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January 22, 2011
A Denton Publication
Charged
Oldest Resident
Sports Wrap
A mechanic at Johnsburg Central is charged with falsifying records. See Page 2
Ray Donohue of Newcomb honored as the town’s oldest citizen at 95. See Page 3
Look inside for all the statistics and scores from your local sports teams. See Pages 7-8
County sales tax receipts up for 2010
Gibson lists priorities Job creation #1 on list Visitors explore the chasms of Natural Stone Bridge and Caves in Pottersville.
By Alyssa Jung
Economy on rebound?
junga@spotlightnews.com
Photo submitted
Natural Stone Bridge and Caves introduces snowshoe adventures POTTERSVILLE — Natural Stone Bridge and Caves introduces 5.5 miles of snowshoe trails featuring views of the expansive caves. Visitors will be encouraged to find the 26 marked points of interests along the trails, which include porcupine den, deer rubs and bear claw marks. Snowshoes are available for rent. Visit the Natural Stone Bridge and Caves Facebook page for more information.
Let’s Eat! Adirondack Food Traditions to visit Copperfield Inn NORTH CREEK — The Adirondack Museum will offer a special Cabin Fever Sunday program in North Creek, Sunday, Jan. 23 at the Copperfield Inn at 1:30 p.m. “Let’s Eat! Adirondack Food Traditions and Inspirations” will feature Adirondack Museum curator Hallie Bond and Copperfield chef Stephen Topper. Cabin Fever Sundays are offered at no charge to museum members or children of elementary school age and younger. The fee for nonmembers is $5. Refreshments will be served. Call the Education Department at 3527311, ext. 128 or visit www.adirondackmuseum.or g for information.
By Thom Randall GLENS FALLS — Congressman Chris Gibson has had more than one “night to remember” over the past year. Ousting Scott Murphy from his 20th Congressional seat on Election night was without a doubt, a special victory. But perhaps the most memorable moment of his political journey, he said in a recent interview, was his Congressional swearing-in ceremony Jan. 5. Gibson said he treasures the experience, particularly with his children present. “Maggie and Connor were directly on the floor with me holding our family Bible when I was sworn in. That’s something I’ll remember all my days on Earth,” said Gibson, who’s oldest daughter Katie, 13, and wife were watching from afar. “Looking into their eyes, I thought they understood and it was very special connecting to them in that moment.” Gibson said the moment was so “emotional and memorable” that his thoughts weren’t about him or the nation’s future right then, but of his family. “I had just heard the outgoing
David and Vickie Snide, of Long Lake, were crowned king and queen of the Long Lake Winter Carnival Jan. 15 after they drove down Mount Sabattis on their own sleds as part of the first-ever Winter Carnival Snowmobile Parade. David is the principal of the Indian Lake Central School. About 20 snowmobiles participated in the parade. The Winter Carnival was sponsored by the Town of Long Lake and the Moonlighters Snowmobile Club and included a Cardboard Box Derby Race, One Shot Basketball, Money Balloon Hunt, Snowball Golf, Ladies Frying Pan Toss competition and a fireworks display.
See GIBSON, page 6
Photo by Andy Flynn
thom@denpubs.com
See SALES TAX, page 6
Snowmobile races return Saturday to Echo Lake By Thom Randall thom@denpubs.com
THIS WEEK Johnsburg..................2 Opinion .....................4 EMS responds.............6 Sports....................7-8 Classified ............9-12
LAKE GEORGE — Warren County’s final sales tax receipts for 2010 were tabulated and publicized Jan. 14, prompting local officials to say they were cautiously optimistic about an economic rebound. Warren County collected $42,872,812 in sales tax for 2010, a 1.94 percent increase over 2009. The news is particularly good, considering county officials had recently predicted a $1 million shortfall from the $43 million in receipts they had budgeted. With this final payment from the state for 2010, that gap had narrowed to $127,188. County officials said the figures demonstrated both a solid holiday retail season and other not-socheery news: gas prices 60 cents or so higher than the prior year. “We’re pleased with this uptick for the fourth quarter,” Budget Officer Kevin Geraghty said. Receipts for the last three months of fiscal 2010 were up 5.4 percent over the same period in 2009, he said. County Board of Supervisors Chairman Dan Stec also welcomed
Snowmobilers will be careening around Echo Lake in Warrensburg Jan. 22 during the Vintage Snowsled Racing Association races. Photo by Kim Ladd/Lifescapes Photography
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WARRENSBURG — Spectators will likely be gazing at plumes of ice shards clouding the air behind speeding vintage snowmobiles as they race Saturday on Echo Lake. As many as 500 or more snowmobile enthusiasts from northeastern U.S. states are expected to attend the annual event that not only draws racing fans, but those nostalgic about snowsleds that hark back to the sport’s formative years. This series of racing events, sanctioned by the Northern New York Vintage Snowsled Racing Association (NNYVSR), is the second in the group’s 2011 race circuit of 11 days of competition. The events will feature an estimated 150 vintage snowmobiles. The races are headquartered at Echo Lake Lodge, located off Hudson St., which will
have a variety of food and drinks available. Spectators can either view the races from the Lodge’s deck or from the shores of the lake. Race warm-ups start at 10 a.m., and competition begins at 11 a.m. and lasts through 3 p.m. or so. As of Tuesday, weather on Saturday was expected to be clear, which is likely to bring out a crowd. The association is scheduled to make a return visit to Echo Lake on Feb. 19. The snowsled association’s first race for 2011, held Saturday on Long Lake, drew a substantial number of racers, NNYVSR Track Director Mike Ross of Old Forge said. “Now we’re looking forward to a lot of racers Saturday on Echo Lake,” he said. “We’ve got a good-size track that’s wide for safe, fast racing, and with the lodge right there with good views — it’s very accommodating.”
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