Spring Demolition Derby brings metal-crushing action to Gouverneur Fairgrounds

by Rachel Hunter

Hundreds of North Country residents arrived at the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fairgrounds on Sunday, May 4 to witness the metal-crushing action during the three-hour Spring Demolition Derby.

Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that demolition derbies began in the 1940s and 1950s, gaining popularity as a spectacle where drivers intentionally crashed their vehicles until only one remained operational. The 1960s and 1970s saw a surge in events at county fairs and televised broadcasts. The first recorded instance of a demolition derby on the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fairgrounds was in 1967. Safety regulations have evolved over the years, ensuring driver protection while preserving the chaotic appeal. Today, demolition derbies remain a beloved motorsport, continuing the tradition of competitive, high-impact racing.

The 2025 Spring Demolition Derby, hosted by the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association, drew over 50 entries. There were seven qualifier heats, a consi, and the final feature. North Country residents cheered as they witnessed the metal-on-metal chaos of the demolition derby as steel crunched, frames bent, and engines roared in a battle of endurance. Cars slammed into each other with bone-rattling force, the impact sending shattered bumpers, twisted fenders, and torn grilles flying. Exhaust pipes spew smoke as overheated engines struggle to stay alive, while the screech of tires on dirt and the unmistakable clang of metal colliding fill the air. As the wreckage piled up, the last surviving car limps through the battlefield, dented and battered, proving its dominance in a war of destruction and survival.

Trophies and big cash prizes were awarded to the top two winners. First place went to Cody Durham of Gouverneur, and second place went to Kristopher Matthie of Gouverneur. Trophies were also presented to the heat winners: The results were recorded as follows: Heat No. 1 (Keera Dean, Allen Dean), Heat No. 2 (Adam Dean, Roger Dean), Heat No. 3 (Ryan Martin, Alex Schell), Heat No. 4 (Drake Matthews, Kristopher Matthie), Heat No. 5 (Richard Aldridge, Cody Durham), Heat No. 6 (Amanda Dibble, Andrew Green), Heat No. 7 (Don Scovil, Harold Clement), and Consi Round (Jordan Swinyer, Jared Miller).

A raffle car to benefit the Gouverneur Rescue Squad was driven in Heat No. 7 by Dave Schell of Syracuse. All raffle tickets and sponsor donations received will be donated to the Gouverneur Rescue Squad, thanks to the generosity of the local businesses and community members. It was announced that a total of $1,345 had been raised.

Much appreciation was extended to the Gouverneur Police Department, Gouverneur Fire Department and the Gouverneur Rescue Squad for their roles in making the demolition derby a success.

The crowd is still abuzz about the scrumptious food (hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, etc.) that were available for sale at the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association’s concession stand underneath the grandstand.

The 2025 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair will take place Tuesday, July 29 to Sunday, August 3. As is tradition, the Fair will conclude with the demolition derby, a crowd-favorite. Grandstand tickets will be available at the gate. For more information about the 2025 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair, visit GouverneurFair.net.

Fair Opens With Local Talent Show

by Rachel Hunter

The 2023 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair officially opened on Tuesday, August 1 at 4 p.m., and crowds came out in great number to witness the great local talent showcased on the grandstand stage.

The Local Talent Show was emceed by Fair Director Sean Peck, who took over the management of both Carlton Peck Band Day and the local talent show in 2022 in memory of his father, Carlton E. Peck (GHS ’63), who was known throughout the North Country and across the nation for his expertise in the field of marching band music and performance. In 1964, Carlton Peck founded the Peck Awards, which is now in its 59th year, in support of the local high school bands. The Carlton Peck Band Day is still thriving under his son Sean Peck’s leadership. (See coverage from the 2023 Carlton Peck Band Day in an upcoming edition.) Carlton Peck also hosted the local talent show for many years. On the opening day of the 2023 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair on Tuesday, Carlton Peck’s spirit and love of performance was felt throughout the 74-minute Local Talent Show. Sean Peck even took the opportunity to do a lip-sync performance of Ray Stevens’ “The Streak” that thrilled the crowd, and said it is something that his father loved to do too.

There was 12 local acts that impressed the crowd with their talented performances. The results of the contest is as follows:

First place in the age category, 3-11 years of age, went to Karissa Hamilton who had an energetic performance of “Redneck Women” by Gretchen Wilson. She was awarded a $75 cash prize.

First place in the age category, 12-16 years of age, went to Nicole White who had an inspiring performance of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and received a $125 cash prize. Second place and the $75 cash prize went to Sarah Foote for her performance of The Judds’ “Grandpa Tell Me About The Good Ole Days.” Third place and the $50 cash prize went to Marlawna Nicholls who performed Ingrid Andress’ “More Hearts Than Mine.”

In the 17 and above age category, first place and $300 cash prize went to Matt Foote, a vocalist and guitarist who performed Elvis Presley’s “That’s All Right.” Second place and the $200 cash prize went to Madelyn Rowley for her performance of Taylor Swift’s “Mean.” Third place and the $100 cash prize went to Jadelynn Hitchcock for her performance of Rascal Flatts’ “What Hurts the Most.” Other participants included Richard Fitzgerald (“Always On My Mind”), Judy Cyrus (“Close To You), Mildred Bendickson (“My Immortal”), Christina Foote (“Concrete Angel”), and Sophia McKeirnan (“Blown Away).

Those who qualified and accepted the opportunity to perform at the New York State Fair includes the following: Karissa Hamilton, Nicole White, Matt Foote, Madelyn Rowley, Jadelynn Hitchcock, and Sarah Foote. Many cheers and words of congratulations were extended to all the participants of the 2023 Local Talent Show. St. Lawrence County residents were encouraged to take part in the Local Talent Show at the 2024 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair. Contact the fair office at 315-287-3010 or visit www.gouverneurfair.net.

North Country residents and visitors were also invited to enjoy the many contests, grandstand events, midway carnival games and rides, concessions and more at the 2023 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair, which runs through Sunday, August 6. The full weekly schedule of events is available at www.gouverneurfair.net.

Gouverneur native mentors young chef to international success

by Rachel Hunter

Gouverneur native Jeremy Houghton mentored USA’s own Chantelle Gonsalves in the 9th Annual International Young Chef Olympiad in India 2023. Under Houghton’s mentorship, Gonsalves became one of the Top 10 finalists in the world’s biggest culinary olympiad.

Jeremy Houghton is the son of Jerry and Cande Houghton of Gouverneur, and graduated from Gouverneur High School in 1988. He caught his passion for cooking while enrolled in the culinary arts program at Southwest Career and Technical Educational Center (BOCES) in Fowler. Mr. Houghton earned an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University, and a MBA from Johnson & Wales University. Houghton’s first kitchen job was bussing tables at the Roma Restaurant for DeCastro’s. “When you are 17-18, you want to be a chef, you want to go out and kick some butt in the real world, and that is what I thought I was going to do, and I did for a while,” Mr. Houghton said. I left Johnson & Wales after graduation and was a chef in New Mexico, Alaska, Virginia Beach. I traveled around… I was asked to teach one day because the instructor was ill. And I said, “I am not really that good of an instructor. I’ve never taught before.” And they said, “Oh you’ll be fine. One thing led to another and now I am back here at my alma mater teaching the next generation of chefs.”

Mr. Houghton now holds the title of Senior Chef Instructor at Johnson & Wales University, and was selected to be the mentor for the Annual International Young Chef Olympiad in India. 2023 saw the 9th edition of YCO, which was held in a physical format after a gap of two years when it had to be conducted virtually owing to the COVID-19 pandemic— and saw some of the world's most talented young chefs compete with each other to be awarded the Best Young Chef in the World. Mr. Houghton told the Gouverneur Tribune Press that another culinary school in the USA backed out from the competition, not having the budget to send students over to India. Mr. Houghton explained, “They approached Johnson & Wales, and said: “Would you like to represent the United States in the culinary Olympics?” And of course we said, “Absolutely!” They asked me to mentor her, because they know I’ve done a bunch of competitions. I’ve helped students win San Pellegrino Contest. Two of the students I taught at the Miami campus won that. So I am familiar with competition. So, they asked me to coach. We had 14 students try out for it, and Chantelle Gonsalves won for Johnson & Wales to represent the United States.”

Mr. Houghton trained Miss Gonsalves for three months, cooking with her a couple times per week, perfecting her knife skills, and more. 9th Annual International Young Chef Olympiad opened the world to Miss Gonsalves as she stepped outside the United States of America for the first time in her life. “It was a very big thing for her,” he said. The trip started with a 12-hour trip to Dubai, and they had about a 12-hour layover before their plane took them to New Delhi for the opening ceremony. “She had never been out of the country, so I wanted to at least show her all that I could. So we went to eat at the No. 54 restaurant in the world, and had an amazing meal there.”

