A handmade sign in front of 42 degrees on Glen Street reads, “Thank You So Much for all the love Goodbye 42”… 42 Degrees and 42 Degrees Tavern closed on Wednesday, May 31st, 2023.
Robin Barkenhagen started the business as an art gallery and glassware shop in December of 2009… The Pipe shop, owned by Barkenhagen and co-owners Jon King and Mike Chowske, moved into the 206 Glen Street location in 2019, having previously been located for a decade on the corner of Park and Elm.
42 Degrees opened a second location in Malta in 2021, and then added the tavern to the Glens Falls location – the tavern was on the second floor of the building, and offered live music, wine, and beer.
The store closure was announced on Facebook earlier this month. Barkenhagen wrote: “I tried my best to hang on, but ultimately failed… 42 Degrees and 42 Degrees Tavern will be closing at the end of May. I want to thank you all for making the last 13 years special, and the 2 at the tavern magical. Hang on to those memories, good, bad and ugly, it was one of the finest stretches of my long life. This is obviously posted with a heavy heart, I gave both places my all, but it just wasn’t good enough… I love you all…Peace.”
The New Journey’s Social Adult Day Program (SDP) is a division of Kee to Independent Growth Inc. and is located at 217 Dix Ave in Glens Falls. This program is a structured, social model day program serving seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and those in need of supervision, monitoring, and assistance with everyday tasks.
The services provided by this program are designed to improve or maintain socialization, community integration, skills, abilities, and interests to live as fully and independently as possible. The environment is fun, caring and supportive! This social program model fills a need in the community for both seniors and their families, and the hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and one Saturday a month.
New Journey’s Social Adult Day Program will be hosting an open house on Friday, June 16th, 2023, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
NBT Bank announced Mark P. Sidoti has been promoted to Branch Manager of their Glens Falls office. This branch is located at 86 Glen Street in Glens Falls.
As Branch Manager, Sidoti will be responsible for business development, managing customer relationships, and serving as a financial partner for the Glens Falls region. Sidoti has more than 30 years of business development and sales experience in the banking, telecommunications, payroll, outsourcing, and employee benefits industries, and as an active member of the community, he serves as both the treasurer of the Glens Falls Civic Center Foundation board, and as an ambassador for the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce.
NBT Bank is an independent community bank based in Norwich, New York, whose history stretches back to 1856. NBT has more than 135 banking locations in New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Maine.
The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) is currently seeking nominations for their 35th Annual J. Walter Juckett Community Service Award. This award is the four-county region’s most prestigious community service award, given to recognize and honor an extraordinary individual who has selflessly gone above and beyond by contributing time and energy to help others.
“It is such an honor to recognize a community member every year with the J. Walter Juckett Award. With every nomination, and every honoree, we are reminded of how truly amazing our communities are,” said ARCC President & CEO Tricia Rogers.
The 35th Annual J. Walter Jucket Award will be presented at the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner in March of 2024 at The Sagamore Resort.
To nominate a deserving volunteer, please fill out the nomination form – found on the ARCC’s website at www.adirondackchamber.org – and return to the ARCC by the deadline of June 7th, 2023. Nominations will be kept on file for three years.
Yankee Marine Group’s Vice President of Operations Andrew Brodie and Yankee Marine Group have been awarded a $250,000 tax incentive package for a boat storage expansion project. Yankee Marine Group will be developing 9 acres along Route 9N in Lake George, to expand their boat storage business.
Yankee Marine Group is a second-generation family-owned marine retail and service business. They have been in operation since 1966; building and expanding their business for over 50 years! Yankee Marine offers a full selection of boats, boat rentals, storage, and a fuel dock, as well as boating accessories.
This expansion is estimated to cost $3-million, and will be partially offset by a $22,342 mortgage tax exemption and a $112,695 sales tax incentive from the Warren-Washington Industrial Development Agency. There is also a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement that will save the company $117,744 over 10 years.
The Warren-Washington Industrial Development Agency (IDA) provides financial assistance and incentives to the business community. According to their website, this corporation is a public benefits corporation, created to promote, develop, encourage, and assist in the construction, expansion, and equipping of economically sound industrial and commercial facilities.
The Warren-Washington IDA helps to maximize private capital investment in the economy of Warren and Washington County. Their goal is to develop opportunities for both job creation and retention through use of industrial development bonds, tax abatements, and private investment.
The development of the 9-acre lot along route 9N will help Yankee Marine Group free up space at the marina by creating two 11,000 square foot storage buildings that will hold 240 boats, with additional storage for 100 to 110 boats outside.
Currently, Yankee Marine employs a dozen year-round employees, and forty employees throughout the peak summer season. This expansion will increase the number of employees, and streamline the escalation of business leading up to the summer season.
Pay attention for five minutes and you’ll see an Amazon or other delivery truck. This highlights a concern with the continued growth of Amazon and its web of delivery providers: who is responsible when those delivery vehicles are involved in accidents?
