St. James begins weekly fish fry tonight

by Rachel Hunter

St. James Fish Fry dinners will soon draw hungry North Country residents and visitors to St. James School in Gouverneur during the 2025 Lenten season. All funds raised and donated will benefit the St. James School, 20 S. Gordon St., Gouverneur.

For over 60 years, St. James School has provided outstanding education to the whole community. St. James School provides an education for students in preschool through sixth grade. The St. James School Principal is Mrs. Laurel Bartholomew. The mission of St. James Parish School is to provide a quality Catholic education for students to grow spiritually, academically, socially, and physically, in partnership with families and in harmony with the specific gifts given by God to each student.

The St. James Fish Fry is a community effort that requires roughly 200 volunteers over the seven weeks. This includes the chefs, dessert bakers, servers, delivery drivers, teen helpers, and the fish fry crew. Many North Country community members lend their God-given talents for a successful Lenten season. It is estimated that over 200 hearty meals will be served weekly at St. James School, thanks to the generosity of the local community,

The 2025 St. James Fish Fry begins today (Friday, March 7). Serving starts at 4:30 p.m. until sold out. The dinner included fried fish, a choice of mac and cheese or French Fries, roll, cole slaw and dessert. The cost is a $15 donation per meal to the St. James School. Children 5 and under eat the meals at no cost. All North Country residents are encouraged to come out in support each week to enjoyed the meals in-person at St. James School in Gouverneur, or via takeout or delivery.

Great appreciation is extended to all those who support St. James School in Gouverneur.

In other news: The Annual St. James Gala and Silent Auction raised $55,000 for St. James School. This money will enable the school to fulfill its mission to provide a quality education rooted in faith to the deserving children who grace its halls. Next year will be the first-ever spring St. James Gala on April 25, 2026. More information will be reported in a future edition of the Gouverneur Tribune Press. The efforts of the St. James Gala Committee (Joni Bates, Mary-Elizabeth Friot, Elaine Terpstra, Samantha Campanaro, Bridgette LaPierre, Gidget Wainwright, Clara Cummings, Kylie Sands, and Laurie Weekes) are recognized. For more information on how to donate to St. James School, visit stjamesk-6.org.

Gouverneur CSD Board of Education hears Wildcat News report

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur CSD Board of Education heard the Wildcat News Report from Gouverneur CSD Superintendent of Schools Jackie Kelly at its March 3 meeting, held at the Gouverneur Middle School cafeteria.

The report was given as follows: “As our winter athletic season wraps up, I’d like to give an update about each of our teams and the success they had this year,” Supt. Kelly said. “Our Boys Basketball team’s record does not fully reflect the success of the Gouverneur Boys Basketball program this winter. Despite facing adversity throughout the season, the players and coaches remained committed and never wavered. By the end of the season, Gouverneur Boys Basketball was a completely different program that proved they could compete with any team in Section X. The program is proud of their progress and excited to build upon what they started. 

“Our Girls Basketball team had a competitive season, finishing second in the Central Division and earning the opportunity to compete for a Section X Championship for the fourth consecutive year. The team posted a league record of 5-5 and an overall record of 9-13. Despite a tough schedule that included 7 games against NYS-ranked teams, the girls had several exciting matchups, many of which were decided by fewer than 10 points. The team was very young, graduating only 2 seniors, while 9 juniors and sophomores will return next season, looking to be one of the top teams in the league once again.

“The cheer team did a tremendous job bringing loud, positive energy to our home basketball games throughout the winter season. On senior night, the Gouverneur crowd had the opportunity to watch the routine that they have worked tirelessly on throughout the season. The team refined their routine and continued to improve all the way through the sectional championship meet on February 27th at SUNY Potsdam.

“This season for the Boys Varsity Swim team was a tremendous success. For two consecutive seasons, the team picked up a winning meet record. The team won their third consecutive Section X Boys Swimming title and qualified one relay team and two individuals in three events for the NYSPHSAA State Meet. Gouverneur will be sending four swimmers to the NYSPHSAA Championships at Ithaca College this Friday. Carter Lumley, Chase Tuttle, Wyatt Slate, and Rayden Lacey will compete in the 400 Freestyle Relay. Wyatt Slate will compete in two individual events, the 200 Individual Medley and the 100 Breaststroke. Chase Tuttle will compete in the 100 Backstroke. The four of them will compete in the preliminaries on Friday March 7th with the potential of swimming in the finals the following day.

“The indoor track team finished their season with great effort at the Section X Championships on February 7th. Both teams finished with several award winners and multiple personal records. Audrey Gaines capped off her outstanding season as Section X Champion in the high jump, while Azlan Spicer set a personal record placing second overall in the triple jump. Both student-athletes will be traveling to compete at the NYSPHSAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Staten Island this Friday, March 8th. 

“The wrestling team traveled to several tournaments throughout the season, competing against some of the state's best. They qualified for the NYSPHSAA Duals and battled in two close matches against top-tier programs. To cap off their 15th consecutive perfect league season, Gouverneur claimed the overall Section X team championship and crowned six individual champions, who competed in Albany this past weekend. JD Minckler and Ryan Mashaw came just one win away from the podium, while Cyler Baer fought through a tough bracket to finish 7th in NYS. With a competitive young team, the program is already looking forward to getting back to work.

“The girls wrestling program had a very successful inaugural season. The team traveled to several tournaments across the state and found success everywhere they went. To highlight the season, the program hosted Gouverneur’s first ever all-girls dual meet against Indian River in front of an electric crowd. Hannah Sochia and Onna Moss both represented our district well as they qualified to compete at the NYSPHSAA Girls Wrestling Championships.

“Finally, you may not be aware that we had a power outage today at the Gouverneur Elementary School and the bus garage. The power was out for approximately an hour and a half this morning. An elementary school with over five hundred students in the dark could pose quite a challenge but that was not the case at the Gouverneur Elementary School. When Mrs. Sullivan, Mr. Munn, and I arrived on the scene at approximately 10:30 a.m. the cafeteria staff had lunch hot and ready to serve. They served in the dark while members of the guidance and office staff, along with teachers and support staff supervised the cafeteria while other adults went to classrooms to supervise the older students while they ate lunch. It was a great example of teamwork and how we can work together to support our students. When the lights came back on about an hour later, everything was back to normal within minutes. I would like to thank the elementary cook Shelly Blair and the entire cafeteria staff: Darlene Palmer, April Marcellus, Krystle Cardinell, Amanda Vanderwahl, Tracey Hutton, Laurie Castor, Linda Soto and Sarah Besaw for serving lunch hot and in the dark. I’d also like to thank Mr. Trowbridge and Mrs. Connelly for your leadership and all of the teachers and support staff for helping to keep things as normal as possible for our students during the power outage.”

Much gratitude was extended to Supt. Kelly for her report. The next regular meeting of the Gouverneur CSD Board of Education is scheduled to be held March 17, 5:30 p.m., at the Gouverneur Elementary School cafeteria. For more information, visit www.gcsk12.org.

Village board approves financial agreement

by Rachel Hunter

Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees at its Feb. 19 meeting approved a financial agreement between the Town and Village of Gouverneur and the Town of Fowler for the Gouverneur Recreation Center.

The Town of Fowler agreed to pay the annual sum of $1,200. The payment will be made on or before December 31, 2025.

The motion to approve the financial agreement was made by Village Trustee Troy Besaw, seconded by Trustee Floyd McAdam. The motion carried with all votes cast in favor.

The next regular meeting of the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, March 18, 6 p.m., in the municipal courtroom. For more information, call 315-287-1720.

Ladycats beat Massena in Class A semifinals; Hammond, Harrisville and E-K all win in “D”

by Dick Sterling

The Gouverneur Ladycat varsity basketball team had one more opportunity to play a game in front of their hometown fans. Last Friday, Gouverneur welcomed the Massena Lady Raiders into their local gym for a huge Section 10 Class A playoff game. The Ladycats jumped to a big early lead and then hung on for a hard-fought 42-29 victory and a shot at playing the state-ranked Malone Lady Huskies in the Championship game. That contest played out Wednesday, at SUNY Potsdam. We’ll have details of that game in next week’s edition.

As usual, there was plenty of excitement in the Section 10 Girls Class D playoffs, with three area teams, Hammond, Edwards-Knox and Harrisville all advancing to the semifinals… we’ll have reports on those semifinal games in next week’s edition.

Here’s what happened this week:

The Ladycats

Monday’s game started with Massena’s Meghan Firnstein and Gouverneur’s Renisa Richards exchanging three-pointers. Massena would then go stone cold from the floor, managing just a pair of Firnstein free throws for the remainder of the quarter, meanwhile the Ladycats would score 13 more points in the opening quarter, eight of them coming from Ashlyn Besaw, including an end-to-end drive that finished at the buzzer… after one it was 16-5 in favor of the hometown Ladycats.

The second quarter featured a big highlight for the visiting team… and very little scoring. The Ladycats managed inside shots from Arianna Wood and Raegan Devlin to up the lead to 20-5. Midway through the quarter Firnstein connected on a three-pointer and the game was stopped as she and her family and coaches celebrated her 1,000th career point. Massena would manage just one more basket in the opening half as Gouverneur headed to the halftime break with a 20-10 advantage.

Five different Lady Raiders scored in the third quarter, including three-pointers from Firnstein, Aubrey McGee and Sophia Greco, with Greco’s shot cutting the Gouverneur lead to two points, but Devlin stopped the rally with a three-pointer of her own to close out the quarter with the Ladycats on top 27-22.

Firnstein scored on a short jumper to open the final quarter, but the Ladycats then put together an 11-0 run to open a double digit lead and cruised to the 42-29 victory, making their last home game of the season something to remember.

