BEN STILLER
In this week’s Spotlight, Paul Larson talks in-depth with director Ben Stiller about his new TV mini-series on the Dannemora Prison Break that’s now airing on Showtime.
Stiller hired former New York State Police Commander Major Charles Guess to be an adviser for the series. Guess headed up the 3-week manhunt for the escaped killers. He retired a year later and wrote a book about the prison break and what became the largest manhunt in New York State history. Stiller even convinced Guess to star as himself in the mini-series. Watch the interview with did with Chuck Guess from September 2017.
GARROW PREMIERE
A new film about another notorious killer who escaped from a New York State prison is coming to Plattsburgh.
It tells the story of Robert Garrow, whose murder spree terrorized the Adirondacks and North Country in the summer of 1973. After, what was then, the largest manhunt in New York State history, Garrow was shot and captured near his home in Mineville, in Essex County. 5-years later, Garrow was shot & killed after he escaped from the state prison at Fishkill.
Filmmaker Lori Bailey, and her son Joel Plue spent much of the summer shooting the movie, that’s premiering this Saturday, December 1st, at the movieplex in Johnstown, New York. Head to the film’s Facebook page for more info.
Just announced this week, there will also be two screenings in Plattsburgh at the Strand Theater on Saturday January 12th at 8pm & Sunday January 13th at 2:30. Tickets are available now at the Strand Box Office and on its website: www.strandcenter.org
Watch our interview with Lori & Joel from last month on the making of this new film.
SCHOOL MERGER
They’ve teamed up for years on the field sharing sports teams, now voters in the neighboring towns of Westport, Elizabethtown and Lewis will decide whether to merge their school districts.
We talk with Scott Osborne and Josh Meyer, the superintendents of both school districts, about what’s at stake in next Tuesday’s vote. Watch the interview here.
Watch Forum with Panel Discussion on Proposed Merger: www.facebook.com/suncommunitynews
HOLIDAY TRAIN
In the middle of this week’s snowstorm people bundled up & headed to the train stations in Plattsburgh, Port Henry, Ticonderoga & Rouses Point to welcome what’s become a holiday tradition.
For the 20th year, Canadian Pacific Railway has decked one of its freight trains out in thousands of colorful LED lights. Every year, musicians put on a performance featuring Christmas favorites. This year, The Sam Roberts Band from Montreal put on the free show. Watch a bonus clip from the show.
The Holiday Train has another purpose. At every stop CP Rail Workers deliver a check to help those in need. In Plattsburgh, the nearly 5-thousand dollar donation will help stock dozens of food pantries in Clinton and Franklin Counties.
Many who come to see the Holiday Train also bring donations enough to fill truckloads full of food. It’ll go to the food shelves and pantries that are helping to feed 8-thousand families during the winter ahead.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
This holiday season, a theater group in Plattsburgh is performing the Charles Dickens’ classic tale, A Christmas Carol, with a twist. Tim Palkovic and the Mosaic Ensemble, under the direction of Sue Carroll, are doing a unique version with a live chorus performing carols that are integrated into the reading of the story. See the story here.
A Christmas Carol is being performed at the Memorial Chapel at 100 US Oval in Plattsburgh. Shows will be this Sunday, December 2nd at 3pm, and then again next Friday, December 7th, at 7pm. It cost 10-dollars. All of the proceeds will be used for renovations and repairs to the historic chapel on for the former Air Force Base.