If you are looking for an exciting outdoor vacation this year without the crowds make sure to have Saranac Lake on your radar The Saranac Lake community takes pride in its green spaces evident through a team of volunteers who care for the parks One of the most popular gathering spots in town is Riverside Park along Lake Flower which was created by combining three smaller parks along River Street with the former site of the Riverside Inn Stretching along the northern edge of Lake Flower the park hosts occasional music events and the summer farmers market when there isn’t a music performance or market going on the park becomes a beloved spot for boaters travelers should make sure to take a stroll along the Riverwalk a one-mile round trip brick-paved path that offers convenient access to the historic downtown district Travelers with children should make sure to visit William Morris Park, home to a playground and the beloved Adirondack Carousel. This carousel features a variety of hand-carved animals, all native to Adirondack Park Among the whimsical creatures are a largemouth bass each carved by a carefully selected artist Visitors can spend the afternoon playing tennis or shooting hoops or take advantage of the lakefront location for fishing and boating the picnic area is a great spot to enjoy lunch and admire the view Due to its location in the Adirondacks there are several mountain peaks near Saranac Lake that are great for a day hike One of the most popular places for hiking is Ampersand Mountain which lies just 10 minutes southwest of downtown Saranac Lake this trail is 5.4 miles long and features an elevation gain of 1,780 feet The summit is at an elevation of over 3,300 feet 360 degree view of the surrounding High Peaks Wilderness Area Although the second half of the trail is steep and challenging travelers will be glad they made the hike once they reach the top Those seeking a shorter hike should add the Baker Mountain hike to their itinerary hikers will be rewarded with views of Lake Flower For those looking for a quick but rewarding hike Lawrence Valley and the northern Adirondacks along with a historic fire tower dating back to 1918 travelers can access more than 24 miles of Adirondack lakes and waterways Those wanting to explore this lake can start at Lake Flower Boat Launch where they can load and unload their motor boats Those hoping to rent a boat can do so with HK Waterfront Boat Rentals which has public rentals for pontoon boats travelers can book a boat tour through the local outfitter Anglers will find an abundance of fishing spots on the surrounding lakes as well Lower Saranac Lake is a great place for northern pike Largemouth bass is one of the most popular species to fish in the lake with the season starting in mid-June and ending in late November Little Colby Pond is another convenient destination for a laid-back afternoon of fishing This pond offers both shoreline fishing and canoe or kayak fishing with some of the possible species anglers can catch including yellow perch Travelers will find an exciting variety of bird species in the Saranac Lake area ranging from migrating fowl and winter finches to boreal species One of the best spots for wildlife activity is Bloomingdale Bog a biodiverse wetland surrounded by boreal forest visitors might also notice signs of beaver activity Make sure to stop by Paul Smith’s College VIC as well which features ecosystems like northern hardwoods there are plenty of bird species to spot here an indoor and outdoor science museum that covers about 115 acres Along with 54,000 square feet of indoor nature exhibits and treetop bridges for exploring the surrounding landscape Visitors may spot a variety of species in the reserve Saranac Lake continues to provide a healing experience for those who visit Travelers in need of a relaxing vacation can easily immerse themselves in the area’s nature all while avoiding the crowds that other larger cities may have there is an activity that every type of traveler will enjoy dare to try somewhere new and discover the quiet beauty waiting in Saranac Lake photos and original descriptions © 2025 worldatlas.com Show Comments Load More NY – The Saranac Lake Civic Center recently announced that it will be offering roller skating sessions for the first time ever This new offering will run through September 2025 and is designed to complement the varied ice sports held annually at the Civic Center from October to March The roller skating sessions will be the only such offering in the surrounding area with the nearest roller skating venue located in Queensbury The Civic Center is set to become the region’s only roller skating location “We are thrilled to expand our programming to include roller skating,” said Civic Center’s “This new experience will create a fun and vibrant atmosphere for families In addition to being a go-to destination for locals we’re confident that this will become a popular draw for those traveling to the region as well.” Through a generous sponsorship subsidy from Hudson Headwaters Health Network the Civic Center will host a free kick-off event for the community on May 19 from 5:30-8:30 p.m The event will feature two roller skating sessions and community members are invited to gather for this inaugural celebration For this event, and all roller skating offerings, registration on the Civic Center website is required in order to reserve roller skates as limited sizes and quantities are available In addition to sponsoring the kick-off event Hudson Headwaters Health Network has agreed to sponsor the inaugural roller skating season This sponsorship subsidy will help the Civic Center with continued sessions throughout the summer with a low entry fee to the public “Hudson Headwaters is proud to invest in our patient communities that trust their care with us in Lake Placid Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake,” said Hudson Headwaters provider Daniel Farrell “We are fortunate that the tri-lakes region offers many accessible year-round exercise opportunities for families to develop fun The Civic Center is grateful to the generous sponsors who made this new roller skating experience possible Franklin County Government Office of Economic Development & Tourism Their support and commitment to the community have made this exciting addition to the Civic Center a reality Photo at top: Saranac Lake Civic Center Facebook page photo Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" The Adirondack Almanack is a public forum dedicated to promoting and discussing current events nature and outdoor recreation and other topics of interest to the Adirondacks and its communities We publish commentary and opinion pieces from voluntary contributors as well as news updates and event notices from area organizations Contributors include veteran local writers and outdoor enthusiasts from around the Adirondack region views and opinions expressed by these various authors are not necessarily those of the Adirondack Almanack or its publisher SARANAC LAKE — Saranac Lake High School banned cellphones before it was cool The still-yet-to-be-approved state budget includes a “bell-to-bell” ban on smartphones in schools across the state but SLHS has already been doing this since the start of the 2023 school year SLHS Principal Josh Dann said he felt the policy went over well The policy’s been controversial among the students it affects and some of their parents and it’s certainly gone through some growing pains But administrators and even some students say it’s for the best and has improved school Dann said it’s made the hallways louder school policy was that students could have phones in non-academic areas — hallways But while discussing this in a faculty meeting one day Dann said they realized students were still on their phones around a third of the day They decided to just “rip the Band-Aid off” and blanket-ban phone use during school “We felt the cellphones were getting in the way of them being successful in school,” Dann said watching movies or keeping a Snapchat streak alive are all appropriate But he found phones led to procrastination SLHS bans phone usage from the time students arrive until dismissal Students usually keep the phones in their pockets or bags — Dann said students don’t use seem to use lockers much after the coronavirus pandemic Things are a bit easier for SLHS — the building barely has any cell phone service anyway The WiFi password is changed regularly to avoid it being figured out and disseminated The change was toughest on the seniors last year who had gone nearly their whole school years with some use of their phones He said they all thought the policy was crazy said though the cellphone ban didn’t feel great at first “It made paying attention much easier not worrying about who posted this or who texted me,” Schenk said but the people in question are mostly high school kids who have what is considered an addiction Not to sound like an old man but staring at a phone for long periods of time really does rot your brain as I experience it if I use my phone extensively.” It was difficult coming out of the pandemic when phone restrictions were “very loose,” he said but “after a while I got used to it like any other policy or rule.” “It even felt nice to just ignore my phone and choose other alternatives,” he said Dann said they faced only a little pushback from parents “They know we’re not doing this to be jerks,” he said “We just feel its a healthy tactic for a school.” The pushback they did get was from parents worried about what would happen in an emergency if they’d be able to contact their child Dann said they talked with local and state police about this and they said students need to be focused and present in an emergency “They said students shouldn’t be communicating with parents anyways during emergencies,” Dann said “They should be listening to school authorities and listening for good directions.” Current SLHS Junior Gabby Mitchell said the cell phone ban has been difficult “Having little breaks to play my games I had to get used to not having that,” she said This has been the schoolwide sentiment since the ban started two years ago “All of the kids were so mad.” which Dann said takes vigilance from teachers There are loopholes they’re trying to close “They see your phone for just a split-second and they take it,” Mitchell said “If you figure out the WiFi password Junior Lilly Latham said one time her phone slid out of her pocket so she looked at the time before she pushed it back in But a teacher saw that and eventually she was threatened with suspension if she didn’t give up her phone Latham said she feels for the students in the rest of the state who will be joining Saranac Lakers in the school phone ban “I feel bad for them,” she said because it’s not worth the consequences,” Latham added just try to listen because it’s just better in the end … You won’t win unless you have some serious people backing you up.” Latham successfully petitioned the school board to allow hats in the dress code Dann said students know if he believes something is best for them He wondered if maybe they’ll admit it was beneficial after they graduate “It’s with good intentions,” he said He’s hoping to create practices that last after graduation and matter in college and in the workforce The goal is to encourage in-person socialization improve focus and for students to be present in the moment If a student’s phone vibrates with a notification Dann sees a lot of anxiety about responding and reacting immediately “There’s a lot of maintenance that they’re putting on themselves to uphold all this,” he said of social media Dann said hallways during class transitions were quiet and most people’s heads were down “It seemed like there was no noise going on and all of it was because of the cellphones,” he said Now that they couldn’t use their phones they were actually communicating with each other and having conversations.” For New York students who will be new to this policy “Take advantage of that policy and experience life outside of a screen,” he said “Experience and education is valuable Dann had a recommendation for other schools joining the phone ban — don’t do half-measures “What’s interesting about high school is that any change that’s made it just becomes an expectation,” he said Current SLHS Junior Paxton Leerkes said he doesn’t use his phone a lot but he feels they should be able to have them for emergencies He remembers when the ban started that “everyone was mad.” He said not having the phone helps with his focus “Just have school before phones,” Leerkes said Around a dozen states have some sort of ban or restriction on cellphones in schools “We’ve protected our kids before from cigarettes and now we’re protecting them from addictive technology designed to hijack their attention,” Gov Kathy Hochul said in an announcement of the plan Schools will have some flexibility in how they implement the ban and the law includes exemptions for students who might need phones for medical reasons learning disabilities or if they don’t speak fluent English When SLHS students came back to school after Spring Break this week Dann noticed there was a period of more discipline for phone usage as students adjusted to not being able to use them all the time “It’s an addiction,” he said SARANAC LAKE — The Saranac Lake Department of Public Works will begin hydrant flushing on Monday in the Park .. TUPPER LAKE — Village police charged Jessica A of Tupper Lake with second-degree criminal .. Copyright © 2025 Adirondack Publishing Company | https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com | 54 Broadway The Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York are undeniably beautiful This region has everything you need for a peaceful retreat: sweeping mountain views that change colors in the fall quirky attractions into your next trip to the Adirondacks From hidden lounges in an old 1920s Ford Model T factory in Upper Jay to a year-round Christmas-themed amusement park in Wilmington the Adirondack Mountains are full of surprises Saranac Lake, located in upstate New York, lies not far from Lake Champlain. This sleepy community, with its delightful city streets shadowed by the mountains within Adirondack Park is the perfect spot for a little urban exploring and nature retreats You can get to know Saranac Lake better by visiting the historic Saranac Laboratory Museum or simply taking a ride on the vintage Adirondack Carousel While it’s a beautiful town to visit in the fall when the leaves change the best time to visit is actually in the winter What makes Saranac Lake