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The World Visits Lake Placid in February… Bobsled and Skeleton World Championships Return

February 3rd, 2012 · No Comments · Adirondack News

New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA)LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — The world is getting ready to visit Lake Placid, N.Y., and once again the tiny two-time Olympic village in upstate New York will be the center of the sliding universe when the FIBT Bobsled and Skeleton World Championships, presented by Conceptum Sport Logistics gets under way on the Olympic Sports Complex track. This will mark the second time since 2009 that Lake Placid has hosted the sport’s biggest race outside the Olympic year.

“We’re ready… what more needs to be said,” remarked New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) chairman Pat Barrett. “We’ve been preparing for this event since it was awarded to Lake Placid and everyone is ready to show the fans, officials and most of all the athletes an unforgettable time.”

Olympic Bobsled RunMore than 20 nations are expected to compete on the 1,455-meter long course in men’s two and four man bobsled, women’s bobsled and men’s and women’s skeleton, including the reigning four-man Olympic bobsled champion Steve Holcomb (Park City, Utah) of the United States. Holcomb rode his 2009 world championship victory in Lake Placid into the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, in Vancouver, Canada, where he became the first American bobsled pilot to win an Olympic gold medal in more than 60 years. Many of the athletes competing this time around are also hoping that the momentum gained at the world championships will carry over to the 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Racing begins on Friday, Feb. 17, at 9:30 a.m. with the opening two runs of the women’s bobsled race. The women’s world champion will be crowned under the lights, Saturday night when runs three and four begin at 5 p.m. Saturday also features runs one and two of the two-man bobsled competition, beginning at 9 a.m.

Sunday’s schedule will feature the crowning of the two-man world champion when racing begins at 9 a.m. and the team competition. The team event will feature at least 10 nations competing in men’s and women’s skeleton, men’s two-man bobsled and women’s bobsled, all racing for the lowest combined time.

Racing will resume, Thursday, Feb. 23, when the world’s best women’s skeleton athletes take to the 22-curve track at 9:40 a.m. They will take two runs before a world champion is crowned on Friday, Feb. 24, when racing begins at 9:45 a.m. The men will also race, Friday, starting at 5 p.m.

Saturday’s schedule features four-man bobsled action, with heats one and two beginning at 9 a.m., before the men’s skeleton action resumes with its final two runs at 5 p.m. Finally, the 2012 FIBT Bobsled and Skeleton World Championships, presented by Conceptum Sport Logistics will conclude, Sunday, with the third and fourth runs of the four-man race, beginning at 9:20 a.m.

Be sure to bring the entire family to the world championships and be a part of the excitement, on and off the track. Public skeleton rides are scheduled for Monday, Feb. 20, through Thursday, Feb. 23, from 5:30-7 p.m., and on Friday, Feb. 24, from 1-2 p.m. Reservations are required. To reserve your spot, call 518.523.4436 or e-mail oscreservations@orda.org.

A fireworks display at the track, sponsored by Aubuchon Hardware and Benjamin Moore Paints, will light up night’s sky Saturday night, Feb. 18, beginning at 8:45 p.m., following the women’s bobsled award ceremony and the public draw for the team event. Fireworks are also slated for Saturday, Feb. 25, also beginning at 8:45 p.m.

Plus join the World Championship Concert Sunday night, Feb. 19, inside the Conference Center at Lake Placid. The doors open at 6 p.m., with Roadside Mystic playing at 7 p.m., followed by the awards ceremony for the men’s two-man event and team competition. The music will continue at 8:30 when Assembly of Dust takes to the stage. Tickets are just $20 for Sunday’s party.

Tickets are on sale now for the 2012 FIBT Bobsled and Skeleton World championships, presented by Conceptum Sport Logistics. Single day tickets are $15 for adults and $9 for seniors and juniors. Tickets to see all seven days of competition are $50 for adults and $35 for juniors and seniors. Tickets are available on line by visiting http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?organ_val=2439, through the Olympic Center’s box office at 2634 Main St., Lake Placid, or at the Olympic Sports Complex box office.

