News & Opinion About Huletts Landing, N.Y.
While this story happened on the west coast of Canada, this mother deserves some type of big award:
Mother fought off cougar to save toddler from attack
However it got me thinking about the possibility of cougars/mountain lions living in the Adirondacks. The Adirondack Almanack did a good story on this some time ago.
Google has recently launched a new tool designed to help web users find public data buried in hard-to-find government web sites.
The new service, called Google Public Data, is an effort to make information from all levels of government accessible to citizens.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qt2n34VEr4
I personally would like to see all Adirondack Park Agency decisions including permits, non-jurisdictional letters and any determination made by the agency in it’s entire history available online and searchable by topic, year, town, county, etc.
The Adirondack Park Agency has been criticized for having little regard for administrative law, making different determinations based on arbitrary findings and in many cases making entirely inconsistent rulings. This is a major reason why the APA encounters so much resistance from local communities. These criticisms could be easily proven untrue if all of the APA’s decisions were online. In this day and age it is unfathomable that the APA cannot organize its permit and non-jurisdictional rulings online in a searchable and open manner.
Google along with Wikipedia and Amazon have all been trying to make it easier to find government information on the web. In 2002, the E-Government Act mandated governmental agencies to make information more accessible electronically but many have complained that federal and state agencies do not organize their sites so they can be easily indexed by search engines.
Sadly, the Adirondack Park Agency lives in the digital wilderness. Their determinations are not online or searchable at all through their website. Google can’t find them because they’re simply not there.
The citizens of New York clearly deserve better.
National Grid Says Enough
While National Grid says they have enough electricity for the summer season, please conserve when you can.
DEC Decides High Profile Road Case
The Lake Placid News reports that the DEC has ruled in the interesting case of Lake Placid Snowmobile Club President, Jim McCulley, driving his truck on an old Town Road.
Jimmy Hoffa Would Be Proud
The Post Star reports that Washington County recycling station workers have joined the Teamsters. I will not make a joke about about the mafia and the trash hauling business!
Hopefully, They Won’t Look in the Garbage.
This is the story about trash hauling.
Whitehall School Budget Set For Vote
The Whitehall Times has a good piece on the school budget up for vote next week. I’ll have more analysis over the weekend.
Mammals, Mammals, Everywhere
The Adirondack Almanack has a really interesting piece on the number of mammals in the Adirondacks. It has some great statistics about the moose and bear populations.
NY Post Picks Lake George
Lake George is ranked # 2 in a NY Post survey of inexpensive destinations close to NY City. Then again, you know that!
Made in the Adirondacks: Coming Soon
Denton Publications has a story about an idea to create a logo that can be applied to things made in the Adirondacks.
Rachel Ray Returns to Lake George
She remembers where she came from. Here is a story from the Post Star about Rachel Ray returning home to Lake George for a fundraiser.
Washington County Puts Parcels Up For Sale
Washington County is really making an effort to cut back and raise revenue apart from hitting up the taxpayers. Read the Post Star article here.
Hudson River Dedging to Start this Week
The spot that they’re digging up is very close to the Washington County Building. Channel 13 reports here.
Washington County Gets Serious About Saving Money
This is good to see. Washington County sees that they have to cut back. Read the Wash Blog.
The Adirondack Museum Opens on May 22
The Adirondack Almanack tells you all you need to know about the museum’s great new exhibits and 2009 schedule.
Saratoga’s 2009 Schedule
While we’re on the subject of fun things to do in 2009, here is Saratoga’s racing schedule for 2009.
The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Take Two
Ever heard that Japanese knotweed or garlic mustard threaten the Adirondacks? Well they do. Read the Adirondack Alamanacks’ article on how the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP) was one of 26 projects across New York State to receive the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s highest honor: the Environmental Quality Award.
This is Wrong: NY State as the Godfather
The State of NY has gone off the deep end with this move. Expect more businesses to leave NY over this one.
Washington County Sales Tax Down
This is not good news for next years Washington County Budget.
Off Roaders Travel the Road Less Traveled
This is an interesting piece from Channel 9 about off-road highway users who drive on ancient town roads through state forest just to keep them open. The DEC doesn’t like this.
