1. education
2. school

Mmyti^Mayt 2009
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SATURDAY May 9, 2009
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NORTH CREEK /MINERVA • NEWS ENTERPRISE - 3
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by Kjerstia Schilinski
nother successful White Water Derby. The weather was as usual, cold, windy and rain. Irerriernber some years with snow- Always great to see
the tents and campfifes, jft the area.
Dick Virgil was finally able to move to rehab at Glens
Falls Hospital. After hip surgery many other things happened to keep hurt from exercises. On the jight road:-now.
Gordon Oehser is happy to be back irt Bakers'Miljs for
the summer after spending the Winter at his home m California,
The roads are looking much better after so many havejoined in for the clean up.
There was a baby shower in Jamie Karpensky and her
baby girl on Sunday at the Boy Scout Hall in Sodom.
We are sorry to hear about the death of Elsie Allen. Her .
calliitg hours and funeral was held at the Baptist Church in
Thurman.
The travel club that went to Washington, D.C., are home
and have a lot to share with family and friends. Despite
some rain the kids still saw a lots
Fred and Ruth Allen from New Jersey spent a few. days
at their River House at the Glen, They saw some friends
and family while here. They love to hear the rapid sound
of the Hudson River.
White Water Rafting is getting underway for the summer
months. If you enjoy that kind of outing enjoy.
We hope that Johnsburg Public Market will be able to ,3
start Soon. The area needs this store.
„, ?U
Thanks to all that made the spaghetti supper a great'jstttcess that was held in Wevertown on Saturday. The Sodom:
Community Compassions will have the donations to help
others in the area. Everyone worked very hard.
Remember your mothers with a card or a phone call.
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers.
The Autism Awareness Walk on Sunday in the Glens
Falls area had a good turn out. Many children also, did the
walk.
Alonzo Conlon and sons, Aaron and Ian enjoyed a day
of hiking one day last week.
Be careful as you travel. Allow more time. Road crews
are busy all along the way.
Happy birthday to George Dunkley Jr, Brendon Farrell,
Neil Dunkley Sr, Betty Jo Millington, Archie Grimes, Eloise
Noel
Happy anniversary to Mike and Penny Allen
Enjoy each and every day.
E
A
InBrief
Book sale volunteers wanted
JOHNSBURG — The Town of johnsburg Library is look!«5xlg for?peipple M t e r e s f e d i n n e l p i t t g ^ w l t l v the* a i o i t i a l b o o k ,
and bake sale this year on July 31 and Aug. 1. We are having our first meeting May 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the library.
Please volunteer and make this year's book sale the best
fundraiser ever! Call the library at 251-4343 or better yet,
come to the meeting.
[email protected]
RIPARIUS —- Scenic train passengers
and local ice cream lovers may not be
privy to milk shakes or hot dogs this
summer as Hudson River Railroad informed Warren County officials that it
will not be operating the Caboose at Riparius Station.
"It just wasn't profitable. That's all
there is to it," Warren County Parks
and, Recreation Director Paul Butler
said April 28. "The operator told me
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"Quality repairsjlpne
right the first \irrie
by local residents seeking ice cream or
lunch, Goodspeed said.
County officials said that they plan
on advertising the available business
space.
"We can't let this thing lay vacant all
summer," Hague Supervisor Dan
Belden said. "There has to be somebody who would be interested in running it."
Supervisors said that they may contractually require any railroad operators to run the Caboose In the future.
JOHNSBURG — Facing
declining revenue and soaring operating costs, the
Johnsburg Central School
Board of Education adopted
a preliminary 2009-2010
budget April 21.
Although it includes no
increase in appropriations
and $316,000 in staffing and
program cuts, if adopted by
residents the budget would
require a 10.9 percent increase in the local tax levy.
' . "The last two budgets
were created at a time when
the state was promising
steady increases in aid,"
Johnsburg Superintendent
Mike Marcwika said April
23. "Last year we knew it
was a bad year for everyone,
so we made sure there was a
0 percent tax increase — in
retrospect, we should have
probably waited one more
year."