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Newcomb acquires properties from The Nature Conservancy

January 31st, 2012 · No Comments · Adirondack News

Community and conservation goals advance together

Town of Newcomb, NYNewcomb, NY – The Town of Newcomb on January 27, 2012 purchased 348 acres for a total of $256,591.00 from The Nature Conservancy. The town’s purchase of the properties helps to advance economic development, particularly along the Route 28N travel corridor, and other community objectives outlined in its Comprehensive Plan, which was updated in 2009. Descriptions of the properties are as follows:

  • Newcomb - Farmhouse Parcel by C. HeilmanFarmhouse Parcel – a 4-acre property along State Route 28N that includes a two-story residential house that had been used in the past as a field office for foresters and logging contractors. The town, in cooperation with Newcomb Central School, is considering converting the house into a dormitory for foreign exchange students or substitute teachers.
  • Log Yard Parcel – a 20-acre triangular-shaped tract near the intersection of the Tahawus Road and State Route 28N that has been used for temporary storage of logging equipment and logs. The property, zoned by the Adirondack Park Agency for industrial use, has potential to attract and support a small-scale private enterprise.
  • Newcomb - Aerial Hudson River by C. HeilmanGolf Course Parcel – a 324-acre tract bordering the town’s public golf course and a winding stretch of the Hudson River. This parcel may be suitable for expanding the High Peaks Golf Course from nine holes to 18, as well as developing cross country ski trails. Under the terms of a conservation easement now held by the Adirondack Land Trust, approximately three miles of Hudson River shoreline, as well as an ecologically significant wetland complex, will remain undeveloped. Those natural features will continue to provide flood and storm-water runoff controls, which are recognized in the town’s comprehensive plan as valuable, cost-effective services.

“There are all kinds of options for these lands,” said Newcomb Supervisor George Canon. “Now that the transactions with The Nature Conservancy are complete, we look forward to exploring those options. The log yard parcel is probably the most important acquisition; it is an excellent site for a potential business.”

The Nature Conservancy“This is another great example of DEC working closely with The Nature Conservancy and other stakeholders to make sure that the disposition of the former Finch lands benefits the communities and residents of the Park,” said Joe Martens, Commissioner NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. “Congratulations to The Nature Conservancy and the Town of Newcomb for this agreement that will help bolster the community.”

“Working with Newcomb on these land sales—and the larger conservation project—demonstrates how community and conservation goals can go hand in hand,” said Michael Carr, Executive Director of The Nature Conservancy’s Adirondack Chapter. “We quickly learned how important new economic development opportunities are to the town, as well as how much Newcomb residents value their rural quality of life and view the surrounding natural beauty as an asset.”

The lands sold to Newcomb were originally part of The Nature Conservancy’s 2007 purchase of 161,000 acres touching 27 towns in six counties in the Adirondacks. The community enhancement parcels are part of a balanced conservation plan that also includes commercial working forests and new state lands. The working forest component was solidified in December of 2010 when New York State purchased a conservation easement on 89,000 acres—20,270 of which are in Newcomb. That transaction is already helping to advance the community’s recreation objective to develop snowmobile trails to surrounding communities. The new state lands, when they are acquired, will enhance additional recreational opportunities for hunting, hiking, fishing and other activities.

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DEC Region 5 End of Big Game Season Enforcement Report

January 13th, 2012 · No Comments · Adirondack News

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Region 5 Environmental Conservation Police were busy enforcing against poaching activities during the recently ended big game season.

