Scott Berliner wins another Open after play-off hole

by Dan McClelland

It came down to a play-off hole before this year’s champion was decided at the 72nd annual Tupper Lake Open this weekend.

Scott Berliner has won about a half dozen Opens in recent years, but last year another pro John Clare won it.

After 36 holes and two days of play both men were tied at 137 at Sunday’s finish. That required a repeat of Hole No. 18 before an excited crowd.

Both accomplished pros were putting after their drive- Mr. Clare on the back fringe and Mr. Berliner short of the hole by about ten feet.

Many of the golfers that afternoon appeared to be struggling with that green.

John Clare narrowly missed his second put and so needed a third try to finish. The pressure was on Scott Berliner who passed the hole on his first put and with all eyes watching and the championship in the balance, he sunk a three-foot putt for the win and a $2,000 check from the event’s primary sponsor, Belleville and Associates.

Sunday was the sixth victory at Tupper’s Open for the Capital District pro.

John Clare was last year’s winner and also finished as top pro in 2018. His second earned him a grand Sunday.

And for participants and spectators, the weather couldn’t have been more pleasant: three days of bright sun and clouds with the mercury hovering in the mid 70s.

This year’s major event at the local 18 drew 28 pros and over 85 amateurs- for one of the biggest field in years.

In this year’s third flight where golfers have handicaps over 14, local golfers included Jacob Klossner with 228 over the two days, Shaun LaLonde, 229, Liam LaMere, 181, Bob Lewis, 189, Ian McLear, 179, Rick Pickering, 186, Stacy Soucy, 193, Matt Dechene, 181, Joe Farina, 198, John Gagnon, 186, Dale Bell, 184, Ashton Clark, 176, Tyler Clark, 206, and John Rabideau, 166.

In the second flight among golfers with handicaps between 7 and 13 were also a number of local men: Josh Pickering, 171, Wayne Roberts, 169, Nick Skiff, 188, Scott McGowan, 184, Randy Bedore, did not finish, Scott Bell, 171, Stacy Clark, 172, Chris Gagnon, 186, and Bob Lawyer, 177.

Pat Patterson and two other pros flew up from the south into New York to play this week in Endicott, near Binghamton, to qualify for the Dick’s Sporting Goods Senior PGA Tournament before entering here. Local golfing promoters were hoping they would spread the word about Tupper Lake’s great course among their fellow golfers in Endicott. Patterson won the senior pro title Sunday and a $1,000 prize donated by Community Bank. He also took third place and won $700 in the open pro division.

He shot a 66 the first day, having never played the hometown course before. He was tied with Scott Berliner after Saturday.

Ron Belleville, avid golfer and president of the Tupper Lake Country Club’s board of directors numerous times over the years, finished second at the Open in the senior division among the ten senior amateurs. He scored a 162 over the two days. The only other local in that division was Bob Fletcher, who finished with a 217.

In the pro division, Tupper golf director Evan LaBarge shot a 152 over the two days. Other local pros were Jane Whitmore’s brother C.J. Parry, 172, Scott Delair, a local boy now pro at the Malone golf course, 143, Clarence Bell, 180 and Lookout Bar and Grill host Jaime Armstrong, 181. Zach Meade, who now lives in Florida, came home for the event. His score over the two days was 149.

Among the locals in the first flight of amateurs with handicaps of six and less were Steve Gagnon, 178, Kris Clark, 156, Hayden LaMere, 175 and Jim Boucher, whose two-day 151 earned him the title of amateur champion.

At the close of the awards ceremony TLCC President Mike Sovey thanked the sponsors, including the main ones, Belleville and Associates and Community Bank, and all the two dozen or so other sponsors, without whom there wouldn’t be the Tupper Open each summer. He offered kudos to all the volunteers last week and the golf course “crew” for presenting great conditions. He acknowledged too the work of Golf Director Evan LaBarge and to the awards volunteers and scorekeeping officials Stacy Soucy and Ron Belleville.

School taxes for Tupper Lakers going up by 4.28%, down for Piercefield, Colton property owners

by Dan McClelland

The Tupper Lake Board of Education met in special session Monday to finalize the tax rates in the district’s three towns, in preparation for school tax bills coming next month.

Town of Tupper Lake school taxpayers will see their school tax rate increase from the current rate of $14.71 per $1,000 assessed valuation to $15.34 per $1,000- an increase of 63 cents per $1,000 this year. It represents a 4.28% increase in taxes.

By contrast, however, property owners in Piercefield and Colton will see their school taxes drop when their bills arrive in September.

The 2022-23 school tax rate in Piercefield is $13.66- down by 2.3% from the current tax rate of $13.99. The 2022-23 tax rate for property owners in Colton drops too by over a $1 per $1,000 or 7.39% to $12.94 per $1,000 of assessed valuation- from $13.99 last year at this time to $12.94 per $1,000 for the new school year.

A factor in the new tax rates are declining state equalization rates in each of the towns. Tupper Lake’s equalization rate dropped this year from 95% to 81%. Piercefield’s equalization rate dropped from 100% to 91% and Colton’s from 100% to 96%. The state equalization rates set each year are based on a comparison of assessments here and full market values.

The total tax levy shared by district taxpayers is up by 3.06% to $9,275,397 from $9 million in 2021-22. Tupper Lake taxpayers will together pay $7.1 million of that, while Piercefield property owners will contribute $1.765 million and Colton taxpayers, only $332,841. That’s based on the fact that only a small portion of Colton lies within this school district.

The tax cap allowed by the state for this school district for the coming school year was 3.064%. District officials used all of that in their budget preparation this spring, with the total tax levy increasing to $9.275 million in the new budget from $9 million this current year, 2021-22.

When the budget for the operation of the Goff Nelson Memorial Library is figured into the equation, Tupper Lake property owners will see an additional 42 cents per $1,000 added to the tax rate on their bills next month. The combined school and library rate is $15.77 per $1,000. That is up by 66 cents per thousand or 4.35% over the current year. The tax levy contribution to the library from Tupper Lake this coming school year is $198,086. The tax rate to fund the library of 42 cents per $1,000 is up by 7.2%.

Piercefield property owners will contribute $48,716 to the financial workings of the library here with a tax rate assessment of 38 cents per $1,000 on their property. That rate is up one half of one percent. Colton property owners will ante up $9,186 toward the operation of the library this coming year with a school tax rate of 36 cents per $1,000, which is down by 4.8% over the current school year.

The school tax rate in Tupper Lake has increased from $12.74 per thousand in the 2014-15 school year to $15.34 per $1,0000 this coming year or by 21%. During that same nine-year period the Tupper Lake school tax levy, or the amount property owners pay in support of local education here, has grown from $5.8 million to $7.2 million or an increase of 24%.

Rotary Club-sponsored Red Cross Blood Drive August 11

The need for blood is constant, and although always in short supply, that shortage is such, now, that it leaves our country with less than a one day inventory.

Only volunteer donors can fulfill the need for patients in our community. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us (family, friends, ourselves) will need blood in our lifetime. The Tupper Lake Rotary Club’s upcoming drive will be in the community room of the emergency services building on Santa Clara Ave, on Thursday, August 11 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Masks are not currently required, but may be worn if desired. All donors will receive a $10 gift card to a merchant of their choice and will be entered to win gas for a year.

Save a life, donate blood. To make an appointment, go online to redcrossblood.org.

Rail bikes roll from depot Friday

by Dan McClelland

The first rail bikes rolled south out of the Tupper Lake train station Friday at 10a.m. and the first 40 or so riders were as excited as kids at a candy store.

All ready to greet the first rail riders was Jakob Rothfuss, the very youthful director of rail bike operations with the Adirondack Railroad Preservation Society (ARPS), which is running Adirondack Railbike Adventures from the Tupper Lake depot to the Gull Pond intersection of the rail line.

The new bike service has also been dubbed “The Raquette Rambler.”

Working with Jakob Friday morning were three of his rail bike guides: Joe Banells, Elishia Dale and Matty Leichty. Mr. Dale worked as a rail bike guide a half dozen years ago with Rail Explorers, when it was based in Saranac Lake.

ARPS Board member and secretary Bob Hest of Owl’s Head was in Tupper Lake that morning for the launching of the new business, as was ARPS Executive Director Justin Gonyo. Bob has been point man for the leasing of the local station by the rail company and the new rail bike operation now run out of it.

The first six people to arrive that morning were checking out the new rides in front of the station. They were Jim Meenam and his wife, Joy, Zach and Mindy Fredenburg of Saranac Lake and Mickey Todd and of Homer, Alaska and who also owns property in Colton. With Mickey was his wife, Wendy.

Zach grew up in Tupper Lake, the son of Jane Fredenburg St. Louis of Tupper Lake, and is an instructor of auto mechanics at BOCES. Asked about how his Tupper Lake students behave in class, the teacher said they were very respectful of authority and he enjoys teaching them, as he does all his students in his classes.

Zach and Mindy had the honor of piloting the first bike in the 10a.m. adventure.

“It was a blast,” Zach said of their trip last week. He said there is a slight incline in the tracks on the way down and the pedaling was a little tougher than he thought it would be. “But on the way back to the station it was all down hill.” He called it a great trip.

