fbpx
Skip to main content

Glens Falls to Participate in Thriving Communities Program

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

Earlier this month, The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced that the City of Glens Falls had won a competitive “Thriving Communities” grant. “Thriving Communities” is one part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s programs focused on ensuring that all communities have an equal opportunity to benefit from federal infrastructure funding.  USDOT’s technical assistance is part of the Thriving Communities Network, an interagency initiative among the Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Energy, Commerce, and Agriculture, as well as the General Services Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency.  The city was one of 64 communities across the U.S. that now has access to historic funding opportunities.

“The historic investments we are making in America’s infrastructure must reach the communities that need them the most,” stated U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a media release. “With the new Thriving Communities program, we are helping under-resourced communities better access federal funding for transportation projects that will create jobs, improve safety, and strengthen their economies.”

“Glens Falls is the planning and development stages of several transportation projects,” states Jeff Flagg, the Director of Economic Development, “but the city has no technical planning staff and relies heavily on the use of consultants.  “Our goal in applying for the grant was to assist the city in the technical planning of transportation projects.”

“The Thriving Communities program will support four separate transportation projects that are currently under consideration in Glens Falls,” continued Flagg. “They include ideas for a multimodal transportation hub, the implementation of the Greater Glens Falls Transit Authority’s (GGFT) merger with the Capital District Transit Authority (CDTA), the electrification of our bus fleet, and the implementation of ADA accessibility improvements for pedestrian facilities.  The funding received via the Thriving Communities Program will help us to coordinate efforts together with our community partners such as the Lake Champlain & Lake George Regional Planning Board, the Adirondack/Glens Falls Transportation Council, and the Warren County Economic Development Corporation to advance these projects.”

“Our selection fell under the ‘Complete Neighborhoods’ aspect of the Thriving Communities program,” continued Flagg.  “That means the City of Glens Falls is working to better advance complete streets policies and coordinate transportation with land use, housing, and economic development.”

“Communities that have long faced historic under-investment and disadvantage are finally going to get the technical assistance they need to explore innovative concepts and build better transportation solutions through the Thriving Communities Program,” said Build America Bureau Executive Director Morteza Farajian.

For more information regarding this or any other issue, please reach out via e-mail at communicationsdirector@cityofglensfalls.com or tdrawbridge@cityofglensfalls.com.  If your issue is urgent or if you’re looking to speak with Mayor Collins regarding a formal comment, please call (518) 920-4884.

The Fox-Dominion Settlement

Written by Scott Peterson, D'Orazio Peterson on . Posted in Business, Community, Featured, News, Opinion.

One of the big stories this week/month was the settlement on the eve of trial of the defamation case between Dominion Voting Systems and Fox News.  The case settled during the first day of trial and at or near the conclusion of jury selection, for nearly $800,000,000.

A quick recap: following the 2020 Presidential election multiple theories were floated relating to the validity of the election.  Many of these were broadcast on Fox News, among those theories relating to the validity of Dominion’s voting machines and software.

Dominion sued Fox for defamation, alleging that the company (through its executives, anchors, etc.) knowingly made false statements about its products and as a result caused substantial damages.  The company sought some $1.6 billion in damages.  Fox denied these allegations, asserting that the information it broadcast was relevant to the public interest, and was likewise protected by the First Amendment.  The judge in the case issued a series of pre-trial rulings, among those that the statements were, in fact, false, and the case was scheduled to begin a jury trial on Monday, April 17.

Monday came and went with an announcement that the trial had been adjourned for one day to allow the parties to explore a possible settlement.  When the parties could not reach one, jury selection began.  During what became a three-hour lunch break, Fox and Dominion finally reached a settlement, and the case was over.

Today we’re going to talk about why cases settle, and why they settle when they do.

The average person might look at the Fox-Dominion case and ask why it got this far if it was just going to settle.  That would be a fair question.  The practical answer would be that the parties needed to engage in pre-trial discovery (the process by which parties to lawsuits ask for and exchange information), which is true.  Dominion did not have access to the many emails and text messages between Fox Anchors and executives (some of which were very harmful) and it’s likely that Fox did not have early access to any information which supported Dominion’s claim of damages.  So, it’s not entirely surprising that discovery was necessary.

