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Luke La Valle – Rest in Peace

We ask for your continued prayers for the Spiess/La Valle family as they cope with the loss of Jennifer’s husband, Luke. Jennifer is the daughter of Peter and Mary Spiess. She worked many summers in the Soda Fountain growing up. Luke battled heroically during his last months and was an inspiration to us all. Luke and Jennifer’s daughter, Abigail Rose, was born on August 30th.

For those who were unable to attend the funeral, here was Jennifer’s touching eulogy to her husband.

Luke was a very engaging guy who was a four-year All-American at Notre Dame who also won the 1998 NCAA men’s sabre title in fencing. Here is a tribute to him on the Notre Dame site and a wonderful piece on his life on CollegeFencing360.com. More than this, he was a great husband, father and friend to many.

Luke was a true hero and will be greatly missed by his family and the Huletts community.

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Saturday Quote

“With this in mind, I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, when at midday along the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions. When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, `Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It hurts you to kick against the goads.’ I asked, `Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord answered, `I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”

Acts: 26:12-15


La conversion de Saint Paul (1690), by Luca Giordano (Naples 1634 – 1705)

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She Beat Them Out of the Gate

With the announcement today that Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) has been appointed to fill Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat, this in turn opens up the Congressional seat which Huletts is a part of. Within hours of this announcement, we received this press release from Senator Betty Little’s (R) office announcing her candidacy for the House of Representatives.

Senator Little has always been a fierce advocate for lower taxes in the Adirondacks, and while we are not endorsing a candidate for Congress at this time, the fact that the Huletts Current was notified so quickly bespeaks a winning campaign operation that is organized and up and running already. You heard it here first, because Senator Little was the first. The Current likes people who move.

SENATOR LITTLE ANNOUNCES CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDACY

State Senator Betty Little (R,C,I-Queensbury) today announced she is a candidate for the 20th Congressional District. The popular upstate senator well known for her accessibility and hands-on approach has a strong record of experience in local and state government.

“I have a proven record of fighting and winning for the people I represent,” said Little. “I am eager to put that experience to work for the residents of the 20th Congressional District and look forward to traveling the district and talking with voters to earn their support over the course of this campaign.”

Prior to first winning election to the State Senate in November 2002, Senator Little served in the New York State Assembly for seven years. Little is a proven vote-getter and has consistently led the ballot on Election Day.

Little’s legislative successes include: creation of a program that encourages greater government efficiency to save tax dollars; reform of the adverse possession law to protect private property rights; and an affordable housing program to help low- and middle-income families.

The mother of a combat veteran, active duty Navy pilot, Little was honored to sponsor Patriot Plans I and II, which expanded benefits and services available to New York’s military personnel and their families.

Little first began public service as a member and later Chair of the Town of Queensbury Recreation Commission. In 1986, she was elected to serve as an At-Large-Supervisor to the Warren County Board of Supervisors for the Town of Queensbury, where she served on various committees, including the Warren County Recycling Advisory Committee which she organized and chaired, and as County Budget Officer in 1990 and 1991.

Born in Glens Falls, New York, Senator Little has lived in upstate New York most of her life. The former teacher and realtor now resides in Queensbury and has six children and thirteen grandchildren

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Bits of Everything

How a Sunken Boat Became a National Treasure

Here is a piece from the Saratogian that details the story of the Forward, a boat which sank in Lake George in the the 1930’s, which was just added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is an interesting story.

Senator Little Fights NY Property Tax Cap Proposal

As a followup to yesterday’s post about the proposal to cap NY state payments on their forest reserve property, Senator Little has posted what she is doing to stop this on her website. Keep those emails and calls coming to our elected officials.

Clean Air Increases Longevity

Here is a short article from National Public Radio about something which seems so simple: breathing clean air lets you live longer. No wonder people like it in Huletts.

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Now for Some History – 1925

I came across this brochure from the 1920’s when I was researching my book. Unfortuately, I found it after I had submitted the manuscript and it missed the deadline. It’s interesting to note that it specifically says; “No Dull Days At Huletts, Not Even On Rainy Days”. It’s easy to forget that this was from a time when there wasn’t any TV or Internet and one of the “selling points” was that there was always something to do in Huletts.

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$27 Million is Something to Know About

Previously I had linked to this story about the Governor’s proposal to cap property tax payments on forest preserve land in the Adirondack Park.

North Country Public Radio.

I checked and NY State has over $27 million in assessed property in the Town of Dresden.

