Friday, May 19, 2023

“I’m new at this, what’s your excuse?”

Guest playing tennis and ball boy, Sagamore Lodge, ca. 1913.

Guest playing tennis and ball boy, Sagamore Lodge, ca. 1913.

By Robert Engel

Great Camp Sagamore’s Historian from 2017 – May, 2023

Margaret Emerson Vanderbilt loved to compete. She also expected her guests at Sagamore to engage each other on the field of battle, be it croquet, tennis, or canoe racing. As a guest of Margaret’s, you didn’t have to win but you did have to play. Did the actress Gene Tierney and the business magnate Howard Hughes confront one another on Sagamore’s tennis court? Sure they did, maybe. Did General George Marshall play Madame Chiang Kai-Shek in a croquet match on the Main Lodge lawn while discussing the fate of the world? Why not?

Competition was Margaret’s way of drawing people together. The idea was that if you met someone new at Sagamore and then spent the day either teamed together, or competing against one another, you would have plenty to talk about at dinner.

The best part was that famous guests did not need to discuss the work that made them famous. They could instead talk about missed wickets and sizzling backhands. At Sagamore, they had the rare opportunity to feel and act unaffected by their fame. How wonderful.

There’s a favorite moment near the end of the history tour at Great Camp Sagamore. The guide has led his or her group out of the Playhouse, where Margaret’s guests might have competed at pool, ping pong, dancing, and martini mixing, not necessarily in that order. Now, at the closed entrance of the last building on the tour, the guide will recap Sagamore’s gaming traditions as they ask first-time visitors to guess the function of the building they are about to enter. Does anybody know?

That’s right, the Vanderbilts bowled.

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Friday, May 19, 2023

What local water quality concerns do you have? WQCC meeting announced!

LAKE PLEASANT – After a yearlong hiatus, the Water Quality Coordinating Committee (WQCC) will hold a meeting on June 5 at the Lake Pleasant Public Library from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  During the meeting hosted by the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District, attendees will learn about impending invasive species, well water programs, and provide input on their local water quality needs and concerns. Experts from these fields will discuss issues and offer potential solutions and input.

Erik Reardon is an Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and will present on the invasive Round Goby.  Florence Braunius previously worked with the Village of Speculator Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and will present on a Well Water Program.  Following will be an open discussion of water quality needs throughout the county and refreshments will be served.

Both in person and virtual meeting options are available.

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Friday, May 19, 2023

Outdoor Conditions (5/19): Fourth Lake Boat Launch in Inlet opens May 20

outdoor conditions logoThe following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information

NEW THIS WEEK

Adirondack Rail Trail

  • The section of trail between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake is currently closed for construction. Use of this corridor during the construction period is prohibited.

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Friday, May 19, 2023

Latest news headlines

Here’s a look at news from around the Adirondacks this week:

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Thursday, May 18, 2023

Did the APA Learn a Lesson?

Members and staff of the Adirondack Park Agency sit around a table listening to a presentation during the March 16 meeting in Ray Brook. Photo by Gwendolyn Craig

Did the APA learn a lesson in May? Apparently so, though only one person around the APA’s table would say so in public.  That admission came from the non-voting representative of the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board, Jerry Delaney. “We’ve had a lesson in how important the people take their opportunities for public comment,” Mr. Delaney said. I am glad he said it because I suspect most were thinking it.

The senior APA staff, hit with hundreds of negative comments from diverse directions since March, including from some of its own members and from groups like mine (Adirondack Wild) and the Review Board, caved in May on their intention in March to ram through restrictions on public comment opportunities and subjecting future Agency policy and guidance documents to rapid decisions during a single meeting.

I was glad the staff caved. Act in haste, regret at leisure. It was certainly audacious of the senior staff to think over the winter that cutting down on public comment opportunities and on the time for consideration for changes to APA policy and guidance documents would not be noticed and needed no notice.  The question is, why did they propose such changes to begin with?

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Thursday, May 18, 2023

North Country Juneteenth Colors of Freedom Community Award nominations accepted through May 31

North Star Underground Railroad Museum.

