A new event, WinterFest, is planned for the four weekends of February, replacing the Lake George Winter Carnival.
The new event, created because of the impact of COVID-19, entices visitors to attend socially distanced, safe outdoor events such as cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, winter “fat tire” mountain biking and dine in the Lake George area.
Participants will get a wristband, obtainable in advance online, that will serve as the ticket to horse-drawn carriage rides around Lake George and hot cocoa stations.
The website where wristbands will be on sale is www.lakegeorgewinterfest.com.
“WinterFest is the new way to get outside and really enjoy the wide variety of family-oriented socially-distanced recreational opportunities in the Lake George region of the Adirondacks,’’ said Christian Dutcher, who is organizing the event.
Marc Monahan Leads The Adirondack Regional Chamber Of Commerce 2021 Board
Courtesy ARCC
The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) announced that Marc Monahan, vice president and regional executive of NBT Bank, will again be chairman of its board of directors in 2021.
He replaced Eric Gilbert in 2020.
ARCC also announced the addition of four new board members for 2021.
“The past year certainly has been a challenge, but I believe we have a strong team at the ARCC and an outstanding group of board volunteers to help us make 2021 another successful year. Thank you to all of our members for their continued support of our 100 percent member funded and focused chamber,” said Monahan.
“As we enter into a new year, I am excited to welcome our newest board members and to show our gratitude to our outgoing members for their dedication to the ARCC.”
ARCC President & CEO Michael Bittel said, “We are blessed to have a board of directors who are all passionate about our region and our communities. Under Chairman Marc Monahan’s leadership, the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce has continued to focus on our mission of loving and serving our entire community. Our four new board members will carry on their passion and legacy.”
Monahan joined NBT in 2010 as a member of the retail team. He has over 18 years of experience in banking in various roles within the retail and commercial divisions of NBT. Prior to coming to NBT he worked in the Capital Region as a member of the management team in KeyBank’s retail bank. Monahan started his career in the finance industry as a member of Citi Group.
Stewart’s Shops Acquisition Of Red-Kap Adds Gasoline Distribution Services, A Few Stores
Stewart’s Shops is announced it is expanding its fuel distribution business with the acquisition of Red-Kap, a locally owned, family run business.
Stewart’s officials said the company will acquire eight convenience stores, three car washes, a 75-plus dealer network and fuel distribution business.
Under the terms of the agreement, Stewart’s will maintain the branding of the Mobil, Citgo, and Sunoco stations and will convert a few of the Red-Kap locations into Stewart’s Shops.
“Stewart’s has always respected the business and our long personal relationship with the Kaplans and their team,” said Stewart’s Shops President Gary Dake. “Doing business with people who respect people is always a pleasure. Both organizations come from long local family histories that have helped form the communities where we live.
“The acquisition will add eight corporately run locations and a significant addition of gasoline supply and distribution to local stations. Stewart’s prides itself on vertical integration and support. In the age of COVID-19, with an ever-changing business climate, we look forward to extending this support to the distributor/dealer network.”
Red-Kap, based in Schenectady, owns eight convenience stores from Saratoga to Loudonville, Troy, East Greenbush, and as far west as the Syracuse suburb of Baldwinsville.
New Public Relations Company In Glens Falls Focuses On ‘Green’ Sustainability Markets
Courtesy Sustainable PR
Sustainable PR, a new public relations agency in Glens Falls, has opened with a focus on fostering “green” business success in the growing sustainability market.
After 30 years of media relations experience in Philadelphia, Tony DeFazio, founder and principal of the agency, started the company.
Sustainable PR is positioned to support companies of varying sizes operating in B2B and B2C industries such as green technology, renewable energy, eco product manufacturing, sustainable investment products and organic food and beverage, according to the company.
Sustainable PR offers a range of services, including message development, media relations, influencer relations, coalition building and thought leadership.
The agency launched with its first client Soho Waterworks, a Brooklyn-based start-up water distributor aiming to redefine the standards of drinking water and help regional bottlers of fine waters access broader markets.
DeFazio said the inspiration for the agency can be traced back to a hike in Philadelphia’s Wissahickon Park at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when a friend asked him how he wanted to spend his next 10 years. After a lifetime of volunteering and advocating for environmental and sustainable causes, DeFazio decided to put his skills to work to both pursue his passion and meet what he describes as a growing market need.
“I reached a point where I could really take a step back and evaluate where I wanted to head next,” DeFazio said. “After building a strong reputation and an extensive network of contacts, I was ready for a new challenge.”
The Jefferson Project In Lake George Heads Collaborative Effort To Stem Harmful Algae
The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in November discovered Lake George’s first harmful algal bloom (HAB) in Harris Bay.
The Jefferson Project at Lake George, a collaboration between RPI, IBM Research, and the nonprofit FUND for Lake George, immediately deployed resources to examine the situation.
More than 20 researchers collected water samples from across the lake for sophisticated chemical, biological, and computer modeling analyses. They also deployed advanced sensors around the lake (including Harris Bay), officials said.
The algal bloom was first observed in Harris Bay on Nov. 7 and dissipated that same day, according to the FUND for Lake George. Additional blooms appeared on Monday, Nov. 9, in Harris Bay, Sandy Bay, Warner Bay, and near shore waters off of Lake George Village, all of which dissipated within 24 hours.
It was verified that the threshold of cyanobacteria concentrations in excess of 25 micrograms per liter were present. IBM and RPI supercomputers and researchers began computationally modeling recent weather and water circulation at all levels of the lake.
All of this effort, officials said, is aimed at answering three critical questions.
