Almanack Contributor Guest Contributor

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Dear Governor Hochul,

The undersigned former Board members and former employees of the Adirondack Park Agency are writing to express our opposition to the proposed relocation of the Agency’s headquarters to a new location in the Village of Saranac Lake. Our reasons for taking this position are detailed below.

The Park Agency is a regional agency which regulates land use and development throughout the Adirondack Park. It makes little sense to us for the Agency to choose a new location in one community without any outreach to other potentially interested communities and a careful consideration of alternatives.

Friday, July 14, 2023

Tales of the Adirondacks, Past & Present: The Ladies Climb by Jerilea Zempel

Our next OurStoryBridge Inc. story share is called The Ladies Climb by Jerilea Zempel. Her story is about a group of women who duplicated the clothing women wore in the 1800s and recreated an expedition. Jerilea put extensive research and planning into the trip in order to honor those women before her. To listen to this story in its entirety, please visit this link: https://app.memria.org/stories/public-story-view/c9a5d576bc9444a5b6faa02db7edaeba/

The Adirondack Almanack will share stories written by those who live, work, and play in the ADK, courtesy of OurStoryBridge Inc. These stories, which will be a combination of current and past events, people, outdoor activities and more, will be published on a weekly basis. The stories will focus on various locations situated in the Adirondack region, including the High Peaks, the town of Keene, and many other areas around the Park. Story topics include arts & culture, catastrophes, work, people, outdoor activities, daily life, community, and natural & man-made environments.

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Tales of the Adirondacks, Past & Present: Our 21st Century Library by William Reed

Our next OurStoryBridge Inc. story share features William Reed from Adirondack Community in the Town of Keene. William shares his story, Our 21st Century Library, which details how money was raised to upgrade the library in order to bring it into the 21st century. Listen to this story in its entirety at the following link: https://app.memria.org/stories/public-story-view/aebc107b54b04facaecad12268e84604/

Monday, June 19, 2023

Debatable: Should the Northway speed limit go up?

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Editor’s note: This commentary is in the May/June 2023 issue of Adirondack Explorer magazine, as part of our “It’s Debatable” feature. In this regular column, we invite organizations and/or individuals to address a particular issue. Click here to subscribe to the magazine, available in both print and digital formats: www.adirondackexplorer.org/subscribe.

The question: Should I-87 go to 70 mph?

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Tales of the Adirondacks, Past & Present: My Amazing Career in Wildland and Alpine Stewardship by Kayla White

Our next OurStoryBridge Inc. story share features Kayla White from ADK Voices. In her story, My Amazing Career in Wildland and Alpine Stewardship, Kayla shares her story of how she was introduced to the Adirondack region and details her current status as Stewardship Manager. To listen to this story in its entirety, please visit this link: https://app.memria.org/stories/public-story-view/8d2f60985df94c6fbceb2dd828c06ff9/

Friday, June 9, 2023

Historical Places Enrich our Adirondack Landscapes, Informing the Present and Future

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By Emily Martz, Executive Director, and Connor Williams, Historian, Great Camp Sagamore

Recently, Great Camp Sagamore was mentioned by Peter Baur’s recent article in which he discussed the value that comes from the various uses of lands and waters within the Adirondack Park. This healthy conversation began before the blue line of the Adirondack Park was drawn in 1892 and will continue for as long as the Park exists.

Great Camp Sagamore, a National Historic Landmark, is a nonprofit educational center devoted to historic preservation and life-long learning. Because of its former ownership by William West Durant and Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, it is tempting to paint Great Camp Sagamore today as another retreat for only well-to-do and well-connected people “from away.” We think this is an error.

Monday, June 5, 2023

Tales of the Adirondacks, Past & Present: ADK Adopt-A-Lean-To-Program by John Schneider

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Our next OurStoryBridge, Inc. story share features John Schneider from ADK Voices. In his story about the ADK Adopt-A-Lean-To-Program, Schneider shares the process and challenges of developing nearly sixty lean-tos for Adirondack campers and hikers. To listen to this story in its entirety, please visit this link: https://app.memria.org/stories/public-story-view/f7a9c431551c4609a9f6eff11ddb8708/.

Thursday, June 1, 2023

Hear from a former drug user/dealer in Tupper Lake on how he’s now fighting for his community

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By Mike Delair

I live in Tupper Lake I am writing you in regards to the epidemic of drugs that has taken over our community and the necessity to help adequately fund our village police department, rid our town of drugs and crime and most importantly save lives.

