(News items reproduced From NorthCountryNow.com unless otherwise noted.)

Check regularly for Town News Items and upcoming Courses/Educational Events.

Boating Safety Courses:

CANTON: A boating safety course offered by the United States Power Squadron will be offered starting May 17 at BOCES Building, West Main Street, Canton. Call 386-5215 for further information.

POTSDAM: May 19th - Safe Boating Class 8:30 AM-5:00 PM @ Potsdam Police Station call to pre-register 265-4354

'S Curve' reconstruction begins in South Colton

Tuesday, April 17, 2012 - 5:18 pm

Initial clearing of land has taken place as contractors get ready to start straightening and rebuilding the "Letter S" curves south of South Colton on State Highway 56, as shown in this photo submitted by Pete Austin. Traffic has been limited to one lane, controlled by a traffic light for a number of years since much of the roadway was lost due to erosion from heavy rains. The $4.6 million construction project is slated for completion in October 2013.

Gun & Bow Hunting Courses (Tupper Lake): Click Here for schedule

Bald eagle nest on the Raquette will be restricted

By MARTHA ELLEN
TIMES STAFF WRITER

FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2012

COLTON — The state Department of Environmental Conservation and Brookfield Renewable Power will install a restricted-area sign warning boaters on the Raquette River of a bald eagle nest to avoid disturbing a pair that has produced chicks in only one of the last four years.

The determination that the sign was needed was part of an annual report of bald eagle field observations for Erie Boulevard’s hydroelectric projects on the Raquette River and for the Carry Falls hydroelectric project required as part of the company’s license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Erie is owned by Brookfield.

On July 13, DEC wildlife staff saw a raft of boats anchored within a short distance of a bald eagle nest and wondered whether the activity might be contributing to the pair’s failure to produce many chicks. On May 9, DEC had spotted an adult bald eagle sitting low in the nest as if on eggs.

The pair has produced only one chick in four years.

“As an effort to keep boats out of the nest buffer, staff recommends that floating signage is installed at the water approach to the nest,” said a report filed with FERC. “No additional signage along the upland is required at this time.”

The sign will state that the area is restricted as bald eagle nesting habitat.

Statewide, the number of breeding pairs totaled 173 in 2010. As of last year, there were 17 pairs nesting in Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Herkimer counties, DEC wildlife technician Blanche E. Town wrote in an email.

“This compares to 1976, when there was only one known breeding pair in the entire state and locally, as recently as 1989, there was only one eagle nest in the area,” she wrote. “Bald eagle numbers have been increasing steadily since the national ban on DDT in 1972 and the initiation of New York State’s Bald Eagle Restoration Project which began in 1976.”

Erie has requested DEC’s annual bald eagle observations since 2003, when it filed its management plan with FERC. DEC has not required signs in the past.

Colton's Library Celebrates 100 Years

Story Published: Feb 16, 2012 at 4:33 PM EST

Colton's Hepburn Library was built 100 years ago.

A century later, there's not much of a change to the outside of the building.

But, the interior is constantly evolving.

"As long as we have those type of people around that like the idea of the library book, I think we're okay," said Dennis Eickhoff, library director.

Alonzo Barton Hepburn was born in Colton in the 1800's and put forth the funds and endowment to build the library in the early 1900's, a few years before he died in New York City.

"This was the first library that he built and then he built six others after that," said Eickhoff.

The original blueprint for the Colton library was discovered in a New Jersey attic and sent to the library by the grandson of the original architect.

Over the years, the building has also been used for classroom space and a community health center.

The small rural library has survived everything from the Depression to, more recently, budget cuts on the state and county level.

It has also seen the evolution from books to audio books to the electronic age of Kindle, Nooks and the Internet.

Last year, the library had more than 10,000 visitors as it continues to change with the times.

A new outreach program has been launched with the St. Lawrence County Office for the Aging to deliver library books to senior citizens receiving delivered meals.

Friends of the library have also helped with donations of books and magazines and other materials.

With a host of events being planned to recognize the library's centennial, efforts are also underway to have the library put on the Historic Registry.

A decision from the state Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation is expected at a March 7 meeting.

Colton-Pierrepont Central School donates more than $500 to Colton Library for 100th anniversary celebration

Thursday, February 9, 2012 - 6:26 am

COLTON – Colton-Pierrepont Central School students, staff, and community members recently donated more than $500 to the Colton-Hepburn Library as part of their 100th year celebration.

Randy Johnson, PreK-12 Principal (left), and Joe Kardash, Superintendent (right), presented Dennis Eickhoff with a gift basket containing several book collections and the donation, which was raised throughout the holiday season.

Woman who helped add South Colton's 'Sunday Rock' to register of historic places named 'Citizen of Year'

Sunday, January 29, 2012 - 9:18 am

Sally Thomas examines the Colton Citizen of the Year Award as Town Supervisor Larry Patzwald looks on.

COLTON -- Sally Thomas of South Colton has been named the Colton Citizen of the Year.

Once a year at the annual Winterfest, the Virginia Smith Memorial Award is presented to a citizen demonstrating outstanding community service.

Sally’s community service has included operation of the Zion Food Pantry, serving as a member of the church vestry, warden, organizing the United Thank Offering, maintaining several gardens including the one at “Sunday Rock” in South Colton, and working at church suppers and bazaars as well as Colton Country Days.

She was a member of the Colton Hepburn Library Board and co-chaired Colton’s “An American Revolution Bi-centennial Project”. In 1998, she was named Senior of the Year by the St. Lawrence County Senior Citizens’Council.

Most recently Sally undertook a very ambitious project. “Sunday Rock” is an important landmark in the Town of Colton, one that carries a great deal of history with it. Sally, fearing for the preservation of the landmark, undertook to get it added to the state and national registers of historic places.

Rocks have not been awarded this designation in the past, but this was a special rock. Sally persisted, overcoming one obstacle after another until this past fall the designation was granted. In addition to the beautiful flowers surrounding the “Rock” there is now a marker bearing testament to its heritage.

Sally is a native Coltonian who has been active in her church and community. Born in South Colton to John and Hilda Swift, the second of five children. She attended Colton schools while her family operated a farm and a general store in South Colton. After graduation, she attended the Eastman School of Dentistry. Following completion of her education she worked as a dental hygienist at Dr. Hart’s office and at Colton-Pierrepont and Parishville Hopkinton schools.

William Thomas became Sally’s husband and over the next 55 years they raised three children, Rod, Cathy and Peter. They have seven grandchildren. Together they donated countless hours to community projects.

Sally became a business owner operating “The Stall Gift and Antique Shop” and an author, contributing to “Colton:Story of a Town”.