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Washington County Fair: August 21st through 27th

Written by Kate Haggerty on . Posted in Community, Entertainment, Featured, Food.

The Washington County Fair will be held from August 21st to 27th, at 392 Old Schuylerville Road in Greenwich, NY. Adult admission is $15.00. Children under the age of 13 do not require an entry ticket. Separate tickets are required for the rides. Advanced ride tickets are on sale until August 18th – a sheet of 20 ride tickets is $12.00, and each ride uses 3 to 5 tickets. Parking for the fair is free. 

The Washington County Fair is an event that locals look forward to all year round! For nearly a century the fair has provided a week of rides, food, and agricultural exhibitions. Fairgoers have the opportunity to see aspects of everyday life on a farm, and get a glimpse of what life is like on a working farm.

This year, the fair is featuring “The Big Push” which is a live dairy birthing demonstration celebrating the beauty of new life. This is an experience that dairy farmers celebrate throughout the year. 

The Washington County fair gives fairgoers an opportunity to taste local food, dairy products, and produce. Each year, there is a wide variety of food to experience… This year, there will be Mexican Street Corn Pizza, Hearts Catering will feature a Southwest Egg roll, and Polar Bear will have a Pumpkin and Peach ice cream! Traditional fairground favorites like fried dough will also be available, and to quench your thirst throughout the day, you can stop by the Craft Beverages Corral, where there will be samples of local beer, wine, cider, and spirits. 

While enjoying the food and beverages, entertainment will be all around you… New performers this year include Catalyst Quartet, Kevin Warren and the Bedrock Foundation, Craic Agus Ceol. Jay Mattioli’s Electrifying Magic, Micheal Goudeau the Comedic Juggler, and Pirate Dan. For the kids, story time will be provided by the Argyle Free Library. There will be the always popular 3.0 diesel class truck pull and demolition derby contests… And, of course, so many wonderful animals to see!

For more information, please visit washingtoncountyfair.com 

Cantrip: Free Concert at the Folklife Center

Written by Kate Haggerty on . Posted in Community, Entertainment, Featured, In the Arts.

On Thursday, September 7th, Cantrip will be performing a free concert at The Folklife Center at Crandall Library! Doors open at 6:30 PM music begins at 7:00 PM. The Folklife Center is a place to hear live music from world-class bands in an intimate setting. The concerts are free to the public due to funding from the Friends of Crandall Public Library and the New York State Council on the Arts: Folk Arts Program.

Cantrip formed nearly twenty years ago in Edinburgh, Scotland. The name Cantrip is an old Scots word meaning a charm, magic spell or piece of mischief… This name aptly describes the unexpected twists and turns in their musical arrangements! Swirling border pipes, raging fiddle, thunderous guitar and rich vocals create an energetic sound. The music that Cantrip performs has its roots in 1960’s and 1970’s traditional music, but over the years, influences of funk music, metal, blue grass, and swing have shaped their sound. 

This high energy Celtic music comes from a group of friends – Dan Houghton, Jon Bews, Alasdair White and Eric McDonald. Dan Houghton began his career playing bagpipes, and plays the flute, bouzouki, and DADGAD guitar… Jon Bews is a veteran fiddle player… Alasdair White plays the fiddle, and Eric McDonald studied the mandolin and guitar at Berklee College of Music.

Cantrip signed to the Foot Stompin’ label and created their first album “Silver” in 2001. Over the years the band has done significant touring, and later began producing their own records, “Boneshaker” in 2005 and “Piping the Fish” in 2008, and critically acclaimed “The Crossing” in 2016.

For more information, please visit cantrip-music.com

Heidelberg Inn to be Featured on America’s Best Restaurants

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Business, Columns, Community, Featured, Food, News.

QUEENSBURY, NY – Local restaurant Heidelberg Inn will be hosting a visit from America’s Best Restaurants (ABR) in late August 2023.

