As New York State politicians at both the state and federal level join the call for the protection of dairy farmers, who, across the country, are reportedly experiencing such difficulties amid the coronavirus that many are dumping milk, The Enterprise spoke with local farmers about how they’re faring. 

Following a court decision that nullified the Berne Town Board’s decision to appoint Thomas Spargo, a convicted felon, as chairman of the town’s planning board, the town board now wants to expand the planning board from five members to seven, which would clear the way for reappointing Spargo.

The Switzkill Valley Volunteers, a recently developed charity group that focuses on individuals, has opened up a Little Free Pantry at the Helderberg Lutheran Church in Berne. Donations of nonperishable foods and other resources may be dropped off and picked up at will. Unlike a traditional food pantry, there is no criteria that must be met in order to access the donations. 

“This is the information highway,” said Timothy Mundell, superintendent of the Berne-Knox-Westerlo schools, of wireless internet coming to the Hilltowns. “This is the economy of the 21st Century and we are preparing kids for their futures and not our past. The box-like object in front of him is an antenna for the new system to be installed by Hudson Valley Wireless.

HILLTOWNS — The Berne-Knox-Westerlo transportation department has planned a Springtime Parade, which will travel throughout the school district on Friday, April 17.

Berne’s attorney, William Conboy III, resigned from the position at the town board’s regular meeting on April 15. The board then voted to authorize Supervisor Sean Lyons to contract services from Bond Schoeneck & King, with Javid Afzali, who recently resigned as Knox’s attorney, as lead counsel.

EAST BERNE —  Kenneth Crawford, an iconic Hilltown farmer, died peacefully on Monday, April 13, 2020, surrounded by his family.

“Ken fought a courageous five-year battle with cancer,” his family wrote in a tribute. He was 84.