Besaw scored 14 to lead Gouverneur. Electa Fitzgerald, who netted six points in that fourth quarter run, finished with eight. Wood scored seven and Devlin added six. Richards scored five. Firnstein scored 14 to wrap up her career with 1,006 points. Greco added five points.

On Wednesday, the Ladycats headed to SUNY Potsdam to battle the state-ranked Malone Lady Huskies, who have put together a 15-1 season so far. We’ll report on that game in next week’s edition.

Ladycat Head Coach Sean Devlin commented on the girl’s performance after the victory, beating Massena at home in the playoffs was a huge win for us. Our team defense has really improved in the past few weeks. We have spent a lot of time at practice on that, and it has shown. We ended up in second place in the league with the opportunity to play in the Section 10 Championship Game at Maxcy Hall for the fourth year in a row. That's a pretty good season."

Class D Quarterfinals

Last Thursday a handful of Gouverneur area teams played some exciting games as the Section 10 Class D quarterfinals unfolded across the North Country.

Hammond 38 Hermon-DeKalb 30

At Hammond, the third seeded Lady Red Devils, who are two-time defending New York State Class D champions, entertained the Hermon-DeKalb Lady Green Demons, the six seed. The two teams had split their regular season games and this one would prove to be most interesting. Hammond, who are used to scoring points in bunches, simply couldn’t manage any offense in the opening quarter. Pressure defense from Hermon-DeKalb and the fact that the shots simply weren’t falling added up to a 10-2 lead for the Lady Green Demons, which included a pair of three-pointers from Hailey Brabaw.

Mia Tulley brought the home fans to life by opening the second quarter with a three, the Lady Demons responded with a pair of baskets to up the lead to nine, but Hammond fought back with eight straight points, including a pair of three-pointers from freshman Addison Webster, but Hermon-DeKalb hung on to a 18-13 lead at the break as two teams known for their high-scoring offenses simply had trouble finding any points in the opening half.

It appeared that the Lady Green Demons would be the ones to end Hammond’s hopes of three-peating as state champs as they built their lead to 24-16 with less than two minutes to play in the third quarter, but Webster knocked down a three, Kayla Vaughan hit a short jump shot and Ava Howie, who joined Hammond’s 1,000-point club this season, drove up the lane for a layup with six seconds to go in the quarter, cutting the Hermon-DeKalb lead to a single point at 24-23.

A pair of free throws from Howie gave Hammond their first lead since 2-0, and they would close the game on a 15-6 run to advance to the Class D semifinals by a final score of 38-30. Foster connected on five three-pointers for her 15 points. Howie finished with 10 and Mikayla Jones added seven for the Lady Red Devils. Hannah Coller scored seven to lead Hermon-DeKalb. Brabaw added six.

Edwards-Knox 51 Heuvelton 42

The second seeded Lady Cougars appear to be hitting their stride at the right time of the season and appeared to be getting ready to blow out the Lady Bulldogs as they raced to an 18-6 advantage after one quarter of play with Cam Huckle scoring eight in the quarter and Kiana Hogle adding four more. Heuvelton came to life in the second quarter as their top scorer, Cassidy Pray heated up by scoring eight of the Lady Bulldog’s 10 second quarter points as the two teams headed to the halftime break with E-K on top 26-16.

A three-pointer and a free throw from Addison Foster helped the Lady Cougars to their largest lead of the game at 30-16 before the Lady Bulldogs began to chip away. Heuvelton closed the third quarter on an 11-3 run to cut the lead to 35-29 heading to the final quarter. Lilliann Brossoit scored early in the quarter, was fouled and completed the three-point play and Miah Scott followed with an inside shot to force E-K to take a timeout with the score 35-34 with 6:45 to play.

A three from Huckle gave E-K a little breathing room and four straight free throws from Huckle iced it as the Lady Cougars hung on for a 51-42 victory and a matchup with Hammond in the semifinals. Huckle, who converted eight of her 12 free throw attempts, scored 17 to lead the way. Addison Foster finished with 10, Kiana Hogle netted nine and Sophia Bullock scored eight and played a great inside game. Pray led all scorers with 19 points to lead Heuvelton. Brossoit added eight.

Harrisville advances

The Harrisville Lady Pirates, seeded fifth, had little trouble getting past fourth seeded Colton-Pierrepont as they won a 51-22 decision at Colton and earned a semifinal battle with top seeded Chateaugay, which beat ninth seeded Morristown 55-34. We will report on the Class D semifinals in next week’s edition.

Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 to honor Veteran, Auxilian of the Year

by Rachel Hunter

The 79th Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 Anniversary Dinner & Dance will be held on Saturday, March 8 at the VFW Hall, 100 W. Main Street, Gouverneur. The event includes: cocktail hour (5 p.m.), pot roast dinner (6 p.m.), awards ceremony (7 p.m.), and dance featuring The Common Revolution (8 p.m. to midnight). Tickets are now available for purchase, $15 each, at the VFW Post 6338 during regular hours of operation.

The event will honor Veteran of the Year George Griffith of Gouverneur, and Auxilian of the Year Jeff Platt of Gouverneur. The announcement was recently made by Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 Commander Roland Roderick.

Veteran of the Year

George Griffith of Gouverneur has been selected as Veteran of the Year. Griffith graduated from Gouverneur High school, and enlisted into U.S. Navy in 1968. He went to Vietnam on a destroyer, the USS Agerholm. “We did plane guard, and went up the Mouth of the Mekong. We shot five-inch rounds. We shot a lot there. We would shoot all day, and unload ammo all night at sea.” Griffith served for three years, ten months and then returned to his beloved hometown of Gouverneur, NY. He was employed at Seaker Chevrolet in Gouverneur, iron works in Virginia and Gouverneur, Harrisville Manufacturing, and enjoyed a 30-year career at the Natural Dam paper mill.

Griffith joined VFW Post 6338 in 1968. Griffith told the Gouverneur Tribune Press that his father paid his membership while he was overseas. “I have been a member ever since,” he said. “I was always worried about not getting the membership paid. But then I won the life membership here a few years ago.” Griffith is now retired, and enjoys volunteering at the VFW Post 6338. “I just came here to help,” he said. Griffith serves as an assistant to Quartermaster William Randall, and helps the VFW Post 6338 with bookwork, writing checks, and counting the gambling tickets. As of press time this week, the hunt for the Queen of Hearts is still on. The jackpot is now over $55,000. The next drawing is Friday night, 6 p.m., at 100 W. Main St., Gouverneur.

Griffith encourages all North Country residents to apply for membership at the Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 in Gouverneur. For more information, call 315-287-4682 or stop by 100 W. Main St., Gouverneur during regular hours of operation.

George Griffith married Nancy Faye Marcellus on August 1, 1969, at the Gouverneur VFW Post rooms. The couple enjoyed nearly four decades of marriage, before Nancy passed away in 2008. The couple raised three children, Laura Schneller of DePeyster, Bryan Griffith of Gouverneur, Sarah Griffith of Gouverneur, and have grandchildren. Griffith is now in a relationship with Barbara Laidlaw of Gouverneur.

While he believes himself to be “no hero,” Griffith looks forward to celebrating the 79th Anniversary of the Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 with family and friends.

Auxilian of the Year

Jeff Platt of Gouverneur, a retired U.S. Air Force veteran, will be presented the Auxilian of the Year honor.

Platt worked as a telecommunications specialist and scientific laboratory technician. He went to basic training on December 10, 1973. He separated on December 31, 1993, and entered retired status on January 1, 1994. He retired after 20 years of military service. His first assignment took him to Okinawa, Japan. He was stationed at Fort George G. Meade in Maryland, cross-trained at McClellan Air Force Base in California, and Patrick Air Force Base in Florida. He received a National Defense Ribbon with a Battle Star for being a Vietnam-era veteran who served during Operation Desert Storm. He also has a commendation medal, and many awards.

“I was never in theatre of operations, so I am not eligible for the VFW,” Platt said, explaining that he belongs to the VFW Auxiliary at Post 6338, James Maloy American Legion Post 65, Heuvelton AmVets Post 1997, and the Air Force Sergeants Association.

Jeff Platt told the Gouverneur Tribune Press that he joined the Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 Auxiliary on October 16, 2015 under his eldest brother, Charles “Clifford” Platt, a life member of the VFW Post 6338, who was stationed at Korea. Platt has served the local post as conductor (2017), president (2018-2024), and senior vice president (2025), and a two-year trustee. At the district level, he has taken on the roles of senior vice president, president, treasurer, three-year trustee. At the state level, he is currently serving as Department of New York Assistant Chief of Staff for District 9. Platt also serves as the Scholarship Chairman and Youth Chairman for the VFW Post 6338 Auxiliary. He also takes great pride in the VFW Auxiliary’s support for veterans and families throughout the North Country region.

Jeff Platt has two children who live in Florida, four granddaughters, and a grandson. He is looking forward to the 79th VFW Post 6338 Anniversary Dinner and Dance on March 8, and celebrating with friends and family.

Mr. Platt encourages all youths to participate in the Illustrating America (Kindergarten to Grade 8) and Patriotic Art (Grades 9-12) contests. The deadline is March 31, 2025. For more information, call 315-287-4682 or visit vfwauxiliary.org. All submissions must be made through the Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 Auxiliary.

Anticipation is high for the 79th Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 Anniversary Dinner & Dance on Saturday, March 8. Purchase tickets now to ensure your seat. Stop by the VFW Hall at 100 W. Main St., Gouverneur for more information. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Doors will open at 8 p.m. for those who would just like to see the free show from local band, The Common Revolution. For more information, call 315-287-4682.

Gouverneur COs on strike

by Rachel Hunter

Corrections officers from the Gouverneur Correctional Facility went on strike this past Tuesday (Feb. 18), joining strikes at other prisons across New York State.

