Commentary

Little libraries: Long may they last

Written April 29th, 2016 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 2 responses.

So if I wanted to sample the books in this Little Free Library, I could do so without even getting off the bike. Perfect! And because of the thoughtful placement of pavers, pedestrians could do so too without getting bark dust on their shoes. Looks like great spot, and I’m glad no regulations have gotten […]

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: free library movement, Little Free Library, street libraries

Not a little park, but a parklet

Written April 28th, 2016 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 10 responses.

Thirty-six years ago the First Interstate Bank in Albany furnished this wide spot in the sidewalk in front of its parking lot on First Avenue in case any downtown pedestrian wanted to pause and take a load off. Now, with the consent of Wells Fargo, the Albany Downtown Association plans to turn the space into […]

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albany Downtown Association, Christina Larson, downtown Albany, parklets Varitone Architecture, Peggy Burris

Water Gardens: Talking again

Written April 28th, 2016 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 5 responses.

Albany’s Talking Water Gardens once again has plenty of water after being almost drained over the past few weeks to help get new plants established in the shallow ponds. The plant cover has been an issue, because without it these constructed wetlands can’t meet their intended purpose of reducing the temperature of water being discharged […]

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albany, Millersburg, Talking Water Gardens

Wanted: North Albany Park ideas

Written April 27th, 2016 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 14 responses.

Benton County is starting to gather ideas about North Albany County Park, which is about to get a 10.7-acre addition in the form of a heavily wooded natural area. They plan to reach out to the public in various ways and invite comments on how the park is used, what if any changes people might […]

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Benton County parks, Jeff Powers, North Albany Park

Pausing on a ride to watch …

Written April 26th, 2016 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 6 responses.

Pedaling along on a routine little bike ride on Tuesday, I hear this angry buzzing in the sky behind me and to the left. The video tells the story, more or less. Well, not the whole story, obviously. I couldn’t ask the pilot his name or whose field he was spraying, nor indeed the exact nature […]

Posted in: Bicycling, Commentary, Videos
Tags: Bryant drive, crop dusting

On Gibson Hill: The smartest fix

Written April 26th, 2016 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 10 responses.

What’s the smartest way to fix the North Albany intersection of Gibson Hill Road and Crocker Lane? Floyd Collins, the Ward I councilman and North Albany resident who dealt with public works issues all his professional life, thinks the smartest way is to rebuild the intersection once and for all, not to do one thing now […]

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albany council, Crocker Lane, Gibson Hill

Council resumes talk of pot rules

Written April 25th, 2016 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 9 responses.

The Albany City Council is trying to get prepared in case city voters decide in the November general election that Albany will allow recreational marijuana businesses. Councilors would like to adopt some restrictions ahead of time, such as time, place and manner of pot sales and processing sites. But at Monday’s work session they didn’t […]

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Albany city council on pot, marijuana sales, recreational marijuana