National News
Maryland School Boy Builds New Type of Computer
This is such a great story because it’s what makes the U.S. a leader in innovation and technology. A 17 year old Maryland boy has built a computer out of spare parts and a fish tank which uses mineral oil to cool itself after being told it would never work. Why on earth would he want to do it? He just wanted to prove he could. This is the type of device which will most likely lead to other advances in computing. Bravos to young, Brandon Glorioso, who demonstrates first hand where innovation comes from. Read the whole article.
PSA’s on the Swine Flu from the 1970’s
I found this and thought it was applicable today. The only problem is there isn’t a vaccine for the current strain yet. Follow Mom’s advice and wash your hands and use a tissue until one becomes available.
Now is the peak of the brush fire “season”. North Country Public Radio aired this piece on all the recent brush fires in the Adirondacks lately, so this old public service announcement on forest fire prevention is actually quite relevant today.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdUQrGht7NE
Adirondack Almanack Celebrates 4th Anniversary
We received this press release from the Adirondack Almanack Blog celebrating 4 years in the blogosphere. If you want to keep current with Adirondack issues, stop and check out the Adirondack Almanack.
Watch Out – Work on Route 149 Slows Things Down
When traveling to Huletts during the week, be aware that there is work going on on Route 149 between the Northway and Fort Ann that will slow you down. There is a flagman and one lane is closed so that traffic both ways has to share a single lane. This work is only on weekdays, so if you’re traveling on a weekend it will be quicker.
What Happens if the Special Congressional Election Ends in a Tie?
The Saratogian had a good article about what will happen if the special congressional election ends in a tie. No coin flip here. While we’re on the subject of flipping coins, does anyone else think that Scott Murphy looks like the character, Harvey Dent, from Batman?
Fighting the Flu Right Here in the Adirondacks
Adirondack Life Magazine has an enlightening piece about the Trudeau Institute. The Trudeau Institute is an Adirondack research facility dedicated to studying the flu and preventing the next influenza pandemic. The article has some great info on the Spanish flu of 1919 that claimed roughly 50 million lives. The article has some interesting facts about how the 1919 outbreak affected the Adirondacks.
Theodore Roosevelt, as the former Governor of New York, who would go onto serve as President starting in 1901 when William McKinley was assassinated while he was Vice-President, had many friends throughout the Adirondacks.
This is an excerpt from the Warrensburg News from July 19, 1903 entitled; The Presidents Guest, Mike Cronin Tells of his Visit to the White House, Exchanged Opinions with Chief Executive on Various Important Subjects
“I got to the White House all right and I tell you the President made me feel right at home. We spent two solid hours talking and some of the biggest in the land had to sit outside and twirl their hats.”
“It may (seem) conceited in me to say it, but the President and I are interested in many of the same subjects. We talked about good roads – our ride when President McKinley lay dying led up to it – the protection of the Adirondack forests and the necessity of the state purchasing lands that are for sale and dedicating them to the public comfort as a play ground and health resort.”
“The President said that people should be careful about fires and that every citizen should extend his utmost power to prevent them, each man constituting himself a fire warden, an especial protector of this great means of earning a livelihood.”
“Well to change the subject, the President asked, “How’s Mrs. Cronin? And Rosey? And Katherine? And Arthur? And Add?” He remembered them all.
“Well Mr. Roosevelt,” I said, “you see I believe in your idea of an American’s duty in welcoming all the little ones that come along.”
“That’s all right,” he said, “I admire you for it.”
“You have got me beaten by one though sir.”
“Don’t worry about that,” said he, “you’ll be catching up to me the first thing you know.”
“After our little chat he sent me to the House of Representatives with his private secretary.”
“Don’t think for a minute I am stuck on myself,” apologized Mike, “or that I think I’m a better man than I was before I was entertained by the President. But I’m so tickled over the way he treated me, just as if I was his own brother, that I can’t help letting the gladness stick out.”
“But I wouldn’t change places with the President. I have less responsibility and a pleasanter place to live. His life is a hard one.”