New York state has implemented, as of March 1, 2020, the New York State Plastic Bag Waste Reduction Act. New Yorkers were using approximately 23 billion plastic bags per year, with approximately 85% of this total ending up int the trash, recycling machines, lakes and highways.
Good News Abounds
With all the trouble going on in the world, I thought a post reflecting on all the good things happening in Huletts would be appreciated. To begin, there is no doubt in my mind, that our nation and society will get through COVID-19’s visit.
To begin, the weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer, meaning the ice on Lake George is getting thin. Water is beginning to be seen in shallow areas along the shore. I would highly caution that no one venture onto the ice at this time.
The ice is getting thin and cracks are appearing on the lake.
There are many contractors and projects going on in Huletts right now. Houses are being constructed, docks are being worked on, and assorted landscaping projects are all underway. New furniture is arriving and life is returning for another season. The number of people investing in Huletts is a fantastic sign.
I have spoken to individuals who are either moving into the community for the first time or who have purchased additional homes in Huletts. We’ve also seen incredible demand for rental units. We got calls this week wanting to know when the Soda Fountain and Golf Course would open. (Those are a little farther away.) I’m also happy to report that there will be more marriages taking place in Huletts in 2020.
While I can’t share everything I am aware of, good things are happening and more are in ‘the works’ for this upcoming season. I’m looking forward to seeing what Spring brings and so should you. I believe a great season with many blessings is ahead for all.
Vermont News: Police Release Video of Fatal Shootout in Rutland
The video below contains graphic content.
A recently released Rutland City police video of a fatal shootout shows the suspect firing at a police station and then at police officers who later caught up with him.
The station and dashboard cameras captured the incident that began with shots being fired into a door of the Rutland City Police department and continued later with a pursuit which ended near the downtown Walmart and Amtrak station in Rutland on October 8, 2019.
After a review, it was determined the actions of the four police officers involved were justified.
Embedded VTDigger video below:
Snow All Around
Looking up Margot Way toward the Casino (Click image to see full-scale.)
My usual rule of thumb is that if you want to see snow in Huletts, February is a great month to observe it. Here you can see Huletts has about 7-8 inches of snow on the ground with drifts all around.
DEC Statewide Forest Ranger Rescue Near Lake George
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations, and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured, or distressed people from the backcountry.
On Feb. 23 at 7:53 p.m., Warren County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch from two hikers on the Northwest Bay Trail. The hikers started their hike that morning and one of them, a 36-year-old male from Selden, was suffering from exhaustion and dehydration. Coordinates obtained through 911 placed the hikers about four miles from the Clay Meadows Trail. Forest Ranger Evan Donegan responded, along with the Bolton Landing Fire Department and their airboat. At 8:31 p.m., the responders were on Lake George and heading to the hikers’ last known location. They were located at 9:23 p.m., returned to shore, and hiked back out to the trailhead.
Winter from the Top of Black Mountain
Looking north up Lake George from Black Mountain shows the northern end of the lake is still open water. (Click image to see full-scale.)
Looking northwest from the same spot shows the middle of the lake is mostly frozen. The snow covered mountain in the upper left center of the photo is Mt Marcy. The sharp peak in the far distant close to center of the photo is Whiteface. (Click image to see full-scale.)
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world”
Saturday Quote
“A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold.”
Ogden Nash
Stec Receives Endorsement of Washington County GOP
Assemblyman Dan Stec (R,C,I-Queensbury) today announced another crucial endorsement in his campaign for State Senate. The Washington County Republican Committee has now officially backed his candidacy to succeed retiring Senator Betty Little as the representative for the 45th District.
In announcing his party’s overwhelming support for Stec, Washington County Republican Committee Chairman Dan Boucher cited the Assemblyman’s proven record and experience in advocating for Washington County families and small businesses.
“Thank you to the Washington County Republican Party for endorsing my Senate campaign,” Stec said. “During my time as an Assemblyman, I’ve proudly worked with and for Washington County seniors, families and job creators. The county is home to some of the hardest working, most dedicated residents in the state and as our next State Senator, I will continue to work tirelessly on their behalf.”
“Dan Stec is the clear choice for State Senate,” said Chairman Dan Boucher. “Since 2013, Dan has served the parts of Washington County he represents with distinction. He’s committed to helping our communities and has proven himself to be a strong defender of our values. Dan Stec will be a great Senator for the 45th District.”
The 45th Senate District is comprised of all or part of six different counties. Assemblyman Stec has been officially received the official endorsement from the Republican Committees in five of the six: Washington, Clinton, Essex, Franklin and Warren. He is also supported by the St. Lawrence and Warren County Conservative Parties – as well as the recipient of endorsements from dozens of state and local elected officials in all six counties.
January Dresden Town Board Meeting Minutes
The minutes for the regular January meeting, as well as the yearly organizational meeting of the Dresden Town Board, were recently approved and have been posted on the town’s website.
Happy Valentines Day
Elvis and Ann-Margret singing the “The Lady Loves Me” from Viva Las Vegas.
Call for Artists and Oral History Fans
Tom Keating, the curator of the Huletts Gallery, is seeking artists who would like to exhibit their work during the coming summer. If interested please send samples of your work to tomkeating123@gmail.com. Thank you for your interest.
