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Hamilton County Express, 2942 State Route 28, Amsterdam, NY (2025)

12/06/2025

In The Snow — December 2025 e-edition

https://weeklyexpressnews.com/?p=15539

𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.

ON THE COVER: There are many opportunities for cross-country skiing in the Old Forge area and throughout Hamilton County. — photo submitted

12/05/2025

Five Long Lake Central School musicians recently joined over 80 other students from 12 school districts in the Northeast Instrumental Music Festival’s All-Star High School Concert Band. Students spent four days in Lake George, rehearsing for more than 20 hours in preparation for their concert on Sunday. Congratulations to Carrerra Lance (Flute), Adam Pacheco (Bass Trombone), Daphne Seaman (Clarinet), Quinten Giordano (Trombone), and Morgan Delehanty (Euphonium) on a great performance!— Photo courtesy of Long Lake School District

12/04/2025

Communities throughout Hamilton County will be bustling with holiday activities over the next few weeks.

• On Saturday, December 6, the Indian Lake Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary will hold their annual Children’s Holiday Gift Shop at the Fire Department from 10 a.m. to noon. Santa is scheduled to visit at 11 a.m. and will be available to pose for some photos. All proceeds from the event goes to a scholarship for a graduate of Indian Lake Central School.

• The Town of Long Lake Parks & Recreation Department will host Lunch With Santa on Saturday, December 6 at 11 a.m. at the Long Lake Town Hall. The event is open to residents and grandchildren of Long Lake and Raquette Lake ages birth up to 6th grade. For more information email [email protected] or call 518-624-3077.

• The Mountain Arts Consortium and the Pretty Good Band’s will perform their annual Christmas Concert on Monday, December 8 at 7 p.m. at Lake Pleasant Central School, 120 Elm Lake Rd., Speculator. For more information call 518-548-4521.

• Long Lake Central School will hold their annual Winter Concert on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. The LLCS Travel Club will hold a bake sale during the event to raise funds for their April trip to Costa Rica.

• On Friday, December 12, the Lake Pleasant Public Library will host “Cr’After School: Charlie Brown Tree Lot” from 2:30-4 p.m. Kids ages 4+ are invited to attend and craft paper trees from the Charlie Brown Christmas movie scene, and watch parts of the movie.

Other holiday events at the library include “Caroling, Cookies & Cocoa!” on Monday, December 22 from 5-7 p.m. Carolers are invited to meet at the library, and a bus will take the group around to carol at local spots, and visit shut-ins. After caroling, there will be cookies and cocoa back at the library.

On December 23, from noon to 2 p.m., the library will host a “Lunch Break Wrapping Workshop.” Swing by for help wrapping holiday gifts with a quick tutorial.

Please call the library at 518-548-4411 to RSVP. The library is located at 2864 Route 8, Speculator.

• Indian Lake Theater will host Gem Radio Theatre’s presentation of “Sherlock Holmes: The Night Before Christmas” on Sunday, December 14 at 2 p.m. The free performance is sponsored by the Town of Indian Lake. For more information go to the town’s page.

Indian Lake Theater will also be offering several Christmas classic movies including “White Christmas” on Thursday, Dec. 11, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” on Friday, Dec. 12, and “Elf” on Thursday, Dec. 18. Go online to www.indianlaketheater.org for more information.

• Cornell Cooperative Extension Hamilton County and Hamilton County Public Health is offering “Decorating with Greenery: Holiday Wreath Making Workshop”on Sunday, December 14 at 2 p.m. at the Lake Pleasant Public Library, 2864 State Route 8, Speculator. The registration fee for the hands-on workshop is $15 for each wreath that is made. To register contact Cornell Cooperative Extension Hamilton County by phone, 518-548-6191. The workshop is limited to 10 wreath making kits.

• The Long Lake Community Chorus will present a free Christmas Concert on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. in the Calvary United Methodist Church.

The chorus, with multigenerational members from Long Lake, Indian Lake and Tupper Lake, has been practicing a program of sacred and secular holiday music since October. Karen Butters, retired music teacher from Long Lake Central School, is the conductor; and Mary Leach, pianist, is the accompanist.