unique is its annual Winter Carnival and Ice Palace The festival is held every February and is one of the oldest winter festivals in the US It’s a great time to socialize with the community during the harsh winter through fun events and even better food But the real attraction at the festival is the Ice Palace Residents harvest ice blocks from Lake Flower every year to build a castle-like palace that glows at night Not too far from the Vermont border is Ticonderoga. At first glance, Ticonderoga is your average Adirondack retreat. The historical village hosts lovely attractions like King's Garden at Fort Ticonderoga which is one of the oldest cultivated landscapes in the country You can also learn a little more about the deep history of Ticonderoga by visiting Fort Ticonderoga a fort built by the French that played a crucial role in the American Revolutionary War When you’re ready to explore sites off-planet the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour is a must-see for Trekkies The immersive experience recreates sets from the original series and recently added the Galileo shuttlecraft (the real prop from the series) The site has attracted fans—and even cast members—from the series who travel to Ticonderoga to experience this one-of-a-kind tour Think of it as a summer camp for adults (and kids The best time to visit Blue Mountain Lake is in the summer when the Adirondack Experience opens for business Situated on almost 120 acres on the shores of Blue Mountain Lake this open-air experience has over 20 buildings that offer classes and interactive exhibits of the area's rich history You can also go for a hike at Minnow Pond or climb the ADK fire tower for a better view If you can’t make it to Blue Mountain Lake in the summer While the changing leaves are just part of its appeal it’s also when the community hosts the annual Rustic Furniture Fair It’s a great place to admire rustic furniture pieces from artisans who come from all over the country And if one particular piece catches your eye With a population of just under 1,000, Long Lake is a hidden gem nestled along the calming shores of Long Lake Mountains and water views are not in short supply in Long Lake with peaceful retreats like Owl’s Head Mountain Trailhead and Lake Eaton Campground One of the best places to visit in Long Lake is the historic Adirondack Hotel which opened in the 1850s and provides amazing waterfront views in the heart of town While Long Lake may be famous for its waterside attractions the best time to visit is during the Long Lake Winter Carnival The tight-knit community comes together in the bleakness of January to engage in live music and the family-friendly event of the Cardboard Sled Races Settled along the shoreline of Raquette Pond Whether you’re watching the sunset at Tupper Lake Waterfront Park or grabbing a brew at the cozy Raquette River Brewing there are so many opportunities to take in the breathtaking views at Tupper Lake But for the ultimate nature experience in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains Tupper Lake takes things to the next level at The Wild Center The Wild Center is part natural history museum The sprawling 115-acre campus is dedicated to educating its guests about the local wildlife of the Adirondack Mountains it’s so much more than an outdoor natural history museum which takes you to the top of a four-story treehouse The small city of Wilmington lies in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains It’s a beautiful community with natural wonders found in the untouched Adirondack Wildlife Refuge and Rehab Center a popular swimming hole with scenic waterfalls you can work on your tan at Wilmington Beach if you’re in the mood for winter-themed activities (even in the summer) Northwest of central Wilmington is something a little out of the ordinary: Santa's Workshop This winter-themed amusement park is open year-round and it is one of the oldest continuously operating theme parks in the country It’s so special that it even inspired Walt Disney He loved it so much that he sent his engineers to use Santa’s Workshop as inspiration for parts of Disneyland With a population of just under 300 residents untouched hidden gem that feels like stepping back in time Upper Jay has some amazing hiking trails and nearby parks like the Three Sisters Preserve and High Falls Gorge It’s a great place to take in the fresh air and explore the beautiful scenery of the Adirondack Mountains the best part about Upper Jay isn’t the scenery Central Upper Jay has charming spots like Adirondack Mountain Coffee Cafe—but nothing tops the quirky Recovery Lounge. While most of Upper Jay feels like a sleepy, historic village, Recovery Lounge is quite the eclectic space. Inside the repurposed 1920s Ford Model T factory mismatched vintage sofas and lounge chairs and dim mood lighting that sets the stage for indie bands When you need to retreat to the mountains in 2025 These small communities offer so much more than picturesque views (though they have those From the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour in Ticonderoga to exploring a real ice castle in Saranac Lake these offbeat Adirondack escapes are anything but ordinary You can celebrate Christmas in the middle of July in Wilmington or climb a four-story treehouse in Tupper Lake pack a bag and get ready to experience Upstate New York’s offbeat side SARANAC LAKE — The fourth annual Mountain MudFest is returning to Mount Pisgah on Saturday After experimenting with the event at the Saranac Lake Civic Center last year the festivities are returning to the mountain Along with being held at a later date than before organized by the Saranac Lake Women’s Civic Chamber and Bloomingdale-based Hex and Hop Brewing the National Weather Service is giving a 50/50 shot at rain on Saturday The temperatures are expected to be in the low 50s with a light wind a WCC member and one of the MudFest organizers said they like leaning into the muddy theme of the event “This is for the Adirondackers,” she said “If we call it ‘MudFest’ and then if it’s muddy people won’t go ‘Oh my gosh it’s muddy The event started after Hex and Hop owner Ethan Mikesell emailed Walsh as the WCC recording secretary and asked if they had a mud season event for local businesses to bring in a bit of extra money Walsh said it’s exciting to see the event in its fourth year gathering a following of people looking for muddy fun She’s personally a big fan of the event “I think it’s a real community-building event,” she said She loves seeing kids running around the mountain “I love a good music festival,” Walsh said “And if I can be on a hill listening to music — I don’t know why it has to be on a hill but hills help — I just think that part of it is really wonderful.” The music will start with High on the Hog featuring fiddle and guitar player Tyler Dezago coming back to town to play some old time string music with his friends the Midnight Stargazers will bring their cosmic country sound to the MudFest stage for their fourth Mountain MudFest There will be no cornhole tournament this year The tournament was drawing aficionados in from all around the region to compete for the trophy and families who paid to enter were getting knocked out in the first round There will also be a pickleball instructor at the courts at the mountain Several community organizations will be providing entertainment and information at MudFest The Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department will bring a fire truck for a “touch-a-truck,” Search and Rescue of the Northern Adirondacks will bring their “tools of the trade” and the Saranac Lake Free Library is bringing a button-making machine Other organizations include the Girl Scouts the Saranac Lake Youth Center and the Saranac Lake Fish and Game Club with Duke’s BBQ and Tony’s Fried Dough and Confections registered to be there Walsh said MudFest is never a money-making event for the WCC and Walsh said they are always looking for new members SARANAC LAKE — After a brief stretch of pleasant conditions across the Tri-Lakes area people from Lake Placid to New York City will be putting long miles on their bikes competing to see who can travel the furthest throughout May all while raising money for food pantries around the Adirondacks Bike Adirondacks’ annual month-long “ADK Unite” event is a virtual walking running and biking competition that raises thousands of dollars to support the food pantries that support local communities Bike Adirondacks founder Doug Haney said participants can register to compete any time through the month and can retroactively backlog their mileage in the leaderboard People who use the fitness app Strava can link their account to the leaderboard to automatically get them uploaded He loves seeing people post photos of themselves adding to their score by walking their dog or getting together with friends for a group ride Information and registration can be found at bikeadirondacks.com Haney said ADK Unite gives the active community something to do during what’s usually a pretty “dicey” month for weather and participants use it as inspiration to get out even when the weather isn’t optimal “I think that’s the coolest part about it is seeing the way that it motivates people to get active during the month of May,” Haney said tracking their miles digitally on the event website as they compete for prizes donated by area businesses People can also log miles on treadmills or stationary bikes Haney said LAKEfm and Adirondack 105 fire up business sponsors and they’ve got 44 gift cards from local grocery stores coffee shops and fuel companies for the winners the top mile producers will also have the ability to win a free entry into other events like the Lake Placid Marathon and Half Marathon Olga Memorial Footrace or the Tupper Lake Tinman $40 for individual adults and $35 per person for teams of three to five people Some people don’t compete in the event “One hundred percent of every dollar generated is divided between 11 area food pantries stretching from St Regis Falls to Schroon Lake,” Haney said it has generated more than $35,000 for food pantries throughout the Adirondacks who set a record for the event with a cumulative total of 34,206 miles The overall individual winner was Marco Tianquis Haney launched Bike ADK as a company in 2020 right as the coronavirus pandemic started and upended the active competition world He developed the idea for ADK Unite with his friend Jim Williams from LAKEfm and Adirondack 105 in Lake Placid They wanted a way for people to be active and safe during the pandemic and were seeing food pantries getting “pounded” as they were getting heavy use dollars raised and number of food pantries supported Haney said the need for food pantries has not waned “People tend to think of donating to a cause when things are bad,” he said “But the thing that’s consistent about food pantries is that they need help all year-round There’s always people who need support … especially in the rural environment that we live in.” He said ADK Unite gives the pantries a reliable annual revenue stream He said the food pantry volunteers tell him they have a consistent flow of food and other essential goods but that they need cash for operating funds The money from the event goes to things like electric bills Haney said there’s a large group of cyclists in New York City who compete every year got his friends in NYC-based Verrazano Cycling Club to all join up after he learned about the event they’ll have 32 competitors split into eight teams “They always come up with funny names for their teams,” Haney said He said Petrosino hosts his cycling buddies in Lake Placid every year riding the Adirondack hills and climbing Whiteface Haney said this group usually takes the top spots in their category “This event inspires my friends and the broader cycling community to lead a healthy lifestyle,” Petrosino said in a statement ADK Unite has helped me connect so many new riders with the Adirondacks in a way that allows them to learn about and give to the communities I love so much.” Coakley Home and Hardware in Saranac Lake has supported the event since it began At the hardware store’s Demo Days on May 9 and 10 anything that fits in the bucket is 20% off this bucket sale contributed $750 to ADK Unite The money from ADK Unite goes to support the Lake Placid Ecumenical Food Pantry; Saranac Lake Interfaith Food Pantry; Tupper Lake Community Food Pantry; Waverly Food Pantry in St Regis Falls; JCEO in Black Brook; Jay Town Hall in Ausable Forks; Wilmington Ecumenical Food Pantry; Clifton-Fine Community Food Pantry in Cranberry Lake; St Paul’s Food Pantry serving Vermontville Armand and Brighton; Keene Food Pantry and Schroon Lake Food Pantry Haney said if there’s any local food pantries not benefiting from the event TUPPER LAKE — The Town of Tupper Lake invites residents and stakeholders to participate in a Community Design .. Armand is asking everyone who gets their water from the town to fill out an .. SARANAC LAKE — Saranac Lake police arrested a man from Phoenix New York after he was allegedly found naked in .. SARANAC LAKE — Hundreds and hundreds of locals turned out Saturday afternoon to protest the federal government and voice their displeasure with how the country is being run in one of more than 1,000 “Hands Off” rallies held nationwide The protestors want the government’s “hands off” a lot of things — immigrants Signs primarily focused on President Donald Trump and his billionaire advisor Elon Musk supporters driving by honked and waved peace signs Some opponents did burnouts and revved their engines yelled “Trump!” and two kids on a scooter flipped the protestors off and rode through the crowd Several protestor signs mentioned getting into “good trouble.” The protest caused mild traffic disruptions but protesters consistently stopped at crosswalks to let vehicle traffic through Estimates from organizers counting heads at several points along the route ranged from 550 to 800-plus attendees The line of protestors — more than a quarter-mile long — stretched longer than the length of Church Street from River Street to the intersection with Main Street Everyone seemed to be there for different but connected reasons — spending cuts Martha Spear said passion and fear are what drove her to protest “I think it’s important to fight for decency in these incoherent and cruel times,” Newt Roberge-Pika of Lake Placid said Eustace Episcopal Church in Lake Placid said he was there out of “moral conviction,” to overcome the fear and hate some are trying to instill in the nation then all of us are