News Enterprise 09-05-09

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September 5, 2009

A Denton Publication

Garden Girls

TR Weekend

Sports Preview

Jane Castenada grows bountiful flowers at her North River home.

Popular Newcomb event takes a new twist with Quadricentennial.

Rosters, schedules and predictions all in this week’s News Enterprise .

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Pages 9-12

Businesses unite to promote North Creek By Lindsay Yandon lindsay@denpubs.com

Dr. Walter McConnell

Doctor’s film on health care garners national audience By Thom Randall thom@denpubs.com

NORTH CREEK — Local business owners have come together recently to form a business alliance for the betterment of downtown North Creek. The alliance has been holding informal meetings since November to discuss common goals regarding the improvement of the small business community on Main St. in North Creek, according to alliance co-chair Joel Beaudin. “We’re competitors, but we’re not very competitive,” he said of the business owners who collaborate through the alliance. Rather than challenge fellow owners for business and strive to beat one another to a profit, the alliance members have come together to support the community of North Creek. Such teamwork is proving successful. Co-chair Mike Bower and other members have joined in hopes of creating a sort of synergy within the community. The alliance is responsible for the shuttle service by Brant Lake Taxi and Transport Service that now provides transportation between the village and Gore Mountain Resort as well as within the town of North Creek. The alliance has also provided many of the

visual improvements along Main St. During a Aug. 20 meeting, members of the alliance expressed a plan of action to work with the local chambers of commerce as well as the Adirondack chamber of commerce to draw attention to what downtown North Creek has to offer the public. They also recognize the lack of a relationship between the Gore Mountain Ski Resort and the village of North Creek. “Man visitors come to ski Gore and never realize that the village of North Creek even exists,” said Beaudin. A major goal of the alliance is to work with Gore rather than against it to create a relationship that benefits the business efforts of both parties. Current projects that the alliance is undertaking include, publicity of Harvest Fest and the “Music by the River” series, the education of skiers about Main St., and how to approach the number of empty store fronts seen on Main St. “We hope to cooperate to solve mutual problems and reach mutual goals,” said Beaudin. Business alliance meetings are held every Thursday at Bar Vino from 8:30-9:30 a.m. and the public is welcome to attend.

Main Street in North Creek is becoming a hub of local businesses as storefronts fill and restaurants open. Photo by Lindsay Yandon

Extrication drill: A potential lifesaver

CHESTERTOWN — Friday, the PBS television program Bill Moyers Journal aired segments of a documentary film examining perplexing aspects of the national health care crisis. Excepts of the film, “Money-Driven Medicine,” had been presented earlier on ABC’s Nightline. Local viewers were likely unaware that Bolton Landing’s own Dr. Walter McConnell, a retired physician, conceived and produced the documentary. Also, they may not have realized that a few scenes in the documentary were filmed in the Chestertown Health Center, featuring Dr. Dan Larson of parent organization Hudson Headwaters Health Network expressing his views on the health care crisis. McConnell, who lives year-round on the shore of Lake George, is the executive producer of the documentary which details how health care in the U.S. has become expensive, is mired in bureaucracy and litigation, and has eroded the traditional doctor-patient relationship. The documentary is headed for

Pictured at right: Members of the MVFD&RS and PVFD work together to remove a victim from a car in their extraction drill.

See HEALTH CARE, page 4

Photo by Mike Corey

By Mike Corey denpubs@denpubs.com MINERVA — With a Sawzall, jaws-of-life, pry bars, and lots of patience and expertise, members of the Minerva Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad (MVFD&RS) teamed up with members of the Pottersville Volunteer Fire Department (PVFD) to participate in an extrication drill the evening of Aug. 26 in Minerva. Drills and training are extremely important in maintaining that “edge” in the world of firefighting and responding to motor vehicle and motorcycle accidents. This drill was no exception. Led by Second Assistant Chief Travis Howe of the MVFD&RS, the drill involved the extrication of a member of the department who

See DRILL, page 5

Julie Garcia and Kristy Sprague spar in DA debate Garcia: G.O.P is a ‘train wreck’ By Jonathan Alexander and Matt Bosley denpubs@denpubs.com ELIZABETHTOWN — Incumbent Essex County District Attorney Julie Garcia and challenger Kristy Sprague faced off in a debate at Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School Aug. 27, exchanging barbs for more than an hour on subjects such as conviction records and fiscal responsibility.

Sprague, who has 11 years of experience as an Assistant District Attorney in Clinton County, won a coin toss and was the first to field a question chosen by moderators from public submissions. Sprague challenged Garcia’s skills as a prosecutor and her commitment to fiscal responsibility, claiming that Garcia had inflated her department’s budget. “A drug case dismissed for lack of evidence, another drug case dismissed for lack of evidence and failure to provide the Grand Jury enough evidence and instructions,” Sprague said, brandishing case records. “These are very basic

things a District Attorney has to do. If anyone has ever heard the phrase ‘convict a ham sandwich,’ well, this administration couldn’t.” Garcia countered by criticizing Sprague on her ego, accusing her of providing misleading information and using fear tactics to acquire votes. She said the budget in her department has actually decreased 12 percent during her tenure, and said office staff has dropped from 11 employees to eight. “When anyone tries to play on the public’s fear, I think it’s completely inappropriate,” Garcia

See DEBATE, page 2

Garcia

Sprague


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