America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and marketing company focusing on bringing attention to local, independently-owned restaurants, will bring its ABR Roadshow to the restaurant on August 29th. Popular dishes will be highlighted, along with an extensive on-camera interview with owner John Weber about the restaurant’s special place in the community. The episode will be aired extensively on social media channels at a later date.

Heidelberg Inn, open since 1972, has been under Weber’s ownership for over eight years. He claims they are the last truly authentic German restaurant in the area. With an outdoor covered biergarten, staff in traditional lederhosen or dirndls, and a full menu of German and American specialties all made from scratch, they offer a fun and different experience for locals and tourists alike.

“I think there’s something unique about what we offer and what we’re doing,” he says. He is looking forward to the upcoming visit from ABR to potentially get new customers in the door.

They have a big draw for Oktoberfest, which runs from mid-September through October at the restaurant.

A popular menu item that may be featured on the episode is the ‘German Tour’, a platter of options which consists of veal jagerschnitzel, choice of one wurst (which is sourced from a NYC charcuterie) and sauerbraten, which is beef marinated in a red wine vinaigrette for ten to twelve days, slow cooked for hours, and served with a beef-based gingersnap gravy.

“It’s definitely unique,” notes Weber. “Some people come in exclusively for that.”

And don’t forget the German beers on tap, available in das boot – 1.25 liters or 2 liters in a glass shaped like a boot.

America’s Best Restaurants will be filming on location on Tuesday August 29th from 9 am to noon EST. The press is invited to attend but the filming is closed to the public. The restaurant’s finished episode premiere date will be announced on their Facebook page and will be featured on America’s Best Restaurants’ website at https://americasbestrestaurants.com/rests/new-york/heidelberg-inn.

Restaurants featured on the ABR Roadshow are found through customer nominations or by a restaurant applying to be featured at www.americasbestrestaurants.com.

About Heidelberg Inn: Open Wednesday through Sunday, Heidelberg Inn is located at 352 Quaker Rd, Queensbury NY 12804. Telephone is (518) 792-5556. For more information visit www.heidelbergny.com.

About ABR: America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and restaurant marketing company based in Florence, KY, travels the country telling the stories and highlighting the unique food of locally owned independent restaurants as part of their ABR Roadshow. Restaurants are featured not only on ABR’s Restaurant Network of social media channels and website, but also each individual establishment’s Facebook page. With over 900 episodes filmed, America’s Best Restaurants is the premier marketing agency for restaurant owners and operators to have their story broadcast coast-to-coast. Visit AmericasBestRestaurants.com to learn more and to view the episodes and profiles of hundreds of America’s Best Restaurants!

Veteran-Owned: Slickfin Brewing Company of Fort Edward

Written by Kate Haggerty on . Posted in Business, Community, Entertainment, Featured, Food, Local Leads.

Slickfin Brewing Company, located at 147 Broadway in Fort Edward, is owned and operated by former US Marines Kris and Heather March. This husband and wife couple came to Fort Edward, a small historical village along the Hudson River in Washington County… That’s where Slickfin Brewing Co. has made its home, and they’ve never looked back!

When Kris and Heather first discovered Fort Edward, the downtown was filled with vacant and deserted storefronts… Now, the area has a welcoming vibe, with the hustle and bustle of a thriving village that supports a variety of commerce. The couple saw the potential in downtown Fort Edward, and have worked to help build a neighborhood and community around them: “We were scouting locations for the brewery and came to Fort Edward to look around… What we saw were a lot of empty storefronts along the Hudson River, which is right there (Kris pointed to their backyard beer garden). We looked around and thought we could do something here,” Kris said. 

Slickfin Brewing Company has full-sized windows that look out onto a sidewalk patio with tables that line Broadway. The beer garden around the back of the building provides tons of space for patrons to relax! Kris described the interior of the building when they first found it: “The whole interior area was divided into small spaces. It was all sectioned off and very dark,” Kris said. Kris and Heather worked to open the space up, and Kris built the bar himself. 