The 9th Annual International Young Chef Olympiad had contestants and mentors from 53 countries – making it the largest turnout in the competition’s history. Stage One of the competition was held in Hyderabad. “Chantelle had to do a vegetarian dish, a salad and a lemon flan,” Mr. Houghton said. “That was prescribed. We knew that is what she had to do, and she had practiced those dishes. Chantelle won Best Knife Skills out of all 53 countries, which gave her a little edge to get to the Top 10. All of the countries dispersed from New Delhi and we all ended up in Kolkata. The Top 10 then had to go in and cook under pressure. They had two and a half hours, and they had to do two perfect omelets, a tarte tatin, and her dish, they had to use King Prawn. Luckily enough, she ended up fifth in the world. I couldn’t have been more proud of her. She had a lot of obstacles…”

Mr. Houghton told the Gouverneur Tribune Press that Miss Gonsalves is currently in Chicago finishing her internship at a one Michelin Star restaurant, but that her achievement at the 9th Annual International Young Chef Olympiad probably trumps that on every resume. “The fact that she has gone out and placed in the Top 5 for a young chef,” he said. “Put that on a resume, and anyone who reads that will start to ask questions about it. Like: “Explain to me how you got No. 5 in the world. Is this a scam or is this a real thing?” And when they hear her stories, they are going to be like instantly, you’re hired. Even if I owned a restaurant, having her on board with me is something that I can now say: “Here’s my executive chef. She competed in the world culinary Olympics.”

For Mr. Houghton, the 9th Annual International Young Chef Olympiad in India gave him the opportunity to meet 52 other mentors and 52 other contestants. “At first you think, maybe I’ll meet a couple of friends. Maybe it will be alright,” he said. “But the first night we all hung out at a hookah bar in New Delhi. Here I am from Gouverneur, NY and I’m thinking, “I am sitting here with all these chefs from around the world.” The Young Chef Olympiad claims that this is the third largest type of an event in the world. The first one is the Olympics, the second one would be FIFA World Cup, and then the third one is theirs because 53 countries came together. Nobody else can boast that, and they are right. What other competition do you hear has that notoriety and that flair to it?”

Mr. Houghton told the Gouverneur Tribune Press that this was his first visit to India, but it for sure won’t be his last. But he is no stranger to international travel as he has been to Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Australia. “One billion people live in this country, and it is a third-world country. It is a pretty big eye-opener when you see it,” he said.

“People probably think that is horrible to be surrounded by poverty and despair, but every person that I met smiled, loved their life, and in so many ways they are happier with nothing than Americans are with everything we have. You would see them all smile and be polite.

“They would ask questions… I sat at a monument while we were waiting to go in, and people were sitting next to me taking pictures, because you know I am a white guy. Finally about the third one, I looked at him and asked: “Do you want me to sit farther away or closer?” He was like, “No, please, closer. Are you an American?” I said, yes, and then there was a line of probably 10 people waiting to take their picture with me because they have never seen an American before. It was one of those moments where I was like, “How have you never seen an American?” But here I am in Kolkata and I think that they probably haven’t. Kolkata is not a huge destination for Americans. It is amazing the people that I met, and I can’t wait to go back next year. And that is the truth. Now that I know the process a little bit, we’ll definitely do better next year.”

The Annual International Young Chef Olympiad, presented by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) will be held once again in India in 2024. “It is hosted by a hotel travel school called IIHM. They host it,” Mr. Houghton said. “What is really kind of cool about is that they use it as part of their training for their students… They have their main campus in New Delhi, but also have smaller schools in Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, Goa and Kolkata. And they flew all of the contestants to these various locations to be entertained. And boy do they know how to host. We would walk in and they would treat us like royalty. And so, the school is going to host it every year, just because their program is built on it and their relationship. Now students from there can come over to Johnson & Wales and complete their education for a Master’s Degree. I am working with one student that I met in Hyderabad to get them to come over and do an internship at a hotel… and one of my friends is an assistant manager of a hotel. He was like, “I’ve always wanted to come over to America to work.” And I said, “Why don’t you?” He said, “I don’t know where to go.” And so I’ve arranged it. So yeah, it’s pretty cool.”

Mr. Houghton said there was no racial tension at the 9th Annual International Young Chef Olympiad. “You hear about how certain races don’t get along. There was none of that,” he said. “We embraced everyone. There was a girl from Iran whose mentor couldn’t make the trip. She stood up on the first day and all the mentors walked up to her and said, “If you need anything, you come to us.” And by the end of it, all 53 of these kids were friends. They are planning a reunion to go to Amsterdam to hang out again because they made such a strong bond. I’m on a chat with all the mentors and we chat a couple of times per week… It’s just like the Olympics. You are going to make bonds that are going to last a lifetime. It wasn’t about any politics or anything like that. It was just a great experience for everyone. If all of the other contestants could take back to their countries how awesome and nice people were, then maybe that would make our world be a better place.”

Mr. Houghton is looking forward to mentoring more culinary arts students in preparation for the Annual International Young Chef Olympiad in future years, and many words of congratulations have been extended upon hearing of his recent success. For more information about the Annual International Young Chef Olympiad, visit ycolympiad.com.

Gouverneur Wildcat Varsity Boys Soccer fetes four senior student-athletes

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur Wildcat Varsity Boys Soccer Program feted its four senior student-athletes during the Senior Night recognition ceremony on Tuesday, October 19 at the Gouverneur Wildcat Soccer Field. The celebration was held before the Wildcats last home game of the season, against Canton Central.

Gouverneur Wildcat Varsity Boys Soccer Coach Luke Hayden said: “A few of them, I have had a really long time, since the first year of modified. I appreciate all of their efforts that they put through. I appreciate all of the parents for bringing them all the time. I want to wish them all the best of luck, through whatever they go through after they get out of school.”

The seniors recognized included: Mason Witherell, the son of Dean Witherell and Erin Hughes, Jarret Knight, son of Jeff Knight and Missy Brown, Avery Hayden, son of Josh Hayden and Kim Denesha, and Marcus Kopchinski, the son of Mick and Michelle Kopchinski. A yellow carnation and blue ribbon was presented to each senior student-athlete as their name was called. The bouquets were purchased by the Wildcat Athletic Booster Club through Emily’s Flower Shop in Gouverneur.

Many words of congratulations were extended to the senior student-athletes following the recognition ceremony. For more information on Gouverneur Central, visit gcsk12.org.

Veterans Day Ceremony: Gouverneur community pauses to reflect on veterans heroism

by Rachel Hunter

The 2020 Gouverneur Veterans Day Ceremony on Wednesday, November 11 was hosted by the Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 in Gouverneur in conjunction with the James Maloy American Legion Post No. 65. The ceremony drew a crowd to the Gouverneur Memorial Arch in the Gouverneur Village Park at 11 a.m.

The Gouverneur Veterans Day Master of Ceremonies Gloria Weldon welcomed all in attendance, and encouraged all those in attendance to keep their facial coverings on and maintain social distance throughout the entire ceremony. The invocation was presented by VFW Post 6338 Chaplain Ed Ramos, who later performed taps and echo. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Gouverneur VFW Post Commander John Holt and American Legion Post Commander Jason Carvel. The presentation of wreaths commenced with the American Legion and VFW wreaths laid by the commanders. A presentation of flowers was led by VFW Auxiliary President Jeff Plat and American Legion Auxiliary President Deanna Cline. The presentation of the Yellow Rose for Gold Star Mothers was presented by Deanna Cline. The presentation of the red rose for Daughters of the American Revolution descendants was conducted by Lynda Andrews. The presentation of the wreath by the Sons of the American Legion was conducted by Steven Cline. The presentation of the wreath from Gouverneur Students was presented by GCS Superintendent of Schools Lauren French. The Gouverneur Cub Scout Pack No. 2035 presented a plaque that said the following: “Our debt to the heroic men and women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices. Presented on this Veterans Day by Cub Scout Pack 2035.”

A bagpipe selection, “Amazing Grace,” was performed by Jeff Forsythe of Antwerp.

The guest speaker was St. Lawrence County Sheriff Brooks Bigwarfe who was in attendance with Undersheriff Sean O’Brien and Deputy Murray. SLC Sheriff Bigwarfe gave the following address:

“Thank you Commander John Holt and the Gouverneur VFW Post 6338 for inviting me here today. I very much appreciate all of you who worked hard to organize this important event. It is an honor to stand with you today and to join you in paying tribute to our brave veterans.

“First and foremost, I want to begin by recognizing all those among us who have been part of the great brotherhood and sisterhood we call the U.S. military – our veterans, active-duty service members, guardsmen and reservists. Your service and sacrifice have kept our nation safe and free.

“Veterans Day looks a lot different this year than it has in the past. Our current state of affairs and the protective measures implemented across the country to stop the spread of COVID-19 have forced us to think creatively to ensure we stay safe while honoring our nation’s heroes.

“Veterans demonstrated the quiet power of compassion, patriotism, and selflessness. These are the defining attributes that brought our nation together – and will continue to make this country an example for all the world to emulate.

“Thomas Jefferson wrote eloquently that “governments are instituted among men to secure the inalienable rights of the people… treasured rights to life and liberty.” This is the first priority of government – to protect the lives and liberties of the people. The men and women of the military agencies do this every day.

