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School District Enrollment & May School Vote

On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, the Whitehall school district will have the vote for next year’s school budget, a number of spending propositions and to elect four members to the school board. It will be held from noon to 8:00 pm in the Large Group Instruction Room in the Jr.-Sr. High School. The district is proposing a $22.558 million budget for the 2025-2026 school year with a proposed 2.00 % property tax increase. The proposal to buy land was voted down last year but is again on the ballot this year.

The school district has a link to the budget newsletter on their website with information for everyone: 2026 Budget Newsletter

I have been reporting on the enrollment figures of the district for many years. I cannot find the school’s enrollment listed for the 2025-2026 school year. Last year (2024-2025), the Whitehall School District had 636 total students.

To put this number of 636 students into historical context, I have updated my yearly enrollment chart below:

School Year 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13
Students 885 860 858 845 815 779 753 742 755
School Year 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23
Students 757 736 736 758 708 699 719 693 731 655
School Year 23-24 24-25
Students 644 636

To put this in perspective, the Whitehall school district has now reached the lowest enrollment while simultaneously having the largest budget ($22.558 million) since I have been tracking this.

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Forest Rangers in the News

Town of Queensbury
Warren County
Wildland Fire: On April 23 at 5:30 p.m., three Forest Rangers responded to a fire in Dunham Bay Marsh. By 8:30 p.m., fire crews had the 2-acre fire under control. The cause is under investigation.

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May 22 “Repose of the Fallen” Ceremony at Lake George Battlefield Park Grows Closer

After discovering what officials believed were Revolutionary War soldiers in early 2019, the construction of the reinterment memorial is nearing completion. Officials plan to inter the remains in the new “Repose of the Fallen” memorial in a public ceremony on May 22 at 11:00 a.m. in Lake George Battlefield State Park.

Read the announcement and see proposed renderings and pictures here.

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New Flowers Added to Post Office Front

Many thanks to Emily for not allowing the new flower boxes in front of the Post Office to remain empty for long. She planted these today to give the front of the building some spring color. Please let her know what a great job she did.

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Forest Rangers in the News

Towns of Chester, Lake George, and Lake Luzerne
Warren County
Training: On April 14, 15, and 16, Sixteen Forest Rangers participated in the largest Flood Incident Response Strike Team (FIRST) exercise ever held on the Hudson and Schroon rivers. Ranger instructors taught 82 participants techniques for whitewater swimming, throw bag rescues, swiftwater rope work, inflatable rescue boat operations, and swiftwater river crossings. FIRST is comprised of New York State Fire, New York State Police Dive Team, New York State Park Police, New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs, and Environmental Conservation Police Officers and Forest Rangers. The joint training effort will make crews better prepared to work together during flood responses.


FIRST Training


FIRST Training

Town of Horicon
Warren County
Wilderness Search and Training: On April 18, Forest Rangers conducted a limited continuous search for Tom Messick, a hunter missing since 2015. Three Rangers joined 19 members of Lower Adirondack Search and Rescue (LASAR) to focus on areas that may reveal clues about his disappearance. Volunteers used the opportunity to improve their crew boss and search skills. The last search was conducted in November 2025 on the 10-year anniversary of Messick’s disappearance.


Tom Messick search


Tom Messick search

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Post Office Gets New Front Flower Boxes

I’m happy to report that two new flower boxes have been installed on the front side of the Post Office. These replace the former flower boxes that were in need of replacement.


Now we just need some warmer weather.

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April 23rd and Lake George

Today is April 23rd, which is celebrated in England as St. George’s day. There are traditions like flying the St. George’s Cross flag, wearing red roses and special parades. While it is not a public holiday, it is a significant cultural day. The video below describes who St. George actually was and why he is considered the patron saint of England.

What does any of this have to do with Lake George, NY?

On August 28, 1755, William Johnson led British colonial forces to occupy the area in the French and Indian War. He renamed the lake as Lake George for King George II. It had been named Lac du Saint-Sacrement (Lake of the Holy Sacrament) by the French, while it was under their control.