The unique name of the brewery comes from Heather and Kris’s shared military experience – the term Slickfin refers to the fin on a bomb, as during his time in the Marines, Kris was an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician. His experience inspired the name, and the name in turn inspired their logo.

Kris and Heather love working together and being part of a community… Heather grew up in Fort Ann, on Hadlock Pond. She graduated from Fort Ann High School in 1998, and attended SUNY Adirondack prior to joining the Marines. Heather is happy to build their business and raise their family in the area where she grew up: “My family is here, and my friends are here. That makes a big difference to us,” she said. 

Kris and Heather met on the rifle range at the Marine Corps Base at Quantico, and married a year later… Together, the couple run the brewery, with Kris brewing the artisanal craft beers, and Heather focusing on creating a welcoming environment and expanding their customer base.   

Slickfin Brewery is perfectly situated to both watch and be a part of the evolving resurgence of Fort Edward! Kris and Heather have watched new businesses move in around them and, love being part of building that community. “Our community wants to be a part of the change that is happening… Everyone is looking and watching and wants these businesses to succeed,” Heather said, as we gazed out the front window watching cars navigate the Broadway. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s taken a while,” Kris added with a smile. 

Kris and Heather experienced the support of the community first-hand while navigating the pandemic – having established their business in 2017, Slickfin Brewery officially opened in March of 2019. The pandemic created unforeseen challenges that warranted creative solutions… Slickfin provided curbside pick-up for their customers, and expanded their patio to serve their customers safely.  Having only recently opened, Heather and Kris found that the community was dedicated to helping their business: “Cars would line up along Broadway, and we would run their order out to them after they had paid over the phone.” Heather said. “It was definitely a challenging time, but we got through it.”

Slickfin is surrounded by businesses that help support each other. Heather gives credit to their neighbor – Underwood Park CrossFit – because their clientele often frequent the local businesses… The community has also welcomed the Twisted Taco Food Truck, and still values the long-standing businesses like The Anvil Inn, Ye Old Fort Diner, and Mamma’s Cafe.

Seeing what Heather and Kris have created begs the question, “What’s next?” Kris has her answer: “We have plans. Our fifth year in business is coming up in March of next year, that’s the year we plan to go to market… I’m working on organizing my methods. Since we opened, we have brewed over 200 types of beer… I would like to stick to between 50 and 75 of those. We have had a lot of fun. The small system that we use allows us to do a lot of things… It allows us to change our menu frequently,” she said. The Slickfin craft brew menu creates an opportunity for patrons to enjoy a 5-oz taster, the traditional 16-oz pint, or a 32-oz Crowler – a growler in a can!

Slickfin Brewery does not serve food, but has created partnerships to encourage patrons to support neighboring eateries – Kris and Heather keep menus of neighboring restaurants on hand, and allow customers to order food in! There are menus from Stumpy’s Pizza, and the Twisted Taco truck parks right outside of Slickfin’s on Tuesday nights.

Kris and Heather keep their customer base up to speed on what is on tap through their website… They are currently featuring Maize for Days Lager, Yacht Rock-Blueberry Blonde Ale, Silhouette IPA-Belguin, Chameleon IPA, Riptide Hard Seltzer,  Before I had Status IPA-American, Street Fighterz, Lager- Japanese Rice, Incoming-Spark it up and Choose a flavor -Sour, Riptide Slushie- Mixed Berry or Peach Hard Seltzer, and NightShade Maple Porter.

Kris and Heather are proud of what they have been able to build in Fort Edward and the calendar ahead is filling up with much anticipated events. August 19th is the 2nd annual Fort Fest. This event takes place at the Brewery from 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM. On Friday, September 1st, Slickfin is featuring a “Paint and Sip” event and then their attention will turn towards OktoberFest!

