I hope everyone had a great summer. Construction continues on Dutch Village IV, Family Dollar, The Lofts @ Albany International and the former Two Guys property. We look forward to seeing these projects completed and up and running soon. One business that has completed their renovations is Il Faro, the new Italian restaurant at the former Other Co. site. On Friday, September 25th, Il Faro had a soft opening. It was nice to see many Village residents come out to welcome new owners, Chris and Jessica, to Menands. With jazz music playing in the background, the servers passed delicious samples of their menu items to the guests. The transformation of the restaurant is amazing. A bar has been returned and there is plenty of seating. The grand opening will be Friday, October 2nd at 5:00 serving dinner only this Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Closed on Mondays, their regular hours begin on Tuesday, October 6th, opening at 11 am. I wish great success to Il Faro.

The Menands Senior Citizens is an organization for folks 55 and over. Meeting on Thursdays at Bethany Church, they also enjoy many great trips organized by President Diane Leonard. On September 18 – 20th the Seniors took a trip to Washington D.C. They had a wonderful time visiting: The Smithsonian Institute, Arlington National Cemetery, the White House and the US Capital, Christ the Redeemer Church and the National Air and Space Museum. They also visited the Lincoln Memorial and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and saw other landmarks. With so much more to see and do, they hope to return in another year or so. This is just one example of exciting trips that the Seniors take. New members are always welcome.

I am always proud to share stories of the young men and women of Menands. This story makes me especially proud as I have known Ethan since he was a child. PFC Ethan Martinez enlisted in the United States Army in February of 2014 while a senior in high school. He graduated from Shaker High School in June of 2014. He shipped to Fort Sill Oklahoma for Basic Training in September 2014. While at Fort Sill he was assigned to Bravo Battery 1st 31st Field Artillery Regiment. Ethan graduated basic training November 21st 2014. Students at Menands school and our local Brownie Troop sent him letters of love and encouragement during his training which helped keep him motivated while he was away from home. He surprised these wonderful letter writers in their classrooms during a visit home during the holidays and they were delighted to meet their soldier! Ethan’s family thank the children who wrote such beautiful words to him, reminding him how much he is loved back home! After basic training Ethan was assigned to A.Co 305th Military Intelligence Battalion 111th Military Intelligence Brigade at Fort Huachuca, Arizona where he completed his advanced training at the US Army School of Military Intelligence and Center of Excellence as a Geospatial Intelligence Analyst. He graduated Intelligence school in May of 2015. Ethan then volunteered to go airborne and earn his Jump wings! He traveled to Fort Benning , Georgia and was assigned to A.Co. 1st 507 Paratrooper Infantry Regiment where he graduated from jump school with his wings in July. From there he was assigned to B.Co. Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Ethan currently works as an Intelligence Analyst and is preparing for a deployment to Kuwait in the coming months. At 19 years old, Ethan has already accomplished a great deal, including four graduations in one year. He is as proud to call Menands his hometown as we are of him. Please keep PFC Ethan Martinez and others serving in the military in your prayers for a safe and speedy return home.

Congratulations to the CDCCC for another successful Monster Mile & 5K run. It was a perfect day for a walk/run through Menands, with special guests, South Paw and The Smile Monster. The staff at CDCCC did a great job organizing this event, with support from many local businesses, the community and the Menands Police and Fire Depts. Mikayla Rossier was the first from Menands to cross the finish line, coming in 15th overall. Congrats to all of the runners and walkers on completing the course, whether the 300m dash, the Monster Mile or the 5k.

Menands is a very giving and caring community that never hesitates to support others. The next event is the Fantastic Fall Festival, in support of the Derek Murphy Fund, scheduled for Saturday, October 3rd from noon – 5 pm at the Menands Park. This is a fun family festival, with live music, food, vendors, raffles, etc. and the famous cow plop bingo. Hope to see you there.

Until next time,

Mayor Meg