Okay, but why then didn’t the case settle after discovery, but well before the parties prepared for trial?

Legal disputes settle at many different points.  Sometimes they settle before papers are even filed, where each side has determined that an early resolution is in their own best interest and these interests align.  Sometimes they settle after discovery, when the parties each have a complete picture of the case and are able to agree (without actually agreeing) as to what an appropriate outcome should be. 

Other times, however, cases simply cannot be settled until there is a real, in-your-face threat of a trial and (in this case) by extension a jury verdict.  It may be that one side is being unreasonable with its demands or offers, or the other failing to recognize its own strengths/weaknesses.  What often happens, however, is that when the Court presses “Go” and a prospective jury is brought into the Courtroom, things get real very quickly.  All of a sudden parties really start to think about what testimony might actually come in, and (particularly in high profile cases) how it will be perceived.  They start to really consider the uncertainty of the whole thing; or how their fate is now in the hands of these 12 (or in New York, 6) jurors whom they’ve never met.

And that’s why it was not at all surprising to see the settlement come when it did.  What took so long?  Likely a combination of the factors above: Dominion appeared to be dug in on its demands, including a public acknowledgement by Fox that it knew the statements were false (or, ultimately, a public acknowledgment of the Judge’s ruling that the statements were false); Fox was likely dug in on some technical legal issues on which it thought it could win (whether at trial or on appeal).  But ultimately, when the rubber hit the road, and when they were each facing a jury of “peers”, everyone recognized what was at stake.  Fox in particular, being a large publicly traded company, had more absolute risk and therefore more incentive in the end to settle, particularly given the damaging written communications and the prospect of its most famous anchors and CEO testifying in open court.  

There’s a saying mediators often use that a successful mediation is one where both sides walk away mutually unhappy with the resolution.  In this case I’m not sure that Dominion walked away unhappy, and to that degree it seems like a win.  Fox certainly took a hit to its reputation and its wallet; however, by settling the case the company was able to contain the fallout, at least for now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Scott M. Peterson is the founding partner of D’Orazio Peterson, having left a partnership at a large regional law firm to limit his practice and focus on exclusively representing individuals in a small number of employment and serious injury/medical malpractice matters.

Foothills Council Varsity Girls Lacrosse

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Education, Featured, Sports.

Queensbury, 20… Greenwich, 4.

Meredith Montgomery fired in a team-high six goals to go along with two assists, and Kaitlyn Barton found the net five times to match her career-best as the Queensbury varsity girls lacrosse team defeated host Greenwich 20 to 4! Kendra Ballard and Kendal Kelsey added three goals apiece for QHS, which has won 19 consecutive true road assignments and 105 straight Foothills Council contests – both program records!

Score by halves: Queensbury 8-12 = 20, Greenwich 1-3 = 4.

Queensbury goals-assists: Meredith Montgomery 6-2, Kaitlyn Barton 5-1, Kendal Kelsey 3-2, Kendra Ballard 3-1, Kayla Zehr 2-0, Sophia Flewelling 1-0, Lilly Trowbridge 0-2, Sarah Johnson 0-1. TOTALS: 20-9.

Greenwich goals-assists: Molly Abate 1-0, MacKenzie Dixson 1-0, Maeve Kelleher 1-0, Elizabeth Marci 1-0. TOTALS: 4-0.

Goalkeeper saves—Queensbury: Laura Dickerson 4 (25 minutes, 1 goal allowed), Abby Johnson 2 (25 minutes, 3 goals allowed). Greenwich: N/A.

Records: Queensbury 6-0 (6-0 Foothills Council), Greenwich 2-4 (2-3 Foothills Council).

Queensbury Boys Tennis Remains Undefeated

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Education, Featured, Sports.

The Queensbury varsity boys tennis team remained undefeated in 2023, and secured the program’s 650th victory with a 5-2 dual-match decision against visiting Glens Falls today!

Dating back to the 2019 campaign, the Spartans have captured 31 consecutive Foothills Council matches, which is the third-best streak in school history.