Slickfin Brewery is open Tuesday through Sunday. The hours of operation are 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM Tuesday through Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays from 2:00 pm to 10:00 PM, and Sunday 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

For more information, please visit slickfinbrewing.com

Tim Drawbridge Leaving City Service

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, Downtown, Featured, Workforce.

Tim Drawbridge, the City’s first full-time Communications Director, is taking a new position in the Capital District closer to his daughter, and will be leaving the City before the end of the month.

“Tim has taken on a significant challenge here in Glens Falls,” said Mayor Collins. “Tim is the City’s first true communications director – and if we learned anything during his tenure, it’s that the position is critical to keeping City residents informed.”

“While we all are sad that he is leaving, we appreciate all of his hard work to blaze the trail on the outreach processes we are now using every day,” Collins said.

During his tenure, Tim created hundreds of press statements and news releases, developed processes to ensure that critical information was distributed as widely as possible, and set in motion a number of upcoming changes that are expected to streamline how City news and events are published.

“It has been my incredible honor to work with Mayor Collins and all of the talented City employees who go about their work largely unnoticed,” said Drawbridge. “I hope that we’ve been able to shine a light on all of the hard work being done for the benefit of the community.”

Thanks to Tim, the City has presences on social media channels that didn’t exist previously, expanding the ability for the City to reach out directly to more residents than ever before: “With Tim’s departure, we will be posting the position immediately in an effort to have little to no break in outreach with our residents,” said Collins. “You can find job information on the City’s social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn), and on the City website at https://cityofglensfalls.com/jobs.aspx

Blue Collar StartUp – Episode 36: Jim Dawsey – Decades of Trials and Triumphs

Written by Command on . Posted in Business, Community, Featured, Media.

In this episode, our host Mike Nelson and visionary founder Derek Foster interview Jim Dawsey, the President of MLB Construction Services, LLC! Jim’s come a long way in his life, from minimum-wage drudgery in a February rainstorm to running a premier multi-million dollar company! He learned no small amount of methods, strategies and secrets along the way… And if you listen to this episode, you just might learn a few for yourself!

Listen to the episode HERE!

Faces of City Hall: Patrick Dowd

Written by Kate Haggerty on . Posted in Community, Downtown, Featured.

Patrick Dowd is the Community Development Director for the City of Glens Falls. He has an amiable demeanor, and a rich knowledge and understanding of systems and tools available to the City of Glens Falls through Block Grants… Block Grants are allocated for a wide range of services. Through these grants, the office of Community Development offers housing rehabilitation grants and loans as well as other services for low-to-moderate income homeowners. 

“… In March of 2022, when I arrived, between my office and the economic development director’s office we had 27 or 28 grants that were in various stages of completion. Between the death of Ed Bartholomew and COVID, a significant number of projects were put on hold,” Dowd said. 

“A big part of my job is that I am the Community Development Block Grant Administrator… The City of Glens Falls is an entitlement community. We are the only city in the Glens Falls MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) in Warren and Washington Counties, and because we are the only city, HUD (The Department of Housing and Urban Development) gives us a certain amount of money every year to go towards different programs to support low and moderate income residents.” Dowd said.

The City of Glens Falls has a concentration of non-profit support groups that help a wide variety of people: “These organizations support people that need it, and the city helps to support them with part of the block grant… So my responsibility is to make sure that the money is being spent correctly,” Dowd said.  

The programs are set up to help specific people: “HUD requires that each organization sends a report with an invoice that breaks down who we helped. The information that is reported includes the number of people and this is how they were helped,” Dowd said.

“At this point, for a family of 4, low income is $72,000 a year. 50% of the median income in the area is $45,000, and for some families income is lower… $30 to $40-thousand a year for a family of four.” Dowd said.

Patrick Dowd understands the importance of his role at city hall, and the importance of the work that he is doing: “I am honored to be able to run the program to use the money to help all of these people. The area median income for the Glens Falls MSA is $90,000 so these are people that make much less than that,” he said. 

