On Wednesday, November 16th, Texas-based Lehigh Hanson announced that Lehigh Cement Company of Glens Falls will be closing in 2023, citing changes in cost effectiveness of the aging plant as the primary reason. The plant currently employs 85 full-time workers, who will reportedly be offered job search and financial assistance.
This plant has been in operation at 313 Warren Street for almost 130 years. It opened in 1893, and is located on over 20 acres on the banks of the Hudson River; the company itself owns about 66 acres around that area, according to city records. Lehigh Cement produced Type 1, 11, and 111 Masonry, according to their website. Lehigh Henson is planning a phased shutdown for the plant, concluding in 2023.
“The decision to halt production at a plant is always difficult. We are thankful for the dedication and efforts of our Glens Falls workforce over the years, and we will work to minimize the impacts to our employees and the community as much as possible” said Alex Car, president of Lehigh Hanson’s Northeast Region, in a prepared statement. Lehigh Henson plans on moving operations to a new state-of-the-art and energy-efficient cement plant in Mitchell, Indiana. Cement coming to this region will now come from that plant.
School of Rock: The Musical will run though Sunday, November 20th. Tickets are either $20 or $30, depending on the day of the performance. Theater-goers have raved about the show, noting that they loved the range of emotion that the performance inspired, thanks to the incredibly talented cast! Amanda Rabine of Fort Edward, New York, took her daughter Spencer to the show. She said afterward, “We laughed, we sang, I cried, and we never stopped smiling!”
School of Rock: The Musical is based on the popular 2003 film starring Jack Black. The main character – Dewey Finn – is a washed up rock star wannabe turned substitute teacher by a chance turn of fate; he then seizes the opportunity to teach his students about the power of music! The first adaptation of this movie to the stage was on Broadway in 2015, and its lasting success is a true testament to its quality!
The Wood Theater is located at 207 Glen Street, in the heart of Glens Falls. This theater is a non-profit, year-round event space; nearly 350 events happen at the 300-seat theater every year! The Wood Theater’s mission is to promote cultural and artistic endeavors which help foster economic development, and improve the quality of life in the Glens Falls area. For tickets or more information, visit Woodtheater.org
The New York State Public High School Girls’ Volleyball Tournament will return to the Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls on Saturday, November 19th and Sunday, November 20th. This is the 16th year that the Cool Insuring Arena has hosted the tournament.
The event features competition between five classes, and four teams qualify in each class. During pool play, teams will play each other once. Then, the top two teams (determined by the pool play records) will advance to the finals, with tie-breakers used as needed.
Opening ceremonies are set to begin at 7:45 AM on Saturday morning. At 8:30 AM, the morning pool play will begin, and the afternoon pool play is scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM. The finals on Sunday will start at 10:00 AM for Class D, 12:00 PM for Class AA and C, and 2:00 PM for Class A and B. The competing teams this session will include Lake George, Shenendehowa, Burnt Hills, and Galway.
The Cool Insuring Arena is not providing ticket services for this event. To purchase tickets, go to https://gofan.co/app/school/NYSPHSAA; tickets must be purchased digitally! Prices will come to $11.50 per ticket with all fees included.
The Chevalier Ballet Company is a professional ballet touring company that will be performing at The Strand Theater on November 18th and 19th.
On Friday, November 18th at 7:30 PM, the company will present Sara Knight’s original “Beatles Ballet”: this ballet performance will feature Beatles tribute band “Across The Pond”, who will play all your Beatles favorites including A Day in the Life, Eleanor Rigby, Strawberry Fields Forever, I Am a Walrus, Girls, Black Bird, and Something.
The ballet initially premiered in New York City in October of 2018, at Hunter College’s Danny Kaye Theater; The Chevalier Ballet Company first premiered their take on the ballet at The Strand on December 1, 2018.
Next, on Saturday, November 19th at 1:30 PM, the company will present another of Sara Knight’s originals: “Ballet Meets Joplin”. This performance will feature Jonathan Newell playing the music of Scott Joplin; the original “King of Ragtime” who wrote over 40 ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas that took the world by storm in the early 1900s. The ballet features an on-stage piano as its central piece, which the dancers revolve around.