“The first question is: Was this a natural event or is this an early warning sign of human activities impacting the lake, due to factors like increasing nutrients or global climate change? Our rapid response to the recent HAB event in Lake George and similar occurrences in lakes across New York state puts us in a unique position to answer those questions and provide insights to decision makers,” said Dr. Rick Relyea, director of The Jefferson Project and a professor of biological sciences at RPI.
Adirondack Trust Community Fund Gives Out Grants To Region’s Nonprofit Agencies
The Adirondack Trust Co. Community Fund has awarded Lend-A-Hand Grants to 37 local nonprofit organizations.
Since 2012, Lend-A-Hand Grants have been awarded annually using community funds from ATCCF’s annual Autumn of Giving Match Campaign.
Officials said because of the economic stresses COVID-19 has placed on businesses and individuals, the Adirondack Trust Co. fully funded this year’s grant efforts, donating $77,000 in lieu of the typical match campaign.
“In a year full of challenges and difficult decisions, the Community Fund is grateful that Adirondack Trust quickly stepped up to fund the 2020 Lend-A-Hand Grants,” said ATCCF Advisory Committee Chair Brian Straughter. “We are so grateful for our community partnerships like this one.”
“There was absolutely no question when it came to funding this year’s grants,” said Adirondack Trust President and CEO Charles V. Wait, Jr. “Ensuring the Community Fund’s perpetuation and its ability to assist so many incredible nonprofits was a top priority, but the best part is that, even though the community didn’t have to donate this year, so many did.”
Lend-A-Hand Grants help local nonprofits throughout Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties obtain critical funding for a diverse spectrum of needs: combatting food insecurity, improving living conditions, providing medical supplies and personal protective equipment, and so much more.
Grant awards were provided to the following organizations:
The Chazen Companies Based In Queensbury Is Purchased By Rochester Consulting Group
LaBella Associates of Rochester has purchased The Chazen Companies, a multidisciplinary consulting firm that has an office in Glens Falls.
Its headquarters is in Poughkeepsie. The acquisition takes effect Jan. 1, according to LaBella Associates.
The deal furthers LaBella’s growing presence in the Capital Region and extends its reach north to Glens Falls and the Adirondack region, and south to the Hudson Valley and New York City metro regions. Additionally, Chazen’s established offices in Nashville and Chattanooga, Tenn., will complement LaBella’s teams in the Southeast, officials said.
Officials said existing clientele of both Chazen and LaBella will benefit from enhanced serviceability and an expanded depth of resources. All of Chazen’s current employees—across offices in Poughkeepsie, Glens Falls, Troy, White Plains, Nashville, Chattanooga and Portland—are expected to remain with the company, which will operate as Chazen, a LaBella company, through 2021.
A Portland, Ore., office will mark LaBella’s first West Coast presence.
Grants, Donations Help Fund $1.8 Million Transformation Of Park In Hudson Falls
Courtesy Courtesy Chazen Companies
The old basketball nets have come down at Derby Park — the first sign of the once immensely-popular park’s $1.8 million transformation into a newly revitalized community athletic complex and festival space.
When the next ball swishes through the net, it will be part of the grand opening ceremony for the new Moran Derby Park, renamed in recognition of the $500,000 donation from longtime local businessmen and philanthropists, brothers Brien and Mike Moran, which kicked off project fundraising in June 2019.
All that’s needed now is to raise the final $400,000 — a task the Derby Park Revitalization Committee is tackling in earnest this holiday season with a goal of opening the new facility in the fall of 2021.
“This park will belong to the families of our community,” said Mike Moran, “and Brien and I are sure we’re going to see a lot of old friends step up to help — people with lifelong ties to Derby, as well as many of our customers from over the years. We are looking forward to seeing their names join ours in being a part of this project.”
Rosetti Properties To Build Mixed-Use Project With 142 Apartments Near SUNY Adirondack
Courtesy BBL Construction
By R.J. DeLuke
Rosetti Properties, an Albany-based residential and commercial property company, is planning to build a mixed-use project at Bay and Blind Rock Road in Queensbury.
It will consist of mostly apartments in a series of buildings, the largest of which will also have a pair of commercial spaces. It is across the road from the SUNY Adirondack campus.
Through a real estate holding company Bay Road Development LLC, Rosetti paid $2.15 million to purchase property.
Jacqueline Rosetti-Falvey, Rosetti Properties president, said the company is developing 142 apartments. The project will be called Fowler Square.
COVID-19 Causes Adirondack Thunder Team To Opt Out Of The ECHL Season
The Adirondack Thunder hockey team, the ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils that plays its games at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls, is opting out of the 2020-21 season.
The Thunder joined the rest of the North Division in the decision to not play.
The Adirondack Hockey Coalition LLC and Adirondack Civic Center Coalition said in a statement that the Adirondack Thunder will not be able to participate in the 2020-21 ECHL season “due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic and the state’s guidelines on permitting no fans inside the arena.
“We were hopeful that government restrictions would ease up as we approached the time we needed to declare our formal intentions for the season. Unfortunately, we are unable to have any fans in attendance for the foreseeable future and cannot sustain a season without fans,” officials said.
The North Division of the ECHL is comprised of six teams including Adirondack, Worcester, Maine, Reading, Brampton, and Newfoundland.
“We knew this season would be a challenge regardless of any state restrictions on fans in the arena,” officials said. “We had worked on numerous contingency plans to socially distance fans and to ensure a clean, safe environment, and to fully abide by all state-imposed guidelines. We were ready to play at a 50 percent capacity, knowing it would be difficult to operate at that capacity.