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Saturday,ÊS eptemberÊ17,Ê2016
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In SPORTS | pg. 12-13
Solid start for Red Storm
Cross country teams come out strong
www.SunCommunityNews.com
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In OPINION | pg. 6
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Zombie homes
are a blight on our communities
In ARTS | pg. 9
The Edmar Castaneda Trio Harpist to perform at LPCA
Railroad track removal delayed until next year DEC convenes stakeholder group to begin planning, discuss materials, historic preservation, but AARCH not part of that discussion
Initially, state construction looked to tear out the northern 34 miles of tracks in November, moving Adirondack Scenic Railroad excursion trains out of the region. Instead, a group the state Department of Environmental Conservation considers “core stakeholders” has been convened to advise the process. DEC 5 Director Bob Stegemann announced formation of a “core stakeholder” group last week to help decide what the By Kim Dedam trail would look like and how it would be run and maintained. kim@suncommunitynews.com People and organizations involved include officials from RAY BROOK — The state’s move to build the controver- four towns and three villages, including Tupper Lake, Lake sial recreation trail between Lake Placid and Tupper Lake has Placid and Saranac Lake. postponed removal of railroad tracks until next summer. DEC said they are looking to remove the railroad tracks and
Fighting theÊ Flames
>> See RAILROAD | pg. 10
NY 21 Congressional Race:
Funiciello calls for hemp legalization
Matthew Vincent, of Upper Jay, was part of a crew of 20 NY firefighters that helped fight Idaho wildfires UPPER JAY — Every year, New York sends a crew of firefighters out west to aid in fighting huge wildfires. The state last month dispatched a 20-member crew to the Boise National Forest in Idaho, where the team assisted in Pete the containment of the Pioneer Wildfire, DeMola Editor a fast-burning blaze that had consumed 80,000 acres by the time they touched down in mid-August. Among them was Matthew Vincent, the Upper Jay Volunteer Department member who served as a squad boss. Vincent joined 42 other crews in combating the blaze, exacerbated by hot and dry conditions, for 14 days. The team created control lines to contain the blaze, cleared materials and assisted with burnout operations. Training, including grueling pack-testing regimens, is one thing. But facing the heat is another. “You have to make sure you have enough stamina for starters,” Vincent said. “Long days, and it’s hard work — things can change at the blink of an eye.”
begin building the trail next summer, a timeframe months removed from their amended Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor Plan, which was signed by DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos in May. In the same Travel Corridor amendment, the DEC and Department of Transportation announced a $15 million upgrade to 45 miles of limited use railroad lines between Tupper Lake and Big Moose. The projected $8 million conversion of 34 miles of railroad line to a trail between Lake Placid and Tupper Lake was approved by state agencies after nearly six years worth of public and regulatory review.
Matthew Vincent, of Upper Jay, was part a crew of 20 New York firefighters dispatched to Boise National Forest to combat the Pioneer Wildfire. The team returned on Sept. 7 after two weeks in the field. Photo provided
Like wind shift, for instance, which alters the fire’s behavior. Fighters also need to have the ability to adapt to different circumstances, said Vincent. The crew worked in rough terrain and endured temperatures that approached 90 degrees. Vincent is no stranger to massive conflagrations, having served on the crew since 2006, when he was dispatched to Idaho. Stints in Montana, Oregon and Washington followed. “You’ve got to be ready for it,” Vincent said. Joining Vincent from Essex County was Forest Ranger Robert Praczkajlo. >> See FIRE FIGHTING | pg. 14
Legalizing industrial hemp production will bolster the local economy, says the Green Party candidate for NY21 By Pete DeMola
pete@suncommunitynews.com
GLENS FALLS — Legalize it, says the Green Party candidate attempting to unseat Rep. Elise Stefanik in New York’s 21st Congressional District. Matt Funiciello last week said he supports a bill that would remove industrial hemp from being classified as a controlled substance. Passage of the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015 would pave the way for normalized production of the plant across the country, said the candidate, a measure he said would jumpstart the local economy and aid local farmers. >> See HEMP | pg. 4