Trustee Clint Hollingsworth shares diagnosis of cancer with his constituents

by Dan McClelland

Before last Wednesday’s October village board meeting closed, Trustee Clint Hollingsworth asked for the floor to share some sobering news with the community: that he is undergoing treatments for a recent diagnosis of cancer.

The four-year trustee and local contractor learned of his diagnosis on September 17- the same day the village board met for its monthly meeting. Understandably he wasn’t able to make that meeting.

“I’d like to discuss something on a personal level, but I believe it is my duty to bring this to light to the public since I am a representative of the taxpayers of the Village of Tupper Lake and a representative of our community, as a whole,” he began.

“I was on the fence whether nor not I should bring this up or not, but after a lot of thought, I felt it was my duty to!”

During September, he said, he was diagnosed with cancer. “The diagnosis was esophageal cancer and it has metastasized to lymph nodes near the affected area and also there as some lesions on my liver. This is a treatable cancer!”

He admitted he “had a rough road during the month of September, mainly because of a situation I had of internal bleeding which resulted in a lot of loss of blood and multiple blood transfusions.”

“I have started my road to recovery.” He said he has started the recommended chemotherapy treatments, which have been designated for this specific type of cancer.

“The outpouring of support from the community to me has been overwhelming. It’s great to know we live in Tupper Lake, a place which is a very tight community.”

He said he has had both dear friends and people he hardly knows reach out to him with their best wishes.

“I just felt that the taxpayers and the community at large should know his situation to try to clear up any misinformation.”

“This is a treatable cancer. I am going for six treatments of chemotherapy over the next three months.”

He said his medical team intends to “re-scan and reassess” his diagnosis near the end of December.

“I am still seeking re-election and am not trying to use this floor” for my political advantage. He said his commitment to the job, however, is still as strong it was before his diagnosis.

He said he has “responded to his first treatment” and his health has improved since then. “Things have really turned around for me, health-wise. I feel good! I feel strong! I am in good spirits and have a positive attitude!

Trustee Hollingsworth said he was certain he “would get through this.”

“I just wanted to be clear so everyone knows this is what I’m dealing with!”

He said his colleagues on the village board and the many who know him in the community know he is not the type of person to just “have one iron in the fire.”

Mr. Hollingsworth said during his career he has had many challenges in his life- sometimes often happening simultaneously- “and I think I have always handled them well.”

He admitted that he has done a lot of soul-searching since his diagnosis.

“I will leave you with a quote from Peter Marshall: ‘When we long for a life without difficulties, let’s remind us all that the mighty oaks grow strong with contrary winds and that diamonds are made under pressure.’”

“I hope to be living proof of that. Thank you, everybody!”

Mayor Paul Maroun, on behalf of his friends at the board table, said they were behind him in his struggles ahead. “I know you know you have the thoughts and prayers of this board and this community!

​Tupper Lake Plein Air Festival starts today

The Tupper Lake Plein Air Festival will welcome regional artists beginning today and through Oct. 4 to paint the beautiful vistas our area has to offer. There will be an art show and sale on Oct. 3, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Tupper Arts Center on Park Street. More than a dozen artists have already signed up, with more slots available.

The 2020 festival is an outdoor event that shares the beauty and spirit of this historic lumberjack town, amidst the majestic Adirondack Mountains in full fall foliage, with artists from across the Northeast Region.

Artists will have the opportunity to capture inspiring vistas and landmarks that have long defined this iconic Adirondack town. Some of the many scenic opportunities awaiting artistic interpretation include the winding Raquette River, with the Ox Bow and its many marshes, Bog River Falls at the headwaters of beautiful Tupper Lake, the mountains, lakes, and ponds surrounding the town, and local landmarks.

Tupper Lake offers a variety of architectural structures, new and old, along with revitalized streets and storefronts that invite artistic interpretation. The gazebo at the municipal park, the bandshell at Flander’s Park, Beth Joseph Synagogue, the Oval Wood Dish factory buildings are all landmarks that add special touches that help define the history and spirit of the town.

Tupper Lake is home to some of the most scenic views in the Adirondacks. From the top of Raymond Hill on Route 3 entering Tupper Lake from the west, to the panoramic display of the Seward range behind L. P. Quinn Elementary School, to the spectacular views of Mt. Morris, home of Big Tupper Ski Area, from several locations along Raquette Pond, artists are rewarded with an array of Adirondack vistas. like the Beth Joseph Synagogue, the Wild Center, and the Oval Wood Dish factory.

Adk Action and Tupper Arts are the co-sponsors of this event.

COVID-19 Precautions

Tupper Arts will not be able to offer housing for artists in private residences. No large gatherings or receptions are planned for this event to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The show and sale will be held in the spacious Tupper Arts gallery, with ample room for enjoying the art while practicing social distancing. Masks are required of all who enter the building, and visitors are encouraged to make use of available hand sanitizer.

Eligibility

This event is open to all plein air artists in the region who are not coming from areas that have quarantine restrictions upon entering the state. Painting can begin as soon as canvasses are stamped. To prevent spread of disease, hand sanitizer will be available upon entering the building, and face masks are required of anyone entering the building. Social distancing will be practiced to insure the safety of everyone in the building. Information about the region will be provided to artists who are not familiar with the area, but there will not be tours of the area.

Adk Action and Tupper Arts staff and volunteers will be on-site to man the show and sale. Artists are invited to speak with patrons or spend the day painting whatever they chose and enjoying the beautiful community of Tupper Lake.

Artist will have the option for leaving art at the center. Artists are welcome to leave their unsold pieces with Tupper Arts to sell in their gift shop throughout the year, or for however long they want to leave the art at the center.

2020 census wrapping up with local canvassing

by Dan McClelland

The 2020 census officially concludes September 30 and in the weeks until then enumerators are working diligently in the North Country communities to get everyone counted by the finish line.

“September 30 is the last day that households can either self-respond, either online, over the phone or on paper and that's also the last day we'll knock on doors,” Jeff Behler, census spokesman, explained this week.

He said that when census workers go to anyone's door they always produce a photo identification, with their photo, an expiration date and the U.S. Department of Commerce water mark on it. The census is always conducted by that federal agency.

“Most carry a bag with their paper supplies in it and their smart photo, because that's how we collect the data!”

After interviewing the resident the census-takers then enter the data into their smart phone, he explained.

“They are also required to wear a mask when they are out in the public, regardless of what local restrictions may be!”

Mr. Behler stressed that mask-wearing is a requirement. “Whenever we learn of people not wearing them, we deal with those issues as we hear of them.”

