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The members of the Lake George Association have overwhelmingly approved its merger with The FUND for Lake George to create a new, preeminent lake protection organization that officials called “a historic and inspiring show of support for the future of Lake George protection.”

Ninety-eight percent of LGA voters voted in favor of the merger. The  plan now goes to the Office of the New York State Attorney General for final review and approval.

Officials said the newly created organization will retain the LGA name. The LGA was  founded in 1885.

“The future of Lake George protection is brighter than ever,” said Pete Menzies, president of the LGA board of directors. “We are thrilled and thankful to the LGA membership for their tremendous vote of confidence in what these two outstanding organizations will be able to accomplish together. As they always do, LGA members have stepped up to protect Lake George.”

Jeff Killeen, chairman of The FUND for Lake George and the chairman-elect of the new organization, said, “We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity and responsibility that has been granted to us. With so many water quality threats looming, Lake George has never needed us more. And I can say without hesitation that our combined staff, board of directors, members and many community partners are up for the challenge. The new LGA will bring our Lake’s already-unrivaled level of protection to new and essential heights.”

The new LGA will be focused on action, working collaboratively with public and private sector partners to achieve breakthrough performance in water quality protection programs that are guided by world-class science and supported by community education, awareness and advocacy, officials said.

Protection programs will focus on the Lake’s most pressing threats: harmful algal blooms; nutrient loading from wastewater and stormwater runoff; invasive species, both aquatic and the new terrestrial threat, hemlock wooly adelgid; and road salt contamination;  all of which are compounded by the effects of a changing climate.

By Andrea Harwood Palmer

Maura Forcier purchased MinkyMink, a clothing and accessory shop in Downtown Glens Falls, in 2016.

“I was working in healthcare marketing for several years. I wasn’t passionate about it,” she said. “My dad and I were talking about his upcoming retirement. He had worked in medicine for decades. I just couldn’t picture myself working in health-care marketing for 20 or 30 years. It got me thinking. What do I actually want to do with my life?”

Forcier had worked in retail in Saratoga Springs as a side job for years. She loved working with customers, helping people find outfits, and managing the marketing and social media of the clothing shop in which she worked. She decided to open her own boutique.

Forcier had been a long-time customer of MinkyMink when previous owner Shonna McTiernan had the shop. Forcier and McTiernon started chatting, and McTiernon disclosed she was ready to sell the business.

Forcier worked with SCORE after work hours every week to develop a business plan in preparation of running her own retail store. In July 2016, she and McTiernon finalized the sale of MinkyMink.

SUNY Empire State College named Kim S. Stote as dean for its School of Nursing and Allied Health.

Stote, Ph.D., MPH, RDN, succeeds M. Bridget Nettleton in the role.

Prior to her new role as dean, Stote served as the associate dean of health professions for the School of Nursing and Allied Health, and has been a faculty member since 2009.

“Kim has been an invaluable member of our School of Nursing and Allied Health, and has the skills and experience necessary to fulfill this important role,” said SUNY Empire State College Officer in Charge Nathan Gonyea. “Kim is the right person at the right time for this position.”

“I am honored to serve as the dean for the School of Nursing and Allied Health. This is an interesting and challenging position that aligns well with my background and strengths. I continue to be impressed with SUNY Empire State College’s culture of innovation, which offers alternative learning experiences that encourage student success through degree completion,” said Stote.

She is a clinician scientist conducting research on understanding how dietary components interact with physiological, sociological, and environmental factors that affect the health of the population. Her research experience also includes investigating the effects of differing food components in human health which resulted in a twice Fulbright Scholar award as the research chair of nutrisciences and health, at the University of Prince Edward Island, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

By Christine Graf

After the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily halted the cruise industry, Capital Region native Chris Spangler found himself in need of a new job. Spangler had been employed as a tour guide in an Alaskan town that was a stopover point for cruise ships.

“Thanks to the pandemic, the cruise ship business obviously tanked which removed my Alaskan job,” said Spangler.

As a result, he decided to open his own business, Down to Earth Aerial. The Saratoga-based company specializes in drone photography and video production.

“I really enjoy aerial photography and flying drones, so I tapped into some of the contacts I have in this area in the construction industry and the real estate industry and worked to build a photography business specializing in aerial photography as well as virtual tours,” said Spangler.

He said it can be especially helpful in the effort to market commercial real estate to investors who are not familiar with the area. It is also useful in marketing residential real estate because it offers a different perspective on the property.

