Students on the Simon's Rock campus gather at the library in preparation for the Bard Queer Leadership Project. Press photo courtesy of Bard College at Simon's Rock

News

Here are the Hill Country Observer’s news articles, listed from newest to oldest. The Hill Country Observer covers town events, local government, community stories and more — from public health to housing to education and freedom of mind in New York, Vermont and Western Massachusetts.

  • Issue:

    Fresh food at a farm stand for members

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    Start-up grower gives members access to produce from range of area farms Aliza Pickering, seen here at her parents’ greenhouse and garden center in Arlington, Vt., has set up a membership group that provides subscribers with fresh local produce from area farms, including her own, through a roadside farm stand in Saratoga County. Joan K. read more

    Fresh food at a farm stand for members
  • Issue:

    Counties push back against election changes

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    Legal filings challenge New York shift to even-year voting Participation gap Turnout is sharply higher in New York’s even-year elections, which feature statewide and legislative races, than in odd-year elections that have only local contests. The figures below show the number of votes cast in each year’s general election in area counties. County        read more

    Counties push back against election changes
  • Issue:

    In defense of books

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    Some in region push back against banning efforts in schools and libraries   Vermont Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman reads to an audience at Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, one of a series of stops he made around the state in recent months as part of his Banned Book Tour. Courtesy photo   By KATE ABBOTTContributing writer read more

    In defense of books
  • Issue:

    Banding together for a bridge

    Group aims to preserve a century-old span over the Batten Kill   Members of the new group Friends of the Battenville Bridge gather at the west end of the century-old steel structure, which spans the Batten Kill between the towns of Greenwich and Jackson.Joan K. Lentini photo   By JOHN TOWNESContributing writer GREENWICH, N.Y. Some read more

    Banding together for a bridge
  • Issue:

    New U.S. House map shuffles area towns

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    Final redistricting plan splits Saratoga and Rensselaer counties By MAURY THOMPSONContributing writer   Voters in northern Saratoga County and nearly all of Rensselaer County will find themselves in new congressional districts when they head to the polls this year, thanks to a revised political map that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law on read more

    New U.S. House map shuffles area towns
  • Issue:

    Vote early, but not by mail?

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    GOP message on early voting shifts as more N.Y. voters try it   Harold Hubbard, the Republican deputy elections commissioner of Warren County, instructs elections inspectors at a recent training session on the use of electronic poll books. The devices ensure that voters who cast ballots at New York’s early voting sites cannot vote more read more

    Vote early, but not by mail?
  • Issue:

    Saving Darrow — $5M raised for school

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    Head of School Andrew Vadnais stands outside the administration and classroom building at Darrow School in late January after the school’s leaders reversed a decision to shut down at the end of the current academic year. Susan Sabino photo   By JOHN TOWNESContributing writer NEW LEBANON, N.Y. After several weeks in which it appeared the read more

    Saving Darrow — $5M raised for school
  • Issue:

    A downtown on the upswing — In Saratoga’s shadow, Balston Spa finds its own path to success

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    In Saratoga’s shadow, Ballston Spa finds its own path to success   The row of 19th century buildings along Front Street in Ballston Spa have been revitalized in recent decades, making the village a hub for shopping and dining. Joan K. Lentini photo   By STACEY MORRISContributing writer BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. Ten minutes down the read more

    A downtown on the upswing — In Saratoga’s shadow, Balston Spa finds its own path to success
  • Issue:

    Food fight? Debate over farm bill nears

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    Local advocates keep tabs as Congress weighs shifts in agriculture funds, policy By MAURY THOMPSONContributing writer   With the threat of a government shutdown now averted until after the start of the new year, congressional leaders have reserved floor time in December to debate a new farm bill in the U.S. House. But most political read more

    Food fight? Debate over farm bill nears
  • Issue:

    Election 2023

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    Here are the results of major races in the Nov. 7 local elections in New York and Massachusetts. Winning candidates are in bold type. A brief summary follows the results for each county. Vote totals shown for Berkshire, Warren and Washington counties are final, official tallies that include absentee or mail-in ballots. The results for read more

    Election 2023