📆 BETHELEHEM AREA EVENTS

🏢⚡ BETHLEHEM MOVES TO HIT PAUSE ON DATA CENTERS ⚡🏢

⚖️🩺 NEW YORK SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON MEDICAL AID IN DYING RULES 🩺⚖️

🛒🎉 COSTCO IS COMING TO THE CAPITAL REGION — AND YOU CAN JOIN NOW! 🎉🛒

🍓⏰ STRAWBERRY SEASON IS RUNNING LATE THIS YEAR! ⏰🍓

Introducing the Bethlehem Area Live Community Calendar

JUNE 4rd - Thursday

JUNE 5th - Friday

JUNE 6th - Saturday

JUNE 7th - Sunday

JUNE 8th - Monday

JUNE 9th - Tuesday

JUNE 10th - Wednesday

🏢⚡ BETHLEHEM MOVES TO HIT PAUSE ON DATA CENTERS ⚡🏢

The Bethlehem Town Board has unanimously voted to move forward with a proposed 12-month moratorium on new data center development, giving the Town time to study potential impacts and create regulations before any projects move forward. 🏘️📋

A public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for:

📅 Tuesday, June 10
📍 Town of Bethlehem

If approved, the temporary moratorium would halt applications for new data centers while officials develop local guidelines and protections.

💻 What is a data center?
Data centers are facilities that house large-scale computer systems used for:
✔️ Data storage
✔️ Internet services
✔️ Cloud computing
✔️ Web hosting
✔️ Artificial intelligence processing

Town Board member Thomas Schnurr, who drafted the proposal, said the goal is not to permanently ban data centers but to ensure Bethlehem has the proper safeguards in place before any applications are submitted.

⚠️ Concerns raised by officials include:
💧 High water usage
⚡ Massive electricity demands
🔊 Noise impacts
🌬️ Air quality concerns
🚧 Strain on local infrastructure

The discussion comes as a separate proposal has surfaced for a potential data center at the former Kenwood Commons site near Bethlehem's town line. Reports indicate that proposal could require significant electrical capacity, although project representatives say it would be smaller than a large-scale "hyperscale" facility.

Supervisor David VanLuven said the Town needs time to understand the potential impacts and learn from other communities before addressing future applications.

🗣️ "We don't want to become experts after an application is filed," Schnurr said. "We want to protect the Town ahead of that rather than chasing something later."

Officials noted there are currently no known applications pending within the Town of Bethlehem itself.

Residents interested in the issue will have an opportunity to weigh in during the June 10 public hearing.

Read More at: https://www.dailygazette.com/spotlightnews/town-board-sets-data-center-moratorium-law-for-public-hearing-on-june-10/article_0b693d02-61c1-4914-9c34-adf530c7d05c.html

💬 What do you think? Should Bethlehem take additional time to study data centers before allowing them to be built in town?

#BethlehemNY #DelmarNY #GlenmontNY #SelkirkNY #SouthBethlehem #TownOfBethlehem #DataCenters #CommunityPlanning #LocalGovernment #PublicHearing #CapitalRegionNews #BethlehemLocalNews ⚡🏘️💻

⚖️🩺 NEW YORK SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON MEDICAL AID IN DYING RULES 🩺⚖️

New York State health officials are asking residents to weigh in on proposed regulations related to the state's new Medical Aid in Dying Act, which is scheduled to take effect on August 5, 2026.

The law allows mentally capable adults with a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less to live to request medication to end their lives under specific legal safeguards.

🗣️ The public comment period is now open and runs through August 3, 2026.

According to the New York State Department of Health, the proposed regulations focus on how physicians would report participation in the medical aid in dying process and how the state would track compliance with the law.

📋 Proposed physician reporting requirements include:
✔️ Patient identifier (not name)
✔️ Terminal illness diagnosis
✔️ Prescribed medications
✔️ Patient age and gender
✔️ County of residence
✔️ Care setting
✔️ Confirmation that legal requirements were followed
✔️ Information about physicians and mental health professionals involved

Under the law, patients must:
🩺 Have a terminal illness with six months or less to live
📝 Make both written and verbal requests
🧠 Undergo mental health evaluation when appropriate
👨‍⚕️ Be approved by two physicians
💊 Self-administer the medication

The legislation remains one of the most debated healthcare laws in recent New York history.

Supporters say it provides dignity, autonomy, and comfort to terminally ill patients facing end-of-life decisions.

