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• EDITION •

State-funded broadband build-outs making progress — but for lawmakers, anxiety lingers Essex County forms task force to monitor developments By Pete DeMola EDITOR

ELIZABETHTOWN | Local residents are beginning to see the fruits of state-funded broadband expansion efforts. Chazy & Westport Communications announced last week completion of a project that expanded broadband to 620 homes and businesses in Clinton and Essex counties. Beneficiaries include Westport, Wadhams, West Chazy, Chazy and Sciota, as well as southern portions of the towns of Essex and Lewis. Speeds will be at least 100 megabytes per second, the minimum required by the state in all but the most rural areas, where speeds have been set at 25 mbps. The projects were supported by $2.8 million in state grants, joining $705,000 in private funding. While other carriers have bypassed the Adirondacks over the cost-prohibitive nature of

building out “last-mile” networks in rural areas, the state assistance has allowed the provider to deploy nearly 111 miles of new and upgraded fiber-optic cable in their franchise area. “It was going to take us 20 years to do what we did in two years,” said Joe Forcier, the company’s vice president.

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SLIC UPDATE

Slic Network Solutions has completed the “vast majority” of their network construction in Keene aside from small portions delayed by road conditions. The provider is replacing approximately 22 miles of legacy coax plant with fiber and upgrading the backbone of their newly-obtained Keene location. “Barring more disruptive storms, we expect to complete the network construction in the next couple of weeks and to begin installations by the end of this month,” Slic CEO Kevin Lynch told The Sun on Monday. The provider stands to wire communities across Essex (Chesterfield, Elizabethtown, Essex, Lewis, North Hudson, Schroon, Ticonderoga, Willsboro) and Clinton counties, including the Town of Plattsburgh, Altona, Dannemora, Ellenburg and Saranac, as part of the next phase. » Broadband Cont. on pg. 2

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Northeastern Clinton Central School is hosting a substitute recruitment night on Feb. 13.

By Elizabeth Izzo STA FF W RITER

CHAMPLAIN | In an effort to expand the district’s pool of substitute staff, Northeastern Clinton Central School (NCCS) is hosting a recruitment night on Feb. 13. The event, the district’s second in the last two years, aims to attract new people to fill a shortage of substitute teachers, bus drivers and custodians, among other positions. Despite robo-calls to community households, website announcements and newspaper advertisements, NCCS has continued to struggle with recruiting substitutes. NCCS Superintendent Robb Garrand believes that the rural location of the district’s schools may play into the lack of staff, paired with the economic realities facing many local residents. “It’s part-time and many need full-time employment,” he said. At NCCS, there are positions open for substitute custodians, bus drivers, monitors, school nurses and though there are 30 active substitute teachers on staff, an additional 10 are also being sought. “We’re looking for everything,” said Garrand. The district intends to make its sub recruitment night a biennial occurrence.

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Verizon workers install fiber-optic cable on Route 3 in Plattsburgh on Friday, Jan. 25. Providers are making progress on state-subsidized broadband build-outs. But despite pledges that the program will cover 100 percent of the state, local officials continue to worry some households may be left behind. Photo by Danielle Rock

Towns, villages call for full-time Home Town Cable network

NCCS, CONTENDING WITH SUB SHORTAGE, HOSTS SECOND RECRUITMENT NIGHT District aims to recruit substitute teachers, bus drivers

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“Every year, there’s going to be vacancies in these areas,” he said. On Feb. 13, 6-7 p.m., on-site interviews will be conducted at NCCS’ middle/high school library. Applicants are encouraged to bring a resume, cover letter and three letters of reference. Th ose interested in learning more are encouraged to contact the district clerk: 518-298-8242 or aoliver@nccscougar.org.

WIDESPREAD PROBLEM

NCCS isn’t alone in struggling to recruit subs. Every school district in Clinton County is facing a shortage, and on many district websites, job listings for these positions have become a near-permanent fi xture. Peru Central School hosted a similar recruitment event earlier this year. “We struggle like every other district,” said Peru Central School Superintendent Thomas Palmer. “Getting bodies in your building is a really difficult thing right now. “It’s a problem throughout the North Country and throughout the state.” Palmer attributes the difficulty in recruiting subs to a variety of factors: The county’s low unemployment rate, the increase in wages for service and retail jobs, and a general sense that the idea of working at a school may be intimidating for some. “I think sometimes schools may intimidate people,” he said. “We’re looking at adding additional training to make those people feel more confident.” » Sub shortage Cont. on pg. 7

Municipalities ask Spectrum to open new public access channel By Elizabeth Izzo STA FF W RITER

ALTONA | A handful of local municipalities have passed resolutions calling for Spectrum to open a dedicated public access channel for Home Town Cable. The push comes after the 36-year-old community news network stopped broadcasting on Spectrum Channel 24 — owner Calvin Castine cited the “cost prohibitive” nature of renewing its lease, which expired in December — and pivoted to broadcasting on YouTube and two shared public access channels. A new public access channel used exclusively by Home Town Cable, the four towns and two villages contend, would allow the network to continue its round-the-clock coverage of local events without having to share airtime with other providers on North Country and Plattsburgh Public Access. “They have way too much (programming) they put on to have it shared by so many,” said Altona Town Supervisor Larry Ross. “Other areas get the limelight — not our little area.” A resolution unanimously passed by the Altona Town Board last month calls for “a dedicated PEG (Public, Educational and Governmental) channel, exclusive to our five town, two village cable subscriber area, so that continued timely coverage will be provided to our local school, community, governmental and historical programming.” The towns of Champlain, Chazy, Mooers and the villages of Rouses Point and Champlain have each signed on in support. The Ellenburg Town Council has not yet passed a resolution related to Home Town Cable, according to Town Clerk Bethany Fortin, but have discussed the issue. In the past, the five town, three village area had a local public access channel, according to Castine. But when Time Warner was purchased by Charter Communications, the channel area was expanded to the Malone area, then further expanded to include the tri-lakes area and as far away as Ogdensburg and Massena, he said. Castine wants his own channel, returning to the original format, because there’s not enough room to share. He said that he supports the municipalities’ efforts. “Certainly,” Castine said. “Since I can’t afford to lease it anymore, it would allow the programming I continue to cover on a timely basis.” » Home Town Cable Cont. on pg. 7

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