New York State Thruway Moves to Cashless Tolls
If you traveled to Huletts within the past two weeks on the New York State Thruway, you may have noticed that all tolls are now cashless. Beginning at 1:00 am on Saturday November 14, 2020 – the New York State Thruway – a 570-mile highway – converted to an entirely cashless toll system.
All employee-staffed toll booths will be replaced with overhead gantries outfitted with cameras and sensors to capture license plate numbers as motorists zoom by.
As motorists come on and off the Thruway, gantries will record their locations and bill them accordingly, without requiring them to stop or slow down on the roadway, or complete a cash transaction.
Overhead cameras will snap photos of license plates so drivers can be billed by mail and EZ-pass will handle cashless payments. In the coming months, all toll booths will be removed and road configurations will be changed. All toll plazas should be removed by the end of 2021.
Tolls have been collected on the New York State Thruway since 1954.
Wilderness Rescue on Black Mountain
A helicopter wilderness rescue on top of Black Mountain in Dresden.
On Nov. 14 at 12:30 p.m., Washington County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch reporting a hiker with a non-weight bearing knee injury on the trail near the summit of Black Mountain. Forest Rangers Baker, O’Connor, Donegan, Bode, and Hess responded, along with Dresden Fire Department and Skenesborough EMS, to the trailhead. Forest Ranger Donegan was the first on scene with the 46-year-old woman from South Glens Falls and requested the assistance of New York State Police Aviation. Forest Ranger DiCintio responded to the Schroon Airfield, and at 4:48 p.m., advised that he linked up with New York State Police Aviation and was en route to the hiker’s location. At dusk, NYSP Aviation performed a power-on landing at the summit of Black Mountain and the injured woman was loaded into the helicopter. The hiker was flown to a local airport where she was turned over to an ambulance for transport to the hospital for medical treatment.
DEC Announces Seasonal Closure of Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Parkway
A view from Prospect Mountain, looking down into Lake George Village, at the southern end of Lake George.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced that the Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Parkway will close for the 2020 season at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11th.
Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Parkway climbs 5.5-miles from the entry gate to a parking lot just below the summit. There are three separate overlooks along the parkway – the Narrows, Lake George, and Eagle’s Eye – from which to enjoy the scenery of the Adirondack Mountains and Lake George. More adventurous visitors can hike to the summit on a 1.5-mile trail, which climbs 1,630 feet from its trailhead on Smith Street in the village of Lake George.
Prior to the seasonal closure, DEC helped to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at this site by implementing several precautions, including closing the roadway to the summit of Prospect Mountain to public vehicle traffic and not operating the shuttle from the parking lot to the summit. Visitors can park in the parking lot 155 feet below the summit and walk the 0.2-mile paved path to the top. Picnicking is prohibited and the public restrooms remain closed. View scopes at the pull-offs and on the summit have been temporarily removed.
Use of the parkway has been free this year as DEC encourages New Yorkers to Play Smart, Play Safe, Play Local and enjoy the outdoors responsibly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Typically, use of the parkway costs $10 for a car, $5 for a motorcycle, and $50 for a commercial bus.
If you’ve never been up Prospect Mountain, it offers beautiful views of Lake George, and is worth the trip.
DEC Statewide Forest Ranger Highlights
Town of Bolton
Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 31 at 1:28 p.m., Warren County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch requesting Forest Ranger assistance with an ill hiker on the trail in North West Bay on Lake George. The caller advised that a 27-year-old woman from Katonah was conscious, but not responsive. Forest Ranger Donegan responded, along with members of the Bolton Fire Department and EMS squad using their fire boat from Green Island. The hiker was located at 2:15 p.m., and carried onto the fire boat by Forest Rangers, members of the Lake George Park Commission, and Bolton Fire and EMS. On the boat, the subject was transported to the landing zone to be airlifted to a local hospital by New York State Police Aviation. The incident concluded at 4:15 p.m.
Governor Cuomo Announces New Travel Policy
During his daily press briefing on Saturday, Governor Cuomo announced a new travel policy which will require all people traveling from out of State to be tested for the COVID-19 virus. The new policy requires all persons entering New York to have proof of having had a COVID test performed within the last three days. Then, upon arriving in New York, all travelers must quarantine for three days and then take another (second) COVID test on the fourth day. If the test yields a positive result, such persons must remain in quarantine. People that choose not to get tested on the fourth day must remain in quarantine for the full 14 days. The new policy does not apply to people traveling to and from contiguous states (NJ, PA, CT).
