County Roundup

Rensselaer: Jackpot! By a stroke of luck, Matthew Beidl of Troy stopped at the Speedway in Schenectady on his way to work and purchased a winning New York State Lottery scratch-off ticket worth $1 million. Needless to say, he didn’t make it to the office that day. 

Columbia: In 1916, Augusta and Adeline Van Buren became the first women to cross the United States on motorcycle. Sarah Van Buren, their great-grandniece and a Hudson resident, recently recreated the historic trip in the Sisters Centennial Motorcycle Ride, which followed the sisters’ 1916 route from New York to San Francisco.

Albany: Teenagers Lee Reh and Rah-mene McDuffie were recognized by the Albany County Legislator for partaking in the MusiCares Teens Make Music Contest and producing the Grammy-winning song “Fight.” The duo’s R & B single warns about the consequences of substance abuse and urges adolescents to resist drugs. 

Greene: Something’s fishy here…At the 6th Annual United Way Leo Lasher Catfish Derby, Greg W. Clause won the adult division, and $500, with a 35.5 inch long fish. Cody Clelland won the kid division with a 23-inch catfish, but only got a bike.

Dutchess: Toolbelt Media filmed a commercial for CAPE (Council on Addiction, Prevention, and Education of Dutchess County) at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park in Beacon. Teenagers from around the area were invited to appear in the commercial, which aired on MTV and VH1.

Ulster: Cheers! Ulster County Tourism has received a Bronze Telly Award in the category of Travel/Tourism for its video, “Taste of Craft Beverages: Ulster County,” which promotes their growing industry of craft beverages, including beer, wine and spirits.

Orange: A Trump supporter believes she was kicked out of Warwick’s Cancun Inn Restaurant because of her alliance to the Republican nominee. Ester Levy was wearing a hat and button with Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again,” when she was turned away from the Mexican eatery. The owner says he kicked her out for being intoxicated and disruptive, not because of her political affiliation. 

Rockland: Oh baby! Fire Chief Ken Sohlman and other volunteers were cleaning up a gasoline spill when a taxi driver pulled over with a woman in labor in his backseat. About 15 minutes later, the baby was born, and mother and child were transported to Nyack Hospital.

Westchester: Co-owners Brian O’ Shea and Miguel Torres of Soyo Craft Bar in Yonkers sought help from hit TV show “Bar Rescue” in 2014, expecting it to save their failing business. Two years later, sales have dropped more than 60% and the bar is on the market for $150,000.

Putnam: Seventeen-year-old Carmel resident Hailey Knox has gained national attention after broadcasting her acoustic cover sessions several times a week on YouNow, a live streaming app where more than 84,000 fans have flocked to her channel. The singer-songwriter recently released her first album A Little Awkward with Top 40 label S-Curve and has a 29-date tour scheduled to begin this month.