greenville Pioneer
February 2, 2024
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Editor’s note: A charge is not a conviction. All persons listed are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Charges can be amended or dismissed.

  • Ashley Reed, 30, of Catskill, was arrested Jan. 27 at 9:43 p.m. in Cairo and charged with driving while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol content over 0.08%, both unclassified misdemeanors. Reed was issued an appearance ticket.
  • Valeria Moccipacheco, 57, of New City, was arrested Jan. 28 at 1:01 a.m. in Jewett and charged with operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol content over 0.08% and driving while intoxicated, both unclassified misdemeanors. Moccipacheco was issued an appearance ticket.
  • Shannon Harte, 26, of Palenville, was arrested Jan. 28 at 4:16 a.m. in Catskill and charged with driving while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol content over 0.08%, both unclassified misdemeanors. Harte was released to a third party.
  • An unidentified 16-year-old, of Rockaway Park, was arrested Jan. 28 at 4:19 a.m. in Hunter and charged with operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol content over 0.08% and driving while intoxicated, both unclassified misdemeanors. The individual’s arrest status was not reported.
  • Paul Dungee, 36, of Long Beach, New Jersey, was arrested Jan. 28 at 2:55 p.m. in Hunter and charged with driving while intoxicated, an unclassified misdemeanor. Dungee was issued an appearance ticket.
  • Candace Larsen, 36, of Catskill, was arrested Jan. 30 at 12:36 a.m. in Catskill and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Larsen was issued an appearance ticket.
  • John Caramanica, 71, of Catskill, was arrested Jan. 30 at 12:36 a.m. in Catskill and charged with manufacture of drug-related paraphernalia and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, both class A misdemeanors. Caramanica was issued an appearance ticket.
  • Brent Daley, 21, of Catskill, was arrested Jan. 30 at 6:18 p.m. in Catskill and charged with third-degree assault, a class A misdemeanor. Daley was issued an appearance ticket.
  • Megan Conley, 21, of Saugerties, was arrested Jan. 30 at 5:26 p.m. in Catskill and charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a firearm/weapon, a class A misdemeanor. Conley was issued an appearance ticket.
  • Leif Marsh, 23, of Prattsville, was arrested Jan. 31 at 10:59 p.m. in Prattsville and charged with third-degree criminal mischief/damaging another person’s property, a class E felony. Marsh was released on his own recognizance.
  • Charles Henry Corey, 27, of Cornwallville, was arrested Feb. 1 at 9:37 p.m. in Durham and charged with two counts of second-degree criminal contempt/disobeying a court order, a class A misdemeanor. Corey was issued an appearance ticket.

Ravena News-Herald

The Ravena News-Herald is a weekly newspaper reporting on the news in the Ravena, Coeymans and New Baltimore communities of beautiful upstate New York.

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Greene County’s independent newspaper. Featuring local news, letters to the editor, upcoming events, police blotter, columns from local writers and more.

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