Business alliance for a clean lake to visit Legislature
Several prominent area business organizations have joined forces to create a new alliance, the Business Alliance for a Clean Lake (BACL), first announced in January 2010. The BACL will bring their member organizations to the Statehouse on Friday, February 19th, to meet with legislators and introduce them to the issues the BACL supports. They will be in the Statehouse cafeteria from 7:45 to 9:30. A brochure describing their program will be available.Founding members of the BACL are: Franklin County Industrial Development Corporation Franklin County Regional Chamber of Commerce Friends of Northern Lake Champlain Lake Champlain Islands Chamber of Commerce Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of CommerceParticipating organizations:- Addison County Chamber of Commerce- Burlington International Airport- Burlington Business Association- Church Street Marketplace Commission- Farmers’ Watershed Alliance- Franklin County Board of Realtors- Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation- St. Albans Area Watershed Association- Vermont Convention BureauMission Statement of Business Alliance for a Clean Lake: Lake Champlain is an incomparable natural, social and economic resource. The Mission of BACL is to support efforts to clean the lake, to prevent further man-made impacts that would reduce its safe and enjoyable use, and to protect the Lake for the future of our economy and for future generations.
Bio Taylor VorthermsSports Editor at The Ellsworth AmericanTaylor Vortherms covers sports in Hancock County. The St. Louis, Missouri native recently graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism and joined The Ellsworth American in 2013. Part 1: Invisible, incapacitating concussions are sidelining high school athletes – July 19, 2016 Latest posts by Taylor Vortherms (see all) ELLSWORTH — In its three seasons as a program, the Ellsworth-Sumner Memorial High School football team has yet to win a game. But head coach Duane Crawford is optimistic about this year.“The kids are more comfortable on offense and defense,” Crawford said. “There are some definite bright spots.”On Friday night, Ellsworth-Sumner hosted Mount Desert Island in a preseason scrimmage at EHS. Ellsworth-Sumner lost 44-12, which, Crawford said, was an improvement from last season’s preseason scrimmage against MDI.“In the same game last year, we couldn’t get anything going on offense,” Crawford said.This is placeholder textThis is placeholder textThis time, senior Devin Wright posed as a threat to MDI, leading Ellsworth-Sumner with 79 yards on 11 carries.“Devin doesn’t need a whole lot to make things happen,” Crawford said, adding that one focus in practice will be strengthening his offensive line. “We’re still working on getting a little quicker on offense. But that’s why we have preseason games.”Junior Jacob Shorey scored Ellsworth-Sumner’s only offensive touchdown. He finished with 63 yards on 10 carries.On defense, one of Ellsworth-Sumner’s highlights included freshman Javon Williams stripping the ball from MDI and returning it for a touchdown.“On all of MDI’s big plays, we had kids in position to make those plays,” Crawford said. “We just need to make those tackles.”Crawford also noted that MDI is a good team that he expects to make the Class C playoffs.Ellsworth-Sumner, technically a Class B team for its combined enrollment, was granted permission to stay in Class D — the class for smallest-sized schools — for another season. One of the teams on Ellsworth-Sumner’s schedule late September is Camden Hills — a new program that also finished winless last season.“I expect us to be better this year,” Crawford said, “but it’s still too early to tell.”One struggle remains consistent for Ellsworth-Sumner: its team size.Crawford said he plans to start this season with 30 players, barring any preseason injuries.“We’re thin and basically one person deep at all positions,” Crawford said. “Things won’t get easier for us on Friday nights.”Ellsworth-Sumner will host Orono in its first regular-season game at 7 p.m. on Friday.George “Toogie” McKay coaches an Ellsworth-Sumner Memorial High School football practice on July 7 at EHS. PHOTO BY TAYLOR VORTHERMSMeet Coach “Toogie”Ellsworth-Sumner Memorial High School football coach George “Toogie” McKay won’t disclose how he got his nickname.“There’s a story behind it,” McKay says. “But it’s one sweeter than football coaches should have.”McKay has been coaching football in Maine for about three decades, with the majority of his career spent at Mount Desert Island High School. Now, he’s helping head coach Duane Crawford build a program at EHS.“He brings a wealth of knowledge,” Crawford says. “He has just been around the game so long. He has so much insight to offer.”In recognition of McKay’s long-term coaching career, the Little Ten Conference recently named the high school lineman of the year award after him.McKay played football all four years as a student at Bar Harbor High School, where he graduated in 1963.“I didn’t really have a choice,” McKay says of his introduction to football. “My father played on an undefeated team for Bar Harbor back in 1939.“I heard a lot about it,” he adds, laughing.McKay’s sense of humor, as well as his tough-love approach to coaching, shines through his stories. In his early high school years, McKay describes himself as a “little fat kid” whose father would often give him lessons on how to block after he returned home from practice.“He’d be blocking me all over the living room, and my mother would be screaming at him, ‘Leave him alone!’” McKay recalls with a smile. “When you’re 5’3 and 130 pounds, that wasn’t a lot of fun. But I grew.”McKay played linebacker, the same position as his father. He also wore his dad’s number 50.Since then, McKay has never strayed from the sport. He coached at MDI High School for 22 years, Old Town High School for one, and he has been with the EHS program all three years.“He’s definitely tough on the kids, but they respect that,” Crawford says. “He’ll be upset with them, and five minutes later, he’ll be telling them a funny story.”Beneath McKay’s tough exterior is a soft spot — perhaps one, as he might describe, that’s “sweeter than football coaches should have.”“I want the kids to play to their potential,” McKay says. “I just want them to be successful.”
Part 2: When the injury is inside your head, some “don’t get it” – July 26, 2016 Latest Posts EHS names new boys’ soccer coach – July 13, 2016
Motorists are being urged to drive with extra care as temperatures are expected to drop below zero tonight, with fog and frost appearing tomorrow morning.Donegal County Council gritters have been out since 4 this afternoon on roads throughout the county.Caution is encouraged as there may be black ice on the roads. The Council urge drivers to assume that “no road is ice-free”.Met Eireann report that “scattered showers may persist along the coast tonight but elsewhere, clearer spells will allow fog and freezing fog to develop. Lowest temperatures of 0 to minus 3 degrees with widespread frost.”For tomorrow they say; “Fog and frost at first tomorrow morning will clear then Sunday will be another cold day with good sunshine and the risk of a few light showers. Highest temperatures of 5 to 8 degrees with a moderate northwest breeze.”Snow may also fall on higher ground throughout the county. To keep up to date with Donegal County Council’s road news, you can follow them on Twitter.Donegal County Council have also released a map to see which roads may be dangerous. You can view this by clicking here.Image source: http://donegal.maps.arcgis.comMotorists advised to drive with care as temperatures plummet below zero was last modified: November 19th, 2016 by Elaine McCalligShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)