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Warner Bay Land Now Under Protection of LGLC


The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) recently acquired 13 acres along the edge of the Warner Bay wetlands south of Cleverdale in the Town of Queensbury.

On January 15, the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) closed on the conservation of 13 acres along the edge of the Warner Bay wetlands in the Town of Queensbury. The strip of land adjoins the larger 1,400-acre Dunham Bay Marsh owned and protected by New York State (NYS) Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) since 1980.

The 13-acre property was held by Warren County for unpaid taxes; instead of taking it to auction the County approached the LGLC with the offer of donating the land for conservation purposes.

“We are grateful to the County Supervisors for this generous donation of land,” expressed LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown, “and for entrusting the Lake George Land Conservancy with its care. Protecting wetlands such as these is the most efficient and cost-effective way to protect the water quality of our special lake.”

Located on the south side of Ridge Rd/Rt 9L, the strip of land follows the edge of the wetlands south of Warner Bay, providing a buffer to the sensitive wetlands that can now be monitored by the LGLC to prevent possible dumping or other causes of pollution into the wetlands ecosystem.

The property is 100% freshwater forested/shrub wetland, a portion of which is a specific natural community identified by the NYS Natural Heritage Program as a Black Spruce-Tamarack Bog, which is home to several rare plant and animal species.

Because Lake George flows north, the quality of the water entering the lake through these wetlands is especially important on the health and quality of the lake as a whole.

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Senator Little Begins Ninth Term


State Senator Betty Little sworn in for her ninth term. (Click image for larger view.)

State Senator Betty Little is administered the oath of office by Janet DiFiore, Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, in the New York State Senate Chamber on Wednesday, January 9. Little was joined her son, David, and grandson, Matthew, holding the Bible. Little begins her 9th term in the State Senate, where she serves as the ranking member on the Education Committee, as well as on the Rules, Finance, Health, Environmental Conservation and Housing Committees.

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Empire State Winter Games Comes to Fort Ticonderoga and Surrounding Area January 31- February 3, 2019


Photo provided by the Empire State Winter Games.

Fort Ticonderoga, in partnership with the Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce, will host the first stop of the 39th Empire State Winter Games (ESWG) torch relay on January 31, 2019 from 6:45-8:45 am. As part of this celebration, local dignitaries and state officials, as well as torch runners, will be in attendance to speak about the 2019 Games and their impact on the state of New York. During the ceremony, Fort Ticonderoga museum staff will provide demonstrations including historic trades. Following the ceremony, dignitaries, state officials, and torch runners will be available for interviews.

ESWG is a multi-day sports event hosted in the Adirondack Park, New York that brings together athletes from across New York State and beyond to compete in over 30 winter sports events. The 2018 Games included more than 2,100 athletes of all ages, including master divisions, and the 2019 Games are expected to exceed that number.

“Fort Ticonderoga is delighted to be part of the torch relay for the Empire State Winter Games,” said Beth L. Hill Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “As one of our nation’s most iconic places, it brings us great joy to welcome the torch runners and community to the historic grounds.”

The Empire State Winter Games is a community-driven event, courtesy of a partnership between the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST); the towns of North Elba, Wilmington, Tupper Lake, Harrietstown, Malone, and Brighton; the villages of Lake Placid, Tupper Lake, Paul Smiths, Malone, Wilmington, and Saranac Lake; the counties of Essex and Franklin; the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority, and New York State Senator Betty Little. Sport venues are located in Lake Placid, Wilmington, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Malone, and Paul Smiths. Venues include: Lake Placid Olympic Center Herb Brooks Arena, Lake Placid Olympic Jumping and Sliding complexes, Mid’s Park in Lake Placid, Whiteface Mountain, Paul Smith’s College, Paul Smith’s College VIC, Saranac Lake Civic Center Ice Rink, Dewey Mountain Recreation Area, Tupper Lake Memorial Civic Center, Olympic Cross Country and Biathlon Center, Titus Mountain, and Mount Pisgah. LPECQD, Inc, a subsidiary of ROOST, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit and is fiscally responsible for the Empire State Winter Games.

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Saturday Quote

“I think lunchtime is about the worst time of day for me. Always having to sit here alone. Of course, sometimes, mornings aren’t so pleasant either. Waking up and wondering if anyone would really miss me if I never got out of bed. Then there’s the night, too. Lying there and thinking about all the stupid things I’ve done during the day. And all those hours in between when I do all those stupid things. Well, lunchtime is among the worst times of the day for me. Well, I guess I’d better see what I’ve got. Peanut butter. Some psychiatrists say that people who eat peanut butter sandwiches are lonely…I guess they’re right. And when you’re really lonely, the peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth. There’s that cute little red-headed girl eating her lunch over there. I wonder what she would do if I went over and asked her if I could sit and have lunch with her?…She’d probably laugh right in my face…it’s hard on a face when it gets laughed in. There’s an empty place next to her on the bench. There’s no reason why I couldn’t just go over and sit there. I could do that right now. All I have to do is stand up…I’m standing up!…I’m sitting down. I’m a coward. I’m so much of a coward, she wouldn’t even think of looking at me. She hardly ever does look at me. In fact, I can’t remember her ever looking at me. Why shouldn’t she look at me? Is there any reason in the world why she shouldn’t look at me? Is she so great, and I’m so small, that she can’t spare one little moment?…SHE’S LOOKING AT ME!! SHE’S LOOKING AT ME!! (he puts his lunchbag over his head.) …Lunchtime is among the worst times of the day for me. If that little red-headed girl is looking at me with this stupid bag over my head she must think I’m the biggest fool alive. But, if she isn’t looking at me, then maybe I could take it off quickly and she’d never notice it. On the other hand…I can’t tell if she’s looking, until I take it off! Then again, if I never take it off I’ll never have to know if she was looking or not. On the other hand…it’s very hard to breathe in here. (he removes his sack) Whew! She’s not looking at me! I wonder why she never looks at me? Oh well, another lunch hour over with…only 2,863 to go.”

“I think lunchtime is about the worst time of day for me.” – Charlie Brown from ‘You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown’

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Dresden 2019 Town Budget Posted

The 2019 town budget for Dresden has been posted on the town website. It is large download encompassing many pages, but here is a basic summary.

The total appropriations for 2019 is $1,179,915. This is a 3.8% increase from 2018 when appropriations stood at $1,136,719. However, there is a decrease of -1.6% in the money raised from taxes from $808,344 to $805,332.

The Dresden and Huletts fire companies both received an increase of $5,000. Page 12 lists the salaries of all town officials.

Many thanks to Dresden Supervisor Paul Ferguson and the entire Dresden Town Board for working so hard to make this tax decrease possible this year.

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Saturday Quote

“The mark of a great shiphandler is never getting into situations that require great shiphandling.”

Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King – Commander in Chief, United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations during World War II.

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Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) Officially Sworn In


Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (left), officially swears in Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) (right). (Click image to see full-scale.)

Thursday, January 3, 2019, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) was officially sworn in to represent New York’s 21st district in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 116th Congress.