“A little history about Veterans Day: In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11th as the last commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice.”

“The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11 a.m.

“An act approved May 13, 1938 made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday – a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be therefore celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.” Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking the word “Armistice” and in its place inserting the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

“Veterans Day continues to help focus attention on the important purpose of a celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

“My father Glenn Bigwarfe served in the Navy from 1952 to 1956. He told me that he wanted to serve his country and travel the world. So his first assignment after basic training was not Pearl Harbor, Hawaii or some port in Japan or somewhere in Pacific… oh no, it was where else? Antarctica, one of the coldest places on planet Earth. But he told me the traits of comradery, discipline, being part of a team, working to accomplish a mission and excelling at physical fitness made him the man that he would become… a very hard working, family oriented person. He even got a chance to be on the Navy national wrestling team where he competed in the Pan-Am games and was beaten by a soldier that would eventually take a Silver medal in the Olympics. I personally honor his service every year on Veterans Day.

“Most Americans profess to truly love our veterans, especially at gatherings like this on Veterans Day. And while their feelings are usually sincere, it is important to remember that veterans are defending us 365 days a year. The heroism that has been demonstrated time and time again by veterans from the American Revolution to the Global War on Terrorism is sometimes unnoticed by those of us who enjoy the security that their sacrifice has provided.

“Veterans have given us freedom, security and the greatest nation on Earth. We must remember them. We must appreciate them.

“I would like to end with this, a quote from President Abraham Lincoln. He told the nation in the midst of the Civil War, speaking about the men of the military: “Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history, we will be remembered in spite of ourselves. The fiery trial through which they passed will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation. We – even we here – hold the power and bear the responsibility.”

“Memorials such as these ensure that the men and women who dedicated their lives to the cause of justice will not escape history. They have held the power and borne the responsibility for the security of our country and the safety of its citizens. And the fiery trial which they passed – the ultimate sacrifice they made has lighted each of them down in honor for generations to see.

“God bless you all for being here. God bless our veterans and God bless America. Thank you.”

The honor guard salute was led by Karl Beck, Sgt. At Arms along with the American Legion and VFW Firing Detail.

The benediction was the led by VFW Post 6338 Auxiliary Chaplain Ruth Mead, and closing remarks were made by Gloria Weldon. All gathered were invited to the American Legion following the service for a free drive-thru luncheon, due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. All were also reminded of the free Veterans Day Dinner to be held at Gouverneur Elks Lodge No. 2035 from 4 to 7 p.m. Also mentioned was the free donut special for veterans active duty military members at the Gouverneur Dunkin Donuts location. Much gratitude was extended to all who took part and/or contributed any type of service for the annual Veterans Day remembrance ceremony.

Local dignitaries attending the ceremony included the following: Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr., Town of Gouverneur Deputy Supervisor Eldon Conklin, Town of Gouverneur Councilman Curran Wade, Former Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Robert Ritchie, Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall, Village of Gouverneur Clerk/Treasurer Barbara Finnie, SLC Sheriff Brooks Bigwarfe, SLC Undersheriff Sean O’Brien, SLC Sheriff’s Deputy Murray, Village of Gouverneur Chief of Police Laurina Greenhill, Gouverneur Police Sgt. Darren Fairbanks, Former SLC Sheriff Kevin Wells, and Gouverneur Superintendent of Schools Lauren French.

Thirst of the Dead: Gouverneur native authors, plays lead zombie in short horror film to air in over 60 countries this October

by Rachel Hunter

Gouverneur native Gregory French in all of his zombie makeup as the lead zombie in “Thirst of the Dead.” (photo courtesy of Coastal Independent Films)

There is not much to celebrate during a zombie apocalypse – but when five friends stumble across a rare commodity (a six-pack of beer) their celebration leads to some trouble. That was the premise of a short film, “Thirst of the Dead,” written by Gouverneur native Gregory French, and produced by Coastal Independent Films, Myrtle Beach, SC.

In an interview with the Gouverneur Tribune Press, Gregory French told how he got the idea for the film: “There’s a product out there that is a metal beer koozie that holds a beer bottle, but also has a lid that screws on and keeps it from spilling. I use it all the time. It is one of my favorite things, because I burn a lot of beer… and so I was using that and somehow it got knocked off of my end table onto my cement patio. I picked it up and the beer inside was still good. None had spilled. The bottle was not broken, and I was like: “Wait a second. This gives me a really neat idea for a commercial for these guys.”

“So I came up with a zombie apocalypse and there is some survivors that are searching through a convenience store for whatever and they find a six-pack of beer. They are celebrating because beer is like a commodity in the post-apocalyptic zombie world, I’m sure. So when you find it, you have to celebrate the little things. So they are hanging out, celebrating, and the lead guy. He has his in one of these bottle holders – and all of a sudden they are making too much noise celebrating and a zombie comes in and kind of knock over all their beers and they all break except for the one that was in the container. That was the idea I pitched to them for the commercial, but nothing ever came of it.

So maybe for or five years later, we formed Costal Independent Films, my film production company. We were pitching ideas, and it just pops back into my head. Hold on a second, I got an idea for a commercial that I was working on. It might be what we are after. So I went home and developed a script based on the zombies and beer type of thing and turned it from a 30-second commercial into the movie that became Thirst of the Dead. It’s got a lot more parts than the zombie knocking over the beer…”

“Thirst of the Dead” by Coastal Independent Films won the 2020 Homegrown Horror Award at the Crimson Screen Horror Film Fest in Charleston. (photo courtesy of Coastal Independent Films)

Formed in July 2019, the group of passionate filmmakers at Coastal Independent Films, were looking for creative ideas. And by September 2019, a group formed and started pre-production work on “Thirst of the Dead.” Usually a month-long process of meticulous planning, it took the group less than a month. And the filming which can take weeks, took place in one day – October 13.

The filming took place on 30-acres of rural land on the outskirts of Myrtle Beach owned by one of the production team members. “He had a small house on it, and at the time he was building another room, so that’s where we filmed because it looked like we were able to take the unbuilt room and put some set dressing on it to make it look like a broken-down building,” French said. “There was already a lot of boxes from construction and stuff, so we needed to make it look like the scavengers were finding stuff to look through and find cans of food or whatever. So that was good, but his property has some pretty heavily wooded areas but also has this nice open field. There is a dirt road, gravel path, and it also has this beautiful stream with really calm water where it goes into a waterfall. And so staying in that one place, we were able to get a lot of different environments and make it look like they were on this epic journey – traveling miles and miles when really we were just turning the camera around… We were all within the same 30-acre area.”

Gregory French said his experience on the set of “The Walking Dead” allowed him to play a convincing zombie – and to teach others to do the same.

“We had an open call for all the zombie extras,” he said. “I was the only one we knew was going to be a zombie. We had an open casting call for other zombies, and we had a whole bunch of other people come in and I had to teach them, like, how to be a real zombie, Walking Dead- style zombie. We didn’t want it to be hokey. If a zombie film is not done the right way, it can look kind of cheesy and hokey and the makeup can be kind of ehhh… but we wanted it to be as good as The Walking Dead zombies with The Walking Dead makeup. We want the people who watch this to be like totally blown away that a totally non-Walking Dead group could pull off this level of performance and material and everything. I think we nailed it.”

Coastal Independent Films also had some help from Sean Krumholtz of RedHouse FX.

“I met him through The Walking Dead,” French said. “Through Season Three, Season Four, they were sending me to different places for Walking Dead pictures and autographs and whatever. I was at a (charity event called) a Zombie Run.. and I kept seeing this really good zombie makeup coming through. And so I asked five or six people with just this amazing makeup, “Who is doing your makeup?” I don’t remember what he said he was doing, computer engineer or something, and I was like, “No, I am going to put you in touch with some people. You need to be doing this… and now, this is what he does. He is a professional makeup artist… He’s that good. So when we decided to do Thirst of the Dead, I knew he was the guy that I wanted to do my makeup. I knew there was going to be some closeup shots of my face or whatever – and I wanted him to do it. He worked on the makeup he was going to do for me for two months.”

Gregory French got in the makeup chair at 5 a.m. on October 13 and four-hours later had transformed into the lead zombie for the Thirst of the Dead film.

“It seems like a long time, but being on The Walking Dead – that’s a typical day. You show up at 5 a.m. You sit in a chair, and you let them work on you, and then three hours later, you look in a mirror and you don’t recognize who you are.

“And that’s one of the things, strange enough, that a lot of people can’t handle… there’s different levels of makeup on The Walking Dead. If you are going to be featured and you are going to be all up in the camera, you are in the makeup chair for a long time – and it is very claustrophobic. It’s hard to breathe. We film all summer long it Atlanta, so it is super hot, sweaty. A lot of time they put dental implants in, so you can’t close your mouth all day… and a typical day is 12-16 hours in the makeup. And if you are going to be a super-feature, they put contact lenses in, and these lenses they are cataract lenses… so you cant see anything. It’s very claustrophobic. A lot of the guys are like, this is pretty cool, but then at the end of a couple hours are like, “Okay, this sucks. Get me out of here...” They start freaking out. There is a core of us that they use over and over and over because for some reason, it doesn’t bother us at all… and we can still give a really convincing performance acting in this hot, sweaty makeup without needing to take too many breaks and crying because it hurts or whatever.”

