The Altamont Enterprise reports about one area locally where a medical practice closed, but another one will open in December. The Hudson Valley has food deserts where there are not full grocery stores, and many spots were cell phones receive no service. And there are also places without medical services. In October, Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson stopped delivery services, sending pregnant women to Albany, Kingston, or Western Massachusetts. Now Berne, in southern Albany County, is getting a new medical practice after five months since Community Care Physicians closed its Helderberg Trail practice. Nurse practitioner Jill Martin will open Hilltown Healthcare, PLLC, on Dec. 2. Dr. Gary Kolanchick, who used to lead the Community Care Physicians office there before retiring, just got his New York State medical license reinstated in case Martin needs help. The area has only one other medical provider, Myria Emeny, M.D. in nearby Westerlo, not enough to help the 1,900 patients displaced after Community Care Physicians closed. Hannay Reels Inc., a Westerlo business, contributed $10,000 to help get the new medical practice started. “We were very impressed by Jill Martin and [organizer] Ray Schimmer’s presentation,” wrote the co-owner of the business Elaine Gruener in an email to The Enterprise, “as well as all the work that was done to date by these individuals and others to ensure that this much-needed medical practice will once again be operating and available to the residents that most need it.” Read more about this story in the Altamont Enterprise.