Month: August 2023

By Paul Post

A downtown parade, evening gala and record number of high-flying special shapes are among the events in store for people  at this year’s Adirondack Balloon Festival and its 50th anniversary celebration.

The five-day event, slated for Sept. 20-25, gives a  boost to the local economy by generating thousands of overnight stays, creating a bonanza for hotels, restaurants and retail shops in addition to state and county coffers, which collect related sales tax.

Founded by the late Walt and Joan Grishkot, this is the East Coast’s largest balloon festival, attracting people from throughout the U.S. and overseas, and third largest in the entire country behind only events held in Albuquerque and Reno.

In keeping with the Grishkots’ wishes, the Adirondack Balloon Festival is organized and run strictly by volunteers and is entirely commercial free. There is no admission charge for any of the six flights or moonglow activities, all held weather permitting.

By Paul Post

State and local officials say the region’s strong economy should be able to absorb the 300 people forced out of work by Essity paper company’s sudden exodus from New York state.

The Sweden-based company unexpectedly shuttered its large South Glens Falls mill on July 20 and plans call for closing a Greenwich converting facility and Saratoga Springs warehouse-distribution center this fall.

Meanwhile, the union representing the workforce is urging the company to change its mind and not close operations.

Essity is the area’s second large heavy industrial employer to shut down this year as Lehigh Cement, less than a mile away, is in the process of leaving, too. The fate of two large old mills is a major concern as potential public safety hazards if they can’t be repurposed or new buyers found.

Parts of Essity date back to 1864.

“I don’t think having an empty shell of an industrial plant is a good idea,” said state Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner. “The good news is that our employment situation is very strong. We have many unfilled jobs in a variety of different industries. But that said, you want to make sure you aren’t leaving an eyesore in a community that perhaps becomes an environmental nuisance. There’s still a lot of questions about what condition they’re (Essity) going to leave the buildings in and what can be done with them going forward.”

By Paul Post

John Jacobs has just the thing for Baby Boomer cycling enthusiasts who find uphill climbs a bit more daunting than they used to be.

 Velotric e-bikes allow people to keep pedaling their way to health and fitness with help from modern technology that takes the strain off tired muscles and achy joints.

 Inside Edge in Queensbury has three different models that have been leaving the store as quickly as Jacobs can stock them, he said.

 “I had no expectation that we’d be selling these as fast as we have,” he said. “A lot of ‘snowbirds’ with second homes up here have been coming in. They live up around North Creek where there’s hilly terrain. They like to ride, but they’re getting older. These bikes are all designed to assist you. What they really do is smooth out the hills. It allows you to go somewhere fairly quickly, still getting some exercise but not struggling against a big headwind or steep hill. You’re going to go right through.”

 Jacobs is director of sales and development for Inside Edge’s parent company, Reliable Racing Supply, an industry leader in ski racing equipment founded by his late father, Tom, a 1952 Winter Olympian and National Skiing Hall of Fame member.

Tiki Tours has added a new 30-foot tiki pontoon boat to its fleet. 

The second boat allows Tiki Tours to offer more trips to meet the growing demand for unique experiences for family reunions, wedding parties, corporate outings, birthday celebrations, and more. 

The spacious vessel, with a capacity for 16 people (and dogs), also adds a new level of comfort to the tours on Lake George, company officials said. 

Tiki Tours and the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 18 at the dock behind Lake George Beach Club at 3 Montcalm St. in Lake George. 

“Tiki Tours has seen tremendous growth in the last few years and is excited to add another vessel on Lake George. To offer fun experiences for visitors and residents gives our team great pleasure,” said Tiki Tours co-owner Gregory Teresi. “We are grateful for the unwavering support of the George Beach Club, the Village of Lake George, the Lake George Park Commission, Adirondack Trust Co. and the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce.”

By Susan Elise Campbell

People who lose car keys on the golf course or at the beach or campgrounds that are miles from home can now get help from BG Auto Keys in Queensbury.

The company operates a mobile van that serves the North Creek area and Adirondacks down to Saratoga Springs, bringing the right equipment to copy keys or reprogram fobs, according to the company’s founder Brian Granger. 

“We’re not only faster but also cheaper than going to a dealership,” he said.

Granger is a lifelong resident of Queensbury who has two other businesses based in the community. More than 21 years ago he founded BG Lender Services, an automobile repossession company that serves 500 to 600 clients per month. He sells some of the repossessed cars though BG Auto Auction and others online, he said.

His son Quinn is running, managing and growing the business for BG Auto Keys, Granger said, 

“He has been making keys since he was 13 years old,” he said

By Paul Post

Some people are fascinated by notorious underworld figures such as Lucky Luciano who hung out at the casino nightclub where world-famous entertainer Bing Crosby performed.

Others simply like to hang out with friends, take a swim or experience the thrill of being towed behind a powerful boat on an oversized fun tube.

 These are some of the options Daleys Adventure Boat Tours offers with a new service on Saratoga Lake.

 “I grew up on this lake,” said Mechanicville native and company owner Don Daley. “When I was 14 or 15, my uncle had a camp right down the road … We spent our summers here on Saratoga Lake.”

 In 2016, three years into retirement, Daley founded Lake George Island Boat Tours, telling guests about the lake’s history. 

“Eventually people wanted to go swimming, cliff jumping or tubing so we turned it into an adventure,” he said. “Out of 45 tours on Lake George, we’ve been the number-one tour on TripAdvisor for four of the past eight years. The difference between us and other operators is that we customize tours. We let people do whatever they want.”

This year, Daley expanded his company to Saratoga Lake. 

By Paul Post

Ice Castles is planning major changes to its Lake George operation in response to mild, climate-change conditions that pose a major challenge to every winter sports and tourism-related business.

 Officials said more than 60,000 people visited the frosty attraction during its inaugural run two years ago at Charles R. Wood Park’s Festival Commons. But attendance declined during last year’s shortened season, caused by warm, rainy weather that hit 60 degrees in February.

 Instead of a large castle, with up to 35-foot high walls, crawl spaces and icy slides, plans call for a large glycol-cooled skating rink surrounded by colorful light installations, a Polar Pub ice bar and a variety of  ice sculptures.

 The newly designed attraction will be called Winter Realm.

 “Mother Nature hasn’t been very kind to us the past two winters in Lake George, but we’re willing to return because of the overwhelming support from the community, the county, the village of Lake George and all the citizens in the area as well,” said Brad Buehlhorn, Ice Castles East Coast operations manager. “We’ve always received a very warm welcome. That’s the primary reason we’re returning to Lake George this season with a revamped concept. We have experienced more cooperation and collaboration with local officials and businesses than we’ve had in almost any destination we’ve worked with.”