You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience Mar 28 Ana Williams-BergenNorth Country at Work: Painting pets and monsters in Glens Falls You have to be pretty creative to make a living in the North Country That’s definitely the case for Dave Globerson He moved to Glens Falls during the COVID-19 pandemic and that’s when he started his business - illustrating custom pet portraits Photo courtesy of Dave Globerson "This all started during the shutdown," Globerson remembered but had spent most of his career touring as a bass player and looking for a purpose with his artwork "What is it that I can make that's not just a monster or a dragon or something like that that somebody can hang up in their house and look at and say Globerson does a lot of memorial paintings of pets that have passed His favorite part is seeing people’s reactions to his work He's found that cat people have the most creative ideas for their pet portraits I'm about to paint two cats as wizards conjuring a spell." "Once I start saying that I paint pet portraits Photo courtesy of Dave Globerson each label gives me my own creative outlet." He has his favorites; Globerson loves designs that involve darkness and monsters "I've been drawing monsters since I was basically able to hold a pencil," he says "Anything that's kind of monster-related or creature-related Globerson has even merged his pet portrait work with the craft beer scene an animal rescue that holds adoption events at local breweries He illustrated his first children’s book and had a solo show "I didn't realize that my art would end up being on beer cans but here we are and making a living doing that." Photo courtesy of Dave Globerson Running your own business isn’t all fun and games "The hardest part is being my own boss because I run a loose ship."  Glens Falls is an uplifting place to be an artist He says there's a culture of support for artists and resources for them "Working as an artist is no longer just seen as like you're a real professional.' It kind of just inspires more creativity." It’s that supportive community that’s enabled Globerson to live out his dream of being an artist full time Major support for North Country at Work comes from the Cloudsplitter Foundation Find scores of work stories and thousands of work photos at http://ncpr.org/work NY (WRGB) — North Country residents are reacting after President Donald Trump announced he is no longer considering Congresswoman Elise Stefanik for the role of U.S Trump cited the GOP’s slim majority in the House — 218 to 213 — as his reason for keeping the Republican in Congress who has represented New York’s 21st Congressional District since 2015 said she remains committed to her constituents Reaction among longtime constituents has been split She also believes Stefanik’s ties to Trump could have affected her international appeal and they would be very much against her and Trump I think that’s why he withdrew her from the U.N.” Others were glad to see her remain in the House Some community members also raised concerns about her access and transparency in her district committee chair of the progressive group Indivisible ADK Saratoga said Stefanik did not attend a recent town hall the organization hosted in Glens Falls CBS6 has previously reached out to Stefanik’s office for comment on the last time she held a public town hall responded: “Congresswoman Stefanik has hosted thousands of events since she was first elected which is why she was consistently overwhelmingly re-elected for six terms.” Indivisible ADK is planning a future meeting in Albany on April 5 and says Stefanik is welcome to attend You don’t have to agree with us on policy—we just want you to be a part of democracy,” Seeman said Apr 01 Ana Williams-BergenNorth Country at Work: Picking threads at the Glens Falls Shirt Factory Rose O'Callaghan Rose O’Callaghan was looking for a home She moved from her native Yonkers to Glens Falls and says she knew instantly that it was the place for her O'Callaghan says there was "incredible" unemployment "The unemployment office in Glen's Falls was in the second story of the Empire Building and the lines for the unemployment would down the stairs and around the corner." O’Callaghan says she "went through the phone book" until she got a job at Troy Shirtmaker's Guild rotten factory with cracked windows and incredibly hot in the summer and incredibly cold in the winter." That’s the now-iconic Glens Falls shirt factory it was best known as the McMullen-Leavens Shirt Factory although it changed owners many times in its 100+ year history "Upstairs on the floor above us were all the machines," O'Callaghan remembers Exterior of McMullen Leavens Co O’Callaghan worked as a “thread picker.” Her job was quality control - inspecting each shirt by hand to make sure nothing was amiss "Presses would give you 12 shirts at a time and you'd check the collars and then check all along the seams," she remembers she'd "pull any loose threads or send anything back that had a cuff that didn't line out perfectly right." Those shirts got sent out across the US and sold in stores like Nieman Marcus Related stories:North Country at Work: In Glens Falls The Shirt Factory offers local artists and businesses a communityNo news for - please check back again later the factory made dresses and other products but O'Callaghan says "they were down to just the white dress shirts at that time." O’Callaghan left the shirt factory after a few months She went on to attend nursing school and spent 39 years as a nurse the building has been repurposed as a home to nearly 100 local artisans and small businesses The North Warren boys basketball team got 22 points from freshman Semaj Cuyler but the Cougars fell to undefeated Berne-Knox on Monday night in the Section II Class C semifinals at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls North Warren's Coleman Swartz (10) picks up the steal in front of Berne-Knox's Dayne Coates (1) as the Cougars' Tyler Hitchcock (5) and Wyatt Jennings (33) look on during Monday night's Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls North Warren's Semaj Cuyler (1) drives to the hoop over Berne-Knox's Dayne Coates while George Wright (23) tries to block the shot during their March 3 Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls addresses the North Warren Cougars during a timeout in Monday night's Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls North Warren's Elijah Horge (2) brings the ball up the court against Berne-Knox's Arlan Wright (32) during Monday night's Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls North Warren's Wyatt Jennings (33) sinks a 3-pointer from the corner over Berne-Knox's George Wright (23) during Monday night's Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls North Warren's Semaj Cuyler (1) drives to the hoop in front of Berne-Knox defenders Shane Kirker (3) and Arlan Wright (32) during the Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal on March 3 at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls North Warren's Elijah Horge (2) plays tight defense on Berne-Knox's Dayne Coates with Brodie Rooker (12) supporting in Monday night's Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls North Warren boys basketball coach James Cuyler hugs senior Elijah Horge as he comes off the court for the final time after the Cougars' Section II Class C semifinal loss to Berne-Knox on Monday night at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls North Warren's Coleman Schwartz (10) defends Berne-Knox's George Wright (23) as Wyatt Jennings (33) looks on during Monday night's Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls North Warren's Chase Scheidegger (24) goes up for the layup in front of Berne-Knox's George Wright (23) during Monday night's Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls The North Warren bench erupts following a 3-point basket during Monday night's Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal against Berne-Knox at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls North Warren's Semaj Cuyler (1) goes up for the opening tipoff against Berne-Knox's Shane Kirker (3) to start Monday night's Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls The North Warren boys basketball team huddles up before Monday night's Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal against Berne-Knox at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls The North Warren boys basketball team's starters get ready for player introductions before Monday night's Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls Coleman Swartz (10) and Tyler Hitchcock (5) North Warren's Elijah Horge waits for the signal to head onto the court for warmups before Monday night's Section II Class C boys basketball semifinal against Berne-Knox at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls North Warren Cougars enter the court to warm up for their sectional contest against Berne-Knox-Westerlo talks to his starters during a timeout in Monday's Class C semifinal of the Section II Boys Basketball Tournament at Cool Insuring Arena The North Warren boys basketball team's exciting run to the Section II Class C final four came to an end Monday night against the top seed Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Ana Williams-BergenNorth Country at Work: Celebrating diverse authors in a Glens Falls bookshop Hillary Smith is the owner of Black Walnut Books a tiny independent bookshop in Glens Falls She’s worked at bookstores for a long time but this is the first one she’s owned She says she’s part of a renaissance of independent bookstores "I started in the book industry right after Amazon started and tons and tons of mom-and-pop shops closed all over the country." Smith says there are "more bookstores than there have ever been specialty bookstores are opening up all the time." Hillary Smith behind the counter at Black Walnut Books The idea of her bookstore started when Smith was living in California she had a bit of time off to think about what she wanted to do and they wanted somewhere that "wasn’t on fire." Smith wanted to focus on books by underheard voices: queer and Indigenous folks and authors of color "I started it as a bookstagram account on Instagram before I moved so that people could get kind of hear my recommendations and get a feel for what I like to read," she said One of those pop-ups was at the Shirt Factory in Glens Falls an old