He said things have gone relatively smoothly in this year's census. “There have been some issues like every census where someone points a gun at an enumerator” or makes other threats. “Some of these things typically happen every census!”

There have been some incidents in the North Country where people show up at a door and say they are with the census bureau and they don't produce the required ID.

“Now that we are door-knocking, this is when scams typically start...this is when people say: 'hey, I'm from the census bureau.'”

Mr. Behler said his agency alerts local authorities when that happens.

He said the questions on any census form are very simple. “Name, age, address, date of birth, race and ethnicity, whether or not you are of hispanic origin. We ask for a phone number, the person's sex, whether they own or rent their home and the relationship to the first person that is listed on the census form...mother, father, son, daughter.”

“Important things for people to know is we don't ask for citizenship status, for bank account information, for money, for social security numbers.” Mr. Behler said asking those questions are normally what happen if scams are underway.

“That should always raise a red flag that this is a scam” and the fake enumerator is a scammer.

If anyone feels they have been scammed or they just want to check out the process they can call the regional telephone number at (212) 8827100, he told the press.

“We'll do the leg work. We'll let you know if it's a legitimate survey. -And if it's a scam we immediately notify the local media, local law enforcement and notify all of our partners.” Those people include elected leaders, church officials, business owners, etc.

“We let everyone know there is a scam going on in their area so they can get the word out to everyone in their area,” Mr. Behler stressed.

He noted this is his third census and the numbers this time are better than in the past.

“We finished the 2010 census with a final self-response rate of 66.5%. That's one of our bench marks” of success. “That means that 33% of the people enumerated we had to go out and knock on the door to get their date.”

He explained when all numbers are tabulated, both self-responses and those who were interviewed by a census worker, they will get data from 100% of the addresses they are expected to canvass.

“Going into the 2020 census process several years ago, before we knew anything about COVID 19, we had predicted we would be at 60.5% at the time we would begin knocking on door.”

“We needed to know how many people we needed to recruit and hire and train. So we have to come up with an estimate” of self-responders.

He said that actual self-responders this time hit 63.5%- three points more than there initial estimate. “And this was before COVID.”

Asked if he was content with how everything in the census process has gone this time, Mr. Behler said he was. “I'm extremely pleased, especially with the self-response. I think we overachieved in a lot of areas. “Hiring has been excellent. We were worried after COVID struck. Would a lot of the people who applied eight months ago still be interested?

He noted initial recruiting began in October, 2018. “Some people could have applied that early.”

Mr. Behler said the start of this year's census was pushed back due to the pandemic. “The start of knocking on doors should have been May 13 and concluded July 31. But because of COVID we had to shift the start to August 9 and conclude September 30.

What type of person is a census enumerator? We asked.

Mr. Behler said it depends on the geographic area, but typically they are retired people, housewives, “any and all of the above.

He said many time the people who apply are recently retired. “This is a gig job...an eight-week job!”

“Some people just want to earn extra money. Where there are college campuses, a lot of times students apply because it's short-term employment.”

He said if his agency had been able to stick to its original schedule- May to July would have been perfect for students, since they are out of class then in the college year.

“This time we had student enumerators, but not as many as we typically would have had.”

“We had some people we hired who were no longer interested because of the schedule change or because of the COVID-19 scare itself.”

Some were genuinely concerned about meeting the public during this time and we understand that, he noted.

He said a typical enumerations takes between five and ten minutes, depending upon the number of people in the household who have to be interviewed. “On average it's five minutes for a family of four!”

One person can fill the census form out for their entire family, but everyone must be listed, he said of the process.

“We are basically taking a snap shot of the country,” who is living in America and where they live. “On April 1 2020 that's when we snap the camera.”

He said regardless of when the census form is completed, all questions relate to the April 1 date. “For example where did you live on April 1, 2020?”

Enumerators in the upstate region are paid $20 per hour.

“And the great things about these jobs are you choose the days and hours you work,” Mr. Behler stated.

“-And then we assign you work based up those choices. If you have a full-time job and just want to work for the census on evenings and weekends, you can be very successful!”

A person could easily work 20 hours a week for eight weeks and get the job done? “Absolutely,” he replied.

Why is it important that everyone gets counted in a census?

“It boils down to two things: representation. The number of seats the State of New York will have in the U.S. House of Representatives. The trend has been New York has lost seats because of population declines. While states like Texas and Florida, where populations are growing, gain Congressional seats.”

He said each state will use the census data to do their redistricting for drawing voting precincts, their school districts. He said local governments will use the data to determine boundaries for their legislative districts.

Mr. Behler said businesses typically use census data for the planning and marketing. “They want to grow where they know they will have a customer base and the abilitiy to hire employees.”

“When we talk about the distribution of federal fundings around the nation we are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars each year.”

“Funding things like Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, WIC but also for fixing the nation's infrastructure: bridges, tunnels, roads, parks, community block development, etc.

Census data also determines, he said, how federal school meal grants are formulated, Title I grants, Headstart, Pel grants for college students. “One of the most things is health care, showing there are enough hospitals in communities, that there are enough beds in the hospitals, supplies they need, that there are enough fire stations, police departments, ambulances- all of those are based on formulas that will use 2020 census data.”

He explained that the 2020 census report will be a living document with statistics to guide the country for the next ten years.

“That's why it's so important to get the message out far and wide that everyone must be counted. The five minutes they take to complete the census is an investment in their futures for the next ten years.”

Mr. Behler directs the U. S. Census Bureau's New York district, one of six in the country. The New York district covers New York, New Jersey and Puerto Rico.

Meet the new L.P. Quinn principal: Elizabeth Littlefield

by Rich Rosentreter

There is a new principal at the helm at the L.P. Quinn Elementary School as Elizabeth Littlefield took over the position July 1, replacing Michele Pinard, who held that post since 2017.

Mrs. Littlefield first began working in the Tupper Lake School District in 2009 as a special education teacher, providing services to students in a special class setting, and continued to work in the school district until 2016 when she left for a brief period. She returned in 2019 in a teacher’s position.

The Free Press recently connected with Mrs. Littlefield to discuss her new job as principal, and she said that her initial job at the L.P. Quinn School was a perfect fit.

“Special education was a great path for me because it has allowed me to spend time in every grade level and almost every classroom of our school,” she said, adding the she and several other new hires to the district had a lot on their plate from the get-go.“We had to jump in with both feet! Within a few weeks, we were developing our plan for reopening, which was an enormous task.”

