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HOMES EVERY WEEK! December 28, 2019
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• EDITION •
Notorious prison seamstress could be released in early 2020 Joyce Mitchell could be released in February By Andrea VanValkenburg STAFF WRITER
Joyce Mitchell Photo provided
DANNEMORA | The former prison seamstress who helped two convicted killers escape Clinton Correctional Facility could be released in early 2020 for good behavior. Joyce Mitchell has been denied parole as she serves out her sentence at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, but could be released on special conditions in February, pending continued credit for good behavior behind bars. The notorious prison worker made national headlines in 2015 after she helped murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat escape the maximum-security facility. She ultimately backed out as the duo’s getaway driver when the pair escaped through a prison tunnel and nearby manhole, launching an intense multiweek search for the pair. That massive local search ultimately led to Matt’s death and Mitchell’s arrest. Sweat was shot and captured about three weeks after the escape and is now serving out his life sentence at Wende Correctional Facility in Alden. The prison break made national news for weeks, shining a spotlight on the region and becoming the focus of an acclaimed Showtime miniseries. Mitchell, 55, was living in Dickinson Center at the time and still has strong ties and family connections in the area.■
HOME SWEET HOME
Assemblyman Billy Jones cracks a joke about the snowy North Country weather while discussing the importance of affordable housing in the region. Photo by Brian Happel
Ribbon cutting celebrates new, inclusive affordable housing
Connecticut Court resident Sandy Covel prepares to cut the ribbon to celebrate the new affordable housing development in the town of Plattsburgh. Photo by Brian Happel
By Brian Happel STAFF WRITER
PLATTSBURGH | Dozens of people will be starting 2020 in their own home thanks to the successful completion of an affordable housing project in the town of Plattsburgh. “I love it,” Sandy Covel, a resident of Connecticut Court, told several state and local officials on hand to celebrate the complex with a ribbon cutting ceremony recently. Covel’s emotions got the best of her, fighting back tears as she spoke on a cold, snowy day. “I was happy when I was told that I was going to move here. I’m so happy now.” Covel has been living in her home since March. “I have a one bedroom apartment, and I have my own washer and dryer. And, I
have a couch, which I didn’t have in my old place that I used to live at.” Covel also said her favorite part about her home is that she has her own bedroom instead of just a studio or small apartment. She lives in one of 40 new, energy-efficient units built on what was a vacant 5.3-acre parcel of land formerly used for Plattsburgh Air Force Base housing. That includes ten supportive homes for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. “Nothing is more sacred to the people than a home,” Executive Director for the Advocacy and Resource Center Robin Pierce said. “A home is not just where you live. It’s where you are. Home provides each of us with safety, security, a sense of belonging, identity and privacy, among other things. But, most of all, our homes give us stability and a sense of peace in our lives.” New York State Homes and Community Renewal and Office for People With Developmental Disabilities teamed up
with the ARC to build the $9 million housing development. Assemblyman Billy Jones was among state and local leaders touting the importance of the complex for the town. “Providing people with this kind of community and this affordable and accessible housing, there’s no greater thing you can do for someone than provide them with a home.” Officials also pointed out that places like Connecticut Court ensure all people, regardless of the challenges they face in life, can feel like they are part of a community. “We need more affordable housing. We need more projects like this in our community,” Plattsburgh Town Supervisor Michael Cashman said. “This is only the beginning. We will be inspired by your example to bring more projects, more villages like this, where we can lift up every member of our community.” ■
Answering the Bell Salvation Army hoping for broader support in new year By Brian Happel STAFF WRITER
PLATTSBURGH | Ringing bells is a part of the holiday season. Sleigh bells and “Jingle Bells” help mark the time leading up to Christmas. But, it’s the bell ringing happening at places
like Champlain Centre, Walmart and Sam’s Club in Plattsburgh that is taking on a more urgent tone this year. “We’re hurting,” Major Robin Holmes Hager, Corps Officer with the Salvation Army, admitted. Hager was referring to the annual Red Kettle Drive. With a week to go before the Christmas Eve deadline, the Salvation Army had collected $45,000. That was barely half the $80,000 the organization was hoping to raise this year. “It’s what feeds us the rest of the year,” Hager stressed. It’s what keeps the lights on around here. It’s our lifeblood, basically.” See SALVATION ARMY » pg. 2
Bolstering Dannemora’s business growth Small business, individual success key to local development, officials say By Andrea VanValkenburg STAFF WRITER
DANNEMORA | Small business sustainability and growth can be challenging to say the least. From finding start-up capital and reliable help to juggling child care at home, the daily demands on entrepreneurs can be daunting, and that’s what regional business counselors are hoping to help Dannemora businesses with. See DANNEMORA BUSINESS » pg. 5
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