suffering,” he said Saranac Laker Sasha Van Cott said she is horrified by the direction of the country is not unified behind Trump and show people locally that Saranac Lake is an accepting place “I love Saranac Lake so much,” Van Cott said The line of protestors was so long it split into multiple strings several times as protestors stopped for vehicle traffic Each string had someone in it leading chants of “This is what democracy looks like” or “We the people “I haven’t been at a protest this big since the Vietnam War,” Saranac Laker Rich Shapiro said the richest man on Earth and advisor to Trump is leading the new Department of Government Efficiency tasked with cutting $2 trillion in spending Adirondack Voters for Change President Kary Johnson said these cuts are to pay for tax breaks for the rich She said it’s an important time to go back to the Constitution and remember that the government works for the people “These cuts are not about fiscal responsibility,” Johnson said “Unelected billionaires with corporate interests are being handed power.” She said this is betraying the values that this country was founded on our lives are spreadsheets and our suffering is acceptable collateral,” she said who has served with the Army for more than 22 years and has been deployed twice and called up all veterans attending the event She spoke against the Trump administration’s plans to to cut more than 80,000 employees from the Department of Veterans Affairs “The VA saves lives,” she said Mallach said she personally knows how important the VA’s healthcare services are saying a Syracuse VA saved her life with emergency surgery for a service-related spinal injury She quoted George Washington on how a nation will be judged by how it treats its veterans William Martin said in the next nine years will spend $753 billion on nuclear weapons said he was protesting all the things that the Trump administration is doing which he said are going against what makes America he said the tariffs are personally affecting him the most He said they’ve created a poor attitude toward Canadians he said he’s already lost $13,000 in business this summer season from Canadians cancelling their trips — protesting the tariffs by not traveling here said he did it because he cares about his community and he doesn’t like what Trump and his “billionaire allies” are doing with the country he and fellow co-organizer Virginia Ruhland-Mauhs were at work looking at the news and said to each other “We should organize a protest.” They heard about the nationwide “Hands Off” protests planned for April 5 and got resources from the anti-fascist nonprofit Indivisible it was the detaining of Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents that sparked her desire to hold a protest Khalil was taken from his apartment on March 8 When ICE agents told Khalil’s attorney his student visa was being revoked they were informed he is a permanent resident with a green card and said they were revoking that The reason for his arrest was stated as him allegedly being “in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism.” During the Columbia protests Khalil said there is “no place for antisemitism” in the protests Ruhland-Mauhs said the threats to free speech pose a concern for her She encouraged people to get involved in a local group to care for their community “Everyone who is really paying attention is seeing how Donald Trump is clearly anti-free speech,” Saranac Lake resident Charlotte Lomino said “If we don’t start resisting now How many people are going to be illegally kidnapped and sent to prison camps?” she’s on the first line of those whose freedoms are being targeted While she said it feels good to gather and protest pointing out that every civil rights movement has relied on civil disobedience Krystal Ford said she became an American citizen in 2018 because she wanted to vote and didn’t want to be deported A Canadian who was living on a green card for 10 years at the time because she wanted to participate as an activist she didn’t want to give the government an excuse to deport her Seeing ICE arresting protesters now is exactly what she feared Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk was taken off the street in Boston by plainclothes ICE agents who put her in an unmarked SUV Ozturk’s student visa was revoked without her knowledge She has not been charged with a crime and was detained by the federal government for co-writing a pro-Palestinian article in her student newspaper Ford said people with visas and green cards are worried about the government detaining people without charging them with crimes because of their activism She said this will increase unless opposed our power and our free speech,” Ford said Dana Fast sat beneath a sign that read “I survived the Holocaust I don’t want another one.” Fast said she was 8 years old She lived in the ghettos for two years and was eventually smuggled out of the country She hopes to not see what she saw in her childhood happen again “We need to stand up and speak up,” Fast said She wrote about her experiences in a book titled “My Nine Lives.” said seeing ICE arresting immigrants without identifying themselves reminds her of her mother’s stories of the Nazis in World War II Organizers said they anticipate more of these rallies in the future The rally had way more people than the organizers expected “I think it’s amazing to see so many people who want to see their world improved,” Law said Check back here on the last Wednesday of the month to see if any of the past month’s photos have been identified Here are the results of the 5W Wednesdays for April so far: ¯ April 2: No definitive answer on the location of this house ¯ April 9: No identification for the organist but the Vitaphone system was installed in the Pontiac Theatre in March of 1929 ¯ April 16: The train is crossing at what is now Pendergast Road between Ray Brook Road and Oseetah Lake Road ¯ April 23: This is a photograph of the rectory at St prior to the fire in the second church in 1967 Somewhere in all the years of going to the doctor’s office Parents have been pinning me down with all sorts of questions about what to say to their teen who wants to have .. Standing by the fire trucks in the rear are the two paid drivers — Leo Maple on the left and Francis Seymour on the right (Photo provided by the 1960 Convention program) Hundreds of volunteer firemen and their families attended the Northern New York Volunteer Firemen’s Association convention and the village was rockin’ The detailed program opened with this greeting: “The Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department the Chamber of Commerce and the people of the village all join in welcoming you to the 64th Annual Convention of the Northern New York Volunteer Firemen’s Association “You will find that Saranac Lake is justifiably called ‘The Little City in the Adirondacks’ banking institutions and restaurants provide a truly distinctive metropolitan atmosphere which should make your stay here an enjoyable one.” There was a big parade and tournament events held on the LaPan Highway The 10 contests began with the Individual Ladder Contest followed by nine other events June 11 with cash prizes awarded in these categories: Best Appearing Department with Music; Best Appearing Department without Music; Best Appearing Ladies Auxiliary; Department Coming Longest Distance; Department with Most Men in Line; Oldest Fireman in Line of March and the Oldest Piece of Fire Equipment in March The names of the fire department members were not listed in the program Please read the attached page with the names serving on the various committees managing the convention and find all your friends and relatives The program contained about 130 advertisements with many individuals supporting the firemen taking a half page on the back cover of the program was Congressman Bob McEwen and New York State Assemblyman You will see in the photos that Francis Gladd was Fire Chief and later a Village Trustee my high school classmate Richard Yorkey was fire chief and I was mayor That’s when we tore down an old building on Broadway and built the addition next to the present firehouse he will have worked in that position for the Village of Saranac Lake for 40 years He started that job the same day our dear friend Kent (‘Kent-c’) Robinson started as a paid driver they were the same age and have the same birthday Kent-c died during the coronavirus epidemic Maybe the village can have some kind of ceremony for Rick and give him a gold watch for his service The other paid driver’s are: Garrett Foster Ben Tucker (Ben’s father is Tom Tucker chief of the Paul Smith’s/Gabriels Fire Department) and Ray Muncil The officers of the 2025 department are: Chief Michael Knapp; 1st Assistant Chief Justin Fletcher; 1st Lieutenant Daryl Brier; 2nd Lieutenant Gifford Hosler; Treasurer (blank in the roster); Safety Officer Timothy Donaldson and Dive Captain Eva Stinson is official photographer of the Fire Department The full roster of active volunteers including the officers: Corey Culver The fire department needs more volunteers to enlist in the department Our village is fortunate to have so many volunteers in every field … that is why honors a Citizen and Volunteer of the Year So many events would not happen without volunteers — I hesitate to name just one — but how about the men and women who build the Ice Palace It is often said that the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid could not have taken place without the hundreds of volunteers right at the top rung of the volunteer ladder (no pun intended) are the members of the Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department young men and women of the Saranac Lake region please think about becoming volunteer fire fighters Go talk to the chief or any other member of the department for a briefing You will be in dangerous situations; you will participate in intense fire fighting training; you will be working with one of the best equipped fire companies in the North Country; you will receive the best fire fighting personal apparel and you will be honored for serving in one of the toughest volunteer jobs in the community — all alongside men and women who will have your back in every situation SARANAC LAKE — The Mountain Melodies music summer camp is returning to Saranac Lake for its fourth year in July with new electives for an a cappella ensemble and a rhythm-based jam group Camp organizer Carolyn Greenberg said her goal with the camp is to inspire a lifelong passion for creating music craft a community of youngsters making music with friends and to give them foundational skills to build on The camp is held at the TrestleStreet Community Art Space on Woodruff Street which is full of instruments and recently expanded with the addition of its “Linda’s Carriage Barn” space Greenberg said they have seven campers signed up so far — all students who are returning from past years She said she’s honored to have them come back There’s a couple who have attended for all four years and Greenberg said it’s been fun to see them grow — over the course of the week-long camp and through the years The instructors are all certified and very experienced music teachers The camp is open to kids in grades four to 12 Instructors Rebecca Saltzman and Abby Greenberg will lead a new a cappella group harmony and rhythm that can be made with just people’s voices New this year is the structured jam session “Strum Circle.” but we’re going to expand it this year and call it ‘Strum Circle,'” Greenberg said She wants to build young musicians’ confidence in making music on the spot and improvisation She was partially inspired by seeing the groups of local people who gather to play music weekly at local bars and restaurants Greenberg plans to invite guest musicians to sit in for these jam sessions “I think it’s inspiring to see local musicians who go out in public and play,” Greenberg said Seeing one of these jam circles from the outside But she added that there’s a method to the madness and once someone learns the tricks of the trade The camp’s “Broadway-bound” program combines singing with dancing Greenberg said the instructors are efficient in their lesson planning to make the best of their time and Greenberg said they offer scholarships to ensure any child who wants to attend can there will be a family showcase where the students will perform for their families and they will perform at the Third Thursday Art Walk on July 17 To learn more about the camp or to register Greenberg and her husband are from New Jersey They bought a home here before the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns in 2020 and have split their time between the states since then She said she found so much art and music in Saranac Lake and wants to make sure the next generation gets the skills and the drive to pick up those talents She’s been playing piano and singing since she was 8 years old has 30 years of education experience in New Jersey and New York City schools and is the professional accompanist for several public school districts is a choral music teacher at a middle school in New Jersey; directs her school’s extracurricular a cappella ensemble; directs her school musical; and plays clarinet Carolyn and Abby are in a rock cover band called Mary’s Basement where Abby is the lead singer and Carolyn is a keyboardist and vocalist Carolyn said Saltzman is at the “top of her field” and gives her time generously to the Mountain Melodies camp Saltzman teaches chorus at a high school in Connecticut where she directs five curricular choirs and an extra-curricular gospel choir that performed at the American Choral Directors Association conference in 2024 She also advises three student a cappella ensembles at her school; teaches choral methods courses at the University of Hartford; and is the Eastern Division Board Member for the American Choral Directors Association Nathan Bischoff teaches music at an elementary school in New Jersey directs his school chorus and musical and plays guitar when leading his classes He and Abby have both traveled internationally with the University of Delaware Choral Scholars winning “Best in World” for their division SARANAC LAKE — North Country Clean Energy Hub is hosting a workshop to teach about energy efficiency tips that .. TUPPER LAKE — The Tupper Lake Central School District is scheduled to hold a special Board of Education meeting .. North Country community to earn the distinction of .. You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience Apr 20 A band from Saranac Lake recently won a March-Madness-style