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Forest Rangers in the News

Towns of Chester, Lake George, and Lake Luzerne
Warren County
Training: On April 14, 15, and 16, Sixteen Forest Rangers participated in the largest Flood Incident Response Strike Team (FIRST) exercise ever held on the Hudson and Schroon rivers. Ranger instructors taught 82 participants techniques for whitewater swimming, throw bag rescues, swiftwater rope work, inflatable rescue boat operations, and swiftwater river crossings. FIRST is comprised of New York State Fire, New York State Police Dive Team, New York State Park Police, New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs, and Environmental Conservation Police Officers and Forest Rangers. The joint training effort will make crews better prepared to work together during flood responses.


FIRST Training


FIRST Training

Town of Horicon
Warren County
Wilderness Search and Training: On April 18, Forest Rangers conducted a limited continuous search for Tom Messick, a hunter missing since 2015. Three Rangers joined 19 members of Lower Adirondack Search and Rescue (LASAR) to focus on areas that may reveal clues about his disappearance. Volunteers used the opportunity to improve their crew boss and search skills. The last search was conducted in November 2025 on the 10-year anniversary of Messick’s disappearance.


Tom Messick search


Tom Messick search

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Post Office Gets New Front Flower Boxes

I’m happy to report that two new flower boxes have been installed on the front side of the Post Office. These replace the former flower boxes that were in need of replacement.


Now we just need some warmer weather.

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April 23rd and Lake George

Today is April 23rd, which is celebrated in England as St. George’s day. There are traditions like flying the St. George’s Cross flag, wearing red roses and special parades. While it is not a public holiday, it is a significant cultural day. The video below describes who St. George actually was and why he is considered the patron saint of England.

What does any of this have to do with Lake George, NY?

On August 28, 1755, William Johnson led British colonial forces to occupy the area in the French and Indian War. He renamed the lake as Lake George for King George II. It had been named Lac du Saint-Sacrement (Lake of the Holy Sacrament) by the French, while it was under their control.

On September 8, 1755 the Battle of Lake George was fought between the forces of Britain and France resulting in a strategic victory for the British and their Iroquois allies. After the battle, Johnson ordered the construction of a military fortification at the southern end of the lake. The fort was named Fort William Henry after King George II’s grandson Prince William Henry, a younger brother of the later King George III.

All English kings named George, were named after the original St. George, patron saint of England. So that is how our great and spectacular lake got to be named Lake George.

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No Dresden Town Board Meeting in April

Due to the Town Supervisor position and two town board member seats being vacant, the Dresden Town board is unable to meet for the regular scheduled town board meeting on April 13th. There is no quorum, so no town business can be conducted.

Update:
The Sewer District # 1 meeting scheduled for Monday April 13th is also canceled.

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Happy Easter: 2026

The Isenheim Altarpiece is an altarpiece sculpted and painted by, respectively, the Germans Nikolaus Hagenauer and Matthias Grünewald in 1512–1516. It is on display at the Unterlinden Museum at Colmar, Alsace, in France. It is Grünewald’s largest work and is regarded as his masterpiece.

The outer wings of the Isenheim Altarpiece were opened for important festivals of the liturgical year, particularly those in honour of the Virgin Mary. The right wing shows the Resurrection, in which Christ emerges from the tomb and ascends into Heaven bathed in light transfiguring the countenance of the Crucified into the face of God.

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Good Friday: 2026

The Isenheim Altarpiece is an altarpiece sculpted and painted by, respectively, the Germans Nikolaus Hagenauer and Matthias Grünewald in 1512–1516. It is on display at the Unterlinden Museum at Colmar, Alsace, in France. It is Grünewald’s largest work and is regarded as his masterpiece.

It was painted for the Monastery of St. Anthony in Issenheim near Colmar, which specialized in hospital work. The Antonine monks of the monastery were noted for their care of plague sufferers as well as for their treatment of skin diseases. The image of the crucified Christ is pitted with plague-type sores, showing patients that Jesus understood and shared their afflictions. The veracity of the work’s depictions of medical conditions was unusual in the history of European art

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The Golf Course (without Snow)

This photo looking out over the ninth green of the Huletts golf course, taken on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, shows no snow left on the ground. Spring has officially arrived. However, there is still ice on the lake. Hopefully, only better weather is ahead.

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World Frog Day is March 20th


A tree frog seen in Huletts Landing.

On March 20th, frog supporters worldwide celebrate and plan to take action for amphibians. This leap towards conservation helps highlight the vital role frogs play in our ecosystem and educates the next generation on the importance of their survival. We are blessed to have many different types of frogs in Huletts.

