Monthly Archives: April 2011

Webb Senior Spotlight

Courtney Holt to study psychology, continue equestrian activity

Courtney Holt, 17, of Inlet, attended Inlet Common School until transferring to Town of Webb School in the seventh grade.

She said she already knew everybody at the new school and that the transition was easy.

She plans to attend Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva to study psychology.

She would like to work in therapeutic horseback riding to help kids with disabilities, she said.

Her love of horses and wanting to help people inspired her interest, she said.

Although she doesn’t own a horse, she has been riding horses at Moose River Farms on Rondaxe Road for nearly seven years. She hopes to ride competitively on the Hobart and William Smith Riding Team in college.

Courtney has been Alpine skiing “forever,” and a member of ski team since fourth grade, she said.

She also skied for Polar Bears and skis for the USSA Eastern Race Circuit, which she said, “is fun and we’re more competitive.”

She was a member of the Girl’s Soccer Team, and at one time ran cross country and played on the softball team.

She plays clarinet in the school band, and also plays in the pit band for school musical productions.

She is now taking part in the Educational Studies Career Opportunities program at school (ESCO) assisting in Mrs. Anne Phinney’s sixth grade class.

Mrs. Phinney also operates Moose River Farms where Courtney practices horseback riding and jumping.

She is a member of Key Club, Student Council, and is Secretary of Varsity Club, and president of Big Sisters Club.

Her favorite subject is Spanish.

As a member of Travel Club in 10th Grade, Courtney visited Costa Rica.

“It was cool because I had studied Spanish through tenth grade and could actually communicate with people who didn’t know English,” she said.

She likes to travel and hopes to study abroad for one semester.

In March, Courtney was recognized as Student of the Month by the Kiwanis Club of the Central Adirondacks.

She works summers and whenever needed at Seventh Lake House, which is owned and operated by her parents.

Courtney is excited about graduation in June, but looking back on her years at the Town of Webb and Inlet schools, she said, “It went so fast.”

She is the daughter of Jim and Chris Holt of Inlet, and she has a sister, Lauren, who is in 10th grade.

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Community Transportation Service fills vital need locally, to benefit from Giant Tag Sale fundraiser Organizers seek donated items to be sold Memorial Day Weekend

The Community Transportation Services, Ltd (CTS) of Old Forge which has served the community for 24 years, will be among those receiving proceeds from this year’s Giant Tag Sale.

The event will be held at Niccolls Church Fellowship Hall during Memorial Day Weekend, on May 27, 28 and 29.

“We rely on donations 100 percent,” said CTS treasurer Fred Trimbach.

And many seniors and elderly without transportation also rely on the CTS van to drive them to doctor’s appointments in Utica, Syracuse, and even the Albany area.

In addition the van service provides weekly trips to the local supermarket and pharmacy.

“Last year we hauled over 1,000 people and drove over 60,000 miles,” Trimbach said.

There are forty volunteers who drive the fleet consisting of a 2008 wheelchair accessible van, a 2005 van, and an additional van in Indian Lake.

Al Brussel of Thendara is the coordinator who schedules the appointments. He can be reached at 369-2830.

There are 12 people serving on the CTS board of directors.

The officers are Ray Schoeberlein, president; Dave Barker, vice president; Ruth Brussel, secretary and Fred Trimbach, Treasurer.

Their share of the proceeds from the Giant Tag Sale will help to pay for the increased cost of gas, which is a fundamental part of their service.

The big increase had not been projected in their budget, Trimbach said.

Other organizations to benefit from the Giant Tag Sale are Home Aide Service of the Central Adirondacks (HASCA), the Niccolls Food Pantry, Youth Mission trips, and the Niccolls Church Renovation Fund.

Organizers of the Tag Sale are seeking donations of furniture, appliances, tools, sporting equipment and electronics in working condition (no computers).

Unique items of all kinds are welcome and may be delivered to the Niccolls Fellowship Hall beginning Sunday, May 22.

If storage is needed before that date, please call the office at Niccolls Church at 369-3475 for assistance.

All clothing donations should still be dropped off at the Thrift Shop in the church basement.

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Old Forge Hardware: Historic downtown

structure receives modern glass update

Erica and Terry Murray, owners of the Old Forge Hardware, are in the process of replacing all of the plate glass windows on the second floor of the historic store with new energy efficient thermopane windows.

According to store manager Mike Wilcox, the former windows dated back to 1922 when the original store, built by Moses Cohen in 1902, was rebuilt due to a fire.

New heavy duty aluminum sash bracing is being used to hold the big 78-inch by 84-inch safety glass windows—weighing 400 pounds each—and the smaller panes above them.

A Main Street Grant secured by CAP-21 is providing 50 percent of the cost of the new windows that are being installed by Capital Construction of Watertown.

“Everything is up to code and we are using obscured glass to keep the same historical look,” said Erica.

“The windows should last another 100 years,” she added.

 

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Inlet: Community benefit to be held May 14 at Ole Barn

Afternoon Fire Destroys couple’s South Shore Home

Local fire fighters responded to a fire call at the South Shore Road home of Ron and Jill Hollister at approximately 12:38 p.m. on Friday, April 22.

First on the scene was personnel from the Eagle Bay Fire Department who found the Inlet side of the home to be fully engulfed in flames.

According to Eagle Bay Fire Chief Shane Beach, Inlet, Big Moose and Old Forge fire departments also responded to the fire with Otter Lake and Raquette Lake departments on standby.

Chief Beach said the departments had to rely on tanker trucks to provide water to battle the blaze at the Hollisters’ hilltop home as there are no dry hydrants in the area.

Water was shuttled from as far away as Rocky Point—a four-mile round trip.

Despite the efforts of all the departments, the home was a total loss.

“We thought we had it licked at one point, but when the flames broke through the roof and were fanned by the winds it got away from us,” Chief Beach said.

According to Chief Beach, his department is looking into options for placement of dry hydrants on private properties along the South Shore Road or possibly Quiver Pond which will hopefully alleviate another tragedy.

The investigation of the cause of the fire is continuing.

Kathy and Ron Hansen, owners of the Ole Barn in Inlet are planning a benefit for the Hollisters on Saturday, May 14. More information on the event will follow.

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Area assessors file tentative rolls: Property owners asked to review data, note concerns

The Town of Webb Tentative Assessment Roll for 2011 has been completed and will be available for inspection by property owners from May 2 to May 24, according to Assessor Jean Murdock.

Murdock said this will give property owners a chance to determine if there have been any changes in their assessment this year. Continue reading

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It tastes so good to me

Annual Friedapalooza Festival adds new recipe favorite

Every March my five sisters and I get together for the annual Friedapalooza Festival in Syracuse—a weekend of shopping, great food and dishing.

The event usually takes place around Sister Frieda’s March 3 birthday.

When it gets to be that time of year, there’s nothing like a little retail therapy mixed in with a heavy dose of comic relief to offset the symptons of cabin fever.

Add in some energizing carbohydrates, (A girl’s got to keep up her strength when on the prowl for a great bargain) dinner with Brother J.P., his wife Mary, sister-in-law Jan, and niece Lily and boyfriend Porter, and we had a recipe for a perfect weekend.

Other than showing up for the fest, our only other responsibility is to bring something pick-worthy to the table.

We couldn’t do without such perennial favorites as Sister Barbara’s homemade cinnamon rolls and an assortment of Trader Joe’s treats from Sisters Annette and Jeanette.

And this year Sister Betty brought along a vat of something called Texas Caviar that was so good that it has been added to the Great Dishes of Friedapalooza Hall of Fame.

Betty got the recipe from one of her fellow retired teacher friends. It’s very similar to a dip my friend Lynda Kellogg has been known to serve.

My friend Cathy Dibble said her neighbor Brian Bamberger’s version (which he called Adirondack Caviar) was a huge hit at their neighborhood block party last fall.

It’s loaded with vegetables and beans and can be served along with tortilla chip scoops or as a side dish.

And if you are trying to cut down on sugar, you can substitute Splenda.

Accompanying is Betty’s recipe. I have also included my mother’s recipe for Vegetable Lasagna that was expertly duplicated by Sister Barbara.