industrial space filled with small businesses and artist studios Related stories:North Country at Work: In Glens Falls The Shirt Factory offers local artists and businesses a community "I mentioned to the owner of the building that if he ever had a space opening up I would love it," she remembers I had a space and I got to make it my own." The bookstore is only about 300 square feet Smith relishes finding the perfect book for each customer She says getting to connect with a fellow reader is why a lot of people still rely on independent bookstores "My favorite thing is when I have repeat customers and they say And this is what I didn't like about that one.' So we can really nail it down and get the perfect book for them." Smith says bookstores are the heart of a community She tries to have as many book clubs and social events as she can "It's just a safe space to go and see other people who are like you voices that are like yours or totally different than yours And you can grow and change and see so many different worlds." A big part of that for Smith is reading "own voices," books that are written by the people they’re about Nearly every book in her store was written by an author of color Smith says that when she started paying attention to which authors she read "You can find these gems and these really unique voices that just haven't been published as much." Working with small publishers is a huge part of what Smith does She loves introducing people to books they’ve never heard of before stories that wouldn’t make the front shelf at a mainstream bookstore Smith says she has relationships with many publishers who keep her in mind because they know her niche Photo: Ana Williams-Bergen Opening Black Walnut Books went even better than Smith expected she opened Little Black Walnut Books down the hall in the Shirt Factory Smith says it's been surreal "to hear the feedback from queer people who have grown up here and can't believe that this exists in their hometown And from young people who are getting to grow up with this." Smith is building the kind of space she wishes she had as a child I have literally cried reading those books because it's just not something that you get to see all the time." "I think that if I had seen myself in books when I was younger that would have led me to be happier earlier." Smith says she wasn’t sure what to expect opening a business that was so openly queer "Even people who don't know the right words or how to do pronouns and everything they come in and they're wanting to learn and grow." "Even if [some customers] don't necessarily agree with me on everything If you’re looking for your next read Smith recommends Broken Blade by Melissa Blair or This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone Oct 26 Glens Falls is in the process of drafting new ‘short term rental’ rules for the city As the Glens Falls Post Star reports they would ban short-term rentals from residential neighborhoods with single family homes Any currently existing STRs in those neighborhoods would have a five year grace period The city is also working on an official definition for STRs beyond the 4% occupancy tax the county already collects The new rules come after a public forum in September Only 15 respondents said they felt ‘very positive’ about short-term rentals in their neighborhood Officials say a hearing for the new rules could happen as soon as December Mar 07 Last week a dead body was found in a clothes donation bin in Glens Falls The Glens Falls Post Star reports the body was discovered early Thursday morning when someone reported that a clothing bin on Hudson Avenue was on fire When the fire department arrived to put the fire out The police have not released the identity of the person Investigators are asking anyone who was in the area between last Wednesday at 9:30 p.m to contact the Glens Falls Police Department Jul 26 Jimmer Fredette The summer 2024 olympics officially kick off in Paris tonight More than 10,000 athletes are representing over 200 countries — but one of those athletes is from right here Jimmer Fredette of Glens Falls will represent the United States at the 2024 Olympics The 35-year-old former NBA and College standout will be hooping for the national 3 on 3 basketball team “It's kind of like playing outside just like when you're younger you can be a little bit more physical," says Fredette Zach JaworskiGlen Falls' Jimmer Fredette representing Team USA at Olympics When most people think of Olympic basketball they think of the traditional 5 on 5 version of the sport for the second time ever there’s going to be 3 on 3 basketball at the games Fredette says he had to adapt to this different style of basketball half court continuous play with a different type of conditioning," he says "It took me about six months before I felt really comfortable on the court where I felt like I feel like I'm playing 3x 3 basketball now.”  There’s also plenty of olympic themed activities happening in the North Country’s own Olympic village Lake Placid is hosting live streamings of the 2024 games at various former-olympic venues across the town There are also educational sessions about the Olympic movement plus inline skating The 2024 Olympic Games last through August 11th Comments from Fredette came courtesy of NPR’s Brian Mann Sep 08 Glens Falls Hospital is planning a $25 million renovation and expansion of its emergency department The hospital says it'll make the facility 40% larger and add state-of-the-art care areas including a CT scanner The project will also add a covered portico and larger waiting area double the number of rooms for the most seriously ill patients and create a new treatment area for patients with relatively minor illnesses and injuries The plans were announced at the Glens Falls Hospital Foundation's "Evening to Savor" gala in addition to $7.25 million in private gifts toward the project The hospital plans to raise $15 million in private gifts and secure the rest of the funding from public sources to avoid incurring debt Glens Falls Hospital President/CEO Paul Scimeca said the emergency department serves five counties and 6,000 square miles it is 114 miles to the next full-service emergency department," he said and our Emergency Department providers deserve the right tools to take care of our friends and neighbors.” Scimeca added the ER sees more than 44,000 patients each year and the hospital expects that number to increase significantly over the next decade Jul 16 Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency statewide after severe storms possible tornados and extreme wind pushed through the state on Tuesday Hochul said communities in central New York and the Mohawk Valley are dealing with storm and wind damage “With possible tornado touchdowns across the state we are standing ready to assist localities however necessary as severe weather continues to move across the state,” Hochul said “New Yorkers should be sure to monitor their local forecasts and prepare for hazardous travel and other impacts from these storms.” Trees and power lines fell in Glens Falls on Tuesday as severe weather pushed its way through the region Glens Falls has declared a state of emergency after 85-mile-per-hour winds ripped through the community The following roads are closed because of downed power lines and trees and flooding: • McDonald at Warren• Mauro at Jackson • Hartford• Sanford from Ridge to Windy Hill• Monument and Parker• Staple Street• Murray Street Hill• Ogden• Catherine• Lincoln• Charlotte / Grove• Lower Lawrence between McDonald and Platt According to National Grid, more than 17,000 customers in the region are affected by power outages with thousands more across the North Country also without power NY 28 is closed in both directions in the town of Indian Lake town of Johnsburg line and the Hamilton-Warren County line Storms moved through the North Country on Tuesday Flooding at the Lewis County Fair The Lewis County Fair opened on Tuesday morning but closed early due to the storm Videos on social media showed rain pouring into the fairgrounds Crews were sweeping water out of booths and bathrooms Tuesday evening's parade and fireworks show are canceled Fair officials say they hope to open tomorrow Sackets Harbor Mayor Alex Morgia is warning residents to be careful while cleaning up from Tuesday's storm Morgia said the severe weather downed trees and power lines in the village He said crews are plowing roads to pick up branches "But there are some spots where they can't do it because the lines are live And we're still waiting on National Grid to get down here and confirm they're off," Morgia said the places where the lines are down still have power around them the worst thing that could happen is someone getting hurt because they're trying to clear trees." Morgia said trees and branches hit a few cars in the village He said they're hoping to get the area cleaned up ahead of the weekend A powerful thunderstorm pushed through the region this afternoon The National Weather Service warned of heavy rains and perhaps even a tornado in Jefferson and Lewis counties The storm downed trees on Sackets Harbor’s Main Street and on Fort Drum There was flash flooding in Public Square and other parts of downtown Watertown Jefferson County Fire and Emergency Management Deputy Director Niel Rivenburgh said the storms moved through quickly and dropped a lot of precipitation in a short time "There's probably been 40 to 50 calls for service through the 911 center A majority of them were in the initial areas impacted which would be Sackets Harbor Rutland and over into the north part of the county He added that there was one call about an injury from a tree that damaged a house He said that was resolved before the fire department arrived Rivenburgh said flooding already started to recede after the storm He said it would likely take a few hours to clean up National Grid is reporting some power outages in the area Apr 15 John E Parry boat on the Feeder Canal in Glens Falls Courtesy of the Chapman Museum (1976.44.36) Glens Falls sits nestled along the Hudson River just outside the southern border of the Adirondack Park close to lots of natural resources with a waterway that can take them down to Albany or New York If you were living there in the 1800s and thinking about business opportunities Maureen Folk is a curator at the Chapman Museum in Glens Falls She says the area was settled because of the Hudson River and the water power it could provide New York was building massive canal projects which connected southern Lake Champlain to the Hudson River Folk says those projects gave business leaders in Glens Falls an idea and "the industrialists in Glens Falls were like Folk says it wasn't used for transportation but “to send water from the Hudson River over to the Champlain Canal so the Champlain Canal can better function and have higher water." Ana Williams-BergenHow a 7-mile canal transformed Glens Falls Folk says local leaders knew it had lots of potential if it could allow shipping they widened the canal to let two barges pass side by side The feeder canal could now move materials from Glens Falls and the Adirondacks downstate All of those things were shipped on the Feeder Canal connecting over to the Champlain Canal and connecting down to New York City It put Glens Falls on a nationwide market.”  