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ECRWSS PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID DENTON PUBLICATIONS/ NEW MARKET PRESS PO Box 338 Elizabethtown NY 12932 Postal Patron

92763

Saturday,ÊS eptemberÊ3,Ê2016

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www.SunCommunityNews.com

In OUTDOORS | pg. 10

Now that’s a lunker Local nets state record

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In OPINION | pg. 6

Hiking permits

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State should consider fee for hikers

In SPORTS | INSIDE

It’s game time once again! The 2016 Fall Sports Preview is here

After intermittent closures, Million Dollar Beach reopens Local officials hope beach remains open following touch-and-go status By Thom Randall

thom@suncommunitynews.com

LAKE GEORGE — Unlike the movie, it’s not a giant shark threatening the Labor Day weekend for tourists at Million Dollar Beach here. But it could be microscopic bacteria. The state Department of Environmental Conservation reopened Million Dollar Beach mid-afternoon Monday, Aug. 29 after water-quality tests indicated that bacteria levels, elevated in various tests this past week, had decreased to within

LoonÊ strandedÊ inÊ downtownÊ BrantÊ LakeÊ isÊ aÊ celebrity

safety limits set by the agency. Now, Lake George Town Supervisor Dennis Dickinson said he predicted Million Dollar Beach and Dog Beach would remain open through Labor Day, as little or no rainfall is forecast. “I hope Million Dollar Beach remains open,” he said. “It’s a big weekend for us.” This iconic swimming venue, as well as adjacent “Dog Beach,” had been closed most of last week due to bacteria concentrations that prompted concerns. Monday’s reopening of the beaches capped off intermittent closures occurring over the past nine days. These two beaches had initially been closed Friday Aug. 19 because of high fecal coliform bacteria counts, but were re-

opened the following day when a subsequent test showed the bacteria levels had subsided. The beaches were again closed to the public Tuesday Aug. 23 when water quality tests taken the prior day detected coliform bacteria levels of 4,180 colonies per 100 milliliters — nearly four times the limit that DEC has established for safe swimming. The beaches remained closed for the next six days while DEC continued taking a series of routine tests — which indicated fecal coliform bacteria had decreased substantially, but by Friday E. coli levels had increased to well above the state Health Department threshold of 235 colonies per 100 milliliter. >> See BEACH | pg. 12

By Thom Randall

thom@suncommunitynews.com

BRANT LAKE — A loon has established residence this summer on Brant Lake’s small Mill Pond, and while it has achieved celebrity status with both local residents and visitors, it has also prompted concerns over its well-being, Horicon Town Supervisor Matt Simpson said Aug. 29. Considering the reclusive species’ preference for backcountry waterways, the mill pond is a novel place for a loon to reside, as the pond hosts a popular town beach and is adjacent to busy state Rte. 8 with several storefronts nearby. Simpson said wildlife enthusiasts believe the bird is stranded on the pond because there isn’t a stretch of water surface long enough for the bird to take off. Loons run over the surface of a waterway, flapping their wings for a considerable distance to become airborne — a >> See LOON | pg. 12

A running back on the Lake George High School Football team heads downfield while his teammates clash in a blocking battle during a practice routine Thursday. Northern Warren County high school athletes competing in various sports experienced game action and rigorous drills this week in preparation for their debut for the 2016 fall season. Photo by Thom Randall


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