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By David Cederstrom, Chronicle Staff Writer

In the Feb. 6 issue of The Chronicle we wrote about Chris Ruckert of Hartford. At the age of 24, he’d lost 193 pounds — dropping from 399.6 to 207 — in order to fulfill his lifelong dream of joining the U.S. military. He set off to Parris Island in February.

We met him again on June 27, when Pvt. Ruckert was home before …

By David Cederstrom, Chronicle Staff Writer

Chris Ruckert, 24, of Hartford, says he dreamed of joining the U.S. military, but it didn’t look possible a year-and-a-half ago when he weighed “a fraction away from 400 pounds, 399.6.”

Then he lost 193 pounds.

Now down to 207, he was inducted into the Marine Corps on Feb. 3 and went to their Parris Island boot camp in South Carolina.

“It had been …

By Mark Frost, Chronicle Editor & Publisher

For as many years as we’ve been dining at the ever-popular Ridge Terrace, on Route 9L, Upper Ridge Road in Queensbury, I’d never sat down and talked with owner Ray Rios until last week.

Ray, now 76, has an amazing story to tell. Born in Juarez, Mexico, he started working at the age of 8 as a dishwasher in a restaurant that drew …

By David Cederstrom, Chronicle Staff Writer

Lake George “is still remarkably healthy, but certain trends that could change that dramatically, and permanently, are headed in the wrong direction,” Eric Siy, executive director of the Fund for Lake George, told The Chronicle.

“It really is now or never….That’s not hyperbole,” he said. “The trend lines tell us that. The lake tells us that.”

He insists, though, “I’m really optimistic, as long …

By Joyce Miller, Special to The Chronicle

Editor’s note: Joyce Miller, Professor of Library Science at SUNY Adirondack, was a founding staff member of The Chronicle in 1980 and was our first Arts Editor, among many responsibilities here over many years. She’s an ardent bird-watcher.

California Condors are the largest land bird in North America, with a wingspan of 9.5 feet and a height of about 3.5 feet.

I …