Singles Results:

1. Skyler Allen (Q) def. Julien Oswald 6-4, 6-3

2. Will Lamy (Q) def. Vincent Westfall 6-0, 6-1

3. Owen Young (Q) def. Ronan Westfall 6-1, 6-1

4. Tim Motsiff (GF) def. Ryan Greenstein 4-6, 6-2 (10-6)

5. Jack Murray (Q) def. John Tallon 6-0, 6-0

Doubles Results:

1. Ian Rathbun/Gavin Hochsprung (Q) def. Tucker Sokol/Peyton McClenning 6-3, 6-1 

2. Brayden Dock/Owen Campopiano (GF) def. Max Anderson/Sean Donahue 6-2, 6-4 

Records: Queensbury 5-0 (4-0 Foothills Council), Glens Falls 2-2 (2-2 Foothills Council).

Annual Drive-Thru Food Drive

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

The Pines at Glens Falls Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation is hosting their annual Drive-Thru Food Drive with The Veterans & Community Housing Coalition (VCHC) on Friday, April 21st, 2023, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. This drive-thru event is accepting both non-perishable food donations and monetary donations – the drop-off location is the Pines at 170 Warren Street in Glens Falls.

The Pines at Glens Falls has a dedicated staff… Their principles of kindness, compassion, service and excellence create an environment where individuality and dignity are valued, and provide both the residents and their families physical as well as emotional care.

The VCHC Veterans & Community Housing Coalition provides housing and support services to all homeless military veterans and their families. Their mission is to advocate on behalf of all military veterans and to provide housing opportunities for low income households.

The Glens Falls Kiwanis Club will be on hand to help collect the food donations, and they will be making a cash donation from the club as well.

World Awareness Children’s Museum Gratitude Workshop: Arms Around the World

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

Ashley Campbell – owner of Coral & Blue Children’s Stationery and non-profit, Coral & Blue Burundi – is hosting a gratitude workshop entitled “Arms Around The World” on Saturday, April 22nd, 2023, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the World Awareness Children’s Museum in Glens Falls.

During the event, Ashley will show photos of children in Burundi, Africa, which is ranked the poorest country in the world. The children will see what their everyday lives and homes look like, and where Burundi is on the map… She’ll also share pictures of children’s personal letters and artwork with her audience to explain what children in Burundi are thankful for.

Ashley Campbell

Then, the children have a chance to get creative! Children will have the opportunity to color and write their own gratitude letters. Elementary-lined cards with space for artwork will be provided.

“I bring in art supplies for the kids, I usually have a white board and we talk about what they are grateful for, just to jog their memories before they go ahead and write their own thank you notes, so that they have reference points. I also bring a book with me about gratitude, so I read that and that helps get them in the right frame of mind,” Ashley said.

Ashley has a mission to encourage gratitude, thoughtfulness and creativity, and to help bring back Thank-You Notes! Ashley started her own company because of a need for kid-friendly stationary in her own family: “I’m focused on helping kids understand the importance of gratitude… Not only on the receiving end, but (also) how it affects the child who writes the note. When kids de-screen, put pencil to paper and slow down, they are able to process what they’re grateful for. It can be really therapeutic for kids.” 

The Gratitude Workshop: Arms Around The World is a free event on Saturday April 22, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, hosted at The Children’s Museum located at 89 Warren Street, Glens Falls. For more information about the event, visit worldchildrensmuseum.org. For more information about Ashley Campbell and Coral and Blue Stationary, visit Coral & Blue Children’s Stationery

Lake George Community Band Spring Concert

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

The Lake George Community Band will be performing their spring concert at the SUNY Adirondack Theater on Sunday April 23rd, 2023! Doors open at 2:30 PM, and the concert begins at 3:00 PM. Tickets for the concert are $10.00 for adults – children and students are free! The SUNY Adirondack Culinary Arts Program will also offer light refreshments in the lobby during intermission. 

Lake George Community Band provides the community with musical programs throughout the summer and holiday season. This group helps to preserve the traditions of American band music and the hometown American band, and provides local musicians a place to share and nurture their talents. Their home venue is the Shepard Park amphitheater in Lake George!

This event is sponsored by the Village of Lake George, the town of Lake George, the Warren County department of Tourism, and SUNY Adirondack. For more information, visit info@lgcb.org or www.lgcb.org.