People stood in frigid temperatures in front of the Gouverneur Correctional Facility, and at the local strike headquarters, which have been established at Mullin’s Restaurant in Gouverneur.

New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) said in a statement that it does not sanction the strikes. Strikes by government employees are illegal under a section of state Civil Service Law commonly known as the Taylor Law. Employees lose two days of pay for every day they are on strike.

As local media has reported, the strikes began Monday at Collins Correctional Facility near Buffalo, which went into lockdown for several days last week after contraband was found. The protest has since grown to several other facilities across the state. Discontent has been growing among corrections officers as they say they are forced to work extensive amounts of overtime due to a staffing shortage.

Union leaders recently issued a vote of “no confidence” in Daniel Martuscello III, the state corrections commissioner. Senator Dan Stec (R,C-Queensbury) has called for the resignation of DOCCS Commissioner Daniel Martuscello III. Stec sponsors legislation that addresses many of the concerns presented by correction officers, from a repeal of HALT to mandatory use of body scanners and improved secure vendor processes. Stec reports that these bills have become more important than ever, as a series of events inside correctional facilities have imperiled the safety of officers and civilian staff. “A few weeks ago, two dozen officers and civilian staffers at Upstate Correctional Facility received medical care after a synthetic drug exposure. Last week, inmates took over dorms and forced a lockdown at Collins. These events are occurring because of HALT, loopholes in the secure vendor process and use of body scanners and reduced staffing levels. It’s clear that Commissioner Martuscello is incapable of responding to these very real safety concerns and has lost the trust of our correction officers. For the safety of these dedicated men and women to help restore order and faith in the leadership structure of DOCCS, Commissioner Martuscello must resign or be removed from his post,” Stec said. Senator Stec penned a letter to Gov. Hochul calling for Commissioner Martuscello’s resignation.

On Tuesday, Senator Walczyk called on Governor Hochul to stop ignoring the pressing needs of correction officers and to take immediate action to ensure their safety and well-being. Correctional Officers (COs) are advocating for essential and simple improvements, including the implementation of body scanners, vendor secure mail options, and the repeal of the HALT Act—simple yet critical requests that have been overlooked and ignored by the Albany Democrats and Governor Hochul. In response to the ongoing unrest, Senator Walczyk issued the following statement: “It is no surprise that we find ourselves in this situation. Time and again, Corrections Officers have raised their voices for support and necessary reforms, yet their pleas have gone unanswered. Instead of prioritizing the safety of our COs  across the state, Governor Hochul and her colleagues have enacted policies that hinder their ability to do their jobs effectively and safely.  Our Corrections Officers face life-threatening conditions every day in an environment that has descended into chaos. The absence of meaningful reform has put them in harm's way.  It is high time we prioritize their safety and stop coddling criminals,” Walczyk emphasized. Senator Walczyk has a proven track record of advocating for Corrections Officers during his more than six years in the State Legislature. He has opposed measures granting the Governor the authority to close state prisons, called for the implementation of a secure vendor program, and championed the end of double-bunking in facilities. Additionally, he sponsored legislation to place drug-sniffing dogs in every state prison in New York. Walczyk is also a cosponsor of S.2656, which seeks to repeal the HALT Act—a law he opposed that limits the tools available to COs for maintaining order within correctional facilities. Senator Walczyk remains committed to fighting for the rights and safety of Corrections Officers, ensuring that they have the support they need to carry out their essential duties. Senator Walczyk represents four correctional facilities in his District, Gouverneur, Riverview, Cape Vincent and Hale Creek. 

NYS Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush issued the following statement: “The safety of the men and women inside our state correctional facilities has been increasingly at risk due to bad liberal policies such as the HALT Act where inmate on staff assault rates are up 76% and inmate on inmate assaults are up 169%. Staff and family pleas for help have been ignored compounded by massive staff shortages and forced closures causing this to be at a crisis and unstainable level of chaos. The Governor has mobilized the National Guard, but she should have been mobilizing common sense and prioritized safety in our correctional facilities. There needs to be an immediate course correction and I am prepared to apply as much outreach and pressure as possible.” Assemblyman Blankenbush along with Senators Dan Stec and Mark Walczyk introduced legislation earlier this month to require the use of body scanners in NYS Correctional Facilities by inmates and visitors.

NYS Governor Kathy Hochul on Feb. 18 announced preparations to utilize the New York National Guard to protect correction officers who are currently on the job, individuals in DOCCS care and the communities surrounding these correctional facilities. The Governor also directed Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Commissioner Daniel Martuscello and senior Administration officials to meet with leaders from the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association to call for an end to the unlawful work stoppage that is causing significant public safety concerns across New York.

“The illegal and unlawful actions being taken by a number of correction officers must end immediately," Governor Hochul said. "We will not allow these individuals to jeopardize the safety of their colleagues, incarcerated people, and the residents of communities surrounding our correctional facilities. I have directed my Administration to meet with union leadership to resolve this situation and have also ordered the National Guard be mobilized to secure our correctional facilities in the event it is not resolved by tomorrow. Correction officers do difficult work under challenging circumstances, and I have consistently fought for them to have better pay and working conditions and will continue to do so.”

Governor Hochul prepared to deploy members of the New York National Guard to DOCCS facilities (Feb. 19) if the unlawful work stoppage does not end, and take appropriate disciplinary action as necessary. The Governor has also directed her Counsel to work with the Office of the Attorney General on legal mechanisms such as the Taylor Law which will compel employees to return to work.

DOCCS Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III said, “Earlier today we met with NYSCOPBA President Summers and his Executive Board to discuss a path forward to returning all facilities to normal operations and ending this illegal strike. The safety and security of the staff and incarcerated population is paramount to me. I value the hard work and commitment of the men and women at DOCCS who have had to sacrifice time with their families due to the current staffing shortage. However, this illegal job action involving NYSCOPBA members is causing irreparable harm to the operations of the department and jeopardizing the safety and security of their co-workers within these facilities. We will continue to develop strategies to reduce assaults and to bring more staff on board with NYSCOPBA, the recognized bargaining agency for correction officers and sergeants. There is always room for progress and for disagreements and we welcome continued dialogue with the union at the table. At this time, I am urging all those on strike to end this job action.”

Governor Hochul reports that she has worked with NYSCOPBA to improve salaries, benefits and working conditions for corrections officers. In March 2024, the union agreed to a collective bargaining agreement with the State of New York to improve working conditions for corrections officers: Increased salaries and starting pay for new employees by $6,500. Increased Correction Officer location-based pay by $500 to $1,000 per Officer for downstate assignments. Increased Correction Officer hazardous duty pay from $200 to $1,075. Provides 12 weeks of fully-paid parental leave. Governor Hochul has also fought successfully to pass new laws and implement administrative changes to protect corrections officers. This includes advancing legislation to authorize the use of body scanners in correctional facilities and securing funding to procure the deployment of this technology. The Governor also supported DOCCS implementation of the vendor package program leading to large reductions in contraband entering our correctional facilities. Governor Hochul has also expanded efforts to increase recruitment and hiring of new correction officers.

Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall raised the topic during the Feb. 18 meeting of the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees. “In case you haven’t heard, there’s been a number of things that have happened in the past month or two involving the Department of Corrections… There’s what happened at Marcy, and there’s been other labor relations problems at a couple of prisons, but one in western New York particularly, where for a while correctional officers had to give up some of the dorms that they were supervising, because of all the violence. As a result of that, some prisons decided to have some work stoppages, to some might be known as a wildcat strike, but nevertheless work stoppages. It is not sanctioned by the union, but nevertheless, it is important. They think it is important, and it is growing by the minute. Last night, on my way home, it was 14 and by this morning it was 26 correctional facilities. Here, locally, there was a protest in Ogdensburg this morning. I did not going to that, but their assemblyman did. Our State Senator, Mark Walczyk, came here to Gouverneur, to the prison. I went up this afternoon. It is an interesting situation. There’s a bunch of demands from the organized labor or the Corrections and members. If you haven’t heard Mullin’s is the strike or “work interruption” headquarters. That is a good way to put it… I was there for a bit, along with NYS Assemblyman Scott Gray. That is what is going on. I was probably underdressed for it, and I got (a DOCCS hat). One of those correctional officers felt sorry for an old guy with no hat. It was cold… there were burn barrels and the whole nine yards. Anyway, that is what is going on. It is a very unfortunate situation. As of an hour ago, the National Guard has been put on notice. They have not been activated. But her administration said that if this does not end by tomorrow night, they will be activated. Some of the people I talked to said, it will not be over tomorrow night. It would appear we will have some members of the National Guard at the correctional facility by Thursday or Friday at the latest. It’s unfortunate to say the least, in many ways. There you have it. I figured I would say something…” Mayor McDougall also reported that the Prison Advisory meeting, scheduled for Feb. 19, had been canceled.

During New Business, Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine asked: “Will the National Guard be held to the same workplace conditions as the correctional officers are held to?” Mayor McDougall said: “There’s ways around that. As many people know, the governor is very busy dealing with the Mayor of New York City. I am not saying, but I think our correctional facility and all the rest of them are very important too… This wouldn’t be the first time that the National Guard responded when prisons went on strike. It was a different strike, a different union in about 1980. In an emergent situation, things happen. The same work standards? I don’t know how that’s possible.”

“So, the answer to that question is no,” Deputy Mayor Newvine said.

“I doubt it,” Mayor McDougall said. “It is a huge problem, and hopefully it gets rectified sooner than later…”

The North Country community is coming to the aid of the local correctional officers, promising them financial assistance, donations, and other means of support. Monetary donations alongside donations of food items, plastic cutlery, take-out containers, and more are being accepted as long as the strike continues. For more information, stop by Mullin’s Restaurant at 1180A US-11, Gouverneur.