Another couple from Brooklyn were also excited about the ride they would take that morning. They were Allen Nyysola and Debbie Rubowitz. The couple said they came to the tri-lakes a half a dozen years ago to ride the heavier bikes of the Adirondack Explorers.

Allen said his brother was a big railroad buff, so they came here to try out the new rail bikes.

He said they were fans of the Lumberjack Inn, where they dined on earlier visits and he looked forward to its eventual re-opening.

We told them our next door neighbors on River Road, Christian and Regina Bramberger, were also big fans of the Lumberjack, and they too looked forward to the re-opening.

Mickey wondered about the amount of snow the Adirondacks was seeing and asked was it enough to promote snowmobiling on the corridor. We explained the snowfall has been relatively light in recent years, and when not enough arrives to fully cover the railroad tracks, snowmobilers from Old Forge and other points south have trouble getting here. In heavy snow years the snowmobile trade is brisk here. He said Alaska hasn’t seen the snowfalls in recent years that it was traditionally known for.

He also asked about Big Tupper and the prospects for its reopening, and we gave him the short version of that story.

A big contingent on the first ride were the Fitzgerald and Alverez families, who sent along the photo in front of the company’s banner at the station. They came 13 members strong from one month old Maeve Flanagan Alverez to senior members Lyn and Oscar Alverez.

The family has a deep connection here. Lyn’s parents, Leo and Joan Fitzgerald honeymooned here many decades ago and about 1975 they purchased a house on Raquette River Drive. The place is now owned by Lyn’s brother Paul, who is a buddy with neighbor Lyndon Johnson.

After the trip, Lyn called their trip “great exercise in beautiful scenery...a unique adventure recommended” for the whole family.

She admitted it was a little more exercise than she expected, but she said the family members were pumped up and fortified by the vitamins in the tomato juice of their Bloody Marys.

As the guests prepared to board their two-seater or four-seater bikes, Jakob Rothfuss ran up and down the tracks in front of the station, making sure everything was in order. Before the convoy headed south, he held up vehicles for a minute or two at the rail crossing so the bikes could cross.

When the new rail bike fleet is complete here there will be ten four-seaters and five two-seaters to accommodate as many as 50 riders per trip, according to Executive Director Gonyo.

The rail bike excursions will be scheduled Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through mid-October at 10a.m, 1p.m. and 3p.m. each day. To get tickets go to the web site adirondackscenicrailbikes.com.

The rail bike operation start comes 130 years after Dr. Webb’s Malone and Mohawk Railroad arrived at the Tupper station for the first time on July 16, 1892. See related story this week.

North Country Savings Bank celebrates new branch here

North Country Savings Bank, Tupper Lake’s newest lending institution, celebrated its grand opening at its new location in the uptown business at 91 Park with a ribbon-cutting Monday morning. North Country Savings Bank, a mutual savings bank headquartered in Canton, has offices in Malone, Saranac Lake and now here. From left are Jenny Bradish, regional loan originator, Chief Executive Officer Terry Phelon, Steve Thornton of Colton, chief lending officer, Mayor Paul Maroun, Brian Coakley, chief financial officer and a member of the Coakley Hardware family, Courtney Tarbox of Tupper Lake, a loan officer who is working in the new branch, Matt Ellis, who owns the building with partner Emily Martz and Nathan Caster, assistant vice president and regional lending manager. Not shown in the photo above was the firm’s advertising consultants, Carolyn Bordonaro and Tina Dalatorre, of Advertisers Workshop in Lake Placid. (McClelland photo)

Milling of Lake Street from Wawbeek Ave. to Mill on August 3

The Village of Tupper Lake Department of Public Works will be milling the Lake Street road surface on August 3, weather permitting, from the Mill Street intersection to and including the Wawbeek Avenue intersection. The road will be closed completely for the day. Residents are asked to park on the adjacent street.

Because this project will also include milling from sidewalk to sidewalk, parking will be restricted too during the day.

Paving of that street will be done on August 10.

Field Day parade was colorful, packed full of first responders

by Dan McClelland

There were heroes galore in Saturday’s Tupper Lake Field Day parade- some were in capes, but most weren’t.

In keeping with the parade theme, “Not All Heroes Wear Capes,” first responders aboard various types of emergency vehicles from around the area were over a hundred strong. Costumed and caped heroes were less plentiful but very noticeable- and mostly children aboard several colorful floats.

The parade represented a lot of hard work by veteran Tupper Lake Woodsmen’s Days parade organizer: Amanda “Bird” Lizotte, who signed on to this job to help the town’s recreation director and overall event organizer Laura LaBarge. Right up until parade time Amanda ripped up and down the Demars Blvd. parade route aboard her ATV making sure everyone was lined up correctly and ready.

Amanda says she’s already looking forward to making the second annual version better with more entires.

The parade went off at 11a.m. sharp, just as planned and hundreds of parade fans lined Tupper Lake’s main connecting artery to welcome the procession.

This year’s announcer was the Free Press publisher and alongside him were a distinguished panel of local leaders: Acting Town Supervisor Mary Fontana, town board members John Gillis and Tracy Luton and Village Trustees Jason McClain and David “Haji” Maroun.

The kids on the mile-long parade route awaited candy they knew would come their way from almost every parade entry, and flow it did. The dentists in town will be busy in coming months.

Leading the parade was the family of the late Clint Hollingsworth, his wife, Alison and children Lily and Cash. Clint was named the inaugural Field Day parade’s first grand marshal, in recognition his many community contributions, his belief in the community and its residents and his dreams for it, should he had more time to lead the town.

The family’s convertible ride was escorted by SUVs of the Tupper Lake Police Department, driven by retired Chief Tom Proulx and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department.

The Hollingsworth honorees were followed by the trucks of the Tupper Lake Fire Department, under the direction of Chief Royce Cole. The department boasts 50 well-trained volunteers from Tupper Lake and ten from its substation at Santa Clara.

In the TLFD procession were its 2020 Chevrolet Silverado pulling a smoking house, its 2020 Can-Am Defender UTV pulling the dive team rescue boat, the department’s 2003 Pierce Dash rescue pumper, carrying its jaws of life, the 1999 International Pierce Pumper, in service at Santa Clara, the 2018 Sutphen Monarch Pumper, the 2000 Pierce Dash ladder truck, its 1995 Pierce Lance Pumper, a 2006 International Seagrave tanker and its 2006 Ford Seagrave mini-pumper.

Riding shotgun and in the bucket of the 100 foot ladder truck was Santa Claus himself.

Following the Tupper Lake firefighters and their rigs were their colleagues from the Saranac Lake, Bloomingdale, Long Lake, Piercefield and Paul Smith’s-Gabriels department, all in freshly polished trucks. The Saranac Lake department’s pick-up was pulling the department’s big red air boat- an impressive craft. Piercefield volunteers brought along their mini pumper and their yellow full-sized pumper. The Long Lake firefighters came aboard their 2020 Rosenbauer Tanker Pumper.

The Tupper Lake Volunteer Ambulance and Emergency Squad, led by EMS Supervisor Josh Clement, used the parade to show off its brand new 2022 PL Custom Ambulance, which just arrived in recent days. Squad Chief Lenny Clement was piloting the squad’s new wheels.

The ambulance was dedicated in honor of the late Johnathan “Thunder” Damon, a paramedic who died while on duty here in 2020. Many of the local volunteers and supporters accompanied the chief and the new life-saving vehicle.

Deputy sheriffs with the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department came from Canton headquarters with their pick-up, pulling a trailored UTV.

SARNAK (Search & Rescue of Northern New York) came out to the parade wearing bright orange t-shirts. SARNAK works closely with the state Department of Environmental Conservation and various law enforcement and emergency agencies to help with communications and logistics during many back country rescues.

Behind the SARNAK rig and riding proudly aboard her horse was a lady sporting a flag pointing out the many first responder agencies that keep us safe and that come to our aid in emergencies. The horse and rider were part of the Adirondack Health entry.

The staff at Adirondack Health rarely misses a local parade and the Field Days first one was no exception.

Mercy Living Center’s decorated van led its delegation of marchers.

Adirondack Health has been providing sophisticated medical care to this area for more than 100 years. The local hospital also provides the community with two excellent facilities here- the Tupper Lake Medical Center and Mercy Living Center across from it.

Staff members armed with plenty of candy stepped lively behind the Mercy van.

Tupper Lake’s Family Matters Resource Center produced an enthusiastic pack of marchers- both adults and children. The center, which is free and open to the public, promotes play groups for children, support groups for adults and adoptive and kinship families support groups, along with a wealth of information.

Also in the parade was the new owner of Homenergy, MX Fuel and Propane. The company services a large part of the North Country with a variety of home heating products.

Probably the most unique of all the entries in Saturday’s parade was a delegation of students from the school district’s Red & Black Players, under the direction of George and Liz Cordes.

The young and talented performers sang the lively “Seize the Day” from the popular production of “Newsies,” much to the delight of the judges and the parade watchers nearby. The kids nailed the song.

The LaLonde family here represented the Geomatics Land Surveying company in its pick-up. Waving vigorously to the crowd in the back with a pack of her young friends was Tupper Lake’s ROOST connection, Katie Stuart LaLonde.

