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On Tuesday, November 7th, New Yorkers have an opportunity to vote on Ballot Proposition 1: whether the State will hold a constitutional convention in 2019. Many of my colleagues in the Adirondack environmental world are urging a “No” vote. Anticipating that such a convention would be heavily influenced by moneyed special interests, they are concerned with possible threats to the legendary “Forever Wild” constitutional amendment that protects the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserves. They reason correctly that Forever Wild, being the gold standard in wilderness protection, cannot be improved, only weakened, and they don’t want to see State take that risk.
I share my friends’ concern about Forever Wild and I agree with their basic argument, but I do not join them in urging a “No” vote. My political DNA is too deeply imbued with grassroots, democratic activism for me to oppose this opportunity for the people of New York to directly act on the condition of their government. I also recognize that simply convening a constitutional convention does not expose the welfare to the Adirondack Park to unfettered abuse by special interests who would exploit it. No matter the goings on among the delegates to the convention, the people of New York will have the final say in the process, by virtue of their vote on any amendments in November of 2019.
But count me as wary.
Students and faculty from North Country Community College and Paul Smith’s College have finished construction of an outdoor classroom at North Country’s Saranac Lake campus.
Ice jams in the Adirondacks are a regular occurrence, disrupting the flow of not only the river, but often the lives and residents and visitors alike.
A $494,000 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will support The Wild Center as it helps students and teachers in New York City, the Catskills and the Adirondacks respond to climate change in their communities.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Alaska Organic Fertilizer company are offering grants to support school gardens in the United States, excluding it’s territories.
A 1958 graduate and longtime benefactor of Paul Smith’s College has donated $1 million to help the institution renovate its chemistry laboratories. The gift from John Dillon, retired chairman and CEO of International Paper, is the largest donation ever from a Paul Smith’s alum according to school officials. The renovated labs will be named the John T. Dillon Science Center in his honor, they said.
Literacy Volunteers of Essex and Franklin Counties (LVEF) has been awarded a grant of $2,000 by the International Paper Foundation. The grant is expected to be used to underwrite printing costs for the organization’s brochures, annual report, and newsletter.
The Adirondack Birth to Three Alliance’s (BT3) annual meeting will bring together educators, providers, government, nonprofits, and businesses to network, quickly review progress to date, and consider strategies to support services for families with young children across the region.
Cultural and natural sustainability will come together in a weeklong program for youth at the Adirondack Interpretive Center in Newcomb. ¡Naturalmente! is a unique program for youth ages 10-14 that provides the opportunity to learn Spanish while exploring the beauty of the Adirondack Park. The program runs from August 20 to 25, 2017.
The Ticonderoga Historical Society has been awarded a $5,000 Corridor of Commerce Grant from the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership. The grant will fund the creation of a website and student writing competition to commemorate the 200th anniversary of steamboat operations in the Champlain Valley and surrounding area.
Fort Ticonderoga recently received a grant from the South Lake Champlain Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation to support regional youth maritime educational programs. Aboard the 60-foot touring Carillon, each 90-minute narrated boat tour focuses on the historical importance of the Lake Champlain waterway through centuries of history, and highlights elements of geography, natural history, and lake stewardship. This experience enables students to better grasp the strategic importance of the Champlain-Hudson corridor in the 18th century and its role in the founding of America. 
Cornell Cooperative Extension Franklin County has announced Adyson Miller as the winner of the 2017 New York State Guernsey Calf Scholarship Program. The Calf Scholarship Award Program is sponsored by the New York State Guernsey Breeders Association for the purpose of encouraging those who do not presently own Guernseys to become involved with the Guernsey Breed. A purebred Guernsey Calf goes to the candidate who shows interest in the Guernsey breed and who has demonstrated the capabilities of developing the animal to its fullest potential.
This spring, Adirondack Foundation is offering nearly $141,000 in scholarship opportunities to students and families seeking financial aid for higher education.
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