Logs from across the Adirondacks floated down the Hudson River to Glens Falls Glens Falls Portland Cement Courtesy of the Chapman Museum (1976.44.36).Folk says the canal transformed the town Glens Falls went from a population of around 100 in 1831 to nearly 10,000 by 1980 Folk says industry leaders invested heavily in the community a strong effort from the very beginning to keep the community in mind.” Folk says the canal meant that "just 7 miles changed the functionality of this entire city!" the canal isn’t the economic powerhouse it used to be But Folk says you can still see its economic legacy all over Glens Falls then the Grand Canyon is just a hole in the ground Baseball’s been called a religion and a love "Baseball is like life played out on a field," said Juliana Hatfield The exhibit "Hometown Teams" at the Chapman Museum considers that love and life played out through generations of people in Glens Falls and the local kids who made it to the Majors Monica SandreczkiThe bonds of baseball in Glens Falls Group of boys playing ball One of the oldest pictures in the exhibit is a blue cyanotype ca of a group young boys in the heat of a neighborhood game Andrew Kramer has a window into these early days of baseball in the area Maureen Folk "I look at these photos and I see really tough kids that went through a tough upbringing," said Kramer baseball coach for SUNY Plattsburgh and the Clinton County Junior Mariners His grandfather was a catcher in the Albany Twilight League as a left-handed pitcher for the North Country Thunderbirds in Plattsburgh "He used to tell me stories about how every street down in Albany They would play each other just because there were so many kids around Whenever they broke a finger or a bone and they couldn't afford healthcare they would just tape it up and keep playing." Part of the story of baseball in Glens Falls is told in this exhibit through decades of team photos Inside a glass display case is a thin brown scorebook from 1885 is one of the most important parts of the game "[It] keeps these leagues and the histories alive Glens Falls Academy Baseball Team Maureen Folk says her job is tricky because the records may exist but for small independent teams like the Adirondack Lumberjacks or the Glens Falls Independents they might be in a box in a relative's basement The exhibit also highlights some of the big names in Glens Falls baseball history The first Black manager of a Little League team in Glens Falls led his team to the Little League World Series in 1955 Local kid Dave LaPoint graduated from Glens Falls High School in 1977 Louis Cardinals during their championship year in 1982 He came back for a visit to his hometown the year after winning the World Series An off-white pennant for the short-lived Glens Falls White Sox is tacked on the wall They were a Double-A farm team for the Chicago White Sox in the 1980s Beneath it is a poster of local kid Dave LaPoint who played ball at Glens Falls High School Louis Cardinals during their World Series win in 1982 "There's nothing else that gives me that little bit of excitement than getting a good piece of the ball or throwing a pitch how I intended and striking out a batter It's just that little jolt of electricity," said Kramer Though these objects are important to the region's history the story of baseball is also told through people and the bonds that form between them Inside a glass display case sits a pair of faded red Warren-Washington Baseball League socks and catchers pads (ca (donated by Roy McDougall in memory of Ralph "Lefty" Story) and a pair of dusty Wilson baseball cleats (ca similar to ones Kramer's grandfather would have worn in the Albany Twilight League His grandfather told him stories about playing at Bleecker Stadium like the time he hit his head guarding home plate from a runner sliding into home and lost his hearing Kramer's friend worked it so he could play a few games there "To be the third generation of my family to play at Bleecker Stadium was something special," said Kramer He was a left-handed pitcher for the Glens Falls Golden Eagles She loaned the museum his 2013 baseball card "My big hope with this exhibit is just to get one more person It's exciting to support those big Major League teams folks throughout the North Country play ball all summer long in community softball leagues Kramer fundraises and coaches kids in a low-cost program in Clinton County (Left) West Glens Falls players the Watertown Rapids and the Boonville Lumberjacks the independent Empire Professional League trains professional players to try out for the Majors on teams in Tupper Lake Kramer and Folk say rooting for these hometown teams matters "That's a part of the sport that gets passed on from generation to generation These teams and folks were from the same town Luzerne baseball team — A man was shot near the corner of North Pearl Street and Lawrence Street in Glens Falls at around 6:01 p.m they found a victim "struck with projectiles" and casings which helped police confirm the victim was shot After initially being taken to Glens Falls Hospital to be treated for multiple gunshot wounds the victim is now in stable condition at Albany Medical Center Police said the wounds were consistent with gunshot wounds from a "small caliber round." No suspects were near the scene when police arrived the Glens Falls Police Department said a person of interest was named and later found No other information was released on the suspect Police said that its investigation into the shooting is ongoing The Glens Falls Police Department believes the shooting was an isolated incident between the suspect and victim police are not releasing the name of the victim name of the suspect or relationship between them The Glens Falls Police Department asks anyone with information on the shooting to call them at 518-761-3840 We'll update this story as more information becomes available The Glens Falls area is often considered to be the southern gateway to the Adirondacks But for the purpose of re-opening the economy during the.. May 12 2020 — The Glens Falls area is often considered to be the southern gateway to the Adirondacks But for the purpose of re-opening the economy during the coronavirus pandemic the state includes it in the Capital Region That worries Warren and Washington county officials who say the designation could slow down their road to restarting the economy Glens Falls Since Governor Andrew Cuomo began laying out the framework for releasing the coronavirus quarantine he’s described a region-by-region reopening acknowledging that the coronavirus risk is very different in different parts of the state "The North Country is a region," he said last month "That is an area where you could come up with a specific strategy because you know the numbers in that region and it’s just different than it is anywhere else." The state is using its Regional Economic Development Councils to define those regions which groups Warren and Washington counties with the Capital Region But local officials are scratching their heads saying their rural character is more closely related to the North Country Sam Hall is chairman of the Washington County board of supervisors New York's regional economic development regions The state is using the same regions for its "unpause" rollout during the pandemic."Does it make sense that we would be grouped in with Albany based on the nature of the county?," he asked during a conference call Monday set up by Rep Those Capital Region counties are more urban and have higher rates of coronavirus infection and hospitalization whose district includes places like Lake George said Warren and Washington County have lower rates of coronavirus spread.  "The goal should be to let everyone who can safely reopen and they shouldn’t be hamstrung by what side of an arbitrary line they’re on." Stec and other lawmakers including State Senator Betty Little have written a letter asking the state to align Warren and Washington’s reopening more closely with that of the North Country Little says North Country businesses are already starting to dive into the details of reopening, and that planning transcends county borders. "Hamilton County has a webinar on how to disinfect and prepare your store But Little agreed any region needs to go slowly She noted the COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes in the Glens Falls area are worrisome adding staff there will need to be tested twice a week And she said testing capacity across the region needs to be increased before the slow process of reopening can begin Apr 16 In the fall of 2016,  Glens Falls got exciting news: it was one of the first five communities in New York State to receive a new called the Downtown Revitalization Initiative Eight other North Country communities have received DRI grants Fast forward eight years and Glens Falls is finally getting close to completing its DRI projects which would make it the first community in the region to do so Downtown Glens Falls has gotten a real facelift over the last decade who are participating [in downtown life] by visiting the library or they're doing some sort of business downtown it's amazing the difference in ten years," said Patrick Dowd Glens Falls' Community Development Director "This would have been pretty empty just fifteen years ago." Dowd says a lot of that is due to private investment but some of it is from the city’s DRI grant which had a small program that helped pay for upgrades to downtown exteriors and interiors Exterior of 237 Glen Street Photo from Google Businesses via the business the Glens Falls Economic Development Director says those small aesthetic improvements make a big difference to the eye All the adjoining buildings and neighboring buildings that benefit from the sprucing up one," said Flagg 237 Glen Street is the home of an old bank building which sits right next to the public library marble stone building that's four stories high," said Dowd as we stood in front of the building with a large "It's a landmark on Glen Street and in Glens Falls." Worksmart received a small grant from the city’s DRI for  furniture Flagg says the business fills a niche in the downtown area and is a great resource for remote workers "People who occasionally need a place to work off-site or need a place to meet clients and things like that," use Worksmart "It sort of provides that big city touch with a small city feel." Business partners Will Fowler Flagg said that it's important to note that Worksmart  put a lot of its own money into sprucing up the historic building "Much of the investment was from them," said Flagg "The city gave them a small grant for some furniture fixtures and equipment and things like that."  