Getting started

Mrs. Littlefield, who grew up outside of Albany and attended SUNY Oswego to earn both her bachelors and masters degrees, said that she first start working in the education field because she targeted that career path early in life – and her introduction to teaching came right at the L.P. Quinn School.

“It sounds cliche, but I always wanted to be a teacher. During my summer breaks in college, I worked as a teaching assistant in an extended school year program through BOCES,” she said. “Once I completed my master’s in childhood special education, I began teaching in the same program, and then landed my first full time job at L.P. Quinn in 2009.”

Although she enjoyed working in the Tupper Lake School District, her career path briefly took her elsewhere. In 2016, she was hired at the Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Center.

“In my position as a regional training specialist, I supported many of the component school districts in the three Northern BOCES districts: Franklin-Essex-Hamilton, St. Lawrence Lewis and Clinton-Essex-Warren-Washington,” Mrs. Littlefield said. “I provided training based on special education regulations and best practices. In 2018, I transitioned within the same network to a position as a special education school improvement specialist; I was directly assigned to districts identified through the State Education Department.”

In 2019, the network went through a restructuring and it was then she would find her way back to Tupper.

“I decided it would be best for my family and me to return to the classroom. My time in other school districts allowed me to build my vision as a leader. The experience was undeniably formative, but I missed being at L.P. Quinn,” she said, adding that when the principal job opened up, it was a beckoning she could not pass up.

“When I returned to the classroom last year, my plan was to continue teaching. The decision to apply for this leadership position was something that I spent a lot of time reflecting on. I wanted to make sure that it was the right choice for me, both personally and professionally. It feels like the right time to assume this job, even with the challenge that reopening presents,” Mrs. Littlefield said.

The vision and plan

Now at the helm in the principal’s role, Mrs. Littlefield said she does have a vision and goals for the elementary school.

“My goal has always been to create meaningful and productive learning experiences for all students; it’s been at the center of every decision I’ve made as an educator. This is especially true for the 2020-21 school year,” she said. “It’s my intention to build a school-community partnership that continually seeks improvement and shares ownership of the decision-making process. This partnership would consider the needs of everyone, and there would be an established principle of reciprocity: the school can learn from parents, parents can learn from students, students can learn from the community, and so on.”

This coming school year, Mrs. Littlefield will face the obvious challenges of COVID-19, but she will certainly faced other challenges. She said she will handle whatever is thrown her way as she shared a story that exemplifies her commitment to succeed.

“This year will be a challenge - there’s no doubt about that. Years ago, my co-teacher and I had provided students the task of writing letters of encouragement to one another. They picked names randomly. Most wrote something like ‘good luck’ or ‘you’re smart!’ Some drew pictures or decorated friend’s names in bright patterns. One student’s letter to his classmate has always stuck with me: He had drawn a picture of a mountainside, labeled with obstacles as metaphors for tough situations, sticky mud, slippery ice, big roots, rockslides, and crushing boulders. Next to the picture, he had written ‘I believe in you,’’’ she explained. “My point in sharing that is to communicate that everyone needs someone to tell them that they believe in what they are doing. L.P. Quinn has been through a lot of over the past few years. Changes in administration and staffing have been frequent. There are things that have improved, and there are things that still need work. It’s my intention to assess the needs of our school to get a clear picture of what’s working and what’s not.”

Getting ready for a COVID school year has added a heap of stress onto not just the new principal, but to the school staff as well. As the “leader,” Mrs. Littlefield plans to maintain everyone’s confidence that the school will succeed no matter what.

“As I said earlier, planning for reopening has been an enormous task. Guidance has been evolving throughout the summer. Every decision the administrative team made seemed to spawn ten additional decisions to make,” she said. “At any point in time, a student attending school in-person could become a remote learner. We need to be prepared in the event of full closure. All learners need to be considered as remote learners first. Remote learning needs to be practical and sustainable for classroom teachers, special education teachers, special area teachers, students, and families. Teachers need time to plan, prepare, and execute remote learning opportunities.”

“Aside from safety, communication will remain one of our administrative team’s priorities for the upcoming school year. Things are constantly changing. We will need to work together, as a school, a district and a community.”

This year the school district is in uncharted territory as there are so many unknowns – yet the new principal will be driven to make the community will be proud.

“The anticipation for the first day of school with students is palpable. Our families need to know that their students will be safe when they are in school. Our families need to know that their students will access equitable instruction, wherever they are receiving that instruction,” she said.

Message

Mrs. Littlefield did have a message for parents, students and the community.

“When I went to clean out my classroom at the end of last school year, it was like my co-teacher, teaching assistant and I had entered a time capsule. I took a picture of the date on the board: March 13, 2020. Now here we are, almost six months later,” she said. “Whether your student is participating in-person or remotely, I hope that they share in my enthusiasm for the first day of school. The custodial, maintenance, and office staff have spent endless arranging (and rearranging) our building to welcome students. The teachers were anxiously awaiting the “go-ahead” to re-enter LP Quinn and begin work on their classrooms. We are all looking forward to seeing students again, it almost doesn’t seem real!”

Mrs. Littlefield also shared some personal tidbits so that the community know more about her.

She is married to her husband, Owen, who is a land surveyor with the Department of Environmental Conservation. The couple has two daughters: Eloise (4 years old) and Genevieve (18 months old). She is the daughter-in-law of Kevin and Patti Littlefield of Tupper Lake.

“We also have a golden retriever named Penny. The girls keep us busy! I love to read, practice yoga, listen to podcasts and cook,” she said, adding that she also shares an appreciation for a winter sport that so many Tupper Lakers remember and hope to enjoy once more. “I learned to ski at Big Tupper, when I first moved to Tupper Lake!”

Tupper schools hold parent forum on reopening plan

By Rich Rosentreter

The Tupper Lake Central School District gave parents an opportunity to learn more about its reopening plan during a forum held online last week. The plan was first released last month on the school district’s Facebook page.

One key aspect of the plan is that the school year is now slated to begin Tuesday, Sept. 8, a day after the Labor Day holiday. It had been scheduled to begin Sept. 3.

The reopening plan calls for grades kindergarten through 6th grade meeting in-person four days a week and grades 7 through 12 being broken into groups and meeting in-person on alternating days. Also, in the event of any reports of COVID-19 within the school, officials are prepared to halt in-person classes to allow for tracing and proper disinfecting cleaning of the school buildings. Such a decision would be made by the Department of Health and not the district, according to the school’s Superintendent Russ Bartlett. He added that in the event of a positive coronavirus test, a tracing will be enacted to determine who else may have had contact with that particular child or children.