Opponents, including disability rights advocates and some medical and religious organizations, argue the law raises serious ethical concerns and could disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.

💬 New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said the public review process is intended to ensure the law is implemented thoughtfully and responsibly.

📅 Public Comment Period:
June 3 – August 3, 2026

📧 Comments may be submitted to the New York State Department of Health through mail, phone, fax, or email.

This issue touches on deeply personal, ethical, medical, and legal questions, and many New Yorkers hold strong views on both sides of the debate.

Read More at: https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/ny-seeks-public-input-on-medical-aid-in-dying-reporting-rules-ahead-of-august-rollout-assisted-suicide-new-york-wrgb

💬 What are your thoughts on New York's Medical Aid in Dying Act? Please keep comments respectful as this is a sensitive topic for many families.

#NewYorkState #MedicalAidInDying #EndOfLifeCare #HealthcarePolicy #PublicInput #AlbanyNY #CapitalRegionNY #CommunityDiscussion #PublicHealth #NewYorkNews #BethlehemLocalNews ⚖️

🛒🎉 COSTCO IS COMING TO THE CAPITAL REGION — AND YOU CAN JOIN NOW! 🎉🛒

The countdown is officially on! 🚧🏗️

Shoppers eagerly awaiting the arrival of Costco Wholesale near Crossgates Mall can now get a head start by signing up for memberships and even exploring job opportunities months before the grand opening.

📍 Costco's temporary Recruitment & Membership Center is now open inside Crossgates Mall on the upper level near Macy's.

🗓️ GRAND OPENING:
📅 Thursday, August 6, 2026

The new Albany-area Costco will feature a massive 163,000-square-foot warehouse club, bringing shoppers access to:

🛒 Bulk savings
🍕 Food Court favorites
⛽ Discount fuel
👓 Optical services
💊 Pharmacy services
🥩 Fresh groceries
📺 Electronics
🏠 Home goods and much more!

👥 Costco representatives are currently available at Crossgates to:
✅ Sign up new members
✅ Explain membership benefits
✅ Answer questions
✅ Discuss employment opportunities

The long-awaited arrival of Costco marks one of the biggest retail openings in the Capital Region in years and is expected to draw shoppers from Bethlehem, Delmar, Glenmont, Slingerlands, Voorheesville, New Scotland, RCS, Albany and beyond.

💬 Who's planning to get a Costco membership? What's the first thing you'll be shopping for when the doors open?

#Costco #CrossgatesMall #AlbanyNY #CapitalRegion #BethlehemNY #DelmarNY #GlenmontNY #SlingerlandsNY #VoorheesvilleNY #RCSNews #ShopLocal #CapitalRegionLiving #BethlehemLocalNews

🍓⏰ STRAWBERRY SEASON IS RUNNING LATE THIS YEAR! ⏰🍓

If you've been eagerly waiting for fresh local strawberries, you'll need a little extra patience this year! 🌱❄️

Normally, early June marks the start of strawberry season across the Capital Region, but colder-than-average temperatures and a late spring freeze have pushed the harvest back by several weeks.

At Bowman Orchards in Rexford, growers say a freeze at the end of April damaged the first round of strawberry blossoms when temperatures dipped into the low 30s. The result? One of the latest strawberry seasons they've seen in years.

🍓 "Normally, we're anywhere from June 1 to June 10. This year we're looking at probably June 16, which is a full week later than ever," said Kevin Bowman of Bowman Orchards.

While the setback delayed the crop, there is good news:

✅ Strawberry plants are recovering
✅ Early berries are beginning to develop
✅ Pick-your-own strawberries are still planned
✅ Blueberries and peaches appear to be in good shape for summer

🌞 Local farmers are hopeful that warmer temperatures in the coming weeks will help the season catch up.

For many Capital Region families, a trip to a local farm for fresh-picked strawberries is a summertime tradition, and while the wait may be a little longer this year, those sweet berries should be worth it! 🍓❤️

💬 Have you ever gone strawberry picking? What's your favorite local farm for fresh berries?

#StrawberrySeason #CapitalRegionNY #BowmanOrchards #ShopLocal #SupportLocalFarms #SummerInNewYork #FreshPicked #CapitalRegionLiving #BethlehemNY #DelmarNY #GlenmontNY #SlingerlandsNY #VoorheesvilleNY #BethlehemLocalNews 🍓🌞🚜

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