“Thirst of the Dead,” a 13-minute film won the 2020 Homegrown Horror Award at the Crimson Screen Horror Film Fest in Charleston. A few days later, Mr. French, the film’s writer and lead zombie, heard from Shorts TV, an international television channel. They wanted to buy the rights to the film and air it in over 60 countries.

“I got an email from them,” Gregory French said. “I was out camping in the woods when I got it, so I had like spotty cell coverage anyway. So I got an email… One of the directors of Thirst of the Dead, his daytime job is a lawyer, so I told him about it. So I told him to look it over. He said, “Dude, this is legit. This is real.” So then we finally got our contract signed and their contract signed and everything sent to them...

“We had to do a whole behind-the-scenes bumper for this that they will air before the film. On their channel, they will have like the filmmakers spotlight, and it will talk about like making the film, and so we had to do a whole sit-down interview with like the crew. So I did one as the writer, the two directors were there, the cameraman, the sound-guy – and we all did our own thing. It was like its own production all in its own, coming up with what we were going to do for that. So they said it was going to air around the October timeframe, around Halloween, which makes sense because it is horror. It is not really horror. It is a lighthearted zombedy… The way it is written and filmed, you don’t know it is a comedy until the funny stuff happens. It looks very scary at first, and then you’re like, “Wait a second, did that really just happen?” And then it goes back to being serious again… It sets the hook by that first funny thing that happens, and then it just takes you along for the rest of the ride...”

“Thirst of the Dead” is set to air on Shorts TV in October, just in time for Halloween. You can find it in a variety of places, including DirecTV(Channel 573), AT&T U-Verse (Channel 1789), AT&T TV NOW, Google Fiber (Channel 603), Frontier Communications (Channel 789) and Hotwire (Channel 560). For more information, visit: shorts.tv/en/

Gregory French also informed the Gouverneur Tribune Press that he got his directorial debut on The Vegetarian, which will come out on Labor Day. It was filmed it mid-March, and it is still in post-production.

“I had never directed before,” he said, explaining that Coastal Independent Films provides the opportunity to learn from the best in the film production industry. “I had no idea what I was doing. There’s a lot that goes into it. You don’t just show up and say action. You have to have the vision. You have to control people, and tell the actors like, “Okay, I like what you are doing here but do it this way instead, and bring that out of them, but also leading up to it… all the pre-production things, you have to know which cameras you have to use, which lenses the cameras need to use, and where you need the camera focused, and everything the camera is going to see has to be planned out before we get on set… and I had no idea that is what a director did. I just thought they showed up and said, “Okay, you go over here, action.” And there is a lot more to it, and I learned from Paul (Inman) one of the guys who directed the Thirst of the Dead, he taught me the whole process, helped me to get my whole shot lists and everything. I’m learning a lot. I’ve never edited before, so I am starting to get into that, but there’s a lot that goes into that than I can possibly learn in a year.”

Gregory French’s acting talents are no stranger to the Gouverneur community. He got his start on the Gouverneur High School stage when he was a fifth grader, when he took on the role as Louis in the “King and I.”

“I had no idea what I was doing, but I guess Mary Lou Scott, the musical director at the time, knew they needed a kid and asked my mom – and said, “Yeah, I’ll ask him.” Of course, I could sing and do all that stuff when I was a kid and so I auditioned and the next thing I know I am up there on stage. And then I was in every musical since fifth grade until I graduated. I always loved performing. I love being in front of people. I love the applause. I don’t know why. It is just who I am. So that really got me started.”

After graduation, Gregory French joined the US Air Force, and served during Operation Desert Storm. “While in the military, I was in different acting groups and such at different stations. If there wasn’t one, I’d start one at whatever base I was on.” He then moved to Myrtle Beach, SC to attend Coastal Carolina University for Marine Science and got a job at the Dixie Stampede. One of the emcees was leaving, so I told the head of production there, “Hey, I would like to audition… I had been there for a couple years already and I had the show memorized, because you hear it every night. The only thing I couldn’t do was ride a horse, and the whole show was on horseback. So I went and took some horseriding lessons… the one who trained all the riders. He lived right down the street from me… and so, I spent a couple weeks learning how to ride a horse so I could look like I knew what I was doing. So when I auditioned, “They were like, “Holy crap, man! Yeah. Hired!” So I was the Master of Ceremonies. There’s two roles that person does… one night I would be the master of ceremonies out there leading the show and singing on the horseback and doing all that stuff, and on nights that I wasn’t that, I’d be the comedian… It was a lot of fun. I’ve always tried to find something new where I could be in front of people.

“And then I was playing in a rock band here in town and a guitar player from my band he makes local commercials. He’s in advertising. So every once-in-a-while he’ll have me do voice-overs for a radio spot or whatever, because I do a lot of voices and impressions also. One day, he was like, “I need someone to be on camera. Are you interested?” And I was like, “Yeah man, whatever, I’ll do it.” That commercial still plays every year around football time because it is the football team’s commercial – and it’s been 10 years and it is still playing, because it is that good of a commercial. Once he saw what I could do on camera, anytime he needed something for a commercial, “Hey man, you’re my go-to.” So I started doing a lot of commercials with him – and it started out as no pay or only like $6 because it was just as a favor to him. But then we were on a really big commercial for one of the resorts here, and so he brought in actors from all over the southeast… and that’s what the professional job was, acting. And he kept using me for all these shots. And all these other actors were like, “You’re good, man. Where do you get training? Who is your agent?” And I was like, “I am just helping him out. He is a friend of mine.” And they were like, “Wow, you should look at doing this more professionally than what you are doing… because your talents are being wasted doing what you are doing.” And I was like, “Oh man, I appreciate that.” So I made some contacts and realized that the Southeast is one of the hotspots for TV and movies...”

Gregory French has been featured on TV programs including "The Walking Dead" and "Under the Dome" and has had small parts in several movies such as "Spiderman: Homecoming", "Iron Man 3", "Parental Guidance", and "We're the Millers." He also enjoys the Indie Film world, where he has earned starring roles in movies such as the horror film, "The Legend of 7 Toe Maggie," and the military comedy, "Weekend Warriors." Greg has now added "Stunt Performer" to his resume after completing several stunt training classes, and is looking forward to his career as a Stunt Actor. Gregory is represented by Reel Sisters Talent out of Wilmington, NC.

Gregory French is looking forward to upcoming project with Costal Independent Films.

On Wednesday, August 5 he announced that Coastal Independent is producing a Stephen King film.

“They give us a Stephen King story – one of his short stories to develop a script out of and then film it, and we got approval for everything so far, so now we are in pre-production on a Stephen King film… We are really stoked about that. But not only that, we are starting on our next projects… so we have about two years worth of films already lined up. We’re just pumping it out. We’re trying to do one film every two months with shorter films in between. Most places will do like one film every six to eight, maybe 10 months, some only one film every year… so we are kicking them out here.”

Coastal Independent Film premieres "SHOTS! A Guy Walks Into A Bar" this week and "The Vegetarian" on Labor day. Follow them on Facebook and Youtube.

Gouverneur- Richville Christian Fellowship Offers Drive-Thru Food Pantry

by Jessyca Cardinell

A Drive-Thru Food Pantry has opened at 71 Smith Street, Gouverneur, operated by the Gouverneur-Richville Christian Fellowship Church, to help those in the Gouverneur-area who are in need of groceries. The distributions will be held on the second Thursday of the month from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the fourth Saturday of the month from 9 to 11 a.m.

“Our food pantry just did our first food distribution just last month,” said April Sochia, a member of the church. “We started by delivering boxes to Cambray Terrace and Courts on May 27.” On June 11, the first drive-thru food distribution was held at the church’s 71 Smith Street location.

The church felt, as a whole, that there was a burden to reach those in the community who are in need of food.

“Bob Dale was instrumental in getting the ball rolling before I jumped on board,” Mrs. Sochia said. “I am running the food pantry with the support of my church and family. One night at dinner we were talking with our children about the undertaking of running a food pantry and they all had such a vision for helping others. It was inspiring!” said Mrs. Sochia, who stated her children have been with her during this journey as there are truck deliveries as well as setting up and organizing the building.

“When our church merged back together in Richville that left our Gouverneur building vacant. We have been waiting for an opportunity to use that building to reach needs in the community. Having a food pantry is an awesome way to do that,” said Mrs. Sochia

The quality food is being ordered from the Food Bank of Central New York, so families are sure to be sent away with a variety of nutritious food.

When it comes to the community support, Mrs. Sochia stated the response has been great.