Another component of the plan is that the civic center will be utilized to teach Pre-K students who will be meeting in the upper mezzanine area.

In regard to BOCES, the district plans to bus students to classes in Saranac Lake – stressing that those students will be safe from contracting the virus due to limited class sizes and larger rooms.

As far as health and safety actions, all students and school staff will be required to wear masks and provide a daily health screening along with parents or guardians being responsible for “submitting an electronic or paper verification form indicating that they have followed the guidelines for health screening before sending their children to school each day.”

According to Mr. Bartlett, the district has more than 17,000 disposable masks – amounting to a supply for about 90 days – and students will also receive two masks bearing the Tupper Lake school logo. There will also be designated areas where students can take a break from wearing their masks, he added.

Both staff and students will have to maintain appropriate social distancing on buses, in common areas and any time not seated in a classroom. Training will take place ofter regarding proper hand washing and respiratory hygiene procedures, along with reminders of the policy when required.

According to the plan, middle/high school students will be in class two days a week – either the first two or last two days of the week - and perform online studies the other two. Elementary school students will be in class each weekday except Wednesdays, which will be reserved for “office hours, parent conferencing, professional development, planning, remote academic intervention and cleaning” for both schools.

The complete plan is available for viewing on the district’s website.

One thing that has been stressed for the reopening of the schools is the in-person classes for the district’s youngest students. Mr. Bartlett said that if a student experiences deficits in education prior to reaching the fourth grade, the impact could be “permanent,” and from grades four to six, the social and emotional aspects of school are vital for a student’s continued growth.

The school reopening plan also encourages parents to “transport their children to and from school if possible in order to relieve bus congestion and provide room for social distancing. Bus routes will be developed to minimize congestion.” Students and staff will be required to wear masks or face coverings at all times on the bus and seats will be assigned on each bus in order to minimize contact and provide for appropriate social distancing.

As far as sports and other extracurricular activities, there will be none to start the year, but fall sports are currently scheduled to begin on September 21.

The goal of the reopening plan is to “safeguard the health and safety of our students, staff and community,” Mr. Bartlett wrote when the plan was released on the district’s social media page.

School district releases plans for fall reopening; includes alternating schedule

by Rich Rosentreter

The Tupper Lake Central School District has released a plan to reopen schools in the fall with grades kindergarten through 6th grade meeting four days a week and grades 7 through 12 being broken into groups and meeting on alternating days. The announcement was made via the district’s social media page on Facebook, stressing that the plan is subject to change.

According to the plan, middle/high school students will be in class two days a week – either the first two or last two days of the week - and perform online studies the other two. Elementary school students will be in class each weekday except Wednesdays, which will be reserved for “office hours, parent conferencing, professional development, planning, remote academic intervention and cleaning” for both schools.

The plan, which is also available for viewing on the district’s website, was released by new Superintendent Russell Bartlett, who stressed at the forefront of the decision for reopening being the goal to “safeguard the health and safety of our students, staff and community” and that “there is no one-size-fits all approach to returning to school. Everyone’s fears and frustrations are perfectly valid, these are unprecedented times.”

“It is vital that we continually monitor the health and wellness of students and staff and, if possible or necessary, be prepared to transition to an alternate instructional model at any time,” Mr. Bartlett wrote. “We will work to provide educational and social-emotional support to our students and the Tupper Lake community at-large in any way we can. Communication between the school and the community is critical.”

“The Tupper Lake Central School District enters into this planning process with the understanding that health developments and governmental directives will influence decisions we make. We will work within the parameters we are given to provide the best - and most appropriate - learning experience for all students in all grades,” the district statement read.

Schedules

The district has laid out what it stressed is a plan that was “constructed using all of the information available from parents, students, staff, and the State of New York.” Although it is subject to change, the it was constructed under the current set of guidelines from the Center for Disease Control, the New York State Department of Education and the New York State Department of Health, according to Mr. Bartlett.

The plan to reopen is as follows:

Grades K-6: All students will be in session four days a week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Students will arrive and leave at their normal times. There will be no after-school activities. The current plan has grade 6 being housed in the Baker Wing of the middle/high school. Those students will arrive and leave at the normal school hours.

Grades 7-12: Students will be assigned to A and B groups. A students will be present in the building on Monday and Tuesday and will be present via remote connection on Thursday and Friday. B students will be present in the building on Thursday and Friday and will be present via remote connection on Monday and Tuesday.

The school day will run from 7:50 a.m. to 2:04 p.m. There will be no tutorial period or after-school activities.

BOCES PASS and CTE programs: Due to their smaller class sizes and larger classrooms, will be able to be in session five days a week, Monday through Friday for all students at the Adirondack Education Center in Saranac Lake. Transportation details for those programs are being arranged and will be finalized in the coming weeks.

Pre-K: This will be in session five days a week, Monday through Friday with two sessions. Any K-12 family that wishes to engage in full-time, remote, at-home learning may do so. Families will receive a mailing that will allow them to notify the district of their intent to use this option. Students may only change between at-home, in-person and hybrid learning models at 10-week marking periods. (November, January, April).

Precautions

The plan also calls for several health and safety actions such as requiring all students and staff to wear masks and provide a daily health screening along with parents or guardians responsible for “submitting an electronic or paper verification form indicating that they have followed the guidelines for health screening before sending their children to school each day.”

Both staff and students will have to maintain appropriate social distancing on buses, in common areas and anytime not seated in a classroom. Training will take place ofter regarding proper hand washing and respiratory hygiene procedures, along with reminders of the policy when required.

Transportation

The school reopening plan also encourages parents to “transport their children to and from school if possible in order to relieve bus congestion and provide room for social distancing. Bus routes will be developed to minimize congestion.” Students and staff will be required to wear masks or face coverings at all times on the bus and seats will be assigned on each bus in order to minimize contact and provide for appropriate social distancing.

Sports

There will be no sports or extracurricular activities to start the year, but fall sports are currently scheduled to begin on September 21.

“We will continue to monitor updates from the governor’s office and the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and introduce activities as we receive further guidance from those organizations,” Mr. Bartlett wrote. “More information to come as it is available.”

Three new active COVID cases in county

In his weekly report Mayor and County Legislator Paul Maroun said that four positive cases of people with COVID-19 continue in Tupper Lake.

County-wide there are three new active cases and about 80 people in quarantine.

