It’s time again for Tupper Arts’ Mud Ball

by Dan McClelland

It’s time to clean the caked-on muck off your mud boots this week and get ready to dance, because Saturday will see the return of Tupper Arts’ popular spring-time Mud Ball.

The event which is free and open to the public will again be held this year at Raquette River Brewing, where there’s plenty of space to kick up those newly cleaned boots.

Highlighting the event will be the entertainment of Tupper Lake’s popular classic rock band, Mickey Desmarais and his sister, Claire. The evening will also see the first pouring of the brewery’s limited edition Mud Ball brown ale.

For every glass of the signature beer sold, $1 will go to the arts and entertainment work of Tupper Arts. The first glass of the evening is courtesy of Tupper Arts.

The event begins at 5p.m. and runs until the close of the popular brewery Saturday.

In recent years Tupper Arts, the local not-for-profit organizations which offers dozens of diversified arts, cultural and educational programs, has used the Mud Ball as their gift to the community for its generous support throughout the year. This year it is again saying thank you for all that support.

School board approves $21.9188 proposed budget for voter consideration

The two BOCES employees who now direct the Tupper Lake School District’s business office fielded questions at last week’s school board meeting, which didn’t manage a quorum of members. At left is the new business manager, Jessica Rivers, and her boss, Jamie O’Dell, the BOCES director of shared services.

by Dan McClelland

When it comes to approving a new school budget to present to voters later this month, it seems three times is the charm.

At the board’s regular monthly meeting on April 15, there wasn’t a quorum of members present (three needed), so a meeting couldn’t officially be held. The plan was to approve the budget that night, but only an informal discussion of it ensued. Only Sabrina Shipman and Mary Ellen Chamberlain were present.

A special meeting to approve the BOCES budget and the new school budget was set for last Monday morning. The members present for the non-meeting meeting on April 15 were joined by Korey Kenniston. When the new $21.988 million budget was proposed the board voted two to one, with Mr. Kenniston voting no. When a bare quorum of members is present, all three must vote in favor for a measure to pass.

Both Board President Jane Whitmore and Vice President Jason Rolley were both out of town on vacation in recent weeks.

The board convened again Thursday with all five members sitting, with Mr. Rolley back and Mrs. Whitmore connected via Zoom. This time the vote was unanimous in support of the draft budget.

This week Jamie O’Dell, Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES’ director of shared services, who now oversees the Tupper Lake business office, shared some of the details of the budget approved by the full board Thursday. She oversees the district’s new business manager- also from BOCES- Jessica Rivers.

The budget document has been trimmed somewhat since it was presented at the March school board meeting when a 9% tax levy increase was in prospect.

Since then the state legislature approved a late budget which kept the long-time “Save Harmless” in place for school districts for another year so that the $126,000 decrease in state foundation aid forecast was averted for this year.

In the budget proposed by the full board last week there are 17.5 positions to be eliminated. “Twelve of those positions are a combination of either COVID-funded positions we knew had to be eliminated or positions that are being eliminated through attrition- staff and faculty people resigning and retiring who will not be replaced.”

“Then there are 5.5 positions on top of those 12,” which she described as “physical positions” currently held by an employee that will be eliminated.

She listed those: one art position, one music teacher position, one middle/high school special education position, one middle/high school science position, one L.P. Quinn classroom position and half a library media specialist position.

With those cuts done, she said that brings the budget to a tax levy increase of 8.75%- down from a first draft levy figure of 9.1% and under the state imposed tax cap.

The levy figure showing the 8.75% increase represents a total contribution by taxpayers in the three towns $10.383 million- “which is $41,153 lower than what we originally proposed (in March) at the 9.1% tax levy increase.”

The tax levy in the current budget (2023-24) amounted to $9.548 million.

She cautioned that if this budget is not accepted by school district voters, the board has a choice to put a budget to the voters again in June or go to a “contingency budget.”

She said if the board adopts a contingency or what is often called “an austerity budget,” the district will have to eliminate another $835, 450 from the budget.” The would mean more jobs lost, likely.

She explained a contingency budget would not permit the district to exceed the current year’s tax levy. “So we couldn’t exceed this year’s levy of $9.548 million. -And that’s the already scarier part than what we are now facing.”

In the informal discussion on the budget in prospect at the April 15 session, Superintendent Russ Bartlett said there wasn’t a great deal new to report since the earlier meeting in terms of major revenues or expenditures.

He said since the first draft of the budget was released the “expenditure side of it has been decreased by $1.6 million.

He said there had been eight or so full-time positions that had been funded with federal COVID money that has disappeared, “as was intended.”

He said some of that money was spent on additional cleaning in the schools, permitting smaller class sizes at both schools, an additional school nurse, interventionist to help assess and correct learning loss because students weren’t in school. “-And because we had been so long without two school psychologists, one of our psychologists was funded with COVID funds.

One of those professionals left in March, so that is a position we won’t currently re-fill, he told the two board members present that evening.

“We had a couple of teaching assistants retire. We also had several other retirements that we will attribute to attrition.”

“The part that is painful” were the positions cut, that were listed by Ms. O’Dell above.

In addition to the full-time faculty cuts, were five what he called “para-professionals”- aides or teaching assistants.

While several of the five were leaving through attrition, the balance were people serving or acting in teaching roles, because there weren’t certified teachers available to hire, he noted.

“We can now free up a few teaching positions that can actually be filled by teachers.”

“Other significant expenditures we’ve reduced are most of our JV sports and “a fair amount of new athletic equipment” to the tune of over $100,000.

“Dan Bower’s retirement will leave us with an empty assistant superintendent’s position, which will not be filled in title as an assistant superintendent.”

“-And you remember last fall when Mr. (Lee) Kyler left, that was another administrative position that we have not refilled,” he continued.

He said through BOCES services and other contractual items, “we were able to amass about $400,000 in savings there.”

He said the difficulty of eliminating spending on BOCES programs and services, the district shorts itself on BOCES revenue, which can be as much as 50% of expenditures.

“It’s a ‘for now’ savings, but that $400,000 will not come back to us every year.”

“I spoke with Mayor Mary Fontana this afternoon.” The superintendent said the plan was for school, town and village leaders to meet soon to come up with the best solution for funding school resource officers in the future.

He said the need to keep the officers in place in each school was one of the things residents in the community feel strongest about keeping, judging by his recent conversations with folks in here. “The community has been very vocal about wanting to see them remain!”

“So we are working on ways to fund them- albeit a little differently than in the past. -And, at this point, it is reasonable to think we can keep the school resource officers!”

The cost of the officers’ salary and benefits amounts to about $140,000 per year which the district pays the village.

“Currently the budget we are looking for the board to approve” would be $21.918837 and that’s with a tax levy that is under the tax cap. I’m happy we have been able to get under it!”

Asked by Mary Ellen Chamberlain about the elementary school faculty and staff cuts, Mr. Bartlett said they included a cleaner, a K-5 general education teacher, a K-5 special education teacher, school psychologist, school nurse, two middle/high school interventionists and one elementary school interventionist.

“As Russ mentioned, I don’t think there’s anything new since the last time,” Ms. O’Dell told the two board members and the administrators present for what was supposed to be the regular monthly meeting.

“We have some deadlines coming up” with respect to the budget and its adoption.”

She opened a discussion on the fund reserves the district needs to create. “Any time a reserve is established” for a specific spending or budgeting purpose that has to be passed as a proposition on any district ballot.

“Tupper Lake only has two reserves at this point”- the unemployment reserve and an Employee Benefit Accured Liability Reserve (EBALR) and combined they total about $500,000.

“What reserves are are basically savings accounts for the district, but it is a savings account that is not only advantageous for this school district, but also for local taxpayers. It’s a way that OSC (state office of state comptroller) prefers for us to have extra dollars. It doesn’t like anything over the four percent unassigned fund balance.”

She said as of last June, the district’s fund balance figure was 4.8% “-and so you are in a pretty good position.”

She said reserves help districts prepare for unexpected things in the future. “For example with your unemployment reserve, that permits you to pay claims in times when there are times of lay-offs and cuts.” The claims money comes from the reserve rather than a district’s general fund.

An EBALR can be used when employees retire and its written in their contracts that they get paid for all their accrued sick time which could equate to $10,000 or more, she explained. Again, instead of paying that sum out of the general fund in any given year it could come out of that special reserve.

She said the EBALR can be permitted to build to the amount of all of your liabilities that exist with your current staff.

She proposed the district create TRS and ERS reserves, which can be done by the boards and which don’t require taxpayer approval.

Another valuable reserve for the district to have is what is called a capital reserve, which can be used for many things including the purchase of buses, capital equipment like plow trucks or boilers, supplements to building projects to lower any local impact on taxpayers.

They can also be helpful, she said, to cover “unplanned projects” when they suddenly arise, like the presence of previously unknown asbestos or mold “that can cost a pretty penny for a district to abate.”

“It would be my recommendation to take a look at the reserves you have now, those you could create and put forth a plan,” she advised the two board members present.

Mr. Bartlett said the reserve creation doesn’t involve the spending of more money, but a more structured way of categorizing the money we are taking in each year.

“The other thing I wanted to point out is that when we originally looked at budget numbers and a $1.7 million shortfall, it was devastating and it is. And then we started looking at the facts that the COVID money was going away and that this person was leaving and we wouldn’t have to replace that person. But whenever you have a position and you see the impact that person has on a kid...a kid who might have been struggling without intervention and then you start to see them succeed, you think how great it would be to keep that person or that position in place.”

“-And then you start to convince yourself there is a way to keep that position. But then when you look at the dollars coming from state ed., you realize there is no way to keep that position!”

He said they knew with the COVID money drying up and the retirements coming there would be positions to be eliminated. “Some of them we had already written them off to attrition.” But of the actual half dozen or so teaching positions that had to be eliminated that hurt him deeply.

“I hate losing an art teacher...I hate losing a music teacher. Hopefully overtime the financial situation in the district will improve and they can be restored. We’ve lost both those positions in the past but over time we were able to add them back. So my hope is that as time goes by and funding cycles change, hopefully we can add them back soon.”

“I think Jamie and Jess and the building principals and Trish (Wickwire) found a lot of ways to make this budget balance that didn’t tear away a lot of things from kids that we thought we were going to lose in the beginning.”

“I wish there was more we could do. I hate to lose the people we have to lose. But I think we’ve done a fairly good job at maintaining the integrity of ability to educate kids, pre-K through 12!”

The Free Press publisher asked how the $1.7 million shortfall occurred this year to create this budget dilemma. He said that seems to be troubling the public the most these days.

“A million of it are the COVID funds that we used in recent years and now they are gone,” Business Manger Jessica Rivers told him.

The balance, she said, reflect “raises and increases in health insurance premiums over the years. In addition to that was the unassigned fund balance.”

“Was the COVID money spent when it shouldn’t have been?” Mr. McClelland asked her and she replied, no.

“The COVID funds arrived in different pots,” she said referring to different federal funds that came to address different problems created by the pandemic and the profound school absences that it caused.

“The last bout of it cycles out in September, 2024.”

She explained that all of the funds in the first rounds were spent in accordance with the requirements of each. The money that was left and that is being spent this year and over the summer of 2024 that’s the remainder of it.

The superintendent said the federal money had to be shown as revenue in the district’s budgets during the COVID years. “And now that revenue doesn’t exist in this year’s budget!” he told Mr. McClelland. “So that’s where the first million dollars went.”

Mr. McClelland asked if there was a lag in federal money arriving to fund programs already underway. “Were we employing people we shouldn’t have had?”

The superintendent said the district wasn’t. There were eight positions funded through the end of this school year” with the COVID funds.

Ms. Rivers said the federal funds came as grants allocated on the basis of the special programs offered by the districts. There were grants that came annually. It all depended on the grant program. Some had carry-over funds attached to them. Some did not.” She said some of the grants had different end dates.

The last federal fund was for a program that will end September of this year, she noted.

Ms. Rivers said the “district has also been balancing it budget with an unassigned fund balance...so you’ve had a gap for years!”

“Did the gap just keep rolling over and over,” the publisher asked and Ms. Rivers said it had. “If you go back and look at your revenues and where they were coming from before the arrival of the federal funds, you’ve always had a contribution (to the budgets) from the unassigned fund balances.”