The recently adopted New
York State budget mandates
a flat-line of aid to public
schools instead of a 3.5 percent increase.
The proposed budget
maintains the total appro-
priations from 2008-09,
spending $9.98 million, according to JCS Business Administrator Kathy Spring.
Estimates have the tax
levy increasing from $10.49
per $1,000 of assessed property value to $11.63 per
$1,000.
The budget would eliminate several staffing positions including a special education teacher, a full-time
teacher's aid, a full-time
custodian and cutting a fulltime business teaching position to a half-time position.
Further, the summer enrichment program and the
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JCS Board of Ed adopts budget with tax hike and staffing cuts
Tee ball starting up
.* Computer Diagnostics
£» 24 Hour Towing
' that it does not plan
1
last week that they weren't planning on
opening it."
The Caboose is a rail car located on
an auxiliary track adjacent to the station. It was purchased a decade ago by
Warren County for $50,000 and has
served as a concession stand at the site
since.
"From what I have been told, it's the
electrical bills that makes it unprofitable," Johnsburg Supervisor Sterling
Goodspeed said. "It does draw people,
just not income."
The Caboose is regularly frequented
By Jon Alexander
By Jon Alexander
[email protected]
J0HNSBURG — Tee Ball begins on Tuesday May 5 at
Johnsburg Central School and will be held every Tuesday
and Thursday from 6 to 7:15 p.m. All boys and girls between
the ages of 4 and 7 are eligible to play Tee Ball and anyone
interested in signing their children up for this season can do
so by contacting Peter Olesheski at 251-2390 or by coming
to one of the scheduled practices.
Railroad has informed Warren 1
The Riparius Train Station Caboose sits vacant on April 28. Hudson
on operating the Caboose snack stand this coming season.
*
Evorv Det doc, cat and tcrret 3 months or anc 01 older is icciuircd to be \actinated aiMinst
rabfes (eveniiqdppf cats). All pets ttust be controlled by an adult and must be on leash or in
a earner to be admittedtothe clime.
Dogs & cats getting afirstrabies vaccination must get a rabies vaccination booster within
' 1 year. The §Qp.sJfer will then protect them for 3 years. Ferrets must be Vaccinated each year.
^ling^mB^k^iP^^M^-^^^l^
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(i^o.ekeegtipfts), TJie faliiessYaei?iaation only protects against rabies - not against
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41031
project success program
have been gutted to reduce
expenditures,
Marcwika
said.
"These cuts were not easy
decisions," Marcwika said.
"Many of these programs
came out of board directives."
Marcwika said that further savings have been discovered since the budget's
adoption.
"Kathy (Spring) and I
went through it line item by
line item," he said.. "We were
able to find an additional
$164,602 by tightening our
retirement policy and cutting some supplies."
At the April 21 board
meeting, there was an aura
of dissent among some
teachers who believed that
their input was not sought
while staffing cuts where being investigated.
"I don't know how much
time you spend in the
school, but I feel we are in
the best position to know
what is expendable and
what isn't," fourth-grade
teacher Jill Pederson said to
the board members. "I just
feel like there was a total
lack of input on our end in
all of this."
The proposed budget
passed the board 5-1, with
Tom Ordway dissenting and
Frank Morehouse absent at
the time of the vote.
There will be a public
hearing on May 11 at JCS.
The vote oil the measure will
be May I9-.
arly 1900s - Arthur Holcomb ran a Socorty Standard
Oil gas station there built by Jake Waldron. 1932 or
'33 Charlie Pereau bought the station and added a
separate building for a store with an area that served lunches.
He also built a dance floor where Fred West, son of Elmer
West of Igerna, played for. dances. The dance hall finally
closed down and remained Vacant in great disrepair.
Ken and Meta Davis purchased the property and turned it
into a restaurant. They also built seven cabins across the road
on what is now Stewarts Shops. Later, Basil and Ruth LaPointe converted two of the Davis cabins to make their home.
The Davises sold the property to the Hartleys in the late 30s,
then Ray and Fran Ringler Riding owned it for seven years
into the 50s.
