Whitehall’s top stories from 2015

You are currently viewing Whitehall’s top stories from 2015

By Dan King

The news never stopped bubbling in Whitehall this year.

There were several moments that put Whitehall in the national spotlight – for reasons good and bad.

As we prepare for the New Year, we look back on our Top 10 stories of 2015.

Another great sports year

Nothing galvanized the community more than the domination of the Whitehall football team in 2015.

The Railroaders finished the regular season unbeaten, won the Section II Class D regular season title for the second season in a row, won the Section II Class D playoff title for the first time since 1989 and became the first Whitehall team to ever beat Cambridge twice in a season. Eleven Railroaders made the Section II Class all-star team in one capacity or another.

Huge crowds poured into the stands at both home games and away games to support the maroon and white.

Nothing epitomized the support the team drew more than the sending-off that the community organized when the Railroaders headed to the state quarterfinals. Sirens blared and the bus received an escort, as the community lined the street with signs.

It wasn’t only the football team that dominated in 2015. The golf team didn’t lose a single match all season either.

Back in May, the baseball team had another successful year and going back to the start of 2015, Whitehall/Fort Ann wrestler Josh Bressette made it to the state tournament.

State investigates school

One issue the people of Whitehall are glad is done is the state Education Department’s Common Core investigation at Whitehall schools.

In February then-superintendent Liz Legault announced she was leaving for a job in East Bridgewater, Mass. In March then-elementary principal Brett Lamy abruptly resigned.

When interim superintendent Bill Scott took over in May, the state began its investigation, based on a tip from Legault.

In May the state invalidated the eighth-grade ELA Common Core tests. The next month former junior/senior high principal Kelly McHugh resigned in connection with the investigation. In July two teachers were placed on paid leave and were later identified as Paul Gould and Sue Ringer. The district eventually reached an agreement that will allow the two to return next year. Also in July there was the investigation of the hacking of school clerk Martha Bascue’s Facebook page and the following month Joe Karas, the former business manager, left for a new job.

Since the investigation concluded, school officials have put in place leaders they feel can fix what ailed the district. Scott is on as interim superintendent and Mark Doody is on as interim junior/senior high principal. Jodi Birch is the replacement for Karas and Rich Trowbridge has replaced Lamy. Birch and Trowbridge are full-time replacements.

In 2016 the district will need to find full-time replacements for Scott and Doody, whom school board president Jeremy Putorti has spoken very highly of.

Spotlight on Bigfoot

Finding Bigfoot
The crew from Animal Planet’s Finding Bigfoot

Whitehall received a lot of attention in 2015 for its famed Sasquatch/Bigfoot history – and some of that attention was even national.

In March, crews from Animal Planet’s popular show “Finding Bigfoot” filmed an episode based entirely in the Whitehall area. Some 200 people showed up to the crew’s town hall meeting and many had their stories told on the show or were involved in recreations.

During the episode, a few Whitehall Police officers got the opportunity to go “squatchin’” with the “Finding Bigfoot” crew.

That episode aired in July and at that same time a documentary filmmaker came to town to shoot a documentary detailing Whitehall’s illustrious history in Bigfoot lore.

The documentary, titled “The Beast of Whitehall,” is set to be released April 1.

Hall-of-famer in town

The “Finding Bigfoot” crews weren’t the only nationally known people found in Whitehall this year.

WWE hall-of-famer Mick Foley made an appearance at the Whitehall Athletic Club in April. Hundreds of Foley fanatics made their way through for a meet-and-greet with the WWE legend, who is known for his sock-on-hand compadre “Mr. Socko.”

Foley cracked jokes left and right with fans, took an opportunity to take a photo with the Whitehall Times and later in the evening, even got involved in some wrestling.

WAC workers during the event said that it was easily the best crowd they had drawn for one of the World of Hurt wrestling events, largely thanks to the hall-of-famer.
McDonald’s closes

McDonalds 1
McDonald’s on Route 4 is now all boarded up.

One issue that continues to frustrate many in the community is the sudden loss of the McDonald’s restaurant in Whitehall.

In August, McDonald’s corporate and franchisee Lloyd Schneider announced that the Whitehall location would be closing. Schneider retired and corporate wouldn’t comment on whether it had plans for the site.

The building is boarded up, with a sign saying it is “temporarily” closed for “renovations.” However, when the Times asked about the status of the renovations in November, McDonald’s corporate said it had “no news to share.”

Many residents have voiced concerns at meetings and elsewhere that if corporate does not either take it over or find a franchisee interested in the building, it could become “an eyesore.”

FBI arrest

Another issue that got Whitehall some national recognition was the federal indictment against 18-year-old Shane R. Smith for reportedly buying illegal weapons from an undercover FBI informant.

Smith reportedly told the informant that he was planning to use these weapons to “execute (expletive for Jewish people) and (expletive for black people).” Smith was also in our 2014 top stories list for an anti-Semitic graffiti spree around the town of Whitehall. That arrest put him on probation.

Smith could face charges both for his federal indictment and for an unrelated probation violation arrest, in which State Police confiscated metal knuckles and daggers from his home.

Naval Militia
Steve Gauci and Butch Hurlburt of the Naval Militia.

Naval Militia

Whitehall residents Don Hart and Steve Gauci, Granville resident Butch Hurlburt and the rest of their branch of the New York State Naval Militia were recognized with a statewide award.

The Naval Militia is a group that many – even elected officials – admitted they didn’t know much about prior to the award.

Members are volunteers who have formerly served in the armed forces and continue to protect their community. They regularly patrol the area’s water bodies and assist when the Governor declares an emergency.

Gauci, for example, was once deployed to New York City to help with Hurricane Irene relief.

BOE election

After a controversial school year, the turnout to run for the Whitehall Board of Education was astronomical.

In the same election cycle where the mayor had to appoint a village trustee because nobody came forward to run, eight candidates emerged for only three seats on the board.

The candidates were Mike Rocque, Tony Scrimo, Pat Norton, Harold Nicholson, Jr., Steve St. Claire, Joseph Swahn, Marcia Rocque and Stiling Knight. Ultimately the first three listed won the seats. None of those who ran were incumbents.

There was actually competition for the town board as well. Three candidates – Stephanie Safka, Farrell Prefountaine and Phil Smith – ran for two seats. Incumbents Safka and Prefountaine were re-elected in a close race.

Sharing a chief

The villages of Whitehall and Granville decided they will be sharing Ernie Bassett as a police chief this year.

Officials in both municipalities anticipate saving money by sharing the costs of employing a chief.

Bassett, under this contract, c will spend 30 hours in Granville and 16 in Whitehall.

This arrangement comes after Whitehall went all of this year without its own police chief. During that time Sgt. Dick LaChapelle served as “officer in charge.”
Bridge reopens

Bridge
Traffic flows over the Poultney Street Bridge.

Let’s end the top story list on a positive note – the Poultney Street Bridge reopened to two lanes of traffic in 2015.

Off and on throughout 2014 and 2015, the Poultney Street Bridge was reduced to a single lane of traffic for bridge work. That frustrated many residents as the traffic backup from it was enormous.

Not only did residents and travelers suffer from the bridge closure, so did businesses and volunteers. Coin drop revenue was down and many businesses felt they were being ignored because of the traffic.

The good news is that the bridge work is done and it’s back open on a full-time basis.

Certainly there were other stories that were knocking on the door for consideration on the top 10 list. There was a little bit of everything in Whitehall in 2015.