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December 26, 2009
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Sports
Outreach Center thanks volunteers with party and raffle.
Lighting contest winners in Indian Lake were announced this week.
Check out all the stats and scores from your favorite teams, NFL contest as well.
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Indian Lake students learn first hand in France
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Pages 10-11
Johnsburg Central students ring the bell for the Salvation Army
County leaders approve 2010 budget
By Lindsay Yandon lindsay@denpubs.com INDIAN LAKE — In November, Indian Lake Central School (ILCS) students traveled to France and learned from within a foreign culture. The seven day trip was sponsored by the ILCS French Club. Alternating each year, students in Indian Lake have the opportunity to travel to Paris, France or Québec City, Canada. These trips are open to all students in grades 9-12 even if they are not currently enrolled in a French class. Nineteen students made the trip to France this year. They were Jessica Bain, James Benton, Abigail Darling, Hank Evatt, Amanda Forsell, Karisa Giessen, Emma Gray, Morgan Hinckley, Sydney Hinckley, Allison LaPrairie, Zakari LeBlanc, Megan Miller, Zachary Mitchell, Allison Pine, Colleen Pine, Merrill Pine, Jenna Roblee, Vinnie Smith and Chelsea Walters. They were chaperoned by Lori Bennett, Peg Evatt, Joanna Pine, Tina Pine, Sandy Schmitt and Jane Hinckley. The group traveled from
See PARIS, page 4
County property tax hikes up to 24 percent predicted By Thom Randall thom@denpubs.com
Junior National Honor Society members from Johnsburg Central School gather around their kettle as part of the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign. Pictured are Ethan Cooper, Colleen Fuller, Mikayla Glode, Lydia Knickerbocker, Jonathan Ordway, Shannon Ovitt and Kayla Williford along with ninth grade volunteers Thomas Wilson and Chet Prouty. Photo Courtesy of Johnsburg Central School
By Lindsay Yandon lindsay@denpubs.com QUEENSBURY — Seven members of the Johnsburg chapter of the Junior National Honor Society (JCS
NHS) visited the Aviation Mall on Dec. 12 to ring bells for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign. The Red Kettle Campaign helps to raise money
for local families and individuals who receive assistance through the Salvation Army. Ninth grade NHS members Ethan Cooper, Colleen Fuller, Mikayla
Glode, Lydia Knickerbocker, Jonathan Ordway, Shannon Ovitt and Kayla Williford were joined by fellow ninth grade volunteers Thomas Wilson and
See SAL ARMY, page 3
QUEENSBURY — Warren County Supervisors voted Friday to approve a 2010 budget that calls for raising $36.3 million in property taxes, reflecting a 6.1 percent increase overall from 2009. This increase, however, is substantially higher for tax rates in individual towns — property owners will shoulder county tax hikes between 5 percent and 24 percent for 2010. In Warrensburg, the county tax rate will be increasing from $3.15 to $3.52 per thousand in assessed valuation, an 11.7 percent hike. In Lake George outside the village, the increase will be 19.6 percent, according to figures supplied Friday by county administrators. Inside Lake George Village, the increase is 9 percent. In Chester, the increase is 5 percent. But in Johnsburg, the increase in tax rate from 2009 to 2010 is far higher: property owners in this upcounty town opening their tax bills in late January will see an increase in county taxes of 23.5 percent. In Queensbury, the increase
See TAX HIKE, page 9
Newcomb seeks a revival: Turns to The Chazen Companies By Lindsay Yandon lindsay@denpubs.com NEWCOMB — The town of Newcomb is in the final stages of reviewing a comprehensive plan developed by the Chazen Companies of Glens Falls. The plan will soon be presented to the Town Board for approval and acceptance. The Chazen Companies are a multi-disciplinary company with technical expertise in engineering, surveying, environmental, planning, and landscape architecture. They were appointed to the job by a committee of the town board in the summer of 2008. A comprehensive plan is a policy guide that sets forth directions for the future of a community in the form of both long and short term goals. It is a blueprint to help guide them through the future and establish a cohesive vision for progress. The document itself will serve as a guide to land use, economic development, natural resource protection and much more. In 1977, recognizing the lack of economic development in Newcomb, a similar plan
A storefront that was once Newcomb’s only source of groceries. What used to be Winebrook Market has been closed for several years. Photo by Lindsay Yandon
was adopted by the town board and updated in 1990, but was not executed successfully. “The town board has to look at our goals from a policy perspective and work with the finances. I think the current board will do
that well,” said committee member Bob Lilly. The document has been revised by Essex County and the Adirondack Park Agency and the final comprehensive plan will be presented to the town board in general ses-
sion on Jan. 12. The Chazen Companies have presented drafts of the plan in several public hearings over the past few months in order to amend the document according to public opinion. “We made many changes based on the feedback from those hearings,” said Lilly. “We hoped that the public's’ comments would be visionary, thoughtful and respectful and they were.” Stew Messinger of the Chazen Companies led the public hearings and presented the documents to citizens. “There is opportunity for development here,” he said. “I could easily see 500-600 new homes being built here if this plan is conducted successfully.” Messinger cited the positives of living in Newcomb. He listed the beauty, the low taxes, the strong school system and the opportunity for industry in National Lead and forestry among other things. Newcomb was crippled by the closing of the National Lead mine about 30 years ago. Hundreds of people moved away from the town and the hemorrhage continued in the
See REVIVAL, page 5