tournament for local bands Darkside Skinny Dippers beat out 31 others to win the competition put on by New York State Music an independent music and arts journalism outlet joins other North Country bands like Lucid of Plattsburgh and Seize Atlantis of Glens Falls who’ve also taken home the title Their next show is scheduled for May 17th at the Red Shed Ale House in Cherry Valley They also make appearances at the Rusty Nail in Saranac Lake and at other local community events Member Josh Clement told Cara Chapman the trio hopes winning the tournament opens doors to new venues and new fans Their conversation has been lightly edited for clarity Cara ChapmanSaranac Lake band takes home musical March Madness title Darkside Skinny Dippers Josh Clement and Chauncey "Chachi" Sutphen JOSH CLEMENT: I'm the lead singer and guitar player for Darkside Skinny Dippers We're a trio and we have a drummer named Chauncey Sutphen We call him "Chachi." And then there's the bass player His name is Colton Clement and you might notice that we both have the same last name but I usually don't ever admit that because I'd rather be his age than my age I've been in bands in the area for a long time When the opportunity arose to to work with my son and a drummer that I'd worked with in the past the stars were aligned to be able to put together this trio and it's been going for about five years now they're always game and I'm always looking for people that are game to to do things CARA CHAPMAN: There's got to be a story behind the name Darkside Skinny Dippers Darkside Skinny Dippers is a trio made up of Josh Clement Colton Clement and Chauncey "Chachi" Sutphen Photo providedCLEMENT: When it came time to to put this band together and we realized that we were going to be a working band and play shows and whatnot huge list and it must have had 80 different configurations of terrible names on it There was something that had to do with skinny dippers by itself and then living around the lakes here in Saranac Lake — we're a big boating family — we were thinking of a connection maybe to the waters Somewhere along the way the dock side came up like like a boat next to a dock Somebody randomly spit out "Dockside Skinny Dippers," so we'd be swimming off the dock naked and we've got Star Wars fans in the band and there are plenty out there So "darkside" was kind of a fun way to play off of "skinny dippers" and not really know exactly what it means CHAPMAN: I was wondering if you guys are just prolific skinny dippers or not CLEMENT: We don't generally go skinny dipping. But if you check out the video for our original song, "This Is Your High," you'll get a little surprise in the end You're not going to see the band skinny dip CHAPMAN: Can you talk about the musical influences of the band How would you describe your style and the vibe and experience that you try to bring to your audience when you perform CLEMENT: The beauty of of this particular band is we do have a wide range of tastes and some of that is due to just the age differences So we come at it from a bunch of different angles CHAPMAN: Part of the reason that we're here today is Darkside Skinny Dippers recently won the New York State Music March Madness Tournament CHAPMAN: Can you tell me a bit about the tournament And out of nowhere they reached out to me by email and mentioned the tournament Our friends and fans and family all really got into the spirit of the whole thing more than we could have ever imagined As somebody that's been doing this for a while to have people back you and and want to see you do good CHAPMAN: What do you hope this means for DSkinnyD as far as moving you guys forward and getting your name out there was there a prize aside from the notoriety and bragging rights CLEMENT: It's looking like we have our choice between two prizes One of them is a chance to play at Palace Theater in Albany and have it filmed by a a production crew The other option is to potentially play on a festival sometime in the fall the real hope would be to be able to play for new people But maybe this competition will open up one door to have an opportunity to play somewhere where we haven't played before CHAPMAN: What other next steps or upcoming projects or shows do you want to highlight CLEMENT: We have songs recorded that need to be mixed and and mastered and get the get the full treatment We have video footage that's shot for music videos that needs to be edited We have a couple of collaborations in the works with some other local musicians from right here in Saranac Lake The goal is to sort of pick and choose the most important ones and complete them and use those projects to further our goals You can do all this work and you can do everything you can think of and you can spend hours on social media but it's really about getting on the stage and and hopefully getting people out to see us and getting them dancing and smiling CHAPMAN: Anything you want to say to your fans in Saranac Lake and beyond CLEMENT: We can't thank our fans and friends and family enough for supporting us It just goes to show the efforts they made to click a button to try and get us to win this March Madness thing They've been very supportive and it's only increased as time has gone on where more and more people are coming out to to the shows and telling somebody else about us The beauty of a small town is it doesn't take much for the word to get around It's just really what makes it all worth it for fans and friends and family to come out to purchase our music or watch one of our videos or come see us live or buy the album It's really priceless because we all have things that we contribute to and to think that somebody would give some time and effort and support you is priceless really Darkside Skinny Dippers' winning bracket in the New York State Music March Madness tournament SARANAC LAKE — Saranac Lake is getting a Hometown Heroes banner program this summer displaying the names and faces of veterans connected to town on power line poles along main routes through the village The program is a collaboration between the Saranac Lake Women’s Civic Chamber and the village government with the chamber overseeing the program and the village Department of Public Works installing the vinyl 2-by-4-foot banners along Lake Flower Avenue and Upper Broadway Applications for banners are currently available with the deadline to apply set for March 21 “We hope to have something for Memorial Day if all goes well,” WCC member Kelly Morgan said Village Community Development Assistant Bayle Reichert said she had previously been approached by people who saw the banners in Bloomingdale and wanted one for their family in Saranac Lake Morgan said WCC member have been talking about a hometown heroes banner program for a couple of years after a member brought it to Mayor Jimmy Williams Morgan said WCC members were unanimously on board ‘it’s time,'” WCC Treasurer Marty Lawthers said to “honor the brave men and women who served our country.” The banners are not only for village residents They can be for current or past village residents family members or someone who means something special to a resident — like a soldier they served with Any military member — currently serving retired or deceased — can get a banner “We’re really trying to broaden the program because it’s really honoring the sacrifice that you do when you serve our country in the armed forces,” Lawthers said She said there’s a diverse range of people with connections to the village “This is a great opportunity for locals to keep the memory of their loved ones alive the ones that served and a lot of times sacrificed their lives protecting the values that all of us respect,” village Manager Bachana Tsiklauri said “I think it is very important for the community to remember that and tell the stories to the future generations to keep protecting those.” the village board approved a memorandum of understanding with WCC for the program Sponsoring a banner costs $225 and covers the printing of the banner Applications can be found online at tinyurl.com/2p8y8z3z or in person at the Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce on the first floor of the Harrietstown Town Hall at 39 Main St Applications can be mailed to the WCC at an address at the bottom of the application or can be dropped off at the Chamber’s town hall office Morgan said they’re anticipating a capacity of around 100 banners Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for the following years Everyone wanted to share the credit for the banner program “It was really Kelly who spearheaded it,” Lawthers said They all said that village Department of Public Works Superintendent Dustin Martin’s crews will do the hard work of installing the banners The banners will be installed on different poles than the other village banners For questions about applying for a banner TUPPER LAKE — The Tupper Lake Town Board is set to hold a special meeting at 2 p.m SARANAC LAKE — A week-long music and art festival celebrating local creators kicks off tonight as Frankie and the Moonlighters take the stage at the Waterhole Music Lounge’s “Festival of the Local.” The festival features more than 50 local musicians in 14 bands Waterhole co-owner Eric Munley said he’s been wanting to build a local artist presence at the music venue for a while and in recent years has been booking more local acts He said there’s more musicians than you would think in a 15-minute radius of the venue creating a variety of sounds in genres like folk The festival is set up similar to the venue’s Winter Carnival schedule — packing as many acts as possible into 10 days Munley said in this “pre-mud season” time town is mostly filled with only year-round locals and he hopes the festival is an opportunity for people to get out at a time when it’s easy to stay home “The festival is a celebration by the local for the local,” according to a news release for the event Sven Curth Trio and Austin and the In-Laws will open for Strange Cereal Strange Cereal’s first show was almost exactly one year ago at the Waterhole’s Locals Showcase last April Friday’s show will be their fourth there Frontwoman Emily Dowd said they love playing the Waterhole because its a venue where they don’t hold back The band has only been around for a year but they’ve already written 15 songs with more on the way but more fun than anything else.” As cliche as it sounds she said the band members have a real passion driving them to create She had met bassist Chris Poulin and keyboardist Joshu Coppola at the open mic at the Rusty Nail They were among a group of people who helped talk her into getting over her stage fright and performing Poulin and Coppola were working on the Strange Cereal project with guitarist Nick Orton and drummer Nigel Darrah and invited her to be the vocalist In their first time playing together at the Rusty Nail open mic Orton and Darrah were working on the instrumental for the song which became the band’s first single “Sick” and Dowd wrote the hook “I’m sick of being sick” in the bathroom Strange Cereal morphed from more of a jam band to more of a rock band Even Dowd struggles to describe their sound “We all have so many different influences,” she said “I grew up listening to a lot of punk and metal and in recent years got more into folk and country That’s where a lot of my lyrical influence comes from Chris has been in punk bands for his whole life She said they’re a rock band with a lot of funk and jazz influence and they’re getting more into jam with more improvisation tentatively titled “Dancer” — which they plan to debut on Friday — lives up to its name with a pounding four-to-the-floor beat and them “winging it” with improvisations Coppola is excited to break out his new 50-year-old Moog synthesizer on this song and Curt Stager and Kary Johnson will take the stage there will be a screening of the local 1987 indie film “The Beer Drinker’s Guide to Fitness & Filmmaking,” also known as “Sullivan’s Pavilion,” as a benefit for the Saranac Lake Arts and Culture Advisory Board is a fictionalized slice-of-life look at a family in Saranac Lake in the 1980s — a feature-length autobiographical documentary that at times resembles a proto-vlog The film tackles the stresses of life as an artist with several young children in a too-small house with a light-hearted “My father says if people don’t see this movie we’ll starve,” a young Tate Sullivan says Munley said there’s a scene shot in the Waterhole featuring Billy Allen and Shamim Allen of The Allens there will be a chance to show off local knowledge at a trivia night and a chance to show off vocal chops with karaoke on the big stage featuring “local celebrities and community members cheering you on.” The next night is “Adirondack’s Most Curious Night of Music and Visual Art” — featuring Oldest Gull Just Ben and Rafa bringing a range of alternative music in doom dubstep and ambient with interactive visual art provided by Echo from The Station in Onchiota Echo has been doing projection art in Saranac Lake for a year or two now and feels he’s planted a seed of projection art in town He’s been doing interactive projections at raves and at Winter Carnival Echo said Munley put together the “Lollapalooza of Saranac Lake.” he’ll set up multiple hidden computers at multiple stations with the kaleidoscopic collage of visuals projected on the walls and ceilings “The idea for me is to always make technology as invisible as possible,” Echo said “If you don’t see the technology it makes it more open for anyone to come up.” The point is to avoid intimidation and invite experimentation A piano at a subway station comes with its own set of expectations — it’s restrictive He wants to get past the barrier of belief that there’s a need for expertise Echo commissioned a device from his friend Matt Dickey a technician at the Wild Center nature museum in Tupper Lake It is a dark wooden box with six bright red buttons and two black dials — each of which change the visuals in different ways He loves the spontaneity and interactiveness of the publicly created and altered art “What I’m attracted to is that moment when someone tries something new and they get super stoked about it,” Echo said The festival will round out on April 5 with Crackin’ Foxy and Nubble The day-by-day schedule for the Festival of the Local is: ¯ March 27 – Frankie and the Moonlighters ¯ April 2 – “The Beer Drinker’s Guide to Fitness & Filmmaking” ¯ April 4 – “Adirondack’s Most Curious Night of Music and Visual Art” featuring Oldest Gull ¯ April 5 – Crackin’ Foxy and Nubble Tickets are available at saranaclakewaterhole.com/tickets