It’s no surprise that when the air temperature starts to warm and the ground thaws that a “spring awakening” occurs and populations start to move. For most frogs, this migration pattern leads them to crossing roads to get to their destination: a vernal pool. When they encounter roads and driveways mortality from vehicles can be high. The New York State Department of Conservation strides to educate and provide safe and rewarding volunteer experiences to assist in amphibian migration. See the following links to learn more about frogs and support native habitats:

Protect habitats by buying a habitat and access stamp.
Educate yourself by reading Frogs and Toads of NYS – Conservationist Centerfold (PDF)

All New York native amphibians are protected by New York State law, and cannot be harmed or collected.

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250 Years Ago Today: March 17, 1776

On March 17, 1776, British forces evacuated Boston, ending an 11-month siege by George Washington’s Continental Army. The retreat followed the American fortification of Dorchester Heights with cannons from Fort Ticonderoga, making the British position in the city untenable. Over 11,000 soldiers and 1,000 Loyalists fled to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

This event has historical significance for many reasons:

It was George Washington’s first major win as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. It bolstered American morale and proved that the colonial forces could outmaneuver the British military. The evacuation also ended the hated British occupation of Boston that had lasted since 1768.

Two other lesser known facts about that day include that March 17 also happens to be St. Patrick’s Day. In 1776, Washington used “St. Patrick” as the official password for the Continental Army camp that day to honor the many Irish-born soldiers in the ranks. Also, in recognition of the bloodless liberation of the city, the Continental Congress awarded Washington the first-ever Congressional Gold Medal.

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Winter’s End is Close

This photo of the Mountain Grove Memorial Church, taken on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, shows winter’s grip is receding. The last few days of warmer weather has melted much of the snow. The ground is reappearing from below the lessening snow piles and the ice on the lake is also getting much thinner.

Before we know it, it will be spring.

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Welcome March

I imagine that most of us are extremely happy to see the arrival of the month of March. Most of the winter in Huletts was truly brutal. The temperatures are still very low and the lake is frozen but thank God that the bitter cold and snow are no match for mother nature determined to burst into spring.

March is usually a month when people start to return to Huletts and begin to finalize their plans for the upcoming summer. I’ve heard from people all over the country who all are looking forward to returning for another year. The one thing that people bring up again and again, is that Huletts is a refuge from all the craziness that is going on in the world. It has a timeless quality about it that even when things change, it stays relatively the same.

I am reminded that it was in in 1976, fifty years ago, that the United States celebrated our 200th anniversary as a nation. Now in 2026, we will celebrate our 250th anniversary, reestablishing what the fight for liberty and freedom is all about.

Spring will arrive soon and the buds will begin to blossom. The cold air will lessen, warmth will return, and the ice on the lake will melt. We have a few more weeks until the official start of spring, but it’s getting close. My mantra the next few weeks is going to be; “we will make it.” As Dolly Parton once said; “the way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” Only a few more weeks of cold, and spring will be here. I hope everyone has a great month and that before we know it, it is nice and warm.

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NY State Senator Stec: NYSERDA Memo Should Mean the End of CLCPA

A memo produced by the New York state Energy Research and Development Agency (NYSERDA) regarding the exploding costs associated with the state’s 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) outlines what those costs could be:

“Absent changes, by 2031, the impact of CLCPA on the price of gasoline could reach or exceed $2.23 per gallon on top of current prices at that time; the cost for an MMBtu of natural gas $16.96; and comparable increases to other fuels. Upstate oil and natural gas households would see costs in excess of $4,000 a year, and New York City natural gas households could anticipate annual gross costs of $2,300. Only a portion of these costs could be offset by current policy design.”

Senator Dan Stec (R,C-Queensbury) issued the following statement concerning the leaked NYSERDA memo outlining the exorbitant implementation costs of the CLCPA:

“The leaked memo from Governor Hochul’s handpicked head of NYSERDA is a bombshell and a scathing indictment of the CLCPA.

“Because of it, Upstate New Yorkers can expect their energy costs to rise an average of $4,000 per household and gas prices can rise to over $5 a gallon as a direct result of these green energy policies. These numbers, which come directly from NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris, highlights the reality of what my Senate Republican Conference colleagues and I have been saying for years: The CLCPA is going to drive up costs and crush our families and small businesses.

“What’s even worse is that in a recent City & State article, Senate Democrats made it clear that they have no intentions of making any changes to the unaffordable and unfeasible CLCPA in the upcoming budget.

“At a time when, according to a recent Marist poll, one-in-three New Yorkers plan to move out of the state due to the escalating cost of living, perhaps my colleagues on the other side of the aisle should reconsider their position and put an end to the failing CLCPA mandates.”