“This community has been incredibly supportive! We have had refrigerators and freezers donated to us, as well as monetary donations. When we were receiving our first food truck delivery, Wayne Scott from Reliable Towing stopped and offered to help us get food right to our building. That has been a tremendous blessing. We are so grateful for the support from the community. You can find us on Facebook at GCF Compassion Outreach,” said Mrs. Sochia for those interested in more details and updates.

As well as support from the community, the food pantry has also received support from larger retailers including Potsdam Lowes, who donated a brand new refrigerator.

“That was a tremendous blessing. A friend of a friend is friends with the manager at Lowes and had asked if they could help us out to get a refrigerator. We were hoping for a discount, but he said that they would be happy to donate one to us! We have had three of our refrigerators donated to us,” said Mrs. Sochia with great excitement.

Be sure to follow the food pantry Facebook page and keep up with all the wonderful things the food pantry is sure to bring to the community. Fantastic job Gouverneur-Richville Christian Fellowship on your fantastic contribution to your community!

Donations are always accepted at P.O. Box 126, Richville, NY 13681. Questions can be sent to gcfcompassion@gmail.com and (315) 355-7506.

About 180 pounds of marijuana seized after traffic stop in DeKalb

by Rachel Hunter

SLC Deputy Greg Anderson pictured with about 180 pounds of marihuana seized at a traffic stop along US Highway 11 in the Town of DeKalb on May 13. (photo provided by the SLC Sheriff’s Office)

About 180 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $360,000 was seized by St. Lawrence County Sheriff Deputies on Wednesday, May 11. It was found to be in the possession of Brandy J. Fisher, 26, of Moira, and Damon L. Etienne, 22, of Hogansburg. Deputies charged Fisher and Etienne with Criminal Possession of Marihuana 1st Degree, a class C Felony, following a traffic stop on US Highway 11 in the Town of DeKalb.

Fisher was also charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th, an A Misdemeanor, as she was found to be in possession of a small amount of cocaine.

Fisher and Etienne were arraigned by Honorable James Phillips of Morristown Town Court and released on their own recognizance. Fisher and Etienne are to appear in Town of DeKalb Court at a later date. Deputies were assisted by US Border Patrol.

The investigating officer was SLC Deputy Greg Anderson. The SLC Sheriff’s Office reported that Deputy Anderson was named Deputy of the Year in 2019 and “continues to strive to work hard for the people of St. Lawrence County. We are proud of Deputy Anderson and look forward to what his future brings. Great work!”

COVID-19 Relief: Good Will Spaghetti Dinner benefits community members, local food pantries

by Rachel Hunter

Paul Trombley, Jr. cooking spaghetti in the Kinney Drugs Foundation Kitchen at the Gouverneur Community Center for the the good will dinner on Saturday, May 2. (Rachel Hunter photo)

The Gouverneur Community Center in conjunction with the volunteer kitchen staff from the St. Lawrence County Office for the Aging organized a Good Will Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday, May 2, 3 to 5 p.m., at the Gouverneur Community Center. The endeavor was spearheaded by Paul Trombley, Jr., well-known as the Gouverneur Nutrition Center cook in his role as Food and Nutrition Services Assistant with the St. Lawrence County Office for the Aging.

Wanting a way to give back to the community, Trombley contacted Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr and worked hand-in-hand with the volunteer kitchen staff from the SLC Office for the Aging, Gouverneur Community Center staff, and other volunteers to put on this dinner. Supervisor Spilman said the SLC Office for the Aging allowed them to use their food service permit to put on the dinner. Donations from the dinner were collected to benefit local food pantries within a 15-mile radius, including the Gouverneur Neighborhood Center food pantry and the Grace Food Pantry in Gouverneur.

At the event’s 3 p.m. start time, Mr. Trombley stated that 40 pounds of spaghetti, 1,300 meatballs, and 300 rolls were ready to serve the hungry community members. The meal also included tossed salad. He said that each pound of spaghetti would serve about four people. Organizers said that there was plenty of food for anyone who wanted to partake of the dinner.

As motorists turned into the parking lot to the Gouverneur Community Center, they were guided by clearly marked instructions on traffic codes, showing them how to use the curbside pickup. They were assisted in this endeavor by enthusiastic volunteers. Motorists turned left at the parking lot/basketball court area, turning again so that their vehicle would run parallel alongside the sidewalk in front of the Gouverneur Community Center. The motorists, even observing social distance with their vehicles, kept the cars separated by a fair distance during the curbside pick-up process. Upon arrival at the designated curbside pick-up site, all motorists were asked by volunteers how many dinners were being requested, and then word was then relayed to a team of volunteers, busy at work to make the event a success.

Volunteers Deb Andrews of Gouverneur and Lisa Wood of Gouverneur fill plastic bags with spaghetti dinners in take-out containers. Also pictured: Village of Gouverneur Police Chief Laurina Greenhill (back center).

Inside the Gouverneur Community Center, volunteers worked to fill out “orders” inside the Kinney Drugs Foundation Kitchen. There also Mr. Trombley was putting the finishing touches on cooking the spaghetti dinner. Volunteers took the prepared food and formed a relay line to fill the take-out containers. Then volunteers took the take-out containers, put them into large warming containers, and brought them out to volunteers positioned curbside in front of the Gouverneur Community Center who were in charge of bagging the take-out meals. The bagged meals then were loaded into the awaiting vehicles.

A total of 1.5 million reusable cotton cloth face masks, manufactured by the Hanes clothing company, given to New York State by the federal government are quickly making their way into local communities – and into the hands of local residents. St. Lawrence County was given 38,000 masks. Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. said that the SLC Office of Emergency Services gave Gouverneur enough to allow distribution to community members in need at the spaghetti dinner. He also mentioned that cotton masks in ample supply had been delivered to Pine Grove and Cambray housing communities. Much gratitude lit up the eyes of those who received the reusable cotton masks.

Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. accepting donations from volunteers receiving cash donations from community members to benefit local food pantries amid the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The donations were received (alongside the spaghetti dinner distribution), curbside, in front of the Gouverneur Community Center, located at 4673 State Highway 58, Gouverneur. (Rachel Hunter photo)

Once curbside pick-up was done, many motorists showed signs of gratitude as they made their exit, turning left one more time and leaving straight off the Gouverneur Community Center grounds.

Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. on Tuesday reported that about $1,400 had been collected to benefit the local food pantries, with some donations being received by mail. Supervisor Spilman said that all monies received will be split among a number of food pantries yet to be determined. More information will be released once it is made available to the Gouverneur Tribune Press. As the Good Will Spaghetti Dinner was spearheaded through the volunteer effort of Paul Trombley, Jr., Supervisor Spilman said that he would be delivering the donations to each local food pantry.

Supervisor Spilman also added that a total of 280 spaghetti dinners had been served to community members, and that eight meals had been delivered to Gouverneur Hospital.

Words of gratitude were expressed on the Gouverneur Community Center Facebook page for all those who supported the event. “It is great to see a community come together for the greater good,” the post read. “All donations will feed many others in need. Special thanks to all that volunteered or donated. We couldn't do it without you!”

St. Lawrence Health System Hotline and Testing Centers established

St. Lawrence Health System has established four COVID-19 Testing Centers that are available to county residents by appointment.

Testing sites in Canton, Gouverneur, Massena, and Potsdam are for individuals who have been in known contact with a person known to be COVID-positive, are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (including fever, cough, shortness of breath, unexplained severe fatigue, and/or loss of taste or smell), and patients with referrals from the Department of Health.

St. Lawrence Health System has established a Hotline for people to call to make an appointment. The Hotline is (315) 261-6240, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm. Area residents may also call the St. Lawrence County Department of Health at (315) 229-3448 to inquire about an appointment.

“All of our staff at the test centers have been thoroughly trained in the safe collection of swabs and are following tight protocols to ensure every safety measure is in place. It’s equally important for those arriving at a testing center to follow the identified rules and next steps to ensure everyone’s safety,” Dr. Grimshaw stated. “We are prepared and available to care for our community and we strongly encourage anyone who feels they have symptoms related to COVID-19 to please call the SLHS Hotline or the Department of Health. It’s important that we identify and provide appropriate next steps to those individuals who are COVID positive.”

When an appointment for testing has been established, you will be instructed to abide by the following:

· You must arrive in a personal vehicle. Due to the increased risk of contamination, as well as current shortages of personal protective equipment, walk-ups are not permitted at this time.

· Each person to be tested must be seated next to a working window.

· Limit vehicle passengers to those needing a test.

· Have a photo ID for all persons registered for testing that includes name and date of birth (can be New York driver's license, state-issued ID, or passport).

· Please bring tissues and a washcloth/towel.

You will be required to provide your full name, current address, and the best phone number to reach you with your test results.

What to expect at the Testing Center:

· When you arrive at the testing site, remain in your vehicle.

· Upon arrival, call the number you were provided with when you made the appointment.

· A health care provider in personal protective gear will come to your vehicle and provide you with instructions.

· You will be asked to blow your nose using the tissue you brought with you. You will need to dispose of the tissue on your own.

· A soft swab will be inserted deep into your nose to get the necessary sample. This may be slightly uncomfortable, but the test is quick and should take less than a minute.