Flagg said this is a good illustration of how a Downtown Revitalization Grant works by using state money to spur and inspire improvements to a downtown area "This is a perfect example of how the city's investment was a tiny piece," said Flagg eight years after Glens Falls received their DRI grant in 2016 the city is still working to complete its DRI projects The $10 million dollars doesn't come in the form of upfront check and is mostly provided on a reimbursement basis That means communities have to do projects before they get money for them and many of the projects cost a lot more than what they'll get reimbursed for Hannah Williams in front her mural at 20 Warren Street in Glens Falls Read about the DRI's role in Glens Falls' mural renaissance here.   Lots of the Glens Falls DRI grant's smaller projects have already happened; the façade program the painting of big murals in the arts district and relocating SUNY Adirondack’s culinary program downtown But the biggest DRI goal was to revitalize a rundown section of South Street between Broad and Elm Streets; basically "one block off of the downtown of Glens Falls," said Patrick Dowd This is an area he knows well; he visited restaurants and bars here when he was younger the city finally started construction and rehabilitation of a large lot and three existing buildings; this will be the revitalized 'South Street Corridor.'  a crane was working on the foundation of the future year-round building that will be the home of the Glens Falls Farmers Market "You can see the footprint here," said Jeff Flagg "that we'll use for not only for the farmers market year round but also [as a] sort of a larger market center for all sorts of festivals and events."  The three empty buildings are slated to be transformed into mixed-use spaces of shops Construction on the South Street Corridor project Photo courtesy of the Economic and Community Development Office The current activity on South Street makes Flagg and Patrick Dowd really happy I'm thrilled to see this because to me this is the culmination of a long time dream." There have been a lot of delays since Glens Falls got the DRI grant in late 2016 the city had to acquire and demolish buildings in the South Street area it unveiled plans for the 10,000 square foot market space The city had to change its heating plans after new climate change legislation was passed And in July of 2020, Ed Bartholomew, the city’s longtime economic development director and a former two-term mayor of the city, who was responsible for securing the DRI grant in the first place, died unexpectedly. That was a huge blow for the community and local government And Bartholomew left a lot of open projects behind him and so seven months later when I was hired there were at least two dozen open grants," said Flagg "and we're benefiting from a lot of them today," but it also took a lot of time to figure them out Flagg was hired in early 2021 as Economic Development Director "We spent about six to eight months really trying to sort of unravel the various grants that went to the city and the county," said Flagg "And then to sort of make sure they were moving forward."  Flagg says they had to figure out financing for the DRI South Street project all over again because the grants they had recieved in 2016 were no longer "going to cover the cost that are anticipated in 2022," said Flagg "We had this incredibly quick rise in interest rates it was touch and go there because the city can't just magically create a bunch more money [to spend on DRI projects like the marker center]." You have to work with the contractors," said Flagg Bunkoff General Contractors is building the Market Center and Bonacio Construction is working on the Market Square which includes the three buildings on South and Elm "You have to sort of find money where you can reallocate take some chances and take some risks," said Flagg Flagg said he believes the DRI will pay off in the long run and is relieved to see construction underway on South Street The city expects to have finished all the DRI projects by Spring of 2025 Jan 15 Zach Hirsch and Emily RussellWe investigated the far-right in the North Country This interview is part of a podcast on far-right extremism called 'If All Else Fails.' A Black Lives Matter sign was vandalized with swastikas and the n-word in the Fulton County town of Oppenheim in 2023 Photo: Zach HirschDAVID SOMMERSTEIN: So you two spent months investigating far-right extremism in Upstate New York and I want to dive into what you found let's talk about how you two got into this story so Zach and I have spent years covering politics in Upstate New York This is a part of the state that’s very rural and has become increasingly conservative That’s a trend we’ve seen in other rural areas around the country But most of our reporting focused more on mainstream politics the shift to the right we’ve seen among politicians who represent our region and the shift we’ve seen among voters ZACH HIRSCH: And I think the thing that we hadn’t done yet was really dive into the far-right side of politics here We’re not just talking about people with very conservative views we’re talking about people and groups who are anti-government or extremist So this reporting was really focused on ideologies that threaten violence or push the country towards authoritarianism And we should be clear - while a lot of these ideas are becoming more mainstream the people openly calling for violence are a slim minority It's hard to find sources and information on these groups People seem less likely now to chat and organize on major social media sites And many people on the far right just didn’t want to talk to reporters like us SOMMERSTEIN: So how did you go about finding sources and figuring out what the far-right landscape in Upstate New York is all about HIRSCH: Well we traveled around the region looking at lawn signs and flags people fly looking at bumper stickers and taking note of the far-right symbols that people put on display RUSSELL: And once you kind of know what to look for you start noticing those far-right symbols more both from here in Upstate and national experts on extremism We interviewed an FBI agent and the top security official in New York And then we also relied on some of the pretty extensive reporting that other journalists have done on the far-right over the years And how is far-right extremism different here in Upstate New York than in other parts of rural America A number of groups across the state have rallied against the SAFE Act Extremist groups gain traction over different issues in different parts of the country white nationalism has come into the spotlight in response to Confederate statues coming down That’s what sparked the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville In states along the southern border like Texas there are militia groups that are anti-immigrant what we found was that guns were kind of the main focus of the far-right movement HIRSCH: Yeah and we’ve seen that really on the rise in the last decade A new gun control measure was passed in New York back in 2013 being against the SAFE Act and being pro-gun rights is mainstream in Upstate New York What we saw was in some cases was that legitimate disagreements over gun control kind of morphed into something else It was a catalyst for anti-government groups and threats of violence And that's the kind of activity that worries the FBI and counter-terrorism officials Second Amendment arguments seem to have gained the most traction for the far right People have used the gun rights issue as a recruitment tool for militias your government is trying to take this right away from you you mentioned racism and how ideas like white supremacy are part of far-right ideologies in other parts of the country Three Confederate flags on a home in Glens Falls Photo: NCPRRUSSELL: One thing we struggled with during our reporting was not having any real way to know how widespread a certain belief is we can drive around and count how many Confederate flags we see around Upstate New York or talk to locals and experts about what they’re seeing but there’s just no way to know what’s motivating individual people on the far-right What we can say is that here in Upstate New York it appears that far-right groups and militias and ideologies are more focused on gun rights and an anti-government ideology than overt white supremacy there’s also the more in-your-face kind of racism too Ku Klux Klan flyers have surfaced in recent years The Proud Boys have also tried to recruit here SOMMERSTEIN: So this series has a pretty narrow focus on far-right extremism HIRSCH: We talked with Jackie Bray about that kind of pushback Bray leads New York’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services "The truth is that when we look at the facts we see far more violent extremism and violent extremism that leads to death from racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists in the white supremacist and the neo-Nazi groups," said Bray SOMMERSTEIN: We’re officially in a presidential election year It could very well be a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump What did you guys find when you talked to people for the podcast about the election HIRSCH: There’s a real sense of anxiety from