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

Saturday,ÊO ctoberÊ10,Ê2015

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www.SunCommunityNews.com

In NEWS | pg. 3

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His Holiness inspires region

In OPINION | pg. 4

Tax Cap a huge blunder

Area residents make pilgrimage to Philly

Governor’s cap hamstrings communities

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In SPORTS | pg. 12

Red Storm take the lead

But cannot hold off Moriah in football action

Task force seeks to combat heroin epidemic NarcoticsÊ plagueÊ needsÊ toÊ getÊ theÊ smackdown, say Plattsburgh officials

By Teah Dowling

teah@suncommunitynews.com

PLATTSBURGH — A woman in her early 20s did 15 bags of heroin a day, spending $450 daily after obtaining the money through sexual acts, stealing merchandise and transporting and shipping drugs. Chief Desmond Rascicot of the City of

Plattsburgh Police Department shared this story of this woman his department arrested during a forum focused around heroin and opioid use. The Assembly Minority Task Force on Heroin Addiction and Community Response held a regional forum aimed at identifying problems and weaknesses in current efforts to combat the rampant heroin epidemic.

Cheese Whizzes

“Heroin addiction is not a new problem, but the increasing number of users and deaths is an alarming new trend,” Assemblywoman Janet Duprey said. “This drug has crept into our homes and our schools — leaving a path of destruction in its wake, and together we can fight this epidemic.” Duprey was joined by Assemblyman Joseph Giglio, task force chairman, Assemblyman Al Graf, a task force member, and Assemblyman Dan Stec on Wednesday, Sept. 30 to listen to the comments and concerns of local parents, law enforcement, health experts and educa-

>> Story Continued | pg. 8

Lawmakers okay bed tax expansion Tax to go into effect on Jan. 1 By Pete DeMola

pete@suncommunitynews.com

Local farmstead creameries to offer public tours, events this Sunday AU SABLE FORKS — Say cheese. Not names like cheddar, swiss or Muenster, but exotic-sounding noms de fromage like Dutch Knuckle, Herdmaster and Barkeater Buche. The Adirondack Park hosts four farmPete stead creameries. DeMola Editor Three of them are located in Essex County. The artisanal cheese biz is making headway in this rural pocket of the state, places where cows munching on grass in scenic alpine vistas is becoming increasingly common. One year after the first Essex County Cheese Tour, producers are prepping for a follow-up. Business is booming, say the creameries, who produce their products in on-site caves. Asgaard Farm & Dairy established a creamery on their facility in 2008 and are continuing to refine their product offerings, which are derived from goats. Ahead of this year’s tour, a loosely organized jaunt that will see three facilities open up their doors on Oct. 11, Asgaard co-founder Rhonda Butler said the Au Sable Forks-based op-

tional officials on heroin and opioid use on how to help improve and solve this epidemic. “Solving this epidemic in our communities will require a commitment to finding effective long-term solutions for preventing and treating heroin addiction,” Giglio said. “The forums are an opportunity to invite stakeholders to share ideas and allow us as legislators to develop a comprehensive plan to combat the destructive effects of heroin.”

eration is focused on tinkering with new recipes. Ideally, they’ll roll out a new product in time for the holidays. Creating a new cheese is a prolonged process, explained Butler. Once a base recipe is conceptualized, experimentation commences in a small vat reserved for research and development purposes. Over time, the recipe is shaped and adjusted, a process that includes adjusting salt levels, starting cultures

ELIZABETHTOWN — Essex County lawmakers approved an expansion of the bed tax to vacation rental units Monday. The law, which will go into effect on Jan. 1, is estimated to bring in $250,000 in revenue the first year. Lawmakers signed off 17-1, with Supervisor Shaun GIllilland voting against the measure. “A tax is a tax is a tax,” said Gillilland. The law wasn’t well thought-out, he said. The lawmaker said he was concerned about the county’s ability to enforce the law, which will he said will create a potential new administrative burden. Should homeowners fail to register their units, they may fall into a bureaucratic thicket. “Like the SAFE Act, all of a sudden we’re turning law abiding citizens into criminals,” said Gillilland. County officials have said they do not anticipate enforcement being an issue and will use a blend of public relations and goodwill to bring the units into compliance. The Weights and Measures Department has been tasked with hammering out an enforcement framework. Earlier this spring, tourism officials arrived at an initial figure of 1,500 vacation units, mainly in the Lake Placid area. As part of the legislation, each town will receive $2,500 per year to use for promotional purposes, while the Essex County

>> Story Continued | pg. 9

>> Story Continued | pg. 9

Sugar House Creamery, pictured here, will participate in the Second Annual Essex County Cheese Tour, a daylong jaunt through three of the county’s artisanal cheesemakers. Photo provided


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