On Sunday, January 15, 2023, the City of Glens Falls honored Martin Luther King Jr. This event began at City Hall, and was led by Reverend Oats, Ward 5 Councilwoman Mary Gooden, and Mayor Collins. Community members then walked arm in arm over to Christ Church United Methodist.
This event was also attended by Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, Council at Large Jim Clark, Ward 2 Councilman Ed Donahue, Bob Driscoll, and Queensbury Supervisor John Strough.
The program at Christ Church United Methodist included presentations by students from Glens Falls, Hudson Falls, and Queensbury School Districts. Presentations were also made by the Temple Synagogue Religious School, in conjunction with Temple Beth El.
Photo provided by City of Glens Falls
This 2023 celebration commemorates the 40th Anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday – the legislation had originally been introduced in Congress in 1968, but opponents blocked its passage, leading to its reintroduction and successful passage in 1983; however, the first nationwide observance of the holiday did not take place until 1986. This holiday honors the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. and is celebrated with marches, parades, and speeches by civil rights and political leaders.
Queensbury Junior Dyllan Ray scored 24 points and had 15 rebounds for two Spartans career highs. Sophomore Shea Canavan added 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists with 11 steals. Canavan’s steals and assists for the game were a personal best – Queensbury held their opponent to five points in the first quarter, and pulled away scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter. Marsden led Broadalbin with ten points, followed by Russom, who scored eight.
The Queensbury Spartans improved their record to 6-5 overall, and 6-1 in the Foothills Council. Next up, the Spartans will travel to Scotia-Glenville on Tuesday, January 17th – tip-off at 6:00 PM.
The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) is pleased to announce that the 34th Annual J. Walter Juckett Community Service Award will be presented to retired physician and founder of Hudson Headwaters Health Network, Dr. John Rugge. Dr. Rugge will be presented with the award at the ARCC Annual Dinner on the evening of March 10, 2023, at The Sagamore Resort.
“We are excited to celebrate Dr. John Rugge as the 34th Annual J. Walter Juckett award honoree. Dr. Rugge is so deserving of this honor. As the founder of Hudson Headwaters Health Network, his passion and drive to further healthcare in our region is admirable. We are fortunate that Dr. Rugge chose to stay in our region and establish a healthcare system that helps so many of our community members,” said ARCC President & CEO Tricia Rogers.
John Rugge was a family physician who dropped into the Adirondacks to finish writing a canoe book in 1974. He then accepted a position with the Glens Falls Hospital to serve as supervising physician at a brand-new health center in Chestertown, with the intention of practicing for six months before returning to Albany Medical Center.
As it turned out, all the surrounding communities were losing their GPs to retirement, and he found it impossible to depart with no one to take his place… So instead, he combined medical practice with community engagement – and grant writing – to establish the Hudson Headwaters Health Network. This network has grown to include 21 health centers from Saratoga County all the way up to the Canadian border, with some 200 medical providers and more than 150,000 patients. Dr. Rugge observes the way local needs generated remarkable community support, and this attracted the attention of health care policymakers in Albany and Washington, leading him to serve on 40 government advisory panels, task forces, and councils… All of which has served to make Hudson Headwaters a model for others across the state, and across the nation.
Today, Gary discusses the Glens Falls Police Department investigating a string of attempted armed robberies. Also, New Way Lunch on South Street reopens, The Hyde Collection appoints a new curator of the permanent collection, the new Route 61 bridge over the Battenkill River opens, and the annual Kiwanis Club Duck Race set to return to the Adirondack Thunder’s Pucks for Paws night.
00:02 – Intro 00:35 – Ad Break 1 01:30 – Story 1: South St. New Way Lunch Reopens 04:14 – Story 2: The Hyde Appoints New Curator of Permanent Collection 06:25 – Ad Break 2 06:48 – Story 3: GF Police Investigating String of Armed Robberies 08:22 – Story 4: Route 61 Bridge Opens 09:16 – Story 5: Kiwanis Club Duck Race 10:33 – Outro
Photo Provided by: City of Glens Falls: Megan Nolin
Megan Nolin is a well known face at City Hall – she is the City Clerk, and has been working intermittently at the Clerk’s Office since 2007. In the City Clerk’s Office, Megan and her team assist taxpayers and residents of the City by providing a variety of diverse services. The Clerk’s Office houses the records of all of the City’s public board and commission meetings, as well as other vital statistics.