Wildcat Wrestling hosts fourth annual alumni night

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur Wildcat Varsity Wrestling Program hosted its Third Annual Alumni Night celebration on Friday, February 7 at the Gouverneur High School.

The event honored the wrestling program’s tradition of success and culture since 1934, and the history of the Gouverneur Wildcat Varsity Wrestling Program was told in the photos, articles, and other memorabilia on display outside the main gymnasium.

There were over 30 Gouverneur Wildcat alumni members present, including the following: Aaron McEathron (2015), David Mark Dailey (1985), Kevin Murdie (2007), Mike Bresett (1976), Shawn LaBow (1992), Porky Roberts (2009), Tommy Sleeman (2004), John Murdie Sr. (1981), Jim Mullin (1983), Ben Hoffman (2009), Shawn Cummings (1993), Joel Baer (1994), Tom Sleeman (1970), Dave Bush (1966), Mike Tyler (1988), Mark Tyler (2001), David Perrigo (2007), Gerry Mannigan (1981), Christian Gillan (2014), Clark Canell (1988), Pete Price (1965), Carson Gates (2009), Chad Finton (1995), Mike Bush (1985), David Sleeman (2008), Tim Tyler (1977), Jim Minckler (1994), Bill Tupper (1996), Dillon Stowell (2013), Albert Redmond (1972), Dylan Morrison (2010), Justin Salter (2006), and Nathan Slate (2006).

The Wildcat Wrestling Alumni Night was the brainchild of volunteer coach Dylan Morrison and has gained momentum ever since its inception in 2022.

For more information about the Gouverneur Central School District, visit www.gcsk12.org.

Town of Gouverneur to purchase more sand to treat local roads

by Rachel Hunter

The Town of Gouverneur Council at its Feb. 11 meeting approved the purchase of 1,500 yards of sand for the Town of Gouverneur Highway Department to use this winter season for the treatment of local roads.

Town of Gouverneur Highway Department Superintendent Michael Wainwright said the following: “We plowed and sanded 23 times in January. 10 times we plowed twice in one day. So that is 33 times we plowed the township... We need to get some more sand. We have salt on surplus up to the state barn that we stockpiled in the fall in case of this problem. We did get 1,000 less yards of sand in the fall. We figured we’d have enough. But, like I say, we went 33 times around the township in a month. It really depleted our salt pile.”

Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. said. “It’s the 11th of February, and we’ve already gone out six days in February.”

“Probably 1,500 yards of sand will do it, with the 100 ton of salt that we’ve already got. We’ve already paid for the salt. We don’t have to purchase that. It is at that point where if we get one good freezing rainstorm, and we are going to be in trouble. When it is 28 degrees and raining, and you’ve got four 10-wheelers running, it does not take long and you go through a lot of material. I just want to make sure it is okay to…”

“How many yards do you need,” Town Councilperson Lory Whitton asked. “And how much is it per yard?” It was estimated that the total cost would be about $8,000.

“We didn’t have to do it last year,” Supervisor Spilman said. “We were lucky. But every year that I have been here, we’ve had to. Usually it is a little later in the year. Into February and March, you are guessing on whether you are going to make it through.”

Supt. Wainwright said, “I’ve seen it where we’ve had to haul it twice in a winter.”

Councilperson Whitton asked: “Is there a time of year when it is cheaper?”

“No,” Supt. Wainwright said. “Cooke Sand and Gravel pretty much gives us the price that others can’t compete with.”

“You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” Councilperson Whitton said.

“Yeah, I just worry,” Supt. Wainwright said. “We could put up 1,500 yards over winter break and not go out. It has happened before. We put up 1,500 yards, and never went out again. Maybe we could cut back next year, depending on what we use. It’s just. We use a lot of sand. Salt’s in it. We have to put the extra in it to get the roads to melt. Maybe I have been a little excessive over it. I don’t know… We put that 100 ton of salt up to the state barn. Now we can just go up there, load our trucks and bring it back. We’ve already paid for it. It is just sitting there waiting in case of an emergency.”

“Then we can put it back next fall,” Supervisor Spilman said.

“Yes, a lot of times that price changes drastically in the middle of the winter,” Supt. Wainwright said. “They’ll jump it up $20 per ton.”

“It’s going to change now,” Deputy Town Supervisor Jay Bowhall said.

“But look at the way it has been,” Supt. Wainwright said. “There’s been storms way down into Texas. There’s states that have gotten snow and cold this year that don’t usually get it. A lot of the salt mines are here real close.”

There was no further discussion on the matter. The motion to allow Supt. Wainwright to purchase 1,500 yards of sand was made by Deputy Town Supervisor Jay Bowhall, seconded by Town Councilperson Lory Whitton. The motion carried, with full support from the Gouverneur Town Council.

“We’ve got to have what we’ve got to have this time of year,” Supervisor Spilman said. “We are going to use some more tomorrow morning, and more on Thursday and Friday and Sunday.”

In other news: The Town of Gouverneur is still working with FEMA on storm recovery.

The Town of Gouverneur Highway Department has started removing trees in preparation for the upcoming building move.

The Town of Gouverneur Highway Department reported a lot of breakdowns with the trucks this month.

The Town of Gouverneur Highway Department has started cleaning out fire hydrants.

The new heaters were installed in the Gouverneur Town Barn.

The next regular meeting of the Town of Gouverneur Council will be held on March 11, 6 p.m. at the Town of Gouverneur Offices Building, 1227 US-11, Gouverneur. For more information, call 315-287-2340 or visit www.gouverneurny.com.

Clifton-Fine Community Fund Supports Five Projects

The Clifton-Fine Community Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation will support five community projects with $6,000 in grant funding for initiatives and programs that benefit residents of six southeast St. Lawrence County communities.

The Clifton-Fine Community Fund was established at the Community Foundation in 2013 as a geographic-specific fund to support projects and programs that positively impact the quality of life in the southeast St. Lawrence County region, specifically in the towns and hamlets of Fine, Oswegatchie, Star Lake, Newton Falls, Wanakena and Cranberry Lake. The fund aims to enhance the quality of life for all who live in the region while maximizing the opportunity for residents to give where they live.

“Each of these grants touches the lives of so many citizens across the Clifton-Fine region,” said Max DelSignore, Community Foundation vice president. “We are grateful for each recipient that properly stewards these meaningful grants and for the thoughtful donors who make these awards possible. The philanthropic spirit of this region shines through the Clifton-Fine Community Fund. The fund committee and the Community Foundation are eager to support its growth now and in the future.”

The Northern New York Community Foundation stewards this charitable fund. To build initial support, the Foundation awarded a $50,000 challenge grant to donors interested in giving to this philanthropic resource.

By the end of 2014, people from across the region came together to create a $100,000 community fund that will award grants to support local projects and nonprofit organizations in perpetuity.

A committee of Clifton-Fine region residents collaborates with the Community Foundation to evaluate grant requests each year.

Since 2014, the Community Fund has awarded more than two-dozen organizations nearly $56,000 to support 50 projects and initiatives. This year’s grant recipients are:

Clifton-Fine Central School, $2,000 to help continue an after-school program that has seen successful participation in past two years. Programs including art club, cooking, gymnastics, martial arts, and science club were offered to elementary, middle, and high school students. Martial arts experienced the highest participation rate with up to 40 elementary school students attending sessions. Grant funding will help the school district continue a martial arts program and retain a local instructor at a reduced rate.

Additionally, the Hilary J. Hooper Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation will provide $5,000 to support the program. Mr. Hooper was a Newton Falls resident who passed away in December 2019. During his lifetime, he established a legacy fund at the Foundation to support several charitable organizations and needs in southern St. Lawrence and northern Lewis counties. One of Mr. Hooper’s charitable goals was to help with emerging needs at Clifton-Fine Central School.

Wilderness Health Care Foundation, $1,500 to help Clifton-Fine Hospital with its capital campaign project, which will create a new emergency services annex. The new space will allow for updated private treatment rooms, installation of contemporary equipment, enhancement of physical and occupational therapies spaces, as well as improved lab and imaging rooms. It is the hospital’s most important project in the last 30 years.

Cranberry Lake North Shore Hub, $1,000 to support replacement of a hazardous sidewalk, which hinders accessibility. Established in 2018, the Hub has become an important community gathering venue in Cranberry Lake. The organization offers speaker series, a concert series, events coordinated by the local library and Cranberry Lake Boat Club and much more.

Wanakena Historical Association, $1,000 to help acquire all-weather vinyl curtains for use on the front porch of its history center, which plans to use the porch as a year-round space to feature exhibits and displays, particularly in the spring and autumn seasons. The historical association is one of the most active nonprofit organizations in the Clifton-Fine region and is committed to showcasing the region’s rich industrial history.

Mervin Eno American Legion Post 1539, $457 to support the purchase of new kitchen pots and pans. The legion is actively working on kitchen upgrades to enhance its ability to continue veteran activities and support community gatherings. The Post was chartered in 1946 to support veterans who live in Clifton-Fine area communities. This grant is being supported in stewardship by the Clifton-Fine Economic Development Corporation.

The Clifton-Fine Community Fund will accept proposals for 2026 grant funding in August. Complete details and an application will be made available this summer. Meanwhile, to help extend the effort and make a gift to the fund, visit nnycf.org to access secure online giving.

About the Northern New York Community Foundation: Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others. The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.

GHS Small Ensembles wows crowd in concert

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur Central School District hosted the Gouverneur High School Small Ensembles Concert on Jan. 30.

A warm welcome was given by GHS Principal Nicole Donaldson. The crowd sat on the edge of their seats, as the talented student-musicians and vocalists took to the auditorium stage for a special evening of music.