Plastic Bag Ban Now Being Enforced in New York State
New York State’s s ban on single-use plastic bags went into effect earlier this year, but the state officially began to enforce the rule on Monday, October 19, following a seven-month pause.
The ban took effect on March 1 of this year but was not enforced until now because of a lawsuit by plastic bag manufacturers (in addition to the coronavirus pandemic). The New York State Supreme Court struck down the lawsuit last month but said businesses need 30 days’ notice to prepare for the enforcement of the ban.
DEC Statewide Forest Ranger Highlights
Town of Bolton
Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 2 at 9:30 p.m., Warren County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch from two hikers who became disoriented on Pole Hill Pond. The hikers, from Brookhaven, did not have a light source or warm clothing with them as temperatures dropped. Dispatch advised the hikers to stay where they were until help arrived. Warren County 911 shared coordinates to the hikers’ location as their only working cell phone battery died. Forest Rangers Donegan and Kabrehl responded to assist, arriving on scene at 10:30 p.m. Voice contact was made at 12:15 a.m., and the hikers were found off the trail at 12:33 a.m. Forest Rangers escorted the couple back to their vehicle at the trailhead.
Town of Bolton
Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 3 at 7:53 p.m., Warren County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch from a hiker stating that she and her eight-year-old daughter were stuck on the trail for Pole Hill Pond. The hiker stated that they did not have any light sources and that she had fallen, causing minor injuries. Forest Rangers Donegan and Kabrehl responded to the pair’s location along with Bolton Fire and EMS. Rangers proceeded up to the trail to locate the stranded family from Saratoga Springs and Ranger Donegan advised that he was with the pair at 10:48 p.m. After being assessed by Rangers, the mother and daughter were provided light sources and safely escorted back to the trailhead. At 10:58 p.m., the incident concluded and all emergency service providers were cleared the scene.
DEC Announces Sentencing of Saranac Man for Illegal Taking of Moose
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced the sentencing of a Saranac man for illegally poaching a moose in October 2019. On Sept. 3, 2020, DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement investigation into the moose poaching concluded when Zachary Vaughan, 26, of Saranac, New York, was sentenced in the Town of Franklin Criminal Court to 60 days in county jail and $5,525 in fines and surcharges. DEC also revoked Vaughan’s hunting privileges for five years.
DEC’s investigation began on Oct. 31, 2019, when ECO Favreau received a call from a camp member in the Chateaugay Highlands Easement reporting a dead cow moose on the property. The moose was transported to DEC’s Delmar Wildlife Resource Lab for a necropsy. The crime scene investigation continued with the aid of DEC K9 Diesel. Following a series of anonymous calls and an anonymous tip reported to the DEC Environmental Crime Tip-Line, Zachary Vaughan was identified as the shooter.
While Vaughan initially denied the claims, ECOs obtained a supporting deposition. A search warrant was executed on Nov. 26, 2019, by DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement at the home of Vaughan and his parents, during which officers obtained a voluntary statement from Vaughan regarding the poaching incident. On Dec. 4, 2019, Vaughan was charged with four misdemeanors: taking of a moose; possessing a loaded firearm in a vehicle; use of an artificial light in a vehicle while in possession of firearm; and hunting deer with the aid of an artificial light. He also was charged with three additional Environmental Conservation Law violations.
The moose, a protected mammal in New York State, is the largest member of the deer family and the largest land mammal in New York. Hunting moose in New York State is illegal.
State Senate Approves Adirondack ‘Road Salt ’ Study
Senator Betty Little welcomes county and town highway superintendents in her Albany office on their annual “Local Roads Matter!” Advocacy Day. Little, who is retiring from the Senate at the end of the year, was presented a personalized work helmet in recognition of her years of support for increased funding for local roads and bridge projects.
The State Senate today gave final legislative approval of legislation to create a task force and pilot-program study with the goal of reducing the amount of road salt applied to state highways in the Adirondack Park each winter.
Senator Betty Little and Western New York Senator Tim Kennedy, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, sponsored the legislation, which passed the Assembly on Monday.
“When it comes to keeping our lakes, rivers and streams and water wells clean, the old adage of an ‘ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure’ certainly fits,” said Little.
