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• EDITION •
Betty Little announces retirement Longtime state senator opts out of re-election By Sarah Elizabeth Morris STAFF WRITER
Last term: Senator Betty Little speaks at a press conference in Plattsburgh. There, she announced that she was not running for re-election in 2020, and will spend her last term working hard for the people of the 45th district. Photo by Sarah Elizabeth Morris
NEW YORK | New York state Republican Sen. Betty Little has announced that she will not be running for re-election in 2020, choosing not to run against five-year-long Clinton County treasurer and Democratic Senate runner Kimberly Davis. Little, an upstate New York native, started serving the 45th district in 2003 and has been serving in the senate for almost 20 years. “Representing a vast district comprising six counties, two cities, 83 towns, 20 villages and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe at Akwesasne, I have had a very unique perspective to learn a lot about this region and gotten to know many good people working hard to make better lives for themselves, their families and their communities,” Little said in an official statement. “As a state representative, I’ve always felt the best I can do is to complement those efforts. Whether it has been through legislation, or funding for so many different
and important initiatives and projects, being in a position to help has been so rewarding.” Little’s news came shortly before her visit to the City of Plattsburgh on Dec. 5. She held a press conference at the Clinton County Government Center that afternoon to go into more depth on her decision. She thanked everyone she met throughout her career as a public figure and says the choice to retire was not an easy one; however, she feels what she set out to do no longer needs her. “I can’t say enough what an honor and a real privilege it has been for me to be able to do this,” Little said at the press conference in Plattsburgh. “As difficult as this day is, it’s time … I will not run for re-election in November [2020].” During her last term in office, Little wants to focus on working to make sure the North Country has broader WiFi coverage and cellphone service, especially along I-87, where service is spotty. The need for cell service, according to Little, is safety, and she’ll continue to push for the North Country to become more modern. Other politicians who heard of Little’s retirement voiced their responses and well wishes to the senator. See BETTY LITTLE » pg. 8
Storm damage in Essex County exceeds $4 million County hoping for federal aid for public and individual losses By Tim Rowland STAFF WRITER
ELIZABETHTOWN | Essex County suffered $4 million worth of damage from a Halloween storm that felled trees, washed out roads, downed power lines and caused significant destruction to private property. Together with the damage reported by 10 other New York Counties, the devastation meets the federal threshold for federal financial assistance, said Donald Jaquish, director at Essex County Emergency Services.
Damage has been inspected by both state officials and representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and “now it depends on the president,” Jaquish said. State officials verified the county estimate, and FEMA was on the scene soon after,which Jaquish said he took as a good sign. There are two aspects to the funding request, one public, one individual. The public covers damage to roads, bridges and other infrastructure, while the individual would cover those who lost private property. The government could approve public help without approving individual aid, Jaquish said. The larger share of the damage from the flood occurred in the Schroon River valley through North Hudson and Schroon. Jaquish said about 50 homes were damaged, and two or three were destroyed. See STORM DAMAGE » pg. 9
Some washed out roads are still closed following the Halloween Day flood.
Photo by Tim Rowland
Boquet Valley hires new highschool principal Elaine Dixon-Cross returns from CFES Brilliant Pathways By Kim Dedam STAFF WRITER
Ernest LaPine, chairman of elections for the fire district vote, at left , and past Westport Hose Co. No. 1 Fire Chief Jim Westover prepare the polling site at Westport’s fire station ahead of the referendum vote Tuesday. Taxpayers gave the fire company the go-ahead to build a new fire station, 187 yes to 60 no votes. Photo by Kim Dedam
Westport approves new fire station
No. 1 approval to build a new fire station. The referendum vote Tuesday evening won overwhelming approval, 187 yes to 60 no votes, with two votes marked void. Taxpayer go-ahead allows the Westport Fire District’s Board of Fire Commissioners to move forward with a construction plan that has been in design and review for over a year. The $3.2 million fire station will be situated on 5.2 acres the fi re district purchased off of Route 22, adjacent to Bessboro Builders & Supplies.
Referendum on Westport Hose Co. No. 1 project nets 187 yes, 60 no votes By Kim Dedam STAFF WRITER
WESTPORT | Voters here have given Westport Hose Co.
See FIRE STATION VOTE » pg. 3
ELIZABETHTOWN | The School Board and administration at Boquet Valley Central School chose a new high school principal at the Dec. 2 board meeting. School Superintendent Josh Meyer said newly hired Principal Elaine DixonCross comes to the job at Elaine Dixon-Cross hired as Mountain View Campus in new high school principal Elizabethtown with K-12 at Boquet Valley Central experience as former prinSchool, Mountain View cipal at Crown Point Central Campus in Elizabethtown. School. She also worked as Photo provided former middle and high school principal at Beekmantown Central School. Dixon-Cross will return to school administration from her most recent post as GEAR UP program director for CFES Brilliant Pathways, a college and career education resource in Essex. “Her experience at all levels of the K-12 system plus her extensive experience with CFES (College For Every Student) will allow her to hit the ground running,” Meyer said. See PRINCIPAL » pg. 3
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