A Denton Publication
Sentinels, Vikings split contests Ticonderoga and Moriah each split a pair of games in the Moriah Holiday Tournament in girls basketball. See sports.
Moriah Madness being planned The Moriah Central School Parent-Teacher Association will meet on Monday, Jan. 11, at 6 p.m. in the high school library. The main purpose of this meeting will be to begin planning of the annual Moriah Madness event. Anyone interested in being involved is encouraged to attend. For more information contact Brenda Baker at 546-7234 or Rose Rice at 546-3623.
Tree disposal set in Ticonderoga The town of Ticonderoga trash transfer station will accept Christmas trees until Jan. 16. It will not accept other yard debris.
THIS WEEK Ticonderoga...................2-9 Opinions ......................6-7 Obituaries ....................10 Moriah ..........................11 Schroon Lake ................14 Crown Point ..................16 Calendar ......................20 Sports ..........................21-22 Classifieds....................22-24 Auto Zone ....................25-28
FREE
January 9, 2010
Task force
Fort award
Ti mixer
A task force has been established to assist Ti police in battling under-age drinking. See Page 2
Fort Ticonderoga has been recognized for engineering excellence. See Page 3
The Ti Area Chamber of Commerce recently held an after-business mixer for members. See Page 9
Tough times ahead School districts brace for loss of federal aid By Fred Herbst fred@denpubs.com TICONDEROGA — The federal economic stimulus program helped many schools avoid difficult decisions last year. That’s about to end. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has issued a report noting New York schools face a shortfall of more than $2 billion when the stimulus money runs out. He said districts statewide will see the gap in the 2011-12 fiscal year unless the difference is made up by the federal government, the state, or local property taxpayers. The analysis shows that could mean an average property tax increase of nearly 8 percent just to make up for the loss of federal money on top of annual increases in school spending. The temporary stimulus money was allocated to help states suffering deep drops in revenue because of the recession, but the funding runs out in 201112. The Ticonderoga Central School District will not have any stimulus hangover, Superintendent John McDonald said. “We knew these were temporary funds and therefore only used them to fund temporary things,” he said. “We have one position we filled with these funds, but were clear that it would only exist as long as the funds were available.” The current Ticonderoga budget includes $749,628 in federal stimulus money — 4.4 percent of the total $17.1 million budget. The loss of federal stimulus money won’t affect Schroon Lake Central School, Superintendent Mike Bonnewell said. “Much of the stimulus money — $1.6 billion of this year ’s $2.8 billion —
See SCHOOLS, page 10
Rose Marie Viscardi and Ticonderoga Kiwanis Club President Joyce Cooper welcome new members Nancy and Rose Kelley. The Ticonderoga Kiwanis Club meets every Thursday at noon at Ti Pi Pizzeria. All are welcome.
Knights of Columbus
Ti building to be renovated By Fred Herbst fred@denpubs.com TICONDEROGA — A downtown Ticonderoga building is getting a facelift. The Knights of Columbus hall on Montcalm Street, constructed in 1920, is being renovated by members. “We want to economize the building and make it more accessible,” explained Peter Reale of the Knights’ building committee. “We want to modernize the facility.” The three-story building has about 5,000 square feet on each floor. It is not presently handicap accessible. Peter For years the first floor has been rented commercial space, the second floor a lounge and office space, and the third floor a banquet hall and kitchen. Amerigas, the first floor tenant, has moved, forcing the Knights to take a look at their building. “The major operating expense of the building is to heat it,” Knight Ralph Corbo explained. “The cost of heat was being offset by the income from the rent Amerigas paid. Without that rent we can not afford to maintain the building without depleting our reserves.” Reale said the building committee considered several options. To find another tenant expensive renovations were needed, he said. The group also researched selling the building and moving to another location.
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“Our building committee concluded the best option is for us to move downstairs and heat only the ground floor,” Corbo said. Plans call for the renovated first floor to include a council room, office space, a kitchen, a lounge and a banquet room. It will be handicap accessible and have access to the recently-constructed parking lot at the rear of the building. A new heating system will also be installed. Work has already started on the project. Knights, with help from inmates and officers of the Moriah Shock Camp, have gutted the first floor. Reale estimates the project will cost the Knights $150,000 with members doReale ing much of the work. They hope to open by July 4. “This is a project of the whole council,” Reale said. “We’ll do as much of the work as possible.” Corbo is co-chairman of the capital fund drive for the project along with PJ Graney. To date 29 members have committed to the project with $25,021 in pledges, of which $6,541 has already been contributed. Members have been contacted asking for assistance. Others who would like to contribute or make a donation in the memory of a deceased Knight can send their gifts to the Knights of Columbus, attn. Richard Liddell, 103 Montcalm St. Suite 2, Ticonderoga 12883. Donors will be recognized in the new facility.
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