people knowing that people can be pushed to their limits to defend their beliefs Some experts say the lack of violence during the 2022 midterms was a good sign but again I think a lot of people are on edge heading into November We talked to one woman from the town of Moreau She’s worried things could turn violent and doesn’t think Democrats are necessarily gonna save the day here but I just think we're headed towards some kind of civil but there's definitely going to be a reckoning RUSSELL: And an interesting thing is that what Beth Wadleigh said echoes what people on the other end of the political spectrum told us One of those people was James Bonet from Episode 4 remember he was part of the January 6th attack on the Capitol "I think Trump will win and that's when I think that they’re going to try starting World War Three," said Bonet Lewis County Sheriff Mike Carpinelli at a Stop the Steal rally in Albany HIRSCH: The 'they' that Bonet is talking about is the Biden administration And then there’s Sheriff Mike Carpinelli from Episode 2 [...] But I don’t think [...] that we’re there yet.” We’d love to ask Carpinelli what that means He hasn’t returned our calls and emails people across the political spectrum appear to be thinking in terms of a reckoning or some kind of violence - and that is not good SOMMERSTEIN: A lot of this podcast is about radicalization as a tool for recruitment among far-right groups What’s being done to push back or prevent people from getting radicalized HIRSCH: There are agencies and experts who are really focused on that and the key is to prevent someone from going down the rabbit hole in the first place We heard that deradicalizing or deprogramming someone after the fact is so much harder RUSSELL: One of the places leading that effort on the national level is the Polarization & Extremism Research and Innovation Lab at American University Pete Kurtz-Glovas is from that lab and says they’re really focused on preventing radicalization "If we start to take a public health approach to these kinds of issues then you actually face a real opportunity to prevent folks from falling down these conspiratorial rabbit holes because they are in better-connected communities," said Kurtz-Glovas people can recognize when folks are maybe starting to spend too much time online or too much time consuming conspiratorial content." what do you want people to take away from your reporting A bumper sticker in Lewis County Photo: Emily RussellHIRSCH: I think one important thing to emphasize is that there are dots that connect a lot of what may seem like separate factions of the far right There is a thread that runs through all of these It’s about authoritarian control - and also that vision of the country is deeply Christian RUSSELL: We say this throughout the series but it’s worth mentioning again- physical violence from far-right extremism appears to be pretty rare in Upstate New York with the [2022] racist mass shooting in Buffalo just one person who’s been radicalized can do tremendous damage just a handful of people from the North Country that we know of took part in that day and dozens more from other parts of New York If you take just a handful of people from every region around the country suddenly you have a mob of thousands that can threaten the political system and democracy in the United States This reporting is part of a podcast on far-right extremism in Upstate New York called 'If All Else Fails.' The show received grant support from Grist and the Center for Rural Strategies. The artwork for the podcast was designed by Dan Cash There's a big red brick box of a building on Lawrence Street in Glens Falls covered in different windows and looking like a factory from a.. Jan 23 2018 — There's a big red brick box of a building on Lawrence Street in Glens Falls covered in different windows and looking like a factory from a century ago The building used to be the McMullen Leavens Shirt Company a successful shirt and dressmaking factory that employed hundreds of people Its high-fashion clothing made it into magazines like Vogue in the 1930s and '40s A painting of the McMullen Leavens Shirt Company as it looked in the mid 20th century The factory was both an employer and a point of pride of the Glens Falls community. You can find a more complete history of the McMullen Leavens Shirt Company here. Starting in the late 1950s the factory had changed hands several times and was shut down The exterior of the shirt factory as it looks now current owner Eric Unkauf bought the building and started renting out space to local artisans and small businesses there are over 100 people working in the shirt factory in 77 unique spaces – from art galleries to handmade food and clothing shops.  You can see and learn about some of the spaces in this video produced by Josh Clement Productions for the Adirondack North Country Association They interviewed occupants about the work culture within The Shirt Factory and what makes it so unique.  Occupants say the space is perfecly suited for being divided up into individual art and business spaces “The wonderful part about The Shirt Factory is the historical part of it and the vastness as far as the space available to create art or to create a business.” occupants say what they really love is that the building feels like a community of artists and small business owners. Ben Kemp owns a tea shop called Sensibili Teas and puts it this way:  “It’s people that all want to be more free to express themselves so there’s an artist type vibe to the place… people are happy here Left: Dustin Saam of Dustin Saam Violins center: Ben Kemp in his tea shop Sensibili Teas right: Jacquiline Touba of North Country Arts The Shirt Factory is the opposite of a big box store - no two stores or spaces are the same you can find a lot that isn't anywhere else Just about all the products for sale are handmade and limited edition - from tea to soap to artwork and says she's blown away by the talent and variety around her.  “If you want something very unqiue created or fixed…you’ve got the furniture guys downstairs you’ve got Adirondack furniture being built over there there’s somebody making vinegar sauces to make nonalcoholic cocktails There are also several service businesses based in the building - a violin restorer a yoga studio - and a lot of the space is rented by artists as studio space. Dave Francis owns The Shirt Factory Gallery and says he loves the collaborative nature that arises from being so close to other visual artists.  “When I first had my studio here I would come into a composition or a color problem and I knew that I could pop next door to a friend’s studio and just say ‘hey what do you think?’ So it was always that attitude of sharing and helping each other.”  Jacquiline Touba of North Country Arts feels the same way “I think a lot of people like being here because you have that comradery you collaborate together… you see each other you say hello… you don’t feel as if you’re working in isolation.” The space is often host to open houses and will open the grassy courtyard to Farmers Markets and other events Thursdays through Saturdays are recommended.   Events like farmers markets are often held in the open grassy courtyard space of the shirt factory Thanks to the Adirondack North Country Association for sharing their video It’s just one in their series of videos on small businesses and artists from around the region Photos were supplied by Eric and Billie Jean Nov 17 A Glens Falls cement plant will close sometime next year The Glens Falls Post-Star reports that news that the Lehigh Cement Company would be closing was a surprise to mayor Bill Collins and other officials The company has been in Glens Falls for about 130 years It has 85 full-time employees at the Glens Falls facility Collins said city and regional officials want to know how the company plans to help their employees They also want to know what will happen to the property A specific reason for the closing has not been made public A county economic development official says the building materials industry is facing new economic pressures that may have led to the decision A spokesperson for the cement company says a long-term plan for the site has not been made yet Glens Falls' Aiden Prunty is all smiles after being fouled with just a few seconds left in Saturday night's game His free throws helped seal the Black Bears' 78-70 Class A regional victory over Westhill at Hudson Valley Community College Glens Falls returns to the State Boys Basketball Tournament playing in the Class A semifinals on Friday at 9 a.m The Glens Falls boys basketball team celebrates as head coach Rob Girard holds up the Class A regional plaque Saturday night after the Black Bears defeated Westhill 78-70 at Hudson Valley Community College return home for the State Boys Basketball Tournament on Friday at Cool Insuring Arena TROY — The final step home was not without a few anxious moments for the Glens Falls boys basketball team Saturday night The undefeated Black Bears watched a 15-point fourth-quarter lead melt away to just three points but came through down the stretch for a 78-70 Class A regional final victory over Westhill at Hudson Valley Community College Kellen Driscoll poured in 38 points to power Glens Falls which gets to stay home for the State Boys Basketball Tournament Glens Falls' Kellen Driscoll drives up for a shot as three Westhill defenders look on during last season's Class A regional boys basketball final on March 9 at Hudson Valley Community College we get to play in front of that home crowd,” said Driscoll “It means a lot — you saw the stands here today they were packed,” junior guard Brody Holcomb said the Civic Center (now Cool Insuring Arena) The Black Bears (25-0) are scheduled to face Maine-Endwell (14-7) on Friday at 9 a.m 1 Catholic Central in the Section II finals Glens Falls' Kellen Driscoll speaks after Saturday's regional victory over Westhill Holcomb added 14 points and Aiden Prunty had 12 for Glens Falls which returns to the state tournament for the first time since winning the state and Federation Class B titles in 2019 The state tournament moves to Binghamton next year for a three-year stint people forget that,” Glens Falls coach Rob Girard said “So this is our first time back in the Civic Center Glens Falls coach Rob Girard speaks after Saturday's regional victory over Westhill But getting back to Cool Insuring Arena took a gritty effort after the Black Bears had opened the fourth quarter with an 11-4 run to a 66-51 lead — Glens Falls’ biggest of the game Westhill (22-3) — which won the Class B state title last year — rallied with a scorching 14-2 run getting nine points directly off of Black Bears turnovers That pulled the Warriors within 68-65 with two minutes left in regulation “Our execution wasn’t terrible — we made some bad passes we had guys where they were supposed to be Glens Falls' Brody Holcomb drives to the hoop while trying to avoid a Westhill defender during Saturday night's Class A regional boys basketball final at Hudson Valley Community College “We play fast and we kept trying to play fast they put the press on and they got a couple turnovers the ball bounced their way a couple of times,” said Holcomb who drained a layup with 1:29 to play to keep Westhill at bay then he and eighth-grader Aiden Prunty went a combined 6 for 6 from the foul line in the final 30 seconds as Glens Falls finished the game on an 8-3 run The final seconds of Glens Falls' regional win over Westhill on Saturday night “That was not very good ball management,” Driscoll said then run our offense and make our free throws when they fouled us.” Glens Falls' Oscar Lilac drives around a Westhill player during Saturday night's Class A regional boys basketball final at Hudson Valley Community College I think we all had to just take a deep breath and focus because I think we lost our focus and started throwing the ball around,” junior point guard Oscar Lilac said look at the clock and go from there.’ We took one possession at a time and Eli Welch added 18 for the Syracuse-area Warriors Glens Falls and Westhill had matched each other shot for shot until the Black Bears pulled away to a 37-30 halftime lead Glens Falls led 51-38 midway through the third before the Warriors began chipping back Driscoll scored 23 of his 38 points in the first half including the first 11 of the game for Glens Falls He felt it necessary today and we needed him — we needed every single one as it turned out.” “Everything was kind of falling for me today,” Driscoll said “We know we’ve got five guys that can play we know we can play with anyone if we’re playing good “I’m super proud of our team this year,” he added The Glens Falls boys basketball team poses for a team photo Saturday night after defeating Westhill for the Class A regional title The Black Bears (25-0) return home to Cool Insuring Arena next weekend for the State Boys Basketball Tournament Glens Falls' Cooper Nadler (24) puts up a shot over Westhill's Charlie DeMore (5) during the second half of Saturday night's Class A regional boys basketball final at Hudson Valley Community College Glens Falls' Aiden Prunty (2) surveys the court as he dribbles in front of Westhill's Eli Prince (34) during the second half of Saturday night's Class A regional boys basketball final at Hudson Valley Community College Glens Falls' Brody Holcomb (3) drives to the hoop around Westhill's Jackson Goodness (12) during their Class A regional boys basketball final last season at Hudson Valley Community College Glens Falls' Aiden Prunty (2) dribbles past Westhill's Eli Prince (34) during the second half of Saturday night's Class A regional boys basketball final at Hudson Valley Community College Glens Falls' Kellen Driscoll puts in a layup over a Westhill defender during Saturday night's Class A regional boys basketball final at Hudson Valley Community College Glens Falls coach Rob Girard talks to his players during a timeout in Saturday night's Class A regional final against Westhill at Hudson Valley Community College Glens Falls' Ralph Maldonado holds the Regional Championship plaque Saturday night as he and his teammates celebrate their 78-70 win over Westhill in the Class A boys regional final at Hudson Valley Community College Glens Falls' Brody Holcomb fires off a 3-pointer in the first half of Saturday night's Class A regional boys basketball final against Westhill at Hudson Valley Community College Pete Tobey is sports editor and directs the coverage of local sports Follow Pete Tobey on Twitter/X @ByPeteTobey Email notifications are only sent once a day Stillwater and Green Tech are part of the expanded 24-team field for this weekend’s State Boys… Glens Falls' goal of playing in the State Boys Basketball Tournament in their hometown building The State Boys Basketball Tournament begins Thursday at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls Here are six things to know about the tournament The Glens Falls boys basketball team is one step away from returning home for the state tournament This week's high school sports schedule and scoreboard for March 4-10 Foothills Council boys basketball coaches cannot vote for their own players for postseason all-star teams The Glens Falls boys basketball team used a dominant performance Tuesday night to move within a game of returning to the state tournament So how did the Glens Falls boys basketball team knock off the No 1-ranked team in the state for the Section II Class A championship The Glens Falls and North Warren boys basketball teams return to the Section II finals Saturday Glens Falls Hospital is furloughing more than 330 employees due to the coronavirus pandemic It’s the latest hospital in the region to cut back.. Apr 14 2020 — Glens Falls Hospital is furloughing more than 330 employees due to the coronavirus pandemic It’s the latest hospital in the region to cut back due to fallout from the coronavirus pandemic Glens Falls Hospital said the furloughs would come in areas not related to essential care or treating patients with COVID-19 The hospital said executives will also take a voluntary pay cut It said the employees would be hired back “as soon as possible depending on the course of the pandemic.” Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered all hospitals across New York to suspend elective surgeries and other non-essential clinics and procedures while preparing to handle the surge in coronavirus cases Hospitals rely on those procedures for their budgets Glens Falls isn’t the first hospital to lay off non-essential employees Hudson Headwaters furloughed more than 80 employees last week Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg put almost 70 people on unpaid leave in late March Glens Falls has seen a major revival of its downtown in the last fifteen years Where there used to be boarded up storefronts and empty sidewalks.. Oct 02 2019 — Glens Falls has seen a major revival of its downtown in the last fifteen years Where there used to be boarded up storefronts and empty sidewalks there are now busy streets and new shops Glens Falls has managed to do what a lot of North Country towns and cities strive for; it has breathed life back into its city center Downtown Glens Falls Emily RussellHow downtown Glens Falls came back to life Greenslade says she did not move here by choice “I came back because I had no job,” says Greenslade. For her and all her friends move to a bigger city where there was more to do ‘Where do we go to eat?’” Cara Greenslade (second from right) and her family moved to Glens Falls from Rockland County when she was 10 years old Photo courtesy of Cara Greenslade.Around the time Greenslade moved to Glens Falls, Will Doolittle was raising his family here Doolittle is a columnist for the Glens Falls Post-Star “I remember my wife and I complaining constantly ‘Can’t we at least have one coffee shop? Can’t we at least walk into downtown Doolittle and his family moved away from downtown followed by a downtown taco shop with margaritas served in hip mason jars the city started looking and feeling more alive “Glens Falls has been somewhat of a miracle turnaround,” says Michael N'dolo N’dolo is an economic development advisor for local governments and private developers in the region and says Glens Falls struggled for a long time “They’d lost population and employment from the 1960s to 2000 and it’s only been in the last 15 years that they’ve turned it around." The Shirt Factory is a refurbished industrial building a few blocks from downtown is a result of a few different things: the economy bouncing back - the city has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state - then interest rates dropping There's been a real push in the city to rehab old buildings and invest in new ones “So the mere fact that the city of Glens Falls has relatively inexpensive housing means you can have more people earning moderate incomes who are able to afford the housing and therefore the companies want to be there," N'dolo explains "So you get both - you get the housing development and you get the commercial and industrial development.” Another thing Glens Falls has going for it Glens Falls is 45 minutes from Albany and 20 from Saratoga Springs is what makes Glens Falls stand out against other  cities in the North Country “You get everything you could possibly want in Glens Falls and Saratoga and in Plattsburgh you don’t have quite as much and it’s just more remote.” One thing all three North Country cities do have in common is that they each received $10 million grants from the state to revitalize their downtowns Glens Falls is building a year-round farmers market and culinary arts center Glens Falls Post-Star columnist Will Doolittle Photo: Emily RussellBut Glens Falls also has private capital “This community has very civic minded who really will step forward and invest in the community," says Doolittle "That actually happened in downtown.” A coalition of investors revived the local theatre and nearby sports arena Sales tax revenue is up by more than 30% over the last 15 years certain industries did survive the downturn “There’s a manufacturing tradition that hasn’t died and is being taken up by a younger generation," says Doolittle "That’s incredibly encouraging.” Will Fowler was born and raised in Glens Falls and made his way back after college Fowler is a graphic designer at Sidekick Collective One of his business partners is Cara Greenslade who also moved back to Glens Falls after college Greenslade says the revival of downtown Glens Falls is what hooked her and their other business partner “We all really liked the area and wanted to take the next step in our careers and kind of liked the idea of doing that together in Glens Falls rather than branching off and maybe trying to find jobs in Saratoga or Albany,” says Greenslade Greenslade and Fowler also own their own homes in Glens Falls Fowler and his wife just had a baby this summer The Sidekick Collective office is on the second floor of the Shirt Factory a refurbished commercial building just a few blocks from downtown Fowler says the city has come a long way since his childhood here “I think about this building as a kind of a metaphor for Glens Falls It used to be a factory that made a very specific thing Time went on and it went out of business and it found a new life as a home for artists and artisans.”  