News & Opinion About Huletts Landing, N.Y.
Budget Cuts (& Falling Enrollment) Mean School District Must Reduce Spending
The Post Star reports on the cuts that the Whitehall School District is facing.
Some Rest Stops to be Closed
It looks like those on the NY State Thruway will be spared but others won’t. Read about it in the Times Union.
In this undated photo, Sugarloaf Mountain and Black Mountain can be seen from Sabbath Day Point. (Click on the image to see full scale.)
A number of people have requested this, so I’ve gone ahead and added a Calendar to the top menu which will bring you to an embedded Google calendar on its own page. I’m going to be testing this over the next couple of weeks. If you single click an event, you will get a pop-up box with more details of the event.
I just have some Town Board and School Board meetings in it so far but hopefully this will grow. If you have an event that you want me to add, just drop me a comment.
I received an email today which basically said; “Why has everything been so quiet on the Current lately.”
Well, please don’t forget that January is not the time when things are really busy in Huletts.
I know it’s been quiet recently, but I’ve been working on some stories and interviews which I’ll be posting shortly. I’ve also been working on a calender page, that I hope to debut soon.
I’ve also been getting ready to migrate the site to our new “green server” which will take place in February.
So don’t worry, things will start to pickup soon and the summer is definitely getting closer!
January 20th is the anniversary of the birth of Philander Hulett, who is widely credited with building the steamship landing in the hamlet that now bears his name.
I thought today, being January 20th, would be a great time to reflect on the life of Philander Hulett. As the caption above notes, today is the 184th anniversary of his birth. While there were other Huletts living in the area before him, he is widely credited with undertaking those things which literally put Huletts Landing on the map.
He built the steamship landing and the original Post Office. He was the first Postmaster and he expanded the Hulett farmhouse and brought tourists to the area.
Any of these things would have been a lot for one person but he did them all. I think it’s safe to say he was a person who got things done. By today’s standards he died relatively young at the age of 64 but during the 1800’s this was considered to be quite an advanced age.
He lived during an age when people admired those who accomplished great things. The time in which he lived was a time of religious fervor with many intriguing religious happenings going on locally. His father, Harvey Hulett, served as Town Supervisor of Dresden for a short period of time. He would eventually sell his property, move to Florida, but would return before he died. We can only imagine what the area was like when he lived here but the cemetery in which he is buried was at one time, the Hulett family cemetery.
While nothing is known about his temperament, his actions would directly and indirectly lead to the beautiful community which exists today on the east shore of Lake George. To accomplish what he did, it took initiative, hard work and motivation. So today, on the anniversary of his birth, it is only proper and fitting to honor the man, Philander Hulett.
Post Star Reports on Proposed Huletts Cell Tower
The Post Star and the Wash Blog both report on the proposed cell phone tower in Huletts.
Whitehall’s Slide Continues, Jewelry Suspects Caught, Others Burn
The Whitehall Times had two stories of note this week. On one night a
jewelry heist is stopped with the burglars running down the road with a display case and on another night cars are torched.
APA Considering Delegating New Boathouse Rules to Lake George Park Commission.
The Adirondack Almanack reports that the APA is speaking to the Lake George Park Commission about enforcing their new proposed boathouse rules. The bigger question is why are new rules necessary when this has no bearing on water quality?
Washington County Business
The Post Star was at the most recent meeting of the Washington County Board of Supervisors.
Paul Smith’s New Cell Phone Tower Resembles Tree
Paul Smith’s College, The College of the Adirondacks, just released this video showing off their new cell phone tower. If they can get one, hopefully Hulett’s can get one soon also.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEqkiHf8T1E
Can You Say Cold?
I grabbed this screen shot of the temperature this morning to have proof.
Residents Lash Out at APA Boathouse Proposal
Even the local press is now beginning to recognize the extreme anti-people agenda at the Adirondack Park Agency. This Post Star article shows how the proposed APA boathouse regulations have nothing to do with the environment. They are only being proposed to stop people from enjoying the waterfront. Lake George Park Commission Chairman Bruce Young even spoke out against them.
The comments came not only from residents who live and work in the Adirondack Park, but from officials such as Town Supervisor Frank McCoy, town Planning Board member John Carr, former Bolton Supervisor Alexander “Zandy” Gabriels and even Bruce Young, the chairman of the Lake George Park Commission.
“It’s a terrible burden on the property owners. We shouldn’t have to put up with this,” Young said.
Read the whole thing here. When the Fund for Lake George even admits; “We don’t see a water quality benefit,” you know there’s a problem.
I received a 1st public notice letter from the Adirondack Park Agency today which stated:
The Adirondack Park Agency received an application on December 28, 2009 from AT&T Mobility Corporation for a project proposed in the Town of Dresden, Washington County, on or near County Route 6 …. The tax map number of the property site is: Section 26.8 Block 3 Parcel 18 (The firehouse).
The project is briefly described as follows: installation of a 100 foot stealth monopole with three flush mounted antenna centered at 84 feet in height with room for two additional carriers to be located below. The monopole will be installed behind the new firehouse with equipment to be located inside the firehouse.
This is a very positive development which is a win-win-win for everyone. It’s a great development for anyone who wants to use a cell phone in Huletts, it’s added revenue for the Huletts Volunteer Fire Company, and it’s a huge safety precaution in the event of an emergency. I imagine it would also give cell phone service to a good number of boaters on Lake George. In addition, the pole will be almost completely invisible.
Unfortunately, the Adirondack Park Agency is great at preventing ideas that assist people in living their lives and helping communities thrive. This is a no-brainer, so from this moment on, I will start counting the days from when this application was received until the project is approved. I’ll keep everyone updated.