LAKE PLACID — The Barkeater Trails Alliance annual meeting will be on Saturday SARANAC LAKE — Kevin Cosgro put bait on his line and cast it toward the Saranac River on Saturday Competitors in the third annual Saranac Lake 3P race paddling downstream in the grueling fifth leg of the 13.4-mile journey around town The race is as much an event for the spectators as the competitors They line the course of the race track winding all around town ringing cowbells and shouting things like “Dig in!” “Keep pushing!” or “Looking good!” he dropped a Nori’s croissant right in his daughter Alexa’s lap as she paddled beneath On the Church Street bridge where he hung the pastries waved signs saying “Where is everybody GOING?” and “Smile if you peed a little.” Race co-organizer Scott McKim said this was “Classic Saranac Lake.” Team Huskies push their kicksled across the finish line of the Kids 3P This year’s 3P had the strongest winter conditions yet with 159 people from all around the region coming to downhill ski bike and run in the multi-sport shoulder-season event The five-person team Ski to Smile crossed the finish line first with a blazing time of 1 hour who was the first runner to cross the finish line said it felt great to place first and credited his teammates Paul Capone Jim Sausville and Jan Wellford with giving him a lead to start the steep run up the hill He said they love the 3P because it’s something for athletes like them to do in the winter Saranac Lake High School Nordic ski coach and band director Keith Kogut wasn’t able to pull out a 3P three-peat of three consecutive overall first-place finishes but he still carried the solo competition with a time of 1:28:20 and second-place solo finisher Jim Allott was giving Kogut a run for his money with a time of 1:30:38 “Keith’s reign is intact,” McKim said “It was nice for him to have some healthy competition.” A damp start turned into a snowy finish as the temperature dropped below freezing over the course of the race The river had been frozen in portions up to three days before the race and froze over again on Sunday “We absolutely threaded the needle,” McKim said There was also fresh snow after the Party at Pisgah put lines all over the mountain the night before racers who did the biking portion of the race returned speckled in road slush with lines of brown slush down their fronts and backs “I was tasting the salt,” Dakin Henderson said after crossing the finish line Solo racer Melinda Bard rips down Mount Pisgah Solo racer Eric Bennett took a swim during the paddling portion of the race when his boat hit a submerged log “It kicked me left and next thing I know I was in the drink,” Bennett said He was soaked up to his neck in 31-degree water frustrated and sitting on the shoreline thinking about quitting when he realized he’d have to wait 10 minutes on the side of the road freezing for his wife to pick him up So he bailed the water out of his boat and decided to keep going He still had the majority of the paddle and the run ahead of him but he said — as corny as it sounds — he wanted to set a good example for his kid his hands and feet were so cold they didn’t really work well “It wasn’t warm,” he said Bennett finished 21st overall and earned the Spirit Award with several teams and three solo contestants Juna Labonte and Etta Neill — pushed their kicksled across the finish line first with a time of 8:36 took first in the solo category with a time of 11:52 McKim said the event generated more than $15,000 which Saranac Lake 3P will be donating to the Dewey Mountain Friends group and the Saranac Lake Ski Club 70 sponsors and the village and town employees who helped put on the event Results from the race can be found at tinyurl.com/yf65cjyd They’ll also be uploaded to the 3P website at tinyurl.com/27jc9hef Jake Handerhan races through town on the Saranac River.(Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone) A bike racer sets out on her cross-town journey holding a glove in her mouth.(Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone) Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is happening this week and that means the Ice Palace is on full display people are getting a chance to enjoy every note of it this year And you know how they had to make it with the ice and very impressive,” Queensbury resident Bill Winters said “It feels like from ‘Frozen’ when they're getting the ice out of the lake so it's really cool,” New Hartford’s Shea Gooldy said this unbelievable structure has a theme and this year it is music legends There’s everything from the Grateful Dead and KISS to Run-D.M.C because that would have been pretty bad for some of these kids,” Eric Gooldy said And as people make their way through this ice palace — and even navigate a couple of mazes along the way — some wonder how it's created “In order to get it this high — the cubes are so symmetrical and such — it's really good engineering,” Gooldy added A year's worth of planning and those giant blocks of ice coming directly from the lake behind the palace “I just love being here and seeing all the people come in and they're in such [awe] at the palace and when I tell them that I helped build it is even more .. it's so proud,” Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Board Member Elle Finocan said after workers finished building the palace the weather took a turn for the warmer and for safety reasons It was unfortunate to all of us that worked so hard to put on Carnival to have to rope it off and keep people from accessing it,” Board Member Nancy LaBombard added This year’s Winter Carnival wraps up Sunday but not before a parade and fireworks show over the palace Saturday night The palace will remain up as long as weather allows https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2025/02/rockin-and-rollin-down-broadway/ https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2025/02/saranac-lake-winter-carnival-gala-parade/ ALBANY — Two of the North Country’s representatives in the state Capitol are pushing to reverse Gov Elise Stefanik has a seat at the House Republican leadership table again — filling a role that has been .. ALBANY — The state prisons are rolling out a new screening process meant to catch drugs and other contraband .. KEESEVILLE — Adirondack Architectural Heritage has opened a new round of funding for the Adirondack Rural .. Few know that the "Adirondack" translates as "barkeaters"—what the Mohawk tribe once called the neighboring Algonquin tribe. The region is rife with culture, from the first tuberculosis study in Saranac Lake to the two-time Winter Olympic Games host, Lake Placid. But you're probably here for summertime nature in Northern New York Every getaway is elevated with a lake, and the Adirondacks are synonymous with them. Some four hours north of Manhattan and under three hours south of Montreal the idle region's translucent waters are like powerful magnets within the splendor of the Adirondacks Catch a trail by the tail in Lake Placid or Speculator Whether you're in for the lakeside activities or mountain hiking the 109 miles of coast and over 300 islands Shepard Park is a waterfront downtown with a beach and summer concerts then relax at Million Dollar Beach with million-dollar views The British Fort William Henry Museum from 1755 was featured in "The Last of the Mohicans," while the "Mystery Spot" defies the law of acoustics and tour companies want to jet you off into the waters Hop aboard the historic Lake George Steamboat Company for a revealing panorama Brimming with fame and personality, Lake Placid attracts thousands year-round for outdoor excitement. Not one but two lakes bless this town, host of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics Catch the Adirondacks shifting dress in the reflections of Mirror Surrounded by stunning waterfalls and trails find some of the region's best hiking in Lake Placid From the central Cobble Lookout to Haystack Mountain in the west Heaven Hill Trails is a peaceful hike to the south while the popular Peninsula Trails intertwine between two lakes Explore the connected lakes from the marina with boat rentals on the East Lakeshore Mirror Lake Public Beach delights summertime visitors and foliage peepers The Olympic Village still echoes the games against historic buildings and the Lake Placid Olympic Museum Visit Lake Placid-North Elba Historical Society for local history in a former train station Bluebird Lake Placid is less than half the price of the iconic Mirror Lake Inn There are also fireworks and events around this smallest central lake in town Named after the 14-mile-long lake flowing through the Adirondack Park, the small town spans both shores, central on the lake. Long Lake is at the doorstep of High Peaks Wilderness From crystal-clear mountain streams to scenic cascades chase the views along the trails with places to relax and enjoy fishing Long Lake Town Beach is a sandy hub with two swimming docks and nearby restaurants The 1850s Adirondack Hotel is a sought-after stay with dining at Lake Street Café & Taproom next to the beach Scale Owl's Head Mountain Summit or catch a seaplane ride toward the peaks for a bird's-eye view of the surrounding splendor Paddler’s Rest is ideal for an adventurous couple or a group of friends with a tree growing through it while browsing for camping supplies There are also cabin rentals and a popular campground on Lake Eaton Long Lake Diner & Owl’s Head Pub serves superb American fare at fair prices This town on the Fulton Chain of Lakes is tangled amid a series of interconnected lakes and waterways The Old Forge Pond downtown transitions into the First dig into French dip and lobster mac and cheese or clam chowder and wings at Slickers Adirondack Tavern along the lake The View Arts Center is one of the town's top attractions and events in a beautiful building with a colorful moose piping outside The Adirondack Railroad offers various excursions from Thendara Station near Old Forge while McCauley Mountain Ski Center offers year-round scenic gondola rides From the playful vibes at Ozzie's Coffee Bar to Fulton Chain Craft Brewery The Old Forge Camping Resort is a popular option if not staying at the Water's Edge Inn The campsites are tucked away from downtown Campers enjoy easy access to the one-of-a-kind Enchanted Forest Water Safari in the region This sleek town is a longtime favored vacation spot with modern and traditional attractions for every season Having grown around the 1894 Saranac Laboratory it expanded thanks to the rich opportunities in the fresh mountain air Imbibe local culture at the museum and reputable galleries like Saranac Lake Artworks and the Adirondacks Artists Guild to Bloomingdale Bog Hiking Trail just north There's also the iconic Baker Mountain Trailhead for those who like a challenge The brick path downtown meanders along vintage buildings, top restaurants, and shops, with lake views peeking through. Across the river, the Adirondack Carousel beckons for a spin with whimsical animals and historic scenes painted along the boards. Saranac Lake is a must-visit in the Adirondacks at least twice in your life—during the warm and the snowy seasons Plan for the 10-day Winter Carnival by the lake with fun games The snow bunnies hop on trails at the Dewey Mountain Recreation Center Speculator is one of the best-packed lakeside towns for outdoor adventures Centered between two deep wildernesses and three lakes north and south which is perfect for sunbathing in scenic views plus a campground tangled amid trails on its northern shore find Mini Route 66 and climb the water tower Just 20 minutes north of town to the trailhead Whiskey Brook Falls is a silver sliver right off the highway just north of town is a historic landmark to snap a selfie and picnic against after a hike explore as far as your hungry eyes and restless legs will take you The charming downtown warmly welcomes adventurers for a stroll along Lake Pleasant Grab a bite at Logan's Bar & Grill for a bite saving room for dessert from the donut shop Oak Mountain is an intimate ski resort for when the flakes fly Not just another town bathing in fresh mountain air within Adirondack Park Tupper Lake is often overlooked for the nearby Saranac Lake and Lake Placid in the Tri-Lake area it is an intimate yet exciting getaway with an uncrowded feel and unobscured views from Tupper Lake Waterfront Park the Wild Center features trails and guided canoe trips on the river along the campus The summertime adventurers head straight to Raquette River Outfitters for canoes The Adirondack Sky Center & Observatory is perfect for a romantic date night pursuit Woodshed on Park serves French-Canadian cuisine—think poutine paired with craft cocktails in an elegant dog-friendly spot with craft beer flowing from the taps plus live music on summer Friday and Saturday nights Brimming with personality and mountain culture each town is eager to introduce you to the largest protected area in the contiguous US Carved with over 3,000 lakes and 1,200 miles of rivers with peaks rising from 1,200 feet tall to over 5,000 feet There are untouched corners and popular lakeside towns Long Lake is at the doorstep of High Peaks Wilderness Choose your refreshing destination near a lake to breathe and get high on life again with unforgettable mountain adventures and relaxation in the views of the reflecting peaks SARANAC LAKE — More than 130 athletes are already registered to compete in the third-annual Saranac Lake 3P (Pole bike and run the 13.4-mile course which combines multiple sports into one big shoulder-season event celebrating the many types of sport in Saranac Lake Saranac Lake 3P co-organizer Joe Williams said registration is still open through next Wednesday Competitors can race as individuals or as teams with teammates taking different legs of the multi-sport race “It’s gratifying to see a core group of people who have been at all of them,” Williams said “They were the first ones to sign up.” He’s also excited to see a lot of new names including a “critical mass” of Rochesterians forming They’re expecting 150 competitors by race day Last year brought 140 racers in 33-degree temperatures Williams said the area is seeing the strongest winter for the race so far He remembers being concerned about having enough snow at Dewey Mountain last year and Mount Pisgah wasn’t even skiable a week before the race they’re paying more attention to the ice building on the edges of the Saranac River “The spirit of the race is we’re going to do the best we can with what Mother Nature gives us,” Williams said The point is to go out and enjoy the