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HOMES EVERY WEEK! January 11, 2020
Valley News
suncommunitynews.com
• EDITION •
Adirondack Harvest receives $99,624 Smart Growth grant
Cuomo budgets $14 million to rebuild lodge at Whiteface
Funds for website, staffing and farm-to-community outreach STAFF REPORT
LEWIS |A $99,624 Smart Growth grant award for Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) in Essex County will expand Adirondack Harvest online search functions and add staff for a larger marketing outreach in 2020. The award was part of a $2 million initiative moved through the state Department of Environmental Conservation, Environmental Protection Fund and announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in December. See ADK HARVEST » pg. 7
Initial renderings of the proposed new Mid-Station Lodge indicate architectural design reminiscent of an Adirondack Great Camp lodge. If approved by state lawmakers, the $14 million project would include natural elements such as Adirondack timber and custom stonework. Large insulated windows would allow for maximum light while framing picturesque views of Whiteface Mountain and its trails with skiers and riders coming and going. Photo/Office of NYS Governor the way,” Cuomo said in announcing the budget item. “Rebuilding the Mid-Station Lodge will ensure that the resort continues to deliver a world-class experience as one of the most successful destinations in the ski industry.”
Guest feedback key part of lodge plan
COMMUNITY INPUT
By Kim Dedam STAFF WRITER
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County coordinated launch of the Adirondack Harvest website in 2016 with a Department of Environmental Conservation Smart Growth grant. A new grant award for nearly $100,000 in 2020 will serve to expand the website search function, add marketing staff to coordinate access and farmers’ market events, farm-torestaurant outreach and Adirondack Harvest Festival programs. Photo by Kim Dedam
WILMINGTON| Emerging from public discourse, Gov. Andrew Cuomo last Saturday put a $14 million line-item in the Governor’s Executive Budget to wholly rebuild the MidStation Lodge, which was destroyed by fire at Whiteface. The announcement was the 26th priority item announced ahead of formal Executive Budget presentation. Cuomo’s proposal suggests a 10,000-square-foot lodge somewhat like the original. It would provide food, beverages and a place for skiers, riders, friends and families to meet up in a large dining area with multiple seating spaces and full restroom amenities. “As the North Country and New York State continue to set historic tourism records, Whiteface Mountain and the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) are leading
Mid-Station occupied a central point on the mountain where trails intersect above the Mixing Bowl, below the summit chair, the lift to Wilmington Trail and intermediate trails that wind toward the main lodge. Built in 1960, the historic lodge caught fire around 9 p.m. on Nov. 30 and despite the efforts of several fire departments, it was destroyed. The leadership team at ORDA has been asking skiers and riders what they would like to see in its place. Whiteface guests have weighed in via social media and while at the mountain, most saying the mid-mountain stop was an integral part of their skiing or riding experience. “What we heard covered the whole gamut, everything from ‘don’t change a thing,’ to ‘make it a venue with a hot tub on the roof,’” ORDA Vice President of Marketing and Sales Scott Christiansen told the Sun. See WHITEFACE » pg. 2
Supreme Court says snowmobile bridge ok
AID DENIED Individuals won’t get help for flood losses By Tim Rowland STAFF WRITER
ESSEX COUNTY | Residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the 2019 Halloween storm will not be getting any help from the federal government, after a request for emergency individual aid was denied last week. More than 50 homes in Essex County were affected by floodwaters, winds and landslides, including several that were total loses. Throughout the Adirondacks and environs, 18 homes and businesses were destroyed, 135 received major damage and all told, 250 more were affected in some way by the floods. FEMA aid comes in two forms — compensation for public losses and for private losses. FEMA did agree to help compensate municipalities for the costs of repairing roads, bridges and other public infrastructure, but said no to individuals. Public losses exceeded $33 million. FEMA said the individual losses were “not of such severity and magnitude as to warrant the designation of individual assistance.” Individual assistance would have paid for repairs not covered by insurance, as well as lodging for those who were displaced.
Environmental groups’ lawsuit dismissed; DEC can build Cedar River Bridge By Kim Dedam STAFF WRITER
Motorists in Ticonderoga wait for wind-blown wires to be cleared after the 2019 Halloween storm. Photo by Tim Rowland
Elected officials expressed strong disappointment at the decision. “I have spoken with numerous families in our district who have lost their homes and their businesses. The impact of the Halloween storms has been devastating to our region and the livelihood of many families,” U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY21) said in a statement. “My office will immediately work to ensure we address this devastating news directly with FEMA and advocate for families of New York’s 21st District to get the relief and
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Great Lakes American Cheese....................................$4.29 lb. In-Store Baked Ham ......................................................$5.29 lb.
PRODUCE Fresh Seedless Red Grapes .........................................$3.19 lb. Fresh Oranges ..................................................................2/$1.00 Celery ..............................................................................$1.89 ea. Fresh Spring Mix .................................................$2.99 gal. bag
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NORTH HUDSON | New York Supreme Court Judge Robert J. Muller dismissed a lawsuit that charged a snowmobile bridge over the Cedar River violated environmental protection laws. Filed in January last year, the litigation brought by Adirondack Wild--Friends of the Forest Preserve and Protect the Adirondacks challenged construction and variance granted for the bridge.
support they deserve.” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he would appeal the decision. “It is unacceptable that the federal government has denied our request for individual assistance for the residents affected by the Halloween 2019 storm and I’m demanding the Federal Emergency Management Agency provide a detailed explanation on the denial,” Gov. Cuomo said Friday. See FEMA » pg. 6
See BRIDGE » pg. 3
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