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Saturday,ÊA ugustÊ22 ,Ê2015
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www.SunCommunityNews.com
In COUNTY | pg. 16
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Essex County Fair in pictures
In OPINION | pg. 4
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In POLITICS | pg. 16-17
A New Frontier Judge candidates for Essex Co. on the ground
A look back at the 167th edition
Lawmakers: make good use of land
Barrett, Meyer at the fair
Mud, sweat and gears Demolition Derby a smash hit By Pete DeMola
pete@suncommunitynews.com
WESTPORT — The back tires sunk into the mud and the driver hit the gas, sending an arc of coffee-colored mud into the grandstand. The crowd roared as the buzzsaw shriek of the racers sliced through the air. Fairgoers packed the Essex County Fair on Sunday to watch the riders compete in a demolition derby under a crucible-like sun. Earlier that morning, Cody Agoney took
fifth in his heat. Now he was taking a breather in the field that served as the derby’s staging area, strewn with car parts, slick with oil and dotted with battered machines. Agoney is part of Team Lic Me, of Peru. They’re a half-dozen guys with different reasons for engaging in the sport: “To have fun.” “To smash cars.” “To ruin other peoples’ days.” As part of the preparation process, Agoney stripped his car, relocated the fuel cell and put the battery underneath the passengerside floorboard to avoid a conflagration.
This year’s Essex County Fair Demolition Derby saw over 100 riders compete on Sunday, Aug. 16. It’s a sport that combines mechanical prowess with strategic thinking and teamwork, say participants. And it’s a lot of fun. Pictured above: Riders take a breather between heats.
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A fair favorite
Bacon Burger reigns supreme By Pete DeMola
pete@suncommunitynews.com
WESTPORT —As the carnival chugs into town, so do the treats: Visitors to last week’s Essex County Fair had no shortage of snacks to accompany their animal gazing and midway meandering: there was steak sandwiches, cotton candy, kettle corn and all manner of deep-fried fixings, from funnel cakes to Oreos. It’s an offering that’s sure to see shares of Lipitor skyrocket. But one snack rules them all: The Bacon Burger. For the past five decades, the local Kiwanis organization has been parcelling them out from >> Story Continued | pg. 8
Photo by Pete DeMola
Essex County prevails in Frontier Town lawsuit
By Pete DeMola
pete@suncommunitynews.com
ELIZABETHTOWN — Essex County did not act improperly when it declined a bid at a tax auction last year for Frontier Town, the State Supreme Court determined last week. Last week, State Supreme Court Justice Robert Muller tossed the lawsuit filed last year by the late George Moore, of Keeseville. “We have prevailed,” Essex County Attorney Daniel Manning told lawmakers on Monday. The lawsuit is well-documented. Following the board’s decision last spring to deny Moore’s winning bid of $49,500 on the grounds that it did not meet the $145,000 in back taxes (Moore later bumped the figure to $60,000), the businessman filed a lawsuit against the county and the town of North Hudson, alleging that they conspired to withhold the property for their own benefit. North Hudson residents then sounded off at the ballot box in a permissive referendum and decided against using town funds to purchase the 89 acres, which town officials have long eyed as a key location for economic development. Muller heard oral arguments last month in
Elizabethtown and his decision largely followed the contours of the county’s argument. “The county was entitled to implement a procedure whereby all sales to the highest bidder at public auction where subject to approval by the board,” wrote Muller in his eight-page decision, which was released last week. Essex County continues to own the land and can do what it likes with it, including flatout giving it to North Hudson. Earlier this month, the DEC approved plans to build a 40-mile multi-use trail between Minerva, Newcomb and North Hudson. North Hudson Supervisor Ron Moore, who is not related to George, said he hoped that the land will be dealt with in a way that supports community trails in the five towns, including Long Lake and Indian Lake, a measure that would boost business and job growth throughout the region. “That’s what it’s all about,” said Moore. Moore said the land is critical to connecting the existing town trail to the proposed network, including an access point on Blue Ridge Road. It will also act as a much-needed >> Story Continued | pg. 8