·Test results are not immediate; it may take a few days. After the test, you will be given information/instructions to take with you while you await the results.

· You will receive test results via the telephone number you gave at the time of pre-screening.

Directional signage has been installed at the four locations to help individuals navigate to and through each testing center site.

Anyone experiencing a medical emergency should dial 9-1-1 immediately.

St. Lawrence Health System Testing Center information, and links to other COVID-19 initiatives, may be found at https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/covid-19/testing-centers.

Gouverneur Kiwanis Club presents appreciation plaque to Gouverneur Tribune Press

by Rachel Hunter

Gouverneur Kiwanis Club President Charity Zawatski on Tuesday, April 14 presented an appreciation plaque to the Gouverneur Tribune Press staff in front of the Gouverneur Tribune Press office, 74 Trinity Ave., Gouverneur.

The plaque was accompanied by the following letter from the Gouverneur Kiwanis Club: “Dear Editor, In this week’s edition of the Tribune, you will notice there is a picture of the Gouverneur Kiwanis President presenting a plaque of recognition to representatives of the local paper. The plaque reads: In recognition of your continued support of Kiwanis and the greater Gouverneur Community.

“The Tribune Press has been a supporter and promoter of Gouverneur since 1882 according to their logo. We all know what has happened to many national and local printed papers in the last decade or so. We are in the digital, computer era where news and information is as readily as our cell phones. Grandma wouldn’t have had a clue what a cell phone is. Now we send pictures, livestream the grandkids via Skype, and get live updates on the latest weather and calamities from all over the world.

“In spite of this, our local paper is not only holding on, but continuing to serve the community in all kinds of positive ways. They generously and enthusiastically support not only the Kiwanis Club but all the other service clubs and charitable organizations in town. The school system and our children get positive coverage for their accomplishments in academics, sports, and school organizations.

“There is an old song called: Home on the Range probably sung by Gene Autry. In that song there is a line: “Never is heard a discouraging word” etc. This kind of exemplifies the Tribune. They are always positive, promoting, and like the song, never a discouraging word.

“The Gouverneur Kiwanis Club appreciates all they do for our community. In order to see that they continue their mission, we encourage everyone to buy and read the best of the local news. Consider taking out ads if you are a business or organization like ours, send in pictures and articles so that they keep going for years to come.”

Much gratitude was extended to the Gouverneur Kiwanis Club for the recognition.

The Gouverneur Tribune Press – taking on journalistic heritage that spans over 130 years in Gouverneur from multiple publications – still prides itself on being “The One And Only” Hometown Newspaper covering “The One And Only Gouverneur.” This year, on November 25, 2020, the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recognize its 85th year being the sole hometown newspaper in circulation in Gouverneur.

In 1882, The Gouverneur Herald Times had some competition as The Northern Tribune appeared on the scene, published by M. R Sackett. Even though the Herald-Times reached a circulation of 10,000 each week, they sold their business to Mr. Sackett and Mr. Parker of the Free Press. In little time, the North Tribune sold its company to the Free Press. On April 17, 1929 the Free Press was taken over the by the York Press Corporation and merged with the Northern Tribune. On February 11, 1927, B.G. Parker, publisher of the Free Press passed away. That newspaper carried on until October 10, 1927 when Charles McFarlane established the McFarlane Press. Soon after, the Free Press dismantled. For almost eight year, the Tribune Press was the only newspaper in town. Then Hossie R. Kinney published the newspaper, Independent. That press caught fire on November 25, 1935 and all the subscriptions were transferred to the Tribune Press. Since that time, the Tribune Press has been the only newspaper in circulation in Gouverneur.

Dan McClelland, current owner and publisher of the Gouverneur Tribune Press, purchased the weekly newspaper, all publishing rights, subscriptions lists and files on November 1, 1990, and now boasts more than 35 years in the journalism industry. He has been the managing editor of the Tupper Lake newspaper since 1977 and president of the company which publishes it since 1968. At the time of the sale, the Tribune operated from the building at 42 Clinton St., Gouverneur. On October 9, 1991, the Tribune office relocated to its current address at 74 Trinity Ave, Gouverneur, NY, 13642.

The Gouverneur Tribune Press jumped, feet first, into the 21st Century on June 28, 2007 when it started using computer software to layout and design the newspaper pages. In the past, Tribune employees worked feverishly on Wednesdays laying out pages of the paper. Everything you read or saw – from obits to sports, editorials to ads – was placed on big pieces of paper, pasted in place, and then pressed down so, hopefully it would stick… and sent to the press. Now, using the best technology at the Tribune’s fingertips, we can produce a product that includes full color, spot color… all at a fraction of the previous cost.

The Gouverneur Tribune Press is proud of its enduring legacy of journalistic integrity, and all are welcome to submit contributions to its weekly editions. The Tribune looks forward to continuing our partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Gouverneur, Inc., and other charitable organizations in Gouverneur long into the future!

The Tribune office in Gouverneur is temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, but all questions can be directed through the business office at (518) 359-2166. All news tips and submissions can be sent to gouvtribunepress@gmail.com.

St Lawrence County Emergency Operation Center COVID-19 Update

As of press time on Tuesday, April 7, the Gouverneur Tribune Press received the following news release: The St Lawrence County Emergency Operation Center is open and operational from 8am to 4pm. COVID -19 supplies are being disbursed as they are received. “We are receiving shipments from New York State as they become available. All requests are being addressed with some limitations,” said SLC Emergency Services Director Matthew Denner. “There are 1,380,144 positive cases, 78,226 deaths worldwide; 374,329 positive cases with 12,064 Deaths nationwide; 138,863 positive cases in New York State; and 70 positive cases in. St Lawrence County located in Ogdensburg, Oswegatchie, Macomb, Lisbon, Canton, Potsdam, Pierrepont, Colton, Hopkinton, Lawrence, Stockholm, Norfolk, Louisville, Brasher, Hammond and Massena. St. Lawrence County Public Health Department advises us of 70 positive test results and confirmed these results for Coronavirus (COVID-19) within St. Lawrence County today (April 7, 2020) 12 noon. There are currently four hospitalizations at this time. All confirmed cases are individuals residing in St. Lawrence County. All individuals have been isolated and are being monitored by the St. Lawrence County Public Health Department.”

The Public Health Department is also contacting anyone who may have been in contact with these individuals to determine whether quarantine or testing may be required. COVID-19 symptoms include: cough, fever, trouble breathing and pneumonia. There is currently no vaccine to combat this virus, however everyone can help stop the spread by: practicing social distancing (at least 6 feet), avoid handshakes, wash hands with soap and water (at least 20 seconds) or use an alcohol based hand sanitizer, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands, avoid close contact with people who are sick, cover your cough with a tissue and dispose of the tissue. Clean and disinfect frequently used objects and surfaces.

St Lawrence County Office for the Aging is delivering meals to eligible County resident 60 years of age or older. Please contact OFA at 315-386-4730.

“We are accepting donations for Personal protective equipment,” Director Denner said. “If you would like to donate anything please call the Emergency Operations Center at 315-229-3970 between 8 am and 4 pm. St Lawrence County is strongly recommending everyone should STAY HOME. Practice at least 6 feet social distancing in public, wash your hands frequently, and clean and disinfect shared surfaces regularly. Try to not touch your face with your hands before washing them for at least 20 seconds.”

It is strongly recommended if you are traveling into the county that you should self quarantine for a minimum of 14 days.

The St Lawrence County COVID-19 Call Center/EOC remains open from 8 am to 4 pm daily and is available to answer any questions or concerns surrounding COVID -19. Anyone needing information or services is asked to please call 315-229-3970 or email eoccallcenter@stlawco.org. Further information regarding COVID-19 can be found on the St Lawrence County website; www.stlawco.org/Departments/PublicHealth. For the COVID-19 County map go to https://www.stlawco.org/ Information, and questions regarding COVID-19 call NYS Hotline at: 1-888-364-3065

COVID-19 Relief: Richville residents offered free spaghetti dinner

by Jessyca Cardinell

The pandemic crisis of the Coronavirus has left many concerns globally and locally. As people were feeling confusion, panic and concern, the residents of Richville were offered a delicious free spaghetti dinner with all the fixings on Saturday, March 21. This was to offer some relief and camaraderie during the recent enactment of the quarantine.

Pick-ups were available at two locations, Richville Fire Department and the Richville Baptist Church, with volunteers bringing the meal to the vehicles.

Village of Richville Mayor Blue Jay Fenlong organized the event along with the Village of Richville Trustees. Also giving a helping hand were the parishioners of the Richville Baptist Church and the Richville Volunteer Fire Fighters. Many volunteers joined forces to ensure that the meal was prepared to perfection and that those participating enjoyed a great home cooked meal.

Wonderful job to each and every person who took time out of their schedules to help prepare, separate and deliver the meals to the vehicles. A well thought out process that made an easy and efficient delivery while following the rules of quarantine.