Despite the fact that Amazon dictates the routes and schedules of the majority of delivery vehicles – the company is increasingly using delivery providers other than the USPS – Amazon has tried through legal techniques to limit its liability in the event one of the drivers is involved in an accident. The company has done this in part through what are known as hold harmless, or indemnification agreements. These agreements ensure that the delivery companies take responsibility for accidents, even where their drivers are rushing in order to keep to Amazon’s notoriously difficult schedules.
And this is concerning, because with the ubiquity of delivery services, accidents are inevitable.
So, who is responsible?
The answer is the owner/operator of the vehicles, which may be sufficient if that they have adequate insurance. The problem arises where the company does not have adequate insurance to cover damages.
Let’s look at an example: Smithco operates a delivery service. The company’s primary contract is with Amazon to delivery its packages. Smithco maintains a $500,000 liability policy on its vehicles.
John, a Smithco driver, is exhausted, having worked a twelve-hour day delivering for the company, but in order to satisfy Amazon’s requirements, must make one last delivery. Tired and not paying complete attention, John looks down at his phone and doesn’t see Tim, a pedestrian, crossing the street. He hits Tim, causing severe and permanent injuries.
Amazon, of course, claims that it has no responsibility because it does not own the vehicle and does not employ the driver. Smithco’s insurance company will likely pay the entire amount of its insurance policy, but this isn’t enough.
In this case, Tim would, after exhausting the insurance policy of Smithco, look to his own insurance policy’s SUM, or UM coverage. This coverage provides for supplemental benefits where the wrongdoer’s insurance is insufficient to cover the damages. The critical thing here, however, is that Tim must have taken proactive steps to ensure that his SUM/UM limits were high, because if he did not, his carrier would likely have only given him the New York mandated minimum of $25,000.
Assessing and determining liability following an accident can be a complex and confusing process. If you have questions about it, reach out to us today.
The Warren County Board of Supervisors voted Thursday to join the CapitalDistrict Transportation Authority, to allow CDTA to provide public transportation services in Warren County. With upcoming retirements, Greater Glens Falls Transit did not appear viable going forward, and CDTA will replace GGFT to provide bus and trolley service in the Glens Falls area.
“Warren County is looking forward to its new relationship with Capital District Transportation Authority, a well-run and well-respected organization that has been providing public transportation around the Capital District for more than 50 years. We have appreciated the service provided by Greater Glens Falls Transit for the last 40 years, but amid changes that have occurred with the local and national workforces, joining with CDTA is in the best interests of Warren County residents and businesses,” said Kevin Geraghty, Chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors.
The new arrangement will require a change to NY Public Authorities Law by the NY State Legislature, which Warren County will seek in light of Thursday’s board vote.
The merger is expected to include expanded bus route offerings, and connections to other CDTA counties, including Saratoga County and other points in the Capital District. It will require Warren County to pay CDTA between $800,000 and $1.5 million annually, depending on Warren County mortgage tax revenue.
Remains of the Building at 22 Main Street in South Glens Falls
The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that deputies were called early Sunday morning to a fully involved structure fire at 22 Main Street in South Glens Falls, which had formerly been the China Buffet restaurant.
The building, which has been vacant for many years, had formerly been a McDonald’s – McDonald’s had vacated the building in 2005, and in 2007, the building was purchased for $475,000 and became the China Buffet restaurant. The vacant 4,500-square-foot restaurant is currently listed for sale for $650,000.
The building was not occupied when the fire broke out, and the cause of the fire has not been determined. No injuries were reported… However, the fire spread to the neighboring Glens Falls Candy Co. and the Wash and Wear Laundry. Both of these structures were visibly damaged from the blaze, and will be closed until further notice.
The World Awareness Children’s Museum – located at 89 Warren Street in Glens Falls – has a mission to “bring our diverse world to children”. This museum was the vision of Dr. Jacquiline Touba, who believed that sharing and exchanging the visions of children around the world would promote appreciation and understanding of cultural diversity. It was started in 1985, and chartered in 1995 by the Board of Regents of the New York State Department of Education.
Bethanie Lawence is the Executive Director of The World Awareness Museum, which is currently home to over 10,000 cultural and historical objects, as well as over 8,000 pieces of international art made by children. These are both educational, and cultural artifacts… The Museum is unique because it is a collecting institution as well as a children’s exploration space. The art is made by kids all over the world from 140 different countries: “It is a great collection all made by kids all over the world. We use it in an educational way. These objects are educational tools to show how the world looks through the eyes of children… We have rudimentary as well as lovely pieces and kids can learn from all levels of the art and we treat the art with the utmost of care,” Bethanie said.
The museum teaches kids to examine art with a critical eye; they can examine art from other cultures, and see what is similar to their experiences and what’s different. This opens up discussions regarding traditions in different cultures, and children can learn to compare and contrast the traditions that they have with the traditions of others. “The culture that children experience at the museum creates an opportunity for the kids to explore diverse cultures in a safe and nurturing place. This way the kids are not fearful… Just curious. This creates a situation where they can celebrate diversity,” Bethanie said.