If you were looking for caped crusaders, they were all squeezed into the Town of Tupper Lake Day Camp float, with colorful cartoon vistas of “booms and bangs” everyone associates with the crime-fighting superheroes.

The day camp has been in operation for 10 years. It’s a six-week summer program that offers local and visiting children library and arts education, swimming lessons, various types of outdoor recreations, field trips and just plenty of worthwhile and meaningful fun.

Another local institution that never misses a parade is Tupper Lake’s Wild Center and they were back this time with the otter and a collection of bees and butterflies which are nature’s first responders. These hidden heroes of the natural world serve as early warning signs of unhealthy environments, the Wild Center participants said.

The Massawepie Scout Camp produced another nice float, commemorating the camp’s 70th anniversary and saluting the heroes that the first responders are.

The rail bikes that Tupper Lakers will see a lot more of beginning next month down at the Tupper Lake depot were previewed aboard the Adirondack Railroad Preservation Society’s entry in the parade this year. The new franchise in town guarantees easily pedal led rail experiences of the Adirondacks that can’t be seen any other way.

Revving their powerful rides in the parade were the members of the Gunfighters Motorcycle Club- Adirondack chapter. They were all either active or retired law enforcement officers and know first hand what it takes to be a first responder.

A miniature version of Tupper Lake’s Lizotte Logging was a solid piece of this year’s parade when the Lizotte kids rode their ATVs and UTVs and pulled tiny loads of logs to promote their dad, Scott’s logging business. And the kids had a ball doing it.

Scott Tessier put some of his machines from his growing paving business in the parade to promote it a bit. Part of the Tessier Paving contingent included Lukas Matthews driving the company’s 2005 Peterbilt, the owner driving his 1989Kenworth dump truck towing a big paver and Dalton Baker piloting a work truck and company enclosed trailer.

Frosty the snowman was placed squarely in the back of the Tupper Lake Snowmobile Club’s truck pulling its float with over a half dozen sleds ridden by local folks. The club expressed its thanks to the responders who keep the trails and its members safe every winter. “Think snow,” was also their collective message.

Club mainstays Kelly and Reese Fleury joined the group in their UTV with a tiny sled in the open trunk.

Mac’s Safe Ride produced its well-decaled van for the parade and to remind everyone here that it is in service now from 8p.m. to 3a.m. every Friday and Saturday night. Its mission, and a well-appreciated one here- is to make our roads safer for everyone and to reduce the number of drug- and alcohol-related injuries and deaths in our community.

Ann Hoag’s Cabin Fever Floral and Gifts brought their antique recreational trailer out for a ride in the parade. “Cabin Fever wants to thank all first responders for their bravery and selflessness when protecting and assisting us when we’re in a crisis.” That was a message universally shared by all the groups in the parade that day.

The Village of Tupper Lake was well represented in the first town event of its kind here. Driving the village’s 2006 Sterling Dump Truck was Ben Casagrain. Dylan Miller was driving the village’s 2006 Peterbilt Vac Con sewer vacuum rig. Ryan Savage piloted the 2016 John Deere backhoe. Like all the pieces entered in the parade, all the rides were freshly polished.

Herbie French from Fine who owns French Trucking brought to town his bright orange 2020 Peterbilt 389, especially designed for heavy hauling.

The village’s electric department produced some of its giant bucket trucks for the parade: a 2013 International driven by Chris Zaidan, a 2020 International driven by Joel Boudreau and a 2013 International driven by Rick LaLonde.

Perhaps the company or organization with the most entries was Kentile Excavating owned by Jason Merrihew and Adam Boudreau. They entered over a half a dozen of their shiny black pick-ups, a back hoe and a dump truck or two. Special guest that day was the company founder, Herbert “Bucky” Kentile, who was all smiles. The growing company- even after 40 years- is a supplier of topsoil, sand and gravel. Kentiles will tackle any land clearing, road construction or excavation job, including septic systems, foundation preparations and landscaping. Its sister company is Northern Diesel, which provides on site diesel service and fabrication work.

Last but certainly not least in the parade were two pick-up loads of Tupper Lake’s fabulous and season-winning Riverpigs, with loud howls and cheers for their fans along the parade route.

After the parade the first responder entries in the parade lined up along the firemen’s strip in the park for closer inspection by any kid who wanted to climb up and check them out. Many youngsters and their parents took advantage of the generous offer from the first responder agencies.

Although it was a tough decision for the judges, three winners were selected as the best parade entries Saturday. First place was the Tupper Lake Volunteer Fire Department with its smoking house float. The second best parade entry, in the judges’ opinion, were the super heroes aboard the Tupper Lake Summer Camp float. Third best entry was the Saranac Lake Fire Department’s truck and rescue air boat.

Join the Field Day fun this Saturday

Editorial

There's a brand new event being hatched in Tupper Lake this Saturday and there's great odds that it's going to bring a lot of fun to the Tupper Lake Municipal Park.

The Tupper Lake Field Day is the creation of the Town of Tupper Lake's recreation director, Laura LaBarge, and it has enjoyed widespread support from Acting Supervisor Mary Fontana and her three other bosses on the town board. All of them are excited this week about the new event.

Laura's idea was to try to produce a new July event that would replace Tupper Lake's premier summer event of the past four decades- the Tupper Lake Woodsmen's Days, which has been handicapped by a shrinking pool of volunteers and a changing woods industry in recent years. The event didn't emerge this year after the pandemic.

The new Tupper Lake Field Day was designed to be something of a replica of field days observed in many American towns every summer- where good food, entertainment and old fashioned family fun are all rolled into a single day of hometown celebration.

The Tupper Lake Field Day begins at 11a.m. on Main Street and The Boulevard with a parade dedicated to the first responders and life-saving volunteers of our community and the North Country communities in general.

Appropriately dubbed “Not All Heros Wear Capes,” parade-goers can expect to see a host of shiny emergency vehicles representing many local and area departments, marchers and floats that are expected to carry a Batman, Robin, Superman or two. But we're just guessing that at this point.

The parade will also honor as its grand marshall the late town supervisor, Clint Hollingsworth. Clint would have loved to have joined the fun Saturday and see the new event in town.

The town is offering cash prizes of $300, $200 and $100 for the best overall entries.

To participate in the parade, register at www.tupperlakeny.gov on the Recreation Page, or call 518-359-8370.

After the parade all the police and rescue agencies will park their rigs along the firemen's strip in the park where visiting children will be able to “explore a rig”- to actually climb on board to inspect them up close. Represented there will be the North Country Life Flight helicopter, fire trucks, police vehicles, ambulances, state emergency vehicles, fuel trucks and even a rail car. Those inspections will run from noon to about 2p.m.

At or about 2p.m. various types of old fashioned games for both children and adults will commence in the park. It is expected to be a lot of fun. Kids playing to take part should report to the park about 1:30p.m., according to Mrs. LaBarge.

Children's games between 2p.m. and 4p.m. will include a Little Bucket Relay and spoon race for ages 2 to 5 and sack races and tug-of-war for ages 6-8 and 9-12. Adult field games will run 4 to 6p.m. Those games will include a bucket relay for first responders only , three-legged races and tug-of-war for ages 13 and older, including adults. Tupper Lake loves tug-of-war contests, judging by their popularity at the Saturday evening pulls of past Woodsmen's Days here.

Online pre-registration is available on the event page for all field games and is strongly encouraged for planning purposes.

The afternoon will also be punctuated with all sorts of exciting and fun activities like a Cornhole competition, an extreme inflatable obstacle course, bounce houses, a dunk tank, face painting, etc.

Proceeds from the $1 per throw dunk tank will go to help buy new computers for the patrol cars of the TLPD.

Good Guys Productions will have many of its inflatable play pieces there to challenge and delight young climbers.

There will be plenty to eat and drink with at least four food and drink vendors, including Tyler's Pizza, Porkbusters BBQ, the Lions Club and their amazing onion-smothered hot dogs and hamburgers, North Country Kettle Corn. Summer sweet treats aplenty will pour from the park.

For beer-lovers there will be two licensed vendors- the VFW Post 3120 and P-2's Irish Pub. A cold beer on what is hoped will be a hot and sunny summer day is always welcome. An event note: coolers aren't permitted in the park that day.

For some messy fun, town staffers have organized what is called “a color slime run/walk” at 3:30p.m. Already over 70 people have signed up to get slimy.

Participants will begin at the Rotary pavilion end of the shoreline walk and will run/walk/jog to the bandshell, where they’ll turn and head back to where they started. Family members and friends are invited to stand along the sidelines to squirt runners with rainbow colored slimes!

In the park too Saturday in and around the Rotary Pavilion will be over two dozen craft booths and merchandize vendors- because the organizers know that someone in every family loves to shop.

At 6p.m., the event will switch gears from family friendly to grown-up fun! A concert stage from Good Guy Productions will be set up in front of the Rotary Pavilion where local band, The Altered Tones, will open with alternate rock covers. The main act will feature Ontario-based Fully Completely Hip – a Tragically Hip tribute band. Advanced tickets for the concert are available at the Town Hall or can be reserved online on our event page. Day-of tickets will be available at the admissions booth on Field Day. Those who purchased tickets in advance, are asked to simply present their ticket stub to the admissions booth in exchange for an event bracelet. Event bracelets must be shown as proof of purchase. Active and retired military, law enforcement, fire, rescue, corrections, dispatch and doctors/nurses receive free concert admission!