Basil and Ruth LaPoint, their son-in-law Wick Martin and
daughter, Nathalie Martin then took over. They kept the name
"Riding's" for a few years then called if "Basil and Wick's"
until 1991 when it closed and remained empty until October
1998 when it was purchased by Bill and Maureen Donovan.
They had the building demolished by the North Creek. Fire
Department in ^ controlled burn and rebuilt a-new improved
restaurant called "Casey's North". The Donovans ran it until
May 2006 when it finally closed. Kelly Hayes opened the
business under the name "Kelly O's" from 2007-2008. Today
it is known as "Duranf s" after the famous Durant of railroad
fame and is operated by Kip McDonald and Marian Eagan.
Mention the name "Basil and Wick's" to almost any local
resident of a certain age and a story is sure to be forthcoming.
Bill Nickerson fondly recalls shooting bumper pool there,
while Mike Ordway has unprintable humorous memories of
the urinal-less men's room. Burt Miner played hand shuffleboard, danced to the juke box, shot darts, and took the lovely
Helen Sheridan there on a first date. Helen (later Mrs. Burt
Miner) notes that although the legal drinking age at the time
was 18, most young folks did not abuse that privilege.
Tom Butler shares some poignant memories of the popular
gathering place:
"In the early or mid 1950's, Ray and Fran Riding purchased the place, and that is when my memories really began.
It was the place to be on Saturday nights especially. The jukebox never stopped playing, the dance floor was jammed, and
excitement reigned supreme. There were bunny hops with
thirty or forty people trailing in and out of the building, regardless of rain, sleet or snow. Emulating a very popular
western television show of that time called Rawhide, Denny
Lamos of Long Lake, would arrange six or more chairs on top
of three or four tables, and he would be the stagecoach driver
with make believe whip, horses, and gee hawing from the
passengers seated behind him. A wild, loud and fantastic
time was had by all.'
It was the time of our youth, and the place was packed on
weekends. The living was better than good. Whenever we
could, we coaxed Basil to play the piano. His tickling of the
keys was hot, fast, beautiful and accurate. At times, he needed a pail of water handy, or perhaps a fire extinguisher, in
case OSHA ever visited
the place, as his playing
was indeed very intense.
On Saturday or Sunday afternoons, there were many
impromptu jam sessions
when musicians from all
over the area gathered and
played country, rock, bluegrass, jazz and blues. The
good times rolled, but
then, even faster, they ran away from us. When Basil retired,
his daughter, Nat, took over management for a few years still
serving delicious food and friendship, but the wild times had
become a bit more sedate. After Nat closed the bar, it sat vacant for a long period of time.
"The establishment has been a mainstay in our community,
and we wish the new proprietors every success, and hope
they will have memories as many of us have, when they reach
their golden years/'
The scene on the dance floor is remembe'red vividly by musician Frank Coriti:
"It was 1972 when Denise and I began teaching at JCS, Our
first apartment was the cabin in back of Basil and Wicks. After meeting Jeff Baroudi, we formed a band, Frank Conti and
the Rhythm Machine, which induded Jeff on bass guitar,.G!ary
Tracey on guitar, Hank Freebem on drums/vocals, and me on
sax. After getting a songlist together, we asked to play at
Basil and Wicks. We were an instant hit, with cars lined up
on both sides of Route 28 every Friday and Saturday night. It
was so crowded on the dance floor that the floor often felt like
a trampoline. It would spring up and down as they danced.
Usually in the crowd were such personalities as Chuck and
Tudy Severance, Barry and Terry Waterston, Ernie Johnson,
Hoopie and Joan Colton, Micky Baroudi, John and Evelyn
Kellogg, and Tom and Stub McConnell. What a happening
place."
Frank Morehouse expresses some comical, tender, thoughtful observations:
"It is not possible to write a story about Basil & Wick's. The
place was a story every time you went in there.