“You can use unassigned fund balances to balance their budgets, but we always caution districts from doing that because it can suddenly go away or run low, where Tupper is now!”

“At the end of last year the district fund balance was at 4.8 percent of the budget, which is very low!”

She agreed with Mr. McClelland that state auditors like districts to keep their fund balance low and in the range of 4%.

“But in our eyes, running a school district year to year to year, 4.8% will not get you very far” when problems arise.

She some districts carry fund balances of 12 and 13%.

Jamie O’Dell said that realistically what this district should be doing, as per state regulators, is keeping an unassigned fund balance of 4% of total spending but create other reserves for particular purposes (as outlined above) to provide a suitable financial cushion for times of emergencies and surprises.

Many local governments have equipment purchase reserve funds or capital reserve funds, and others, Mr. McClelland noted.

“The contradictory thing we hear from the state is if our fund balance exceeds 4%, we have to write a corrective action plan. If you go back to 2010 (which saw a major lay-off of faculty and staff) and with the arrival of the gap elimination assessment, the average cut to districts across the state was 8.8% and the state said just use your fund balance. So on one hand the state will slap you on the wrist if you exceed a fund balance of 4%, but it will expect that you actually have one more than that!”

“So after this year, once the COVID funds are gone and corrected for, will we still have a $700,000 gap?” Mr. McClelland asked.

Ms. Rivers said this year’s budget should eliminate the gap, with the exception of the $250,000 that the district is still using in its budgets as an unassigned fund balance.

In recent years the board members have used $350,000 from the district’s fund balance to apply as revenue in the new budget. That figure has been trimmed by $100,000 in the proposed budget.

“We’d love to see Tupper Lake lower that amount again a year from now because it cannot sustain putting that much unassigned fund balance into each year’s budget.

Three Lions Club dignitaries visit Tupper club

About two dozen members of the Tupper Lake Lions Club entertained special guests on April 18 when the current district governor, the last district governor and the next district governor came to town. The meeting was held at Allison Hollingsworth spacious staff room above Hollingsworth Construction on High Street. Flanking Lions Club President Stuart Nichols were at right DG Priscilla Laurin of Chazy and her husband, Rickey, was district governor last year and at immediate left, Holly McConcie of Galway, incoming district governor and Margot Warlrath, another Lion from the Galway club who accompanied her that evening.

An amazing prime rib supper with all the fixin’s was prepared by the club’s culinary pros- Lions Kurt and Mark Garrelts, Paul LaMere and Rick Skiff. Carrott cake fresh from the oven of Lion Cindy Lewis crowned off a meal fit for Lions. Club members raved about the main course and the dessert.

In her address to the local Lions DG Laurin encouraged the club to donate to the Lions Club International Foundation, which performs major acts of disaster relief around the world. Through LCIF local clubs can apply for generous matching grants to help fund local civic projects and she encouraged the hometown club to apply.

Last year the club embraced the Tupper Lake Varsity Hockey Team and purchased new special team uniforms as well as publicly feting the successful team and its top players.

DG Laurin said those expenditures would have been great candidates for LCIF grants.

Donations of $250 a year for four years qualifies the club for a Melvin Jones Award to recognize outstanding Lions and community members.

She applauded the club for its recent boost in membership, noting the club has grown by over ten members since last year. Such growth makes the local club eligible for an award from Lions International, she announced.

DG Laurin also encouraged Lions to bring their children and grandchildren along with them as they work on community civic projects. She said it instills in them community pride early in their lives by working on projects that help this community. Those young folks, learning the ways of Lionism early, make them excellent candidates for Lions membership when they become adults.

She also urged the local Lions to consider starting a teenage Leo Club here.

New book by Jerry Hayes details history of Tupper Lake Civic Center

by Dan McClelland

The history of the Tupper Lake Civic Center is the focus of a new book by long time coach and local attorney, Jeremiah Hayes.

The story of the civic center- one of Tupper Lake’s crowning moments in volunteerism- is now on sale exclusively at Park Street’s Spruce and Hemlock. All the net proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated later this year to the Tupper Lake Minor Hockey Association, as a gift by the author and the owners of Spruce and Hemlock, Faith and Andrew McClelland.

Cost of the new book is $11 plus tax.

The new book covers the period of 1980 to 2020, but focuses in large part on the founding and construction years of the major community recreational asset in the early 1980s. The book is dedicated to Tom Proulx and Phil Edwards who conceived, planned and supervised the construction of the facility, according to Mr. Hayes.

The local author devoted entire pages to each of them and their families in his new publication.

According to the author, “it’s a story about the marvelous community achievement accomplished selflessly by donors, volunteers, town, village and school boards, local professionals, parents and players in constructing this facility which is one of the finest in the North Country.”

The author began work writing the book over a year ago, and interviewed a number of local people who were involved with the civic center project from the start. The book includes many photos of the work bees taken by long time Free Press Photographer Kathleen Bigrow, from her collection now held by Jim Lanthier. Mr. Lanthier also contributed several shots for its cover.

Mr. Hayes grew up in Potsdam where in the 1950s he played hockey in the Potsdam Junior Hockey Association and at Potsdam Central School. He moved to Tupper Lake in 1977 with his family and practiced law for the next 37 years. His first son, Jay, began playing hockey on the outdoor rink here in the early 1980s and brothers Brendan and Mike joined Jay in playing minor and school hockey at the Tupper Lake Civic Center. The local lawyer worked closely with Tom Proulx and his group behind the scenes in the arena-building campaign, providing legal and professional advice.

Jerry coached many teams here during the time his sons played hockey and continued to coach long after they graduated from the program and from school here.

Now retired, he’s still a frequent visitor and avid hockey fan at games held there.

In an interview with the first-time author last week he said his motivation for writing the book came from several things.

“I was involved pretty much in this from the beginning in the early 1980s. I was involved in coaching in minor hockey at that time and I coached all three of my sons” as they advanced through the hockey program. He said he began working with Tom Proulx and his group as they were working hard to raise the money to build the civic center, providing whatever counsel and advice he could.

Over the years he coached with Garry Lanthier, Bill Hutt and other long-time coaches in the program.

In 2006-07 the high school hockey team didn’t have a coach, so he and Jed Dukett stepped forward, at the urging of their wives, Eileen and Julie, who were both teachers at L.P. Quinn Elementary School.

They were both welcomed into their new jobs by the local athletic department.

In all Jerry coached the varsity team for six years, the first four with Jed.

About 2010 Dan Cook of Potsdam was hired by the school district as a math teacher and he joined the two coaches as a volunteer.

“It was great, because Dan brought a lot of hockey experience with him.”

When Jed stepped down to tend to his young family, Dan, who had been a hockey player, was named as head coach, and Jerry stayed on as his assistant for several years.

“-And I enjoyed those years very much. So that was one of the reasons for the book.”

He said the second reason was his involvement with Tom Proulx and Phil Edwards and their small band of volunteers in the early 1980s as their fundraising began and the project was gaining momentum. “At that time I did whatever they needed me to do, legal or otherwise.”

His secretary Sue LaVigne was serving as the group’s secretary/treasurer at the time, and he joked there wasn’t a day that passed that Tom Proulx wasn’t in his office with money to drop off or for some other matter.

“From the start it was a tremendous community effort- largely volunteer, gathering small donations,” he explained, adding that for years he has felt this wonderful story needed to be told and placed in print for future generations to learn.

He said it was “hand to mouth” for the group for a number of years until it was taken over by the town and then the school district where it benefitted by major improvements like refrigeration in a number of successive capital construction campaigns.

“I thought it was wonderful that the village, the town and the school district officials” worked cooperatively to help this community group build and develop this amazing facility- the pride of the community!”

“-And it was important to tell that story, so generations of hockey players and coaches to come will know how this community came together to build this wonderful arena!”

When Coach Hayes was coaching the high school hockey team one of the most dedicated players was the team’s current head coach, Broyce Guerrette, who played on the team from eighth grade through graduation.

“About three years ago when his team finished the season, I was out of town on vacation. I got a call from Broyce and he told me they wanted to name a sportsmanship award in my honor and I was humbled by that. In the days following his call, I thought about that a lot. Broyce was probably 25 or 26 years old at the time and it dawned on me that he wasn’t even born when our arena was conceived and built.”

“So I think it is important that those younger players and the younger parents in the hockey association now and those involved in the future know this important story!”

In addition to the copies that will be sold at Spruce & Hemlock, the author has also donated a handful of copies to the local library.

Big party at Wild Center kicked off “Totality in Tupper” weekend celebration

by Dan McClelland

The Total Eclipse kick-off party Saturday at the Wild Center brought together many residents and weekend visitors to celebrate this once in a life time event in Tupper Lake.

The Wild Center was joined in co-sponsorship of this welcome party by the Adirondack Sky Center, the Tupper Lake Rotary Club, Woodmen Life Lodge, Blueline Concerts and the Tupper Lake Public Library. Each of the sponsors had booths set up with some of their informational products and large prizes which were the subject of online auctions that evening.

Hillarie Logan-Dechene, deputy director of the Wild Center, addressed the 150 or so guests that evening in the Wild Center’s great room, telling them there were three simple goals that evening.

“We want to have fun celebrating Totality in Tupper Lake. We want to shine a light on some of the great things that are happening in our community and the organizations that are making that possible. -And thirdly we want to give you a chance to support all the organizations you love with the silent auction.”

“Bid early and bid often,” she encouraged the guests. She said the procedure to bid was detailed on numerous signs in the room that evening, and staff members and volunteers were available to help.

Following her to the podium that evening were representatives of some of the Wild Center’s event partners, many of whom have spent what she called “countless hours” preparing for the eclipse event.

“The first person you will hear from is the epitome of that, Tupper Lake’s number one fan of totality, Mr. Seth McGowan,” chairman of the Adirondack Sky Museum and Observatory.

Loud applause.

“Welcome everyone and welcome to Totality in Tupper Lake. The year 1349 was the last time we had this party,” he told the cheering guests.

He jokingly encouraged the guests to buy their tickets that evening for the next total solar eclipse coming to Tupper Lake in 2399. “I hope you’re here for it...I’m getting my tickets for it tonight!”

“Let’s talk about the big issue: the weather! Everyone is looking around...we have snow on the ground, we have clouds. You know what? The eclipse doesn’t care!”

He said the eclipse will occur if snow is falling. He said it will still get dark and it will still get cold.

It is estimated the temperature drops between 5 degrees and 15 degrees F. during a total eclipse.

“Animals often act weird...humans sometimes go weird- you know who I’m talking to, right?” pointing out into the crowd. “Pplus because of the instability in the atmosphere when that cloud comes moving 2500 miles an hour, it sometimes causes thunder and lightening and there’s an amazing array of light. It’s a beautiful event- even if there’s clouds. Don’t stay at home!”

He predicted “a bright sunny day and we’ll all get to celebrate that beautiful corona together (ring around the sun). So let’s pray for that and if we don’t get it, who cares? We’re still going to celebrate!”

On the note of celebration, he said “Totality in Tupper” is a community-wide event where his organization partnered with all of the organizations represented that evening.

“We have partnered with all of these organizations here plus the village, the town, the local newspaper and The Wild Center.

He said he hope those able partnerships last until the next one in 2399. “They have all helped put Tupper Lake on the map!”

He offered a special shout-out to Michelle Clement, marketing director of ROOST and the ROOST staff “for not only helping to bring many tourists to Tupper Lake for the event, but for their work spreading the word to bring many visitors this weekend to the entire Adirondack region.

“Finally I’d like to acknowledge that this is the event that the Adirondack Sky Center has hoping for, for a long, long time. We’ve been planning this since 2017, the last time the total eclipse happened across the United States.

Mr. McGowan and his family were at that event in Hopkinsville, Kentucky that year.

“This one is special because it’s happening in our own hometown!

Tupper Lake is positioned in the direct center of the 2,000 plus mile long, 100 mile wide “Path of Totality” that stretched from Texas to Maine, diagonally across this nation.

He said his organization has a very supportive board of trustees and that some of the founding members, including co-founders Marc Staves and Tim Moeller were in the room that evening. He also mentioned Gordie Duval and other observatory visionaries.