Pictured, the annual Toys for Tots program is underway at multiple locations throughout Hamilton County, including Wells Central School. The school is accepting new unwrapped gifts for the program at the main office until Friday, December 12. Pictured is Wells Central School Student Council members Karyssa Johnson, Jude Towers, Logan Billings, and Sean O’Brien, School Resource Officer.— Photo submitted

— STAFF REPORT

12/03/2025

Hamilton County Express — 12/03/2025 e-edition

https://weeklyexpressnews.com/?p=15509

12/02/2025

ABOUT THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 26, 1977...

In Hamilton County:

A photo published in the Hamilton County News in November 1977 of the first official snowfall in Hamilton County for the Winter of 1977-1978. It was reported in the Hamilton County News that winter snow officially began on No Name Road shortly after 11 p.m. on November 25, 1977, and by ten in the morning of November 26, 1977, there was 14” on the ground.

It tapered off during the morning with about 16” total, and that night it was reported that the temperature got down to 4 degrees.

Read more from The Way Things Were by Aaron Weaver:
https://wp.me/peJPvR-40L

12/01/2025

Students at Wells Central School in grades 9-12 are participating in the Trout in the Classroom program. In TIC, they will raise approximately 200 brown trout eggs to the fingerling stage in partnership with the Wells Fish and Game Club and Trout Unlimited and under the guidance of teacher Vanessa Saltis. Students will present their observations through a series of lessons by STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Club and mini field trips to the elementary classrooms throughout WCS. Gary from Trout Unlimited (right) recently brought 200 eggs from SUNY Morrisville to WCS that the students will be caring for and growing for release in the Spring. The kids have their work cut out for them while they maintain PH levels, water temperature, etc. Gary will come back every 6 weeks or so to teach a lesson on the current life cycle stage. Pictured above, from left to right, are Russell Passmore, Logan Billings, Noah Brown, Alexander Williams, Joseph Braunius, Gabrielle Warner, Anastasia Ralph, Aliza Blanchard, Kegan Johnson, Ryder Wright, Dieter Ossenfort, and Tyler Dwyer.— Photos submitted

11/30/2025

The Long Lake Community Chorus will present a free Christmas Concert on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. in the Calvary United Methodist Church.

The chorus, with multigenerational members from Long Lake, Indian Lake and Tupper Lake, was newly organized this spring. They have been practicing a program of sacred and secular holiday music since October. Karen Butters, retired music teacher from Long Lake Central School, is the conductor; and Mary Leach, pianist, is the accompanist.

11/29/2025

The Long Lake Central School Clay Target Club had a very successful Fall. The team finished second in their conference. The following members of the team earned individual conference awards: Griffin Farr: First Place Male; Charles Seaman: Third Place Male; and Daphne Seaman: First Place Female. Congratulations! — Photo by Long Lake Central School District

11/28/2025

Wells Central School is celebrating being named the October state champion in the world’s biggest math competition. Students joined forces to answer more correct questions than any other school in New York as part of the Prodigy State Challenge monthly contest.

Hosted by Prodigy Education, a global leader in game-based learning, State Challenge drives engaging math practice through exciting monthly contests, with classes uniting across their school to battle others for major prizes, the title of monthly state champion and a chance to compete in the Prodigy National Cup finals.

Students at Wells Central School won the State Challenge Heroic tier by correctly answering more math questions last month than any other school in the state. They secured the title of State Champion and also earned automatic qualification to the national finals in May, with tech grants of more than $200,000 and many other rewards up for grabs.

“We are incredibly proud of our students’ outstanding achievement,” said Wells Central School Principal Ryan Marshall.

“The Prodigy State Challenge motivated students from across the school by turning math practice into a team sport. It was so much fun seeing students working together and cheering each other on, all while practicing their math skills,” said Marshall.

Prodigy’s State Challenge runs from September to April and is open to all eligible classrooms across the U.S. Classrooms qualify if they use Prodigy Math and have a teacher account linked to a school in Prodigy’s database.

In addition to competing at the state level, any school that finishes in the top five of its tier in any State Challenge will have the opportunity for national recognition in the Prodigy National Cup, which runs from May 1–14.

“Congratulations to all the teachers and students at Wells Central School for becoming state math champions,” said Alex Peters, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Prodigy. “State Challenge is designed to take student motivation to another level, reinforcing Prodigy’s approach to inspiring a love of learning. It’s great to see such a strong spirit of camaraderie and collaboration among students. We wish them every success in the Prodigy National Cup finals!”

Prodigy Education is a global leader in game-based learning. According to a press release from Prodigy, the organization’s mission is “to help every student in the world love learning, motivating 20 million students a year to practice standards-aligned math and English.”

