Liberty Utilities: Can we trust these people?
The back story on what’s going on with natural gas on Rte. 11 in Malone.
Village & Town Issues
$5K loans, 1.5% interest for federal employees!
. — Calvin Luther Martin, PhD . I got paid yesterday. The Border Patrol agent wearing the above vest did not. Neither did this one, below. . . I might be indifferent to this if I lived in a state without an international border. But I don’t. NYS has a notoriously porous border with Québec, …
Jesus on Elm: St. Joe’s at 90 Elm St.
. . — Calvin Luther Martin, PhD . All the photos, below, are from the St. Joe’s “supportive housing” project at 90 Elm Street, Malone. St. Joe’s has christened it “Main on Elm.” As many of you know, this beautiful rambling building was for many years an Ursuline convent. (Note that the Ursulines are a teaching …
The Chair
— Calvin Luther Martin, PhD . Behold the chair! What’s remarkable is its location. (As realtors are fond of saying, Location, location, location!) Several weeks ago its owner, a tenant at 21 Washington St., discarded it as trash, dropping it off the front porch where it shamelessly sat in full view in a neighborhood …
The day the river destroyed Malone
—Calvin Luther Martin, PhD I imagine it happening in the middle of the night. (These things often seem to occur in the wee hours, when no one’s around. At least, I hope that will be the case.) Nina and I are awakened by a huge crash. A tremendous boom. Like an explosion. Our house shakes. …
The Village of Malone needs to restructure taxes, not dissolve itself
—Nina Pierpont, MD, PhD Two financial issues are driving the question of village dissolution: high taxes in the village and the fear that the village may become bankrupt within a decade. There is a common perception that the village has mis-managed its budgets and departments by allowing contracts/salaries/benefits to become recklessly generous. Indeed, there is …
The Village of Malone needs to restructure taxes, not dissolve itself Read More »
Malone: A story
—Calvin Luther Martin, PhD There was once a brave little boat named “Malone”—a vessel ship-shape in every way. Smartly fitted, seaworthy, and manned by a crew of two: first mate on oars and skipper at helm. With a dream and a star to steer her by, crew and captain launched themselves on uncertain seas. Meanwhile …
“Heart & Soul Community Planning”: Blueprint for Malone?
Editor’s note: Take a look at this video. “Heart & Soul Planning” for communities like Malone. It’s a program run by the Orton Family Foundation, Middlebury VT. My thanks to Boyce Sherwin for bringing this to my attention. . . Unlock Your Potential: Heart & Soul Community Planning from Orton Family Foundation on Vimeo. In …
“Heart & Soul Community Planning”: Blueprint for Malone? Read More »
“Place-Making”: Reviving downtown Malone!
“Virginia Developer Is on a Mission to Revive His Town” (Roanoke VA) . Editor’s note: Could Roanoke VA become a model for Malone’s “renaissance” (rebirth)? Read the NY Times article, below, and see what you think. There are interesting parallels between Roanoke, which is far larger than Malone, and Malone. John Mills (Malone’s “Painted …
Re-Imagine Malone (Part 2)
—by Hugh Hill, Malone Village Trustee & Executive Director, Malone Chamber of Commerce . Checklist of Economic Opportunities: (1) Develop our tourism economy by creating a modern and effective marketing effort funded by a fee collected from lodging visitors and managed by a private sector board of directors based on the proven record of success …
Re-Imagine Malone!
“Re-imaging Distressed Communities: A Strategy to Reverse Decline and Attract Investors” . —by Catherine Toups* and James H. Carr† (Spring 2000) Recasting the image of a community is a potentially powerful tool to promote revitalization in distressed inner cities. While neighborhood leaders and redevelopment professionals struggle with the overriding tasks of earning community trust and …
Malone in the 21st Century (Part 2)
—Calvin Luther Martin, PhD In Part 1, we surveyed Malone’s history and decided (I hope) to stop wringing our hands over the closure of the factories and mills. (They closed all over America, after all. The chances of a town hanging on to its factories in the last 30 years were about as good as …
Malone in the 21st Century (Part 1)
A Malone “with hope and promise” . . —Calvin Luther Martin, PhD . In 1918, a local journalist named Frederick J. Seaver published a learned and exhaustive history of Franklin County. It’s fascinating reading. Not quite a hundred pages into the book, Seaver asks wistfully, “What of the future?” To which he cautiously replies, It …
Where’s the Code Officer? (Death by Slums, Part 2)
News Flash! Ladies & gentlemen, there’s a new mayor in town. I mean, a new breed of mayor. Mayor Todd LePine. Since publishing the article, below, RiverCityMalone.com has learned that Mayor LePine had himself deputized as a part-time Code Officer. Over the past week, Officer LePine and Officer Charlie Robert have been inspecting slum housing …
Where’s the Code Officer? (Death by Slums, Part 2) Read More »
Death by Slums (Part 1)
—Calvin Luther Martin, PhD Have you noticed Malone is dying? Our village has a malignant tumor. We’re being devoured by a cancer killing us street by street, neighborhood by neighborhood. It’s called “slums.” The above building is familiar to most of us. It’s hard to miss. It’s the Jack & Elvira Stewart rental property on …
A Lesson on Neighborhood
Okay, here’s a quiz. What’s the difference between this . . . Hotel Flanagan, Village of Malone And this . . . 69 Fort Covington, Village of Malone
Flanagan: “Dear Frank”
Frank Cositore, President Flanagan Hotel UICC Holding LCC Malone, NY Dear Frank, I think you’re not telling this community everything we need to know. Plus, I think you’re beginning to harm this community. Hence this letter.
Booze at County Fair
» To the Franklin County Fair Board: We, the undersigned, ask that you switch the location of the beer tent. From its usual spot to a new one, such as the other side of the grandstand (near the entrance in front of the NCCC campus). Doesn’t matter where, so long as it’s moved from its …
Malone Raceway?
The Race Track. It’s called the Malone International Raceway and Entertainment Park. (MIREP, for short.) Owned by former state police BCI officer John “Chick” Fountain. Located next to the Market Barn and Bokie’s Drive-In. Technically it’s in the Town of Malone, although literally it’s on the doorstep of the Village of Malone. The racetrack was approved …
The Natural: A true story
—Op-Ed by Calvin Luther Martin RE: Immediate Termination Dear Mr. Moll: Effective Friday, February 8, 2008, you are terminated for cause from ComLinks, Inc., for incompetence and improper performance of duties…. Sincerely, Nancy Reich, CEO The Natural