On September 8, 1755 the Battle of Lake George was fought between the forces of Britain and France resulting in a strategic victory for the British and their Iroquois allies. After the battle, Johnson ordered the construction of a military fortification at the southern end of the lake. The fort was named Fort William Henry after King George II’s grandson Prince William Henry, a younger brother of the later King George III.

All English kings named George, were named after the original St. George, patron saint of England. So that is how our great and spectacular lake got to be named Lake George.

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No Dresden Town Board Meeting in April

Due to the Town Supervisor position and two town board member seats being vacant, the Dresden Town board is unable to meet for the regular scheduled town board meeting on April 13th. There is no quorum, so no town business can be conducted.

Update:
The Sewer District # 1 meeting scheduled for Monday April 13th is also canceled.

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Happy Easter: 2026

The Isenheim Altarpiece is an altarpiece sculpted and painted by, respectively, the Germans Nikolaus Hagenauer and Matthias Grünewald in 1512–1516. It is on display at the Unterlinden Museum at Colmar, Alsace, in France. It is Grünewald’s largest work and is regarded as his masterpiece.

The outer wings of the Isenheim Altarpiece were opened for important festivals of the liturgical year, particularly those in honour of the Virgin Mary. The right wing shows the Resurrection, in which Christ emerges from the tomb and ascends into Heaven bathed in light transfiguring the countenance of the Crucified into the face of God.

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Good Friday: 2026

The Isenheim Altarpiece is an altarpiece sculpted and painted by, respectively, the Germans Nikolaus Hagenauer and Matthias Grünewald in 1512–1516. It is on display at the Unterlinden Museum at Colmar, Alsace, in France. It is Grünewald’s largest work and is regarded as his masterpiece.

It was painted for the Monastery of St. Anthony in Issenheim near Colmar, which specialized in hospital work. The Antonine monks of the monastery were noted for their care of plague sufferers as well as for their treatment of skin diseases. The image of the crucified Christ is pitted with plague-type sores, showing patients that Jesus understood and shared their afflictions. The veracity of the work’s depictions of medical conditions was unusual in the history of European art

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The Golf Course (without Snow)

This photo looking out over the ninth green of the Huletts golf course, taken on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, shows no snow left on the ground. Spring has officially arrived. However, there is still ice on the lake. Hopefully, only better weather is ahead.

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World Frog Day is March 20th


A tree frog seen in Huletts Landing.

On March 20th, frog supporters worldwide celebrate and plan to take action for amphibians. This leap towards conservation helps highlight the vital role frogs play in our ecosystem and educates the next generation on the importance of their survival. We are blessed to have many different types of frogs in Huletts.

It’s no surprise that when the air temperature starts to warm and the ground thaws that a “spring awakening” occurs and populations start to move. For most frogs, this migration pattern leads them to crossing roads to get to their destination: a vernal pool. When they encounter roads and driveways mortality from vehicles can be high. The New York State Department of Conservation strides to educate and provide safe and rewarding volunteer experiences to assist in amphibian migration. See the following links to learn more about frogs and support native habitats:

Protect habitats by buying a habitat and access stamp.
Educate yourself by reading Frogs and Toads of NYS – Conservationist Centerfold (PDF)

All New York native amphibians are protected by New York State law, and cannot be harmed or collected.

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250 Years Ago Today: March 17, 1776

On March 17, 1776, British forces evacuated Boston, ending an 11-month siege by George Washington’s Continental Army. The retreat followed the American fortification of Dorchester Heights with cannons from Fort Ticonderoga, making the British position in the city untenable. Over 11,000 soldiers and 1,000 Loyalists fled to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

This event has historical significance for many reasons:

It was George Washington’s first major win as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. It bolstered American morale and proved that the colonial forces could outmaneuver the British military. The evacuation also ended the hated British occupation of Boston that had lasted since 1768.

Two other lesser known facts about that day include that March 17 also happens to be St. Patrick’s Day. In 1776, Washington used “St. Patrick” as the official password for the Continental Army camp that day to honor the many Irish-born soldiers in the ranks. Also, in recognition of the bloodless liberation of the city, the Continental Congress awarded Washington the first-ever Congressional Gold Medal.