Today, Gary discusses six individuals who have submitted letters of intent to run for the Queensbury Supervisor-At-Large seat after Rachel Seeber’s resignation. Also, The Chapman Museum announces its programs for the month of February, Senator Dan Stec announces DRI funding coming to Ticonderoga and Waddington, the Warren County Office of Emergency Services unveils its new app, and the Adirondack Theatre Festival announces its “Beatles Bash” benefit concert.
00:02 – Intro 00:42 – Ad Break 1 01:55 – Story 1: Chapman Museum February Programs 03:22 – Story 2: Ticonderoga To Receive DRI Aid 04:57 – Ad Break 2 05:23 – Story 3: Six Seek Seeber’s Supervisor Seat 09:08 – Story 4: Ready Warren County App 10:50 – Story 5: Adirondack Theatre Festival “Beatles Bash” 12:12 – Outro
Queensbury Union Free School District will be recognizing and honoring athletes, coaches, teams, administrators, staff and community members who have significantly contributed to the district’s athletic program with an Athletics Hall of Fame.
The Athletics Hall of Fame committee will be accepting nominations through April 1, 2023; inductees will be notified by mid-June, and a ceremony will be held in October. To be considered for the inaugural class, nominees must have graduated from Queensbury High School in 2000 or earlier, and/or participated in athletics at QUFSD during the 20th century.
“It’s an opportunity to appreciate and recognize the successes of our athletes of the past, and introduce their accomplishments to a new generation of Queensbury athletes” said Richard Keys – the director of Health, PE, and Athletics.
The district’s sports information analyst Tim Jones said, “Researching the history of Queensbury athletics revealed so many wonderful stories in addition to the outstanding numbers and statistics. There are a lot of people that… seem to be unaware of this rich, deep history that could motivate today’s and future student athletes to reach higher for their goals.”
“We are very excited to be able to have our first ever Hall of Fame Event. This will acknowledge the athletes that are so deserving for committing themselves to the Queensbury school district” said Superintendent Kyle Gannon.
The NYSED has ordered all school districts in the state to remove the “Indian” mascot and associated icons – arrowhead included – from the public school system by the end of the school year. The penalty for not complying with the order includes removal of school officers, and the withholding of state aid.
The Glens Falls Indian was chosen for the athletic teams in 1941, and the Indian was the theme of the 1943 yearbook… Since this time, additional icons have been added and the Indian symbol became expressive of all the activities in the school. In 1970, there was a dedication to the artist “Tom Two-Arrows – Iroquois, Onondaga Nation”, who sketched the classic Iroquois Chieftain’s head; also in 1970, the arrowhead icon was added. The most recently used arrowhead icons have the GF initials inside of the arrowhead.
The Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs have long held that the mascots are offensive, and this position is supported by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe: “We adamantly object to the ongoing practice of using Native images, names, likenesses – including in the form of caricatures and logos – and view their continued usage as offensive and a form of institutional racism; particularly by educational institutions and systems that should strive to be supportive environments for inclusiveness and diversity” The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe said in a statement.
The National Congress of American Indians responded to an inquiry regarding the harm that the mascot is causing: “ ‘Native American sports mascots, logos, or symbols perpetuate stereotypes of American Indians that are very harmful. The ‘warrior savage’ myth has plagued this country’s relationship with the Indian people, as it reinforces the racist view that Indians are uncivilized and uneducated, and it has been used to justify policies that forced assimilation and destruction” The National Congress of American Indians stated in response.
Glens Falls intends to create a framework of compliance with the NYSED; their goals include to keep the community connected, to get input from students, staff, families, the school community and alumni, and to have the student cabinet lead the process and make the final recommendation to the Board of Education.
It is anticipated that the proposed amendment will be presented for permanent adoption at the April 2023 Regents meeting. If that happens, then the proposed amendment will become effective as a permanent rule on May 3, 2023.
Today, Gary discusses talks of merging the Greater Glens Falls Transit System into the Capital District Transit Authority. Also, an employee of Warren County Social Services receives a special honor, the Glens Falls City School Board receives updates on potential changes to the school’s reading curriculum, and the African American Film Forum set to return for its 24th year at Crandall Public Library next month.
00:02 – Intro 00:40 – Ad Break 1 01:46 – Story 1: Warren County Social Services Worker Awarded 03:51 – Story 2: Reading Curriculum Updates for Glens Falls Schools 05:59 – Ad Break 2 06:26 – Story 3: Glens Falls Bus System to Merge Into CDTA 10:27 – Story 4: Crandall Library African American Film Forum 11:37 – Outro
Dr. Bryn Schockmel Ph.D. is the new curator of the permanent collection at the Hyde Museum, located at 161 Warren Street in Glens Falls. The Hyde Collection is housed in the refurbished historic home of Louis and Charlotte Hyde – Charlotte Hyde established a trust in 1952 that dedicated her home and her extensive art collection to the community.