The GHS Chamber Singers, directed by Choral Instructor Brett Worden, paid tribute to Audrey Snyder, a well-known choral composer who passed away on Jan. 22. The GHS Chamber Singers performed her arrangement of the folk-rock, folk-chamber ballad “Can’t Catch Me Now” by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. Soloists included Taylor Edney, Brianna Scott, Lily Scott, Avian Burt, Alexander Hall, Liam Gallagher, and Hannah Dafoe. The Chamber Singers then wowed the crowd with songs from the musical, “Anastasia,” including “Once Upon A December” (featured soloist Jaylynn Dalton), and “Journey To The Past” (featured soloists Lillianna Shippee, Akaysha Shippee-Ray, and Audrey Ormasen). The Chamber Singers include the following student-vocalists: Abriana Casey, Jaylynn Dalton, Taylor Edney, Audrey Ormasen, Brianna Scott, Akaysha Shippee-Ray, Arianna Sibley, Cassidy Chambers, Hannah Dafoe, Alexis Dake, Alyssa Farr, Madison Hopper, Olivia McDougall, Lily Scott, Lillianna Shippee, Avian Burt, Liam Gallagher, Alexander Hall, Jackson Ritchie, and Zackery Schiszler.

The GHS Select Strings, directed by Instrumental Music Instructor Janeen Streeter, included the following: Audrey Ormasen (viola), Wyatt Slate (violoncello), Alexander Hall (double bass), and Janeen Streeter (violin). The Select Strings performed “Prelude for Cello” arr. by Lewis, “A Thousand Years” arr. by Moore (featured vocal soloist Audrey Ormasen), and “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” by W. A. Mozart.

The GCS Jazz Band, directed by Instrumental Music Instructor Olivia Montagno, performed “Play That Funky Music” arr. by Victor Lopez, “Pure Imagination” arr. by Craig Skeffington (featuring Hailey Trimm on saxophone), and “Crazy Train” as arr. by Paul Murtha (featuring guitar solo by Nathaniel Celley). The GCS Jazz Band includes the following student-musicians: Joseph Caplinger (flute), Kylie Gallagher (flute), Tiamane Hull (flute), Hailey Trimm (saxophone), Mr. Brett Worden (saxophone), Nicholas Bloxham (trumpet), Malique Zeller (trumpet), Hannah White (French horn), Dallas Doxtater (euphonium), Carly Bartholomew (keyboard), Nathaniel Celley (guitar), Jackson Ritchie (bass), Liam Gallagher (mallets), Avian Burt (percussion), Gavin Davis (percussion), and Cruz Pawananon (percussion).

Much appreciation was extended to the community for their support of music education in the Gouverneur Central School District. Special gratitude was extended to GCS Superintendent of Schools Jackie Kelly, Assistant Superintendent Jessica Sullivan, GHS Principal Nicole Donaldson, Assistant GHS Principal Margeaux Davis, A/V Technician Richard Patton, Gouverneur CSD Board of Education, and the Gouverneur CSD custodial staff. For more information about Gouverneur CSD, visit www.gcsk12.org.

Village hires part-time police dispatcher

by Rachel Hunter

The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees at its Jan. 21 meeting approved the hiring of a part-time police dispatcher at the Gouverneur Police Department.

A memorandum from Village of Gouverneur Chief of Police Darren Fairbanks said the following: “Having been approved by the Village board to hire a part-time dispatcher for the Gouverneur Police Department, we have identified a candidate, Reigan Ayen, 18, of Gouverneur, NY who meets the qualifications for such position. I am seeking the board’s approval to offer a part-time, non-competitive dispatch to Reigan at $17.31 per hour. I ask that Reigan’s hire be effective immediately, so arrangements can be made to begin her training, a minimum of 80 hours, as soon as possible. I also ask the board to waive the pre-employment physical requirement. She is already required to undergo the electronic fingerprinting at the expense of the Village in the near future. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.”

Mayor Ron McDougall added that Reigan Ayen is a part-time employee with the Village of Gouverneur Recreation Department.

The motion was made by Village of Gouverneur Trustee Troy Besaw, seconded by Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine. The motion carried.

The next regular meeting of the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees will be held on Feb. 18, 6 p.m., in the municipal courtroom. For more information, call 315-287-1720.

Gouverneur Public Library has new director

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur Public Library warmly welcomed Ashley Morrison as its new library director, effective January 6, 2025.

Ashley Morrison, a Maryland native, earned her Bachelor’s in Educational Studies with a concentration in Elementary Education from Western Governors University and a Master of Science in Library Science from Pennsylvania Western University. She has been employed at college and public libraries since 2017. She moved to Northern New York with her husband, who is currently serving in the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Drum. Morrison was employed at the Henderson Free Library (Henderson, NY) in 2023 as a part-time library assistant for six months before taking the full-time position as the library director. Morrison joined the Gouverneur Public Library Director in January 2025, and is excited to see what adventures lie ahead.

“Growing up I went to the library all the time,” she said. “I went to all the story times, did all the programs. I got all of my volunteer hours through the library. And then in college, I worked at my college library for a while. I always liked being in the library, so when the chance came up… I took a job as a clerk, and I just decided that I was going to stick with it… I really like it here. The staff is great. The board is great. The community has been great. It’s a really good experience.”

Library Director Morrison is looking forward to expanding the library’s programming and outreach. The library’s once-popular children’s storytime will now be dubbed as a “Family Story Time,” open to children of all ages. It will be held on Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. in the library loft. The event will feature book readings, singing, crafts, and more. The change is to encourage North Country families to attend, and take advantage of the resources of the local library.

The Gouverneur Public Library also plans to hold “School Break Activities” during the Gouverneur CSD’s Mid-Winter Break. The schedule includes: DIY Sticker Making (Feb. 18, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Craft Stations (Feb. 19, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Lego Challenge Day (Feb. 20, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.), and Craft Day (Feb. 21, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.). No RSVPs are required.

The Gouverneur Public Library has also announced the return of the Bubble Show Extravaganza by Jeff Boyer on Wednesday, July 23, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. shows. Space is limited for this popular event, and registration is required.

The Gouverneur Public Library will host an author event featuring Tessa Wegert on Thursday, July 10, 6:30 p.m., in the library loft. Tessa Wegert is the author of the popular Shana Merchant mysteries, the most recent of which is “The Coldest Case,” along with the upcoming North Country thriller series. Her books have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Shelf Awareness and have been featured on PBS and NPR Radio. A former journalist and copywriter, Tessa grew up in Quebec and now lives with her husband and children in Connecticut, where she co-founded Sisters in Crime CT and serves on the board of International Thriller Writers (ITW). The author will present on her Shana Merchant series that is set in the Thousand Islands. More details will be reported as information becomes available about this event.

The Gouverneur Public Library will continue to promote its recurring programs: Legos At The Library (third Monday of the month, 4-5 p.m.), Empowerment Book Club (meets monthly at Jumbo’s), Young Adult Book Club (meets monthly at the library loft), Yarnivores (Tuesdays, 1 p.m., in the loft), Financial Fridays with Peaceful Finance with Mickael (every other Friday, 2-4 p.m., in the library loft), and the Summer Reading Program (sign-ups begin in June). See updates online via the library’s page on Facebook.

The library today (Jan. 31) wrapped up the Winter Reading Challenge, which encouraged North Country residents to dive into reading throughout the winter months.

The Gouverneur Public Library, a member library in the North Country Library System, has been serving the local community since 1886. The library looks forward to continue serving the community by supporting literacy and providing much-needed services, programming, and access to technology that are free to the community. In addition to circulating books, audiobooks on CD, DVDs, and periodicals, the library also offers the loan of musical instruments, snowshoes, fishing poles, discovery backpacks, and so much more. Patrons can use the online NCLS card catalog, and have their desired reading selection delivered right to the Gouverneur Public Library for pick-up.

The Gouverneur Public Library, 60 Church St., Gouverneur, is open on Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The library is closed on Saturdays. For more information, visit gouverneurlibrary.org or call 315-287-0191.

Town of Gouverneur accepts Data Collector’s resignation

by Rachel Hunter

The Town of Gouverneur Council at its Jan. 14 meeting accepted with regret the resignation of Data Collector Phyllis Shaw.

The letter of resignation was dropped off to Town Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. in December 2024. It reads as follows: “Supervisor Spilman and the Town Board: I am writing to inform you of my resignation, effective February 1, 2025. My last day on payroll will be January 31, 2025 (close of business). I would like to thank the board for allowing me to serve my community as the Town/Village Data Collector. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Board for giving me the opportunity to work with and get to know the amazing group of selfless public servants. If there’s anything I can do to assist with any transitional needs, please don’t hesitate to ask. Phyllis Shaw.”

Supervisor Spilman then said the following: “Phyllis is retiring from her regular job at BOCES, and so she is doing both at once…”

“Good for her,” said the town councilmembers and Supervisor Spilman. “I’m jealous,” Town Assessor Sherry Geer said. “Me too,” said Town Clerk Marion Bowhall.

“Can I get a motion to accept Phyllis’ resignation with regrets?” Supervisor Spilman asked. The motion was made by Councilwoman Lory Whitton, seconded by Councilman Curran Wade. The motion carried with full support from the town council.

“How long have you and Phyllis been working together?” Supervisor Spilman asked Assessor Geer. “Since Fowler, right?” Assessor Geer said since 2017. After some discussion, Supervisor Spilman said: “We’ll see what the future holds. She actually loves doing the data collection...”

The next regular monthly meeting of the Town of Gouverneur Council will be held on Tuesday, February 11, 6 p.m., at the Town of Gouverneur Offices Building, 1227 US Highway 11, Gouverneur. For more information, visit www.gouverneurny.com.