Mac's Safe ride will be available to help get everyone get home safely. Some of the food vendors are expected to continue into the evening.

Events like this one, where Mrs. LaBarge and her helpers have devoted a copious amount of time to organize, to plan and ultimately stage, and where the town has invested a lot of money this year to launch it, can only be successful and long-running if people show up to take part in the fun. We're hopeful Tupper Lake and its visitors Saturday will come out and support Tupper Lake's first Field Day so that it can become an annual summer event here.

-Dan McClelland

New Wild Center exhibit aimed at educating about climate change

by Dan McClelland

There's an exciting and very educational new exhibit at the Wild Center that goes to the core of one of its original missions- educating its visitors to the dramatic impacts of climate change in the world.

For years the Wild Center has hosted an annual youth climate conference- from which many initiatives by young people have sprung, across the region, across the national and around the world.

The new “Climate Solutions” exhibit, which opened to the public Thursday, is in dramatically transformed space off the great room that has been home to many things over the years- from art shows, to rotating exhibits, to a piece of the Wild Center's “Ways of Knowing” project, according to Marketing Director Nick Gunn.

“The new place is more mission-driven than it is visitation-driven. We've been talking about climate here and climate change for years” and this is the next step, he explained during a press preview Wednesday.

“This is the first time that climate science has been a physical part of the museum,” Mr. Gunn notes. “We've done it programmatically for years, but in terms of physical space it's the first time we've done it.”

On each of the walls of the four-part project are large photographic portraits of people from around the state and the region- and across the park in particular- “who have been significant in the field” of climate change. With them are panels of their backgrounds and their views. With most of them too are 1970s-style telephones that when lifted offer the listener their messages in their own voice. Many have worked with the Wild Center in the past. Many have written papers on research generated in the North Country by themselves and others.

One panel, for example, is

devoted to Sue Powers, a Clarkson University professor, who has been a part of the Adirondack Youth Climate Summit for many years, notes Mr. Gunn.

“Astrid and Ellen are actually youth climate summit alumnae, Lake Placid students who tackled a composting project in their school.

Mr. Gunn said “every nook and cranny of the new exhibit” is filled with so much information about climate change that someone could visit 15 or 20 times and each time find something new.

He said the goal of the new exhibit is that “regardless of who you are, what your age is, where you are from, your thoughts on climate change, you are able to walk out of here feeling there is a way for you personally to engage in the climate discussion.”

“The Wild Center has always been about finding multiple on-ramps to connect with nature. This is just another extension of that!”

Mr. Gunn introduced us to what he called “the exhibit team,” the three young people who researched and saw to the creation of this new educational piece of the Wild Center.

The three twenty-somethings were Charlie Reinertsen, the project manager, Samantha Pierce, a Solutions Exhibit fellow who came to the Wild Center to work exclusively on the project and Stephanie Hanson, the third exhibit developer.

Charlie joined the Wild Center staff two and one half years ago, just after the pandemic started.

He said the project was put on hold for a time and then preparation resumed that September.

Mr. Reinertsen, who grew up in the Mid-west, said the project was initiated by a youth climate committee and by Executive Director Stephanie Ratcliffe who developed some of the initial strategy for it.

After that work he said he and his two colleagues planned everything about the exhibit- the message it would have, how it would be told, the entire visual design, etc.

Stephanie, a Texan, joined the team in June, 2021. Samantha was already a fellow on the Wild Center's educational team who joined the exhibit team this past January.

Wild Center fellows are often young people fresh out of college who are recruited by the museum leaders to work on special projects, before sometimes moving on to permanent jobs in their careers.

All three of the young adults have degrees relating to environmental science.

Charlie has a biology degree and a masters in natural sciences and communication. A science communicator by profession he worked with non-profit and conservation groups for number of years. “When this job came up, I saw this as an amazing opportunity!”

“Some of the inspiration for this exhibit came initially from Project Draw Down,” which produced first book by the same name that listed all the solutions we needed to put into place to get to a future that will be habitable for us and future generations, he said.

“Is there hope solutions can be found to reduce or eliminate the ills of climate change?” we asked them.

“We're never past the point of being able to make our futures better,” was the young man's reply.

“We are currently feeling the impact of climate change,” said Miss Pierce, who was raised in Connecticut. “There has already been harm done, but doing this project has made me feel more hopeful!”

“There are so many different sectors of the problem people are working in and people now are starting to work together,” she said her research showed her.

Stephanie Hanson agreed with her colleague. “Working on the exhibit has shown me that every person has specific skills they can use” to bring to the movement. “That makes me hopeful that people will not only be passionate, but will take action” to help fight climate change. I feel hopeful!”

The exhibit is divided into four parts: Taking Action on Climate Change; Rebuilding Our Food System; Caring for Our One Home and Transforming Our Energy Ecosystem.

There is also what is called the “Tinkering Room” and several displays of tools to combat climate change.

“One of the big things you'll notice looking around here is that everything is entirely driven by story-telling,” Mr. Reinertsen told the Free Press that day. “It's also so much about elevating people who are doing incredible work. We are simply the reporters on the scene and this is entirely about the artists.”

Ken Aaron was also in the exhibit that afternoon. He helped the young exhibit designers with some of the wording on the many panels in the room.

“We looked at the messages and the wording so long, after a while we couldn't tell exactly what we wanted them all to say, so we often said: 'Ken, please help!'” Charlie said of their very productive collaboration.

One of the panels in the room is entitled “Find A Summit,” and when you touch a pin on a two-dimensional map of the world the location of a youth climate summit pops up.

Another screen shows young people conversing at past climate summits. The screen is entitled: “Youths around the world are using their voices and taking action on climate change. They are keenly aware on the impacts climate change will have on our future and that both urgency and clarity are needed in the movement.”

Dave Fadden, an artist from Akwesasne and a member of the Wild Center board of directors, was present that afternoon. He was heavily involved with the exhibit's creation and included is one of his paintings entitled “Release” of a young girl, his young cousin, Lillyanna, with outstretched arms, after releasing a bird. The eight year old was present that afternoon.

Freedom immediately comes to mind viewing the painting.

Mr. Fadden is also associated with the Six Nation Iroquois Cultural Center in Onchiota. He did a workshop for museum members that evening.

Also shown to members and Wild Center board members and guests that evening was the premier of the new film, “The Age of Humans,” featuring Professor Curt Stager in the center's Flammer Theater. The guests that evening were welcomed by the board chair, Karen Thomas, and Mrs. Ratcliffe, Wild Center executive director.

Mr. Fadden said the painting now hanging in the exhibit is a reproduction of the original. It's a mosiac-style similar to pointillism and a duplicate is located in the museum's great hall. Visitors will be invited to fill in each small dab of color with their own tiny image of something they feel depicts climate change.

He said several years ago when he was talking to Stephanie Ratcliffe about the project, she asked him to do a painting that would reflect climate change and the need to work to curb its impact.

His mosaic in the great hall, once all the tiny additions are in place, will be placed permanently in the new exhibit, according to Mrs. Ratcliffe.

Mr. Fadden praised the work of the creators, saying he visited the site several weeks ago and it looked nothing like the finished product, which he said was beautiful.

Local bands bring music to the park to ignite celebration of Fourth

Two local bands- Night School and Spring Street- treated a local and visiting audience assembled on lawn chairs and blankets across the spacious grounds of Flanders Park- to a late afternoon and evening of excellent tunes on Independence Day. There were big crowds for both performances, among the biggest in the concert series' four-year history.

The free concerts by the local and area musicians were The July Fourth gift to the community from Tupper Arts and the Village of Tupper Lake and was the opening event of this summer's concert in the park series. First to perform was Night School, featuring Ben and Andrew McClelland, Jay Martin, Ryan Gillis and Micah Tyo, whose collection of tunes from the 1970s and 1980s brought many to the dance floor in front of the bandshell during those two hours. The boys had the place rocking.

Andrew and Ben produced very strong vocals and an incredible range, which complimented nicely the shredding and strong guitar playing of Jay Martin and solid performances by bassist Micah and drummer Ryan.

More rock and roll and some blues kept the party going when Spring Street came on stage at 7p.m. The band produced some amazing vocal harmonies in their performance of more crowd favorites. The Spring Street performers were the very versatile and very talented musician, Wayne Davison on bass and vocals, Tupper Lake drummer Josh Pratt, who plays with a number of local and area bands, Vocalist Val Rogers and Tupper Lake's Ed Schaum, a very accomplished guitarist, who with Wayne harmonized well with the bombastic lead singer. Earlier in his career Ed played often in the New York City area. Joining the three and his dad that evening to play guitar and also join in the vocals was guest Bryce Davison, who back in high school here was a familiar face on the high school stage.

The summer concert series continues tonight at 7p.m. with a band called On 3- which will perform harmonic hits from the 1970s to now. On Monday, July 11 Ursa and The Major Key will be on the Sunset Stage, performing Indie and Psychedelic Rock.