Charlotte Hyde’s vision was stated in the trust: “To establish and maintain a museum for the exhibition of art objects… and to promote and cultivate the study and improvement of fine arts, for the education and benefit of the residents of Glens Falls and vicinity and the general public.“
As curator, Dr. Bryn Schockmel will be responsible for carrying out Charlotte’s mission at the Hyde Museum. Bryn has strong ties to the Glens Falls area – a decade ago, she had an internship at The Hyde, and she earned her Bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College.
Bryn’s education continued overseas at The Courtault Institute in London. This is where she earned her Masters Degree in Northern Renaissance Art History; then, she attended Boston University, where she earned her Ph.D in Italian Renaissance Art History. Bryn began her career in Oklahoma City at OKCMOA with a fellowship of provenance research – through this research, the ownership and history of a piece of art is traced. Bryn stayed in Oklahoma City for a total of about three years, and stayed on as curator of several exhibitions after completing her fellowship.
On January 9, 2023, Bryn started as the curator of the permanent collection at The Hyde. “My background is in Renaissance, and I wanted to be back in the Northeast. I wanted to be in a museum with a strong renaissance collection, which the Hyde has; we’ve got our Botticelli, and early modern in general like the Rembrandt, and the El Greco, so I saw this opportunity as a good fit for me” Bryn said.
Bryn has an abundance of energy and enthusiasm when she talks about both her role at the Hyde and Charlotte’s Collection: “As I’ve been learning more and more… reading about Charlotte and going through our collection’s database, I’m impressed by how diverse her tastes were… We have some medieval stained glass windows, and we have all of these early modern paintings. We also have our Picasso, so it’s such a broad spectrum. There is a lot of furniture and decorative art… It’s going to be a lot of fun to work with because there is such a variety, and there are so many things that I can do.”
This year is the 60th Anniversary of The Hyde Museum. To celebrate, The Hyde is putting on a David Smith exhibition – Smith, an American Abstract expressionist sculpture and painter, is best known for creating large steel abstract geometric sculptures, and is recognized as one of the great sculptors of the 20th century. This exhibition will feature around 25 pieces, on loan from both public and private collections and the estate of David Smith. Smith was a friend of Charlotte Hyde, and a key figure in the founding of The Hyde Museum – he was one its earliest trustees.
For the celebration, Bryn will be putting together a show in one of the smaller galleries in the museum. This show will focus on Charlotte, and feature items from the vault that have not recently been on display, showcasing Charlotte’s diverse taste in art. There will also be a recent acquisition show, to remind the public that the Hyde Collection is still growing: “The recent acquisition show will feature the works that we have acquired over the last five years or so. These are pieces that maybe haven’t been out on view yet… Some people might think that our collection is static, but we are constantly acquiring new works of art” Bryn said.
Dr. Bryn Schockmel has an intrinsic enthusiasm for The Hyde family, Charlotte herself, the house, and the art collection, and this enthusiasm has been recognized by Norman Dasher Junior, the CEO of The Hyde Museum: “We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Schockmel to The Hyde Collection team. A dynamic expert in her field, she is joining The Hyde at an incredibly exciting time as we celebrate the museum’s 60th anniversary. Dr. Schockmel shares our passion for the mission of The Hyde: To maintain a museum for the exhibition of the permanent collection and to promote and cultivate the improvement of the fine arts education and benefit of the residents of Glens Falls and vicinity and the general public” he said.
In her role as curator, Dr. Schockmel will be able to advance the vision of Charlotte Hyde, as well as a greater understanding and appreciation of the collection through research, lectures, and writing. The Hyde Museum is open Thursday through Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM; for more information, please visit hydecollection.org
Today, Gary discusses the housing shortage facing Warren County and the surrounding regions. Also, Warren County DPW’s youngest employee, the upcoming “Fire & Ice” event in Glens Falls, and the unseasonably “warm” temperatures that have once again delayed the opening of Lake George’s Ice Castles.
00:02 – Intro 00:34 – Ad Break 1 01:39 – Story 1: Warren County DPW’s Youngest Employee 03:53 – Story 2: Glens Falls “Fire & Ice” Event 05:14 – Ad Break 2 05:40 – Story 3: Local Housing Shortage 11:39 – Story 4: “Warm” Weather Delays Ice Castles 14:50 – Outro
Out off office – memo on office workplace. Holiday Announcement, Day Off or Quarantine Covid-19.
The last couple of years have seen an increased focus on sick time at work mainly due to the COVID pandemic. But it’s also regular old cold and flu season, and we are often asked whether an employee can lose their job for being out sick and whether providing a doctor’s note will protect their job. As always, the answer is “it depends” because not all illnesses are protected.