This means that, if successful, the Governor will shift a percentage of the tax increases in the future on this land to us – the private property owners in the Town of Dresden.

Here’s what you can do:

Tell the Governor and our representatives that you know about this and it’s not fair and it’s simply not a good idea. NY State made a covenant with the people of NY to pay the taxes on this land when they added it to the forest preserve. It’s worked since 1884, and it shouldn’t be changed now. Tell the Governor when he’s up for reelection, this issue will mean a lot to you.

You can contact the Governor here.

More importantly, if you live in NY, contact both your downstate representative (lookup by zip code on the right) and our Huletts Representative, Tony Jordan, here. Also contact your downstate Senator and our Huletts Senator, Elizabeth Little, here.

Now is the time to speak up. If we don’t, our taxes will be whats going up.

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Inauguration Day – 2009

This is a timeless piece entitled; “America – Why I Love Her”, performed by John Wayne. On Inauguration Day, when we all come together to inaugurate our new President, it’s a great reminder of the special place that is America.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQM1oLnMLNU

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Bits of Everything

Still No Bars – Cell Phone Towers Approved Slowly by APA

Here is a piece from the Adirondack Express that details the Adirondack Park Agency’s policy on cell phone towers and explains the ongoing situation with cell phone towers in the Adirondacks.

Skiers Going Down the Slope – Expected To Go Up

Here is also a good article about the upcoming ski season in NY state. It’s expected to be a good one.

Budget Woes Mean State is Buying Less Land

Here is a short article from the Adirondack Daily Enterprise about how the plan to acquire more property by the state in the Adirondacks is being impacted by the state’s budget crisis.

Lake Ice Looks Good for Winter Carnival.

Here is an article from the Post Star about how the ice on Lake George should be good and thick for the Ice Festival in Lake George Village in February.

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What To Do If You Fall Through The Ice

This is the time of year when people start venturing out onto the ice. However, now is the time to be extra careful. It takes at least 4 inches of ice to hold an average person. Here is a great video explaining ice safety and how to get out of the ice if you happen to fall in. Hopefully this is information you will never need but it’s good to know and it might just save your life.

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List of Catholic Churches to be Closed

Tonight the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany released the list of Catholic churches that will be closed or consolidated.

These were the churches listed in Washington & Warren counties:

Washington County

St. Joseph’s (Fort Edward) and St. Mary’s/St. Paul’s (Hudson Falls) will share a pastor in July, 2010, with both remaining open.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Granville) will close by April 13, 2009.

Warren County

St. Alphonsus (Glens Falls) will close by July 1, 2010.
Immaculate Conception (Corinth) and Holy Infancy (Lake Luzerne) will merge by July 1, 2009 with both to remain open.
St. John the Baptist (Chestertown) and Blessed Sacrament (Hague) will merge by December 31, 2009, with both to remain open.

Read the complete list and statement from the diocese here.

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Saturday Quote

“We are uncertain of the next step,
but we are certain of God.

Immediately we abandon to God, and do the duty that lies nearest.
He packs our life with surprises all the time …

Leave the whole thing to Him.
It is gloriously uncertain how He will come in,
but He will come.”

Oswald Chambers

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Now for Some History -1969


With yesterday’s plane crash into the Hudson River, I was reminded of this sad story, which I had heard about long ago.

The plane crash described here is known as the Crash of Mohawk Airlines Flight 411. It happened in the Lake George basin on November 19, 1969 and is the worst plane crash in Adirondack history.

A twin prop-jet commuter plane (a Fairchild-Hiller 227B) flying from Albany to Glens Falls crashed into Pilot Knob Mountain killing all 14 onboard. The accident is blamed on severe mountain downdrafts and pilot error.

Here is a picture of the airplane a year before the crash.

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Can You Say Cold

Sometimes people ask how cold can it get in Huletts in the winter? Well last night it went lower than -25&#176 F. I grabbed a screen shot to have proof. This is without windchill. This was the actual temperature.

The coldest weather I have ever experienced was one night in the late 1970’s where it reached – 37&#176 F. I remember it to this day because it was painful, the cold went right through you, even if you were bundled up. Road salt doesn’t work at these temperatures, batteries fail and you don’t even want to breath, the air is so cold. Some ski-resorts in Vermont closed yesterday because they said if their lifts stopped working, there wouldn’t be enough time to get people down before they froze. That’s cold.

Think summer.