Redo: Can You Hear Me Now? Not from Huletts
Update 1/10/2010 7:47 a.m.
I was just learned that there is a story about the Huletts Landing cell tower in the January issue of the Lake George Mirror.
The Lake George Association’s Floating Classroom will visit Huletts Landing twice during the summer of 2010, courtesy of the Friends of Historic Huletts.
I’m pleased to announce that the Friends of Historic Huletts have arranged for the Lake George Association’s Floating Classroom to visit Huletts twice this upcoming summer. For those unfamiliar with this great program, it is literally a boat which serves as a “floating classroom” where individuals can learn more about the lake’s ecology.
It is a great day for young and old, where one can learn about the unique nature of Lake George and what can done to preserve the lake. The boat can hold up to 40 people and will visit once in July and once in August. I will post further details as we get closer to the summer. Thank you Friends of Historic Huletts for arranging for this great summer program.
To read more about the LGA’s new floating classroom, read the LGA’s flyer here.
Before you take a girl and say ‘I do’ now
Make sure she’s in love with a-you now
Make sure that her love is true now
I’d hate to see you feelin’ sad and blue now’
My Mama told me
‘You better shop around’Shop Around – SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES
Our newly elected Dresden town councilmen, Wayne Barrett and Arthur Borin, raised their right hands and said “I do”, officially being sworn into office on Saturday afternoon, January 2, 2010. Town Supervisor Banks administered the oath of office and Town Clerk, Marci Wilbur, completed the official paperwork. Congratulations to both Mr. Barrett and Mr. Borin. Their love for the town should be apparent to all.
I would also like to thank outgoing town council member, Joanne Farley, for her 4 years of service on the board. She was instrumental in keeping the Washington County Beach open and working to keep taxes low. Her hard work and dedication will be missed.
With so many media outlets declaring their top new stories for 2009, the Huletts Current continues the practice by naming the top story for Huletts Landing during the past year.
The Huletts Current pick for the top story of 2009 was the dredging and removal of the delta that had formed at the mouth of Foster Brook over many years. This major project, which was years in the making, was not only a significant investment in the environment, but was also a commitment to life and the enjoyment of Lake George. We name it “Top Story of Huletts 2009” and congratulate all those who were part of this great undertaking.
Contractor Don Kingsley (red shirt, second from left) stands with his son-in-law, Jeff (far left), son, Don (with yellow shirt), and Randy Rath, Project Manager for the Lake George Association (far right). The Lake George Association, the Town of Dresden and countless concerned citizens worked for many years to make the dredging of Foster Brook a reality.
Huletts had a few big stories this past year. The grand opening of the new and improved Huletts Casino and the Dresden town election were two of the biggest news items in our community. There were other newsworthy items that could be included also. However, the single biggest story was the completion of the dredging of Foster Brook. This project was years in the making, but in 2009 it finally happened.
For many years, erosion and severe storms had formed a delta at the mouth of Foster Brook as it entered Lake George. The project needed numerous permits from various state agencies not only for the work to be done in Lake George but also alongside the banks of Foster Brook. Approximately 3 years ago, work was completed by the Town of Dresden and the Lake George Association on a catch basin in Foster Brook and alongside the stream’s banks. However, the clogged mouth prevented the situation from improving.
Many obstacles were encountered along the way to finally completing the project this year, but they were overcome by the hard-work of many who were also sensitive to preserving and protecting the environment. So to the many true stewards of the environment, including the Lake George Association, the Town of Dresden, and the countless citizens and community members who worked to bring this project to completion in 2009, the Huletts Current recognizes your contribution to the “Landing” by naming the dredging and removal of the delta at the mouth of Foster Brook as the “Top Story of Huletts 2009”. Teamwork and citizen participation won out!
Before
After
Bolton’s fire/rescue boat at dock this past summer. Many fire departments around the lake have fire/rescue boats in the event of an emergency.
While it may be winter, here is something to think about. Huletts Landing has numerous miles of shoreline on Lake George, with many waterfront homes difficult to get to. One piece of equipment that would be helpful in the event of a fire on the lake would be our own fire/rescue boat. The number of homes along town’s lakeshore, and the growing needs for water protection for recreational boaters, are the essential reasons why a fire/rescue boat should be considered.
Some of the homes in Huletts are quite difficult to reach by land and in many cases it would be quicker to bring a boat around the lakeside of a house in the event of a fire.
Additionally, unlike the ability for victims to run from a burning building, those fleeing a burning boat can quickly fall victim to drowning and fatigue until they are safely on board a vessel.
The town of Hague purchased a fire/rescue boat last year and while it is certainly an extra precaution, in a town such as ours, it is certainly something worth considering.
Here is a video of a fireboat in action that I found on YouTube.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZsW3IPeQA
DEC Demands Lake George Village Make Sewage Upgrades
The Adirondack Almanack has a good story about some improvements that will hopefully be made in Lake George Village.
Small Town Vulnerable: USPS loses $3.8 billion for Year as Volume Falls
The Washington Post reports on the problems at the U.S. Postal Service because of falling mail volume. Remember, please buy your postage form the Huletts Post Office.
Have Yourself a Microscopic Christmas: The World’s Smallest Snowman
Just in time with the first snow, Mail Online has pictures of the world’s smallest snowman.
Old Lake Champlain Bridge: Demolition Soon; Public Invited to Safely View ‘Implosion’
Denton Publications Online lets everyone know the meeting schedule today in Ticonderoga where it will be announced what is going on with the Lake Champlain bridge.