New York does have a relatively new law requiring employers to provide some protected sick days. But, in general, if you need to be out for a significant period of time – or if you have exceeded those days – a doctor’s note is not necessarily going to protect you. The law protects the jobs of private employees in New York who are absent for medical reasons typically in two ways: (1) under the FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act); and (2) under the disability discrimination laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the New York State Human Rights Law (NYHRL). (This isn’t an exhaustive list and employees may be further protected under union contracts or laws applicable to public employees, among other things).
Not all illnesses, however, will be covered. The FMLA applies only to employees of larger (50+ employees) or public employers, who suffer from serious health conditions. A serious health condition is usually not something like the flu, a cold or a stomach virus. It is typically an issue requiring surgery or hospitalization or a medical condition that requires a period of follow-up treatment or that is chronic. The disability discrimination laws also may not apply to minor illnesses suffered by most individuals. Instead, the ADA requires that a disability substantially limit a major life activity or bodily function. The NYHRL is more broad than the ADA and, it is possible, given the particular facts of a case, that a disability not covered by the ADA is covered by the NYHRL. This will come down to the particular facts of an employee’s situation.
The take-away is that providing a doctor’s note is not necessarily going to protect your job. It may not hurt and could show your employer some proof that you are not abusing your time, but it won’t guarantee that you won’t be fired for excessive absenteeism. We encourage employees who do have a serious health condition to speak to their doctors or Human Resources about the availability of FMLA time. When it comes to disabilities, the law also typically wants the employee to actually ask for a reasonable accommodation, so making a formal request is another way to achieve some job protection or at least trigger the employer’s obligations to engage in an interactive process under the ADA and NYHRL to attempt to accommodate a disability.
In the same vein, we speak to many employees in the course of our practice, and often they are protective of their medical conditions and do not want to share personal, private and sometimes embarrassing information with their employers. However, if an employer is completely in the dark, you may have a hard time going back and proving some sort of discrimination or interference with your rights if you are fired. So, if an employee needs time off for a disability or serious health condition, we encourage them to consult their employee handbook and consider following the process for formally requesting leave. There is no guarantee that you will not be retaliated or discriminated against, but at the very least you will have some proof that you were not abusing your time or being excessively absent without a potentially protected reason. Ideally, your employer will do the right thing and notify you of your rights and work with you to accommodate your situation.
All employment situations are different and depend on the particular facts and circumstances. This article should not be relied on as legal advice in taking action in your specific situation, and you should speak to an attorney, Human Resources and/or consult your employee handbook for guidance on how to proceed.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Giovanna A. D’Orazio has experience litigating, among other things, commercial, general civil, employment, land use and personal injury matters in New York State and federal courts. Giovanna also has experience litigating Article 78 proceedings in New York State court.
The Third Annual “Fire & Ice” event at Crandall Pond will be hosted by The City of Glens Falls beginning on Friday, February 3rd. This event will go on – weather and ice safety permitting – every Friday night for the month of February, from 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM. The city will be providing hot chocolate, and they ask that people bring their own skates, mugs for the hot chocolate, and a chair. This year, a warming tent will also be provided, thanks to Garden Time and Glens Falls Motors. Admission is free to this event, but parking is limited, and all children will need to be accompanied by an adult.
“Skating at Crandall Park is always a fun experience. But, there is something to be said about a snowy scene, a cup of hot chocolate, and a bright warm fire. ‘Fire & Ice’ is becoming one of the things that makes Glens Falls special” Mayor Collins said.
Ward 3 Councilwoman Diana Palmer has helped manage this event. “What makes ‘Fire & Ice’ so special is that Crandall Pond will be specially lit with six bonfires. Adding to the ambiance will be music provided by DJ Peter Wilhelm to make “Fire & Ice’ a unique skating experience. Last year because of the mild weather we had to postpone ‘Fire & Ice’ into March. Thankfully, the upcoming forecast looks promising, but we still have a need for volunteers to run our event.” Palmer said. The Glens Falls Fire Department require one adult to supervise each fire/burn barrel. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up via SignUpGenius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4AA5A92BAAF49-fire.
On Thursday, January 19th, Glens Falls Police arrested William Palangi, 53, of New Jersey, after witnessing him damaging cars with a machete in the parking lot of Glens Falls Hospital.
On Thursday afternoon, the Glens Falls City Police Department received a report of a black Jeep Wrangler driving erratically on the Northway, before exiting the highway at Exit 18. Officers were dispatched to locate the vehicle and found it in the parking lot of the Glens Falls Hospital, where officers witnessed Palangi damaging motor vehicles with a machete.
Palangi – of Northvale, New Jersey – then returned to his vehicle and fled the scene. He was stopped by other officers while going Eastbound on Hudson Avenue in front of Glens Falls Hospital. The machete that was reported to be used to damage the cars was located in front seat.
Palangi was charged with third-degree felony Criminal Mischief, fourth degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon, and second degree Menacing, which is a misdemeanor. Palangi was arraigned, and was remanded to Warren County Jail due to lack of bail.
