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In SPORTS | INSIDE
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Spring sports outlook 2016
In OPINION | pg. 6
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Guest viewpoint
A preview of local teams
In BOLTON | pg. 2
Bolton students take the stage
Don’t hate the Donald!
Pictures from “Bonnie and Clyde”
StateÊ educationÊ aidÊ restorationÊ toÊ easeÊ areaÊ taxpayerÊ burden thom@suncommunitynews.com
WARRENSBURG — Regardless of the bolstered state education aid in the recently enacted 2016 state budget, area school districts will likely be facing continued financial pressure in upcoming years, area school district officials predicted this week.
Administrators at Warrensburg, Lake George and North Warren school districts all said they were relieved that the Gap Elimination Adjustment or GEA — a take-back of state aid that lasted seven years, causing substantial fiscal pain for New York’s schools — was finally retired by state officials. The 2016 state budget includes increases in basic “foundation” per-pupil aid and facilities
Kasich draws crowd of 2,000
Attendees of Saratoga Springs rally inspired by Ohio Governor’s positive message By Christina Scanlon
christina@suncommunitynews.com
SARATOGA SPRINGS —When 2,000 people filled the City Center’s main hall Monday evening to hear Republican candidate John Kasich, Erik and Jenna Duffy, of Hudson Falls, were among them. They’d brought the whole family, including children Lydia, 5, Robbie, 7, and Savannah, 15. While Erik considers himself a supporter of Ted Cruz, Jenna is still deciding between Donald Trump and Cruz. Neither had plans of casting a vote for Kasich in the state primaries April 19. “We want Savannah to form her own views by being exposed to both sides of the coin,” said Duffy. They’d taken Savannah to see Cruz in Scotia the week before. “The differences I saw at the rallies were that the crowd had much less energy than at the Cruz rally,” said Savannah following the Kasich event. “This could because we weren’t allowed signs or because it was recorded for live TV, but the >> See KASICH | pg. 11
construction aid, as well as the eradication of the reviled GEA. North Warren Business Manager Mary Lou Carstensen noted that the GEA elimination means a boost of $201,551 this year alone in her school district’s budget. She estimated that the GEA had cost North Warren taxpayers about $2.3 million over the last seven years. North Warren Superintendent
BestÊ inÊ theÊ state
Bernard McCann said that he was relieved that the GEA, originally proposed as a way to help the state balance looming deficits during the economic collapse, was now history. “The Gap Elimination Adjustment was a bad idea to begin with — and now that it’s gone, we can move forward from here,’ he said. “But as long as tax cap of any sort ex>> See GEA | pg. 13
Sun Community News Editor Pete DeMola named NYPA writer of the year
ELIZABETHTOWN — Sun Community News Editor Pete DeMola has been named writer of the year by the New York Press Association at its annual spring conference in Saratoga Springs. The state-wide acknowledgement is John one of the most prestigious awards given Gereau by the association each year and is highly Managing Editor competitive, according to Rich Hotaling, NYPA’s association and creative services manager. DeMola was one of 57 newspaper professionals vying for the honor, which was judged by members of the Washington Newspapers Publishers Association, Hotaling said. The award required submitting five non-related articles written by one author and published in 2015. In their critique, the judges said DeMola did a great job of investigative reporting — best among the 57 entries — and said he did a fine job of storytelling using vivid words to help.
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By Thom Randall
Editor Pete DeMola stands in front of the Sun Community News offices on Monday, April 11 after being named writer of the year by the New York Press Association. Photo by John Gereau
“He showed great depth in many stories, too,” the judges went on to say. “All five stories are strong which is rare.” The articles on which DeMola was judged included an indepth investigative piece on former embroiled Essex town clerk William Morgan; an article about a businessman who conned the community one nickel at a time; a human interest piece about the prison break in Dannemora; a lighthearted feature about the Essex County Fair and a whistleblower article about a plan to pump PCB-laden water from an old missile silo in Lewis, New York. >> See PETE DEMOLA | pg. 13