sports even if one or more of them have less-than-desirable conditions where racers skin or snowshoe their way to the top of the 274-foot ski area before skiing down and mounting bikes for a cross-village ride to the Dewey Mountain Recreation Center about 2.7 miles away they’ll do two laps of cross-country skiing or scramble (snowshoes) and then bike to Beaver Park to put their boats into the Saranac River they’ll paddle 2.4 miles downstream to the Saranac Lake Fish and Game Club before running back uphill to the finish line at Mount Pisgah 3P races are more common on the West Coast Saranac Lake’s is the only official one east of the Rockies that local organizers know of that’s currently active Williams said there’s been debate on Facebook about a similar style of multi-sport race held in Vermont At each venue along the Saranac Lake 3P race course dozens of spectators line up along the route on sidewalks streets and on bridges over the river blowing horns and cheering on the racers — or heckling their friends and teammates “The idea is we’re trying to celebrate Saranac Lake here You don’t need to be a racer to do that,” Williams said Williams said racers typically finish around the 2-hour mark Saranac Lake High School Nordic ski coach and band director Keith Kogut notched his second first-place finish in 1:13:20 He’s swept all the 3P races thus far even beating out the “Beat Kogut” team of his students who assembled to topple his title last year “Beat Kogut” member Jordanna Samburgh said the group are all away at college this year so they won’t be able to attempt another take-down of their arch-rival but they’ll be cheering on racers from afar he bumped into Kogut at Casa del Sol after the race and that Kogut was the “toast of the town.” His finishing time was 2:17 faster than the next finisher — a team of state Department of Environmental Conservation forest rangers Williams said the rangers are returning to the 3P this year there will be a Kids 3P at Mount Pisgah where kids ages 5 to 15 will ski (downhill and cross-country) run and push a kick-sled to the finish line Last year’s race brought out 35 young racers along with a community celebration of Saranac Lake’s outdoor venues Registration for both races can be found at saranaclake3p.org/registration Maps for the race can be found at saranaclake3p.org there are 29 individual competitors registered 10 five-person teams and 25 six-person teams There are also three solo Kids 3P registries and 27 kid teams registered I wrote an article about how the city of Albany was trying to reduce speeding in school speed zones by .. https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2025/02/more-saranac-lake-winter-carnival-gala-parade/ a small Northern New York town that looks at Canada across Lake Ontario LAKE PLACID — The North Elba Town Council approved 15 grants on Tuesday from the Local Enhancement and .. LAKE PLACID — The Lake Placid Central School District board voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve the .. VERMONTVILLE — A barn fire at a home in Vermontville killed three goats and brought out numerous fire .. Apr 21 Suzanne Miller joined about 100 other people in Saranac Lake on Saturday to protest Trump's policies More than 100 people packed a little park in downtown Saranac Lake on Saturday "We’re going to get started in a few minutes but we’re really glad you’re here today," said Kary Johnson The protest was part of the nationwide movement known as “Hands Off.” There were hundreds of Hands Off rallies around the country on Saturday According to the group’s online toolkit their messaging focuses on protecting social services working-class people and pushing back against President Donald Trump Kary Johnson helped organize Saturday's protest with Adirondack Voters for Change Photo: Emily RussellCars honked their horns as they drove by a line of protesters along the sidewalk Chris Monaco from Saranac Lake held up a large sign with an American flag hanging off it which says "Has it ever worked well having a dictator?" He and others here think President Donald Trump is threatening democracy and sliding the country into a dictatorship the Supreme Court isn’t holding him in check and we are in big trouble Protesters in Saranac Lake Republicans in Congress have largely stayed loyal to him many Democrats say the nation is facing a constitutional crisis Trump appears to be wielding his power partially through big budget cuts One agency that his administration has slashed is the Institute of Museum and Library Services It provides hundreds of millions of dollars in grant funding Twenty-two-year-old Alexa Dumas drove to Saranac Lake on Saturday from Keene Valley "The library profession is under fire under Trump so I am here to say how angry I am at the fact that our government wants to control what we read and what we think and that goes against my profession and everything I believe in.” Alexa Dumas works as a school librarian in Keene Valley and joined Saturday's protest in Saranac Lake Democrats are in the minority in the North Country The region voted heavily in favor of Donald Trump in November Many Republicans we talked to back then said they wanted Trump to crack down on immigration and many supported his plans for the economy But Trump is pushing the bounds of what some voters expected. According to Gallup Trump is polling with a 45% approval rating That’s far below the 60% average of all other presidents in their first quarter since the 1950s where about 250 gathered and held signs that said “Protect the Constitution” and “Democracy not Monarchy.” organizer Kary Johnson echoed those concerns and encouraged people to take a stand "We remember that Democracy is not a gift that is handed down by kings or presidents," said Johnson Saranac Lake was one of hundreds of towns to host a Hands Off rally on Saturday There was real fear expressed at Saturday’s rally that Democracy is under threat “We are protectors of Democracy.” She teared up talking about this moment in the nation’s history "We are almost 250 years into this experiment and it’s derailing quickly," said Miller When asked if there's anything that's giving her hope in this moment she looked around at the crowd of people who came out on a Saturday after a rainstorm “So many people turning out and saying we’re not doing it that way," said Miller The Saranac Lake Board of Trustees has voted down a resolution that would have prevented the village police department from working with U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce federal immigration actions The resolution presented to the board holds in part that the Saranac Lake Police Department “may not use agency or department resources...to investigate or assist in the investigation or enforcement of any federal program solely on the basis of immigration status...” It comes as the new Trump administration carries out a hardline immigration policy including roundup efforts resident Rich Loeber urged the trustees to pass the measure “Everybody knows that the federal immigration system is broken I don’t think it should be on the back of the local police force to fix it And it’s wide open for abuse and I just am glad that you’re going to consider it and I support the effort,” said Loeber Village Trustee Aurora White sponsored the resolution saying the bill is not political and is intended to protect residents “Our police officers have really worked to improve their relationships with our community and our chief has made great strides And I would hate to see us slide backwards on those relationships and improvements that have been made,” White said “I would also hate for a contributing member of our community who has never been questioned before to now have problems because of a perceived immigration status I really don’t think that we need to ask now.” White added that an intent of the resolution is to also assure that village funds support the local police and not federal actions “This does not keep them from going after anybody who has criminal issues or has committed a crime or that sort of thing It’s simply to say we value that they’ve been in our community and they should feel safe going up to a police officer and asking for help or emergency services facility and asking for help and being given that help without being questioned on their immigration status,” explained White “So really it’s a way to keep our local police focusing on local issues and supporting them because we know they’re overworked and I would hate to put this on their lap with everything that’s going on in the nation.” Mayor Jimmy Williams said their responsibility is to protect Saranac Lake including any federal funding the village receives “The new Attorney General and Border Patrol Czar Tom Homan have been very public very recently about cutting federal funding to anyone who has a resolution or local law that goes against any federal immigration law And that affects not just law enforcement grants but across the board,” noted Williams “And with our water and sewer monies I would say cumulatively we’re over So I personally am willing to take any steps we can to make every resident feel comfortable here and treated fairly But I am not comfortable risking $30 million to go against federal immigration law at this time.” Trustee Kelly Brunette spoke in support of the resolution “I think a safe community is one where everyone feels secure and immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility The local police should focus on local issues,” asserted Brunette ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment Essex County Board of Supervisors Chair Shaun Gilliland told WAMC he has not heard of any similar discussions by communities in the county and believes Saranac Lake is the first in the region to attempt to pass such a measure Be one of the first to know what's coming up on WAMC See additional subscription options SARANAC LAKE — More area residents are discovering the benefits of the Saranac Lake Adult Center “People are surprised to learn that membership is open to anyone aged 50 and over,” said Bryon Connolly A variety of new programs has generated interest this year Along with longtime offerings like daily lunches the addition of Tai Chi and yoga drew more participants to the Center “Once people come and learn how much the Center has to offer they often return,” said Board President Barbara Halla “We’re working hard to update the impression most people have of the Adult Center and to attract younger members,” Halla said Special events like this year’s Halloween Spook-tacular are aimed at inviting more people to experience the Center Halla hopes more people will take advantage of the Wellness Center in particular The Slo Jam Band entertains at the monthly Birthday Lunch The Wellness Center on the lower level is a fully-equipped exercise facility with cardio and weight training equipment And it’s only an $80 additional annual charge to the $20 membership fee so it’s even affordable for partial-year residents the Center relies on a patchwork of funding some of it program specific like the Franklin County Office for Aging support for Meals on Wheels the building must meet standards that can be costly a necessary retaining wall repair will likely cost six figures that isn’t in the operating budget the Adult Center provides unique benefits to the community Census data shows more seniors moving to the area so the critical services it provides will become more important going forward “We really hope the community will embrace our Center and enjoy the opportunities we offer,” said Halla One opportunity to support the Center is the upcoming Holiday Celebration Fundraiser on Saturday where Frankie and The Moonlighters will perform hits from the ’50s and ’60’s The community is invited to enjoy hors d’oeuvres Tickets are $25 (includes a drink) and can be purchased at the door or in advance at the Adult Center Apr 18 Emily RussellSaranac Lake man shares his love for archery at the Fish & Game Club with the long line of the arrow and the curve of the bow Humans have been shooting with a bow and arrow for tens of thousands of years Charlie Marshall III meets me outside the Saranac Lake Fish & Game Club it looks like an old log cabin sitting on the banks of the Saranac River Marshall checks on the wood stove before walking into the long banquet hall where he's set up three targets at the far end of the room offering free archery lessons for people of all ages He picks up a bow and arrow and shows me how it's done I ask Marshall what he thinks about during target practice "What’s going through my mind is that I realize I used to be better at it," Marshall says with a laugh it's clear he's been doing this for decades Marshall donates most of the equipment for the archery lessons "Most of these arrows I build myself from components," Marshall explains "It saves me some money and it also gives me spares when I damage one I’ve always got some extras of the same type.” Marshall is deeply passionate about archery His eyes start to water when he talks about the sport and what makes it special "One thing about archery that I like is that it’s not expensive unless you’re looking to be an Olympic archer and you run into a lot of people that are good folks and it’s just a really good group of people." anywhere from five to fifteen people show up for lessons Now he’s working with Dave and Dana Kellerman "We know Charlie from our competitive shooting program that we have [at the club]," Dana explains "and while Charlie was still running the program we figured we needed to jump in and learn everything we could from him.”  