Additionally, the Chevalier Ballet Company was recently granted non-profit status; they perform not only in traditional theatrical settings, but also in outreach settings such as retirement homes, schools, and hospitals.
Tickets for these two performances are $15.00 each, and can be purchased at The Strand Box Office by calling (518) 832-3438, or on location at 210 Main Street, in Hudson Falls, New York. For more information about the show, visit Chevalier!
The environment and humanity’s impact on it has been a hot topic for decades now. Here are some simple tips to reduce your impact on the environment this holiday season and beyond…
Photo: Crandall Pond Crandall Park Glens Falls
One of the things that people look forward to during the holidays is seeing friends and family, but that quality time can potentially be spent with a lower impact on the environment. The key word? Carpooling! With so many people moving about during the holiday season, there can be concerns about traffic; Carpooling effectively reduces the number of cars on the road, to improve your own experience as well as those of other families. Another potential option is public transportation. If you take the time to research the public transportation options that are available during the holiday in your community, you may find it to be a safe and efficient way to travel during the holidays, which also reduces your carbon footprint.
Small substitutions on the holiday menu can also have a positive impact on the environment: adding a vegetarian or vegan option to your usual menu can lower the carbon emissions associated with your food. A great place to get vegetables for the holiday season is a local farmers’ market; this will help support your community, lower your carbon emissions, and make a high quality meal this holiday season. Supporting a local farmers’ market can also add a fun and festive outing with family and friends to your holiday calendar!
If the dessert course is more your speed, consider making a “no-bake” dessert this season; some excellent and delicious options in this category include peanut butter bars, puddings of all sorts, and candied (or caramel) apples!
Plan on controlling your recipe’s output to minimize food waste. If you do have leftovers, store them in a reusable container: try to avoid using single use plastic bags, plastic wrap and tin foil.
Another good option is to remember to lower your thermostat before you leave your house for the holidays. This – in addition to unplugging your devices, turning off lights (or putting them on timers) and making sure your windows are all firmly closed – can not only reduce your environmental impact this season, but lower your electric and heating bills too!
Finally, when stringing up those festive holiday lights, consider using LED bulbs to save energy and reduce emissions. Also, consider using a timer so that the lights are only on when you want them to be.
Whatever your choices this holiday season, keep the environment in mind; you’ll find that your options are just as festive and fun, and can have a positive impact, too!
Doc’s Restaurant – which is currently located in the historic Park Theater – will soon be moving across the street, with their last night of service on Saturday, November 19th. This move is part of a rebranding of Doc’s Restaurant, which will be called “Park & Elm”. At their current location, the kitchen can serve up to 60-65 people and the dining room could hold up to 50 guests; however, due to special events and high demand, Doc’s needed a larger kitchen and more space… When Doc’s would have a special event with 50 people or more, the restaurant would have to close because the original facility could not support both the event and regular dining.
Photo credit: Kate Haggerty
Elizabeth and Ben Miller are the power behind the revitalization of this section of downtown Glens Falls. The mother and son team have invested in this area to fill a void in the community, and so Park & Elm will be a restaurant and specialty market. The specialty market and deli will feature local products as well as craft beer, in addition to specialty meats and cheeses as well as more common grocery items. The Millers crafted this concept with the neighborhood in mind; Glens Falls Hospital is within walking distance of Park & Elm. This creates a built-in customer base of hospital employees and visitors alike!
The market and deli will have an open house on Saturday, November 19th from 7am-9pm; this will also the final night of service across the street at Doc’s. The market and deli will be fully open to the public, with the restaurant’s opening date still to be announced; the move will be conducted over the next few weeks. Gift certificates that were purchased at Doc’s will be honored at the new restaurant.
