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June 27, 2009
A Denton Publication
Logging
Little grads
Outdoors
Museum keeps the history of the river men alive and well.
Kindergarten and Pre-K students at NCS move to the next level.
Utica man reels in state record brook trout .
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On anniversary of local soldier’s death, relatives share thoughts By Jon Alexander jonathan@denpubs.com
Stephanie Palmateer receives her father’s flag of service at a memorial service last summer. It’s been a year since Sgt. Mark Palmateer was killed in action in Afghanistan, but his loss still resonates with all who knew him.
NORTH CREEK — As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to grind forward, one family is reflecting on the cost of the conflicts in the Middle East. One-year ago this week, former North Creek and Wevertown resident Sgt. Mark Palmateer, 38, was killed in action. He died from wounds sustained after his convoy encountered improvised explosive devices, small arms fire and rocketpropelled grenades from dissidents in Afghanistan. In this attack, two of Palmateer ’s fellow Army reservists were also killed. “I think about my dad and the war every day,” Palmateer ’s daughter Stephanie said this week. “His death has changed how I look at things like our flag, service and the war.” According to Stephanie Palmateer, her father ’s character was the focus of numerous letters she received from his squad-mates following his death. Unlike many Americans — who are able to remove themselves from the conflicts abroad
Sgt. Mark Palmateer — the death of her father acts as an everpresent reminder of the cost of war.
Teens headed here to fix up homes
Johnsburg debates future of highway department
By Thom Randall thom@denpubs.com WARRENSBURG — Hundreds of teenagers from across the nation participating in a Christian mission outreach will be arriving soon to volunteer their time sprucing up homes and other buildings, and the organization is now seeking projects to undertake. Also, the group will be conducting a day camp from July 6 through Aug. 5 for children ages 4 to 11, to be held from noon to 3 p.m. weekdays at the Bakers Mills Wesleyan Church off state Rte. 8. Children from all over northern Warren County are welcome to attend. The nationwide Christian organization YouthWorks, based in Minneapolis, will be sending about 70 teenagers each week to the southern Adirondacks for six one-week mission trips over the summer as an outreach to help out those in need as well as provide recreational and spiritual enrichment opportunities, according to YouthWorks coordinator LeAnn Mansur. The first mission group is to arrive Sunday. The teens, from all over the nation, will be tackling some light fix-up, yard work and painting projects, while they experience the culture of the region, Mansur said. Elderly homeowners, or those of modest means or special needs, are encouraged to call Mansur at (517) 740-6246 with potential projects. The organization has a full slate of outdoor light construction projects, but those with indoor projects like interior painting, are urged to call to apply for help. Plus, YouthWorks has been working with the locally based North Country Ministry on lining up projects to undertake, Mansur said. The visiting teenagers will be spending nights in the basement of Holy Cross
See TEENS, page 7
See SOLDIER, page 6
By Jon Alexander jonathan@denpubs.com
Splash Day!! It was fun in the sun for pre-kindergarten at Minerva Central School on Wednesday, June 17. Pre-k students enjoyed a picnic lunch followed by a variety of “Splash Day” activities. Splashing and sliding into wading pools, running around the wiggly worm sprinkler, pouring and observing the properties of water at a water “table,” digging and making sand castles at a sand “table,” getting the teachers wet with water balloons, and making and chasing bubbles were just some of the activities enjoyed. The day ended with an ice cream social for pre-k students and their families.
Sheriff’s boat patrols spared the axe — for now By Jon Alexander jonathan@denpubs.com LOON LAKE — Although the future prospects of waterborne law enforcement in Warren County have been sinking lately, this week they were thrown a budgetary lifeline. Warren County Sheriff ’s Department boat patrols will continue throughout the remainder of 2009, as Warren County su-
pervisors spared the program from funding cuts. As part of the push to reduce spending and close a looming 2010 budget deficit, supervisors had targeted the program for elimination. But this week, it was spared the budget axe, at least temporarily. “We have decided to go ahead and fund the patrol throughout the rest of 2009, but if no more
funding is found in 2010 it will be cut,” Queensbury Supervisor-at-large William VanNess said June 19. Warren County Undersheriff Robert Swan said Tuesday that the boat patrol has served as an important deterrent to boating while intoxicated — a deadly but common practice. The patrol also cuts down on reckless piloting, and routinely assists at
See BOAT, page 6
JOHNSBURG — To retool, repave or leave well-enough alone — that is the question for town officials as they look to set priorities for the town highway department. Officials are debating what the best priorities for the highway department are as they ramp up for yet another budgetary season. The debate centers around more than 25 miles of crumbling paved roads, twodecade old equipment and the town’s responsibilities to local taxpayers. “There is a history of too little highway funding in past budgets,” Councilman Gene Arsenault said June 16. “We have fallen behind in road construction and are now overwhelmed.” According to Arsenault, the town can only afford to buy or bond new trucks or to begin much needed road repairs, but not both. “I think we have done a reasonable job maintaining the roads, but not improving them,” he said. According to Johnsburg Highway Superintendent Dan Hitchcock, the estimated cost of repaving the highly-pitted Durkin Road, for example, in North Creek would be around $450,000 for a 1.3 mile stretch —
See ROADS, page 5