Amsterdam’s Farmers’ Markets

The Farmers’ Markets in Amsterdam New York offer a variety of unique, quality products. Located both on Main and Church Streets, these markets supply fresh locally grown produce as well as handcrafted items.

Triskele at Amsterdam’s Riverlink Park

Triskele, an all female Celtic band from Albany NY. They are known for their stunning harmonies, singing the Gaelic language and for their Irish wit. These ladies perform traditional, original and some modern Celtic/Irish music. Triskele not only revitalizes the Gaelic language, but weaves history and traditions about growing up in Ireland lending a deeper appreciation of aural history. Most importantly, they’re fun!

The Clear Choice

On Friday evening, Amsterdam’s Century Club on Guy Park Avenue was full of people wanting to see change in our city as they came out in support of Chad Majewski for 3rd Ward Alderman. It wasn’t just the 3rd Ward that came to support Chad, there were representatives from all of Amsterdam’s wards as well as current elected officials. Amsterdam’s citizens are hungry for a change in local government, one that will move our city forward and Chad Majewski is the candidate that can do just that. He IS the clear choice.

Grove Street Grumble 2011 Recap

This is my 120th post on the Grove Street Grumble. The blog will be a year old on January 31, 2012, and it has been quite an exciting year.  The blog had 40,656 total views so far.

The post New York State of Emergency Confusion was the most viewed blog entry posted on September 8, 2011, with 781 views.

The first week in June was the highest viewed week with 2,496 views. It contained these posts:

Marriage Equality in New York State

Looking Back With Pride

Dan Weaver is Wrong!

Overpriced Parking Lot

Queen Ann Makes Another Appearance

Grove Street Fire

June was also the highest viewed month with 6,580 views, followed by May 5,657 and November with 4,689.

June 24, 2011, made history when New York State Passed the Marriage Equality Act.

This was my favorite post: Change

This video received a lot of hits:

 

Unfortunately, this was my most viewed photo, stolen from my website by Vincent Casale, campaign manager for failed mayoral candidate Joe Emanuele, and owner of  the advertising agency The Casale Group. The Copyrighted image was used without my permission in anti-Thane campaign mailings. I was never paid for the illegal use of this photo.

The following were some of my favorites from 2011:

The blog is an ongoing learning experience for me. I still find it amazing that complete strangers come up to me and shake my hand, congratulating me for the work I do on this blog.  I met a lot of really wonderful people in the process (and some not so wonderful).

Thank you all for reading the Grove Street Grumble. Please feel free to subscribe to the blog and post comments.  There will be more good things to come in 2012.

Happy New Year!

Show Me the Money!

There is bound to be last-minute drama as the clock ticks down to Election Tuesday. The slugfest has already started. The current Mayor must be fuming over the Recorder, the City’s official newspaper, endorsing  her opponent Joe Emanuele III for Mayor of Amsterdam.  Ann Thane came out of her corner swinging as she accused Joe Emanuele of campaign finance fraud in her blog Amsterdancin’. In the post sleight of hand, Thane states:

I am baffled by the claim that Joe Emanuele is paying for his materials, when his NYS Board of Elections Campaign Finance Reports do not show this activity or the resources to produce them.

She goes on to suggest that we check the campaign finance reports and see for ourselves. So I did.

The latest reports listed on the site were the 11 Day Pre-General Election reports. 

Friends of Joe Emanuele, 49 Coolidge Road, Amsterdam, NY 12010, listed as the committee managing the Emanuele campaign finances.  (Joe Emanuele’s address)

The Emanuele campaign took in a total of $13, 607.40 with $95.00 unitemized.

His largest contributor was CCS Telecom who donated $5,000 ($4,000 of that contribution is listed as being returned).

$2,518.00 from a fundraiser

$1000.00 from Hayes & Wormuth, Inc, 207 Wallins Corners Rd, Amsterdam, NY 12010

$500. from Theodore J. Danz

$100. from Casale Public Affairs who was later hired to manage Emanuele’s campaign eventually earning a total of $2,000 (so far reported). 

Friends of Ann Thane, 2 Norris Street, Amsterdam, NY 12010, listed as the committee managing the Thane campaign finances. (Philip Lyford’s address)

The Thane campaign took in a total of $12, 192.00 with $4,792.00 unitemized and $1,500. owed to Phil Lyford her campaign manager.

Thane’s contributions came from a variety of sources:

The largest contributor were 4 members of the Raeburn family from Balston Spa and Lockport, NY who’s combined donations totaled $3,500.

$500. from Paul Tonko.

$300. from Legal Focus Consultants, 12 Stuyvesant Oval Apts MA, New York, New York 10009. Gee, who could that be?

$100. from RB Catering LLC, 3 Boulder Bend, Scotia, NY 12010 who soon after were awarded another 3 year contract for the Riverlink Café without going out for bid.

$150. from CT Mall ASS PC another contractor that does business with the City.

It looks like you have to give to a campaign fund to get hired. There are several examples of this on both candidates financial disclosures. I’m more uncomfortable with the unitemized contributions than what the candidates did or didn’t pay for advertising.

Cats Love Autumn

Most people like autumn because of the change in color of the foliage. Personally it is the dramatic lighting changes that excite me but cats also love autumn. They just can’t help it. Cats are wired to react to small moving objects as a predatory instinct.  When autumn comes around, my cats become hyperactive, batting with their paws as if they are going to catch the falling leaves through the window glass. When I do take them outside it is sensory overload for them. There are just too many falling leaves to keep track of.  They chase the leaves and leap into the air tying to catch them before they hit the ground.

The Acoustic Set

Saturday night at Riverlink Park, this week featuring the acoustic sounds of Michael Poulopoulos, Matt Durfee,  Michael Eck and Tom Lindsey. 

The concert started at 5:00pm.  I guess it was a little too early for most folks who came around 6:30 or 7:00.

The acoustic set started with M. R. Poulopoulos followed by Matt Durfee and then Lost Radio Rounders (Michael Eck on mandolin and Tom Lindsey on guitar).

I offer my photos for use by the artists or the Amsterdam Waterfront Foundation only. For other reading this, use of these images for any purpose, without my expressed permission violates Title 17 of United States Code, Copyrights.

Springtime for Amsterdam

Calm After the Storm

What a Difference a Day Makes!