Rena Weaver retires From Gouverneur Hospital

Rena Weaver, Human Resources Assistant, has retired from St. Lawrence Health System’s Gouverneur Hospital after 28 years of service.

Since 1991, Ms. Weaver served both the E.J. Noble Hospital and Gouverneur Hospital in numerous capacities, including Biller, Patient Representative, Pharmacy Technician, Inpatient Sitter, and, most recently, Human Resources Assistant.

“Throughout her time here, Rena acquired a great deal of experience across a wide spectrum of both administrative and clinical roles,” said Gouverneur Hospital CEO Eric Burch. “For nearly three decades, patients, employees, and administrators alike have benefited from her knowledge and sound judgement and her many contributions to the organization will continue to be appreciated for years to come,” added Burch.

“Rena is a very dedicated and compassionate employee who goes out of her way to help coworkers and community members,” said Gouverneur Hospital’s Human Resources Site Leader Lori-Anne McCormick. “As a member of HR, Rena led by example and held the organizations standards to the highest degree; and we are grateful for her longevity and devotion to healthcare within our community.”

Upon retirement, Ms. Weaver is spending more time engaging in her love of watching movies, spending time with family, watching NASCAR’s Jimmy Johnson, and traveling. Her future travel plans already include visiting the casinos in Atlantic City, admiring the views in Montana, and enjoying the Daytona Beach sunshine.

Colleagues joined Ms. Weaver for a reception at the Hospital where she was presented with numerous gifts, including an engraved clock, flowers, and the admiration and well wishes of her colleagues.

Carter Baer NYS Wrestling Champ Sophomore wins 138-pound title

Gouverneur Wildcat Sophomore Carter Baer on top of the podium after winning the 138-pound Division II championship at the 2020 New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Wrestling Championships in Albany. (photo by Dylan Morrison)

by Dick Sterling

The Gouverneur Wildcats have their sixth New York State wrestling champion. Carter Baer, a sophomore and the son of Wildcat Wrestling Coach Joel Baer, upset top seeded Brady Worthing, who entered the state championship match with a record of 45-0, and was the defending New York State champ at 132 pounds, by a 6-4 decision to claim the 138-pound Division II championship at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Wrestling Championships, last weekend, in Albany.

Carter joins John Minckler (2004), Josh Denesha (2005-06), David Perrigo (2006-07), Dillon Stowell (2013) and Hunter Ayen (2013) in the elite group of state wrestling champs from Gouverneur.

Carter, who entered the tournament with a season record of 38-3 and a career mark of 134-16, was seeded third and opened the tournament by pinning Edwin Kent, of Eagle Academy, in 1:38. His second match on Friday was against sixth seeded Dylan Price, of Marcellus/Onondaga. Carter won the quarterfinal match with a 5-1 decision.

The Wildcat standout had his work cut out for him on Saturday. His semifinal match was against number two seed Kaleb Burgess, of Palmyra/Macedon, who entered the match with a record of 53-4. Once again, Carter controlled the match and earned a spot in the title match with a 6-1 decision.

In the title match, Baer and Worthing went toe-to-toe in a scoreless first period. Carter worked his way into an escape in the second period to take a 1-0 lead. Later in the period he earned a takedown to stretch his advantage to 3-0. Later in the match, Baer took Worthing to the mat again to extend his lead to 5-0. Worthing then earned a takedown of his own and briefly put Carter to his back to be awarded a two-point near fall cutting the lead to 5-4. Baer earned another escape and then managed to keep his opponent from scoring another point.

Baer completes an outstanding sophomore season with an impressive record of 42-3. Two of his three losses were to Justin McDougald, of Niagara/Wheatfield, by scores of 3-1 and 8-5. McDougald went on to win the 138-pound Division I title. His other loss, a 1-0 decision, was to Gavin Damasco, of Commack, who finished fourth at 138 pounds in Division I. His 138 Career wins leaves him just 62 shy of the 200-win mark with two more years to go.

Carter is the first Section 10 wrestler since 2015 to win a title, and the first Wildcat wrestler since 2013 to earn a championship.

With 127 teams represented in the Division II tournament, the Gouverneur Wildcats finished in 10th place with 47.5 points. Three other Wildcat wrestlers placed in the tournament. Tyler Tupper (170 pounds) and Jacob Shippee (182) pounds, both placed seventh and Joseph Cummings (152) earned an eighth place finish.

Three other Wildcat wrestlers, Zoe Griffith (99 pounds), Trayton Tupper (120) and Vandavian Way (126) also took part in the tournament. Griffith, a seventh grader, Way, an eighth grader and Tupper, a sophomore, will have plenty of opportunity to find their way back to states again.

Congratulations to Carter Baer and the entire GHS wrestling program for another outstanding season. Wildcat fans are already looking forward to the 2020-21 season.

Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees recognizes former SLC Sheriff Kevin Wells

by Rachel Hunter

The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees at its Feb. 19 meeting in the municipal courtroom recognized former St. Lawrence County Sheriff Kevin Wells for his 35-year career in law enforcement, having been elected three times into the office as county sheriff.

Former SLC Sheriff Kevin Wells is son of Phyllis and the late Weldon “Paul” Wells who passed away in June of 2019. Mayor McDougall recalled Paul as a “community watcher,” often calling the village offices about different matters. Mayor McDougall also mentioned that former SLC Sherriff Kevin Wells is a member of the Gouverneur High School Class of 1978.

Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ronald McDougall recalled that he was there when former SLC Sheriff Wells first announced that he was running for the office. The mayor mentioned that the announcement was made across the road was the Town of Gouverneur Offices Building at US Highway 11 in Gouverneur.

Mayor McDougall opened the floor for comments, and Village of Gouverneur Chief of Police Laurina Greenhill of the Gouverneur Police Department said the following: “In the little over five years of being the chief of police working very closely with the Sheriffs Department, and particularly the Sheriff, who has certainly served as a mentor for me, and had a great working relationship and friends. I am very happy for him in his retirement. Wish you the best.”

Mayor McDougall and the Village Board of Trustees then presented former SLC Sheriff Wells with a Village of Gouverneur fleece vest. Local dignitaries in attendance for the presentation included the following St. Lawrence County Legislator District 5 Henry Leader (R-Gouverneur), Village of Gouverneur Trustee Shelly Simons-Washburn, Village of Gouverneur Trustee Troy Besaw, Village of Gouverneur Rick Wood, Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ronald McDougall, Village of Gouverneur Chief of Police Laurina Greenhill, Village of Gouverneur Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine, Village of Gouverneur Clerk/Treasurer Barbara Finnie, Village of Gouverneur Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Kristina Ayen, Village of Gouverneur Department of Public Works Superintendent TJ Simmons, Village of Gouverneur Recreation Department Director Casey Canell, Gouverneur Code Enforcement Officer Michael McQuade, Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr., Town of Gouverneur Deputy Supervisor Eldon Conklin.

“Thanks, everybody,” Mr. Wells said. “It really means a lot to me. I spent a lot of time around here – from the Gouverneur Rescue Squad to the Gouverneur High School and up through. Still a Wildcat and this is still home no matter where you live, so appreciate it guys.”

Kevin Wells makes his home with Mary Beth Curran of Canton, NY.

Gouverneur Lions Club upgrading GES nature trail

The Gouverneur Lions Club, working in its first phase to upgrade the nature trail by the Gouverneur Elementary School, removed 12 50-year-old exercise stations. (photo provided by Roger LaPierre)

by Rachel Hunter

With the approval of the Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education and GCSD Superintendent of Schools Lauren French, the Gouverneur Lions Club in conjunction with the school maintenance department completed phase one of the Gouverneur Elementary School Nature Trail clean-up and upgrade, which included removal and disposal of 12 50-year-old wooden exercise stations.

Phase two of the project will be to resurface portions of trails which get flooded out at certain times of the year along with redoing the wooden walkway bridge, perhaps even as a covered bridge.

Superintendent of Schools Lauren French was also successful in obtaining a $10,000 grant for new trail equipment, which will help revitalize the nature trail for years to come.

More information on this endeavor will be published once it is made available to the Gouverneur Tribune Press.

Much gratitude is extended to all those for their cooperation on this project, so that the Gouverneur community can enjoy a great one-mile walk in the woods – that is safe and easy.

This Saturday, February 1, North Country families are invited to head out to the nature trail for a “Winter Book Walk” anytime between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. This is a free event that is sponsored by the Gouverneur Central School District Wellness Committee and Elementary PTO in conjunction with the St. Lawrence County Health Initiative. Mounted book pages located around the trail will give families the experience of walking through a winter story while getting active and having fun. There also will be fitness challenges at each stop for those looking for an optional challenge to get active with family members. All those who are interested in joining are reminded to dress warmly and don their winter weather gear before heading out the door to join this free, family friendly event. For more information, visit the GCSD Wildcat Facebook page.

GHS Chorus lauded by town supervisor for carol singing at GCC

by Rachel Hunter

Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. told the Town of Gouverneur Council at its Dec. 10 meeting lauded the Gouverneur High School Chorus, conducted by Renee Powlin, which sang Christmas carols to over 85 people at the Gouverneur Community Center earlier that day.