NYSDEC LogoOn November 29, 2011, an Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) was interviewing a witness as part of investigating a possible hunter trespass complaint in the Town of Benson, Hamilton County. The witness reported confronting three men allegedly on property without the owner’s permission and attempting to retrieve a female bear that they had previously shot in its den. After observing the dead bear in the den, the ECO followed human tracks to a camp on an adjacent property. Finding nobody present the ECO staked out the camp and when two of the men returned observed them attempting to clean alleged bait pile and salt licks. After interviewing the two men the ECO instructed them to retrieve the dead bear and to have all three men meet with him at the camp the next day. On November 30, 2011, the ECO seized the bear and issued multiple tickets to each of the men returnable to the Town of Benson Court as follows:

  • Benjamin I. Van Nostrand, 38, of Northville was charged with aiding in the illegal taking of a bear, a misdemeanor, and trespassing while hunting and unlawful feeding of deer, both violations. He faces maximum possible penalties of $2500 in fines and up to 1 year in jail.
  • Daniel J. Van Nostrand, 40, of Edinburg, was charged with the illegal killing of a bear, a misdemeanor, and two violations – hunting with the aid of bait, trespassing, failing to tag a bear as required. He faces maximum possible penalties of $2750 in fines and up to 1 year in jail.
  • George J. Van Nostrand, 36, of Northville, was charged with trespassing on posted property, a violation. He faces maximum possible penalties of $250 in fines and up to 15 days in jail.

On Tuesday, January 10, 2012, two DEC ECOs investigated a complaint of antlered deer shot near Lindsday’s Orchard’s in the Town of Clifton Park, Saratoga County. The deer was reportedly shot under the apple orchard’s nuisance deer permit, which allow only for the taking of antlerless deer. The ECOs reviewed the permit and associated paperwork and interviewed the orchard’s caretaker and another worker. Upon concluding the investigation, Duane R Lindsey, 59, of Rexford was charged with taking big game out of season, taking deer with the aid of an artificial light – both misdemeanors, and violating the terms and conditions of a deer nuisance permit, a violation. He was issued an appearance ticket for the Town of Clifton Park Court and faces maximum possible penalties of $4250 in fines and up to 2 years and 15 days in jail. In additions the deer’s antlers were seized as evidence, the remaining nuisance permits were confiscated, and the permit was terminated.

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DEC to Hold Three Santanoni Winter Open Houses

January 13th, 2012 · No Comments · Adirondack News

Events to Provide a Rare Opportunity to See Inside of Camp Buildings During the Winter Months

NYSDEC LogoALBANY, NY – Three Winter Weekend events will be held at historic Camp Santanoni, located in the town of Newcomb in Essex County, allowing cross-country skiers and snowshoers access to camp properties to rest and view interpretative displays, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens announced today.

The events will take place during the Martin Luther King holiday weekend, January 14-16, President’s Day holiday weekend, February 18-20, and the weekend of March 17-18.

Camp Santanoni
(Panoramio – Photo of Camp Santanoni)

“Camp Santanoni is one of the most popular cross-country ski destinations in the Adirondacks,” Commissioner Martens said. “The 9.8-mile round trip excursion from the Gate House complex to the remote lakeside main lodge complex is a moderate ski and a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Events like these are part of DEC’s efforts to work with local communities to increase tourism and economic activity by showcasing the recreational opportunities the Adirondacks has to offer.”

During the three Winter Weekend events cross-country skiers and snowshoers will be able to visit both the Gate Lodge and Main Lodge of Camp Santanoni, view displays about the great camp and take interpretive tours with Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH) staff. The Artist’s Studio, a stone building near the main lodge on the shores of Newcomb Lake, will be open as a warming hut and will have hot chocolate available. Also, the Adirondack Interpretive Center will provide snowshoes to lend to visitors at the Gate Lodge.

The three Winter Weekend events are being hosted by DEC, AARCH, the town of Newcomb and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry’s (ESF) Adirondack Interpretive Center.

“This is a great collaboration to extend to visitors of Camp Santanoni some North Country hospitality during these holiday weekends,” said Senator Betty Little. “Governor Cuomo and his administration have placed an emphasis on showcasing New York’s historical, cultural and natural resources. This event captures all three and I’m hopeful for strong public interest in this fun opportunity.”

“This is another great example of state and local governments partnering together to create opportunities that will benefit our residents and provide an economic boost to our communities in the North Country,” said Assemblywoman Teresa R. Sayward.