First off let me tell you about myself. I am 49 years of age, and led a life of drugs, crime, multiple incarcerations and overdoses. It was a life I never thought I could escape from or give up. I look back now and can only imagine how many nights my mother waited up for me- just to know I was okay , not in jail or worse, dead!

Faced with the grim alternatives, my mother, of course, preferred I was in jail and alive than the alternatives of still surviving on the streets or dead. -And believe me! My life on the street was simply survival.

Friday, May 26, 2023

Tales of the Adirondacks, Past & Present: Rescue on Mt. Jo by Maggie Newell

Our next OurStoryBridge, Inc. story share features Maggie Newell from ADK Voices. Newell recounts her story titled “Rescue on Mt. Jo” which details how a teen trail crew completed a bridge in order to do their part to assist an emergency crew rescue an injured hiker. To listen to “Rescue on Mt. Jo” in its entirety, please visit this link: https://app.memria.org/stories/public-story-view/4965a4c377dd467897163cafec0d5a36/

Saturday, May 20, 2023

Thanks for everything, Robert!

By Emily Martz, Executive Director, Great Camp Sagamore

At Great Camp Sagamore, we believe that everyone should have the chance to experience the transformative powers of connecting and learning in the remote Adirondack mountains. For the last seven years, Great Camp Sagamore’s retiring Historian, Robert Engel, has been integral to this vision. As he retires, we ask you to join us in thanking Robert for his dedication to historic preservation and life-long learning, and for all that he has done to inspire staff and tens of thousands of visitors over the years.

For Robert’s first two seasons at Sagamore (2016 & 2017), he was camp’s sous chef. “Despite my History Museum Studies degree and 30+ years working in the field,” Robert says, “including as Director of the Rensselaer County Historical Society, my dream was to create the best restaurant in the Adirondacks. Great Camp Sagamore’s kitchen was practice for that. Then, I became the historian – phew!” We will miss Robert’s sense of humor rooted in his desire to help make everyone feel welcome.

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Paul Smith’s president: The college has no plans to close

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A message from Dan Kelting, interim president of Paul Smith’s College:

Last night an erroneous news story circulated that Paul Smith’s College was tasked with creating a “closing plan.”

Let me be clear, Paul Smith’s College has no plans to close. In fact, we continue to strengthen our world-class programs, like culinary, forestry, and climate/sustainability and are excited to welcome our incoming and returning students this fall.

In August 2022, like many other colleges and universities, Paul Smith’s College was a target of a cyberattack that impacted many of our IT systems, including financial aid. Those systems have been rebuilt to state-of-the-art standards. In January 2023, an independent expert confirmed that the improved cyber security infrastructure of Paul Smith’s College is sound.

Monday, May 15, 2023

Tales of the Adirondacks, Past & Present: First Adirondack Adventure by Heidi Roland

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Our next OurStoryBridge, Inc. story share features avid hiker, Heidi Roland, from North Elba Narratives in Lake Placid, NY. In her story titled “First Adirondack Adventure,” she recounts her first hike with her boyfriend (now husband) in the Adirondack High Peaks in 1982, and she also illustrates how she became a 46er. To listen to First Adirondack Adventure in its entirety, please visit this link: https://app.memria.org/stories/public-story-view/c3c58af5eb104c918e46aa6712147f51/

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Poetry: Chiroptera

Chiroptera

By Laura Bellinger

Apparently, last night
there was a giant hatch.
Thousands of tiny bugs, just specks,
have invaded my Adirondack porch.

Monday, May 8, 2023

Tales of the Adirondacks, Past & Present: I Am Odd, I Am New by Benjamin Giroux

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Our next OurStoryBridge story share is titled, I Am Odd, I Am New by Benjamin Giroux. In this story that he recounted for Freedom Story Project, published author, Benjamin Giroux, tells his story through poetry, sharing his personal experiences and perspectives as a boy with autism. To listen to this story in its entirety, please visit: https://app.memria.org/stories/public-story-view/d2157a30031a474983d7ac36e0bdd0c8/

Monday, May 1, 2023

Tales of the Adirondacks, Past & Present: Who Was That? by Paul Martin

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Our next OurStoryBridge story share is titled, Who Was That? by Paul Martin. In this story that he recounted for Adirondack Community, Martin shares a fascinating tale about how a young man who worked as a caddy at the Ausable Club located in Keene Valley once met a celebrity. To listen to this story in its entirety, please visit this link: https://app.memria.org/stories/public-story-view/593def99a0204b74a12e293672d4d906/