Queensbury Varsity Boys Tennis Beat Scotia-Glenville

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Education, Featured, Sports.

At Scotia-Glenville, the Queensbury varsity boys tennis team notched its fourth victory in as many dual matches this spring, and improved to 3-0 in Foothills Council action. The Tartans (5-1 overall, 4-1 Foothills Council) suffered their first loss of the 2023 campaign.

Singles Results:

1. Skyler Allen (Q) def. Shane McKone 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)

2. Will Lamy (Q) def. Xavier DeLuca 6-1, 6-1

3.  Owen Young (Q) def. Remy Maynard 6-2, 6-1

4. Ryan Greenstein (Q) def. Ethan Jansen 6-0, 6-2

5. Jack Murray (Q) def. Samuel Feinberg 6-0, 6-2

Doubles Results:

1. Ian Rathbun/Gavin Hochsprung (Q) def. Sean Fluman/Jason Battaglia 6-2, 6-2

2. Ryan Smigelski/Caleb Feinberg (S-G) def. Max Anderson/Sean Donahue 6-2 1-6 (10-2)

Records: Queensbury 4-0 (3-0 Foothills Council), Scotia-Glenville 5-1 (4-1 Foothills Council).

Foothills Council Varsity Girls Lacrosse

Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Education, Featured, Sports.

Queensbury, 23… Scotia-Glenville, 5.

Kaitlyn Barton matched her career-high with five goals, and both Meredith Montgomery and Kendal Kelsey delivered four goals and an assist to lead the Queensbury varsity girls lacrosse team to a 23-5 victory at Scotia-Glenville! The Spartans have won 18 consecutive true road assignments and 104 straight Foothills Council games – both program records!

Score by halves: Queensbury 11-12 = 23, Scotia-Glenville 3-2 = 5.

Queensbury goals-assists: Kaitlyn Barton 5-0, Meredith Montgomery 4-1, Kendal Kelsey 4-1, Kendra Ballard 2-3, Lilly Trowbridge 3-1, Sarah Johnson 2-2, Gianna Marcantonio 1-2, Emerson Lochner-Fehl 1-1, Bayley Duffy 1-0. TOTALS: 23-11.

Scotia-Glenville goals-assists: Karaline McCarthy 4-1, Alice Nichter 0-2, Lily Dempsey 1-0. TOTALS: 5-3.

Goalkeeper saves—Queensbury: Bayley Duffy 2 (25 minutes, 3 goals allowed), Laura Dickerson 0 (12:30, 0 goals allowed), Abby Johnson 1 (12:30, 2 goals allowed). Scotia-Glenville: Kimberly Gross 3.

Records: Queensbury 5-0 (5-0 Foothills Council), Scotia-Glenville 2-3 (1-3 Foothills Council).

ARCC’s Ribbon Cutting for WinklePickers’ New Location

Written by Kate Haggerty on . Posted in ARCC Spotlight, Business, Community, Featured.

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon cutting to celebrate the expansion of WinklePickers into the Outlets at Lake George! WinklePickers has a location at 222 Canada Street in Lake George, and now has a store in the Outlets at Lake George. WinklePickers – which is owned by Lake George natives Rachel and Dave Dutra – features kitchenware, exciting flavors of jerky, and spices from Rachel’s Spice and Tea Company. 

If you are interested in the name, you are not alone: “I’m so happy that we named it WinklePickers because when we did that, we were really just looking for an extra outlet… We really just wanted to get Rachel’s Spice and Tea Company a little bit more publicity, but maybe we can’t do a whole store just on that; so we brought in some beef jerky and some hot sauce. We need a name that means absolutely nothing! Because we had no idea where this business was going… That was three years ago. Because our business had a name that meant absolutely nothing, we could just let it grow… Let it go where it was going to go,” said owner Rachel Dutra. 

The Dutra’s are always looking to try new things and create new offerings for their customers. This year at the Canada Street location, Rachel will be “slinging” fresh popcorn!

WinklePickers is the official retail home of Rachel Spice and Tea Company and it features kitchen accessories and more! For more information, visit pickwinks.com