“What a tremendous idea this was to form our organization 24 years ago...when this little idea blossomed into an enormous lift for Tupper Lake. What a positive idea (the creation of the observatory organization) for the entire community!”

“I want everyone to enjoy themselves this evening. I’d like to thank the Wild Center for hosting this. Thanks everyone for coming and we’ll see you at 2:12p.m. Monday,” for the start of the eclipse.

Mr. McGowan introduced the next speaker, Susan Delehanty, president of the board of directors of Tupper Arts.

The local arts center on Park Street hosted an impressive art show at its headquarters the evening before that drew several dozen area artists with works themed about “darkness.”

“I wanted to start by giving a community shout-out” to Seth and his team at the sky center for their help in organizing this event and to the Wild Center for its role too, she began that evening.

“It was just over a year ago that Seth invited Tupper Arts to be part of the planning group for this event, and we were very touched to be involved with this!”

“Some of you may have attended our art show that opened last night. Thanks to the hard work of Evie Longhurst, our director, and all of our volunteers and our board members, to put together” one of the first events of this exciting weekend. She said her organization also appreciated being invited to be part of that evening’s online auction.”

She hoped everyone that evening would have a chance to see all the wonderful pieces at the various stations hosted by the participating organizations, and bid, and possibly be one of the successful bidders.

“We’re all looking forward to a nice sunny day on Monday, but as Seth explained, that doesn’t really matter! -And have fun tonight!”

She introduced Therese DeSalvio from the Historic Beth Joseph-based Blueline Concerts.

She explained the concert series will run this year at the local synagogue, the first performance that evening at the same time as the Wild Center party. “If you have been there, it’s a wonderful place to visit to learn its history, and we like it for concerts because the acoustics are absolutely beautiful.”

She said the entire interior is made of wood, “and the musicians who perform there love it!”

That evening’s concert will be repeated for the benefit of all who missed it Saturday on August 20, she told the crowd at the Wild Center. Party.

Another concert in the series is planned for August 15, according to Ms. DeSalvio.

“We bring up top- notch musicians from the city to perform and sometimes from the musical community at Potsdam.”

She encouraged everyone here to come out this summer and enjoy them.

The final speaker was Libby Clark, the development director at the Wild Center.

“First of all thank you for supporting this event. -And thank you also to our sponsors and to our many volunteers!”

She explained to the audience that evening how to bid online for the variety of paintings and other valuable donated prizes at the sponsors’ stations around the great room that evening.

“The proceeds from the sale of the auction items go to the organizations” that donated those keepsake items for the evening’s event.

She pointed to one of the unique gifts up for auction that evening: Larry Churco’s snowshoe coffee table, the proceeds from which will go to Tupper Arts.

The money raised by another special prize, a private star-gazing party, will benefit its host, the Adirondack Sky Museum and Observatory.

She pointed the guests, unfamiliar with the online bidding process, to the many posters in the room with instructions printed on them, and to the volunteers around the room who were there to help.

She told guests too the silent disco was planned later that evening, as well as the films being screened in the Flammer Theater.

The event featured complimentary drinks and an elaborate buffet of hors d’ oeuvres.

Also highlighting the evening were a number of door prizes awarded.

Final “Totality in Tupper” plans reviewed at Friday’s planning session

by Dan McClelland

Seth McGowan, president of the Adirondack Sky Center and Observatory, has for more than a year directed much of the planning for Monday’s “Totality in Tupper.” He presided over the final planning meeting Friday. Joining him in the board room at L.P. Quinn Elementary School that is the main staging area for the eclipse event, were 15 or so members of the community and representing different organizations here who have been working with Seth for the past year, meeting monthly.

Joining Mr. McGowan that morning for the final wrap-up planning session were Natalie Zurek of the Adirondack Sky Center, Evie Longhurst of Tupper Arts, Michelle Clement of ROOST, Free Press Publisher Dan McClelland, Police Chief Eric Proulx and Sgt. Travis Farmer, Town Councilman Tim Larkin and Rick Godin, Leeanne Favreau, Nick Corcoran and Anna Stuckey- all of the Wild Center.

Others who have been involved with the planning but who were not present for the final session were the library’s Courtney Carey, Tupper Arts President Susan Delehanty, Sarah McGowan, Mark Moeller, Leslie Karasin and The Wild Center’s Hillary Logan-Dechene and Nick Gunn.

Mr. McGowan began the discussion by looking at the digital clock on his web site being streamed which showed ten days, four hours, 47 minutes until what he called “go time.”

“That’s the Totality time, but by now everyone is also amped up with their own activities that are part of the weekend-long event.

The Adirondack Sky Museum has dozens of activities planned for this coming weekend at its staging area at L.P. Quinn Elementary School. So does the Wild Center. An entire schedule of events is published inside this week.

Also planning events are the Goff-Nelson Memorial Library, Tupper
Arts at its headquarter on Park Street and the new Tupper Museum, which is staging an advance opening to show off its spiffy new quarters on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

“My purpose this morning is to bring everything back around to where we started. That is: creating an event that is fun, safe, educational and just a fantastic experience for the community so that people can come in” and be impressed at how well Tupper Lake has done this “and plan to come back and enjoy our community more when they have more time and when it’s not so crowded.”

“That was the premise of this whole group. Everyone had their compartments to deal with- the sky museum had its role to play, the Wild Center had its role, and no one was the overlord of this event, with the exception of The Almighty, himself.”

He said the sky center’s schedule of events for Sunday and Monday is complete. That too is found inside our issue this week.

He screened a map of the L.P. Quinn (also printed inside) that showed the various locations of the activity and merchandise tents, the food trucks, the locations of several media sources which are coming. Aerial drones will be flying above the event to gather what he called “future footage” for planetarium exhibits when it is built here in coming years.

Mr. McGowan said about five food truck operators have been engaged for Sunday and Monday.

“We have our speakers ready to be set up; our volunteer army ready to go!”

He said the school district and its very able building and grounds superintendent, Pierre St. Pierre will be running power lines to the various exhibitors on the fields around the school building this week.

There will be a solar telescope set up for public viewing, “as well as our live feeds to NASA.”

NASA officials are expected to be in attendance at the event.

In addition to the live feeds of the event to NASA, Good Guy Productions of Saranac Lake will also be streaming footage to the NASA channel, Mr. McGowan noted.

The video company’s live screens will also be set up on the grounds Monday.

“So we’re ready to go!” he told his volunteer board that morning.

“All of the equipment is starting to be moved to this building.” He praised the Tupper Lake Board of Education for its support of the solar event there- giving him, the former superintendent of schools, what he called “free rein” of the building and grounds.

“Any room, field or space we needed, the district has gone above and beyond to provide it to us!”

The complete sky center schedule of events is on its web site, with live links to what every activity is, he explained.

Most of those events are listed too on our inside pages this week.

“I hope everyone out there in the world has started to plan their own experience. We’ve been promoting not to wait to come and make a decision what you want to do when you get here, but instead look before you come through the events we’re doing, the events the Wild Center is doing, and make a plan in advance where you want to be at that ground zero moment!”

Many of the exhibits at the school will be on the large soccer field behind the school and bordering Park Street or on what has been dubbed “the Artemis Field,” which is the one below and beyond the parking lot.

Many of the sites at the school have been named for celestial or solar terms.

The school’s playing fields below that field next to the parking lot will also be available for people to gather- depending on how many come, he added.

The school and The Wild Center will be connected for this special event by the bus transportation route and by a primitive road and the fields that connect the two sites.

The Wild Center’s Leeanne Favreau said she and her facility colleagues will be using parking signs that ROOST furnished to guide visitors between the two places. Those signs will be erected on Thursday of this week, she expects.

“Most of our festivities begin on Saturday but we do have some starting on Friday, she told the group.

A list of the Wild Center events is also carried on our inside pages this week.

She said Wild Center video photographer Rick Godin will be live-streaming their events on You Tube all weekend, with links to the Wild Center’s various social media networks.

“The You Tube events can be embedded on any web page,” Mr. Godin explained to the group that morning. “That way when someone goes to one of your web pages, the You Tube footage is there.”

Ms. Favreau said the Wild Center’s Marketing Director Nick Gunn will be on site some of the weekend and she’ll be there when he isn’t to help “the streaming people” and others with their jobs.

She provided Mr. McGowan with several portable radios so he and others can be in constant contact with the Wild Center staffers through their new mobile communications system.

Cell phones will also connect officials at both sites, as a back up to the radios, it was noted.

Ms. Favreau said there will be medical response teams through the Tupper Lake Rescue Squad at both the Wild Center and the school on Monday.

“We are sold out for Monday for pre-registered tickets,” she was pleased to report that morning. She predicted the crowd Monday could be as big as the one that celebrated the opening of the Wild Center several decades ago. The opening day crowd approached 7,000 people.

On recent summer days, and especially since the opening of Wild Walk the facility has seen crowds of over 2,000 people a day. Monday’s sell-out event will at least double that. Saturday and Sunday will likely see a typical summer-time daily attendance, she thought.

Ms. Favreau said it is not uncommon for the crowd on any given day at The Wild Center to double or triple the pre-registered visitors.

“This event will likely be our largest event in our history, aside from our opening day” many years ago. “So this is super exciting!”

“We’re open 10a.m. to 6p.m. to the public on Monday. Our staff people will be coming on site starting at 6:30a.m. so we can prepare.”

She asked that the bus loops Monday not have a stop at The Wild Center until the 10a.m. opening, and Michelle Clement of ROOST, who developed the parking and bus systems, agreed to that.

Mr. McGowan thought too that was a good plan not to have guests arrive before the day’s opening.

Ms. Favreau figured that many of the early birds to the Wild Center might stop first at the school, since the “Totality in Tupper” starts there at 8a.m.

Natalie Zurek assured her the volunteers at the school wouldn’t send any visitors down to the Wild Center until 10a.m. that morning.

The bus routes conclude at 7p.m. and so there will be an effort at both places on Hosley to get visitors on the bus back to the various parking lots in advance of 7p.m.

“We will be announcing throughout the day, in addition to messaging from our greeters here, the importance of people knowing where their cars are parked and which bus route-blue or green- they should be on to get back to their vehicles, Mr. McGowan noted.

He said when the eclipse is over, the buses leaving the school grounds and the Wild Center will be going to the parking lots that are the farthest out first, like the Tupper Lake Golf Course. “These will be express buses, and they won’t stop on their way there through town.”

Mrs. Clement said “all the transportation information and maps are out there” on social media and the ROOST sites,” as well as by scanning the postcards the promotional agency had printed, which is also reprinted in our paper this week.

Mrs. Clement said signs have been printed and will be posted prominently indicating there will not be parking on either side of Hosley Ave. and the Country Club Road- to make room for buses on two of the major corridors of the new bus routes.

She said sections of the village municipal park- especially the lawn areas which are still very wet- will be also posted for no parking.

Mr. McGowan said the school district will have personnel at the bus garage on Monday so that if one of the buses encounters mechanical trouble, another bus from the fleet can be dispatched immediately.

He noted too there will be smaller events at the school grounds after the eclipse which people can stay and enjoy. They are designed to help curb what is expected to be a mass exodus from town late Monday.

“We’ll be re-running on our big screens some of the videos we captured before and during the event and some of the astrophotography shots taken of this solar eclipse,” he gave as one of the activities planned later Monday.

“We’re also thinking about screening the 2014 movie ‘Interstellar’ in the hours after after the eclipse to keep people on site longer,” he told the group.

Ms. Favreau said the Wild Center will continue some of their demonstrations like the glass blowing by Corning and the silent disco through to 6p.m. to try to help slow the exodus.

Her facility, she reported, has received some cancellations from regional schools who were planning a field trip that day to The Wild Center because those school officials are now worried about traffic congestion here on Monday.

Eclipse glasses required for the event are available from ROOST at its office at 2608 Main Street in Lake Placid and from the sky center at the eclipse staging area at L.P. Quinn. Mr. McGowan reported his organization purchased 20,000 pairs of glasses, and they are available free at the school site while supplies last.

Ms. Favreau predicted her organization has about 7,000 glasses to provide visitors.

The Wild Center will also have available what are called “disco balls” to provide hundreds of different sun projections in all directions- one of the fun things planned over the weekend.