Dowd sees the incredible need in the community, and is working to do more for them… For instance, with the Emergency Rehab Program; an income-qualifying program traditionally helps elderly or disabled homeowners with emergency repairs: “An example would be that it’s February and the homeowner’s furnace goes out, or it’s in the late part of the year and their hot water tank goes out. We have an emergency repair program. The City will pay for the replacement at no cost to the homeowner,” he said.

Dowd manages grants that help keep people in their homes, and grants that help people purchase a home as well – The Home Purchasing Grant Program, another income-qualifying program, sets the top price of a house that can be purchased at $231,000. The money in this program goes to closing costs and down payment assistance… To meet all of the qualifications for this program, there are credit council and certification programs that have to be completed. The City of Glens Falls has about a dozen people who have qualified for the program, and has completed three of these this year.

There are also other aspects of the role of the Community Development Director… Dowd is working on a plan to re-create a walking path along Pruyn’s Island. The improvements could give people an opportunity to sit and fish along the path… There is also a plan to provide walking trails through Cole’s Woods. This walking trail would allow people to walk through the woods comfortably and safely. 

Patrick Dowd understands the importance of maintaining accessible recreation in the Area of Glens Falls – Dowd and his seven sisters and one brother spent time in Glens Falls and Lake George while he was growing up. He has now lived in Glens Falls for 24 years, and his own children went to Glens Falls Schools.

Patrick Dowd also holds leadership positions outside of his role at city hall – he is the CEO of The Greater Glens Falls Local Development Corporation. This corporation helps support local businesses and their growth and development. He has also been appointed CEO of The Glens Falls Urban Renewal Agency – this agency gets properties back onto the tax rolls.

For more information, please visit cityofglensfalls.com.

Warren County Begins Work On Comprehensive Plan

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, Featured.

Warren County is planning for the future by creating a Comprehensive Plan, and the initial steps in the process have been taken with the creation of a Project Advisory Group that will meet for the first time on August 23rd, 2023.

Dubbed “Warren County 2040,” the Comprehensive Plan will create a roadmap for Warren County to continue to be an attractive community with a high quality of life. The Warren County Board of Supervisors has sanctioned the development of this plan, which will establish a vision, goals, and strategies for the county’s future through a public engagement plan, to identify community priorities and create a long-term plan to achieve them.

Warren County 2040 is led by a nine-person Project Advisory Group, representative of county leadership, staff, and community members who were nominated through an open solicitation process this spring and summer.

The Project Advisory Group includes residents with a diversity of perspectives from different stages of life, community engagements, and geographies. The Project Advisory Group’s work will be reported to the Board of Supervisors’ Economic Growth and Development Committee.

The group is made up of: Ryan Hutton (Chester), Patrick Dowd (Glens Falls), Joshua Westfall (Bolton), Brady Stark (Queensbury), Tammy DeLorenzo (Bolton), Paul Cummings (Queensbury), Craig Leggett (Chester), Connie Bosse (Glens Falls), Anna Bowers (North Creek). Molly McCarthy (Chester) is an alternate for Anna Bowers.

The Project Advisory Group will help guide the technical planning work that will be conducted by a consultant team led by LaBella Associates of Glens Falls.

Ethan Gaddy, Warren County Planner, said Warren County 2040 will be a stakeholder-driven, inclusive planning process to ensure that community priorities are at the heart of the Comprehensive Plan. Community members will have an opportunity to provide feedback and participate in public events, surveys, and focus groups throughout the planning process.

“Input from the public and other stakeholders in the county is critical to the development of Warren County 2040,” Gaddy explained. “The consultant team and the Project Advisory Group will develop a robust public engagement plan to ensure that the public is involved and assisting us throughout the process.”

Warren County Planning Department will also be providing regular updates on the Comprehensive Plan’s progress through the website, its social media accounts, and e-mail outreach.