Walk With A Doc in Gouverneur draws over 20 participants

by Rachel Hunter

Walk With A Doc returned to Gouverneur on Saturday, January 18 at the Gouverneur Central School Middle School, 25 Wilson St., Gouverneur. All North Country residents were invited to join a variety of St. Lawrence County healthcare providers for a free, fun walk. This event was open to all and is for people of all abilities.

Walk With A Doc in Gouverneur is made possible thanks to the Community Health Center of the North Country, St. Lawrence County Public Health Department, and a Bridge To Wellness: St. Lawrence County Health Improvement Plan. The event was hosted by the Community Health Center of the North Country, with inspirational addresses by Community Health Center of the North Country (Gouverneur)’s Kylie Lansing, PA-C, and Clifton-Fine Hospital’s Michael McCrory, LMHC. Other health care professionals in attendance includes: Community Health Center of the North Country’s Pediatrician Dr. Donald Schuessler, and Brittany Terpstra, Physician Assistant, among others.

Walk With a Doc is a local chapter of an international 501(c)3 that is inspiring communities through movement and conversation. With an aim to make hope and health accessible to everyone around the world, the doctor-led walking groups are safe, fun and a free place to get in some steps, learn about health, and meet new friends. Walking is recognized by the Surgeon General of the United States of America as one of the single most important things we can do for our health.

The 20-person crowd at the Walk With A Doc in Gouverneur was officially welcomed by Raymond Babowicz, the Community Health Center of the North Country’s Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships. “This is our fourth event here at the Middle School. It's hard to believe… We’ve always had a great relationship here with the school district, with Gouverneur CSD Superintendent of Schools Jackie Kelly and her predecessor as well. I think that is why it is one of our better-attended events. We appreciate all of you coming out today. This is a unique opportunity for us. Normally we just have one guest presenter, usually from the health center. Kylie will do that in a second. But first and foremost, Michael McCrory is joining us from one of our new partners down in Clifton-Fine. We are glad they have come on board, from an organizational perspective, to be a partner with the Walk With A Doc events.”

Michael McCrory, LMHC, of Gouverneur said he was glad to participate in the Walk With A Doc Program. “I am a licensed mental health counselor,” he said. “I live here in Gouverneur, even though I work in Star Lake. I am a full-time mental health counselor. We’re trying to grow our behavioral health program. Some of you may know we are going through a multi-million dollar expansion in our ER right now. In fact, there is a live cam you can watch via YouTube. We are also a new rural emergency hospital. I believe we are the first one in New York State… Mental health and emotional wellness is everything. It has to do with how you manage at work, how you do coping skills in life, parenting, physical health coping, etc. It is really everything, and really important. If you know somebody who needs help in that area… the reality is that we all do in different times of our life… it’s just like getting the common cold… everybody struggles sometimes. Seek some help. I think society overall has made progress in reducing the negative stigma that sometimes exists with seeking help… thankfully that is dying out. Healthy, strong people address their problems and work to improve their life. If we can be a part of that, we would love to be a part of that.”

“I think it is a perfect pairing today,” Mr. Babowicz said to the crowd. “It takes a healthy mind to have a healthy body, and a healthy body to have a healthy mind. Everybody has to work together.”

“We are very fortunate in this community,” Mr. Babowicz said. “We know we just celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Dr. Schuessler providing care here… And we are welcoming another pediatrician, Dr. Spicer. He will be joining us here in Gouverneur in a couple of months. And we are fortunate that Kylie Lansing, PA-C, joined us. We have a nice pediatric team now in the Gouverneur community.”

Kylie Lansing, PA-C, a Utica, NY native and a recent graduate of LeMoyne College, has joined the Community Health Center of the North Country (Gouverneur), and is new to the North Country community. “It is an honor to be with you all today,” she said to the Walk With A Doc in Gouverneur attendees. “I am new to this type of an event. It is very exciting. It is an honor to start my career in such a strong, rural community. I appreciate everyone who has been so welcoming, and I look forward to meeting you all. I was asked to speak about something that we noticed in the past couple of months… just the ER frequency and where you decide to seek care. There are some easy things to remember if you are thinking: “Should I go to the ER or maybe should I go see my primary physician?” Ask yourself: “Is it an emergency?” Emergency clinicians are trained to think in terms of what is going to acutely hurt you or kill you now. If it is not going to hurt or kill you now, then they will do what they can and send you out. There is no follow-up. Think about: “Do I have shortness of breath?” “Do I have chest pains?” “Am I eating okay?” “Am I going to the bathroom okay?” “Am I in significant amount of pain where this needs to be addressed now?” Another thing I would urge you to think about is the cost associated – not just the monetary cost that sometimes comes with these ER visits, but also the health costs that could possibly be there. There is no question in my mind that everyone has experienced some long ER wait times. And in that wait time, sometimes we can be exposed to some bacteria or illnesses that we might not normally be exposed to. And the last thing I would urge you to think about is: “What do I want them to do differently than my primary care provider would?” “What am I seeking out of this visit?” If they wouldn’t do anything differently, then I would urge you to see your primary care provider… because they do know your health history. They do have a relationship with you. You are not just another new patient that you are seeing on the day-to-day. Really build that relationship with your clinician. I think together we can build a healthier, happier future. I am really excited to meet you all, and I’m really excited to be here.”

The Community Health Center of the North Country this past week issued the following announcement: ”2024 was a year of significant change and planning at Community Health Center of the North Country (CHCNC). After a 10 year run at the helm, Anne Richey, CEO, retired in February. This ushered in a new era under Dave Bender, CEO, who joined the team after many years with St. Lawrence Health System. Other changes have come in other roles: Jennie Flanagan joined as Chief Operating Officer, and Alexander Bryden signed on as the new Chief Financial Officer.

“With new people comes new goals, new visions, and new plans to make those visions reality. There is a renewed commitment to the mission of providing comprehensive, equitable and accessible high quality healthcare and human services to people of all income levels and those with individualized needs. In 2025 this will be most noticeably evident with the addition of new providers and expansion of facilities to meet the needs of these new members of the CHCNC team.

“Starting this month you will see the first in a number of Doctors joining, as the team embarks on an extensive expansion of Pediatric Services. This begins with the return to the North Country of Pediatrician Scott Spicer, MD; he joins the pediatric team of Donald Schuessler, MD and Kylie Lansing, PA at the CHCNC location in Gouverneur. This will be followed by two pediatricians joining at the Ogdensburg health center this summer. Future primary care arrivals in 2025 include Family Practice Physicians at both the Canton and Ogdensburg locations with the potential for an additional Doctor in Malone as well. Finally, after an extensive time searching, CHCNC welcomed Sara Elliott, LCSW and Bob Stickels, LCSW-R to the Behavioral health unit at the Canton health center.

“With the growth in providers comes expansion in facilities. To accommodate the new Pediatricians, remodeling will take place at both the Gouverneur and Ogdensburg health centers which will result in nine new pediatric suites being added; this includes six in Ogdensburg and two in Gouverneur.

“Change can be unnerving, but at the same time exciting. The past 12 months have brought both to Community Health Center of the North Country. The one thing that has not changed is the 50-year commitment to serving the North Country communities the team cares for. Everyone is welcome, and most insurances are accepted at the Full Service Family practices in Canton, Gouverneur, Malone, and Ogdensburg. Services include but are not limited to: primary and pediatric care, dental, behavioral health, physical therapy, care management, outreach and enrollment, WIC, and many programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Optometry services are also available at the Arsenal Street center in Watertown.

“Community Health Center of the North Country, one of Northern New York’s premiere independent providers of healthcare services for people of all income levels is part of a national network of community health centers serving over 30 million patients including 300,000 veterans, 1 in 6 Medicaid beneficiaries, nearly 1.2 million homeless, and over 7.5 million children. Join the 2.4 million New Yorkers and over 100,000 people across the North Country entrusting Community Health Centers with their care. Experience, quality, and affordability; that, is the Community Health Center of the North Country experience.”

Thunderous applause sounded in appreciation of the inspirational and motivational addresses. Much gratitude was extended to all the attendees for participating as the walkers headed to the halls at the Gouverneur Middle School for the event. Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that the Gouverneur Central School District’s hall walking program is open to the community during the evening hours. The Middle School is open to walkers on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. The Elementary School is open for walkers on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Please call or stop by either building to fill out an application to participate. For more information, please visit www.gcsk12.org.

Much gratitude is extended to all those who made the Walk With A Doc event in Gouverneur possible. The next event will be held in late-summer at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds. The announcement will be reported in an upcoming edition of the Gouverneur Tribune Press. For more information on Walk With A Doc, visit walkwithadoc.org.

St. Lawrence County’s highway superintendents share concerns with North Country politicians

by Rachel Hunter

The Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center on Jan. 6 opened its doors to Highway Department and Department of Public Works superintendents from across St. Lawrence County.

The meeting was organized by Town of Fowler Highway Superintendent Randy Durham (who serves as president of the St. Lawrence County Highway Superintendents Association). Special invitations were gratefully accepted by NYS Senator (SD 49) Mark Walczyk, NYS Senator (SD 45) Dan Stec, NYS Assemblyman (AD 117) Ken Blankenbush, NYS Assemblyman (AD 116) Scott Gray and their staff personnel. All were invited to ride in a snowplow during the 8 a.m. coffee hour. The showcased equipment was from the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), Town of Fowler, Town of Gouverneur, and the Town of Hermon. The experience gave the political representatives the insight required to better advocate for the needs of the North Country.

All then were invited to enjoy a scrumptious breakfast during the hour-long meeting and Q&A session with the political representatives about funding concerns in the executive budget.