There is an organization called Astronomers Without Borders that collects used eclipse glasses after each celestial event and stores them until the next one. The sky center is participating in this collection process after the event Monday and there will likely be bins at the school site to collect them as people leave, Mrs. Zurek reported at the Friday meeting.

Ms. Favreau said the Wild Center would like to do the same thing, using their Americorp volunteers to collect the used glasses and package them up.

She reported that the Astronomers Without Borders has changed its strategy from past eclipses, and is asking donor groups to store those discarded glasses until the group can collect them for the next event in future years.

The sky center organization will have two volunteers on each bus on Monday, serving as tour guides.

Michelle Clement noted that ROOST is encouraging the visitors to all communities to plan doing activities on Saturday and Sunday, while making Monday all about the eclipse and viewing it from their lodgings or a designated viewing place near them.

Mr. McGowan said his group has encouraged visitors in nearby communities of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Long Lake or Malone to visit the sky center’s events at the local school on Sunday, when things won’t be so congested as Monday.

There will be six food trucks at the school site on Monday but only Tupper’s PorkBusters BBQ will be there Sunday. The other five on Monday only are: The MacFactor, Perk and Pine Coffee, Big Bear ADK, Love, Peace and Grilled Cheese and 876 Jerk. At The Wild Center there will be three food trucks and a bakery stand on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday there will be a fourth food truck. Most will open at 10a.m. or 11a.m. that day.

Ms. Clement said of the local restaurants that are open here this week, several have expanded hours. Several local restaurants, however, will be closed Monday.

Some are selling single specialty items from their front doors or parking lot, she noted.

Ms. Favreau said they have contacted all of their pre-registered visitors to come prepared with coolers and snacks for a possible long ride home. -And bring cash, should there be cell phone interruptions and resulting credit card processing issues.

“Yes, bring coolers of snacks of drinks and food, but leave them in your car, because you may need that stuff on your way home,” Mr. McGowan agreed.

At the close of the hour-long the volunteers that day gave Mr. McGowan a round of applause for the work he put into the planning of what is expected to be the largest event of its kind to be held in this community, since the hey days of the Woodsmen’s Days in the 1990s.

Mr. McGowan also offered “a shout out” to Michelle Clement for her contributions to the various logistics of the event.

Recreation Department’s Adult Prom raised over $1,500 for summer day camp

The Town of Tupper Lake’s Recreation Department reports there was a great turnout for its second annual Adult Prom at the Raquette River Brewery Saturday evening.

The event was billed as a major fundraiser for the town’s growing summer day camp program and to that end it produced a big boost for the town program. Over $1,500 was raised to help underwrite growing costs each summer.

Besides local supporters, it brought people in from Vermont, Lisbon and the Watertown area. A few adults were grateful as it was their first prom experience ever or they got a chance to "re-do" their original prom. There was a mixture of formal attire and casual 80's wear.

Organizers Laura LaBarge and Christielee Geiger say the event wouldn’t have enjoyed the success it did, without the help of many volunteers who included Mary Kay Strack, Brent Cook, Courtney Carey, Katelyn Drasye, Laurie Fuller, Jessica Eggsware, Kathy Savage, and the four Wild Center AmeriCorps volunteers.

Other individuals and groups also had a big hand in the success, including the host site, Raquette River Brewing, bartenders Annie and Allison who did amazing work all night. The musical entertainment provided by “Night School” and the band’s new sound man, Leon Jessie, was top rate and Magnus and his crew at Fusion Street turned out some delicious food.

Another highlight of the evening were the “Moon Cookie” treats produced by Mary Churco at Spruce and Hemlock bakery.

Michelle Clement, the ROOST marketing director and one of Night School’s biggest fans, arranged for the more than 125 guests free Eclipse stickers and county’s Tourism office and its Adirondack Frontier division provided free “Totality in Tupper Lake” eclipse glasses.

Organizers also noted that MAC's Safe Ride Continued was another important piece of the event for being available to prom-goers to have a safe ride home from the event.

Sponsors/Basket donations were furnished by Santa and his Elves, Brooke Bell, Jessica Vaillancourt, Lisa Reed, Pam Arsenault, Birch Boys, KW Ranch, Vicki Hubbard, Laurie Fuller, Mary Kay Strack, Christielee Geiger, Laura LaBarge, and Wild Center. The many raffles and auxiliary fundraisers helped make the event the financial success it was.

Some of the prize winners of the evening were: Donna and Matt Averill, Kati King, Brittany Bush, Kellie Trudeau, Clay Sauvie, Rachel Helt, Ashley Colby and Bobbie Jo White.

Mrs. LaBarge called the community support for the Adult Prom “truly a blessing” for the local kids, many of whom wouldn’t be able to attend the camp without the town scholarship this event will help to provide. (All photos by Christielee Geiger)

“Legally Blonde, the Musical” coming to high school stage this weekend

These are just some of the scenes local musical-goers will see when the Tupper Lake Red and Black Players present the delightful “Legally Blonde, the Musical,” on the high school stage. The lively show is all about the musical journey of Elle Woods from the Delta Nu Sorority at UCLA to Harvard Law School and the antics along the way as she charms here way in. There are three shows- March 22 and 23 at 7p.m. and a matinee on Sunday, March 24 at 2p.m.

Tickets are available at the door and children five years and under are free.

County’s social services agency opening more offices here

by Dan McClelland

Franklin County Commissioner of Social Services Michelle Mulverhill met with County Legislator Nedd Sparks at Ivy Terrace in recent days to scope out some of the rooms her office will be renting there.

It’s part of an overall plan to expand the services of her agency to Tupper Lake to better serve those who rely it here.

The first step occurred several months ago when the county rented one office off the large Ivy Terrace community room.

That led to the recent hiring of Adirondack Adult Center Director Stacey Button to staff that office on a full-time basis. Stacey’s now there during normal business hours each day of the week to distribute applications to people seeking public assistance and to explain to them what information is needed for them to include in their applications.

She’s doing interviews with people that are required at the beginning of the process, Mrs. Mulverhill explained. Once all the initial work is done, the paperwork is then sent to the main office in Malone for processing.

According to Mr. Sparks, who has been lobbying since last fall to have a permanent presence for the county’s social services agency here in Tupper Lake, the first office and Stacey’s presence have been very well received thus far. It’s helping people avoid the trips to either Saranac Lake or Malone to apply for help.

The next step was the reason the reason for Mrs. Mulverhill’s visit to the administrative wing of the local housing complex.

Social services is expected to create again a full-service satellite office in Tupper Lake, under the current plan, according to the county commissioner.

“We’ll have case workers working here” representing several parts of her agency which deal with children, including child protective services.”

She noted that several CPS case workers already live in Tupper Lake so it will be handy for them. Case workers in other social services divisions will also use the office space when they are in town seeing local clients. While they will be using the new office space for their paperwork, typically the county case workers visit people in their homes for reasons of privacy.

In all the county is looking to occupy three of the Ivy Terrace offices and the commissioner and Mr. Sparks were there that recent day to forge the new office plan. As the director of maintenance at Ivy Terrace Mr. Sparks knows every aspect of the facility.

The case workers who work in prevention, adult protective care and foster care will also be using the new offices from time to time when their work brings them to Tupper Lake, according to the commissioner.

Mr. Sparks feels that bringing more county offices here is not only good for the local economy and for those in need of county services, it will also build traffic and add riders to the local county buses circulating here and throughout the county.

The county legislator and Supervisor Ricky Dattola have also secured a promise from the county board to provide surplus buses to the town as early as this summer- to help further community bussing programs here.

The one office that social services will use is the one on the most westerly end of the building which for a time was called “the library.” That’s where the various case workers will be.

The second office, across the community room from Stacey Button’s financial office, will be for private meetings between case workers and clients, out of public view.

As for its other south-end offices in Saranac Lake, the social services agency is in transition, as the lease for its space in the former Niagara Mohawk building is up. That’s the building which some on the APA are interested in situating, relocating from the agency’s long time headquarters in Ray Brook.

Mrs. Mulverhill said they expect to have a smaller satellite office in Saranac Lake in new quarters there with a financial person like what Ms. Button is doing here.

She said they are looking at various places for the offices, but no decision has been made yet on specific locations.

The commissioner noted that with respect to space size and rental fees, officials at the Tupper Lake Housing Authority which operates Ivy Terrace “have been very accommodating” to bring more county offices here.

In an interview several weeks ago County Manager Donna Kissane explained that finding affordable office space is always a big part of bringing county services to all parts of the county. Mrs. Mulverhill agreed, saying having more county offices here really helps local residents get the services they need.

She noted, too, having offices in all the three communities in the county provides more opportunities for more “face to face” meetings between case workers and clients.

All offices at Ivy Terrace are handicapped accessible, making for easy access to all residents who rely on the county’s social services agency.

An MVP Season! Griffin Shaheen, Tom Peterson the best in Section 10

by Dick Sterling

Two Tupper Lake seniors have been honored by the Northern Athletic Conference for their excellence in high school athletics. Tom Peterson, the son of Rose and Cecil Peterson, and Griffin Shaheen, the son of Tina and Andy Shaheen, have been named the winners of very special awards for the 2023-24 winter high school sports season. Tom was recognized for his tremendous season on the basketball court and Griffin was honored for his outstanding season with the Tupper Lake ice hockey team.

Tom, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the Northern Athletic Conference East Division at the conclusion of the season, has now been announced as this year’s winner of the Joe Jukoski Award, which is presented annually, by Section 10 league officials, to the player who best demonstrates excellence both on and off the court. Tom was also nominated for the award last year.

Griffin was recognized for his incredible season as the Northern Athletic Conference Division II Most Valuable Player. In addition, the Tupper Lake senior has recently been notified that he will be the Tupper Lake Class of 2024 Salutatorian. In addition to his MVP Award, Griffin was also named an Athlete of Distinction Award winner.

Tom Peterson

Tom has been a three-time First Team All Northern, including his winning the MVP this season. He has scored 1,408 points in his varsity career, which is the most in school history. Tom’s Head Coach Brian Bennett, who has been coaching him since fifth grade, and who was named the NAC East Division Coach of the Year, said “Tom is the hardest worker I have ever coached, and a leader of the whole Tupper Lake basketball program.”

Other finalists for this year’s Jukoski Award were: Tanner Sullivan, of Harrisville, Ian VanWagner of Potsdam and Ryan Jones of Canton.

Tom scored 20 or more points in 16 of the Lumberjacks 23 games. He has averaged 24.2 points per game. On Dec. 12, he scored a season high 41 points against Brushton-Moira, he scored 38 in a 70-66 loss to Saranac Central and netted 32 in a game against Lisbon, in which he surpassed the 1,000-point mark for his career. Peterson averaged 17.3 points per game as a sophomore and 21 points a game last year as a junior.

Tom said that his senior season has been nothing short of amazing. “I’m really happy with the way everything has gone. What is really amazing is the fact that the entire community is behind us. It lifts us all to see a big crowd, all cheering us on,” said the Lumberjack senior over the weekend.

He said that winning the Jukoski Award was very special. I was nominated last year, and hoped to win. This year I knew I had a decent shot, but any of the other guys who were nominated deserved it too. They all had very good seasons. I felt that it would be cool to win, but I was still surprised when they announced my name as this year’s winner,” said Tom.

The Jacks senior said that he is a year-round basketball player. “I’ve been playing since the fifth grade, including in the spring and fall. I just love the sport! In 11th and 12th grades I played with the Cap City Scrappers from Albany. I tried some other sports when I was little, but once I started playing basketball I knew it was for me.”

Tom said that even though he’s still undecided, “I am definitely playing college basketball. I’ve received a few D (Division) 3 offers and I may decide to play for a SUNYAC school. I would love to stay fairly close to home,” said Tom.

The Tupper Lake all time scoring leader said that playing with his current teammates has been a wonderful experience. “Playing with this group of guys has been great. We just love playing… we’re always playing basketball,” Tom pointed out that he and his teammate Mikey Corneau, who was named First Team All Northern, have been teammates for many years. “Mikey and I have been on the court together a lot. He had an incredible season… if we needed a three-pointer, we knew who to go to.”

