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March 7, 2020
Burgh/North Countryman
suncommunitynews.com
• EDITION •
Ellenburg store ravaged by flames Thursday night fire at LaBarre’s By Andrea VanValkenburg STAFF WRITER
ELLENBURG | An overnight fire has destroyed a landmark store in Ellenburg. LaBarre’s Convenience Store had closed just two hours before raging flames were seen tearing through the building at about 10:30 p.m. Feb. 28. Firefighters from roughly a dozen fire departments across the region raced to the store on Route 11 as the inferno moved through the building Thursday night and engulfed portions of the attached deli and liquor store. High winds and frigid overnight temperatures made battling the flames even more challenging, but crews were eventually able to quell the flames before it spread further into another attached building and nearby home.
The Northern Adirondack varsity cheer team won the Section VII Co-ed title at the cheerleading championships Feb. 28 at the Plattsburgh State Field House. Dustin Barclay won the jump off event with Anika Knight placing fifth, while Bobcat all stars included Barclay, Knight, Jadyn LaValley, Elizabeth Nichols and Rylee Pivetta. See more from the cheer championships, including photos, at suncommunitynews.com/sports and mycapture.suncommunitynews.com. Photo by Jill Lobdell
See FIRE » pg. 8
Legislation discussed at forum, chamber facilitates Downstate budget priorities a concern among officials; North Country business confidence still high By Alina Walentowicz STAFF WRITER
Area lawmakers Sen. Betty Little (R), Assemblyman Dan Stec (R, C, I) and Assemblyman Billy Jones (D) provided insights to attendees at the chamber’s annual breakfast forum highlighting legislative topics of regional concern. Photo by Alina Walentowicz
PLATTSBURGH | A full house of 200+ combined area business and non-profit professionals, government officials and education administrators from throughout Clinton, Franklin and Essex counties filled Butcher Block’s Adirondack Room recently during the North Country Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 Annual Legislative Breakfast. Regional lawmakers offered updates and input on
Nova Bus secures contract with MTA into 2021 Plattsburgh manufacturer announced new contract, expected local jobs
STATE BUDGET’S LOCAL IMPACT
Along with Sen. Betty Little (R), who retires at the end of this year, Assemblyman Billy Jones (D) and Assemblyman Dan Stec (R, C, I) presented remarks surrounding the $176 billion New York state budget. Referring to this season as “March madness”, Jones emphasized his desire to stick within the confines of the budget as much as possible during the next month’s proceedings, which he thinks could help prevent potentially unfavorable legislation impacting the North Country as a result of downstate priorities—especially concerning medicaid spending and bail reform. Stec reinforced Jones’ concerns, saying the state budget should be, first and foremost, a financial document. See CHAMBER » pg. 4
STUDENT ENTRIES SOUGHT FOR ARTS CONTEST Winning N.Y.-21 student artwork to be displayed in U.S. Capitol By Alina Walentowicz
By Alina Walentowicz
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
Sustainable transit-bus manufacturer Nova Bus announced new contract with Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), resulting in the creation of an estimated 40 local jobs; Sen. Betty Little (D) and other regional legislators provided supportive comments. Photo by Alina Walentowicz
LAST YEAR’S SUSTAINABLE ELECTRIC PRODUCT LAUNCH In addition to its available hybrid options, in 2019 the public-transit bus manufacturer announced the release of its long-range battery-electric bus—an expansion upon its LFS (Low Floor Series) platform. The new LFSe+ model was the first bus to pass the U.S. Federal Transit Association (FTA) pass/fail standard in Altoona, Pennsylvania, “required for any company selling buses in the United States that are purchased with federal funds,” according to a recent news release a n n o u n c i n g t h e accomplishment.
PLATTSBURGH | Now through April 17, high school students from across New York’s District 21 can submit original artwork in a variety of visual media to the Congressional Art Competition, also called “An Artistic Discovery” competition. This national contest, established in 1982, aims to encourage and highlight artistic youth talent throughout the country district by district. Since 2009, the Congressional Institute, a not-for-profit corporation, has sponsored the yearly initiative. According to New York-21 U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R), “Each year, it is a privilege to select artwork created by a talented young person from the North Country to be honored in the U.S. Capitol. [...] As co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus, I look forward to highlighting our creative students and their artwork.” Types of visual artwork accepted include: paintings, drawings, collages, prints, mixed media, computer-generated art and photography. See CONTEST » pg. 4
See NOVA BUS » pg. 4
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PLATTSBURGH | A new contract between Quebecheadquartered Nova Bus and New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) secures a base order of 165, 40-feet-long hybrid buses with the option to purchase an additional 126 hybrid buses and 209 diesel buses, resulting in a potential total of 500 buses. This contract, announced at a recent press conference, is expected to produce a need for workers at the Volvo Group company’s Plattsburgh location with about 40 new jobs created as well as continued partnership possibilities with area suppliers. Plattsburgh General Manager Greg Cody said at a recent press event that he was proud of the manufacturer’s sustainable solutions and cross-border collaboration among teams. “The exceptional quality and durability of our buses, as well as the extraordinary support of our teams, are determining factors for the selection of Nova Bus [as the New York City MTA contract winner].” He concluded, “It’s a long order, and a good run for us.”
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current opportunities and challenges facing the widespread North Country.