Dana and Dave line up with their bows and arrows which means the Kellermans can get their bows and arrows up They both sink their arrows into the targets at the far end of the room Once Charlie gets you started and you get some fundamentals of technique Marshall has been practicing archery for nearly all his life He grew up south of Ithaca near the Pennsylvania border he was interested in all kinds of shooting sports "I had an uncle who used to take me groundhog hunting and that was a skill that required a lot of patience and long-range shooting with a rifle.” Marshall went through a phase as a kid when he made his own ammo But it was archery that stuck with him and his two brothers "I didn’t think it was a big deal because the family had been shooting archery for quite a few years at that point but never expected to be good enough to win in our class.” The time finally arrives for me to take a lesson from the master This is not the first time I’ve shot a bow and arrow I rest the tip of the arrow just above my left hand My right hand tries to pull the string and arrow back "Oh it’s so hard," I say in a high-pitched voice as I struggle with the bow it’s relatively [hard]," says Marshall "You need to start somewhere," says Marshall Dana Kellerman says it gets easier the more your body learns how to move with the bow and arrow Dana and Dave Kellerman are practicing archery with Charlie Marshall and the Saranac Lake Fish and Game Club I’m using less energy now that I have better technique," says Dana "I was really fighting with the bow originally and probably exhausting myself prematurely but now that I have more of an idea of how I should hold the bow and my overall stance She and Dave grab another bucket of arrows for one final round This is their third week trying out archery They both look a lot more comfortable than I felt "I should stop there." He ends today’s archery lesson on a high note Jan 28 Winter Carnival begins this Friday in Saranac Lake The annual event highlights art in many forms- from the hand-crafted iconic ice palace to the creative costumes and floats in the parade One young artist in Saranac Lake captures some of that magic in his watercolor paintings Michael Burpoe grew up in the village and was recently invited to join the Adirondack Artist Guild in Saranac Lake Emily RussellArtist Michael Burpoe captures the magic of Winter Carnival in Saranac Lake Saranac Lake artist Michael Burpoe painting at his home studio MICHAEL BURPOE: We're at my house in Saranac Lake I have a studio here and I am painting my annual watercolor painting of the Lawn Chair Ladies a group that walks in the Winter Carnival parade every year that my mom is a long-time member of I do an annual illustration of them and donate a portion of the proceeds back to them EMILY RUSSELL: One thing I noticed about your art is that it seems like your work focuses a lot more on the people than the wild landscapes I've been very fortunate to have done quite a bit of travel in my life The Adirondack culture and the northern mentality only exist up here I think that the people are what build and develop that culture as opposed to just the beautiful landscapes but the people are so strange and they only exist here take me through this piece that you're working on now I do a painting for the [Lawn Chair Ladies] so it was very much like Halloween in the winter I have to find a good reference photo and I sometimes work with Meachele Manchester who is the official photographer for the Winter Carnival and I work with the Lawn Chair Ladies to get a good image I have to sketch it- first I do a loose sketch and then I do a render sketch which is the process of really dialing in the overall look and making sure that I know where my colors are going to start and end and then I have to lay in a bunch of washes you're seeing me do this arm of one of the ladies One of the big focuses when I paint the Lawn Chair Ladies every year is I want to capture what their costumes were from the year before That's one of the things that changes- they dance to different music and they have a different costume every year Artist Michael Burpoe painting from a photo of the Lawn Chair Ladies at the 2024 Winter Carnival RUSSELL: Tell me about your origin story with art When did you start embracing it as a more full-time hobby BURPOE:  I call myself semi-professional because art is not my main source of income I am a design manager for a company and I'm fully remote which was why I was able to move back here But my origin story: I've always been really into art There's a picture right behind you of me painting outside with no shirt on and wearing shorts I give my parents all the credit in the world for this- my parents never forced me to like art even though I showed a lot of acumen and talent for it from a pretty young age But they did keep it within reach Sometimes they’d buy me little creative things like extra pencils or pens or whatever because they wanted me to want to do it I went to school for art at RIT and studied graphic design I was living by myself and I was really struggling I was really lonely and I was constantly watching the news and reading all the reports on covid and all the horrible things but I wasn’t doing as well as I could I had a set of $8 paints I got from a classmate for Secret Santa when I was in school I decided to paint a trip from a recent vacation I had done right before covid And during that time I realized I lost track of time And I didn't check my phone and I was just at peace for the first time in a really long time I have developed some series- I paint while I travel I’m constantly trying to showcase Saranac Lake's unique weirdness I think watercolors are really expressive and art has allowed me to showcase them in a way that not every artist is doing Michael Burpoe's watercolor piece depicts Party on the Patio a weekly summer event at the Waterhole Saranac Lake RUSSELL: So you were recently invited to join the Adirondack Artists Guild What did that mean to you in this moment in your art career BURPOE: I have wanted to be a member of the Adirondack Artists Guild no exaggeration since I was in third grade My elementary school art teacher was Valerie Patterson She's a very established artist in her own right She taught me for the first five years and I always remember that she was always painting in the time between classes She'd work on these massive illustrations of people and I remember asking her- where do you hang these And she said down at the Guild and I was like And I thought the guild must be super cool When I moved back to Saranac Lake I started to attend a lot more events and get to know the members They're so welcoming and so kind and I decided I really would like to try to join I had done a showcase there in February of 2023 and had won a People's Choice Award for their juried show in 2022 That kind of was the right weather for me to be invited A view of Saranac Lake painted by artist Michael Burpoe RUSSELL: While this is not a full-time gig for you is there something you're striving for in your art or in this aspect of your career BURPOE: One of the things I've always told people is that my goal is to become undeniable- like Doc Ward He was the art teacher for a million years Everybody knows his illustrations and he's fantastic Tim Fortune is popular and understood and well known in town because he's been around for a long time and his artworks are incredible or Eleanor Sweeney- they are so undeniable when people think of me like they think of Gary Trudeau they know exactly what [my] illustrations look like about to keel over and I will still be trying to paint SARANAC LAKE — The Saranac Lake Central School District Board of Education is set to vote on a turf product for its planned field renovations at the high school tonight After voters narrowly approved the turf project in a vote last May the biggest question for opponents of the project supporters and the board has been what turf product the board will choose to use — a key point of controversy in the weeks leading up to the vote SLCSD Superintendent Diane Fox said they have a good product that she believes will meet the environmental standards of the state and of the board The resolution names FieldTurf USA as the company Fox said the turf carpet they’ve selected is “FTVTP-1,” which appears to be the company’s “Vertex Prime” product — billed as having “PFAS-free fibers.” Community concerns about the turf centered on many artificial turfs having carcinogenic PFAS “forever chemicals.” School board members have pledged environmental safety The state has a ban on PFAS in artificial turf starting in 2026 An analysis of artificial turfs by the town of Burrillville Rhode Island found no detectable PFAS in the carpet the board will go into executive session to discuss specific details of the contract then return to public session to discuss and vote on the bid The artificial turf field proposition was controversial before the May vote but was narrowly approved with a 53.59% majority 792 voted for the turf and 686 voted against it Some residents opposed the turf over concerns of increased injuries and leaching of PFAS and that it will allow for longer seasons because of outdoor practices and games field use by more teams and reduced maintenance SLCSD board Chair Mark Farmer said FieldTurf has been the company the board’s been interested in for a while now He didn’t want to say much about the turf product until the whole board talks about it but did say the board is working to keep the field environmentally safe “There were some concerns about the environment and our board has taken that to heart,” Farmer said There are two components to artificial turf — the carpet They’ll have to make choices on what kind of infill they’ll use for the field Fox said they will consider another product which goes under the turf carpet to absorb carbon dioxide as well as the potential of using “virgin rubber” for the infill but would also make the field more environmentally safe than others in the state These alternates will be discussion and potentially voted on by the board tonight “We’re trying to do this project as economical as possible and as environmentally responsible as we possibly can,” Farmer said The price of the turf and installation work has been left blank on the meeting agenda Fox said this is because they’re still finalizing the price but added that they’ll have the final price at tonight’s meeting before they vote She declined to share the potential price range for the product and work This is because in the district’s bid from FieldTurf it has a subcontractor to do the base work before laying the turf carpeting and the district was still asking questions about the proposal on Tuesday lights and scoreboard project will not increase local taxes This project will use $2.8 million of the district’s $3.8 million Capital Reserve Fund — a construction fund for borrowing money — along with $397,563 in additional capital funds Fox said the project is coming in fully within budget The field is anticipated to be complete by the fall of 2025 but this is dependent on the weather providing a long-enough construction season To get state aid on the work done to the field Fox said they need to do work inside the high school building Tonight’s agenda also has a resolution for an award of $40,500 to Murnane Building Contractors for doors and an award of $329,500 to Next Era Contracting for electrical work bringing electric from the main building to the new lights and bleachers at the field The Murnane contract has an additional allowance of $8,000 and the Next Era contract has an additional allowance of $15,000 The board meeting tonight is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the High School Library, and can be streamed on YouTube at tinyurl.com/mrtue9s8 local voters approved the spending for this project to convert the current grass field inside the high school track — between the high school building and state Route 3 — to an artificial turf field with lights and a scoreboard to authorize the purchase of bleachers for this field at a maximum cost of $1.25 million passed by a slightly larger margin — 58.8% The bleachers and press box project will carry a cost for local taxpayers to not exceed $1.25 million The district will take out a $1.25 million loan to be paid off over 15 years This is estimated to have an $8 per year impact for someone who owns a $200,000 home in the district Property owners with STAR exemptions would have a $7 impact and those with senior exemptions would have a $4 impact the board approved a letter of intent with E&D Specialty Stands for work on the bleachers and press box at $605,039 as well as a purchase agreement with Musco Sports Lighting the board agreed to transfer the name of Wilson-Raymond field — currently where the Red Storm play football behind Petrova Elementary School — to the new turf field at the high school The new field is expected to support more sports — football The Petrova field will still host modified soccer and football practices and other sports if the turf field is booked The district also has a new mascot — “Big Red,” a red tailed hawk with weather elements nodding to the teams’ Red Storm name SARANAC LAKE — Sturdy Supply and Rental is closing its doors at the end of this week and auctioning off its inventory of tools and rental equipment next month The family-founded and family-owned certified Stihl and Honda dealership and hardware store on Bloomingdale Avenue has been a staple of the community for more than 45 years Local contractors and do-it-yourselfers are mourning the loss of a source of exclusive tool brands Sturdy Supply has slightly different offerings than other hardware stores It’s been a place where people buy gloves snowblowers and laser levels; rent skid steers cement mixers and generators; and get their lawnmowers Chris Stevens behind the counter is a friendly Stevens has worked at Sturdy Supply for six years now and said he’s enjoyed the community-oriented work environment he chatted with customers and doled out advice who was shopping for a pair of work gloves on Tuesday called the closure a “tragedy.” She’s a regular customer and said she’s enjoyed the talks about home projects she’s had there Sturdy Supply owner Tom Hyde said it was a “difficult decision” to close in his good-bye message in an ad in the Enterprise “We want to sincerely thank every one of you for your trust loyalty and support throughout the years,” he wrote The Enterprise was not able to reach Hyde by publication of this article Stevens said they waited for Stihl to accept a new dealer in town before closing shop They wanted to know all the people they’ve sold Stihl equipment to throughout the years will still have a place to go to get maintenance and repairs done on their chainsaws “We didn’t want to feel bad about things that we’ve sold to people,” he said so we wanted to make sure we could do what we had to if anything ever went wrong.” Sturdy Supply was co-founded in 1980 by Phil and Barbara Hyde This was back when they were regularly delivering 55-gallon oil drums to mechanics as far-flung as Loon Lake who had customers out there they got into the retail and rental business “Everyone’s proud that it lasted this long,” Stevens said It’s harder to run a small business nowadays he said — it’s been hard for a while and it keeps getting harder They’re not the only business dealing with it Distributors keep raising their free shipping rates and requiring a larger amount of money spent to place an order consumers are ordering products online more buying from