Tom said that the team has scouted out Maple Hill, their first opponent in this year’s Class C state playoffs (the game was played last night), and we’re ready for them… we hope to just keep on playing as long as we can,” said young Peterson.

Griffin Shaheen

There was an indication that this freshman, Griffin Shaheen, just might be a bright spot for the future of Tupper Lake hockey when he first took to the ice during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. The Jacks only played four games, but this freshman scored five of the team’s 10 goals… it was just a sign of what was to come.

During his sophomore season Griffin scored 17 goals and dished off 14 assists for a 31-point season. Last year, his junior year, Shaheen upped his goal total to 27 goals. Other teams were certainly taking notice. He also handed out 18 assists to finish the season with 45 points. In each of those two seasons the Lumberjacks finished the season with identical records, 2-17-1.

When Griffin’s senior season started there was plenty of hope for a much improved team. The Jacks lost their first two league games, with their senior captain scoring just one goal and assisting on another… but then something happened. The Jacks discovered they could celebrate after the final horn had sounded. The Jacks put together a four-game winning streak, beating Malone, Saranac/Lake Placid, Thousand Islands and Canton. In the four games the Jacks outscored their opponents 20-14. Shaheen scored 11 of those goals and was credited with six assists. He had back-to-back hat tricks, and certainly cemented himself near, or at, the top of the Division II scoring race. Tupper won two of their next three games, making their streak six out of seven.

As the season progressed the Jacks certainly had their ups and downs, but they were certainly in nearly every single game, and Griffin Shaheen was right at the heart of their attack. On Jan. 19 he scored four goals against Plattsburgh, On Feb. 10 Griffin enjoyed a six-point game against Northeastern Clinton scoring three goals and picking up three assists in an 8-2 win, and then on Feb. 14, in a league game, the senior sharp-shooter scored four goals and dished out four assists in a rare eight-point outing as the Jacks won 8-5, with Shaheen figuring in on every single goal.

The Jacks finished the season with nine wins, making it their most successful season. Griffin topped Division II with 35 goals and 59 points, stretching his career totals to 84 goals and 140 points.

The Jacks gave St. Lawrence Central all they wanted in the playoffs, storming back from a three goal deficit to tie the score, only to see the Larries score late to win 5-3. Griffin scored two of the three goals and assisted on the other. St. Lawrence went on to claim the Division II championship.

For his efforts Shaheen was named the Northern Athletic Conference Division II Most Valuable Player. Griffin said over the weekend that he didn’t know for sure what to expect before the award was announced. “I was a little bit surprised, but I earned it,” said the Lumberjack captain and top forward in Section 10. “What was really nice was being a part of putting Tupper Lake back on the map in hockey. It’s been a long time, and this season we finally started to get some respect. It was a fun season. We really played well.”

Griffin has been playing hockey since he was four or five years old. He has been a member of the St. Lawrence Steel, out of Canton, for some time and gets in about 20 games a season.

In addition to Griffin’s expertise on the ice, he is also an all-star caliber baseball player, not to mention an excellent student. In fact, Griffin has been announced as the Class of 2024 Salutatorian. But right now he’s looking forward to the 2024 baseball season. Shaheen is an all star catcher for the Lumberjacks and also plays some shortstop and is in the pitching rotation. “Our baseball goal for this year is to win Sectionals, and then advance to the State Final Four in Class C,” said Griffin.

The talented student/athlete has plenty of choices to further his education, but Clarkson University, in Potsdam, is at the top of his list. “I hope to look into playing both hockey and baseball at some level at Clarkson. When asked which sport he prefers, Griffin stated that “it’s really about 50/50. I love playing both.”

Congratulation to Tupper Lake’s two very special seniors… Tom Peterson and Griffin Shaheen… champions in every sense of the word!

Brewski a sell-out as hundreds come here again four outdoor fun and beer

by Dan McClelland

The Town of Tupper Lake Recreation Department’s second annual Brewski proved that without a doubt that despite the cold, people will come from miles around to celebrate with copious amounts of beer in the great outdoors in February.

The mercury didn’t quite make it to 20 degrees F. that day but bright sunshine prevailed, making the town’s second version of the popular winter event a banner success. Every one of the 1,200 participant tickets was sold- making it a sell out event before registration opened Saturday morning.

Recreation Director was very pleased how everything went and credited the event’s huge success with her cadre of able volunteers- particularly John Gillis and his maintenance team and the small band of Americorp volunteers working out of the Wild Center this winter.

Despite a shortage of snow, the 1.5 mile trail around the golf course had been packed hard by the groomers, making for great walking that day. Cross country skis and snowshoes weren’t needed but some Brewski-goers wore them anyway.

The grooming team kept the fires roaring at each of the almost 20 brewery stations, to provide the welcome warmth that cold but pleasant winter day.

This year’s event drew more brewers than in the ten or more ones in the past. The event was first held for several years in the Tupper Lake Municipal Park and later moved to the golf course to take advantage of the excellent trails there. Last year there were 16 companies dispensing the craft products- the most event at that point. Some earlier events, under the sponsorship of the chamber, drew ten or 12 brewers.

In the early days the brewers who participated donated their beer products. Some years they ran out of beer. But two years ago Laura LaBarge made the decision to pay the brewers for their beer, as insurance there would be no short supply.

At the end of the course (or beginning depending which way you headed out on the trail) the Lions were busy preparing their legendary hot dogs and hamburgs, smothered with Lions onions. Other Lions, like Tom LaMere and Scott Edwards coaxed more than a dozen team of three to try their luck at the Fire and Ice snow golf tourney. The half dozen holes were much more snowless than in the past, but participant numbers were up larger than any year the Lions have been sponsoring the event.

Scott’s team with his wife, Pam, and Spencer Lanthier, didn’t win this year, despite their track record of at least five or six wins. Newcomers Eddy West, Mike Kelly and Mike Zande were the winners and team to beat this year.

The other piece of the Lions role Saturday was the culmination of the club’s annual 50-50 raffle, which always nets the winner more than two grand. The lucky ticket this year was purchased by Linda Pickering, providing over $2,000 for her two grandchildren- Keegan and Emerson Pickering, children of Nicole and Kevin Pickering. The winners were announced after the Brewski down at Raquette River Brewing. Lions Cindy and Bob Lewis spent Saturday selling tickets in the pro shop.

One of the skillful elements of the town staff’s able event organization was keeping traffic to the east side of the Country Club road, making for safe and easy access up the mountain. Vehicles were lined up almost a mile beyond the golf course up Mt. Morris and all the way to the base of the town road at Route 30- something we’ve never seen in our many years operating and covering events in that area of town. Many of the subdivision roads off the Country Club road were also packed with cars.

Kudos to Laura and her staff and all the volunteers who helped them produce another first-class Brewski for Tupper Lake- bringing hundreds of visitors here in what otherwise would have been a sleepy winter weekend!

No. 1 seeded Jacks open C playoffs at home

By Dick Sterling

Let the playoffs begin!

The road to the New York State Class C playoffs begins tomorrow evening when the top-seeded Tupper Lake Lumberjacks open the Section 10 playoffs with a semifinal game against either fourth seeded Brushton-Moira, or fifth seeded St. Lawrence Central.

The game will be the final one of the season on the Jacks home court, where they have won 18 straight, a streak that stretches back into the 2022-23 season. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tupper heads to the playoffs with an overall record of 17-3 (14-0 NAC East). The Lumberjacks are currently ranked No. 18 in the New York State Sportswriter’s Association Class C poll.

The other opening round Class C game which was played on Tuesday featured sixth seeded Madrid-Waddington at number three seeded Heuvelton. The winner of that game will play second seeded Lisbon tomorrow (Thursday). The two winners will battle in the Section 10 Class C championship game next Friday (Feb. 23), with tip-off scheduled for 5:45 at SUNY Potsdam.

Last week the Jacks reeled off three straight victories for the second consecutive week. On Monday they headed to Russell to tangle with the Edwards-Knox Cougars in a non-league contest that had been postponed twice because of winter weather issues.

Tom Peterson opened the game with a three-pointer, but the Cougars responded with threes from Kale Geer and Cooper Allen to grab an early lead. Another three from Allen and a putback from Dawson Matthews gave Edwards-Knox a 13-7 lead, before the Jacks regrouped and reeled off 12 straight points, from four different players, and they never trailed again as they held a 19-15 advantage after one and scored the first six of the second quarter to open up a double-digit lead. The Jacks reeled off 18 straight points in the quarter to race to a 45-21 lead at the intermission.

Peterson scored Tupper’s first 11 points of the third quarter, and the Jacks outscored Edwards-Knox 24-5 in the period to open a huge 69-26 lead as both teams slowed the pace and left the final quarter to the bench players as Tupper coasted to a 78-34 victory.

Peterson finished with 29, leading four scorers in double figures. Ashton Clark scored 12, Mikey Corneau finished with 11 and Tyler LaPlante added 10. Garrett Pelkey and Wyatt Godin each finished with eight. Allen scored nine to lead the Cougars. Kyle Reif added eight.

On Tuesday, the Lumberjacks hosted the Madrid-Waddington Yellowjackets for their last home game of the regular season and, once again, faced a stiff challenge in the opening quarter. Peterson took just three seconds to score off the opening tip, but Madrid-Waddington’s Ryan Mayette scored his team’s first eight points as the visiting Jackets took an early 8-7 lead, and the two NAC East division foes battled back and forth over the first eight minutes with the Jacks taking a 17-14 lead after one.

Tupper opened the second quarter with a 20-4 run, with all five starters contributing to the scoring run. At the half-time break the Lumberjacks held a 40-21 advantage, and they kept the offense rolling through the third quarter, where they put up another 25 points, 11 of them from freshman Garrett Pelkey and 10 more from Peterson as the Jacks lead swelled to 65-34 and they rolled to an easy 78-45 victory.

Peterson scored 21 to lead Tupper Lake. Pelkey finished with 19 and Mikey Corneau added 17. LaPlante scored eight, Godin had seven and Clark finished with six. Ryan Mayette, who was hot early, scored 13 to lead the Jackets. Jakob Mayette scored 10. Jamison Zysik and Kolby Todd each added seven.

On Friday, Tupper Lake wrapped up the regular season by traveling to Colton to battle the Colts. The Jacks eased out to a 15-6 advantage after the opening quarter and outscored Colton-Pierrepont 20-5 in the second quarter to open up a big 35-11 advantage at the half. The Colts were much more competitive after the half-time break, outscoring Tupper Lake 18-15 in the third quarter as the two NAC East Division foes played nearly even in the second half as the Jacks wrapped up the season, and put the final stamp on their undefeated league season, improving to 14-0 in the East (17-3 overall) with a 65-40 victory.

Peterson scored 19 points, pulled down eight rebounds, dished out five assists and was credited with six steals to lead Tupper Lake. Pelkey scored 15 points and had 15 rebounds and Corneau added 12. Eric Friedel scored 18 to lead the Colts. Ty Farns finished with six.

Tupper Lake Head Coach Brian Bennett is proud of his group. “I am very happy with the boys going undefeated in the league, but our true goal is a Class C championship. So I told them that they still need to be hungry, and not to be satisfied yet as we still have a couple of weeks ahead of us,” said Coach Bennett.

Four of Tupper’s top student athletes carry torch through town last week

by Dan McClelland

Four of Tupper Lake High School’s top students- both academically and sports-wise- had the honor Thursday of carrying the New York State Empire Games torch from the school, down Park Street, to Community Bank, which is one of the Empire Games sponsors each year. In front of the bank they were joined by Athletic Director Dan Brown (far right) and Mayor Mary Fontana.

The torch bearers were Taylor Stohl, with the torch, Ellie Dukett, Tommy Peterson and Griffin Shaheen.

Ellie, a solid soccer player on the girls varsity team, competed in the girls’ figure skating event in the Empire Games and Taylor, another solid high school athlete, has played on a women’s hockey team in the games in years past. Both Tom and Griffin are record-breaking athletes in their respective sports, basketball and hockey.

Next to the mayor was Community Bank Manager Christine Mozdzier, and staffers Cailyn Sauve, and Courtney Duval.

Our new mayor spoke briefly at the brief ceremony in the front of the bank.