“It’s really nice for people who aren’t from the area to be able to look at a plot that they are considering and be able to see the surrounding area from the air,” he said. “And with the real estate industry for homeowners, it’s just a really nice way to show off the entire space as well as break up the images from just standard terrestrial shots of the house inside and out. It gives you a different viewpoint from up in the air. The big thing we try to talk to clients about is showing what they have from a different perspective.”

Spangler’s customers also include homeowners interested in purchasing aerial photos of their  homes.

By Susan Elise Campbell
Malta Farm and Garden, at 2712 Route 9, is now open to shop for farm, garden and pet supplies.
It is the latest of five stores owned by the Millerton Co-op, a group of farmers who have been supporting each other as an enterprise since the 1940s, according to the store’s general manager Paul O’Neil.
The Malta store is the co-op’s northernmost location, O’Neil said. It opened in early October.
“We were bringing four boxloads a week up from the Chatham store an hour away and getting many referrals,” he said. “So we wanted to plant our flag up here and build a retail store to better serve our customers.”
There are five full-time staff working in the warehouse and showroom, plus four part-timers.

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) announced that Marc Monahan, vice president and regional executive of NBT Bank, has been appointed as chairman of its board of directors.

“The ARCC has been blessed to have a long history of amazing board of director chairs,” said ARCC President/CEO Michael Bittel.

He said Monahan “continues this tradition. Marc’s business knowledge and passion for our community will help lead us for the next two years. Many thanks to Eric Gilbert as our past chair and for his service to our region’s business community.”

“Working with the Chamber has been a gratifying experience and I am looking forward to my role as chair,” said Monahan. “We currently have an engaged board and executive team ready for the challenges that lie ahead. I am eager to continue work side by side with Michael Bittel and his team Tricia, Amanda and Cheryl. Given the current economic challenges we all face ahead, rest assured that we will do everything in our power to support the local business community and our members.”

Monahan is NBT vice president and regional executive for the bank’s Glens Falls-Saratoga market. He joined NBT in 2010 as a member of the retail team and currently overseas the commercial team as part of the North Country.

By Andrea Harwood Palmer

Argyle Cheese Farmer, the cheese manufacturing business on the farm of David and Marge Randles, has opened a storefront location at 2358 Burgoyne Ave. in Hudson Falls.

The Randles cheese farm location in Argyle is on a 225-acre family farmstead dating back to the 1860s. The storefront in Hudson Falls gives the owners another outlet where people can find and purchase their popular products.

Their products can be found in many area stores and they also appear at farmers market events in the region.

The storefront held its grand soft opening at the end of April. In addition to cheese, milk and yogurt products, homemade doughnuts, strudels, buttermilk rolls, fresh bread, coffee and small gifts such as branded travel mugs and tea cups are available for purchase.

Three longtime community leaders have  joined the Glens Falls Hospital Foundation board of trustees.

Dr. Jordan Blackwood, Terry Celadon, RN, and Michael Mihaly, AFIM, are the new members.

Blackwood is a board-certified cardiovascular disease specialist at Glens Falls Hospital’s Adirondack Cardiology in Queensbury. He has overseen the congestive heart failure clinic, while also serving as director of cardiovascular rehabilitation. He previously served at Danbury (Connecticut) Hospital and St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital. He earned his undergraduate and medical training at Emory University and Morehouse School of Medicine, respectively.

Celadon, of Queensbury, assistant director at the Joyce Stock Snuggery, is an area native who has had a decades-long relationship with Glens Falls Hospital. She began her career as a graduate nurse and over nearly 20 years, advanced to staff and leadership roles at what would later be known as the Joyce Stock Snuggery.

By Andrea Harwood Palmer

Rachel Dutra, owner of Rachel’s Café and Spice Co., has shifted her business model to keep her business open during the COVID-19 crisis. Many other restaurants in the region have done the same.

The café continues to operate, offering full meals, soup, baked goods and an ala cart menu.

“We did a lot of brainstorming on how to stay relevant. Since people were at home, we focused on things people would be eating at home. I started with quarts of soup that were fresh, freezable and re-heatable. I had no idea what I was about to unleash on myself,” she said.

“The response was phenomenal. People buy 12 or 14 quarts of soup. They keep some and gift some. We produce over 50 gallons of soup a week right now,” said Dutra.

The cafe, at 240 Warren St., Glens Falls, also offers “take and bake” meals.

“It’s something people can take and finish at home. The meal is prepared in the restaurant and is almost complete upon pickup,” said Dutra.