more and more people are drawn to Glens Falls for the quality of life affordable neighborhoods and a downtown that’s come alive again Scenes from the Glens Falls football team's home opener against Broadalbin-Perth on Friday night at Putt LaMay Memorial Field talks to his football team before Friday night's Class B North game against Broadalbin-Perth Lilac recorded his 150th career victory as the Black Bears rolled 42-7 over B-P Glens Falls head coach Pat Lilac talks to his team during a timeout in Friday night's Class B North football game against Broadalbin-Perth at Putt LaMay Memorial Field giving Lilac his 150th coaching victory at Glens Falls and making him the winningest football coach in school history Glens Falls running back Dimaggio Riley (26) races upfield for a big gain during Friday night's Class B North football game against Broadalbin-Perth at Putt LaMay Memorial Field Riley finished with 156 yards and two touchdowns in the Black Bears' 42-7 victory Hot-air balloons are seen over Glens Falls before Friday night's high school football game at Glens Falls High School's Putt LaMay Memorial Field The 50th annual Adirondack Balloon Festival runs through Sunday Glens Falls sophomore Ralph Maldonado (52) waves the GF flag as the football team prepares to charge onto the field before Friday night's home opener at Putt LaMay Memorial Field It was the football team's first game under the new permanent lights at the stadium Glens Falls' new Black Bear mascot raises a cheer as the football team charges onto the field before Friday night's home opener at Putt LaMay Memorial Field It was Glens Falls' first football game under the new permanent lights at the stadium The Glens Falls High School student section donned Western outfits for the football team's home opener Friday night at Putt LaMay Memorial Field Glens Falls fans had a lot to cheer about as the Black Bears won Glens Falls football players get pregame instructions from head referee Paul Bricoccoli Jr before Friday night's game at Putt LaMay Memorial Field Bricoccoli's father coached football at Glens Falls at the same field in the 1970s before the team began playing at East Field Current Glens Falls coach Pat Lilac surpassed Bricoccoli's career total of 149 wins with a victory over Broadalbin-Perth Glens Falls football players line up for the national anthem at the start of Friday night's Class B North football game at Putt LaMay Memorial Field The sky is aglow with sunset colors at the start of Friday night's Class B North football game between Glens Falls and Broadalbin-Perth at Putt LaMay Memorial Field Glens Falls receiver Oscar Lilac (5) gets a block from teammate Dylan Baker (3) as he heads upfield during Friday night's Class B North football game at Putt LaMay Memorial Field Glens Falls receiver Oscar Lilac (5) is brought down by Broadalbin-Perth defender Kole Dominique (11) during Friday night's Class B North football game at Putt LaMay Memorial Field heads to the end zone for a touchdown as Broadalbin-Perth's Lorenzo Tambasco gives chase during Friday night's Class B North football game at Putt LaMay Memorial Field The Glens Falls offensive line clears the way for running back Dimaggio Riley (26) to score one of his two touchdowns during Friday night's Class B North football game against Broadalbin-Perth at Putt LaMay Memorial Field Glens Falls' Dan Batchelder (53) leaps to knock down a pass thrown by Broadalbin-Perth quarterback Jason Poremba (5) during Friday night's Class B North football game at Putt LaMay Memorial Field including Jakob Pregent (71) and Calob Duers (7) bring down a Broadalbin-Perth ballcarrier during Friday night's Class B North football game at Putt LaMay Memorial Field Glens Falls defensive personnel listen to their coaches during a timeout in Friday night's Class B North football game against Broadalbin-Perth at Putt LaMay Memorial Field including Dan Batchelder (53) and Calob Duers (7) put the brakes on Broadalbin-Perth rusher Kole Dominique (11) during Friday night's Class B North football game at Putt LaMay Memorial Field Glens Falls running back Justin Heym (32) is tripped up by Broadalbin-Perth's Lorenzo Tambasco as the Patriots' Matthew Brownell (10) closes in during Friday night's Class B North football game at Putt LaMay Memorial Field Glens Falls football coach Pat Lilac notched his 150th career victory Friday night as the Black Bears cruised past Broadalbin-Perth GLENS FALLS – North Rockland is in a good place right now The Red Raiders are one win away from a state championship following a 57-55 overtime win against Liverpool in a NYSPHSAA Class AA semifinal Friday at Cool Insuring Arena Yariel Gomez-Parra delivered the game-winner hitting a hanging jumper from the right baseline with 2.3 seconds remaining North Rockland has likely been underrated from the start of the playoffs The Red Raiders are highly motivated and unified on defense they are composed and find a way to score timely buckets “We just keep trusting each other,” Gomez-Parra said Let’s get a stop.’ We help each other out on defense Class C:Haldane moves on to state championship with overtime win Preview:Meet the North Rockland, Tappan Zee and Haldane final four teams There were four lead changes late in regulation Connor Wein got it going after struggling in the opening half and Elijah Barclay forced overtime from the free throw line with 4.7 seconds to play Both teams had the same defensive approach Wein scored the Red Raiders’ first six in overtime and knotted the score 55-55 with a pair of free throws with 1:35 to go in the extra session North Rockland did not give up a point in the final two minutes of overtime “These kids are bonded and they’re playing for each other,” Red Raiders coach Jamie Ryan said “Once you do that it takes a lot of nervousness out of it because they are so connected.” Evander Collazo found Gomez-Parra on the block and there was no hesitation on the shot but I knew it was going in,” the senior point guard said The level of intensity and execution on the defensive end over the last four games has been outstanding None of the last four opponents reached 50 points in regulation The level of intensity and execution from Wein and Barclay in the backcourt has been consistent And that's how championships are won at this level force turnovers and get out on the break," Wein said Player of the gameWein was 2 for 9 from the field and had six points in the first half He delivered 13 after the break and his defense made a difference there were ups and downs with him and you have to just ride it out," Ryan said "Connor has completely transformed his game to get us to where we are right now He’s got the toughest assignments defensively and he still has the stamina to do well on the offensive end." Liverpool (21-4): Andreo Ash finished with 17 points and six rebounds Jah'Deuir Reese went 8 for 10 from the line and totaled 12 points The Warriors shot 5 for 18 from 3-point range North Rockland (19-7): Kobe Nwosu got 11 points Collazo finished with five points and 10 rebounds He was 2 for 2 from the field and 2 for 2 from the line Barclay had second-half foul trouble but finished with nine points and seven rebounds The Red Raiders were 5 of 13 from 3-point range "That’s what happens when you’re connected and play with five guys," Ryan said "You can’t guard everyone when you make simple plays for each other and that’s where we are right now." North Rockland plays Section 5 champion Victor at 7 p.m Mike Dougherty covers basketball for The Journal News and lohud.com He can be reached at mdougher@lohud.com or via Twitter @lohudhoopsmbd Governor Andrew Cuomo visited Glens Falls yesterday and laid out a plan to solve a grim mystery in New York state Oct 26 2017 — Governor Andrew Cuomo visited Glens Falls yesterday and laid out a plan to solve a grim mystery in New York state Cuomo says scientists and health researchers will spend the next year trying to find out why cancer rates are so much higher in some areas - including a part of the North Country New York has collected data in what’s called the cancer registry and according to Cuomo that information shows a clear pattern - higher cancer rates in some surprising areas Warren County has one of the highest rates of cancer in the state What’s going on in Warren County that’s different than what’s going on in Queens or Brooklyn?" Cuomo asked.  State officials will launch four regional studies focused on Warren County and Erie County upstate and Staten Island and Long Island downstate.  the environmental factors and find out why there’s that deviation," the governor said "If we can find out what’s causing it we can go further down the road in preventing it." Cuomo said cancer is devastating to those who face the disease and their families and he said this effort to understand these regional clusters could save lives "The Department of Health and DEC both - because there can be environmental factors at play here also - will participate in the study It will take about one year and then it’s another step toward preventing it the part of the North Country around Glens Falls has the “highest rate of cancer in the state.”  