Also, “FHHL is looking for a volunteer to continue Marian Knight’s work on the Oral History project. The most important part of this is to manage the pieces, interviews and photographs transcriptions, publication in 3-ring notebook and Website, preparation for eventual Huletts Oral History book. The person does not have to do everything, but needs to find volunteers to help with the various tasks and see that they get done. Contact Marian Knight (marianknight67@gmail.com) or Jim McMaster (jimmcmaster@msn.com) if you are interested.”
Thanks in advance for your help!
All’s Quiet
It has been a very quiet winter in Huletts so far. Wherever you may be this winter, right now Huletts is asleep.
How the Feast of the Presentation Became Groundhog Day in America
Simeon’s Song of Praise, by Dutch painter Aert de Gelder (1645-1727), from about 1700-1710. In the painting, Simeon sees Jesus and raises his eyes to heaven to exclaim, “Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O’Lord, because my eyes have seen Thy salvation.”
The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple which the Church celebrates today, is celebrated by the Church of England either on February 2nd or on the Sunday between January 28 and February 3. In the Catholic Church, especially since the time of Pope Gelasius I (492-496), the Presentation is celebrated on February 2 and is the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary. It is still celebrated by many Christian Churches as the holiday of Candlemas.
Throughout the centuries, the custom in parts of Holland and in parts of Germany was that if a little mouse came out on the Feast of the Presentation and stayed in the light – winter would end early. If the little mouse saw its shadow and retreated into its hole on the the Feast of the Presentation, winter would last another 6 weeks.
Those same Dutch and German settlers arrived in Pennsylvania and over the years their tradition morphed into Groundhog’s Day. The earliest American reference to which can be found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College. The reference is that Groundhog Day came from the German-American Candlemas tradition.
‘Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.’ February 4, 1841—from Morgantown, Berks County (Pennsylvania) storekeeper James Morris’ diary.
So today: on the Feast of the Presentation/Candlemas and Groundhog’s Day, be inspired to follow the light of all lights. “My eyes have seen Thy salvation.” Spring will be here on way or another.
LGLC Protects 212 Acres in Bolton
One of the streams that cross the newly protected property, once part of Bolton’s Twin Pines Resort. (Click image to see larger view.)
The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) closed on the purchase of 212 acres in the Town of Bolton on December 20, 2019, ending the year with a significant conservation win for the lake.
The property was part the Twin Pines Resort owned by the McGurl family. The resort will continue to be run unaffected by this sale. The LGLC will hold the property until the Town of Bolton is able to purchase it from LGLC encumbered by a conservation easement. This transfer is expected to take place in early 2020.
The property includes about 20 acres of wetlands and 3,000 feet of stream corridor, and is adjacent to the popular Cat and Thomas Mountains Preserve owned by the New York State Department of Conservation (NYS DEC).
The LGLC will work with the McGurls and the Town of Bolton to make sure that future trails are well thought-out and have minimum impact on the land and landowners around Trout Lake. Similar to its collaboration with the Town in 2015 when the LGLC protected the Pinnacle, the LGLC will help manage the property and its trails, once they are established.
“We thank the McGurl family for their patience throughout this process,” said LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown, “and for wanting to work with us to protect the land that has been a part of their family since 1986. This great property will simultaneously protect the water quality of Lake George in perpetuity, while also providing recreational access to some of Bolton’s most beautiful forests.”
Tom McGurl, Jr. said, “As we looked to the future, we wanted to be sure that Twin Pines would continue as a destination for our guests who have enjoyed the property for many generations, while ensuring that the land, views, and water would be protected in perpetuity. Working with the LGLC was a natural fit to accomplish this goal. Ultimately, lands that have sat mostly unused will, in time, be added to the recreational hub, linking Trout lake to the recreational opportunities of the Pinnacle, and Cat and Thomas Mountains. This will further enhance of Bolton Landing as an outdoor recreation destination.”
The Bolton Recreational Hub (the Hub) is a collaborative effort between the LGLC, Town of Bolton, and Bolton Landing Chamber of Commerce, that combines the goals and outcomes of land conservation for water quality protection with the access to quality recreational opportunities and commerce within the Town of Bolton. A comprehensive Bolton Recreational Hub Strategy was published in 2019, and provides guidance for conservation and recreational projects going forward.
“The addition of these 212 acres in such a key area of Bolton is a huge step forward for the Hub,” continued Brown. “The trails anticipated for the property as well as possible connectors to Cat Mountain and beyond are highly appealing for any outdoor enthusiast. In addition, the LGLC plans to install educational signage along these trails so that hikers leave with knowledge about the significance of land protection and water quality.”
“Twin Pines on Trout Lake has been an institution in Bolton Landing since the early 1920’s,” continued McGurl. “Over the years, the business has adjusted to meet the needs of our customer base. One thing, however, has remind constant. Twin Pines is a labor of love and dedication to the property, the lake we enjoy, and our community. The reputation of the LGLC as stewards of the Lake George Basin has enabled our property to be protected from development while still being enjoyed by the public.”