More than 800,000 teachers use Prodigy as a free instructional tool which adapts to individual student needs while supporting differentiated instruction.

11/27/2025

Hamilton County communities will herald the start of the Christmas season this weekend with events planned in Indian Lake, Inlet, Long Lake, Speculator and Wells.

Indian Lake —

The annual Country Christmas Tour in Indian Lake will be held Friday, Nov. 28 and Saturday, Nov. 29.

The Gingerbread House Contest submissions will kick off our weekend at the Welcome Center on Friday, November 28. Make sure to have your Gingerbread creation entered into one of the three categories by noon on Nov. 28 for judging to take place during the weekend. Your creations will be voted on all weekend by community members, and the winners will be announced Saturday at 3:05 p.m.

The Welcome Center will be open Friday, Nov. 28 and Saturday, Nov. 29 for craft time. Stop by between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to make a scrabble letter holiday ornament. All supplies will be provided.

The Town will hold their Christmas tree lighting on Friday at 4 p.m., including hot cocoa and cookies, at the Pocket Park (intersection of Routes 28 and 30).

Other scheduled Country Christmas Tour activities include crafter demonstrations, charity hat and mitten drive, children’s holiday workshop, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a free movie showing of “The Polar Express” at the Indian Lake Movie Theater on Saturday at 1 p.m., and a closing ceremony with door prize winner announcement. For more information go online to indianlakeadk.com.

Lake Pleasant/Speculator —

Speculator will host their Annual Holiday Stroll on Friday, November 28.

This year, the Lake Pleasant Public Library will be a Craft Hub for the Holiday Stroll, and all vendors will be at the Speculator Pavilion. The tentative schedule:

1-5 p.m. – Toys for Tots Dropoff

1:30 p.m.- Holiday Dance Performance by Different Drummer Dance

2-4 p.m. – Holiday Decor Swap (Swap holiday decor you no longer want/need for new-to-you holiday decor from others.)

3 p.m. – Story Time with Santa

3:30-4:30 p.m. – Alcohol Ink Crafts, Simmer Bag Station, Paper Chain Making (specific crafts TBD, please call the library at 518-548-4411 to RSVP for crafts).

Tree lighting and caroling will be held at 4:30 p.m. at Dean Lane Park at the four corners across the street from Charlie Johns.

Go online to speculatorchamber.com for more information and a list of food and shopping specials.

On Monday December 1, the Lake Pleasant Public Library will offer Family Holiday Trivia Bingo at 5:30 p.m. Bring the whole family out for a mashup game of trivia, and bingo — all about the holidays. Light refreshments will be provided. Call the library at 518-548-4411 to sign up. The library is located at 2864 Route 8, Speculator.

Long Lake —

On Sunday, November 30, the Long Lake Community Crèche Opening and Tree Lighting will be held at 4 p.m. at the town hall in Long Lake. Enjoy cookies, cocoa and Christmas carols inside the Town Hall, 1204 Main St. The event is sponsored by the Long Lake Beautification Committee.

Wells —

On Saturday, November 29, the annual Wells Craft Fair and Tree Lighting will be held at the Wells Community Hall beginning at noon. The tree will be lit at 6 p.m. followed by a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The Wells Historical Society will hold a Christmas Card sale from noon to 7 p.m. during the event.

Inlet —

Inlet’s Annual Adirondack Christmas on Main Street will be held November 28-30.

Activities happening all weekend in Inlet include a book sale and make and take bookmark at the Inlet Public Library, a Scavenger Hunt throughout Inlet, a drop box for Letters to Santa at Inlet Town Hall, and photos with Mrs. Claus at Jack Greco’s Custom Furniture.

Most of the excitement in Inlet takes place on Saturday:

Mountain & Main will have a bonfire going from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They will have Paula’s cookies and an ornament-making station. Curt Osgood will also return there to play on his hammered dulcimer with Annie Simpson on guitar from 12-2 p.m.

The Inlet Youth Commission will host their Noah’s Ark Animal Workshop fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Inlet Town Hall.

The Inlet Historical Society will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will be roasting marshmallows for s’mores, and there will be an Open House at Maple Moss Sugarworks from 12-3 p.m.