their homes instead of going to a shop people often came to Sturdy for something they couldn’t get online — a discussion of whatever jobsite problem they were encountering He said half the business was people coming to them for advice When people come in and ask how to bust apart a big rock in their driveway he’s able to point to a photo under a plastic sheet on the counter next to the cash register counter showing a boulder with drilled holes filled with Dexpan an expanding liquid which splits the rock apart “All summer long people are doing that,” Stevens said he said — years of seeing what people need People come to them with mechanical issues they can’t repair themselves “Small-town mechanics are hard to come by,” Stevens said he was giving advice on which oil to use for a new chainsaw while noting that the new saws don’t take much of a yank to get started pulling hard on the starter cord is what causes damage to the engine The store’s remaining inventory will be sold off at auctions next month There were be two auctions — one for retail items and one for rental equipment — held online through the Morrisonville-based Quabbin Valley Auction The retail auction will last from March 14 to 23 with a live preview on March 21 and 22 Pick-up days for auctioned retail items will be March 24 through 26 The rental auction will last from March 21 to 30 with a live preview on March 28 and 29 Pick-up days for auctioned rental items will be March 31 through April 2  March 17 — The tarp is coming down from the front of the Trudeau Building on the corner of Church and Main The uncovering of the beautifully reconstructed front portico marks the end of the construction project Historic Saranac Lake (HSL) announced a ceremony in June to celebrate the completion of construction Historic Saranac Lake purchased the former home and medical office of Dr Trudeau in 2019 to preserve the historic building and utilize the additional space for expansion of their museum the $5.5 million construction project is coming to completion “It’s a large building that was heavily used as medical offices for over 100 years,” said HSL Executive Director Amy Catania “It was a big job to restore the building and bring it up to code but we are extremely happy with the results We are grateful for generous support from state and federal grants The expanded museum campus — which will consist of the completely restored Trudeau Building and HSL’s neighboring Saranac Laboratory Museum — promises to be a centerpiece of Saranac Lake’s historic downtown district with the exhibits slated to open in the summer of 2026 The new exhibits are supported by a $250,000 Museums for America grant from the Institute of Museums and Library Services Both buildings are intimately connected to Saranac Lake’s unique history as a center for tuberculosis research and patient care But the story of Saranac Lake extends beyond the borders of the village and stories of tuberculosis The new museum provides the space to present the rich history of the Saranac Lake region encompassed by the boundaries of the sprawling Saranac Lake school district History of Indigenous peoples will be introduced in collaboration with the Six Nations Iroquois Cultural center in Onchiota The overarching story of the expanded museum is the relationship of residents and visitors to the natural environment of the Saranac Lake region The Adirondack mountains and waterways sustained Indigenous people and attracted health seekers Today the natural world continues to drive local economies and draw people seeking recreation HSL is planning a Construction Completion Ceremony on Saturday Anyone who has contributed to the construction and museum expansion project is welcome “All donors at any level are invited to come celebrate,” said Board President Amy Jones A special ceremony will be held to unveil brick pavers and dedication plaques for each of the museum spaces will be unveiled There is still time to support the project or dedicate a paver. The deadline for orders is April 7. Pavers can be ordered online at https://historicsaranaclake.org/pavers The construction completion ceremony will be followed by an informal reception at the Hotel Saranac featuring a special beer donated by RiverTrail brewery Portico under construction in January 2025 The Trudeau building is dedicated in memory of Mary Rousmaniere Gordon who spent three and a half years in Saranac Lake recovering from tuberculosis During that time her husband visited every other weekend from New York giving birth to sons John and Dan after her cure The building includes improved space for collections storage as well as a research room where the public can access the collection The collections wing is dedicated in the memory of Dr Pecora served as chief of surgery at the Ray Brook State Tuberculosis Hospital until 1965 HSL is planning another celebration in July when the doors to the Trudeau Building will be thrown open to the entire community for a festive Open House The event will feature music on the back porch HSL continues to raise funds for the second phase of the project The goal is to raise $3 million to support the new exhibits a handicap lift addition at the Saranac Laboratory Historic Saranac Lake is a not-for-profit architectural preservation organization that preserves and presents area history and architecture to build a stronger community The Saranac Laboratory Museum is open year-round Photo at top: Trudeau Building Museum Rendering Amy Catania is the Executive Director of Historic Saranac Lake Dr Trudeau would come to our home when I was sick I know Dr’s in Saranac Lake that still do. SARANAC LAKE — The pharmacy counter inside the Saranac Lake Walgreens is closing indefinitely starting on Dec 2 and people will need to drive to the chain’s location in Lake Placid to pick up prescriptions with the company for the time being A sign on the front door of the shop says the closure is due to a “staffing shortage” and that they are searching for more staff to fill the gap Managers and staff at the store said on Friday that they cannot speak to the press about the details Messages to Walgreens’ corporate media contacts were not answered by deadline The sign on the door says the Saranac Lake and Lake Placid stores share a central profile system so medication scripts can be pulled over to that location by Lake Placid staff when they are contacted The Lake Placid store’s number is 518-523-5305 “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause,” the sign reads If a medication is a controlled substance the sign says people should speak with their doctors to have the script sent to the Lake Placid Walgreens The Saranac Lake Police Department is close to temporarily moving to the old Army National Guard armory on state Route 3 SARANAC LAKE — The Saranac Lake village board has approved its police station to move from the current Main Street headquarters to the former Army National Guard armory on state Route 3 for an indefinite length of time village Manager Bachana Tsiklauri signed the license and sent it to the state for their signature He’s not sure how long this will take the signatures are just a formality and everyone’s already approved the license The department still expects to move to a planned emergency services complex at 33 Petrova Ave — a $27 million joint facility at the former St The project will take years to complete and has been contentious with neighbors of the site and some other village residents The 1,400-square-foot police department is currently at the historic Paul Smith’s Power and Light Company building at 1-3 Main St. sits on a stretch of the state road called George LaPan Highway Tsiklauri said the police will probably use under half of the square footage of the building The police moving to the armory would just be until the emergency services complex is built building for a potential move of the Adirondack Park Agency headquarters from Ray Brook to downtown Saranac Lake The village won’t be renting the armory The state would allow the police to use it at no charge but the village would reimburse the state for the utilities costs and any increased janitorial personnel Tsiklauri has rough estimates of the move costing between $10,000 and $15,000 and the annual cleaning costs at the armory location to be around $3,000 and the rest of the armory operation and maintenance costs have not been determined yet Tsiklauri said the department would essentially operate two stations for a time as they phase the old one out Public access on the armory site is a “gray area” Tsiklauri said but the license provides for short-term nonmilitary use agreements to be executed Tsiklauri said the state already does these for overflow parking when there are events at the Dewey Mountain Recreation Center next door and could be done for the police The vending machine for Narcan opioid overdose reversal spray fentanyl testing strips and xylazine testing strips would stay at the current police department location Tsiklauri said the police are considering moving the machine from its current location inside the department lobby to an outside location on the downtown property The license with the state for the armory is set for an indefinite length of time It would be cancellable at will and without cause by either party The armory was used by the Army National Guard until 2016 when it was transferred to the state Office of General Services Tsiklauri said the armory will only need “very minor repairs” to be a police station It’s already “pretty well equipped,” and they’ll just need to move their hardware and hook it up Saranac Lake Police Chief Darin Perrotte previously expressed excitement about this move we’re kind of jammed into a small footprint and we’re limited on some of our capabilities,” Perrotte said in September The department stores evidence and impounded vehicles off-site It only has enough space to question one person at a time and only one bathroom This building would remain empty and be maintained by the village until the APA moves in Some members of the public have opposed the police moving from their Main Street location saying the police should be in a central location to the village downtown The armory is between 1.2 and 1.4 miles from the current station Perrotte said he sees few walk-ins; most people are on bike or come by car The APA plans to lease and renovate the existing historic building at 1-3 Main St. construct a new three-story building in the back of the public parking lot on the Lake Street and Petrova Avenue hillside and expand the existing parking lot to 72 spaces Williams said the existing building needs “millions of dollars’ worth of work.” which used to house the Paul Smith’s Power and Light Company was built by the son of the legendary Adirondack guide and hotelier Paul Smith in 1927 The name of that company is still engraved on the side of the building The first and second floors were previously rented to Franklin County for office space The county moved out after their lease expired in June and currently the police are the only ones in the building the APA received $29 million through the state budget for a new headquarters APA spokesperson Keith McKeever told the Enterprise the APA’s current building is poorly designed and in bad condition; he didn’t think it would be cost-effective to renovate it for the agency’s needs 1950s-era log cabin for the last 50 years on a campus four miles away from Saranac Lake that it shares with New York State Police and the state Department of Environmental Conservation in Ray Brook colloquially referred to as “Little Albany.” “Load-bearing structural beams are rotting The cinder block foundation is deteriorating The 18-year-old HVAC system cannot be repaired without removing walls,” McKeever wrote last year Village officials said they are waiting on the APA to hear about what the next steps will be for the potential move The state agency is still studying the potential “Feasibility analysis is ongoing to assess if the 1-3 Main site would meet all the Agency’s programmatic needs and that estimated project costs would be within the budget allocation,” McKeever wrote in an email “APA anticipates all necessary information needed to make an informed assessment should be completed by the end of this year.” There’s been contention over this APA move with different groups of Saranac Lakers writing letters supporting or opposing it Of the APA’s 44 staff at the time last summer 36 were surveyed and a majority either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the proposed move Some said they were supportive of the move and a chunk were neutral on the issue volunteer board members and other community leaders signed a letter to Gov Kathy Hochul’s office in September 2023 enthusiastically calling the move “sensible prudent and progressive” and urging the state to support it They said the offices would be an “anchor” for main street putting “feet on the street” while renovating an “underutilized” historic building which needs a lot of work They said this move would make the APA more accessible and visible and that the state could potentially partner on the village’s planned geothermal project The Saranac Lake Area and North Country chambers of commerce Harrietstown and North Elba town boards and Historic Saranac Lake organization all wrote resolutions of support for the proposed move The North Country chamber’s resolution encouraged the embracing of Main Street as the location for the APA headquarters while asking the state to also seek further affordable housing developing in Saranac Lake The Saranac Lake chamber’s resolution said the move would put major investment in a historic building provide economic opportunities for local businesses and align with its goals for the community Saranac Lake’s Downtown Advisory Board gave its “enthusiastic support” for the relocation project saying it would have a significant economic impact a member of the Saranac Lake Affordable Housing Task Force sent a letter to Hochul voicing “strong opposition” to the plan contending that the proposed space would be better suited for much-needed housing The chair of that task force said at the time that other members found Erman’s thoughts “sound” and that the village board should take his concerns into consideration but the members did not co-sign his letter A group of 19 former APA employees and board members also wrote a letter to Hochul expressing opposition to the move from the agency’s current headquarters in Ray Brook and questioning the transparency and ethics of the process that led to this site being chosen for the new headquarters