Photo credit: Kate Haggerty
The executive chef – Matthew J. Delos – will have the same role at Park & Elm. To sum up: Park & Elm will be substantially bigger than Doc’s Restaurant. The dining room will be able to seat 85 guests inside, and 60 additional guests on the patio. For more information, please visit park&elm.com
The Glens Falls Farmers Market finished up its outdoor market on October 29, 2022. The indoor market runs on Saturdays from November 5, 2022- April 29, 2023. It is located in the food court area of the Aviation Mall. The indoor farmers market creates a relaxed ambiance with festive music. The food court fades away and the environment is welcoming and jovial.
Vegetables grown by Alleged Farm
The Glens Falls Farmers Market Association has been bringing locally grown, produced and crafted products to communities around Glens Falls since 1976. The Glens Falls Market is a “Producers Only” Market. This means that the people who are selling the goods have also grown or produced these items.
Alleged Farm has a stand at the Farmers Market. Their offerings include eclectic vegetables. Some of these vegetables, like quince, are popular in Europe but can be grown in our local climate. Alleged Farm features asian greens and likes to highlight different flavors and textures.
Alleged Farm is located in Easton, New York. The fields have been farmed since 1788. Stewardship of the land is very important. This stewardship includes sustainable practices. Crop rotation, reduced tillage, and the use of cover crops and compost are tools that are used to maintain healthy soil.
Alleged Farm participates in community supported agriculture known as CSA. Community supported agriculture is a crop sharing system that connects producers with consumers. The consumer subscribes to the farm. This arrangement creates several rewards for both the consumer and the farmer. The advantage for farmers is that they get to start marketing their food before the 16 hour days in the fields begin. They receive payment early in the season which helps with cash flow, and they build relationships with the people that eat their food.
The advantages for consumers is that they are getting ultra fresh food. They are exposed to new vegetables and ways of preparing them. Kids in the family are more open to trying new vegetables if they know the farm that the vegetables came from. Consumers can also feel good about helping to support a local farm.
As the concept of community supported agriculture has taken shape and expanded variations of the idea have been introduced. The “Mix and Match” or “Market Style” CSA have become popular. This allows the consumer to create their own box or bag of veggies. There are sometimes limitations, like only allowing one box of strawberries per family. CSA’s have branched out. Some farmers offer eggs, homemade bread, meat, cheese and flowers.
Sean Murphy works at Alleged Farm
Community supported agriculture is not just a transaction, it is a shared risk model. The consumer pays up front for the entire season and the farmer tries to create an abundant box each week. However, if the harvest is light, the consumer will not be reimbursed. This idea of shared risk helps to create a sense of community. When things go wrong the community commiserates together and when things go well they celebrate together. Thomas Christenfeld is the Alleged Farmer and has CSA shares available. To learn more visit the website Theallegedfarmer, or call (518) 692-9065. You can also visit their farm stand at the Glens Falls Farmers Market.
Aldi is a local favorite around the Glens Falls area. Aldi is known for having low prices and this store knows their shoppers. This year inflation rates have soared. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics indicated that the inflation rate for food increased 11% in September alone. Shoppers are spending more and getting less. This prompted Aldi to feature a Thanksgiving Rewind to 2019 prices. Items that are often purchased for Thanksgiving will be offered at 2019 prices. Aldi’s Price Rewind will translate to a savings of up to 30% on some Thanksgiving favorites. The Thanksgiving Price Rewind started on November 2, 2022.
Aldi, Queensbury NY
Aldi operates under a no-frills principle. This concept and selling private label items helps Aldi keep its prices down. One of the unique systems that Aldi features is a cart rental system. The shopper rents the shopping cart for a quarter. When they are done with their shopping they return the cart and the quarter is returned. This rental system saves the company labor costs. It eliminates the time and labor to retrieve abandoned shopping carts. Aldi’s popularity has soared and it is on track to be the third largest grocery chain store behind Walmart and Kroger.
Dave Rinaldo is the President of Aldi US. He said in a press release, “Providing amazing products at the absolute lowest prices is what we’ve always done, and we know right now that’s more important than ever. We expect to welcome tens of millions of customers in our stores this Thanksgiving season, and we want them to know they can count on us. So why not attempt that additional side dish this year, or invite over a few more friends or family members? You can rest easy knowing Aldi has your back this Thanksgiving, and beyond.”
