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December 12, 2009
A Denton Publication
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Savings
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Museum seeks info regarding old photograph.
‘Catalina’ coupons and how they can help you save some dough.
Local harpist will perform ‘The Christmas Rose’ on Dec. 11.
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Man charged with Winter Carnival has new Web site raping Tupper teen By Matt Bosley matt@denpubs.com TUPPER LAKE — A Long Island man is facing sex charges for allegedly raping a Tupper Lake minor after setting up a meeting with the girl through cell phone and internet chat. Fahad Sultan, 23, also known as Nicholas Sultan, was arrested at his Levittown home Dec. 3 and charged with three counts of third-degree criminal sexual act and two counts of third-degree Fahad Sultan rape; all felony charges. According to police, Sultan, communicated with the victim, a resident of Tupper Lake who is less than 17 years old, via internet chat and cell phone conversations, during which he agreed This story was first to travel to Tupper Lake to meet posted online at 5 with the victim. Once in Tupper Lake, Sultan p.m., Dec. 7 on allegedly committed sexual ofwww.Denpubs.com fenses against the teen over the course of two days in a nearby motel before returning to his home on Long Island. Reports from the victim led to an investigation by Tupper Lake Village police. Assisted by the New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit, the investigation gathered digital and other evidence relating to the crime. Investigators with the Computer Crime Unit obtained and executed a search warrant for Sultan's residence, vehicle, computer and cell phone to find additional evidence. State Police also arrested Sultan and brought him to Albany, where Tupper Lake Village police met them to bring him to Tupper Lake. Sultan was Arraigned in the Village of Tupper Lake Court and remanded to Franklin County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail or $100,000 bond. “I am grateful for the help from the New York State Police Computer Crime Unit for their expertise in the case,” said Tupper Lake Police Chief Thomas Fee in a news release. “And I also want to acknowledge the outstanding work of several of our own officers in connection with this case.” The investigation of the case is ongoing.
FIRST
ON THE NET
The 113th annual Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is scheduled for Feb. 5-14, 2010. Until then, the Winter Carnival Committee is continuing to plan for the event with the help of community members and a newly revamped Web site. Photo by Pat Hendrick
SARANAC LAKE — The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee is gearing up for the 113th annual event, and hoping a new publicity tool will make the 2010 carnival one of the best ever. The committee recently launched a newly designed Web site: www.saranaclakewintercarnival.com. “This redesigned web-site provides us with virtually total content control, dramatic visuals, improved sponsorship recognition, and visitor demographics,” said Jeff Dickson, Chair of the Winter Carnival Committee. “Previously we had to rely on the website designer for content additions and updates,” he added. “The redesigned site, based on a content-management system of design, allows our own maintenance team to make timely updates and improvements.” The 2010 Winter Carnival theme is
“Adirondack Cowboys,” selected earlier this year based on several suggestions and with broad-based community input. The Winter Carnival Committee believes that this theme will provide a wonderful opportunity for the community to fully participate in the week long celebration. The Winter Carnival Committee has already held several planning meetings for the 2010 Winter Carnival. Events for the 113th annual carnival include a gala parade and spectacular opening and closing fireworks displays, despite current economic issues. “Although funding for Winter Carnival continues to present a major challenge to the Committee, we are confident our community will come forward this year with its generous contributions as it has in years past,” Dickson said. The Winter Carnival will begin on Feb. 5, 2010 with the presentation of the Royal
Court and the Coronation of the King and Queen. It will continue through Sunday, Feb. 14. Interested community members are invited to join in the excitement of planning and executing another successful carnival event. Winter Carnival Committee meetings are held in the Hodson Hall Board Room at North Country Community College. Upcoming meeting dates include December 23; January 6, 13, 20, and 27; and February 3 and 17. All meetings start at 7:30 p.m. Further information about the Winter Carnival can be obtained by contacting the Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce at 891-1990, or by e-mail at info@saranaclake.com. Information is also available at the Web site, www.saranaclakewintercarnival.com, where visitors can request information via e-mail.
Lake Placid native prepares for Afghanistan deployment By Jonathan Alexander denpubs@denpubs.com LAKE PLACID — During a speech at West Point last week, President Barack Obama announced his plan to send 30,000 more troops to war-torn Afghanistan in an effort to seal victory over Al Qaeda and Taliban forces. The president’s long-awaited speech was met with mixed reviews from politicians and the public alike. Some say Obama’s 18-month timeline for withdrawal should have been left out of the plan; others wanted the U.S. to pull out of Afghanistan altogether. But for some, like Lake Placid native Sean Kane, the president’s address brought a sense of relief – and a sense of purpose. Sean Kane is a captain in the Second Battalion 22nd Infantry Regiment, First Brigade Combat Team 10th Mountain Division. He’s already served 15 months in Iraq, and on Monday he received his deployment orders. “Now we’re trying to get a finalized timeline for when we actually leave,” he said. “It’s
nice to have some resolution.” Kane, 27, is a graduate of Northwood School. He attended St. Lawrence University and enrolled in the Army not long after graduation in 2005. Much has been made of Obama’s lengthy decision-making process leading up to Tuesday. But for Kane, the lag time between deployments is part of the job. “We were all pretty excited once our brigade was off-ramped from our Iraq commitment; we basically went into a planning and training mode,” he said. “There’s obviously some questions floating around, we were all kind of wondering what was going to happen. But it’s one of those things where when one commitment goes away you stand by and wait for something else to come down and until that happens, you enjoy the time you have at home with your family and friends.” On Tuesday, Kane was watching Obama’s speech with some co-workers at his apartment in Watertown. His own reaction to the announcement was mixed. “For me it’s kind of a strange personal feel-
ing because you sort of question what’s going to happen,” Kane said. “But up until they give us the go-ahead, you pull yourself out of the situation and not really worry until you hear one way or the other.” And as troops await specific orders, Kane says it’s business as usual at Fort Drum. “We continue to train for overall readiness without any specific mission,” he said. “We make sure everybody is fit and that they’re ready to go.” Some reports indicate that morale at Fort Drum is faltering, but Kane notes that just having orders is a boost. “It makes things easier when you have an idea of where you’re going to go,” he said. For Kane, the Army is his job. He’s the air planning officer at Fort Drum, and while at home he passes time in his office planning air operations. But the fact that he makes his career serving in the military doesn’t make the reality of fighting in Afghanistan any easier for his parents. “From the family side of things, my mom
and dad are always concerned,” Kane said. “My younger brother is in the army as well. For parents with two sons in the military, there’s always a question of what’s going to happen next. They start to try and mentally prepare themselves. But I think everyone sort of expected what happened Tuesday night and I don’t think there was anything too surprising.” Sean’s younger brother, Michael Kane, is an infantry officer in the Army and handles logistics for a company 130 strong. Mike served in Iraq as well, and is currently waiting to finish his time in the service. Rob Kane – Sean’s cousin – served two tours in Iraq. He signs out of the Marine Corp next week. All three men grew up and went to school in Lake Placid. The debate over what course to take in Afghanistan will no doubt continue. Politicians will argue, the public will speculate, and the rhetoric will pile up. But for Sean Kane and the rest of America’s brave service men and women, there’s a sense of relief in just knowing what’s next.