ALBANY COUNTY — As a newcomer to politics and a native to the Hilltowns, Christopher Smith is proud of spending his life in the rural community of East Berne and Warners Lake.

At 34, he now has a family and three businesses, one of them the large restaurant Maple on the Lake.

ALBANY COUNTY — Claiming a legislative seat for an expansive rural area, Republican Deborah Busch is laying out pointed remarks for her Democratic colleagues while continuing to sound the mantra of no tax increases that she rode into the legislature in 2011.

On Nov. 3, Knox voters will decide between a longtime incumbent supervisor, Michael Hammond, and his pro-growth challenger, Vasilios Lefkaditis.

_{Bonnie Spencer, Knox} 

_{Chris Allen, Westerlo}

Fueled by a bond defeat that would have upgraded town buildings, Republicans in this rural Hilltown, dominated by Democrats for decades, have put up a slate of candidates for the Nov. 3 election.

The grant money is being spent on equipment to help with car crashes since the company answers accident calls far more frequently than fire calls, the fire chief said.