The Town of Webb Board has decided to take a closer look at the letters it receives before reading them into the public record at its meetings, according to a resolution passed by the board at its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 11.

Previously, correspondence addressed to the board by constituents and others had in general been read aloud by the supervisor at a meeting.

This served to inform to the larger public as to constituent concerns and to allow discussion, if desired, by those attending the meeting.

But Supervisor Robert Moore said some inaccuracies in recent letters have caused him to rethink the practice.

Councilwoman Kate Russell said she shares Moore’s concern. Russell said she did not want the board to be responsible for putting forth faulty information to the public at its meetings.

And the reading of unsolicited letters can create other problems as well, according to Moore. Continue reading →

Screenwriter and director Brian Lannin is in Old Forge with his crew this week to shoot scenes for a new short film titled ‘Between the Ice.’

A student production crew from New York University (NYU) arrived on location in Old Forge to begin shooting a short 15-minute drama on Tuesday, January 10.

The crew took an early afternoon lunch break at the North Street Pavilion before they resumed filming of a snowmobile scene on North Street.

Among them was Brian Lannin, a second year NYU student, scriptwriter and director of the film, who said he was excited about the opportunity to shoot the film in Old Forge.

Lannin said when he wrote the script he envisioned the story taking place in the Adirondacks, although he and his crew had never been to the Adirondacks.

He said they scouted for a film location in the Lake Placid/ Saranac Lake area but could not find a location that fit the story line.

“Then we found Kurt and Ximena Gardner at Adirondack Productions in Old Forge, and we suddenly realized it could happen,” said Lannin. “They had the know-how, and without their help this would not have been possible. It was totally serendipitous.”

Lannin said the Gardners found film locations and helped with many other important details and arrangements. Continue reading →

Old Forge will again be without convenient public restrooms in the downtown area now that the arrangement the Town of Webb has enjoyed with Souvenir Village has reached its end.

Councilman J.B. Herron has been looking into some semi-permanent structures that are designed to act as public restrooms. These can be custom-built to a variety of restroom and wastewater needs, he said.

But the question remains: On what plot of land could such a structure be located?

If the town is going to have a solution in place by the summer season it has to move quickly. For that reason Supervisor Robert Moore has approved a committee consisting of two board members: Kate Russell and J.B. Herron.

He hopes others will join as well, since many businesses along Main Street have an interest in making sure downtown visitors have access to adequate facilities.

And as Councilman Richard Risley noted, no feasibility study is needed for this particular project.

“Our public restrooms have demonstrated themselves to be very popular,” he observed.

The towns of Webb and Inlet will again issue special trail permits during SnoFest 2011 as an incentive for visiting snowmobilers to sample the local trail system.

The measure was passed by the local town boards in response to a recommendation by Webb publicity director Mike Farmer.

The arrangement repeats that of 2010, which Councilman Ross said was quite successful.

Old Forge’s SnoFest draws winter-sport enthusiasts from a wide area, some of whom have never snowmobiled in the Town of Webb, Ross said.

It is hoped that once they sample the trails, they will be enticed back in future months and years.

Last year 34 people took advantage of SnoFest’s special permits, according to Webb Supervisor Robert Moore.

SnoFest 2011 is scheduled to take place from March 11 through 13, at the North Street Recreation Center in Old Forge.

The annual event is a showcase for four snowmobile manufacturers—Ski-Doo, Arctic Cat, Polaris and Yamaha—to premier their 2012 models. It also features freestyle stunt shows and demo rides. Admission is free.

The Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts has announced the recipients of funds from the 2011 Decentralization Regrant Program (DEC), provided by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

DEC funds are administered in Hamilton County by the Blue Mountain Arts Center, which advocates at the state level to bring money to local municipalities and non-profit organizations.

While state agencies, including NYSCA, faced deep budget cuts this year, the Arts Center successfully restructured their DEC application and review process, and increased funding for Hamilton County’s DEC programs by over 20 percent.

Among the organizations that were awarded funding are: Fulton Chain of Lakes Performing Arts Council: An Evening with the Syracuse Symphony; Raquette Lake Library: Puttin’ on the Ritz;

St. Williams on Long Point: Thursdays on the Lake Series; Town of Indian Lake: Cabin Fever Players present The Music Man; Town of Inlet: Sunsets by the Lake Concert Series; and Town of Long Lake Parks & Rec/Tourism Department: E-Lumination art installation; Babik Jazz Concert.

The Hamilton County Federation of Sportsmen Inc. is sponsoring a Coyote Contest in Hamilton County through the end of coyote hunting season on March of 2011.

Registration forms are available at Ace Hardware in Inlet, Hoss’s Country Corner in Long Lake, Pumpkin Mountain Gun Shop in Blue Mountain Lake and NAPA in Speculator.

Each month $150 is awarded to the largest coyote weighed in.

At season’s end, whoever brings in the heaviest single coyote throughout the duration of the contest will win $250 and whoever has the highest total weight of coyote will receive $250.

In March, $100 gift certificates will be awarded from each of the businesses participating as weigh stations.

The November winners were Russell (Doc) Ryder of Long Lake and Roy Tracey of Indian Lake who tied with coyotes weighing 42 pounds.

The December winner was Billy Witts of Northville who weighed in with a 33 pound coyote.

Senator Betty Little has been appointed to serve as chair for the state senate’s Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation Committee in the upcoming legislative term in Albany.

She will also serve as a member of the Senate Finance Committee and will continue to chair the Local Government Committee.

“Tourism is a critically important economic driver in the North Country, so I’m pleased to have this opportunity to advocate for our region,” Little said. Continue reading →