Town of Fowler Highway Superintendent Randy Durham opened the session by asking an update on CHIPS. Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that FY 2025 Executive Budget includes investments to continue road, bridge and safety improvement across New York. A portion of the budget is allocated as follows: $577.8 million in funding for the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) and the Marchiselli Program, and $100 million for the Pave our Potholes (POP) Program. The FY 2025 executive budget is outlined at governor.ny.gov.

NYS Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush said: “It’s never enough…”

NYS Senator Dan Stec said the following: “It’s not likely at all that they will ever cut it. But I know a lot of people make the drive all the way to Albany every year. Every time I talk with the highway superintendents, I thank them for doing that. It seems odd to me that government has to panhandle to government to do something as basic as paving roads. But I’ll tell you this: The first year that you take the foot off the gas, that’s when we start looking at cuts. You have to keep advocating. You are well-received. It is a non-partisan issue. That’s good.

“The geographic divide… The NYC folks I don’t think necessarily understand the function and the nature of the highway departments upstate as much as we all do. It is a non-partisan issue. The nice thing about it is that the formula is fair. It’s a non-political formula… So the only thing you really have to worry about is arguing how big of the pie is for CHIPS. There is a fairness to it where you don’t have Democrat-run communities getting more funding than Republican. None of that. Everyone likes the formula. So really, it is a simple discussion: “How much can we put in there?” And that’s when you coming to Albany and knocking on doors helps. This time of year, the governor has already put together her budget. We will have to see what that is in a couple weeks. So, her work is done. I always tell everyone who is advocating for stuff that is in the budget… You want to make as many bites in that apple as you can. That means, start at the executive and start early. In the late summer/early fall, as a group, highway superintendents should be lobbying the governor for more, arguing with her first, and try to get her number up. And then obviously react to her number, and come in like you do in the winter, and talk to us. But like I said, the good news is that this is one area of Albany where it is not partisan at all. And everybody likes the highway department. Is it going to go up? I hope so. I know we all do… It has been easier to vote against the budget in the past few years, under one-party rule, because the priorities are off.

“The media will ask: “Is there anything in the budget that is good?” For crying out loud, at $239 billion, there better be a lot of good stuff in the budget. There’s a lot of good stuff in the budget, but is that the right number? No, it is too high. So then it is about priorities. I won’t make political speeches, but you guys read the news. You know where some of our money is going. It is $2.5 billion to NYC for one project that is questionable in nature. (That funding) would go a long ways to up CHIPS funding. It would go a long ways to fixing the Medicare reimbursement for nursing homes… We all drive the roads, every one of us – Republican and Democrat, rich and poor, working and retired, school buses… It’s an easy argument to push for more, and we will. But we always need your help.”

NYS Assemblyman Gray then said: “I think he said it best, like he always does… I would just like to say that last year they proposed a cut. The opposite party from us, they pat themselves on the back… When you go into Albany, make sure you advocate… and don’t settle for restoration.”

NYS Assemblyman Blankenbush then said: “There’s always a tougher fight in the Assembly than it is in the Senate. There 150 of us in the Assembly. When you have 60-some of those coming from NYC out of 150… Like Dan said, when you take a look at the upstate areas, the Republican and Democrats are pretty much in line with helping with CHIPS funding. But in the Assembly, we have that group of people who think the MTA is more important than our roads. And you know, that is the fight that we have when we are trying to get this budget through, and increasing the budget for CHIPS funding. That’s the fight we’ve had every since I’ve been down there. But they will spend a lot of money on that MTA. Back in the day of Governor Cuomo, they passed a bill that said that if the MTA had a percentage increase one year, then the same percentage increase would go for CHIPS. Then, when Andrew Cuomo became the governor, he did away with that bill. Trying to get that back is always the battle in the Assembly. We do that every year. Every year, you’ll find out that they’ll show you a decrease in CHIPS funding. By the time April 1 comes around, you’ll get it back up… But that’s our fight in the Assembly compared to the Senate.”

NYS Senator Walczyk said: “Know that from the North Country you have an alliance here that is right on board. Infrastructure matters. We understand what you are going through in town barns. We will support you in whatever way we can. As Ken pointed out, it would be great to get some parity and policy in headlines about the MTA and the mess down there, and all the silly things that the governor is trying to do to bail out the MTA. You all are the exact opposite than that. You are an efficiently run system. You share services exactly where it makes sense to. You go on your own, and you figure it out with really small staffs in the most efficient way possible. When we increase funding in CHIPS, we know that it is going to smart money. It is going to be about… Do we buy that with cash? Do we finance it? Can we leverage for this? How do we reduce the tax rate for our town? It is the opposite when you fund the MTA. They just look to have more contracts for political pay-off in NYC, and they continue to waste more and more money. So, this is smart money. As Senator Stec put it, there’s a lot of good. CHIPS is definitely part of the good in the New York State budget. We will do all that we can to support you.”

Senator Stec then said the following: “I want to thank and encourage y’all. The inter-municipal cooperation when we have emergencies and storms that hit… I know you have your own budgets to worry about. There are turf wars… It could easily become: “Good luck. You do you.” But I’ve never seen that with the highway departments. You guys have been good to each other, and I think the public sees and appreciates that. When it hits the fan and you are dealing with Mother Nature stuff, and you lend your hand to a neighboring town, that’s wonderful. I think it is a good-news story. You have a $65 billion capital plan for the MTA, and the MTA is the worst managed, corrupt entities in the state – very inefficient. Then, you throw into it the bad politics of congestion pricing to pay for it, which is just an increase in taxes in what is already the most-taxed state. You compare favorably to that. It is easy for us to say, “Hey, whatever you do for the MTA…” They worry about mass transit, and that’s all they focus on. Our job is to make sure that we are fighting to make sure you guys are getting more. We all want to increase CHIPS. Like Mark said, it is one of the high points, and it is defendable because it is the formula. It is not hand-waving and magic numbers. It is a formula that is tested, and makes sense. No one is complaining about the formula. The only thing is, how big is the pie? Any time I talk to highway folks about storms… track your time, track everything. We need to hit those emergency thresholds. If you don’t have those numbers, you can’t get reimbursed. Any time it starts, start tracking.”

There was no further questions on CHIPS. Other topics discussed include the following: Tier 6, recruitment and retention of employees, training, storm damage recovery, and much more.

The highway superintendents across St. Lawrence County were encouraged to attend Advocacy Day in Albany this March 2025. On that topic, Assemblyman Blankenbush said the following: “That matters. Everybody, even from NYC, knows when you guys are down there… and it really does get people to zero in on what we are trying to do. Don’t think that you are traveling to Albany, and that it doesn’t work. Because it does work. I want to encourage you to keep doing that.”

The St. Lawrence County Highway Superintendents Association plans to hold future trainings and meetings to benefit the municipal departments. Much gratitude was extended to Dave Spilman, Jr. and the Gouverneur Community Center for the use of the facility. A 50-50 raffle was conducted, and all funds donated were given in support of the work of the Gouverneur Community Center, which is made possible thanks to a collaboration between the Town of Gouverneur and the Village of Gouverneur. For more information, visit gouverneurcommunitycenter.com.

Partnering In Your Care Event is Jan. 29 in Gouverneur

You may have heard the term ‘partnering in your care,’ but are not really sure what it entails. Rochester Regional Health’s St. Lawrence Region is hosting discussion sessions to better explain what it means and how it can benefit you as a patient or community member.

The Partnering in Your Care model of healthcare was designed to give patients, their loved ones, and their proxies autonomy to be as proactive and engaged as possible in sustainable quality care; regardless of whether it’s at home, a hospital, or a long-term care facility. From lifestyle and nutrition choices to preventing and managing chronic diseases, individuals have more control over their health than they may realize.

The public is invited to attend the upcoming Partnering In Your Care educational event this month where the concept of ‘Partnering’ will be discussed and explained. The same content will be shared at three different locations to ensure everyone has access to a live session close to home.

Please RSVP for one of the following free educational sessions which all begin at 10 am: Wednesday, January 29 in the Community Room at Gouverneur Hospital, 77 West Barney Street, Gouverneur.
Thursday, January 30 in Conference Room A/B at Canton-Potsdam Hospital, 50 Leroy Street, Potsdam.
Friday, January 31 in the Board Room at Massena Hospital, 1 Hospital Drive, Massena.

Additionally, future discussions are being planned throughout 2025 as part of the full Partnering In Your Care education series and will include topics that support healthy living that were requested by patients and community members alike.

“Patient and family engagement are crucial aspects of healthcare. This level of participation involves creating conditions where patients, their family members, care partners, providers, and hospital staff work together as partners to improve the quality and safety of care,” noted St. Lawrence Director of Quality and Regulatory Affairs Jackie Scanlon.

“Through this collaborative partnership, community members can expect to have improved patient experiences and outcomes. By attending our community events, we hope our patients and local residents will gain a better understanding on what services we have for them, and how we are here to assist them,” Director Scanlon said.

Future Partnering In Your Care events will include providers and specialists in their fields discussing a variety of programs that focus on health and well-being and provide clarity around healthcare terms and requirements. This includes: Advanced Directives, Behavioral Health, Cardiology and Pulmonology, [Being a] Care Partner, Fall Prevention in the Home, Imaging, Infection Prevention, Medication Safety, Nutrition, Patient-Centered Medical Home model of care, Pathway to Excellence and Magnet nursing designations, Quality and Patient Safety, including the MyCare patient portal, Rehabilitation Therapy/Physical Therapy, Sleep Disorders, Stroke, Substance Use Disorders, [New] Technology, Trauma, Wound Care. The St. Lawrence Region is looking forward to sharing further information with the public on all of its upcoming Partnering In Your Care sessions.

To register for one of the January programs, please share your name, phone number, and indicate which location/date you will be attending by calling (and leaving a message) at 315-261-5413, or emailing corporatecommunications@rochesterregional.org. Please RSVP by Friday, January 24.