From those of us who would really like to show our age
you will still hear "Riding's" once in awhile. The Ridings
owned the place before Basil and Wick bought it and it was a
haunt of many of our parents. For my age group though it became Basil's since Basil'was more than likely the one that
would throw you out of the place if he didn't like your behavior on a particular night Luckily his memory was short or his
capacity for forgiveness was great because people always
made their way back into his good graces. Basil was "70
something" for the 20 or 30 years that I knew him and Wick
was his son-in-law; a fact that would only be acknowledged
o n l e a p y e a r s and, Strttdays-. B e t w e e n the-tawo.-ofcthenxarid.*
Ruth and N a t ^ the^kitchen, they hel^ court; esritettainedy
counseled;, and loved\eyeryqr^^
. •-..
who didn't know therh, nightly for many years.
It was the only place in
town to get a pizza which .
could'only. be gotten after a
certain time by going put into
the kitchen and asj^ng,«iifh ,
an(l Nat very nicely, if they
would rnihcl making one. It
was a'gathering place where
old and yQttijg^iqcalarui strangei>.democrat andrepublican,
leftand right; lijpi and down, .-rauld^ee^^andif.no^ig^ise.
agree to disagree. It is even rumored that certain peoples Jftet
their future bride ihithis fine establishment under the Watchv
ful eyes of all the-proprietors.
I don't know if there are places .as dear to so many ; nearte
now or if our fastpaeed tives.hayedone away "with them £<ia
know that for a lot of years the starsaligned pver; the.south
end of North Creek Village and people of all walks came to- ,
gether to share, laugh, sing, dance and fall in love at Basil and
Wick's.
#-f*v*»!fi0es By
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and kayak races in the Northeastern
U.S.
But for long-time spectators who
have been attending the derby
throughout their lives, it just isn't the
same since the town cracked down on
parrying.
"It sure has changed a lot over the
years — look at the cars here now. It's •
a shadow of what it used to be," Johnsburg resident and lifetime event attendee Dick Hofnick said. "It used to
be a multi-faceted event. The race itself
was great, but so was the party atmosphere."
In an effort to bring back some level
of the "party atmosphere," event organizers sponsored live music Saturday night at the North Creek Train Station.
' As many as 200 revelers attended the
show which featured Albany, jam-band
Raisinhead. However, no camping was" "
allowed and the show ended at 10 p.m.
sharp as Warren County sheriffs officers began patrolling the parking lot.
"We need to get the youth involved,"
Burns said. "This is all about people
having fun in the outdoors."
MINERVA — The Minerva Central School Board of Education has adopted a proposed budget which feattires a cut
of the enrichment program as a means to offset rising costs
of salaries, upgraded student management software and
special education programming.
The $5.24 million proposed 2009-10 budget has an increase
of $45>547over the current year, Minerva Central School Superintendent Tim Farrell said. This constitutes an increase'
of 0.88 percent.
The tax levy would increase from $3.17 million to $3.23
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THI-
NEWS ENTERPRISE
NORTH CREEK, NEW YORK —
Serving the Upper Hudson River Region since 1924
-ADVERTISING
MCS Board of Ed proposes 3.4 percent tax hike, cuts phys ed
By Jon Alexander
[email protected]
4
ayve.rtfeing:.te
newspaperman s(Mri as #i¥
From page 1
•
' • • • ' # :
By. Sally HeidricH and Kathy Maiorana with contributions by Don
Rqblee, Jamie Martin, Nathalie Sharrow, Linda and Tom Butler, Joan
Cotton, Joyce Parker and others.
Derby
s
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million — an increase of 3 4 percent, Farrell said,
"Last year we reduced our foreign language component
and this year our physical education is taking a hit/' Farrell
said. "The difficult part is finding the right balance "
The school had previously budgeted for two new physicaK
education teachers, but this has been reduced to a single fulltime position and a part-time position.
A part-time enrichment position would also be axed.
"We have to maintain the program quality," Farrell said.
" With Minerva and Chester both atlOO percentvaluation,
the piojected tax rate is expected to increase from $10.74 per
$1,000 of assessed value to $1111 v >
i A public healing* to address the budget wall be on May 12
at 7 ptm. and the vote will be on Hay 19 from 1-8 p.m
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