In Tupper Lake there are about six people in active quarantine, some as a result of trips they have taken out of state- and particularly to any of the hot spots in the southern U.S.- and have returned. Upon return to any airport in New York State, he says, they must fill out information about where they are staying and give a telephone number where they can be reached. That information goes to Albany and then forwarded to the local county health department. People who have visited hot spots around the county are required to quarantine here for a mandatory 14 days, according to Mr. Maroun.

Tupper Arts postpones remainder of summer bandshell performances

It is with great sadness that Tupper Arts announces it will be postponing the remainder of its 2020 Summer Sunset Series until 2021. The Tupper Arts Board of Directors made this difficult decision over concerns of creating overcrowding during the current pandemic and other considerations. The series, which takes place at the Tupper Lake Sunset Stage bandshell, has been a popular weekday gathering spot for music and theatre lovers who live in and visit the Tri-Lakes area.

The Board had already cancelled the July 3 performance of the band Late Earth, as well as Rez Pony, a rock band from the Akwesasne Reservation, who were to have performed on Monday, July 6. Other performances scheduled in the Series were the Blind Owl Band, the Big Takeover, Spring Street Band, Shakespeare in the Parks, Martin and Kelly, High Peaks Opera, Geo Beat, and Annie and the Hedonists. All of the artists booked for the current season will be asked to be part of the 2021 lineup.

Tupper Arts also had postponed its 2020 Little Loggers Kids’ Shows. All six of the acts in this series will also be rescheduled for 2021.

Tupper Arts is currently still going ahead with its arts shows, exhibits, and gift-shop reopening at the Tupper Arts Center, 106 Park Street, with the Board committed to following all guidelines set forth by the State of New York for complying with social distancing, contact tracing, and other measures currently required. A tentative opening date is scheduled for July 15.

The Tupper Arts Board members appreciate the continued support of our Tupper Lake community, our summer visitors, and the Village of Tupper Lake as they make these difficult decisions with the safety and health of our volunteers and concertgoers in mind. To stay current on all Tupper Arts activities, go to our website, tupperarts.org.

Drive-In movie at municipal park Saturday

by Dan McClelland

For those bored with the lack of activities in the community this summer, the Village of Tupper leaders have arranged to bring a drive-in movie to the municipal park this Saturday.

Residents are invited to drive their vehicles to the municipal park in time for the 9p.m. screening of Will Smith's “Men in Black.”

The event is being organized by North Country Radio- Adirondack 105 and Tupper Lake's 102.1, dubbed “The Mix.” The primary sponsor is Casella Waste Management and 28 individuals businesses in the area, according to Ethan Gawel, the radio station's program director.

The radio station is working with Eric Wilson of Good Guy Productions of Bloomingdale to furnish a large inflatable screen on which to show the movie. Eric's company has furnished large inflatable bounce houses and other family fun attractions to Tupper Lake events in the past year or so.

Using an FM translater that evening, the radio station staff will broadcast the audio of the movie into the cars of those in attendance that evening on a channel to be announced that evening.

The event is free but any donations collected that evening will benefit the work of Tupper Lake's River Pigs/Keeper of the Diamond committee working to bring the semi-pro league here.

In the event of rain the drive-in movie will be screened on Sunday night at 9p.m.

Major advances this week in re-opening plans

by Dan McClelland

This week has seen some major advances in the state's four-phase plan at re-opening in the North Country region.

On Friday this area entered phase 3 which allowed restaurants and bars to begin inside dining. Restaurants, however, must limit indoor capacity to no more than 50% of normal, maximum occupancy, not counting employees.

Outdoor dining which the Governor allowed on June 4 as part of phase 2 is still limited to the number of tables that can be safely arranged six feet apart.

Some restaurant owners are hoping the outdoor dining will make up some of the lost revenues that reducing the capacity inside will cause.

Governor Cuomo this week also issued strong warnings that restaurants and bars that do not adhere to safety rules run the risk of losing their liquor licenses, which will be a death knell for them.

Restaurant and bar employees must wear face coverings at all times and customers must wear them too, except when seated.

The phase 3 openings also apply to many personal services businesses including tattoo and piercing facilities, massage parlors, spas, tanning businesses, cosmetology, nail specialties and waxing salons.

All guidelines can be found at forward.ny.gov.

Garage sales and yard sales can now resume providing proper social distancing is observed and masks worn when that cannot be achieved, according to the North Country Chamber of Commerce.

Last Thursday the Governor announced public playgrounds could re-open and village officials here immediately removed cautionary tape from around the two here.

In a press conference Sunday the Governor announced some youth sports can begin again on July 6 but players can only bring two spectators to their games.

The six “low-risk sports,” in the Governor's words, include baseball, softball, gymnastics, field hockey and cross country and crew.

In the North Country region of six counties statistics of coronavirus cases and those who have recovered as of yesterday area as follows: Clinton County, 105 positive cases, 101 people who have recovered; Essex County, 56 positive cases, 52 people who have recovered; Franklin County, 119, 117; Jefferson County, 80, 73; Lewis County, 27, 26; St. Lawrence County, 214 positive cases of which 204 people have recovered.

The Governor announced yesterday that gatherings will now be allowed to have 25 people, up from 10.

The reason for the relaxation of restrictions this week is directly tied to New York State's progress in bringing down the numbers of people with the disease, the deaths that are occurring and the number of hospitalizations occurring.

Twenty-five people died in New York State of COVID-19 Sunday and hospitalizations across the state were down to 1,608. Both numbers represent dramatic reductions for past days and weeks and the lowest numbers since March 20.

Town officials awaiting state orders before deciding on town recreational options

by Dan McClelland

Town officials are awaiting the Governor’s order to begin re-opening the state before deciding what town-sponsored activities will be held this summer.

At the April meeting on the last day of the month- a postponement of the regularly scheduled meeting earlier last month, Supervisor Patti Littlefield left room at the close of that night’s agenda for the board to ponder its options for the summer.

“Our last thing to talk about tonight is all that is going on in Tupper Lake, all the things that we must address,” she began.

“We can carry this discussion on at the next meeting (second Thursday in May) but I can tell you that the town day camp program has in the past had between 50 and 90 kids sign up. The school’s not open today and we don’t know if they will be this summer.” She said if the school doesn’t run summer school this summer the L.P. Quinn building probably won’t be available to the town.

The school in recent years has been the headquarters for the town’s day camp program and it’s there that participants catch buses for their trips around the community and the area.

She told her board members district officials have not yet decided if summer school will be offered to students who need the remediation. “If there is summer school we could probably have day camp” and base it there.