“Tupper Lake is honored to have the Empire State Games coming back...we’re very excited to see these athletes from around the state showcase their skills here and in our neighboring villages. It’s become a great tradition for the North Country each winter! So, Happy Games!”

Adirondack Jazz Ensemble delights hometown audience

by Dan McClelland

Some of the best in jazz performers in Upstate New York were on stage Sunday afternoon to the delight of nearly 80 hometown music lovers.

The Adirondack Jazz Ensemble is something of a rotating ensemble from the 20-member Adirondack Jazz Orchestra, dubbed the “Big Band of the Adirondacks.”

The orchestra plays once a month- on the first Wednesday- at Plattsburgh’s Olive Ridley’s Taphouse and Grill. Out of that skilled performance group comes the ensemble, one of which played here Sunday.

The seven who entertained at the free event in the high school auditorium included Matt Pray of Keeseville, trumpet player and founder of the group, Todd Pray with his big tenor sax, Tupper Lake’s own Wayne Davison on alto and soprano sax, Piano Player Neil Wright of Saranac Lake, Mike Iturrino of Ticonderoga on lead guitar, Eli Moore of Saranac, bass player and Michael Lewandowski of West Chazy on drums.

The concert was made possible by funding from the Tricia Woods Memorial Music Fund and by Stewart’s Shops. Tricia is the late daughter of Bob and Betty Woods of this village, who was a talented professional musician before her premature passing.

Arrangements for the first time event here were made by music teacher and band director, Laura Davison, with help from some of her music students, along with Liz and George Cordes.

Tupper Lake volunteers impress visiting nordic skiers at first Adirondack Tour de Ski here

by Dan McClelland

Tupper Lake’s first Adirondack Tour de Ski was a resounding success- and well received by the 200 or more people who came to the Tupper Lake Golf Course’s James C. Frenette network of trails to enjoy it.

That it came off so well is solid testimony to the hard work of the trail maintenance crew, who overcame what could have been a wash-out for the Sunday, January 14 event with heavy rain the day before.

Although the second big storm of the season forecast for January 12 and 13 didn’t really materialize it brought heavy rain that Saturday for several hours in the morning.

High winds overnight that Friday blew a lot of the snow off the race course and Saturday morning’s steady rain melted what was left.

Fortunately the rain turned to snow Saturday afternoon when about two inches or so of the fresh stuff fell in less than an hour.

The maintenance crew, directed by John Gillis, spent much of the day before the race shoveling snow back onto the trails. Volunteer Herbie Kentile gathered snow from the driving range part of the course with a Skidsteer and loaded it onto our sleds so we could spread it on the trails, according to Mr. Gillis.

When the squalls of snow fell briefly Saturday afternoon, the volunteers packed it down with four wheelers and let it sit all night for the trails to dry out, he explained.

John’s trail groomers, who include Eric “Shakey” Lanthier, John Quinn, Scott Chartier, and Owen Littlefield were delighted to see three or four more inches on the ground when they awoke Sunday morning, and they were out early packing it and restoring the miles of the trail network.

Winds continued to blow Sunday morning but the new snow was packed into place by then. The mercury rose all morning to about 24 degrees F. for the 11a.m. start.

There were a number of volunteers helping out in various ways including Adam Hurteau, Paul O’Leary, Tim Littlefield and others.

All the parking lots at the golf course were filled with vehicles by 10a.m..

Of the 200 or so people- many of them families who came for the event, there were about 53 or so racers- in various ages from toddlers to teens to adults. Some of the more mature nordic ski racers were in their sixties and early seventies.

The course lengths varied by the age of the competitor- from the “lollipop” oval in front of the club house for the youngest to three laps around the entire mile plus long trail that rings the perimeter of the golf course as well as the Hull’s Brook trail.

“I was absolutely pleased with how everything went,” Organizer John Gillis commented last week. Mr. Gillis brought the new family-style competition to Tupper after joining area ski race organizers early last summer to formulate plans for the new six-venue winter racing series here and in Lake Placid and Saranac Lake.

The series began at Mt. Van Hoevenberg in December, with its snow-making ability and moved next to Saranac Lake, which was cancelled due to lack of snow cover. Tupper’s race was the third in the series scheduled but the second one staged.

The skiers came from all over- Keene, Jay, Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and according to the town councilman, there was even a group from Old Forge.

Mr. Gillis said that because so many people in the region have been at the local course for the popular Brewski each February, they were familiar with it. Many visitors too, he said, “jumped right in to help!”

“We had a lot of help and that was the greatest part of the event. He said the way the series has been organized, various organizers of the six individual races in the three tri-lakes communities help each out immensely at each event.

A crew of Wild Center-based Americorp volunteers were also very helpful to Mr. Gillis and his team this year. They were organized by the town’s recreation assistant, Christielee Geiger, who worked alongside Laura LaBarge, as part of the town recreation department’s contribution to the event.

Mr. Gillis said he hopes there will be a second Adirondack Tour de Ski and a second Tupper event in it. “We’ll just have to see how the whole thing shakes out in the weeks to come!”

He said one major sponsorship for the series came forward this year to help underwrite many of the expenses this first year “and we have to keep getting more sponsorships going forward.”

“-And Franklin County Tourism gave us a big shot in the arm with a grant of $15,000!”

The county tourism agency, through its robust grant-giving arm, also provided about $8,000 in funding for the town’s new tracked trail groomer- about a quarter of its cost.

The man who the course is named after, John’s Uncle Jim, wasn’t able to make the event, and that was unfortunate John thought, noting “he always loved that community of ski people.” Jim Frenette coached many young nordic skiers here over the years in the town’s and school’s Torgle Tokle and Bill Koch ski programs and was also the primary builder of the trail network on and around the golf course, maintaining it almost by himself for decades, before he coaxed his nephew into the program.

Mr. Gillis said there were many smiles on many faces that Sunday. “Cross country skiing events as a rule are relaxing, happy times,” where participants are typically not as outwardly competitive as you might find at a hockey, football or basketball game, he explained.

It was a day of sunshine for a time and milder temperatures when the 200 or so who came for Tupper’s first “Tour de Ski appeared to be happy to be outdoors after a couple of weeks of nasty winter weather.

“Weatherwise, we got absolutely lucky because when our crew went to bed that Saturday night we were figuring things were going to be very rough. But I woke up early Sunday and looked out at my shop’s steps, which is my snow gauge, and I saw a very welcome three or four inches of snow!”

By race time that Sunday, the race courses on the trail were in top shape.

Groomer Eric Lanthier said the snow both that Saturday afternoon and then overnight really helped the crew.

“We were out grooming at 6a.m. After that I took a few tours up to the upper trails and they were excellent and fast!”

First phase of $20.46 million building project design shown to local educators

by Dan McClelland

Representatives from the school district’s architectural firm presented schematic drawings of the improvements in the district’s now voter-approved 20.46 million building project to the board of education at its January 8th monthly meeting.

Representing CSArch that evening were Dan Woodside, president of the firm and Kyle Smith. With them was Tupper Lake’s Chris Brunette, who is with Eric Robert’s Schoolhouse Construction, which will oversee the construction.

Also with the architectural firm was Carol Pratt, a building designer, who had been touring the school buildings that day.

“Our team has been busy since this community passed the vote last fall, working through our various design phases” Mr. Woodside began.

“As we talked pre-referendum, 90% of the design still comes after the vote.

“So we are currently in the first phase of our three-phase design work.” He said that evening’s presentation of the schematic designs was the first.

“Following that will be design development, where we will continue to refine the designs and then we’ll get into the construction document phase, as we get ready to submit the entire package and scope to the State Education Department for building permit review and approval.

That step precedes the start of construction, he noted.

“Along the way we’ll be working with Chris and his team at Schoolhouse Construction, which will be involved in estimating and gearing up for how the project will unfold, in terms of the phasing of it,” Mr. Woodside told the elected officials that evening.

He turned the presentation over to Kyle Smith, who said what his firm was tasked with in this first phase of the design, had a deadline of December 21. That work was highlighted in the presentation that evening.

Full details of that work were distributed in a lengthy report shared with the school officials that evening. Electronic copies are available to the public through the district office, he noted.

Mr. Smith said the schematic design report- the first 30% of his firm’s work for the district- featured “a lot of information gathering, verifying the project’s scope, and having programming meetings.

He took the board through a handful of slides of the various components of the project, with color photos and graphics and bullet points of the work planned.

The scope of work at the middle/high school building involves new exterior steps and railings, both at the two main entrances on Chaney Ave. and one entrance in the rear of the building. Also in the plans for that building are new roofs for the Baker Wing and locker room, replacing both large sections of the building roofs entirely.

All exterior doors will be replaced, adding “card-reader” access devices. Many of the windows in the building will be upgraded as well, he explained.

All the bathrooms in the Baker Wing will be renovating and made handicapped compliant, according to Mr. Smith. Design work for that portion of the project has already been finished, he noted.

Other pieces of the middle/high school improvement work will be the repair of interior stair landings, stair treads and risers, replacement of air handling units in both the auditorium and gym, the replacement of all pneumatic controls with DDC controls in the new systems to be installed, the replacement of all the 1954 vintage copper piping in the entire building, the complete replacement of the building’s electrical panels and switchboard systems and the replacement of the building’s generator and exhaust system.

His slide showed a mock-up of what is planned in the Baker Wing bathrooms, the exterior windows and doors to be installed and the switchboard apparatus.

“We work closely with Schoolhouse Construction in identifying” what he called “long-lead items.” Those hard-to-get items are part of a list the company is compiling to submit an advance request report to state education so they can be delivered in time for the construction period, Mr. Smith explained.

“What we don’t want to do is wait and submit all the plans as one package and then end up waiting a year and a half for some” of the pieces of equipment to arrive.

Some of those pieces of equipment include some of the transformers and such that the village electric department will have to install around the high school to accommodate the new service panels going into the building. At recent village board meetings Electric Superintendent Mike Dominie has alerted officials of major supply chain delays and that some of his equipment like transformers have a delivery waiting time of more than a year right now.

Mr. Smith said in the back of the middle/high school building in the parking lots where the buses park, it will perform “full replacement right down to sub base” because of water issues undermining that area over the years. Underground storm water piping installed there is now part of the new plan, with connections to other storm water piping on the site, he told the board.

“There’ll be heavy paving in that bus parking area, but the front driveway loop will be an asphalt melt-down” of the binder course, and then resurfacing.

Both sections will meet DOT standards for bus traffic and parking, he assured the elected leaders.

Also on site he said some of the sidewalks will be moved or replaced to address draining issues and deterioration.

In the bus garage, an oil-water separator device will be installed. A large diesel fuel underground tank near the bus garage will also be removed. Also planned is a new building exhaust system with gas detection.

The middle/high school work is priced at $7.1 million and the bus garage work at $288,757.

Secure vestibules are planned at the entrances to both schools here.

“In order to provide a secure vestibule at the entrance of the middle/high school, one of the exits had to be removed. In order to provide a new entrance there for students and faculty we provided one out front”- and that changed since the last time you saw these plans, he told the board.

“What we came back with is that we can remove about 15% of the addition, allowing the doors to come out on the side underneath your existing roof canopy. It also allows for the egress window on the classroom above the entrance to remain- at that’s required by code!”

“This solved a number of issues including lowering the cost and permitted the egress window at top to stay!”

To accomplish that, the slides show, involved the creation of a new stairway addition which will attach to the roof canopy over the gym entrance.

The secure entrance area would be moved to the south end of the building, adjacent to the gym, versus the other end of the building where the entrance currently is.

He said currently visitors to the high school go to the main door, they are buzzed in by someone in the main office, and they enter the school and hopefully go to the main office where they would be greeted.

“Obviously there’s no control of those visitors,” however, under the current arrangement.

“The goal here is to provide a brand new secure vestibule where there would be an intercom, a card reader and ADA push button. Visitors will go into that secure vestibule where all doors are locked. They would ten meet and be greeted by school staff at the transaction window. Ninety percent of the people who go in there would pass their ID into the tray, they would have a conversation such as my son or daughter left their lunch or their violin and then they would leave the building. The other ten percent of the people with business in the building would be permitted in and go first to the main office.”

He said this type of new arrangement is what is being done in all schools in this state.

Mr. Smith said his team has met with Principal Amanda Zullo twice in past months to get her views on what is being proposed at the middle/senior high school.

