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Editorial» Governor Cuomo holding our schools hostage in budget process
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Saturday, February 7, 2015
County reaches deal on cemetery
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This Week FARM TO TABLE
By Pete DeMola pete@denpubs.com
Regional food hub comes to fruition in Essex PAGE 3
WHALLONSBURG
Fourth graders in Mary Mandy’s class at Westport Central display the tags they’ve accrued as part of their reading program. After completing a book, students are awarded a tag indicating the genre. Sixth graders are also participating in the program, which was developed by acclaimed “Book Whisperer” author Donalyn Miller. Mandy said graphic novels have been wildly popular amongst the kids and more have been added to the library to keep up with demand. Photo by Pete DeMola
Whallonsburg Grange kicks off centennial PAGE 5 SPORTS
Kearney places second in Whiteface World Cup stop With retirement likely, FIS calls the season an “extended victory lap” for the Vermont moguls star By Andrew Johnstone andrew@denpubs.com
AVCS seniors celebrate senior night with a win PAGE 14
WILMINGTON -- Knees pumping like pistons, Hannah Kearney blazed over and through mogul after mogul on her way to the second jump. Then, for a moment that seemed as if time somehow slowed, she was airborne, skis crossed and body spinning, eyes on the snow 15 feet below. Kearney spotted her landing, touched down, and was instantaneously back into a rhythm navigating terrain few skiers can handle at a fraction of the pace. She crossed the line, edges biting hard into the skied-off finish area, and waited for the scores to come in, all while the crowd CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
Hannah Kearney soars through the air off the second jump on the Wilderness mogul course at Whiteface Mountain on Jan. 29. She finished the World Cup event in second place, just .43 points behind Canada’s Justine Dufour-Lapointe.
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© ORDA / Andrew Johnstone
ELIZABETHTOWN Ñ Essex County lawmakers announced on Friday, Jan. 30 that theyÕ ve tentatively reached a deal to acquire the Old County Cemetery. Ò We are in negotiations now,Ó said County Attorney Daniel Manning. Ò WeÕ re hoping to have a contract signed next week.Ó Cemetery owner Ruth Morgan confirmed that she has agreed to sell the former burial ground, which she purchased from the Essex County IDA in 1985 as part of a larger parcel. Ò I just feel like itÕ s not helping my health a lot,Ó she said. Ò IÕ m looking forward to getting it off my hands and beginning to forget about it.Ó Manning said negotiations with Morgan have been smooth. Ò We have had some good meetings and heÕ s an easy person to talk to,Ó said Morgan. The agreement Ñ which is scheduled to be made final on Thursday, after this edition went to print Ñ averts a potentially costly legal showdown between the parties. Last November, the board authorized Manning to move forward with eminent domain proceedings if Morgan didnÕ t agree to sell the two-acre parcel to the county. Advocates of reclamation by the county argued that the initial sale to Morgan was a mistake. On Friday, the board also authorized the use of $15,000 from contingency funds to pay for the assessment and purchase of the parcel. Tax rolls show the 18.2 acre lot is assessed at $104,900. CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
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