The Berne-Knox-Westerlo school district has invested heavily in the concept of social-emotional learning — in other words, attending to children's interpersonal needs in order to increase educational success — but as a parents’ recent complaints about bullying in the district reveal, addressing these needs can be a messy process. 

RENSSELAERVILLE — Seven students who conducted summer research projects at the Huyck Preserve — on earthworms, beavers, and ferns — presented their findings at the Northeast Natural History Conference on April 5 and 6 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The three-member Berne Town Board unanimously appointed Joseph Giebelhaus, who is the Deputy Commissioner of General Services for the city of Albany, to one of its open seats. The board also scheduled a public hearing in May for a proposed 12-month moratorium on solar projects as the town processes two existing ones. 

The town of Knox has hired attorney Daniel Rubin to represent it against Albany County, which has accused the town of misappropriating a shared salt supply and is demanding $18,000 in compensation.

The town of Rensselaerville appointed Jason Wood as deputy highway superintendent after the previous one, Warren Bashwinger, was let go for undisclosed reasons. 

This year, Hilltown residents will vote in a majority-number of town board members in each town, including Berne, where all five seats will be open due to the number of vacancies that need to be filled. 

Wisdom Roots Wellness, a yoga and healing studio at the Hilltown Commons, in Rensselaerville, offers private instruction and group classes alongside special events. They’ll soon welcome two instructors from India for sessions on Vedic chanting. 

Albany County is alleging that the town of Knox used $18,000 worth of road salt without permission and is demanding compensation. Knox Supervisor Russ Pokorny told The Enterprise the town will likely challenge the valuation. 

The county’s Fire Service Academy, a pilot program, will teach a free 40-hour course, starting April 1, at the East Berne firehouse. 

After former Berne Supervisor Kevin Crosier showed up at the house of a woman who’s applying for one of the town’s two open town board seats, Supervisor Dennis Palow expressed concern to The Enterprise about how Crosier got that information.