By Paul Post

 Warren County officials are counting heavily on Lake George winter attractions to boost declining sales tax revenue caused by ongoing national economic woes.

 Such income was running 10 percent ahead of last year’s numbers, but declined to 2.9 percent by the end of the third quarter. At the same time, inflation has forced up spending across the board, from higher salaries and retirement costs to rising fuel and utility expense.

 “It’s not sustainable,” county Budget Officer and Stony Creek Supervisor Frank Thomas said. “I think the economy is slowing. Interest rates are way up. People don’t have as much money as they would like.”

 About $5 million in funding requests for things such as paving projects and new vehicles were denied in the tentative $192 million, 2024 budget unveiled on November 3.

 Thomas, board of Supervisors Chairman Kevin Geraghty of Warrenburgh and new county Tourism Director Heather Bagshaw discussed such issues during a “State of the County” event held at the Park Theater in downtown Glens Falls with several dozen business and local government officials on hand.

By Joe Legault

The 2023-2024 winter season in Lake George, NY, is shaping up to be a truly memorable one for both residents and visitors to the area. This winter will include not one, not two, but three amazing events: Lake George Winter’s Dream, Winter Realms, and Lake George Winter Carnival.

Wondering what to expect? Explore the differences between each event, and why you should add all three to your family’s winter itinerary.

Lake George Winter’s Dream

Lake George Winter’s Dream is an all-new immersive experience where lights, original music, sounds, and interactivity come together to showcase the magic of winter. It will be held at the Fort William Henry Historical Fortress in Lake George, specifically the outdoor courtyard and on all four bastions.

This extraordinary attraction is being created by the award-winning multimedia studio Moment Factory, which has designed over 500 unique projects worldwide. Lake George Winter’s Dream will feature a series of multimedia installations that draw on the rich emotions, sensations, and wonder of the season.

It’s a family-friendly event intended for ages 7+, and exploration of the attraction will take 40-60 minutes. Lake George Winter’s Dream will be held December 8, 2023 – March 31, 2024 (Sunset-10PM), and it will be open every day except Tuesdays (special open/closed dates for the holidays). Tickets are available now at lakegeorge.wintersdream.com

By Paul Post

 Gregg Singer and Larissa Ovitt are bridging a gap in Glens Falls’ downtown revitalization, which took a giant leap forward with the long-anticipated groundbreaking for a $4.5 million Market Center on South Street. 

State and city officials tossed shovels full of dirt to mark the momentous occasion, the latest in a series of projects contributing to Hometown USA’s rebirth.

While dust was still settling, Singer and Ovitt welcomed guests to their new cozy business, Golden Monkey Lounge, directly across the street. They’ve spent more than a half-million dollars refurbishing the building near the west end of South Street, which is also home to a new Taco Kings Jalisco eatery. 

“The city wants to turn this into an event block,” Ovitt said. “We’re working on this building to make something that works in collaboration with everything that continues, not just across the street, but coming up South Street and downtown as a whole. It’s certainly very encouraging now that they’re running full speed ahead with the Market Center.”

By Paul Post

 Common Roots Brewing Company, best-known for its popular craft beer and ale, now helps people start their day right by serving up fresh coffee, roasted on site, and a selection of  tasty breakfast sandwiches.
The Café, open 7 a.m. to noon Monday to Friday, is located in the firm’s spacious new multi-purpose building, which Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado christened during recent ribbon cutting ceremonies.

 “We started roasting our own coffee because it’s an important ingredient for some of our beers like our Coffee Cup stout,” said Bert Weber, who co-owns Common Roots with his son, Christian. “It became kind of a progression after that. While we’re making coffee we thought it might be a nice way to introduce the public to this space. So we have a lot of people coming in now for coffee and an egg sandwich or breakfast burrito. It’s exposing the space to people who might see it as a nice place to have a celebration or party.”

 The new building, called Bierhall & Barrel House, is on the south side of Common Roots’ restaurant and brewery, at 58 Saratoga Avenue in South Glens Falls.

 The $3.6 million structure, aided by $450,000 in state economic development funding, can accommodate up to 200 people and has already hosted a wedding and a travel program about a local adventurer’s trek to the Himalayas in Nepal.

 “This gives us a lot of opportunities,” Weber said. “The acoustics are pretty good so we might use it as a live music venue at some point, too. It’s multi-functional. There’s a full kitchen so there’s a special menu for events like weddings, banquets and celebrations. When there’s no event going on, we can use it to handle overflow from the restaurant and serve the same menu that’s over there.”

By Jill Nagy

There was such a large crowd at the October 27 opening of the AllTown Fresh market in Fort Edward,” that “it was very difficult to move,” exulted Holly Kitchen, manager of the new market. There was a state senator, two town supervisors, president of the Adirondack Chamber of Commerce, the local radio station, many company officers, several chefs, and, of course, the neighbors, “a fantastic turnout,” Kitchen said.

After the ribbon-cutting, party goers sampled the food, visited a coffee trailer, played games, and toured the new shop. 

The store is located at 1401 Saratoga Road (Route 9) between South Glens Falls and Gansevoort.

AllTown features chef-run kitchens, preparing sandwiches, salads, and full meals, made with organic, locally sourced foods and ingredients. They offer vegan and gluten-free selections. The markets are open around the clock, with the kitchen open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Available beverages include beer as well as coffee and soft drinks. There is free wifi on the premises and outdoor patio seating. Another big draw, according to Kitchen, is “fantastic gas prices.”  .

The Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne, New York, broke ground on Circle H Lodge, a new residential lodge for camp staff and volunteers, in late September. Double H Ranch launched its public phase of a $5.5 million capital campaign project in March 2023 to support four areas of focus: the new Residential Lodge, Adaptive Playground, Outdoor Pavilion expansion, and Camp-A-Theater. Backed unanimously by its Board of Directors, the Double H Ranch has secured $5.3 million of its goal.

Dave Michaels, Chair of the Facilities Committee, stated: “It is exciting to be here today breaking ground at the new Circle H Lodge. Double H makes a profound difference in the lives of our campers year-round, and our staff team and volunteers work hard to make the program possible.  This new lodge will provide our counselors and volunteers with a place to recharge and rest, helping them to be the best they can be for our campers.  This new cabin will offer year-round housing, build program capacity, and enhance energy efficiency, and will offer common rooms for meeting and gathering.”

Charlie Crew, Board Chair, stated: “Thank you to all our donors who have collectively contributed 5.3 million towards our campaign. Double H campers look forward all year to experiencing the life changing impact of camp, and they will benefit from these capital improvements for years to come.”

This is the Ranch’s second Capital Campaign endeavor led by Lisa and Robert Moser, who launched the campaign with a $1.5 million leadership gift. “Double H Ranch wouldn’t be possible without the support of our community. We are grateful for the individuals, foundations, businesses, and organizations that have provided generous funding in the initial stage of our campaign. We are inspired by the progress we have made and look forward to meeting our campaign goal in 2023 with the help from our community,” state the Moser’s.