Hundreds of people packed the basement of Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls yesterday to hold a symbolic town hall meeting with Republican.. Feb 23 2017 — Hundreds of people packed the basement of Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls yesterday to hold a symbolic town hall meeting with Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik who didn't appear Her staff says she was traveling on official business But her constituents still asked Stefanik a lot of questions and tried to send a message A packed room for a politician who didn't come “Guys you’re going to have to clear back out of here we have to have this area open," said a fire official who stood near the door preventing a second big crowd from entering dozens of people were lined up ready to ask Stefanik questions about everything from the future of the Environmental Protection Agency to healthcare "Since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act Stefanik's district has declined by 38%," said John Sawyers from Schroon Lake "I cannot understand why she wants to destroy it." John Sawyer from Schroon Lake asked Stefanik about her support for repealing the Affordable Care Act which he said had dramatically expanded access to healthcare for North Country families Photo: Brian MannThe format was carefully structured to be respectful Members of the crowd were given little signs that read “Agree” or “Disagree” and they held them up silently to register their views as each person spoke But despite the civil tone, there was a lot of anger here – sparked in part by Representative Stefanik’s suggestion on Facebook that some protesters had been disruptive and that her office might call police The tone was civil but many people who attended the gathering expressed anger and frustration with President Trump and Republicans in Congress Photo: Brian MannRebecca Kristner from Saratoga said she’s one of those who attended a protest march earlier this month outside Stefanik’s Glens Falls office "as the congresswoman and her staff labeled me before last Tuesday I had never participated in a political demonstration of any kind."  This kind of new activism has rattled some Republican lawmakers across the country This wasn’t Occupy Wall Street or Black Lives Matter It also brought people from all over Stefanik’s district with a huge range of questions everything from concerns about migrant farmworkers for North Country farms to Federal support for arts programs president of the board of Pendragon Theater The people who spoke here were overwhelmingly critical of the Republican agenda in Washington – and deeply hostile to President Donald Trump.  that they had reached out to Stefanik’s office again and again with letters There was one exception - a man who supported a Federal bill cosponsored by Stefanik - spoke in favor expanding rights to carry concealed firearms "I'd like to thank the congresswoman for her support of my rights my second amendment rights," said Jim Randeau from Moreau Jim Randeau from Moreau NY said he will be safer if Congress passes a bill expanding the right of Americans to carry concealed firearms in more parts of the US Photo: Brian MannAs he spoke many in the crowd held up signs signaling that they disagreed "I want to thank you particularly for representing a minority viewpoint," said Henrietta Johnson from Keene Congresswoman Stefanik’s office says she was traveling yesterday on official business that was scheduled weeks ago Her staff also says she is making herself available to constituents giving plenty of opportunities for meetings and exchanges of ideas.  It remains unclear how big a political problem events like this town hall meeting will be for the Republican She won re-election in November in a landslide.  Elise Stefanik (R-Willsboro) NCPR File Photo: David SommersteinOut on the street I met a married couple Shelly and Paul – they declined to give their last names – who said they’re pretty comfortable with where leaders like Trump and Stefanik are taking the country I think he's doing the best he can with what he was left to deal with," Shelly added "She's always supported the area and the community and the Adirondacks." So there is clearly a shift in the political tone in the North Country since November and we know from Elise Stefanik’s Facebook post that it has her close attention Next year’s mid-term elections are just 20 months away Glens Falls baker and businessman Matt Funiciello drew national attention two years ago running for the 21st district seat on the Green Party.. May 04 2016 — Glens Falls baker and businessman Matt Funiciello drew national attention two years ago running for the 21st district seat on the Green Party line hoping to capitalize on the populist passion roused in the North Country by Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders Matt Funiciello was working in the bakery in the South Glens Falls strip mall where he and his workers produce between 15,000 and 20,000 loaves of bread per week The 2016 candidates in the race for NY21."These are our hearth ovens It has a German burner unit in it that is fairly easy to fix and repair It is actually a brick oven with a stainless steel shell built around it," he explained He work for decades building up this bakery;it began in a home kitchen back when artisan bread was a novelty But over the last couple of years he built a bigger profile as a community activist and a politician Ralph Nader campaigns for Matt Funiciello in Glens Falls in 2014 Photo: Brian MannDuring a visit to the North County in 2014 as a businessperson and the other as a civic leader in the community so that’s what you really look for." Funiciello ran for the North Country’s House seat two years ago on the Green Party ticket He drew endorsements from some of the region’s big newspapers including the Adirondack Daily Enterprise and the Glens Falls Post Star and carved out a respectable chunk of the popular vote 2014 was a warm-up lap and Aaron Woolf at the WWNY-TV studios in Watertown.He came in third behind Republican Elise Stefanik and Democrat Aaron Woolf arguing that the two major parties have sold out American workers "Us becoming a third world country isn’t a little issue that we need to put on a list of 50 other issues one of the most important priorities that we should be talking about." Funiciello hasn’t been invisible over the last two years He helped the Green Party attract candidates for other races And he’s also hosted a radio show in the Glens Falls area ignoring the narrow liberal versus conservative viewpoint offering instead a discussion of alternative solutions." A core part of Matt Funiciello’s idea about American politics is that it’s all basically a sham a lot of noisy theater played up by the mainstream corporate media with Republicans and Democrats owned by the same corporations Related stories:Is Matt Funiciello a spoiler? If so, is that a bad thing?On an episode of his radio show "We as citizens have to stop being completely naïve and understand that this is what’s happening - they’re buying seats for people who do what they tell them to do stop voting for people who collect that money." with America buzzing with populist passion for Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump his message could draw big support — bigger than 11% — maybe giving him a shot at actually winning the North Country’s House seat certainly what’s going to happen is that a lot of those people are going to be looking for a non-corporate candidate who’s progressive," Funiciello said "The ones who are not particularly progressive are still going to be looking for an outsider." Funiciello still faces some big hurdles in trying to build a winning coalition of voters and not just that he’s running on a third-party ticket His campaign stumbled in 2014 after he acknowledged that being what he describes as a 9/11 “questioner Funiciello is convinced that the terror attacks in 2001 weren’t carried out exclusively by Al Quaeda and he rejects scientific studies explaining why the towers in New York City collapsed He said "I guess you have a source that you believe is correct I have friends who have worked as investigative journalists I have people who have worked in the military at fairly high levels who don’t agree with that man." Another challenge for Funiciello is that while had admires much of Bernie Sanders politics and hopes to attract many of Sanders progressive supporters he’s also been fiercely critical of the Vermont Senator On his radio show Funiciello said about Sanders "The problem is when it comes to voting record Bernie has authorized and voted for funding for almost every single war or violent action that we have been involved in since he has taken office So it’s a fairly hypocritical stance for those of us who’ve been watching his voting record." Can Matt Funiciello manage his bakery while also building a competitive grassroots campaign Photo: Brian MannBut the biggest fight for Funiciello may be building an actual organization While Sanders supporters mobilized aggressively in recent months across the North Country building a powerful grassroots network that walloped Hillary Clinton there’s no sign yet that anything like that is coalescing around Funiciello’s bid Brian Mann: I feel like what we’ve seen is that for a candidate with your credentials and with your ideas there are a lot of people out there – whether they’re students or excited college professors – who are ready to burn the midnight oil And yet I think I perceive an enthusiasm gap there with your campaign what I’m expressing to you is that that’s a subtle and dormant form of imperialism BM: If people aren’t enthusiastic about you We could live differently than we do right now We’re more than creative enough to do it Funiciello has a lot of the ideas that seem ready-made for this fiery political season including his fierce opposition to international trade deals his embrace of single-payer healthcare and his hatred of big campaign money Funiciello needs to translate that vision of a different purer kind of politics into a real movement a kind of “Feel the Bern” wave on a local level Three North Country communities were awarded grant money from New York State yesterday to address contaminated sites called brownfields Oct 18 2013 — Three North Country communities were awarded grant money from New York State yesterday to address contaminated sites called brownfields The village of Lyons Falls in Lewis County received over half a million dollars to figure out a plan for 4 sites – including the old abandoned paper mill in the center of town "Looking over at the paper mill you can see how some of the buildings have just collapsed And thank goodness from our main street we’re not looking at that." Liendecker says some of the grant money will go towards a marketing plan to attract businesses to the mill once it’s restored "What we’re hoping this time is we can a combination of industries – maybe apartments so that not one industry on that site. Not putting all of your eggs in one basket!" The town of Fort Edward was awarded $254,000 towards an industrial park on the Champlain Canal Glens Falls received $124,000 to complete a revitalization plan for brownfields and vacant sites downtown.