Gouverneur Rec Center helps local youths ring in the new year

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur Recreation Center held a Winter Recess Pajama Party and New Year’s Celebration for local youth on Dec. 30-31.

Civilizations around the world have been celebrating the start of each new year for millennia. Today, most New Year’s festivities begin on December 31 (New Year’s Eve) and continue into the early hours of January 1 (New Year’s Day). Common traditions include attending parties, eating special New Year’s foods, making resolutions for the new year and watching fireworks displays. Many Americans on New Year’s Eve watch the ball drop on Dec. 31 in New York City. The 2025 New Year’s Eve Ball is a geodesic sphere, 12 feet in diameter, and weighs 11,875 pounds. The Ball is covered with a total of 2,688 crystal triangles that vary in size, and range in length from 4 3/4 inches to 5 3/4 inches per side. For Times Square 2025, all 2,688 crystal triangles that adorn the Ball are manufactured by Gillinder Glass, a New York-based manufacturer, and replaced for this New Year’s Eve celebration. For adults, there were New Year’s parties all over the North Country… but events for children were limited.

The Gouverneur Recreation Center, located on Trinity Ave., Gouverneur, was once again the place for area children to be in the days leading up to the holiday. Crafts, coloring, and more fun were the order of the day. Children donned pajamas and enjoyed the festivities. Much gratitude is extended to all those who made the School Winter Recess Pajama Party (Dec. 30) and New Year’s Bash (Dec. 31) events a success.

The Gouverneur Recreation Center will continue its programming for local youth and senior citizens in 2025.

The Gouverneur Recreation Center’s After-School Program (STEAM Studio) focuses on enhancing youths learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. Students in Grades UPK to Grade 1 enjoy sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students in Grades 2-4 enjoy sessions on Monday and Wednesday. Bus transportation is provided by the Gouverneur Central School District. The program features interactive social play, recreational opportunities exploring the STEAM field, theme days, and guests with fine arts appreciation.

The Before-School Morning Program continues to meet weekdays at the Gouverneur Elementary School. In partnership with the Gouverneur CSD, the enrichment program features early morning wake-up activities, interactive social play, arts and crafts, and breakfast.

Toddler Town meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the Gouverneur Recreation Center. The recreational pre-school playgroup program features: interactive socialization and active play, music and art, story and snack.

The Gouverneur Recreation Center’s Senior Citizen Program continues weekly on Friday mornings for a bingo and coffee social. The event features food bingo games with socialization.

For more information about the Gouverneur Recreation Center, call 315-287-0524.

Public invited to Walk With A Doc on Jan. 18 in Gouverneur

by Rachel Hunter

Walk With A Doc in Gouverneur will return to the Gouverneur Middle School on Saturday, January 18, 2025, 10 a.m., at 25 Wilson St., Gouverneur. All North Country residents are invited to join a variety of St. Lawrence County healthcare providers for a free, fun walk. This event is open to all and is for people of all abilities.

There is great anticipation for the first Walk With A Doc in Gouverneur of the 2025 year. Walk With A Doc in Gouverneur is made possible thanks to the Community Health Center of the North Country, St. Lawrence County Public Health Department, and a Bridge To Wellness: St. Lawrence County Health Improvement Plan.

Walk With a Doc is a local chapter of an international 501(c)3 that is inspiring communities through movement and conversation. With an aim to make hope and health accessible to everyone around the world, the doctor-led walking groups are safe, fun and a free place to get in some steps, learn about health, and meet new friends.

Walk With A Doc was started in 2005 by Dr. David Sabgir, a cardiologist in Columbus, Ohio. Frustrated with his inability to affect behavior change in the clinical setting, Dr. Sabgir invited his patients to go for a walk with him in a local park on a spring Saturday morning. To his surprise, over 100 people showed up, energized and ready to move.

Since that first event in 2005, Walk with a Doc has grown as a grassroots effort with a model based on sustainability and simplicity. A doctor gives a brief presentation on a health topic and then leads participants on a walk at their own pace. In 2009, Walk With A Doc became an official 501(c)(3) and added an Executive Director with a focus on building a program that could easily be implemented by interested doctors in other cities around the country. As a result of these efforts, the reach of Walk with a Doc now extends all around the globe with over 500 chapters worldwide, including Walk with a FUTURE Doc chapters led by medical students.

Walking was recognized by the Surgeon General of the United States of America as one of the single most important things we can do for our health. Now, as we usher in 2025, is the time to join the movement in making health and happiness accessible for all.

Walk With A Doc has released a list of 100 reasons why walking is important, and it can be viewed online at walkwithadoc.org. Did you know that walking is one of the best things you can do for your health? Many diseases, conditions, and ailments can be prevented or even healed by participating in regular physical activity. Fortunately, even moderate-intensity aerobic activity such as walking can provide these health benefits. All are welcome to join Walk With A Doc in Gouverneur on Saturday, January 18, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the Gouverneur Middle School to learn about the importance of physical activity, and to participate in a free, fun walk right here in the Gouverneur community.

For more information about Walk With A Doc, visit walkwithadoc.org.

Free To The Community: Over 400 Christmas Ham Dinners served at First UMC Gouverneur

by Rachel Hunter

The Free To The Community Christmas Dinner, hosted by the First United Methodist Church of Gouverneur and sponsored by the Friday Lunch Program, was held on Monday, December 23 at 34 Grove St., Gouverneur.

The Free To the Community Christmas Dinner has become an annual tradition for local families. The mouthwatering scent of Christmas ham, green beans, baked potatoes and desserts wafted through the fellowship hall at First UMC Gouverneur as a well-oiled team of volunteers prepared and served the holiday meal. By 4 p.m., dinners were already going out to eager community residents via curbside delivery.

One such North Country resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the Gouverneur Tribune Press that their family would not have had the opportunity to eat a hearty meal during the Christmas holiday if it were not for generosity shown at the Free To The Community Christmas Dinner. Other local residents told the Gouverneur Tribune Press said that the food received at the First UMC Gouverneur and local food pantries during the holiday season allowed them to pay their electrical bill, fuel oil, and/or rent. The North Country is reminded that local residents facing hunger are urged to take advantage of the First UMC Gouverneur’s Blessing Box Program, available 24/7 outside the church at 34 Grove St., Gouverneur. Donations for the food program are always gratefully accepted.

The First UMC Gouverneur’s Free To The Community Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners are always well-received by the North Country community, and much appreciation is extended for their generosity and support of local residents during the holiday season. For more information, call the church office at 315-287-2440.

Town, Village host holiday party

by Rachel Hunter

The Town of Gouverneur and the Village of Gouverneur hosted a holiday celebration for their employees and families at the Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center on Dec. 21.

Did you know? Holiday parties in the U.S. have a long history. Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870. The tradition of holiday parties began in the 1930s during the Great Depression. The Town of Gouverneur and Village of Gouverneur host their annual holiday party in appreciation of their employees, and in celebration of the continued shared municipal services and working partnership between the Town of Gouverneur and Village of Gouverneur. The annual tradition of the Town/Village Holiday Party was stymied during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, and was canceled in 2023 due to the uptick in local cases. But nothing squelched the Christmas spirit at the 2024 Town/Village Holiday Celebration.

With a sparkle in their eyes, Village/Town employees and their families started arriving at about 5 p.m. for the cocktail hour. Big smiles were on the faces of the town and village employees and their families as they walked into the Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center, noted the ornately decorated rooms and festive atmosphere, and enjoyed the fun and fellowship.

At 6 p.m., all were warmly welcomed by Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. and Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall. All were invited to eat at the scrumptious holiday buffet. The tables were filled with Christmas ham, prime rib, poultry, pasta and meatballs, alongside many side dishes and desserts. Much appreciation was extended to all those who contributed towards the meal’s success.

At about 7 p.m., the party received a special visitor – straight from the North Pole. Jolly Old St. Nick arrived with “Merry Christmas” greetings for all, and invited all children (and adults) to visit with him at the foot of the Gouverneur Community Center’s large Christmas tree. In only moments, the children ran up to the legendary character and shared their Christmas wishes. They were followed by several adults who carried a high level of the holiday spirit in their hearts. Special holiday treats were distributed by a helper elf, Corryn Canell of Gouverneur.

Santa Claus was welcomed by Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. and Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall, and was given a standing invitation to attend the Town/Village Holiday Celebration in future years.

Sleigh bells could be heard in the distance as Santa Claus gave his final farewells and headed back to the North Pole to prepare for his Christmas Eve deliveries to North Country children.

Town of Gouverneur Deputy Supervisor Jay Bowhall, Town Clerk Marion Bowhall and their family also distributed “Grinch dust” (colored sugar) to the local families. The annual tradition is known to help keep the magic of Christmas in the air during the holiday season.

Local dignitaries in attendance at the event included the following: Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr., Town of Gouverneur Deputy Supervisor Jay Bowhall, Town of Gouverneur Councilman Curran Wade, Town of Gouverneur Councilman William Infield, Gouverneur Town Clerk Marion Bowhall, Gouverneur Town Bookkeeper Diane Kelley, Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall and Former NYS Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, newly elected Gouverneur Town Justice Frederick E. Scozzafava, Village of Gouverneur Trustee Floyd McAdam, Gouverneur Code Enforcement Officer Rick Wood, Gouverneur Dog Control Officer Dan Moyer, Town of Gouverneur Highway Dept. Supt. Michael Wainwright and staff, Gouverneur Recreation Department Director Casey Canell, among others.

There were many wishes for a “Merry Christmas” and a “Happy New Year” alongside “Happy Holidays” at the event’s conclusion. Anticipation is high for the 2025 Town/Village Holiday Celebration. For more information on the Town of Gouverneur, call 315-287-2340. For more information on the Village of Gouverneur, call 315-287-1720.