Mrs. Littlefield speculated, however, that even if the elementary school was available to the town, “I don’t know whether we want to take the risk of having a day camp?”

“These are all the things that are spinning in my head in the middle of the night!”

“If there is no summer school there will be no day camp, as we won’t have access to the school!”

She said she mulled the issue with Youth Activities Director Angie Snye “and our opinion is that our day camp works best out of L.P. Quinn.

She said a few years ago when the district was in the throes of construction the town used space in the basement community room of the Goff Nelson Library “and it was not as efficient” to run it there.

“We might be able to do it at the Maddox building, but again it is not the most efficient place for it with that number of kids.”

The supervisor said the L.P. Quinn school is perfect as it has the large gym and many bathrooms near it.

Another issue before the board is what to do with the town’s summer sports program which offers baseball and soccer leagues for numerous age groups, she said.

“The Tinman has been cancelled.” Chamber organizers are going to stage a “virtual one” where triathletes run their own events at home over the course of a month, she told her board.

“As far as Little Wolf goes, I can tell you that for the three weeks John (Sparks II) was in Tupper Lake, our conversations on its operation this summer were on a daily basis, if not three times a day. We talked about what are we going to do there if this goes on. How do we keep the bathrooms clean between the 40 kids who go potty every five minutes down there. -And the campers and the visitors” which also used the restrooms there. “That's a big worry.”

“Also I talked with Senator Betty Little a while ago about this and her indication was that some of the campsites would be allowed to open if they had hook-ups for all of their campers and that they didn't need public bathroom facilities.

She said she also talked with state Department of Health officials in recent days who told her if Little Wolf didn't offer public restrooms then tenting and the use of pop-up trailers would be prohibited. “We probably wouldn't be able to operate the beach, I assume, as far as swimming goes!”

“We do have separate hook-ups (sewer, water and electricity) for all the campers and then it would be a matter of do we want 41 campers in there and do we want to make it exclusive” for seasonal campers? “-And these are all big if's!”

One option, she said, would be to only allow the local campers who stay for the season and not open it to campers from out of the area.

Mrs. Littlefield said the campers, if they were permitted, would have to be separated and maybe the plan could operate at only 50% capacity. “These are all the things we don't know at this point.

“I'm doing a lot of worrying about this” these days, she confessed to her colleagues.

She speculated too that anyone hired to replace her brother as caretaker would have to make sure campers don't have a lot of guests at their site at anyone time.

The supervisor said Franklin County Public Health has prepared a notice for campers this summer. Private campgrounds where people leave their units there all year round may have less restrictions this summer as those units are those people's summer homes. At Little Wolf, all of the campers, even the seasonal ones, are transient, she noted.

She said too the public health restrictions now in place “will be very difficult to adhere to in a public campsite” like Little Wolf.

“I feel if we unlock the gate (to some campers) we're also unlocking the beach (to the public) and we don't know where we are with that right now!”

“We can't answer all these questions tonight because I know on May 15 the Governor is going to make some recommendations” via extending the stay at home order or opening up the state.

“And if we do open up, I would feel really bad if we had a contamination issue down at Little Wolf because we have people not complying. -And it's a struggle to get people to comply, as we all know!”

Mike Dechene said because the town officials don't have enough information about plans to open this state this month and “all these if's remain, I think we should just table it for now.”

“To try to make a plan and not knowing what we're planning for” is not possible, he told her.

Mrs. Littlefield said the first decision to be made by the board is what to do with the seasonal campers who arrive there for the summer on Memorial Day Weekend this month. “They are going to want an answer soon!”

“I think the best thing for us to do is to wait until May 15 and see what happens,” she told her board members.

“Exactly,” said Mr. Dechene.

The supervisor called this summer's potential operation of Little Wolf “a non-stop worry for us at the town.”

Councilwoman Tracy Luton said it is going to be very difficult to prevent people from congregating at the beach and campgrounds if social distancing orders stay in place.

“I love that everyone goes to the beach and get together and eat dinners together, but I don't think we're there yet for this summer,” added the supervisor.

She said if the Governor on May 15 says that campgrounds can open the town could adopt its own set of safety rules.

Ms. Luton said that without a caretaker right now it will be difficult for the town to maintain all the rules and regulations that may still be in place this summer.

Councilman John Quinn also felt the town should hold off making any decisions until “we hear what the state has to say. Everything is up in the air right now!”

He said if the town gets permission to run its facilities and recreational operations this summer he was sure it would be on a very limited basis.

The measure to table decisions on town operations this summer passed unanimously.

All schools to remain closed through June

On Friday Governor Andrew Cuomo announced all schools will remain closed through the remainder of this school year. Distance learning will be the norm through the end of June.

In a related order the Governor delayed school budget votes from this month until June 9.

School board elections and budget votes will this year be all conducted by mail and all qualified school voters (American citizen and 18 years of age) will be send absentee ballots.

“We still don't know when this pandemic will end and we don't want to undo all the work we've already done to flatten the curve,” Governor Cuomo said.

Traditional voting at the high school would be difficult, given social distancing orders in place where everyone must stay six feet apart.

Face coverings required on all people in public; many available here

by Dan McClelland

Community leaders who meet regularly as the emergency response team of the village and town have embraced with vigor the Governor's latest order that everyone in the state must carry with them a face covering and they must be put in place when greeting others or visiting shops and businesses.

Mayor Paul Maroun was very critical this week of people not following the order.

“We are supposed to have a face covering with us at all times we are outdoors and we must pull it up when we are near someone or in a business shopping.”

“In the last two days I counted 36 people here out in public and one day there were eleven people without masks and ten people the next day.”

He also said he noticed a number of backyard parties Saturday when sun and warm temperatures returned and said they shouldn't be happening.

Although there is no teeth in the Governor's mask order in terms of fines and penalties, there could be soon if people don't follow this order, he warns.

He said he has received several complaints about the Stewart's Shop in Tupper Lake which he said is “so often jammed with people doing business, customers can't stay six feet from each other. He said he found that out personally in recent days.

The mayor contacted Stewart's officials in Saratoga and asked them to consider two things: either require everyone entering the store here to wear some type of face covering or limiting the number of customers at any one time to half the legal capacity.

He said a good example to follow is the practice at Aubuchon Hardware store on Lake Street where the number of customers at any one time is limited to one or two, based on the number of store employees present inside.

He said the emergency committee which is comprised of a handful of community leaders under the direction of Emergency Coordinator Carl Steffen, is considering its own order requiring mandatory face covering with penalties for violators.

