GUILDERLAND — The beat of a drum sounded in the clear winter air on Tuesday morning, ricocheting off the Helderbergs as a band of five walked the road that wends its way along the base of the escarpment.

 When people attend the Altamont Fair for the first time, they may be overwhelmed by the large variety of exhibits at their disposal. The more they visit, the better acquainted they become with the people and exhibits that the fair has to offer.

GUILDERLAND — Twenty-seven Guilderland High School musicians were chosen from among 300 at 13 Suburban Council schools to participate in the Suburban Scholastic Council Music Festival at Columbia High School on Saturday, Jan. 25.

ALTAMONT — John Heidinger, a religious man and lover of trains, died on Friday, on Dec. 27, 2013. He was 74.

Mr. Heidinger was born on Sept. 22, 1939, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of the late Rose and Peter Heidinger.

He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1957 to 1961.

Hometown traditions persisted in Altamont in 2013 despite fire and arrests.

ALTAMONT — A devoted family man, Rocco “Rocky” Fallone knew how to fix just about anything.

“His strongest characteristic was a sense of persistence,” said his son, John Fallone. “In the dictionary, there should be a picture of Rocky next to the word ‘persistence.’”

Pink is more than pretty. Pink is power.

Three town leaders retired in 2013; elections were bitter as the Democrats retained power; and Crossgates Mall, the Guilderland Fire Department, and Daughters of Sarah all made plans to expand.