The staff in the City Clerk’s Office is made up of seven employees: five full-time, and two part-time. There are three full-time clerks, a part-time records manager/historian, a part-time records manager, the Deputy Clerk, and the City Clerk. “People are mostly coming in (to City Hall) to pay their taxes, coming in for court, and they come into our office for a wide array of things. Birth, death, marriage, vital records really and to take out marriage licenses so that they can get married. We have records back to 1888 in our vaults. Right now it is people traveling and people getting passports” Megan said in a recent interview.
One of the reasons that Megan is so well known in City Hall is that everyone stops at the City Clerk’s Office first: “Everyone comes to our office first. A lot of people come through to go to City Court. If they are wondering where that is, it’s on the third floor.”
Megan also recommends stopping into the City Clerk’s Office: “The girls in our office are great. If we don’t have the answer, we’ll find the answer for you.”
Megan was born in Glens Falls and raised in the area around Glens Falls, Queensbury and Hudson Falls. Her role in City Hall has shifted and changed throughout the years – she is both the City Clerk, and the Webmaster. “I started out in the Clerk’s office in ‘07 as a part time clerk. I had my daughter in 2010, and came back for a little while. Then I wasn’t able to secure daycare that my husband and I were ok with, so we decided with the cost and how we both felt that I would stay home. Then around 2018, I got a call from Bob Curtis who was the former City Clerk asking how I was with technology and asking me to come in and meet with Mayor Hall and himself to discuss taking care of the website part time. Then in 2020, I started as the Deputy Clerk, and then at the end of 2021 Bob Curtis retired and in 2022, I became the City Clerk and still retained the webmaster role as well.”
For anyone who is interested in working in the City Clerk’s Office or City Hall, Megan recommends starting part-time: “If you want to work in City Hall, start part-time. There are a lot of opportunities. Most people who are here started part-time. Everyone in our office started out 15 hours a week, 20 hours a week. That’s a good way to get in the door.”
The City Clerk’s office is located on the first floor of City Hall, and is open from Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Marriage licenses, Hunting/Fishing licenses and Dog Redemptions are available until 4:00 PM. For more information, visit Cityofglensfalls.com
The City of Glens Falls has had three armed robberies within a 36-hour period, and the Glens Falls Police Department is asking the public to remain vigilant; it is unknown if the incidents are unrelated, or if the same suspect is involved. The public is being asked to call Glens Falls Police Department if they see anyone looking suspicious.
The first two incidents were reported to the Glens Falls Police department on January 10th, at approximately 11:30 PM… Both occurred in the same area of Larose Street and Broad Street. The suspect was described as wearing black-colored clothing and a black-colored face mask, and they reportedly walked up to victims, pointing a handgun and demanding money. The suspect did obtain a small amount of money before leaving the area on foot.
The third incident was reported to the Glens Falls Police Department on January 12th, around 1:05 AM… This incident took place at the intersection of Bay Street and Union Street. This suspect was described as wearing black-colored clothing as well, but with a red-colored face mask. The suspect walked up to the victims, pointed a handgun and demanded money; however, this time, the suspect left the area without obtaining any money.
The suspect(s) is described as being about 5’ 7” in height, with a skinny build, wearing all black clothes, a face-mask and having a red backpack. All three incidents are being classified as “Attempted Armed Robberies”.
The Glens Falls Police Department is also asking for the assistance of anyone who lives in these areas to check their web cameras and security video equipment and to notify police if anything is found. If you have any information, please contact The Glens Falls Police at (518) 761-3840.
Today, Gary discusses warnings from Warren County to stay off of frozen lakes until temperatures drop, and the ice becomes thicker. Also, the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce announces four new members to their board of directors, a construction company seeking zoning changes to build residential units at a former commercial site, Hiland Park Country Club opens its golf course until the next big snowstorm, and the Battenkill Chorale’s “Winter’s Night” concerts planned for this weekend.
00:03 – Intro 00:43 – Ad Break 1 01:48 – Story 1: New ARCC Board Members 05:48 – Story 2: Zoning Changes Sought for Apartments at former Nursery Site 07:17 – Ad Break 2 07:40 – Story 3: PSA: Stay Off The Ice! 10:04 – Story 4: Hiland Golf Course Opens Until Next Snowstorm 11:45 – Story 5: Battenkill Chorale “Winter’s Night” Concerts 13:05 – Outro
On January 1, 2023, the City of Glens Falls returned to their pre-COVID parking regulations and enforcement methods – the City had previously suspended its parking enforcement in March of 2020, but the City now once again enforces the two-hour parking limit for parking spots in the downtown area. To communicate this upcoming change, the City had given out “warning” tickets when a car was parked in a spot for too long, issuing approximately 900 warnings in the last three months of 2022. The return of these regulations has been met by the business community with exasperation and support alike.