At 12:30 p.m., Inlet’s 24th annual Candy Cane Hunt will be held at Arrowhead Park with children looking for hidden candy canes around the playground and ball field. After they have found their allotted number of candy canes and collected their prize, they are invited into the Inlet Town Hall where the Inlet Youth Commission will have hot cocoa and popcorn. There will also be face painting and holiday movies playing on the large screen television and a drop box for Letters to Santa.

Dress your pet in their holiday best and parade through town at 4 p.m. Parade starts at the parking lot between the Church of the Lakes and St. Anthony’s (Be sure to sign in with Brittany during the lineup) and ends at Inlet Town Hall where we will ask all to pose for a group photo. Treats for all canine participants will be provided and prizes will be given to a few of the “best dressed.”

Marie and Crystal LaPorte will have the honor of lighting the town tree. After singing a few carols, everyone is invited to Town Hall for a visit with Santa and treats. For more information go online to InletChristmasonMainStreet.com.

— STAFF REPORT

11/27/2025

As Thanksgiving approached, 125 families and staff at Indian Lake Central School received a gift of locally raised food through AdkAction’s Farm-to-Family initiative – a celebration of community, gratitude, and the Adirondack harvest.

Each package included a pasture-raised turkey or local beef roast, and fresh, seasonal vegetables sourced from small farms across the Adirondacks. The food was purchased directly from local producers and delivered to Indian Lake just in time for the holiday.

The Farm-to-Family effort builds on AdkAction’s ongoing work to expand access to fresh, locally grown food throughout the Adirondack region, including through its Fair Share CSA Program, which has connected hundreds of households with farm-fresh produce over the last two summers. The Thanksgiving delivery also marks the conclusion of AdkAction’s participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New York Food for New York Families grant program.

“Indian Lake is a community that sits in the heart of the Adirondacks but has very few farms nearby — in fact, Hamilton County has almost no food-producing farms,” said Sawyer Bailey, Executive Director of AdkAction.

“At the same time, nearly half of Indian Lake’s students come from economically disadvantaged households,” said Sawyer. “This program is about bridging that distance between Adirondack farms and Adirondack families, and celebrating the incredible food grown right here in our region.”

The food for the program came from a network of trusted local farms including North Point Community Farm (Plattsburgh), Reber Rock Farm and Full and By Farm (Essex), Mace Chasm Farm (Keeseville), Harmony Hills Farmstead (Malone), and Cook Farm (Owls Head).

Marisa Lenetsky of North Point Community Farm said, “We’re proud to be part of this effort. We put so much care into growing healthy food, and knowing it will help make the holiday a little brighter for local families is incredibly meaningful.”

Racey Henderson of Reber Rock Farm added, “This program highlights what makes AdkAction and the Adirondacks special: neighbors caring for neighbors. AdkAction’s decision to purchase healthy organic food from us keeps resources in our community and multiplies the benefit of each dollar across each farm business and each feasting family, strengthening our regional food system at every level.”

At the local level, AdkAction’s relationships in Indian Lake have been growing through another community project: the creation of a large pollinator habitat on the site of the former town landfill, now in its second year of establishment. Through that work, AdkAction staff have gotten to know local residents, town officials, and the school community. The Thanksgiving Farm-to-Family effort was a natural next step.

Mellissa Mulvey, Principal and Superintendent of Indian Lake Central School said, “The Thanksgiving Bundles project truly reflects what makes Indian Lake such a special place. Our students, staff, and families come together with humility and gratitude, willing to accept help when needed and eager to give when they can. This initiative not only provides for families in need but also teaches our students the lasting value of caring for one another.”

Bailey added, “This is the season of giving and gratitude — and for us, this program is about sharing abundance, not charity. Every bite of this food tells a story about Adirondack soil, farmers, and community.”

At the Indian Lake Welcome Center, bags were packed and labeled; and picked up for distribution by the Indian Lake Central School District Board of Education. — Photos courtesy of AdkAction

— By Kristina Hartzell, For the Express

11/26/2025

Adirondack Winter Guide — 2025-26 e-edition

https://weeklyexpressnews.com/?p=15410

𝗢𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘂𝗽 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿'𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.

ON THE COVER: Zoe Gosnell and her granddaughters, Avery and Evelyn, cast their votes for McCauley Mountain, “New York’s Best Family Mountain.” — Photo by Mike Farmer, Town of Webb Tourism Director

Hamilton County Express

12/06/2025

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12/02/2025

12/01/2025

11/30/2025

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