This year the North Country Juneteenth Colors of Freedom celebration of the region’s role in the fight against slaver which highlights the Underground Railroad work in the area and avid abolitionist, John Brown, will be held on June 17, 18, 19 and 20. As part of the celebration, an individual, business, organization or politician will be recognized with a North Country Juneteenth Colors of Freedom Community Award. This award will be given to a person(s) who has honored an individual or organization in the Adirondack/North Country region who has made a positive impact on African American members in the community and actively promoted the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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Thursday, May 18, 2023

Adirondack Land Trust Receives $174,300 in Grant Funding for Cobble Hill Trail Improvements

Hiker on Cobble Hill in Lake Placid

 

Keene, NY — The Adirondack Land Trust has received a $99,300 grant from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program and a $75,000 grant from the North Elba Local Advancement and Enhancement Fund for a total of $174,300 in funding for trail improvements at Cobble Hill, a popular Lake Placid hiking destination.

 

“These generous grants support the work of people coming together to solve problems for community benefit,” says Adirondack Land Trust Stewardship & GIS Specialist Becca Halter. “These funds will help to improve this beloved community hike with a beautiful view of the village, Mirror Lake, and the surrounding area.”

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Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Adirondack budget wins

state budget graphic

We have a budget!
New York finally has a state budget for 2023-2024 tapping in around $229 billion. It was over a month late, but the final budget had some notable differences from Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposed earlier. For one, carve-outs for Adirondack projects were put back in the $400 million Environmental Protection Fund.

You can read our round-up of some of the funding highlights for the Adirondacks here.

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Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Whiteface Mountain region to host race events this June

Whiteface MTB participants

Wilmington, NY – The Whiteface Mountain region of upstate New York is gearing up to host a series of race events this June. The Whiteface Mountain Uphill Bike and Foot races, along with the Wilmington Whiteface mountain bike race, take place in early June. The Wilmington Whiteface Whiskey Run takes place a few weeks later, closer to the end of the month.

According to Michelle Preston, director of the Whiteface Visitors Bureau, the events entice participants from throughout the Northeast who love the region’s natural beauty and challenging courses.

“We are so excited to host these events again this year,” she said. “The races provide an opportunity to showcase the area’s rugged backcountry terrain, beautiful scenery, and abundant forests, allowing participants to immerse themselves in nature and enjoy the great outdoors while participating in a sport they love.”

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Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Missing 3-year-old found safe following multi-agency search in Otter Lake

forest ranger reportTown of Wilmington
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue:
 On May 13 at 8:55 a.m., a hiker called Essex County 911 about an angler with a possible broken leg off the Flume Trail System. Forest Rangers DiCintio, O’Connor, and Praczkajlo responded along with Wilmington Fire and Wilmington EMS. The 39-year-old from Canada said he had dragged himself from the water to the riverbank and waited for two hours hoping someone would find him.

The angler indicated his foot became trapped in the rapids and he had injured himself trying to get out from under a rock. When Rangers and Wilmington Fire reached the subject, they packaged him into a litter and carried him to the ambulance. Resources were clear at 9:30 a.m.

» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Investigating dams of the Adirondacks

conklingville dam

Over 500 dams dot the Adirondack Park, shaping the physical and social landscape of the region more than any other infrastructure.

The dams are integral to Adirondack history and the way today’s residents and visitors experience the park. They also quietly threaten public safety.

For the past year, I compiled documents, visited dams, interviewed owners and examined the state of those hundreds of dams. This weekend we started rolling out a series of stories that explores the safety and ownership of the riskiest structures, the unique position of backcountry dams and lessons from other states about how to improve dam safety.

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Tuesday, May 16, 2023

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

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.

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Tuesday, May 16, 2023

ADK Park: Environmental Conservation Police News

Routine Patrol Results in Multi-Agency Arrest – Washington County
On April 12, while patrolling a public parking area commonly used by anglers to access the Champlain Canal, ECO Thibodeau observed two individuals acting suspiciously in a vehicle. He began a preliminary investigation and then contacted the Washington County Sherriff’s Department for assistance.

Officers later arrested the subjects for outstanding warrants and searched the vehicle where they found drugs and drug paraphernalia.

A lock box inside the car also contained more controlled substances. Both subjects are facing drug possession charges and one of the individuals, wanted on a federal warrant, was turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation after being processed on the state charges.

» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, May 16, 2023

APIPP Adds Tip Sheet to Its Free Outreach Materials

Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program logo.

The Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP) has added a new tip sheet to its library of free outreach materials just in time for the start of the summer construction season. “Best Management Practices for Moving Topsoil and Fill” was developed with highway department crews and construction contractors in mind, but it can be referenced by anyone doing a project that involves moving excavated materials.

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Monday, May 15, 2023

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

Hiker Heidi Roland and her husband on their first hike.

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/

» Continue Reading.



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