Across the park at the baseball stadium shortly after 5p.m. Monday, baseball fans were treated to an exciting game of baseball between Tupper's Riverpigs and rivals, the Plattsburgh Thunderbirds, an event which also drew a good crowd.

The evening was capped off in style by the explosion of fireworks over the park after dusk. The annual show was another gift to the community and its many visitors over the holiday from the village and town governments and the Tupper Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Nedd Sparks defeats Paul Maroun in Tuesday's primary

by Dan McClelland

Tuesday's primary for the county's Republican Party saw an upset in legislative district No. 6 when newcomer and challenger, Nedd Sparks, soundly defeated incumbent and multi-term legislator, Paul Maroun.

Across the three towns that make up the district- one of two in southern Franklin County that comprise the towns of Tupper Lake, Santa Clara and recently added Brighton- Mr. Sparks received 248 votes and Mr. Maroun, 132. There were no write-in ballots cast.

According to Tracy Sparks, Republican Commissioner of Elections and Nedd's wife, the vote count was unofficial but included early voting ballots and the absentee ballots received by the county office by primary day. There may be a few absentee ballots still to come in as state election law allows seven days for boards of election to accept ballots, if envelopes were postmarked on or before primary day.

Under recent election law changes boards of elections must now count absentee ballots received by election day “ahead of time” so they are included in unofficial vote counts on the day of the vote, she noted.

She said two absentee ballots arrived Wednesday and Thursday.

In the Town of Tupper Lake Mr. Sparks garnered 235 Republican votes and the incumbent legislator received 81.

Although he was defeated in the GOP primary, Mr. Maroun's name will still appear on the November ballot in the race for county legislator on the Conservative Party line.

Mr. Sparks' name will also be listed on an independent “Integrity” line.

Nedd said last week he was “very overwhelmed by the support” he received.”

He said he attributed his victory to a lot of door to door campaigning and many telephone calls made in recent months, including the day before and the day of Tuesday's primary. He said his campaigning last Monday and Tuesday reminded many people of the primary and the need to get out and vote.

“I was very humbled by all the support I received and I appreciate all of it.”

Paul Maroun, who is also village mayor, has served as county legislator many terms over the past three dozen years since he succeeded Nedd's father, the late John Sparks in the late 1970s after his tragic death.

Mr. Maroun was not discouraged by the vote count Thursday among his fellow Republicans. “This is the same thing that happened in the mayor's race,” he said, pointing to his win at the general election despite losing the GOP nod to Businessman Eric Shaheen at the party caucus.

Last November he ran on an independent line tying Mr. Shaheen on election night and later winning on absentee ballots. This time he'll be running on a main party line with the county Conservative Party's endorsement.

In the mayor's race last time he received strong support from Democrats and independents in the village.

He called the GOP primary challenge by Mr. Sparks “a good campaign” by both candidates “with no hostilities.”

“These things happen in primaries when you have relatively low numbers compared with a general election” where there may be a 1,000 or so people voting here.

“-And when you have been in office as long as I have been, no matter what you do you are bound to make enemies.” He said he believes too the Republican Party right now in Tupper Lake “is a little unstable!”

He said he too knows he lost a number of friends and past supporters by some of the actions he had to take during the pandemic to keep people safe here.

“I'll be be campaigning hard in the weeks and months to come” before the fall election, “just like I did in the mayor's race last year.

In the race for the GOP nod for Franklin County Sheriff between Sheriff Kevin Mulverhill and challenger Jay Cook, the county vote count saw Mr. Cook as the clear winner with 1,124 votes. Sheriff Mulverhill received 780 votes from his fellow Republicans.

Among the Tupper Lake Republicans, however, Kevin Mulverhill was the favorite with 169 votes, while his challenger secured 133 votes.

In the primary races for governor and lieutenant governor in both parties the vote counts for Tupper Lake alone weren't available as of last week but will be in coming weeks when all votes are canvassed, according to the election commissioner.

In Franklin County, Democrats gave Congressman Tom Suozzi 163 votes while Governor Kathy Hochul was the overwhelming favorite among her party members with 676. New York City's elected public advocate, Jumaane Williams received 93.

For lieutenant governor, Governor Hochul's lieutenant governor Antonio Delgado received the most votes in this county for that post with 455. He replaced this year Governor Hochul's original pick for that post, Brian Benjamin, who was arrested in April on federal corruption charges and who subsequently left that post.

County Republicans in their primary for governor gave the statewide winner, Lee Zelson, the most votes, 685.

Rob Astorino, who had the most campaign signs around Tupper Lake in recent weeks, came in second among county voters with 530 votes. Andrew Giuliani landed 428 and Harry Wilson, 192.

The race for New York State Governor is now between Governor Hochul and Congressman Lee Zeldin, a staunch ally of former President Trump who was among the Republicans who voted against certifying the 2020 election results.

Mr. Zeldin overcame primary challenges from Mr. Astorino, former Westchester county executive, businessman Wilson and Mr. Giuliani, the son of former New York City mayor and attorney for Donald Trump.

Class leaders impress classmates, graduation crowd with comedy, emotion

by Dan McClelland

The Class of 2022 leaders- Valedictorian Emma Robillard and Salutatorian Libby Gillis- both offered novel and sometimes comical comments to their classmates Thursday in a gym packed with proud family members and friends.

This year's event, after emerging from two unusual graduations in the pandemic, was held on a Thursday evening, not the Friday evenings of recent graduations.

Senior Class President Libby Gillis was the first speaker introduced by Principal Cynthia Lauzon.

“Good evening students, parents and faculty and whoever else is here. Before I get into this whole speech thing, I'd like to offer a shout out to my grandmother (Rita Littlefield), who is celebrating her 90th birthday today.”

Loud applause erupted in Mrs. Littlefield's honor.

Libby said her grandmother actually graduated 72 years ago that day on her 18th birthday...”so that's pretty cool!”

The speaker also told her classmates to applaud for themselves for making it to graduation, which they did loudly.

She said it was hard to believe that graduation day arrived for them. “I have this vivid memory of being handed this paper in elementary school which listed our name and the number 2022 next to it. Many of us asked: 'what does 2022 mean?' To which our teacher replied: 'that will be the year you'll graduate from high school'.”

“We were all fascinated and dumbfounded by this information. I don't know about you guys but at that moment I was thinking 2022 would be more like a robot or self-driving car type of situation. -And not really a global pandemic case scenario. Nevertheless, here we are.”

“I was originally going to say you guys in the crowd were lucky you weren't listening to me through your car radios right now, but now we're in the sweaty gym, I'll leave that up to interpretation.”

“We've had a good run here at Tupper Lake Middle High School...we had the yo-you situation and then we didn't have the yo-yo situation. There was square dancing in the middle of all that...then we went to Great Escape and that was pretty much a wrap in my book.

Instead of offering advice to her classmates Libby, saying she felt very under-qualified for that task, showed a video tape on the large screen at the end of the gym, where she had interviewed “some of the more qualified people” her and her classmates look to for advice every day in school. It featured some serious, some funny remarks from Superintendent Russ Bartlett and other popular faculty and staff members at the high school.

Libby concluded her speech with one piece of advice, which spanned just four short words and which she said “have gotten her through just about everything. She quoted the words of fictional character Michael Gary Scott of NBC's The Office: “That's what she said.”

A handful of the graduates, all members of the chorus, joined the chorus for the singing of the class song, “I Lived,” made popular by the band OneRepublic.

Valedictorian Emma Robillard greeted her classmates and the audience this way: “Hey...I find this so surreal...that this is happening right now.”

“I don't know about the rest of you, but for me it hasn't always been that easy getting to this point. Right now I'm up here giving this big and important speech, but there were moments when I was literally hanging on by a thread! I definitely don't feel very qualified to be giving any of you some sort of life-changing advice!”

“So instead of doing that I've decided to share with you some of the things that I have learned over the years about the people who mean the most to me.”

“I'd like to start off by mentioning my favorite teacher and possibly the most kind-hearted human I have ever met: Mrs. Mitchell.”

“From Mrs. (Laurie) Mitchell I have learned that by listening to people you can make a world of a difference. She cares about people and wants to see them succeed, which is why she is so loved by everyone. I can't even begin to explain the impact she has had in my life and I want to take this opportunity to thank her for everything she had done for me since I first stepped foot in her classroom all those years ago.

“In the future I hope to help people like she has helped me!”

“I have also been blessed with some really great friends, some of whom are graduating alongside me today. A few, however, have already moved their tassel from left to right.”

She mentioned one in particular: Ava Cuttaia. “Ava has believed in me since seventh grade and it is because of the continued confidence she has had in me that I started to believe in myself. Ava is a true friend who is always proud of my accomplishments- both big and small. I hope she knows how proud I am of her!”

She next recognized her family members “who all mean the world to me.”

“There is absolutely no way I would be up here today without you guys. It is you from whom I've learned the most.”

She began with her grandparents Connie and Mitch Robbilard, “who I call Nani and Pa.”