Bill Dingman – District Operations Manager for Spot Coffee – is concerned not only about the availability of parking spots, but also the cost to his employees: “My workers are 18 to 25 (years old), they are just starting out in their careers and they can’t afford the extra expense” Dingman said. Since the reinstatement, Spot Coffee employees have had to stop work to move their cars, with some even having been ticketed! “This is costing the company employee productivity… The tickets are $30 and $60 if you don’t pay in 10 days. For an 18-year old cashier at a coffee shop to pay a $60 parking ticket is punitive” Dingman said.
Dingman knows that the parking in the downtown area is a complex situation: “I fully understand that businesses need convenient parking for their businesses, I fully support that… (But parking) is equally important to the workers, the business owners and the residents who live downtown. There are not enough spots” Dingman said.
Dingman also has an eye on the upcoming tourist season when the parking will become that much harder for people in the community to navigate: “I think there has to be a solution from the City… whether it be a seasonal approach or a discounted rate for workers.”
Another perspective on the parking situation comes from Robb, who’ has been’s worked with the Lake George Olive Oil company for 8 years and has been vocal about the lack of parking enforcement – during the two-year enforcement hiatus, he has seen cars parked for hours taking up valuable downtown spots. This is a detriment to his business, where customers have come into the store because, “I saw a spot, so I stopped.”
Samantha from Rude Betty buys a pass for parking – she found that in a year’s time, she was paying about $300 for parking in the garages in town, while the parking pass was only $150, and she has always found a spot for her car.
The City is invested in finding parking solutions moving forward – there is a Special Parking Committee that is looking over the entire issue, who will provide recommendations in February. Glens Falls has also invested in parking sensors that will feed into an app that can be downloaded onto any phone; this app will show where the open parking spots and occupied parking spots are throughout the downtown area. The City is currently working on calibrating this system.
The COVID pandemic which led to the pause of the parking enforcement has had lasting effects on communities and businesses alike. “I think there has to be a solution for the workers and the employees… In the restaurant industry we, in this city, are lagging dramatically behind the state and the region… In re-employment… So, how can I then ask the employees that I’ve got to incur extra expense to work here?” Dingman asked.
Mikaela Bee graduated from Queensbury High School in 2010, and has now written her fifth novel!
Up until her successful writing career, Mikaela worked as a teaching assistant and waitress. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bee had a golden opportunity to start writing; her first book “The Lake House” was written during the first year of the pandemic.
All of her books are thrillers set in the region between Lake George and Burlington, Vermont. Her latest book, “Hazardous Conditions” involves a serial killer in Lake George, and mentions both Warrensburg and Bolton in the plot. One of the main characters is modeled after Bee’s real life sister who likes to ride horses – in the plot of the book, the characters travel to a remote horse barn during a blizzard, and the plot twists and turns during their travels back home.
Mikaela enjoys writing and also works part time at a doggy daycare. Fans will be happy to hear that her writing career has only just begun – her next book is the first in a three-part series, called the “Wedding Nightmare Series”. Mikaela’s books are available in paperback on Amazon for $13.99, and also digitally on Kindle Unlimited.
Mikaela enjoyed her time in the Queensbury Schools, and has particularly fond memories of the fifth grade. Mikaela encourages anyone with an interest in writing to go ahead and try it: “If I had any clue a couple of years ago that people I’ve never met in my life would be reading my books and telling me it was their favorite book of the year, I would have never believed them” Mikaela said.
Officer Pete Casertino has joined the GFSD as a School Resource Officer (SRO). Officer Casertino is a Warren County Sheriff’s Deputy, who will have a desk at Glens Falls Middle School but be working throughout the whole district. He will be providing additional support to current SRO John Norton; Officer Norton became the school resource officer in 2019. He has a daily presence in Glens Falls High School and Middle School, and visits all three elementary schools.
The new position creates a new partnership between the Warren County Sheriff’s Office and Glens Falls City School District. Adding another resource officer is part of the district’s continued focus of safety and security throughout the district.
Officer Casertino is a familiar face in the community – he is a Glens Falls PAL sports coach, and a retired Detective Lieutenant for the Glens Falls Police Department. He is also a former Glens Falls Board of Education member, and his children recently graduated from GFHS.
Safety and security of the Glens Falls Schools has been in the forefront of the school community since the beginning of the school year – on the first day of school, the High School was put in lockout and the Middle School was put in shelter-in-place when a High School student engaged in an altercation with the school hall monitor and principal. During this time, a BB gun fell out of the student’s backpack.
It was less than a week later that a toy replica handgun fell out of the backpack of a Middle School student… In both incidents, the Glens Falls Police Department responded and removed the student. Due to those incidents, backpack searches and increased security have been implemented.
