Jim Gardner’s first impulse on hearing his wife scream at the sight of a big black bear in their yard was to shoot it — with his camera.

BERNE — A Berne resident called 9-1-1 Wednesday morning after seeing an upside-down plane in a field behind his house on the Berne-Altamont Road, according to State Police who determined the plane’s pilot, its only occupant, was unharmed.

On Aug. 23, the My Way Tavern in Knox will feature live music from the band Tangled Web to celebrate its one-year anniversary. The restaurant is a spiritual successor to the Township Tavern, where owner Erin Thorpe had worked prior to opening her own restaurant. 

A leak in the low-level outlet in the Myosotis Lake Dam in Rensselaerville has gotten worse recently, prompting the town to partner with the Huyck Preserve, which owns the dam, to pursue a short-term solution. 

A vehicle ran a stop sign and was hit by a tractor trailer at the intersection of county routes 401 and 404 in Westerlo, an intersection that locals say is unsafe. 

The Berne-Knox-Westerlo Class of 2025 celebrated its graduation on June 26 at The Egg, in Albany. 

Berne-Knox-Westerlo class of ‘25 valedictorian Peyton Del Vecchio has enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and will pursue a career in logistics, supply, or financial management, while salutatorian Elise Lendrum will attend SUNY Plattsburgh with the hopes of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.

Sandra Kisselback, President, Berne Historical Society

RENSSELAERVILLE — Last year, Tara McCormick-Hostash had an inspiration.

After directing “It’s a Wonderful Life” at the Guggenheim Theater, she looked out over the lawn of the Hilltown Commons and thought, “This beautiful green slope would be perfect to stage ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’”

Tanja Morse, 71, faces 41 charges related to animal cruelty after authorities seized 22 dogs, 15 horses, one cow, and several varieties of birds, all of which were kept without proper nourishment in “deplorable conditions,” according to Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple.