Monthly Archives: March 2014

Loaves & Fishes Luncheon features information presentation for seniors

Participants at the March 27th Loaves and Fishes Luncheon at Niccolls Memorial Presbyterian Church in Old Forge were treated to an informational presentation by Kathy Fox, director, and Melissa Lanphier, caseworker, of the Herkimer County Office for the Aging (OFA).

The pair of experts on senior-related issues were invited by Mary Brophy-Moore, Town of Webb Councilwoman.

Alecia and Don Olney of Woodgate. Photo by Gina Greco

Alecia and Don Olney of Woodgate. Photo by Gina Greco

Loaves and Fishes luncheons are co-sponsored by Niccolls Memorial, St. Anthony’s and St. Bartholomew’s churches.

They welcome all community members to get together, while encouraging that a dish be brought along to pass.

Fox and Lanphier described a number of beneficial healthcare programs that OFA offers to Herkimer County residents ages 60 and above.  Continue reading →

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Local cousins heading to Haiti, assisting ongoing relief effort

Michelle La Due M.S., L.Ac. Acupuncturist will be going back to Haiti for her third trip in May volunteering with the Naturopathic Earthquake Relief Clinic. This year she will be accompanied by her cousin, Whitney Denesha, a Social Worker who will be assisting the team in the clinics.

They will be traveling with the Venerable Thupten Jimpa, a Haitian born Tibetan monk who helped found the Clinic after the devastating earthquake in 2010.

Whitney Denesha

Whitney Denesha

The make-shift clinics will be set up in orphanages, schools, homes and the ghettos offering free natural health treatment for another 2,500 people, bringing the total of Haitians served by this tiny grassroots operation to a staggering 17,500 since the earthquake.

Last year they found that many things had improved over the former trips: street lights were back on the main streets, which cut down the crime rates.  Continue reading →

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Governor’s property tax freeze falls short of real homeowner relief

Over the past few months, you may have heard about Governor Cuomo’s property tax freeze plan. While I don’t dispute that property taxes continue to be a major problem in upstate New York, I believe the governor’s proposal is disingenuous and will not lead to any significant property tax savings for New Yorkers.

The savings from Gov. Cuomo’s property tax freeze plan would be negligible, full of caveats for localities such as forced consolidation, which if not accomplished will have negative financial implications for counties and communities.

Additionally, it does not address the largest cost driver for our local governments—unfunded mandates.  Continue reading →

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Webb school stages ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ musical

The Town of Webb Union Free School District’s Drama Department presented the musical ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ on Friday and Saturday, March 21 and 22, at the school’s gymnasium, which proved to be a huge hit for all ages. IMG_6685****

The pit band, stage crew and all the performers, including the lead roles of Annie Oakley and Frank Butler, played by Olivia Phaneuf and Westley Lamphear, did a stellar job, said audience members.  Continue reading →

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Old Forge Library: Poetry & Illustration Contest Winners announced

Winners of the Old Forge Library’s annual Poetry and Illustration Contest were announced at an Opening Exhibit Reception at the library on Tuesday, March 25th.

BACK: Lillian Hansen, Macie Eisenhart, Fern Bick, Coral Williams, Jameson Pratt, Clifford Donovan and Logan Hodges. FRONT: Max Sinker, Gabriel Lutz, Ryleigh Northrop and Lydia Bartel.

BACK: Lillian Hansen, Macie Eisenhart, Fern Bick, Coral Williams, Jameson Pratt, Clifford Donovan and Logan Hodges. FRONT: Max Sinker, Gabriel Lutz, Ryleigh Northrop and Lydia Bartel.

This year’s contest carried the theme of “Times Gone By,” with over 100 illustration and 150 poetry entries received from throughout Herkimer, Oneida and Madison counties and the Town of Inlet—the largest number of entries to date, according to Library Director Isabella Worthen.

The judges for the poetry contest were Paula Roy and Paul Kocak and the judges for the illustrations were Martha Deming and Loretta Lepkowski.

Continue reading →

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Card of thanks

I have already sent out many personal Thank You notes, but this one has taken me longer to write because I can’t come up with the words to show how grateful Sid, Shane and I are for everything everyone has done for us through Sid’s awful accident.

I had said not long after we were in the hospital that sometimes the most wonderful things can come from the worst of times… We can’t thank you all enough for all the love, support, prayers and generocity we have received—overwhelming and unbelievable, and so very appreciated! Continue reading →

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Seventh Lake: Early camps & the Seventh Lake House

—Part ONE —

Until Robert Maloney’s 1989 history, “A Backward Look at 6th and 7th Lakes,” local histories of the Fulton Chain region had mostly concentrated on the growth and development of the more populated First through Fourth Lakes of the chain.  Though my primary subject is the popular hotel that existed on the north shore of Seventh Lake, I wanted to also supplement Mr. Maloney’s information with additional early history about Seventh Lake itself. Newspaper articles cited are mostly from the on-line archives of www.fultonhistory.com and www.nnyln.net.

Continue reading →

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