The Thanksgiving Price Rewind will be available in US locations nationwide in-store and online between November 2nd – November 29th 2022. Visit aldi.com for more information.
On Friday November 11th, The Queensbury Hotel hosted the 16th annual Wine & Chocolate Tasting to benefit The Chapman Museum. “Dry! Robust! Pairs wells with oysters!” Could be heard from the wine vendor tables. Museum supporters wandered the ballroom sipping wine and spirits and enjoying savory chocolates and cheeses.
Photo Credit Kate Haggerty
Friday night’s festivities were not dampened by the rainy weather. Guests varied from couples out for a date night, to groups of friends, to active community supporters. Tickets for the event were $45.00 online or $50.00 at the door. This event featured 28 tables filled with samples of wine and spirits, chocolates/desserts and locally sourced cheese. There were raffles, a door prize, and an online auction. Volunteers at the event were very happy with the turn out. Annie Deppe was asked by a neighbor to volunteer the day before the event. She was happy to do it, “It’s a worthwhile cause and always nice to be involved in community events.” Deppe said as she rearranged wine glasses which were given to each guest as they arrived. The guests casually mingled around the event space, glass in hand, eager to sample the offerings from each table.
Chapman Museum Volunteers: Beth Roach, Sue Merrill,& Annie Deppe
The Chapman Museum is a local gem. It has a long and storied history that dates back to 1867. At that time hardware merchant, Zopher Delong owned the house. He remodeled what had been a modest wood framed house. He turned it into the structure visitors see today. It is a two story brick building with a Mansard roof. This type of roof maximizes the interior space of the attic.
In the late 1960’s Juliet Chapman donated the house to the community. The museum received a permanent charter from the New York State Board of Regents in 1968. Goals of the Chapman Museum include, to increase knowledge of local history and to inspire a greater sense of community. Since the time of its original charter the museum has added exhibition galleries, climate controlled collections storage, a research room, a multi purpose classroom and a museum shop.
The museum has public hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-4pm & Sunday hours from 12pm-4pm. Admission is a suggested donation of $5 for Adults, $4 Seniors & Students. The Chapman Museum is located at 348 Glen Street in Glens Falls N.Y. (518) 793-2831. The exhibits change seasonally and highlight subjects that contribute to the heritage of the region. More information can be found on their website at Chapman museum.org
The Rockefeller Christmas Tree that came from Main Street in Queensbury has arrived in New York City. The 82 foot tall Norway Spruce was donated by the Lebowitz family of Glens Falls. The tree arrived in front of 30 Rockefeller Center and was lifted into position on Saturday morning. Scaffolding will be erected around the tree and it will be decorated with more than 50,000 multi color, energy-efficient LED lights. These lights will be strung over 5 miles of wire. Solar panels on the top of a nearby Rockefeller Center building will help power the lights through the season.
Photo credit: Tishman Speyer
The star which will sit on the top of the tree will be an amazing sight. This crystal star will be provided by Swarovski. Swarovski has been a family owned producer of glass since its founding in 1895 by Daniel Swarovski. This three dimensional star is 9 feet tall, 4 inches in diameter and features 70 spikes covered in 3 million Swarovski crystals. The star weighs 900 pounds. This crystal star was designed by architect Daniel Libeskind. Libeskind is an international figure in architecture and urban design. His work has influenced the field of architecture, urban design and culture.
After the holidays the trunk of our famous tree will be milled down. It will be used as two by fours and two by sixes and donated to Habitat for Humanity. The wood of the Norway Spruce is flexible and durable. These factors make the wood versatile as a building material. Lumber from Rockefeller Christmas Trees have helped build homes from New York to Mississippi. Donating the wood has been a tradition since 2007. Homes that have been built with the wood have commemorative stamps on the exposed wood.
Tree lighting will take place on Wednesday, November 30th. After November 30th, the tree will be lit daily from 6am-12am. On Christmas Day it will be lit for 24 hours, and on New Year’s Eve it is lit from 6am to 9pm. For more information visit rockefellercenter.com