She said they have lived across the street from her house her entire life. “Sometimes after dinner one of my favorite things to do is to walk over to their house to watch Family Feud with them. And they always make me popcorn...every single time. Pa taught me how to drive. He stood in the rain when I took my road test. -And Nani has made me scrapbooks filled with every single moment in my life. They do these things because they love their family and would do anything to see them smile. -And they really motivate me to do the same.”

“I shared a room with my little sister, Lyla, since she was born and it's hard to believe in just a few short months I won't be sleeping in the bed next to hers. Despite fighting with me constantly, stealing my clothes and giving me little to no privacy, she's been a great roommate!

“In our 12 years together she's taught me that forgiveness isn't necessarily a weakness. Unlike me she is loud and sassy and never afraid to give my parents a little attitude. Although I don't always show it, I enjoy having a spirited person like Lyla in my life. -And I feel blessed to continue to watch her change and grow and to take the world by storm.

“And to Lukey, my baby brother, the Maverick to my Goose,” I've have learned from him that laughter is often the best medicine. “Most of you have probably heard his famous giggle. He is also brave. Seriously, I don't think there is anything Luke is afraid of. He causes me a lot of stress and worry, but having him around, makes me feel safer in some weird and unexplainable way.”

“With his infectious laugh and daredevil attitude he has the ability to turn any situation into a good time. Being around him I realize that life should be fun. Otherwise, it's just plain!”

“Lastly of course are my parents. The attribute I admire most about my mother is her faith. In the last few years I have watched life deal her some tough cards. She has never doubted for one second that God would get her through it. She is hands-down the strongest person I know. She stands up for what she believes in and never bites her tongue when she is passionate about something. She has always encouraged me to do the same and I love her for that!

“And now for the grand finale: my dad. Most of you know him as The Legend, Marky.”

There was a big burst of shouting “Marky” from the crowd.

“See what I mean?” she grinned at the crowd.

“My dad is responsible for my sense of humor and great taste in music. He has taught me so much but what stuck with me most is when he told me: 'the world meets no one half way.' He might have stolen that from a Sylvester Stallone movie, but it's true nevertheless. If there is something you want in life you have to work hard for it. He always says that in the end it's not someone's last name that got them success, but it was their hard work. Thank you, Dad, for pushing me to work my hardest! I love you!”

This was Emma's advice to her classmates: “Care for others like Mrs. Mitchell. Find friends like Ava. Love your family like Nani and Pa do. Be loud like Lyla. Laugh like Luke. Have faith like my Mom. -And work hard like good old Marky.”

Triathletes in town this weekend!

Motorists are urged to keep a keen eye out for hundreds of triathletes this weekend when the Tupper Lake Chamber of Commerce brings its popular Tin Man Triathlon back to real life, after two years of virtual competitions.

Hundreds of triathletes and their families are expected to be in town to challenge themselves against the three legs of the event, which has a rich history here dating back to the early 1980s.

Swimmers will hit the water of Raquette Pond about 8a.m. Saturday and after strenuous bike and run pieces the triathletes will end back at the park by mid-day or thereafter Saturday.

Wendy Peroza as race director, working with dozens of volunteers, is expected to produce another banner event for the community.

Four seventh graders honored by fire department officials for their quick action, saving local family's house

Four local seventh graders were honored by the Tupper Lake Volunteer Fire Department Friday afternoon for their community mindedness and civic responsibility when they alerted a local family that their garage was on fire.

Good friends Brady Skiff, Owen Scofield, Liam Kavanagh and John Tower were riding their bikes in the Junction on June 8 when they spotted a little smoke coming from the corner of a garage at 25 Lafayette Street, the home of Fred and Lona Exware.

They stopped and banged on the door of the Exware family's house next to it and told Mrs. Exware her single-stall garage was apparently on fire. She screamed in distress. Brady then immediately called 911.

The boys' quick actions might have prevented fire from spreading to neighbors' homes too, as the buildings in that neighborhood are quite close together.

“The operator told us to hang in there” and authorities would be alerted, Brady said Friday. He estimated the fire department arrived at the scene in little more than two minutes.

They were all headed to John Tower's house when they spotted the smoke. The Towers family lives two doors down from the Exwares'.

The boys admitted it made them proud that day to help someone and to produce a good result which could have just as easily turned into tragedy.

The volunteer firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire.

The lads stood by as the firefighters made short work of the blaze.

“They were all calm, cool and collected and acted like what they had done was no big deal,” Chief Royce Cole said of their bravery.

“After the fire I called them all over and shook their hands, telling them they did a great job and it was an impressive thing they did,” Chief Cole said that afternoon when the four and some of their parents joined him and fellow firemen Joe Arsenault and Assistant Chief Nick Rolley.

The department members instructed the chief to buy four $30 gift certificates to JRECK Subs here, where the boys like to eat, and Chief Cole presented them to them that afternoon.

The chief joked it was enough for more than two full dinner meals at the popular eatery, so they could each bring a date.

The boys said the Mac and Cheese bites were their favorite thing on the menu.

“On behalf of the fire department, we say 'thank you',” Chief Cole told the four, presenting them with the four gift cards. “Enjoy your meals, have fun with them because we very much appreciate what you did. Good job, guys!”

Several of the parents that afternoon also said how proud they were of the boys.

Also very proud of them and very happy for what they did that day was Fred Exware, who we found in his yard Sunday afternoon.

“I thanked them that day and went over and shook all their hands!”

“I told them if it wasn't for them we could have lost everything!”

The burned remains of the garage have all been cleaned up and trucked away. Fred's brother, Mark, helped him clean up the debris left in the fire's wake. All that remains of it is a large heap of burned metal machines- several snowblowers, lawn mowers, an air compressor his grandfather built by hand and some tools that had been in the structure. A workshop attached to the back of the garage, while somewhat scorched, was saved by the firefighters.

The fire apparently started in a corner of the garage which was about 12 feet from the house where an electric line ran into it from the house. The smoke the boys spotted either originated from a burning outlet or the framing around it.

The house was originally the home of Fred's grandparents, Vic and Gladys Blair.

“If it wouldn't have been for those boys, we could have lost the rest of the building and the house,” a very thankful Fred said that day.

The fire was so close to the house at one point, he showed a light that had melted off the fascia on his house's back porch. The garage fire also melted hoses hanging off a fuel tank behind the house. Fortunately too the fuel tank was empty.

“You couldn't even put your hand on the tank at one point, things were so hot there.”

The heat also broke a window in the back of couple's house.

A half a dozen trees in the back yard were badly scorched and are brown today.

One car- a Nisson Versa- parked near the garage was destroyed by the fire. While Fred used a garden hose to put out the fire, Lona moved one of their trucks that was parked immediately in front of the garage so it wasn't damaged and a second truck was parked in the back yard out of harm's way.

Fred is no stranger to tragedy. A number of years ago he lost an eye and was severely injured when a tractor trailer tire blew up in his face.

“The firemen got here very quickly and it's a good thing they did,” Fred said. “Otherwise we would have been in bigger trouble! I lost the garage and a lot of tools, but we could have lost everything.”

Pointing to the pile of melted machines, he said it represents just a fraction of the tools and implements he lost.

“Those boys were life-savers,” was his comment as we left his yard.

Captions

Fire department leaders Nick Rolley, Fire Chief Royce Cole and Joe Arsenault pose behind four local teenage heroes- from left Owen Scofield, John Tower, Liam Kavanagh and Brady Skiff, with their bikes. (McClelland photo)

A pile of partially melted machinery and tools is all that remains of the Exwares' garage. (Dan McClelland photos)

The first melted a porch light and busted a window on the back of the Exware house.

A workshop on the back of the garage was saved by firefighters on June 8.

Town proclaims every May 10 as Jamie Rose Martin Domestic Violence Awareness Day

by Dan McClelland

The Tupper Lake Town Board adopted a resolution at Thursday night's meeting establishing May 10, 2023 and every May 10th thereafter in Tupper Lake as “Jamie Rose Martin Domestic Violence Awareness Day.”

The Martin family, through spokeswoman Tracy Sparks, had requested the measure at last month's town board meeting, as part of the campaign by the family members and friends of Jamie to promote domestic violence awareness.

Family members were back at Thursday's meeting for the formal action by the town board.

Deputy Supervisor Mary Fontana read the resolution that she said was beautifully drafted by Councilman Rick Donah in recent weeks. Mr. Donah was traveling and not able to attend the meeting that evening.

“Whereas the Town of Tupper Lake recognizes the tragedy of May 10, 2017, when the life of Jamie Rose Martin was taken by domestic violence. This somber day will be recognized in our community to advance awareness of domestic violence and to support its many victims.

“Whereas, New York State has created the only executive level agency dedicated to the issues of gender-based violence.

“Wheres, domestic violence behavior is a pattern of behavior used by an individual to establish and maintain power and control over their intimate partner or former partner. This behavior includes abusive tactics, threats, and actions that may or may not rise to the level of criminal behavior.

“Wheres the community continues to honor Jamie Rose Martin by taking a stand against domestic violence.

“Whereas, the designation of this day helps support the Domestic Violence Awareness Month and each October as a way to united advocates across the nation in their efforts to end domestic violence. February of each year also marks Teen Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an annual observance raising awareness about the specific ways that abuse impacts teen dating relationships.