89 Warren Street, Glens Falls
As an example of the importance of letting children express themselves, Bethanie showcased a set of COVID-19-themed art projects that the museum featured – the museum reached out to ten schools across the country in 2021, and received hundreds of responses from kids in grades K through 12… Out of these submissions, the museum accepted 52 pieces into their permanent collection. This exhibit shows kids’ experiences during the pandemic, and their perception of what the pandemic was like.
“It was therapeutic for the kids to express what they were feeling. It gave teachers an opportunity to talk to the students about their experiences during the pandemic… It created a space where kids felt safe talking about deep and challenging topics, and they were able to do so because they were asked to create something that resonated with them. This project was helpful to the students, the teachers, and the parents because it was a conversation starter, and the adults were able to see what the kids experience through their art… These kids have been dealing with trauma from the pandemic; the trauma of an interrupted social life, interrupted school life, and in a lot of ways, the pandemic is still affecting them,” Bethanie said.
Bethanie is an empathic leader at the museum, but her empathy didn’t start with her career there: “I was an elementary teacher for about five years before coming here… I came here to work as the education coordinator. The former director and I worked closely together, and when she left, I was promoted to the executive director position… The staff is all paid staff. We do have a small and strong volunteer program… We have part-time staff, and I am full-time, and we would like to build up from here. We have 10 of us working here, and we all work collaboratively together… Every aspect of the work we do for the museum is collaborative,” she said.
“Thailand” Exhibit
The Children’s Museum is a part of the Glens Falls Art Community, and is also a member of the Glens Falls Art District… The museum will be participating in International museum day on Thursday, May 18th, 2023, along with The Hyde Museum and The Chapman Museum. The theme of the event this year is “The Power of The Museum”… Having a theme for the day helps to bring harmony to the celebration, and Bethanie believes that the arts community creates a “rising tide lifts all boats” kind of collaborative mentality.
The Children’s Museum consistently has nine or ten exhibitions with the expectation that one exhibition will be rotated each year. The most popular exhibit currently on display is the “Mexican Kitchen and Garden”: “The kids just gravitate toward it. Kids love playing in the kitchen… I work with a volunteer team to put together the exhibits. There is a lot of planning, we get funding from outside sources like LARAC, and sometimes we have to hire a contractor to build the structures for us… These exhibits start out as a dream, and then we add in the logistics. We always bring the concept back to our mission of cultural education. The kids experience cultural education, diversity awareness, pretend play, making their own crafts… Just being in a room, they learn through the textile experiences,” Bethanie said.
“Mexican Kitchen and Garden” Exhibit
In the Fall, the Museum will be installing a new exhibit which will be called “Mountain Tops” that will highlight the people and culture in the Adirondacks – landscapes, mountains, and bodies of water. The age focus of this exhibit will be children 0 to 3 years old.
The museum is visited by anywhere from seven to eight thousand people a year! Most recently, they have seen an increase of visitors from the Albany area… There are programs that the museum features that attract a wide participation, like a kids version of “Paint and Sip” and child-friendly yoga.
The Children’s Museum uses every inch of the space that they have… There are some limitations to the museum’s space, because there is no outside space and there is no parking provided. However, creative solutions and partnerships have made it possible for the museum to overcome these challenges. Over the summer, the museum hosts summer camps from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and the staff walks the kids around the Glens Falls area… This year, the theme of one of the summer camps is the “Amazing Race”, based on the popular TV show: “When the kids arrive, they receive a clue, and the destination of that clue can be anywhere from LARAC, or The Hyde or Chapman museum. When we get there, the kids participate in a challenge that leads to another clue… We are very excited about that camp for the older kids. For the younger kids, we have a ‘Pirate Adventure’ camp. The kids will learn about different ports around the world, and we will have some kind of treasure hunt at the end of the week… We are very excited for our summer camps,” Bethanie said.
One of the most important aspects in the overall running of The Children’s Museum is the board of directors – the board is made up of 11 people, who are very supportive and helpful in both a hand-on and fundraising capacity: “The board oversees the finances while adhering to our mission, to bring the diverse world to children… What that looks like is really the board and the executive director working together to decide and implement changes for the full organization. We work together on fundraising and the finances, as well as running events, and getting our name out there,” Bethanie said.
Children’s Museum Exhibit
Bethanie is looking forward to their Annual Fundraiser on May 21st, 2023! It will be held at The Queensbury Hotel, and is a celebration of the Museum’s 33rd year: “We raise money for all of our programs… Our typical fundraising goal is $50,000. It’s an international cuisine dinner and auction… We have about 200 guests. The event has a live auction and silent auction, there will be live music by local musician Rich Ortiz… This event is really fun,” she said.
