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www.SunCommunityNews.com
In SPORTS | pg. 3
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Warm weather brings out the teams
In OPINION | pg. 4
What do we learn from this?
Spring teams enjoy first full week on fields
Lessons from Trump-Sanders
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In CRIME | pg. 7
Not Guilty
N. Creek man pleaded in infant death case
Gore finds some good in warm weather winter Revenue down this season, but officials spirits still up By Christina Scanlon
christina@suncommunitynews.com
NORTH CREEK — Gore Mountain had skiers on the slopes 124 days this season. It’s quite a feat, say officials, after only 37 inches of snow fell over the winter. Revenue for the season, which ended April 3, brought in $3.5 million, down from $5.5 million the year before. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a year like this,” said Jon Lundin, spokesperson for Gore and the Olympic Regional Development Authority. Lundin said others have joked that it’s been 36 years since they’d seen such low numbers. “Since just before the Olympics, in 1980,” he
said. An average season typically brings 150 inches of the white stuff, and while it was a challenging season, Emily Stanton, Gore Mountain marketing manager, said there were some positives that came from it. In February, Nordic skiers from schools across the area converged at the North Creek Ski Bowl. It was so successful, said Stanton, it’s planned to have the skiers meet next season, too, regardless of snowfall in other places. Hundreds of athletes were able to use the area, and parents could benefit from the spectator area. The race schedule on the mountain was also met, without any missed races all season. “Though Mother Nature was not in the mood, we had the capabilities to make it a fun season,” said Stanton. >> See GORE | pg. 10
MinervaÊ LakeÊ milfoilÊ projectÊ couldÊ getÊ newlyÊ approvedÊ removalÊ technique By Christina Scanlon
christina@suncommunitynews.com
MINERVA — Milfoil in Minerva Lake is likely to be attacked this summer by a method recently approved by the Adirondack Park Administration. Owners of Aqualogic, Inc., a New Hampshire-based plant management firm, met with Minerva town officials last week to discuss the removal of about 10 acres of milfoil infestation using suction. “Minerva Lake is our largest asset,” said Supervisor Steve McNally. “This is our priority.” The town budgeted $75,000 to dedicate for aquatic invasive species management, an increase from $50,000 the previous year. For the past decade, the town has been appropriating such funds using Aquatic Invasive Management LLC to conduct handharvesting of the plants. The new company will use a process called Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting, or DASH, to remove the plants. Suction harvesting collects a smaller bio-
mass than does larger-scale mechanical harvesting operations because only small targeted areas are dredged, and because only the nuisance plants are removed, not all of the native and exotic plants. Hand-harvesting is more time consuming. “We can pull as much in two weeks as has been done all summer,” said Dominic John, vice president and diver. Hand-harvesting can also allow for more error, from broken plant pieces that end up back in the water, or incomplete removal of roots. Aqualogic already had a full schedule for the summer when contacted by Minerva officials weeks ago. The APA’s recent decision to allow DASH in the Adirondack Park prompted the company to rearrange and head to Minerva to meet with town officials. They’ll be working around their already packed schedule and sending one dive crew to Minerva, if the town decides to move forward with their services. >> See MINERVA | pg. 8