“If people aren't going to follow the law, we'll enforce it” with tickets and fines from local police and code officers.

“We're not trying to be mean, but Patti (town supervisor Patti Littlefield) and I are serious. We want to protect our community!”

If people don't have masks or face coverings, there are plenty available at the village office, he asserts.

“We have enough masks for everyone in Tupper Lake!”

He said the village recently received a shipment of 1,500 mask from the state. Cheryl Vaillancourt and her two daughters have already made 1,000 for public distribution. The Tupper Lake Lions Club recently ordered 150 masks and they have gone into the new public supply.

“So we have all kinds of masks and there's no excuse for people here not wearing them!”

Don Smith's resident tested found negative for virus

by Dan McClelland

The resident of Don Smith's apartment complex who village officials last week worried might test positive for the coronavirus was tested and the results were negative, Mayor Paul Maroun reported this week.

As a result the senior apartment building does not have to be quarantined and closed to the public, as would have been the case had the resident tested positive for the virus.

The news report last week of the potential quarantine caused great concern among many of the residents at the Wawbeek Ave. complex.

Mayor Maroun on Monday spent seven hours on video meetings and teleconference calls with many North Country local, county and state leaders. Yesterday he called that a personal record of time spent in a day doing that.

Yesterday he reported there are still no coronavirus cases in Tupper Lake. There are three people here, however, who have been ordered to quarantine but none of them have tested positive.

Franklin County continues to have 12 positive cases, according to the county legislator, who talks with his colleagues in the legislature and with Katy Strack of the county health department daily. He said, however, there are 71 people in Franklin County who are what he terms “suspected positive” and 113 people across the county in quarantine.

He said there are 266 people in this county who have been tested for the virus and 28 people who have had COVID-19 and survived it.

According to conversations he has had with medical professionals and health experts Mr. Maroun does not believe this county has reached “its apex” yet as the number of suspected cases continues to increase. “We're watching the numbers every day!”

As of yesterday there were no COVID-19 cases at Alice Hyde Hospital in Malone and two at Adirondack Health, but neither are intubated.

Of other North Country statistics, the mayor said there are 128 positive cases currently in St. Lawrence County, 38 people in Essex County (24 absolutely positive and 14 suspect) and 99 in Clinton County (56 absolutely positive and 43 who are suspected of carrying the virus).

Mayor Maroun said area prison continue to stay stable with no positive inmates in Bare Hill or Franklin facility and 27 inmates who have tested positive at Upstate Correctional.

Four police officers quarantined here

by Dan McClelland

Three state troopers stationed in Tupper Lake and one village police officer were in quarantine in past weeks, as a result of their exposure to a state trooper trainee who was in Tupper Lake recently and who has tested positive to the coronavirus.

Mayor Paul Maroun told the Free Press Friday that earlier last week there were two village police officers out on sick leave, but one was unrelated to the Covid-19 pandemic. That officer is now back to work, according to the mayor.

The second officer came out of quarantine Monday and is going back to work. He hasn't been tested but is showing no symptoms of the virus, the mayor said. He noted that the only people getting tested at Alice Hyde Hospital in Malone or Adirondack Health in Saranac Lake are those showing symptoms and in-patients in the two hospitals in Franklin County.

The mayor said that so far no other village employees are currently in quarantine.

As a county legislator Mr. Maroun meets via conference call with the other county legislators each morning for a briefing from Katie Strack, the Franklin County Department of Health director. That office is monitoring all the “official quarantines” and positive cases in the county and as of Friday there were eight. There were nine positive cases of Covid-19 on Monday, but none of them were in Tupper Lake.

Mr. Maroun said he is also in almost daily contact with the New York State Police in Ray Brook.

He said none of the three Tupper Lake-based troopers in quarantine were tested as they showed no symptoms. Their quarantines are now over and they are returning to work this week, he noted.

The mayor said the trainee that was in contact with the four officers has since returned home. During his time here with the officers they were all in a car together and visited the Tupper Lake Village Police Department. According to the mayor both the car and the entire station have been cleaned thoroughly and in his words, “sanitized.”

As a result of the incident the police station in the emergency services building is now closed to the public, he added.

Mayor urges small businesses to seek SBA help

by Dan McClelland

In response from calls from the business community about what the village is doing to help businesses survive this troubling time in our history, Mayor Paul Maroun said at a special budget presentation meeting the best thing for business owners to do right now is apply for new loans available through the federal Small Business Administration.

He said to help all utility customers of the village, the board waived all penalties and fees on last month's bill. “We'll probably do that again this month.”

“However any business owner that contacts me I have been sending them to the SBA because that's where the money will come from.”

He said the federal agency has created “special pots of money” to help various types of businesses like the construction industry, realtors, retailers, the service industry, etc.

The mayor said business owners have to go on line at https.://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Or called SBA's service center at 1-800 659-2955.

A new federal bill called “Keeping American Workers Employes and Paid Act” will provide $350 billion to help prevent workers from losing their jobs and small businesses from going under due to economic losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The mayor said that the owners of Amado Restaurant and Cafe and Tupper Lake Supply have already made contact with the SBA in recent days and report that the application process is relatively simple.

The mayor also announced that evening that grant writer and community development consultant Melissa McManus has offered to help local business owners complete the paperwork or provide information about these SBA programs available to them. Her telephone number is (518) 335-9680 and her e-mail address is tupperlakecommunitydevelopment@gmail.com.

Another important business resource right now is the North Country Chamber of Commerce which produces almost daily bulletins of advice and information. It can be found at northcountrychamber.com/chamber/ smallbiz.

Terry Doolen, who owns the Adirondack Inn with his wife, Robin, told the board via the conference call that evening that some of the SBA loans carry interest rates of about 3.75% but there are some where there is a year of forgiveness and some eventually can turn to outright grants. “Right now my wife and I looking at all avenues.”

He told village officials too that while all motel and hotels are considered “essential businesses” that can stay open during this crisis.

But even though motels and hotels may remain open state and federal orders for everyone to stay at home have kept people from traveling and have hurt the accommodations industry.

Mayor shares regional COVID-19 numbers

Each morning the Franklin County legislators meet to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on this county.

Monday evening at a special meeting of the village Mayor Paul Maroun shared some of the data discussed by the lawmakers that day.

“There are 61 people in Franklin County in isolation. We have five positive cases in the county. There were 92 tests that came back negative. St. Lawrence County has 14 cases of people who tested positive to the virus. Essex County sections of the Adirondack Park and nearest Franklin County have five cases and Clinton County has 14 cases.”

