SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic School is encouraging its community to support 2017 graduate Mari Shaw, who, as of press time, was on life support at a hospital in Orlando, Florida. According to her alma mater, Shaw needs a liver transplant and doesn’t have health insurance. A GoFundMe was created last week by Karen McIntosh to raise funds for Shaw. “Please if there is anything you can do to help,” McIntosh wrote on GoFundMe, “even if it is not monetary, please just send prayers.” 

According to McIntosh, they are waiting for a bed to open up at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, where a transplant can take place. Once a bed is available, Shaw will be airlifted to the hospital. To learn more or donate to the fundraiser, visit www.gofundme.com/f/a-miracle-for-mari.

SARATOGA SPRINGS/MIAMA — Anthony Weaver, a former Saratoga Springs High School football player and member of the Blue Streaks Hall of Fame, has been named the new defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins. Weaver had attracted interest from a number of teams for vacant positions, including head coach of the Atlanta Falcons and head coach of the Washington Commanders.

In a statement, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said he was “excited to add Anthony to our staff, not only for what he will bring to the Dolphins as a teacher and coach, but even more so who he is as a leader of men.”

Prior to being hired by Miami, Weaver was the assistant head coach and defensive line coach for the Baltimore Ravens. He also had coaching stints with the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, and Houston Texans. Prior to coaching, he was a defensive end for the Ravens and Texans. He was a second-round pick in the 2002 NFL Draft.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —It may not feel like it if you step outside, but spring is in the air (spring sports, at least). The Skidmore College baseball team held its first full-team practice of the season last Wednesday. Pitchers and catchers reported three days prior. 

The Thoroughbreds’ season will kick off on the afternoon of Saturday March 2 at Baruch College. A series of away games will follow against St. Joseph’s University Brooklyn and SUNY Oneonta, before the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Florida begins on March 10. 

Skidmore’s first home game will be on Friday, March 22 at 3 p.m. versus Bard College.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — If the Saratoga Race Course is akin to a ritzy cocktail bar, harness racing at the Saratoga Casino Hotel is more like a friendly neighborhood pub. Not everyone there knows each other, but it feels like they do. Security guards are on a first-name basis with drivers. Groups of friends crowd around tables to drink and chat while a slot machine symphony rings in the background. Inside, there’s the familiar scent of beer. Outside, a hint of cigar smoke floats through the chilly air. By the time the first race begins, the place is packed.

The 83rd season of harness racing kicked off last Saturday, continuing a tradition that began in 1941, when the Saratoga Raceway hosted its first opening night. This year’s schedule will include 150 racing programs through mid-Decemeber, with more than $17 million in purses. Two notable events happening this year are the New York Sire Stakes in June, which feature New York-bred horses racing for over $1 million in purses, and the 15th annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace on July 20. 

“We are looking forward to a tremendous season of racing here at Saratoga Casino Hotel,” said Race Secretary Peter Iovino in a statement. “Our purses will attract a quality product for our racing fans.”

This season will feature a variety of promotions, including:

• Up to 15% bonuses on all winning wagers for SaratogaBets account holders
• On Sunday, February 18, the first 400 customers will receive long-sleeve t-shirts
• A chance to spin a prize wheel to win a $25-$100 free bet on Presidents’ Day

The winter, spring, and fall schedules will include matinee racing on Sundays, Mondays, and select Tuesdays. The summer schedule will feature racing on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday evenings, with a post time of 5 p.m. Throughout the season, track announcer Mike Sardella will be posting his race picks and writing a biweekly column on saratogacasino.com. 

Aside from harness racing, the Saratoga Casino Hotel also features slot machines, electronic game tables, the Vapor nightclub, a Morton’s steakhouse, and full-service bars. Simulcast wagering is also available.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs High School girls basketball player Carly Wise has netted 1,000 total points in her career with the Blue Streaks. Wise, a senior, is a two-sport athlete and will play lacrosse next year for Clemson University.