“Be it resolved that the town clerk will add this to the town's annual calendar and the Town of Tupper Lake will recognize the importance of building awareness and identifying resources in this community to help prevent incidents of domestic violence. Copies of this resolution will be sent to the village, county and appropriate agencies in New York State.”

The town board resolution comes at a time when the community prepares to recognize the horror of domestic violence with Saturday's public awareness event in the municipal park in Jamie's honor.

Deputy Supervisor Mary Fontana presented Thursday evening a framed copy of the town board resolution affirming every May 10 as “Jamie Rose Martin Domestic Violence Awareness Day” in the Town of Tupper Lake to members of Jamie's family. From left were Jamie's father, Dick, her sister Jennifer Tice and her mother, Diane. (Dan McClelland photo)

Gary LaQuay Fishing Challenge Saturday

by Dan McClelland

On the waters of Tupper Lake, Lake Simond, Raquette Pond and Raquette River there will be anglers of all skill levels Saturday for the Ninth Annual Gary LaQuay Fishing Challenge. The family of Gary LaQuay will again present the fishing tournament in his honor to benefit High Peaks Hospice.

The fishing tournament, Tupper's only public summer derby, has raised thousands of dollars for the work of the local hospice chapter over the years- and there's big money paid too each year to the fishermen who catch the biggest Northern Pike and the biggest bass.

According to Gary's son, Cory, who is the lead organizer of the annual event, about three dozen local businesses step forward each year and donate merchandise and services that are the prizes for a host of raffles associated with it. For the price of $30 registration, participants are automatically entered into the drawings that day.

The challenge runs from 7a.m. to 3p.m. that day.

The three major event sponsors this year are Neil and Linda Pickering's Mountain Market and Redemption Center, Homenergy and the Tupper Lake Sportsman's Club (formerly the Tupper Lake Rod and Gun Club). Mountain Market is donating a trolling motor this year and the fuel company is donating 100 gallons of fuel- both big prizes.

At recent derbies organizers have donated between $2,000 and $2,500 to High Peaks Hospice from events on the water. Those totals have grown from about $1,200 the first year to as much as the higher figure in recent years, Cory noted.

Gary was an avid fisherman who died far too prematurely over a decade ago.

For more information about the event contact Cory at (518) 569-3988 or Terry at (518) 304-3748.

Ninth annual Gary LaQuay Fishing Challenge slated for June 18

by Dan McClelland

Anglers of all abilities are encouraged to hit the waters of Tupper Lake later this month for the community's fun, yet competitive major fishing tournament of the summer season. On Saturday, June 18 the family of Gary LaQuay will again present the fishing tournament in his honor to benefit High Peaks Hospice.

This year marks the ninth annual version of the Gary LaQuay Fishing Challenge this past decade. The tournament was pre-empted by COVID-19 two years ago.

The fishing tournament, Tupper's only public summer derby, has raised thousands of dollars for the work of the local hospice chapter over the years- and there's big money paid too each year to the fishermen who catch the biggest Northern Pike and the biggest bass.

According to Gary's son, Cory, who is the lead organizer of the annual event, about three dozen local businesses step forward each year and donate merchandise and services that are the prizes for a host of raffles associated with it. For the price of $30 registration, participants are automatically entered into the drawings that day.

The challenge runs from 7a.m. to 3p.m. that day.

The three major event sponsors this year are Neil and Linda Pickering's Mountain Market and Redemption Center, Homenergy and the Tupper Lake Sportsman's Club (formerly the Tupper Lake Rod and Gun Club). Mountain Market is donating a trolling motor this year and the fuel company is donating 100 gallons of fuel- both big prizes.

Each year Cory and his family members try to split the registration fees into a share for the good work of hospice and a share for the cash prizes that go to the fishermen who land the three heaviest pike and the three heaviest bass. It is a 100% pay-out event.

How much money is raised each year for hospice and how much is paid out in prizes to the best anglers is based on the total registration pool, Cory told the Free Press this week.

Typically about 40% of the total registration fees goes to hospice each year. The balance is shared by the six top fishermen- three in each fish category- that day on a pro-rated basis.

Some years, Cory remembers, first place prizes have amounted to $900. Second prize in that category that year was about $650 and third was $300.

The tournament has attracted between 100 and 150 participants in the past few years- many of them local but also a number from around the northeast.

There are two weigh stations manned by LaQuay family members and friends- one at the shoreline parcel below the Tupper Lake Sportsmen's Club headquarters on Lake Simond Road and one at the Tupper Lake Municipal Park on Raquette Pond. Participants can weigh their fish right out of their boats at the two shoreline stations.

A prize ceremony follows the derby in late afternoon that Saturday at the Lake Simond Road site.

At recent derbies organizers have donated between $2,000 and $2,500 to High Peaks Hospice from events on the water. Those totals have grown from about $1,200 the first year to as much as the higher figure in recent years, Cory noted.

Gary was an avid fisherman who died far too prematurely over a decade ago. At every fishing outing with pals or family members he also liked to promote a wager between the parties. At the end of the day, maybe the team with the smallest catch might have to buy dinner. “He was a competitor,” Cory said of his father and how he would have enjoyed the event that honors him. Gary fished often with his brother, Terry.

The tournament date was established from the outset on the first day of bass fishing- the third Saturday in June every year.

Cory said in the past he has been asked why they don't feature a children's contest. Usually those competitions are featured from shore, whereas boats are used in this adult tournament. He noted too they do not have the volunteers to run a derby for kids.

Like every outdoor event, weather is always a big factor, but it's rain or shine, he explained. “Unfortunately we can't do a rain day, so if it rains very hard,” some people are reluctant to fish. He said the last two years saw relatively strong winds on the day of the derby and some participants had difficulty launching their boats.

“We always look forward to good weather, and most years it has been good!”

“We've had some very hot days in the past, when it's great and people have a lot of fun.” But a day in the hot sun can also be very taxing. “It's good for a turn-out but it's not good for fishing!”

He said overcast days can produce some of the best fishing. “We've had years when we had a little rain in the morning and then it cleared up in the afternoon, and some of the best fish we've seen has been caught those days.”

“I also remember one year it was super hot, with not a cloud in the sky. It was a great day to be out in the boat and everyone had fun. But I had some people who were discouraged at the end, because they caught smaller fish and put them back and not weighed them because they did not think they would place. But they might have, after all. The biggest Northern that year was only about four and one half pounds.”

One of the biggest fish caught in the tournament was during one of the first years saw a ten-pound pike caught and entered. Some years the bass caught out weigh the pike.

Last year Cory entered the tournament for the first time ever and landed the biggest fish- a five and one-half pound bass. That was bigger than the biggest pike caught last year.

One year a fisherman from the Boston area caught a six and one-half bass- the largest caught in the eight annual events to date.

Many of the participants are locals but the event is starting to attract anglers from around the region. He said an old acquaintance is a professional bass fisherman who will be fishing a big tournament that same weekend on Lake Champlain. Cory noted he was told by him that several of those pros have fished this tournament in recent years because of the prize money here.

One of the primary rules of the contest is that all fish weighed in at either station have to come off a boat from our lakes or our river.

“We also use hand scales to weigh all fish and we don't use a basket-type of scale. We like to keep it a little old school in that fashion!”

That way, too, he explains the volunteer weighing the fish and the one who caught it can both see the weight of it.

Cory said ROOST (Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism), based in Lake Placid with an office here, has been helping to promote the event and spread the word about it digitally across the region.

Tickets to the derby are sold on the ROOST web site and at Mountain Market and Redemption on the west end of town.

-And between ROOST's efforts and word of mouth, people are learning about it.

For more information about the event contact Cory at (518) 569-3988 or Terry at (518) 304-3748.

Scenes from the 2022 Bike Rodeo

Perfect weather greets 2022 observance of Memorial Day

by Dan McClelland

Bright sunshine and warm temperatures were at center stage Monday morning during the Tupper Lake observance of Memorial Day 2022, as was American Legion Commander Mark Moeller, the master of ceremonies.

The retired businessman and U.S. Army veteran also delivered opening and closing prayers, all the introductions as well as reading the guest speaker's message in her absence.

The scheduled speaker was Valerie Ainsworth, executive director of Homeward Bound Adirondacks, which offers weekend retreats in the Adirondacks for veterans dealing with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Unfortunately, as Mr. Moeller explained, Valerie couldn't attend at the last minute as she needed to be by her husband's side, who is a Vietnam War-era veteran and suffers from some ailments common to his service over there.

“We welcome you all here today,” Mr. Moeller began when the observance began at the Veterans Park on Park Street, where Veterans' Days and Memorial Days are always held here. Monday's event was sponsored by the five local veterans groups here- American Legion Post 220, VFW Post 3120, AmVets Post 710, the Adirondack Leathernecks Marine Corp League and the Tupper Lake Honor Guard

He thanked the more than 100 assembled in front of the park on the closed-off state highway “for gathering with us, for taking the time to honor those family members, neighbors, friends, classmates and fellow citizens who answered our nation's call and who served in harm's way and who are no longer with us.”