The new layout for the office portion of the MH building includes two guidance offices, the principal’s office, vice principal’s office, a new school resource officer office, a mail room, a break room and a conference room, plus bathrooms- one for students, another for faculty.

He said the rooms lay-out is not yet final, so input is welcome at this point. Storage needs in each office remains under study, he added. “As a team, we need to do some more work on storage areas there.”

At the L.P. Quinn Elementary School there are two front roof canopies that are rusting, so new soffits will be installed. Some masonry will be repointed above the existing gym wall, he stated. “There’s some leaking there, and we plan to investigate that more to find out where the water is getting in, before any repointing.”

The entire flat roof on the school building will be replaced, as will a boiler exhaust “which is breeching.

Other work planned there include the replacement of all exterior windows and doors, and the replacement of interior door hardware, the creation of a secure vestibule in the entrance area and renovation of the main office, a dedicated ventilation system in the existing nurse’s office, replacement of unit ventilators in the second and third grade classes, replacement of the main copper piping and domestic copper pipes in the building and the replacement of the oil tank.

He said a roofing contractor was recently hired by Schoolhouse Construction to determine the moisture content of the roof, and it found that 90% of the roof under the membrane is dry. A second test in the spring is planned and depending on what is found, it would give the district the option of only replacing the membrane, and not the underlying sheathing, which would be less expensive and would give the district some flexibility in the event some other part of the project ran into extra unforeseen costs, according to Mr. Smith. The work at L.P. Quinn, including many improvements to the Rotary Track and Field complex is expected to cost $8.1 million.

The work at the athletic field includes the full replacement of the asphalt track and possibly the addition of a pole vault area and a steeple chase site, including a water hurdle, based on forthcoming research by Schoolhouse Construction, he said.

“One of the reasons to include areas for those other events,” said Mr. Woodside, would be to accommodate some type of regional track and field event, should you want to host something like that in the future. It was noted that steeple chase events are featured at most regional or section track and field events.

The metal bleachers will be relocated to the opposite side of the field. A brand new bleacher system and new press box would be built where the old ones were on the north side of the complex.

In the expanded secure vestibule section planned at the elementary school the entrance of the library would be moved out of the secure area.

Work planned at the Tupper Lake Civic Center with a price tag of just over $500,000 involves upgrading the artificial ice-making system with a new dehumidification unit, modifying the duct work to accommodate all improvements, provide 120-ton water cooled condensing unit and controls, replacing the existing steel brine tank with a new polypropylene one, and if the budget allows, to replace the evaporator/chiller unit that is at the end of its expected life and the brine material itself.

Exhibit-building begins at renovated Tupper Lake History Museum

by Dan McClelland

With many of the interior renovations completed at the Tupper Lake History Museum, the volunteer board members are now turning their attention to exhibit-arranging and exhibit-building.

This week the directors have started to move artifacts in storage in their Amish-built shed outside and elsewhere around town into the renovated building.

The plan is to position artifacts where they will eventually be exhibited and then incorporate them into the exhibits built around them. It’s part of the museum board’s current organizational scheme.

Two of the three interior rooms have been completely renovated since early fall.

The primary builder has been Board Member Jimmy “Cookie” Lanthier, who has devoted hundreds of hours of his carpentry talents to the major chore.

He’s been a one-man building crew since last summer.

Just before he took a trip overseas to Scandinavia to visit friends he finished up the great room in what was likely service bays in the former gas station.

The room features a beautiful tongue and groove pine ceiling, that Mr. Lanthier stained a honey shade.

The ceiling features two large fans and several dozen tiny inset lights- some of which will be pointed directly on the coming exhibits.

Before he single-handedly constructed the ceiling, he thoroughly insulated the entire attic area. Mr. Lanthier also stripped the walls of the large room, firred them out and insulated them before affixing new sheetrock, after most of the building was completely rewired.

After finishing the sheetrock, Mr. Lanthier installed a half wall of wainscoting around the room’s perimeter, topping it with cherry rail. The room is very impressive and ten feet high, providing plenty of wall space to hang photos and other museum artifacts.

The museum board recently retained Brandon Moeller to install a new vinyl laminate flooring in the room. The flooring material was provided below wholesale cost by Tupper Lake Supply Co.

Before the flooring could be laid, there was a recessed section of the concrete floor that had to be filled, and that project, done by hand-mixing cement, was tackled by museum volunteer, Bob “Popcorn” Duhaime, last fall. A remarkable chore for a nonagenarian!

Last summer Mr. Lanthier devoted considerable attention to the redecorating of the middle room in the building, which will be the main entrance area where guests will enter through a newly repaired front glass door. The center room is dressed in various types of wood- to reflect this community’s lumbering heritage.

The only area of the building still to receive a face-lift is the former beauty salon on the western end. Mr. Lanthier has repaired the main bow window there- and work in that now cordoned off section of the building will be tackled over the winter, as exhibits rise in the other two rooms.

Related improvement chores like painting and replacing ceiling tiles have been tackled in the building over the by a number of museum volunteers including Mary Richer, Bob Duhaime, Joe Kimpflen, Diane Connor, Jeannette Keniston, Tom and Marlene Hyde and the Hyde Fuel crew and others.

The museum board is looking to have the new community showpiece open briefly for the Total Eclipse weekend on April 6, 7 and 8 to familiarize what is expected to be a full house of celestial fans coming for the event with the community’s heritage.

The museum will then close for several more months to get it ready for an opening early this summer, and a grand opening celebration event then.

The Tupper Lake History Museum continues to accept donations to fund the work of the directors as they ready their new place. Gifts may be sent to P.O. Box 824. All contributions are tax-deductible as the museum organization won IRS 501-3c tax exempt status last year.

Rec department leaders present many good reasons to support new teen center

by Dan McClelland

Laura LaBarge and Christilee Geiger of the town’s new recreation department have devoted considerable time and attention this past month or so to developing what appears to be a solid plan for the creation of a new Tupper Lake teen center.

They briefed the town board on it at Thursday’s monthly board meeting.

The doors to the old basement quarters of the Aaron Maddox Hall which was the local food pantry had been closed only for a couple of weeks when Mrs. Geiger requested use of the space in the town-owned building to fashion a place for teens there.

“So we all know about the rash of recent vandalism at the municipal park, Mrs. LaBarge began their presentation Thursday evening, using the town’s large video screen.

The two women believe that teenagers without meaningful activities to do and comfortable places to do them often fall into mischief for entertainment.

She said after she won town board approval to hire Christilee this fall as the town events coordinator, both of them were approached by local residents about their plans for teenagers here.

“You have great programs for young children, but what are you doing for teens?” they asked both of us, Mrs. LaBarge told the board.

“After a panic attack because teens are terrifying,” she joked, she said they decided to meet the problem head on.

She said they created a “community input survey” that they posted online and distributed across the school district. It was also placed on the town’s Facebook page.

“We encouraged teenagers, their parents, their care-givers, neighbors, grand parents, everyone involved with teens to please complete the survey.”

A new name “Tupper Teens,” was suggested by Library Manager Courtney Carey, who has started co-hosting events and particularly children’s events with the town recreation department this past year.

“We did some research on what it will take to create a teen center- to make sure all our ducks were in a row.”

She said they have created a “Tupper Teens” board of directors. There have been discussions between the town pair and the new board members about the responses to the community survey and from that work has come a new mission statement, which reads as follows:

“The Town of Tupper Lake Recreation Department and the Tupper Teens board have a mission to improve the quality of life for Tupper teenagers and offer constructive opportunities for maturity and growth in a safe and supportive environment and encouraging teens to becoming active, productive members of their schools, families and the community.”

Mrs. Geiger listed the board members, who she said many of whom wanted to be in attendance that evening, but could not because of conflicts.

One of them, Mayor Mary Fontana, was in attendance, however.

The other board members consist of Courtney Carey, one of the founders, who Christilee described as “a visionary who is new to our community, who is objective in her approach to things with strong ties to the community through the local library.”

The Tupper Teens program in its infancy is currently operating out of the library’s community room, Mrs. Geiger told the board.

Another board member she said is Chelsea Schaffer, “a holistic mom of a teen and local business owner.” She said as a former “troubled teen,” she brings much insight to exact problems teens routinely face.

Matt Arsenault, also the parent of a teenager, is another board member. He considers himself “authoritative but approachable” and who is involved in both church and community. She said Matt believes he is well versed in current teen topics of diversity and inclusion

Bethany Cassell is also a new board member, “a mom of many teens,” who is experienced in numerous local outreach programs centered on helping teens, and direct’s Tupper Lake’s Family Matters program. “She is experienced at writing grants with insight into low-income demographics,” according to the town employee.

As a board member too is Mary Fontana, former town board members and mayor who she said “is dedicated to developing a strong town recreation department and through that creating good programs for people of all ages here.”

Laura LaBarge said the survey also showed the following pros and cons of starting a teen center.

Among the pros would be the availability of adult supervisors to help keep teens out of trouble at the park and elsewhere around town. The new teen center would be “a safe space” where teens can gather, she said. A new center could be a place where supervisors could bring in speakers from various local and regional programs. It could be a place to eventually foster a mentoring program that would be aimed “at building relationships and creating those important community connection.”

She said they are finding “many troubled teens don’t feel connected to their community.”

Balanced against the pros pointed up in the survey were some cons or things, Mrs. LaBarge said, might be negative about starting a teen center.

One con was the fear that when troubled teens assemble in one place, they may end up just creating more trouble. Others who responded to the survey worried about the appearance of teens hanging out on the street, looking “somewhat sketchy.”

“People wanted to make sure any selected location was accessible to everyone in town,” Mrs. LaBarge stated.

“-And lack of funding is always a concern with any new program starting up!”

“Discouragement from the community,” is another con which could adversely affect any teen program.

The inability for organizers “to tackle the tough issues facing teens,” was another potential negative element listed by those who took the survey. “Most of those who cited that concern wanted to make sure we were prepared to tackle those kinds of issues!” Laura noted.

Christilee addressed the issue of sustaining a new teen center. “It will take more than concern for this program to become successful. Every one loves the idea of a teen center. But most of these programs don’t last past the first year. It’s actually a very scary number...about 61% fail in the first year.”

“Lack of dedication from adults is the number one reason for failure. Adults in our community need to do better for our youth! Consistency is key to success. Dedicated volunteers, board members and a set schedule is essential! We also need to be prepared for the tough stuff, to maintain proper training for all staff members and volunteers. We owe this to the next generation.”

It all comes down to this, she stressed: “We need bodies, we need time, we need money!”

“Laura and I have ideas, but we are only two bodies...so we need more bodies. We also need time and we need money!”

Laura explained the program right now is an after-school program run out of the basement community room at the Goff-Nelson Memorial Library. It runs twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30p.m. to 5:30p.m. She said as of now it is run by community volunteers, some of whom are from the Americorp program.

The women also listed the goals of the program, which include the involvement of teen advisors on the board, teaching life skills like cooking, doing laundry, filling out popular forms and budgeting. They would eventually like to offer teens instruction in arts, photography, dance and painting, as well as some outdoor activities like roller blading and car care.

Another important goal would be building relationships with first responders and local government agencies and organizations.

Securing exercise equipment for the new center is another goal they listed in their presentation.

“We really want a teen perspective of what they want” in the offerings before them and what’s at the new teen center, according to Mrs. LaBarge.

They showed photos of some of the teens doing various activities in the library the two afternoons a week.

Some of the teens have made solid connections with several of the volunteers who are helping there each week, it was noted.

Christilee said the owners of Lakeview Lanes have also offered very low priced bowling deals for kids to have fun there, rather than hanging out on the local streets.

Mrs. LaBarge said in recent weeks since the food pantry moved, local electric inspector and contractor, Mike Corneau, has been working to improve the electric system in the basement quarters, as well as adding smoke detectors and lighted exit signs.

“Mike is working his magic there, and donating his hours of labor” to get the center open and operating, she said.

She said while struggling right now getting volunteers, their one year plan is to have what she called “a consistency of faces” working with the teens at the center.

“We’d like to extend program hours. Initially Monday to Friday after school. Down the road we’d like to see it open seven days a week!”