“The good news, as we’ve seen in municipalities such as Lake George where there has been a tremendous focus on this issue, is that newer equipment and utilizing technology is helping our local highway departments do their incredibly important work of keeping our roadways safe while cutting back on road salt usage. My hope is that we can do the same throughout the Park. A comprehensive study, including a pilot program, would give us the data we need to develop best practices.”
Little said the Adirondack Watershed Institute at Paul Smith’s College has studied the issue for numerous years and found hundreds of instances of high sodium contamination in wells downslope of state highways with some exceeding federal standards for safe drinking. High salinity can contribute to high blood pressure and destroy plumbing and household appliances, pollute streams, rivers and lakes and negatively impact wildlife and soil quality.
The “Randy Preston Road Salt Reduction Act,” named in honor of the long-time Wilmington Supervisor and Adirondack champion who passed away last July, would create a 14-member task force of appointed state and local stakeholders. The task force would conduct a thorough review of road salt application within the Adirondack Park and provide a public report to the governor and State Legislature with recommendations of road salt reduction targets and best management practices by September 1, 2021.
That report would inform the road salt reduction pilot plan and test program to be led by the Department of Transportation in cooperation with the Department of Environmental Conservation. Between October 15 and June 30, beginning 2021 through 2024, the pilot plan would test best management practices on all state-owned roadways within the boundary of the Adirondack Park. A variety of application techniques and road management strategies would be tested while monitoring surface and ground water.
Following the completion of the pilot plan and test, the DOT and DEC would submit a report to the governor and State Legislature by August 30, 2024, detailing the impact on road safety and water quality in the Adirondack Park.
The bill will return to the Assembly before being delivered to Governor Andrew Cuomo for consideration.
Power Issues Strike Huletts
After hearing about dimming lights and fans running slower the last few days, I spotted a National Grid truck last night and inquired about what was going on.
The National Grid person admitted that most homes in Huletts are only getting about 90 volts of electricity. The reason is two-fold: consumption is way up and the line coming over the mountain only has so much capacity. In other words, there is too much demand for the supply National Grid has available.
So please monitor and watch your power consumption.
Lake George Island Camping Reopens
The DEC continues to announce re-openings of campgrounds in the region. Yesterday, June 19th, the DEC opened Narrow Island, Glen Island and Long Island, to process Island camping reservations.
Look here for the most updated information: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7820.html
NYS Coronavirus Update
A fact: New York state, which once had the highest number of cases in the nation, now has the nation’s lowest rate of transmission (Rt) — at just 0.77. An Rt of 1 or higher means that COVID-19 is increasing — an Rt of below 1 means it is decreasing.
Why is New York one of the rare few where case numbers continue to decline even as the state reopens? Governor Cuomo believes it’s because of New Yorkers’ discipline and caution — including the widespread wearing of face masks. We must continue to be disciplined. If we stay the course, we will avoid the “second waves” that other countries are now grappling with.
The number of COVID hospitalizations continues to decline. Yesterday total hospitalizations fell to 1,898, from 2,042 the day before. Sadly we lost 42 New Yorkers to the virus.
Elsewhere:
Finley, the 6-year-old Golden Retriever from Canandaigua, NY, who was recognized by Guinness World Records for being able to hold a record six tennis balls in his mouth with no assistance, finally received his certification. He even broke his own record and is able to hold seven tennis balls in his mouth. Congratulations again to this very good dog on his world record!
NYS Coronavirus Update
The number of new COVID hospitalizations is dropping steadily. Total hospitalizations dropped to 2,978, from 3,121 the day before. Tuesday, New York had 135 new COVID hospitalizations, down from 154 the day before. Yesterday 49 New Yorkers died of the virus — the lowest number since March.
Outdoor dining at restaurants will be permitted in Phase 2 of reopening. Restaurants in the seven regions that have already entered Phase 2 — including our own Capital Region can reopen for outdoor dining beginning tomorrow, June 4th.
NYS Executive Order (not a mandate) Allows Store Owners to Deny Entry to People Without Masks Governor Cuomo announced an executive order last week that will allow private owners to refuse service to people who are not wearing a mask. “We are giving store owners the right to say, ‘If you’re not wearing a mask, you can’t come in,'” Cuomo said. It is not a law or a mandate. You do not have to refuse service to someone wearing a mask, but it allows you to do so if you choose.