Fort Ticonderoga

While this video is about 3 months old, I thought it was appropriate to share on Veterans Day. It illustrates what is happening to the surrounding economy when taxes go up and tourism starts to dry up. Fort Ticonderoga is a non-profit corporation but they sustain the museum in large part through visitor patronage. The next time you’re in Huletts in the summer, it’s a great day trip especially if you like history.

Let Your Christmas Cards & Packages Begin in Huletts

It looks like for the first time in history the U.S. Postal Service will eliminate jobs. Small Post Offices are rated not only by the amount of mail that they disburse, but also by the amount of postage that they sell. While the Postal Service has not indicated that they will close any Post Offices at this time, we encourage you to buy your postage from the Huletts branch. It means much more to them, than some giant suburban branch. So if you send a check to Postmaster, Huletts Landing, you will receive your postage in a few days.

So before you begin your holiday mailings, drop Pam a note and thank her for the wonderful job she does and buy a few Christmas and priority mail stamps from her at the same time.

Admit It – You Always Wanted To Be A Fireman

Just this week, we received this appeal from the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company. The fire company needs your assistance in meeting their fundraising goals. Please help support this worthwhile cause. Almost all the local fire companies are struggling to find volunteer firefighters because so many people have left the area to find jobs and the high property taxes are killing the local economy. Please consider coming out to the firehouse the next time you’re in Huletts and joining the fire company. You’ll even get a card designating you as a fire fighter if you join. Send your donation to:

Treasurer
Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company
P.O. Box 59
Huletts Landing, NY 12841

It’s a Snap

While winter is getting close, one of our reoccurring topics will be spottings of local wildlife. This picture was submitted by Ed Briody of a snapping turtle he came across this past summer. It may have been looking for a place to lay eggs and yes it did snap at him (but only when provoked).

Snapper

Washington County Budget Criticized by Post Star

This from the Post Star on Washington County’s 2009 Proposed Budget:

“You know when it snows, and they say on the radio that only “essential employees” must report to work? How about counties start their budgeting with the premise that only essential government employees, services and functions be preserved? Washington County must have some fat in the budget. So what do they decide to hack? The night sheriff’s patrol. Other than forcing cutting back on some car purchases and park hours, what else did Washington County do of any significance to save taxpayers money? Oh wait. They did come up with a hiring freeze they hope will save taxpayers $100,000 next year. But in a $117.3 million budget, that’s less than 1/10th of 1 percent. One hundred out of 900 county employees quit or retire each year. Are they all “essential?” How about a plan not to replace any employee who leaves? For that matter, why does Washington County need 900 employees in the first place?”

Read the whole editorial here.