He said the Franklin County number was reduced from six to five because a northern county resident on the reservation is now being treated on the Canadian side of the reservation.

As of this week, he said, there are a number of people in the county who have been tested, including many of the state troopers.

When asked if there were tests available in Franklin County for people to be tested, the county legislator said there is “a series of questions” people have to answer and the person must exhibit symptoms before a test can be administered “because there aren't that many tests yet.”

First positive COVID-19 test result at Adirondack Medical Center

Monday night, Adirondack Health officials were informed that a COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) test specimen sent out over the weekend had come back positive.

The patient, and Essex County resident, presented at Adirondack Medical Center’s Saranac Lake emergency department on Friday, was tested and discharged, in coordination with the Essex County Health Department.

“We have been preparing for a positive COVID-19 test for months,” said Sylvia Getman, Adirondack Health president and CEO. “I’m pleased to report that the personal protective equipment and contact protocols were followed, and we did not identify any exposure to the Adirondack Health staff who rendered care.”

Essex County Health Department will continue to monitor the patient at home.

“Thanks to our close working relationship with Adirondack Health, we have been on the same page since the patient first presented,” said Linda Beers, director of the Essex County Health Department. “We encourage all North Country residents to remain vigilant and socially distant to the greatest extent possible. We also cannot overstate the importance of proper hand hygiene.”

Adirondack Health is requiring all employees who can work from home to do so until further notice. Patients and care partners at Adirondack Medical Center are screened for COVID-19 upon arrival to the facility. Employees working on site are required to self-screen before the start of every work shift.

To learn more, visit adirondackhealth.org/. General questions about COVID-19 should be directed to the New York State Department of Health COVID-19 hotline: 888-364-3065. Anyone who suspects they may have contracted COVID-19 should contact Adirondack Medical Center’s Saranac Lake COVID-19 clinic at 518-897-2462 for further guidance. Anyone experiencing trouble breathing should call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency department.

Primary changes this year

There are many primary changes in New York State this year in the wake of many New York State election laws.

Tracy Sparks, Franklin County Republican Election Commissioner and Heather Marlow, deputy Democrat commissioner explained some of them to the Free Press recently

The local, state and federal primaries have all be combined and this year the joint primary is June 23. Presidential primaries remain on their own, as they always have, and this year the primary date is April 28.

Hours when primaries are open has also changed. Polls used to be open from noon to 9p.m. Now they are the same as election days: 6:30a.m. to 9p.m. so primary voting is now much longer.

The county board of elections will continue to follow its path of full digitized vote, as was started on Election Day 2019. “We’ll be continuing to use our poll pads” where voters sign in on them, rather than the signing books which were used for decades here, explained Mrs. Sparks. The poll pads at each polling station prevent voters from voting more than once.

In New York State all primaries are closed to those registered in a political party. “You have to be a member of that party to participate in its party primary, said Mrs. Sparks. Some states have open primaries where residents can vote in a primary, regardless their party affiliation.

For example, someone couldn’t vote in the presidential primary for Bernie Sanders, if they weren’t a registered Democrat.

She said there were some issues over who could vote in what primary during the 2016 presidential election.

That fact that New York’s primaries are closed to a single party “is a constitutional issue for New York State.”

In 2016 the Sanders campaign challenged New York’s closed primary system. Mrs. Sparks said, however, that can never change unless there is an amendment to the state constitution. That also involves passage of bills in two consecutive legislatures which requires four years because state lawmakers’ terms are two years. Once both houses pass it in in two separate terms, then it must be put to voters as a ballot question in the year of the second term.

Mrs. Sparks couldn’t explain the rationale why some state’s offer open primaries, where people of any party can vote in the party primary.

In New York State parties caucus at the local level but hold primaries for any contests above the local level. To participate in a primary, candidates must collect signatures on their petitions.

To participate in the June primaries, people must be registered in a political party by April 3, either by appearing at the board of elections in Malone in person or have it mailed in with a post mark before that date. Party changes had to be filed by February 14.

For people to register to vote in Tupper Lake Mrs. Sparks will be at the Ivy Terrace Community Room on March 7 from 10a.m. to 1p.m.

Tracy said she may do a voter registration in Saranac Lake too.

On March 7 Mrs. Sparks will also have with her absentee voter applications.

One of Governor Cuomo’s extensive list of election changes last year was early voting. Due to cost and security considerations last November there was only early voting in Malone, not in the southern Franklin County communities.

Last November 328 residents took advantage of the early voting option. There were some from Tupper Lake who made the tip to Malone to vote early, There were 52 election law changes in the comprehensive overhaul of the state’s voting laws.

There will be nine days of early voting in Malone for the presidential primary- from April 18 to April 26. On Saturdays and Sundays the hours will be 9a.m. to 2p.m.. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays hours will be 9a.m. to 5p.m.. On Tuesdays and Thursdays during the nine-day period in April the hours will be noon to 8p.m.

There will also be early voting for the June primary season.

Big Tupper exhibit coming to local arts center

by Dan McClelland

Locals who enjoyed skiing Big Tupper Ski Center over the decades it operated here since the early 1960s will find many familiar faces and scenes in a new photographic exhibit opening at the Tupper Arts center on Park Street on Valentine’s Day next Friday.

The exhibit is comprised of over 100 photographs taken by Tupper Lake’s premier photographer, Kathleen Bigrow, during her many years covering the news happenings of the community. Tupper Arts featured an impressive exhibit of some of her works from the 1950s through the 1990s last summer, but this one will focus on the many great shots she took at the hometown mountain.

The late Mrs. Bigrow’s collection of negatives and prints are now in the able hands of her friend, Jim Lanthier, a Tupper Arts volunteer, who has compiled the photos to be displayed beginning next Friday and running for many weeks. Ed Donnelly has been working with Mr. Lanthier in the exhibit's preparation. Most of the pieces have been enlarged and wrapped in plastic on display boards.

The exhibit will also feature shows on a large digital screen of several old movies of Big Tupper and winter events there by Tupper Lake videotographer Rick Godin.

The opening event is part of a Valentine’s Day promotion later next week hosted by some of the Park St. businesses.

The exhibit will include shots of local adults here when they were teenagers who frequented Big Tupper whenever they could and many of the youngsters who grew up there.

All the photographs will be for sale, with some of the proceeds to go to the Tupper Arts in support of its many arts and cultural programs and its maintenance of its Park St. headquarters.