“We are happy to work with our partners, DEC, AARCH and SUNY ESF to build on the history and natural beauty of our town to provide tourism destinations that people want to visit,” said Newcomb Town Supervisor George Canon. “Great Camp Santanoni is at least as beautiful covered in winter snows as it is in mid-summer.”

“ESF is excited to partner with DEC, town of Newcomb and AARCH to help expand how Great Camp Santanoni is used,” said Paul Hai of SUNY ESF’s Adirondack Interpretive Center. “Newcomb is a fantastic town, rich with history, recreation and educational opportunities. Collaborations like this grow our town while increasing visitors’ and residents’ appreciation and understanding of the Adirondacks. We are looking forward to working together on more programs and creative ideas in Newcomb.”

In addition to the popular 9.8-mile round trip from the Gate Lodge to the Main Lodge, cross-country skiers and snowshoers are encouraged to take the half mile-trail that connects Camp Santanoni to the nearby Adirondack Interpretive Center’s 3.6-mile trail system. The Center’s buildings will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on all three days of the Winter Weekends in January and February and on the Saturday and Sunday of the March Winter Weekend. Coffee, tea and hot chocolate will be available and the public is asked to bring their own cups.

While people may visit Camp Santanoni 365 days a year, the buildings are not typically open to the public during the winter months. Additional open house weekends may be considered based on the popularity and success of these three weekend events.

Construction of Camp Santanoni began in 1892 by Robert and Anna Pruyn and eventually consisted of more than four dozen buildings on 12,900 acres including a working farm, the Gate Lodge complex, and a huge rustic Main Lodge and other buildings situated on Newcomb Lake. Camp Santanoni was in private ownership until 1972. Over the last several decades of state ownership, the camp has gradually been restored through a partnership between DEC, AARCH and the town of Newcomb. Santanoni is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark. Camp Santanoni is considered by many to be the classic Adirondack Great Camp.

Reservations are not required but for more information, contact AARCH at (518) 834-9328. More information about Camp Santanoni, the Adirondack Interpretive Center and the Newcomb area may be found at:

DEC Camp Santanoni website: http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/53095.html

Adirondack Architectural Heritage: http://www.aarch.org/

Adirondack Interpretive Center: http://www.esf.edu/aic/

Town of Newcomb: http://www.newcombny.com/

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Late Autumn Search and Rescue Report

December 22nd, 2011 · No Comments · News

Hello Winter, Goodbye Autumn.

DEC backcountry activity was a bit quieter this year. I guess Hurricane Irene had a little to do with that.

  • Lost hunters
  • Rock-climbing accident on Pok-O-Moonshine [sic]
  • Lost wife on the way to Rocky Falls
  • Drowning on Galway Lake
  • Injured hunter crawls 3 hours for cell-service
  • Lost and overdue hikers

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North Country Open for Business

December 8th, 2011 · No Comments · News

North Country Economic Development Council Plan Awarded $103.2 Million
NAMED BEST PLAN AWARDEE

North Country Open for Business
It should be noted, Warren and Herkimer Counties were not included as they were included in other “regions”. Official details and PDF of project awards after the jump.

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North Country Regional Economic Development Council Adopts Vision Statement

September 13th, 2011 · No Comments · Adirondack News

Council also approves its Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) Endorsement Standard and its Public Participation Plan

The North Country Regional Economic Development Council met today and conducted its third meeting, which was open to the public. The meeting at SUNY Potsdam was attended by Lt. Governor Robert Duffy and led by North Country Regional Economic Development Council co-chairs Garry Douglas, President of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, and Anthony Collins, President of Clarkson University.