Ingredients:

1 20 oz. package frozen chopped broccoli

1 24 – 26 oz. jar tomato sauce (or 3 cups homemade)

2 14-16 oz. cans stewed tomatoes

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 8 oz. packs no-boil lasagna noodles

16 oz. shredded mozzarella

1 cup water

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Thaw broccoli under cold water and squeeze out excess moisture. Combine broccoli, sauce, sugar, stewed tomatoes and water. Set aside.

Spray 13” X 9” pan with non-stick cooking spray. Add 1 cup sauce and spread on bottom of pan. Layer noodles, more sauce and mozzarella. Continue layering (3 to 4 layers) finishing with sauce on top. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 15 minutes.

Take out of oven and let rest about 15 minutes before cutting.

 

G2Me Recipe Yee-Ha That’s Good Texas Caviar Chop 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper, 4 scallions, and 4 celery stalks.

Drain 1 can pinto beans, 1 can black eyed peas, and 2 cans shoepeg corn and add to chopped vegetables. Set aside in large bowl.

 

Dressing:

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 tsp. pepper

Put ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour mixture over veggies and beans and let it sit over night in refrigerator. Drain off dressing before serving. Serve as a side dish or with tortilla “scoops” as a dip

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Webb Student Strands hosted this week by Shannon Hoffman’s 8th Graders

Atangle of news and notes reported by Town of Webb School students

8th Graders cover topics from AC/DC to Z

Last October, Town of Webb School junior high English teacher Shannon Hoffmann began working with her 8th grade class on an Identity Project.

The purpose of the project was for students to complete various written pieces throughout the year that would be put in book form and document their identities.

Students addressed the following aspects of identity: interests, personality, people, places and culture.

The most recent installation to their Identity Projects was a research project, whereby their focus was gathering and documenting data—the bones of research.

Instead of traditional research papers, students created research projects, like ABC fact books, photo essays, and children’s books.

Following are examples of what the students learned. As you will see, the 8th grade class has had a busy few weeks researching a wide-range of topics—from AC/DC to zebras!

John Gaffney: Photo Essay. What I learned about baseball is that every four years many countries in the world come together for a baseball tournament, like the World Cup of soccer. I also learned that Abner Doubleday was one of three people who created the game of baseball.

Kalyn Olney: ABC Book. What I learned about basketball is that it is a very popular sport all around the world and many people enjoy watching and playing it, even here at our school. Basketball is frankly my most treasured sport, henceforth I love to play it very much!

Robin Yuckel: Photo Essay. What I learned about barn owls. Barn owls are able to live anywhere that is not extremely cold. If you’re looking for a barn owl, they have heart-shaped faces, long legs, and are usually brown with a white underside. You will only see a barn owl awake at night because they are nocturnal; at night, they go out to hunt for food. During the day they sleep in their homes. I find barn owls extremely cute and I wish I owned one.

Connor Glasser: Photo Essay. What I learned about McCauley Mountain was that it’s not only the staff that keeps it running—it’s the ski team, parents, and the everyday skiers that keep it alive.

Tyler McGough: Photo Essay. What I learned about the Baseball Hall of Fame. I learned that Fenway Park is the oldest baseball stadium and Target Field is the newest. The second newest stadium is Yankee Stadium, which is home to what I believe to be the best team in the American League. (Everyone knows that!)

Lindsay Payne: ABC Book. What I learned about zebras was their lifestyles. They are known for their stripes. These animals are kind wild or captive animals. Zebras call Kenya and Africa their home. There are three types of zebras: Grevy, Plains, and Mountain. Each one has a signature habitat. Grevy live in dry desert areas, Plains live in grassy areas with hills, and Mountain zebras live in rocky areas with grass around for grazing. Zebras are unique animals with a special way of life.

Matthew Finnerty: Photo Essay. What I learned about Falkirk Estate and Country Club was that it opened in 1908; it has had three owners, and it is rated as the 7th nicest golf course in New York State.

Alex Waterbury: Photo Essay. What I learned about was Italy and the places to go while you’re there. I learned about the rulers of the past and actually realized Italy is shaped like a boot! (But you probably already knew that.)

Cameron Lenci: Photo Essay. What I learned about is Los Angeles. I learned that Staples Center has concerts as well as games. I also learned that the Hollywood sign is on Mt. Lee.

Alexis Dolan: Photo Essay. What I learned about sea turtles. I learned that due to the BP oil spill, garbage and contaminants in the ocean and on land, some sea turtles die or end up getting really sick and washing up on shore.

Adam Levi: Photo Essay. What I learned about Moto-cross. I learned that the first races were in the 1920s, and they were called scrambles. In the 1930s, France shortened the courses and put obstacles in the way. Over the years the sport and the dirt bikes evolved and freestyle was invented. I learned a lot about Motocross!

Autumn Townsend: Photo Essay. What I learned about AC/DC is that they were a couple of everyday people who tried to be a rock band, to follow their dreams, and they succeeded. They are a group of people who have brought joy to thousands with their music since 1975 and, according to them, they’re going to Rock ’n’ Roll until they can’t Rock ’n’ Roll anymore!

Emily Hoffman: Children’s Book. What I learned about the Bahamas is there are around 700 islands that make up the Bahamas. Paradise Island is one of the islands and it is very romantic. There is nice, sunny weather year-round. One more fun fact is that there is 90,000 square miles of sunny ocean!

Alexcia LaFountain: Children’s Book. What I learned about dogs. I learned that dogs bark because they are communicating with other dogs.

Briana Brownsell: Photo Essay. What I learned about chocolate was that there are three main kinds and that most of the chocolate grown in the world grows in Mexico, Central America, South America and Africa. I also learned just how long it has taken chocolate to evolve to what it is now. Furthermore, I really enjoy chocolate and I enjoyed learning more about it! Especially since chocolate is also very good for you. So, for all of you chocolate lovers out there, you can now not worry as much!

Mackenzie Kelly: Children’s Book. I chose a mythological topic so I did have some difficulty finding truthful facts. I learned that there is more to the leprechaun story than little people wearing green, trying to trick you on St. Paddy’s Day. I learned that leprechauns are really shoemakers and most do live alone. In addition, their treasure really isn’t gold, their treasure is hidden in a pot of gold, or at least that’s what the myth states!

Mercedes Rice: Mixed Media. What I learned about dogs is that they need a lot of care. Some shots can kill your dog, like the Rabies vaccine, but who wants to hear that? Not me! Anyways, dogs are just like you and me; they need love, care and hope. Do you want to hear a cool fact? Well, here it goes. A dog’s tongue is the cleanest place ever, cleaner than my mouth or your mouth. I know, weird, right? I hope you enjoyed the interesting and funny facts. So, love and care for that amazing dog of yours!

Allyson Brosemer: ABC Book. I learned that llamas originated from the Andes Mountains in South America. I also learned that llamas are a member of the camelids family. This family includes llamas, Alpacas, Vicuña, Bactrian camel, Dromedary, and Guanaco.

Shelby McGill: Photo Essay. What I learned about Bill Moseley made me laugh. All the funny and interesting interviews I read gave me something to giggle about through the next class. I learned how he got his role in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (my favorite movie) was by making a short film called The Texas Chainsaw Manicure, in which he licked a piece of headcheese. By sending this into Tobe Hooper, he got the part. It makes me feel hopeful about becoming part of a movie cast as well!

Nick Russell: ABC Book. What I learned about pool is that it used to be a gentleman’s game. Pool, also called billiards, has been around for hundreds of years. When I first started my project it was, still is, and always will be my favorite sport. Learning more information about pool is just great.

Tom Cooper: Photo Essay. What I learned about the Welsh land is that it has a dramatic landscape and is a rural country with lots of farms. Also, it was once affected by an oil spill.

Daniel Stefanko: Photo Essay. What I learned about the NFL is that it has a lot of history. For instance, the Lombardi Trophy was named after the coach who won the first Super Bowl, Vince Lombardi. The NFL system is extremely long when it comes to pretty much everything. The NFL we know today was created in 1970 when the AFL and NFL merged. Overall, I found out a lot about the NFL, its history and set up.

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