She said five or ten years down the road they hope the town could afford a paid staff for the teen center. Another long-term goal would be to incorporate the teen center as a federal IRS 501-c3 organization to qualify for tax-deductible donations and grants to pay for permanent staff.

Since the proposed quarters in the Aaron Maddox Hall is not handicapped accessible, a building that is would be another long-term goal.

They presented to the board a lay-out of the new quarters that evening. There would be areas for activities and others designed “quiet space” to read, play games or do puzzles.

Incoming Board Member Crystal Boucher encouraged the pair to reach out to school district officials to help guide the development of the new place here and to become board members.

Mrs. LaBarge said they haven’t asked for board member participation because many of the district’s faculty and staff are already wearing many hats.

“Right now some of them are advising us, providing information to us when we ask questions.

Mrs. LaBarge noted too that as mentors and counselors are needed they were hoping the district personnel could help filling those roles.

Mrs. Boucher said she would like to eventually see the process by which the teen advisors are selected, in order to get candidates from a broad cross-section of the student body, rather than just select from the smaller pool of student leaders.

Christilee Geiger admitted while she isn’t the mother of teenagers yet, she is aware of some of the local issues teens face, “and I want to make it better for them!”

Councilman Rick Donah applauded their vision and enthusiasm for the new program and the work they have put into it in recent months.

“I’ve attended a number of the youth activities events in the past years, and when you see the kids and the smiles on their faces, you see how important the work is engaging these kids and giving them many options!”

“Offering alternatives for our children is great and it’s one more connection local governments have with teens in the community that we really need to form!”

As a Park Street business owner he said he knows that when kids don’t have worthwhile and meaningful things for them to do, it’s easy for them to hang out on the street, which can lead to trouble.

He said there was a teen center in town when he was a teenager, “that was a good outlet” for healthy fun and activities in many ways.

He told the ladies they were on the right track and when it comes to sustainability of the new facility, it will be up to the kids to determine that.

Help from local adults is also part of a successful sustainability formula, it was noted.

“The kids got to like it and enjoy it, and hopefully it catches on,” he told them.

Councilwoman Tracy Luton said one key to a center’s success is finding dedicated volunteers to staff a new teen center, a task made more difficult given the disrespect some teenagers hold for adults who are in charge of them.

“I find it hard that Laura and Christilee will fail,” given their dedication to the project and their enthusiasm, Supervisor Rickey Dattola confidently told his board at their close of their presentation.

Retiring Town Clerk Laurie Fuller honored at her last meeting

Recreation Department Chief Laura LaBarge presents Laurie with a plaque that will hang on the town hall lobby wall, commemorating her many years of excellent service to the town and its residents. (McClelland photos)

Retiring Town Clerk Laurie Fuller and her successor, Mary Kay Kucipeck Strack, on the last evening they will sit together, chronicling the actions of a town board.

Retiring Town Clerk Laurie Fuller was honored by the Tupper Lake Town Board and her colleagues both at the town hall and around the region at her last town board meeting Thursday.

Before the meeting a town clerk from the Town of Franklin appeared briefly. Lauren LaFave, who is a member of the board of directors of the New York State Town Clerks’ Association, extended to Laurie the thanks of her organization to Mrs. Fuller for her many years of service to it over the years. Tupper Lake’s town clerk served on the association’s board of directors for six years. With the commendation came some attractive wind chimes.

Mrs. Fuller also received a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of Jameson whiskey from the members of the town highway department, all appreciative of her efforts helping them over the years.

Laurie has been attending town board meetings taking accurate minutes of the deliberations and resolutions at each since she was elected town clerk in the fall of 2002, following the resignation of Beth Bierwirth, whose family left town that year. Laurie had served as Beth’s deputy clerk for about two years before her election. Beth, a former town councilwoman, succeeded the town’s long serving clerk, Aluva Marconi about two years earlier.

During Mrs. Fuller’s time as town clerk, she has also served as the town court clerk, a position she will continue to hold in the new year.

The retiring town clerk said this week she loved her job, and very much enjoyed working with the public and with her fellow employees and past and present board members.

“Our office staff was always excellent-” making for a great place to work, she noted.

Laura LaBarge of the town recreation department presented the outgoing town clerk with a wooden plaque with her photo on it which will hang in the town hall with plaques of her predecessors. The message was “Thank You, Laurie J. Fuller for your hard work and dedication, that will never be matched. You have set the standard for all! Years of service: 2000 to 2023.”

Laurie was also presented with a glass award for her own keeping, carrying the same message of the one that will hang in the town hall lobby, next to one of Aluva Marconi.

At the close of Thursday’s meeting the outgoing town clerk thanked everyone she has worked with over the years. “I’ve worked with some wonderful people.”

She named Town Attorney Kirk Gagnier, in particular, who she said helped her through some of the legal dealings of her job.

“It wasn’t a job to me. I loved coming to work every day. I’m sure I am going to miss it...thank you all.”

Town Councilwoman Tracy Luton, whose last meeting after eight years was also that night, called Laurie “amazing” at her job.

She said during Laurie’s grave illness several year ago she was deeply missed at the town hall and officials there were so happy upon her return to work. “Happy retirement to you!”

Others around the board table offered that same wish too, and applause for her erupted at the close of the monthly meeting.

Former councilwoman and the new mayor, Mary Fontana, whose last meeting at the town board table was last month, attended Thursday’s session to recognize and thank Laurie for all her contributions to the town.

Bowling is district’s new varsity school sport here

by Dan McClelland

Bowling is Tupper Lake High’s new varsity sport.

The Tupper Lake Board of Education has approved the introduction of bowling as an official school sport, following a well-reasoned presentation by Athletic Director Dan Brown at the November board meeting.

In the weeks after the meeting Mr. Brown canvassed the student body at the middle/high school and found at least 20 students who want to bowl for the new school teams. So bowling is a go and competition will start in coming days!

The new varsity bowlers held their first practice at Lakeview Lanes Thursday after school.

Mr. Brown told the Free Press that the amazing thing about the new athletic venture is that the majority of the students signed up to participate so far have never played a school sport before.

“I’ve come to talk to you this evening about the potential of a Tupper Lake (High School) bowling team,” he told the board of education last month.

He said in recent years there has been just a single bowling team in Section 10 where the Tupper Lake teams will compete. Then two and three more teams were formed and this year there are four school bowling teams in all.

“Now that more and more teams are coming on board with bowling teams,” Section 10 officials are trying to organize the league and which schools will be taking part. The start of the new bowling season is just week’s away, he noted.

“There may be other schools that come into the mix in coming weeks,” he told the elected school leaders.

“This year we would make it an even six teams”- if we were the field a team.

“Typically we come into a new sports season with anywhere between 140 and 155 student athletes. That’s not where we end the season, but on paper that’s where we generally start.”

He said typically too the winter sports season (with hockey, basketball and track) generates the lowest participant numbers of any sport season.

“In the winter sports season we have a lot of students who are active in the skating club- the figure skating program at the civic center.

“It takes a little away from our girls basketball program, where we’ve seen some decline in recent years.

“But there’s also a very healthy mix of kids in the figure skating program.

“However still having 30 to 50 students not participating in a high school sport is not something we desire.

“We know that athletics increase our civic awareness and athletics increases our positive personality traits. It increases our student health and all round it makes are students better humans and prepares them for lifelong practices of sportsmanship, commitment and engaging with other people.

“Bowling is an athletic opportunity that most people can do. Hockey in the winter, for example, if you don’t know how to skate, you can’t start playing hockey and make your way onto a high school team. And with basketball you only have five kids on the court at any one time, with a goal of having a team of about 12 players for practices and games. Whereas bowling is an opportunity for a student of any athletic ability, as long as they want to participate and build upon a skill they maybe have only done a few times in their life before that.

Organizationally, he said, it’s a ten-match season: five home games and five away. He said sectionals end February 6 and the matches leading up to that end rotate among the bowling alleys in the section.

Following the sectional matches, there’s a state tournament in Syracuse “that would give our team a one in six chance of going to the states.”

“-And what an opportunity for our students that would be,” he said of the two-day tournament that typically draws hundreds and hundreds of young bowlers from across the state who would compete.”

“It’s quite an event that organizers put on for them!”

He said high school bowling teams typically practice three times a week. From a physical standpoint, he noted, it’s not the type of sport you would want to practice five or six times a week.

“It gets repetitive...the ball gets heavy after a time and wears on the body.”

“As a new program, the expectation being the three days a week of practice” would continue through the development of a somewhat seasoned team by year three.

He reasoned that practicing more days each week could become cumbersome for some students to do, and increases the likelihood they may eventually lose interest.

“Practicing five and six days a week is a huge commitment for student athletes,” he added.

“It’s also a great way for our district to work with the community” through Jen Larsen at the local bowling alley.

Ms. Larsen bowled competitively in both high school and in college, which she attended on a bowling scholarship. She was a professional bowler for several years. Jen has been promoting the idea of the district introducing high school bowling for a number of years, according to a recent interview we did of her and her partner Mike in recent weeks.

“Mr. Bartlett and I have been talking with Jen about it over the last couple of years.”

“We were just waiting to see where the other schools in the district were going with it!”

“Right now we’re sort of at an explosion point, as we wait to see which of the new schools to introduce it will be.

He said in the Section 10 discussions on bowling- and even though the start of the season is only a few weeks away- some of the schools are saying to the others, “we’re in, if you’re in, but we all need to get in” if it’s going to work.

“Last week we had a unified bowling event” at Lakeview Lanes “that was well received by Section 10. He said six schools were represented, with over 40 students bowling, including some with special needs.

“That’s also something we’re looking to grow in Section 10.

He said the teams were bussed in. They arrived about 10a.m., bowled, had lunch together...all sorts of students bowling together, and it was a great event to happen here.

Mr. Brown said Section 10 is currently the only section in the state “that does not have a unified, organized” sports league that brings together students of all abilities.

“Bowling could help to build that and for not only bowling for Section 10 but unified sports in Section 10 bringing students with special needs and general education students together to be in a competitive environment.”

The athletic director said that although the sport of bowling wasn’t budgeted this year, his department had planned this year to offer a JV girls basketball team that didn’t materialize.

“So instead of creating a new team” and budgeting for it, “we just replacing a team.”

“Our bowling alley is eager to work with our kids and our school- and this is something Jen is very enthusiastic about and very willing to help!”

He said while they haven’t formally polled students about bowling in recent years, in various informal conversations, he has been told by many students it might be a sport they would be very willing to try.

Mr. Brown said Tupper Lake historically was home to many youth leagues which have disappeared in recent years.

“Jen is very interested in trying to bring some of those leagues back, which would provide something of a feeder program to any new high school varsity program.”

Asked by the board the ages of the team members, Mr. Brown said varsity teams can include students in grades nine to 12. “There are sports, however, that can allow for seventh and eighth grade expansions and bowling would be one of those sports, much like golf.”

The inter-school competition involves a bowling match, which consists of three games, he told the board members, in answer to another question.

Student bowlers can compete individually or as a team, he noted.

He also said that sometimes an individual section will create something of an all-star team to compete at regional or state levels.

Mr. Brown said there is no limit on the number of student bowlers on a school team, given the various available configurations of matches.

The only restriction, he guessed, would be the number of lanes a particular bowling alley offered.

The school here would likely have both boys and girls teams, versus a mixed team.

Superintendent of Schools Russ Bartlett spoke in favor of introducing bowling to the local sports regimen. He said of all the school officials in larger schools and smaller schools around the region that he and Mr. Brown had spoken to over the years and “nobody who implemented a bowling team at their school has found that impacts the numbers in the other school sports. It’s not a sport that typically draws from other athlete pools!”

Mr. Brown predicted that about 15 students this year would join a school bowling team if it was offered. Through his recruitment efforts in recent week, he has surpassed that estimate.

“Chateaugay introduced bowling last year and at some of their practices, there were 30 students!”

By their comments most of the board members liked the idea and several had procedural questions.

Mr. Brown noted that both male and female bowling teams would travel on a single bus and that the district would pay only for the bowling fees and shoe rentals, if necessary, for just the Tupper bowlers.

He said he and Jen Larsen have talked about how her bowling alley could help with ball or shoe rentals to minimize the cost of equipment to the school district.