During today’s session, the Council presented and adopted its vision statement, which is intended to guide the council’s long-term strategic planning process moving forward. The vision statement can be found on the North Country Regional Economic Development Council’s website at www.northcountryopenforbusiness.com and is as follows:

“The North Country will lead the Economic Renaissance of New York State’s Small Cities and Rural Communities by:

  • Energizing our micropolitan cities, building on growth in the aerospace, transit equipment, defense, biotech, and manufacturing industries
  • Attracting and nurturing entrepreneurial pioneers to cultivate innovative clusters in our rural communities
  • Mobilizing the creativity, capacity and graduates of our outstanding and collaborative places of higher education
  • Catalyzing the highest per capita rate of small business start-ups in the state
  • Elevating global recognition of the region as one of the special places on the planet to visit, live, work and study
  • Activating tourism as a pathway to diversify our economies
  • Propagating an agricultural revolution as we help feed the region and the world
  • Creating the greenest energy economy in the state

Actualizing this vision will create family-sustaining jobs and build an inventive economy, capitalizing on our abundant natural capital – pristine waters, productive forests and agricultural lands; the rare splendor of the Adirondacks; and our dynamic international border.”

“The vision statement drafted for the North Country Region is bold, comprehensive and inclusive,” said Anthony Collins, Co-Chair of the Regional Council and Clarkson University President. “Taking action on the statement is a strong indication that the region can rapidly reach consensus views to drive our strategies, which bodes well for the future of the Council and the region.”

“The vision statement we are putting forward truly captures the great diversity of assets and opportunities of our unique region,” said Garry Douglas, Co-Chair of the Regional Council and President of the North Country Chamber of Commerce. “It also represents an important piece of the multi-faceted economic development plan for the North Country, which is starting to come together through our working groups. With the work of all of our volunteers and the upcoming input we will be welcoming through our public forums and other means, I expect us to see an exciting strategy come together over the next several weeks.”

In addition, the council detailed and approved its public participation plan, which includes: public comment period during regular scheduled council meetings; a series of public forums; the use of the council’s website, www.northcountryopenforbusiness.com, to provide information to the public about the council, its members, meetings, its strategic plan, as well as surveys to seek public input; and the use of social media, among others. A Facebook page has been created, “North Country Open for Business”, to amplify the council’s message, to engage regional community stakeholders and encourage public participation in the development of strategies and initiatives to promote growth and economic development in the North Country.

The North Country Regional Economic Development Council will be holding three public forums around the region that get underway today. They are as follows: Monday, September 12, Plattsburgh; Wednesday, September 14, Tupper Lake; and Monday, September 19, Watertown. The Council’s goal is to integrate the public into the strategic planning process to design an economic development plan that reflects the local communities’ vision for job creation and economic opportunity. The Council encourages public participation and feedback through outreach, community meetings, forums, and online at www.northcountryopenforbusiness.com.

The Council also adopted its Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) Endorsement Standard, which will serve as a guideline for the review and ranking of future applications. By developing these endorsement standards early in the regional council’s strategic planning process, applicants can take them into account when preparing applications.

The next regular scheduled North Country Regional Economic Development Council will be Friday, September 30 at SUNY Potsdam.

The North Country Regional Council, which is comprised of a diverse group of 30 area leaders from the private and public sectors, labor, chambers of commerce, higher education, and community-based organizations, is working to create a five year strategic plan for economic development in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.

Created by Governor Cuomo, the Regional Economic Development Councils represent a fundamental shift in the state’s approach to economic development—from a top-down development model to a community-based approach that emphasizes regions’ unique assets, harnesses local expertise, and empowers each region to set plans and priorities.

The North Country Regional Economic Development Council is one of ten regional councils across New York that will serve as a single point of contact for economic activity in the region. Through their strategic planning process, the Councils will identify and expedite priority projects that demonstrate the greatest potential for job growth. As part of the initiative, up to $1 billion in state resources will be accessible to eligible economic development projects through existing program grants and tax credits.

Each Regional Council will develop a plan for the development of their region, which will provide a regional vision for economic development, address critical issues and opportunities, and lay out an implementation roadmap for future growth. The state will work with the Regional Councils to align state resources and policies, eliminate unnecessary barriers to growth and prosperity, and streamline the delivery of government services and programs to help the Regional Councils carry out their plans for development.

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