The Warren County Planning Department is committed to transparency at all stages of plan development… The Wednesday, August 23rd meeting is open to the public, and will be held at Warren County Municipal Center’s Human Services Building, starting at 10:00 AM, though public participation will be limited at this stage of the process. Additional public meetings are planned in the future.

To learn more about Warren County 2040 and to stay up to date on the plan’s progress, findings, and public events, visit the Warren County 2040 website: https://warren-county-2040-warrencountyny.hub.arcgis.com/.

Warren County Probation Department Teaches Life Skills Through Gardening

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community, Featured, Food.

The Warren County Probation Department has instituted a program to teach life skills to young people who are put on probation through gardening. Leaders of the program hope that this program will better prepare youths on probation for their lives to come.

Thursday, July 20th was an uplifting day for the staff of the Juvenile Unit of the Warren County Probation Department – it was the day the first tomato was harvested from the new garden being minded by the agency’s youth probationers, under the supervision of their probation officers!

As of early August, six youth have been spending parts of their supervisory visits with Probation staff planting, weeding, watering and tilling in the “Warren County Youth Garden” in what was a vacant field at the Municipal Center. It sits near a perennial wildflower “pollinator” garden that has taken shape the last few years.

The vegetable garden rules are spelled out in bright lettering on a sign outside the garden fence – work hard, be kind, stay on the path, pick up after yourself, and be respectful.

The summer weather has made for challenges, with extra watering needed in June before the summer deluge began… But a robust crop of veggies is shaping up, to be eaten by families of the probationers and donated to community organizations. As is the case with many gardens, there will be a ton of zucchini!

One teen probationer who has been most active in the garden is Caleb, 16, from Lake George, who said: “I go to the garden, let out my stress, with all of these plants, I am feeling blessed. I look forward to coming to the garden. Our garden has helped me learn how to take care of plants, and be part of a team that is responsible for them.”

Amy Secor, supervisor of the Probation Department Juvenile Unit, said: “When we have juveniles who are put on probation, we do an initial assessment that includes learning their interests. During a recent assessment, a number of them said gardening was an interest. We did some research and found there are mental health benefits to gardening, and life skills that our youth will gain from this as well. Our probation officers have been relentless in attending to the garden and ensuring that our youth are building skills through creative alternatives to supervision.”

Special thanks for this project goes to Warren County Buildings and Grounds and Warren County Soil & Water Conservation District, who provided vital assistance in getting the program off the ground.

Amy Secor noted that “Jim Lieberum and Jake Dunkley, from Warren County Soil and Water, really impressed me with their willingness to provide us with grant funding and support to start the project as well as offered ideas and resources that we can use for future collaborations. The Building and Grounds crew are invested in the garden as well. They check on it regularly and check in with us to see how things are going. They have made it a fun project for all of us, not just the youth. “

Celebration and Awards Night for Warren County Summer Workforce in Hospitality, Tourism and Retail

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Business, Community, Featured, Workforce.

The Second Annual “Celebration and Awards Night for Warren County Summer Workforce in Hospitality, Tourism and Retail” at Six Flags Great Escape will be held on Tuesday, September 12th, 2023, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

For this event, each member of the Warren County summer workforce is given free admission to Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor, and they may also bring one guest for $5.00. Last year’s attendance was over 200 people!

The proceeds from this event benefit the Wait House – an organization which has a mission to provide stability to youths who present themselves as homeless. The Wait House provides safe and supportive housing, as well as services to help the individual live and grow.

Award categories for this celebration include:

  • Excellence in Customer Service
  • Emerging Leader
  • Patience of a Saint
  • Most Team Spirit
  • Sales extraordinaire
  • Lake George Royalty
  • The Frank Dittrich Hospitality Management Award

For more information regarding this event, to register for the event, or to nominate an employee, colleague, or manager for an award, please contact the Warren County Department of Workforce Development at (518) 743-0925, or email ochsendorfl@warrencountyny.gov.