“We honor their patriotism and their sacrifice. We honor their selfless service to others. They led the way and defined honor and courage for the generations that followed them!”

He delivered the opening prayer- recognizing the veterans of this great nation.

He introduced the Tupper Lake High School band, under the direction of Laura Davison, who performed the national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner,” in rousing yet moving fashion.

Meanwhile the Tupper Lake Honor Guard members- Commander Mike Larabie, Ray Bigrow, Tracy Luton and Joe LeBlanc- presented arms and stood stiffly at attention.

In the absence of any local boy scouts, three members of the Tupper Lake Girl Scout troop came forward at Mr. Moeller's urging at the last minute to lead the attendees that morning in the “Pledge of Allegiance.”

In the absence of the guest speaker Mr. Moeller read from her notes.

Ms. Ainsworth is a licensed clinical social worker who is the director of the mental health association in Essex County, he told the group. She is also the executive director of Homeward Bound Adirondacks and it was about that facility she was going to address the Tupper Lake audience that day.

Mr. Moeller serves on the board of that organization with her.

He said she also has a private practice where she specializes in treatment of veterans and law enforcement officers with PTSD and complex trauma. Valerie, he continued, also works as a contract mental health provider for the Wounded Warrior project, which is nationwide, and so she travels around the country to its retreats helping veterans.

“She's a very talented and caring professional...a social worker with a very kind spirit.”

Valerie has helped veterans come to the forests of New York and in doing so has helped improve their lives through retreats here in the Adirondacks.”

He said 100 years ago the Adirondacks was a place to take the cure for tuberculosis. “Now we are using these same Adirondack mountains to help folks deal with PTSD!”

“Valerie has taught them they are not alone, they are not forgotten and that seeking help is not a sign of weakness.”

“So how is this tied to Memorial Day? Sadly we are experiencing in this nation an epidemic of veteran suicides. Many of our heroes take their own lives every day!”

He said the weekend retreats that Homeward Bound provides offers “coping mechanisms” for those veterans suffering from PTSD.

Homeward Bound was established in 2010 as a not-for-profit. It provides transportation to veterans in a van it owns, taking them to medical appointments and such. The organization also offers “a crisis outreach” program for veterans.”

He said Valerie had two telephone calls this past weekend from veterans “who were having a hard time as this Memorial Day weekend approached and as they thought about the friends and fellow soldiers they had lost.”

“We also offer emergency grants for soldiers dealing with homelessness, fuel assistance, broken pipes- those kinds of emergencies.”

He said Homeward Bound receives no direct public funding. “All of its funds come from grants written on the organization's behalf and from the generosity of donors like yourselves -And Tupper Lake has been very generous in support of Homeward Bound.”

He said the last two years of COVID have been very challenging for everyone, including soldiers and veterans who may be alone. “Veterans are a tough bunch. They don't want to ask for or accept help. Many joke they are experts in being locked down anyway, so COVID was nothing different for them.”

Mr. Moeller said a primary consequence of COVID, however, is that veterans do feel more isolated, more depressed and more subject to suicidal tendencies.

Homeward Bound hosted several retreats in the area during COVID- but they were smaller than normal attended by fewer veterans than is customary.

“Several of the participants told Valerie that these were life-saving events for them!”

June is PTSD awareness month and one of Homeward Bound's initiatives is “to reduce the stigma associated with asking for help, raise the awareness of the high risk of veteran suicides and educate veterans, their families and their employers about the value of getting help when things become too much,” he told the crowd.

“PTSD is a very natural response to a very unnatural experience...the brain stores that trauma in different parts of it along with other memories. This keeps the dangerous situations just under the surface with ready access. So certain memories are triggered by different sights, smells, sounds and they can flash up at any moment.” The results can become debilitating and extremely difficult to deal with, he stressed.

“Homeward Bound also helps veterans access services in the community. It works closely with VA clinics, local mental health agencies, substance abuse organizations like St. Joe's and the United Way.

“What we have witnessed in the last eight years is that the wilderness of the Adirondacks is a great healer. It's a wonderful equalizer that promotes bonding as veterans come with their families. Vets help vets!”

“Veterans who have suffered from PTSD and have learned coping mechanisms can help teach those mechanisms to other veterans- and particularly younger ones!”

He said it is the peer to peer counseling that proves to be the most effective.

“-And doing this in the wilderness here in the Adirondacks is priceless!”

Mr. Moeller said effective too are the conversations late at night around a camp fire. “That's where real and powerful discussions happen as veterans open up to other veterans about their experiences!”

He said for the last eight years the organization has been renting places around the North Country to conduct these retreats. “But last year we purchased 105 acres near Lake Titus and that will soon become the Sgt. Carlton Clark Veterans Center. It will be named after the Vermont engineer with the 101st Airborne who was killed in Iraq in 2006. A member of his family has been a regular and very generous donor to the work of Homeward Bound Adirondacks.

He said in coming years built there will be four sleeping cabins, a utility building with a bath house and a large lodge on site with commercial kitchen and meeting area where these important conversations will continue.

Mr. Moeller said on June 14 Stars and Stripes will be raised on a 40-foot tall flag pole at the retreat site that will mark the official start of the process. Around the flag pole will be built a memorial garden with four foot high walls, comprised of bricks that will bear the names of veterans and their years of service. The Homeward Bound web site explains the process of making those donations to special veterans.

“-And lastly Homeward Bound wants to thank the town and village of Tupper Lake for their ongoing support and will keep the local communities updated regularly on the progress to come,” he said ending Valerie's address.

The high school band then played its medley of service anthems- an especially enjoyed piece of every Veterans Day and Memorial Day observance here. The band again this year did a great job with it.

Wreaths lined the walkway before the memorial that morning, ready for placement at the war memorial. There were wreathes prepared for the Tupper Lake boy scouts and girl scouts, Woodmen Lodge by John Ellis and Phil Wagschal, the Red Hat Society, Knights of Columbus 2177 by officers Bob Guiney and Kevin Keeler, the Tupper Lake School District, the Tupper Lake Volunteer Fire Department and its ladies auxiliary, placed by Mike Russell and his daughter Christine, the Village of Tupper Lake, laid by Mayor Paul Maroun, the Town of Tupper Lake, American Legion Post 220 by Bill “Stevie” Stevenson, Tupper Lake Honor Guard by Commander Larabie, Adirondack Leathernecks Marine Corp. League placed by Wesley Hoyt and Terry Tubridy, AmVets Post 710 by Bruce Cook, and VFW Post 3120 placed by Craig Bowman.

The Tupper Lake Honor Guard then fired three volleys of shots. It was followed by a performance of “Taps” by a high school senior and band member, Lowden Pratt.

The high school band members put a nice finish to the observance with a sterling performance of “America, the Beautiful” and “Stars and Stripes Forever.”

After they finished, MC Moeller asked for a second round of applause for the young musicians and the crowd responded vigorously. “These students and their director come to every ceremony of Veterans Day and Memorial Day and they come in rain or shine. “It could be too hot or too cold or raining cats and dogs but they always come and they always perform their lively patriotic gifts that always add to our ceremonies! We are so grateful they do so!”

Mr. Moeller also acknowledged Brent Cook and Mary Kay Kucipeck who tend to the landscaping of the veterans park and care for its plants. “They keep it clean and neat and in doing so it it helps honor our veterans,” he told the crowd, before offering the closing prayer.

During the ceremony miniature flags were distributed by members of the Woodmen Lodge, and before closing Mr. Moeller asked the many in attendance with the tiny flags in their hands to wave them proudly, which everyone there that morning did.

It marked an appropriate close to an excellent Memorial Day observance here.

Village PD's bike rodeo returns Saturday

The Tupper Lake Police Department and a collection of local organizations and businesses will again present the 2022 version of the Tupper Lake Bike Rodeo and Celebration of Youth this Saturday from 10a.m. to 2p.m. at the Emergency Services Building on Santa Clara Ave. between McLaughlin Ave. and Route 3.

Last month Police Chief Eric Proulx received permission from the village board to close off Santa Clara Ave. for six hours that day- from an hour before to an hour after the annual event.

The fun and safety-oriented event for young bike riders here was created by Patrolman Mike Vaillancourt over a decade ago.

Traditionally it was a way to make sure every kid in Tupper Lake had a bicycle helmet and was familiar with the rules of the roads when riding their bikes.

The event promises to be bigger and better this year, Mr. Vaillancourt and fellow organizers say.

“Flutterbug,” the clown will be back, with some of her time devoted to painting young faces.

Young riders will again be challenged to on-road and off-road courses, navigating traffic cones and other obstacles.

There will again be an inflated bounce house and other giant balloon-style rigs there.

Free helmets will be available to any child who needs one.

-And every child who attends the event will be registered in a drawing for a free bicycle.

As usual too this year there will be plenty to eat and drink- all for free. Kids and their parents can make their own sundaes, courtesy of Stewarts Shop. For others with a hunger for sweets, there will also be free cotton candy and snow cones.

Games will also be on the event's agenda over the four hours that day.

Sponsors this year, in addition to the village PD, include the Woodmen Lodge, the Adirondack Foundation, the Kiwanis Club of Tupper Lake, High Peaks Cyclery, among others.