Broadalbin — Left-handed relief pitcher Matt Gage has been picked up by the New York Yankees after he was placed on waivers by the Houston Astros. Gage is an upstate New York native who attended Broadalbin-Perth High School, about 30 minutes west of Saratoga Springs. For three years, he pitched for Siena College in Loudonville, before being drafted by the San Francisco Giants. In a post on his X account, Gage said he was “very blessed for every new opportunity to Chase the Dream!” In the majors, Gage has pitched for both the Astros and the Toronto Blue Jays for a combined 19.2 innings and 1.83 ERA.

Gage joins East Greenbush native Kevin Smith as the second player with local roots to be signed by the New York Yankees this off-season. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The Adelphi Hotel in downtown Saratoga Springs hosted actor Chevy Chase last weekend. Chase and his wife Jayni celebrated their daughter Caley’s birthday at the hotel. Chase called the experience a “wonderful weekend in Saratoga Springs” in an Instagram post. 

Chase is currently filming the holiday movie “The Christmas Letter” in various locations across upstate and central New York. The film will see him reunite with “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” co-stars Randy Quaid and Brian Doyle-Murray.

MOREAU — Saratoga Biochar Solutions has accused the Moreau town supervisor and town board of “underhanded and potentially illegal actions” after Moreau officials held a closed-door meeting regarding a possible construction moratorium at the Moreau Industrial Park, where Biochar is attempting to build a facility. 

In a statement, Biochar said the meeting was “in likely violation of New York state open meeting law.” As of January 31, the Town of Moreau’s website had not posted any record of the January 19 meeting taking place. A request for comment from the Moreau town supervisor’s office was not returned.

Raymond Apy, founder and CEO of Northeastern Biochar Solutions, the parent company of Saratoga Biochar, said he hasn’t heard from any Moreau officials since his company released a statement criticizing them on January 24. “I would not accuse them of malicious activity,” Apy said. Rather, Apy said he was disappointed that “they’re not holding true to their campaign promise of transparency.”

Gina LeClair, a former member of the Moreau Town Board from 2008 to 2020, said that closed-door meetings are common but “not something that’s lightly done.” 

“They’re legal meetings,” LeClair said. “The town board meets every two weeks. If something comes up that they need the advice of their attorney, they can, at any point that’s convenient for them and the attorney, get together.” LeClair said that attorneys present during the meetings would “immediately speak up” if a specific discussion was not allowed in private.

Biochar has been attempting to build a fertilizer plant at the Moreau Industrial Park for the past two years. Possible construction of the facility has led to opposition from local politicians, as well as the formation of anti-Biochar groups such as “Not Moreau,” which was co-founded by LeClair and currently has 1,700 followers on Facebook.

LeClair said that opposition to a Biochar facility in Moreau is motivated by concerns with emissions, truck traffic, noise pollution, odor, and a potential decline in property values. “Twenty jobs at a sewage sludge handling plant is not significant enough to put all of this down on all of these communities,” LeClair said. “There’s really not much in there that’s good for the residents of Moreau.” 

In contrast to local opposition, Apy said his interactions with New York State officials have been “very collaborative.” Biochar recently received its Notice of Completed Application from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). NYSDEC is expected to make a final decision on solid waste management and air emissions permits for Biochar at some point this year.

“We’re a small startup company. We’ve been accused of being some big, giant corporate greedy pig,” Apy said. “We care about environmental sustainability. That’s our entire company ethos.”

Apy said he remains optimistic about not just building a plant in Moreau, but also expanding his company to Colorado, California, Pennsylvania, and even Australia. “It would be unfortunate for New York not to gain the recognition of a groundbreaking facility like this coming online before some other state or even another country,” Apy said. 

NYSDEC will hold both virtual and in-person public hearings about Biochar in South Glens Falls on February 7 and 8. Anti-Biochar activists are planning their own meetings on February 6 that will teach attendees “how to make an impactful statement or letter to convince [NYSDEC] to not issue permits to Saratoga Biochar,” according to an event flier.