The Gouverneur High School Chorus includes the following students: Soprano: Madison Brooks, Corryn Canell, Makayla Cassell-Beck, Allison Carvel, Sarah Crook, Saraphenna Filiatrault, Kortney Knight, Hope Leader, Chelsea Manning, Jenika Richards, Shaylee Smith, Abigail Way, and Ariana Zeller. Alto: Hannah Bango, Haley Blair, Hailey Bodah, Makayla Brooks, Niciara House-Bowman, Corinne LaPierre, Mariah Manning, Camila Marquez, Mikayla McNeil, Ariel Mooney, Emily Mullin, Gabrielle Platt, Elizabeth Riutta, Jahonna Sloan, and Jaelynn Stevens. Tenor: Jacob Carvel, Shacoria Jackson, Makyle Pankey, Cole Siebels, Brett VanSant, Kaleb Webster, and Marina Wood. Baritone/Bass: Noble Baker, Connor Canell, Hazen Given, Richard Nichols, Jr., Christopher Weaver, and Kolby Wells.

Much applause was given to the students throughout the concert by those in attendance. The crowd consisted of those enjoying meals at the Gouverneur Congregate Dining Center as well as members of the Gouverneur Senior Citizens Club and the Shakespeare Club.

“They did a wonderful job. It’s always a big treat to have them there, and really appreciate working with Gouverneur High School Principal Cory Wood and Gouverneur Central School District Superintendent of Schools Lauren French to make it available for these kids to come over and then perform for us. It made the day kind of special.”

The next meeting of the Town of Gouverneur Council is to be held on Tuesday, January 14, 6 p.m., in the town offices building.

2019 Gouverneur Christmas Parade draws crowd

by Rachel Hunter

Santa Claus giving a hug to a local child at the 2019 Gouverneur Christmas Parade as he made his way to the gazebo to greet the Gouverneur-area children. (Rachel Hunter photos)

Holiday spirit sparked in the Gouverneur community on Friday, December 6 during the 2019 Gouverneur Christmas Parade, sponsored annually by the Gouverneur Area Chamber of Commerce.

The highlight of the event was the arrival of Santa Claus direct from the North Pole for the occasion. He jumped off his sleigh at the Gouverneur Fire Department and jumped atop one of the fire engines at about 5 p.m. in preparation to greet all the local children in the Gouverneur-area community.

Parade participants formed in the municipal parking lot by Aubuchon Hardware, and the Gouverneur residents lined Main Street in anticipation of the grand event. As soon as traffic control measures were taken by the Gouverneur Police Department, the parade commenced down its route, each entry being announced by Chamber Director Gale Ferguson. The parade was escorted down Main Street by Village of Gouverneur Chief of Police Laurina Greenhill in a Gouverneur Police Department apparatus.

Local dignitaries joining the parade were Town of Gouverneur Deputy Supervisor Eldon Conklin, Village of Gouverneur Trustee Troy Besaw, Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ronald McDougall, and Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr.

Next up was the Village of Gouverneur Department of Public Works truck, which had decorated in festive holiday lights, ornamental inflatable yard decorations and other Christmas décor in addition to Gouverneur Wildcat flags. The Village of Gouverneur DPW received the Best Holiday Float Award, receiving the $50 Award. The Chamber also expressed that the Village of Gouverneur DPW did a great job once again decorating and getting the village park ready for the annual Christmas parade. The driver was Village of Gouverneur Motor Equipment Operator Chris Fitzgerald with his daughter, Hadley Fitzgerald, as passenger.

“Merry Christmas” greetings were wished by students and staff at St. James School who entered a live nativity float.

“Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year” wishes were extended from Nick Ciambra of the New York Pizzeria in Gouverneur.

Next up were scouts and leaders with the Gouverneur Cub Scout Pack 21, sponsored by the First United Methodist Church of Gouverneur. Also in the parade were Gouverneur Cub Scout Pack 2035, led by Cubmaster Chris Gates, in a festively decorated float complete with a reindeer and lit Christmas yard ornaments.

A hay wagon filled with many Gouverneur Elementary School students was driven down the parade route by Jay Rizza. The children excitedly waved as the anticipation built in the moments leading up to Santa Claus’ arrival.

Marching on foot were Cadette/Senior Girl Scout Troop 50340 with co-leaders Sandy McDougall and Kristy McDougall.

The Gouverneur Dunkin’ Donuts store wished everyone in the community “Merry Christmas” as the Dunkin’ mascot joined the Christmas parade in Gouverneur.

Also participating in the parade on a float supporting “Team Ollie” were the Marble City Bombers Travel Softball Teams 16U, 14U, 12U, and 10U.

The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association brought a float that advertised the 2020 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair and the opening night performance by Lonestar on Tuesday, August 4, 8 p.m. All were encouraged to check out Lonestar’s Christmas music this holiday season. For more ticket info, visit gouverneurfair.net.

The Gouverneur Teachers Association marched a brought a special “Elves on the Shelf” themed float, which featured New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Vice President Paul Pecorale and Amber Ormasen as the elves.

Gouverneur Savings and Loan Association marched and brought their mascot, Benjamin, to the 2019 Gouverneur Christmas Parade. The Gouverneur Savings and Loan Association has full branches in Gouverneur, Alexandria Bay and a lending office in Lowville.

Also participating were the Gouverneur Wildcat Girls Basketball Program with players from the modified, JV, and Varsity Girls Basketball team, coached by JV coach Rick Vrooman and Head Varsity Coach Sean Devlin.

The Town of Gouverneur Highway Department truck pulled a float that carried the 2019 Gouverneur Wildcat Varsity Football Team, who had the honor of being four-time Section 10 Champions and became NYS Class C Championship finalists, and also the Gouverneur Mini-Cats. The float was decorated in Gouverneur Wildcat flags and banners and Christmas décor that inspired awe.

“Merry Christmas” wishes from Bango Hollow Farm of Theresa were issued as parade onlookers watched Cathy Dane of Gouverneur drive the team of “Dean” and “Pixie” down the parade route.

Empire State Mines then joined parade with their enthusiastic Christmas miners, eager to wave hello to all the parade attendees.

The Happy Helpers 4-H Club marched down the parade route, and wished the Gouverneur community a “Merry Christmas.”

Tim and Cindy Bango of Bango Valley Percherons in Richville brought the Gouverneur Pee Wee Major and Minor Football team in a wagon pulled by their team of draft horses.

“Merry Christmas” wishes were issued from Team Blevins, and all in attendance were encouraged to stop by their new location.

The parade also included the musical stylings of the Gouverneur Central band, led by Ms. Jenelle Yeoman, which brought holiday cheer for all to hear.

The parade culminated with fire trucks from local departments. Richville Fire Department brought ETA 10. Oxbow Fire Department brought Oxbow 33-1-2, driven by Allen Aldridge with passengers Mike Manning, Kelsey Denicola, Ally Aldridge, and Curtis Denicola. Gouverneur Fire Department brought Engine-17, driven by Vinny Ferry, and Truck 2, driven Barry Gale. But, the biggest draw was the Rescue-4 truck, driven by GFD Chief Tom Conklin, which carried Santa Claus, who waved to all the local children as the fire truck made its way down the parade route.

At the culmination the parade, Santa Claus made his way to the gazebo where he heard the children’s wishes. Hot cocoa and cookies were available at the First United Methodist Church of Gouverneur, having been made available by the Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce. There also were horse-drawn wagon rides around the Gouverneur Savings and Loan Association that were made available to local residents, due to the generosity of MacFadden-Dier Leonard Insurance.

All those in attendance were also encouraged to head over to the Gouverneur Community Center for the 8:30 p.m. free showing of “The Grinch.”

Much gratitude is extended to all those who participated in the 2019 Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce sponsored Christmas Parade! Check this week’s calendar listings for more upcoming holiday events.

Local dignitaries participating in the 2019 Gouverneur Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Gouverneur Area Chamber of Commerce. From left: Town of Gouverneur Deputy Supervisor Eldon Conklin, Village of Gouverneur Trustee Troy Besaw, Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ronald McDougall, and Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr.

Village of Gouverneur Department of Public Works festively adorned its truck for the 2019 Gouverneur Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Gouverneur Area Chamber of Commerce. The truck was driven by Chris Fitzgerald, and the passenger is his daughter, Hadley Fitzgerald. The Village of Gouverneur DPW won the $50 award for the best float. (Rachel Hunter photos)

Members of the GCS band and family, led by Ms. Jenelle Yeoman, bringing some holiday cheer for all to hear.

Gouverneur Teachers Association “Elves on the Shelf” themed float featured a special guest elf, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Vice President Paul Pecorale. Also on the float, but not pictured: Gouverneur’s own Amber Ormasen. (Rachel Hunter photos)

Fear The G! Gouverneur Wildcat Football players on a festive float, pulled by a Town of Gouverneur Highway Department truck during the 2019 Gouverneur Christmas Parade.