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Author: Aidan Cahill

Knife wielding man arrested after robbing a Stewart’s

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in Featured, News.

A Cohoes man has been arrested by Saratoga Springs Police after he tried to steal cigarettes from a Stewart’s and pulled a knife on responding officers.

Craig Valcik, 45 of Cohoes was arrested on Nov. 7 at 3 pm during a robbery attempt at the Stewart’s on Church Street in Saratoga Springs. Police said officers were in the parking lot at the time of the robbery and were alerted to the incident by a store employee. 

Once inside the shop, the officers attempted to take Valcik into custody, but he refused to comply. He then pulled out and knife and began to threaten officers. Ultimately after more commands were issued, Valcik dropped the weapon and surrendered without incident. 

Valcik was charged three felonies — first degree robbery, menacing a police officer, and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was also charged with criminal possession of stolen property and criminal tampering.  

Valcik was arraigned and placed in custody at the Saratoga County Jail. He is set to appear in court on Nov. 13. 

National Cemetery Cancels Veterans Day Ceremony

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in News.

Flags line the road leading into the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery on Veterans Day

A ceremony set to take place on Veterans Day was canceled this year due to the government shutdown. 

The ceremony was set to take place at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery at 11:00 but couldn’t go forward due to loss of federal funds. 

“We’re saddened to share that this year’s Veterans Day Ceremony has been cancelled due to a lack of cemetery funding and the ongoing government shutdown,” the Cemetery said in a Facebook post.

Due to the government shutdown, the annual ceremony honoring veterans at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery was canceled

While the ceremony may have been canceled, there were signs of the holiday up around the cemetery. Students from Stillwater High School put up flags along the roadway leading to the cemetery. 

In addition, the cemetery was open to the public allowing those who wished to honor veterans buried at the cemetery. 

Plane Crash Kills One in Milton

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in Featured, News.


One person died and another is seriously injured after a plane crashed near the Saratoga County Airport in Milton (NYDOT)

One person is dead, and another is seriously injured after a plane crashed into the driveway of a home in the town of Milton. 

The pilot, Frederick Baber, 58, of Port Charlotte Florida was killed in the crash while the passenger, Alexander Hoff, 39, of Hollis New Hampshire was seriously injured. He was transported to Albany Medical Center with serious injuries. 

The crash occurred on Oct. 31 at 10:24 am in a residential area on Wyndham Way in the Town of Milton. Nine fire departments, three police agencies, Community EMS, Saratoga County Office of Emergency Management and Saratoga County Hazardous Material Team all responded to the crash, according to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. 

In a press conference the day of the crash, Saratoga County Sherriff Mike Zurlo said that the plane is believed to have hit a tree and dropped into the driveway of a residence. 

While the crash was initially dispatched as a structure fire with entrapment, responders on scene determined that the fire was limited to outside the residence and that the structure was not impacted. 

The house was occupied at the time, but the residents were not injured and were able to safely evacuate, Zurlo said. 

The aircraft involved in the crash was a Mooney M20E that was originally manufactured in 1964, according to the FAA Aircraft Registration. It is listed as a fixed wing single engine aircraft. It first received its airworthiness certification in December 1964 and its current registration was issued in January 2025. 

The listed owner was not involved in the crash and told other media outlets that he sold the plane the month prior. 

The plane first came to Saratoga County on Oct. 9 according to Flightradar24, a real-time flight tracking service. Its last flight prior to the crash occurred on Oct. 21 with Flightradar24 showing that it circled the Saratoga County Airport for about 13 minutes before landing. The fatal crash on Oct. 31 did not appear on the service’s website. 

The aircraft pilot, Baber was listed as having received his private pilot license in July 2019 with his last listed medical certification coming in July 2025. According to the FAA, Baber had a single engine and instrument rating. His daughter said in a Facebook post that he died doing what he loved. 

Saratoga County hasn’t seen a fatal plane crash since 2014 when a pilot crashed in Gansevoort while attempting to pick up a towable banner, according to the NTSB. The last non-fatal accident occurred in 2023 when a student and instructor were forced to make an emergency landing in a field after running out of fuel. 

As for the Oct. 31 crash, no cause has been issued for the crash, and the NTSB announced that they are currently investigating. 

An earlier version of the story misspelled Frederick Baber’s name. We apologize for the mistake and have since corrected the mistake.

Northumberland Man Arrested on Multiple Charges After Robbery

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in News.

A Northumberland man is facing a slew of charges stemming from a robbery in the town. 

Pedro Correa Rodriguez, 36 of Northumberland was charged with 11 different counts ranging from drug possession to robbery after an incident that occurred the morning of Nov. 3. 

According to New York State Police, Correa Rodriguez struck another person, stole their cell phone, and pointed a handgun at them before fleeing the scene. 

A short time later, he was found walking in the area and taken into custody where Troopers found a loaded handgun, the victim’s damaged cell phone, a glass smoking device and drugs. 

Correa Rodriguez was arraigned in Northumberland Court and is currently being held without bail at the Saratoga County Correctional Facility. 

He was arrested on the following charges: Possession of a Weapon in the second degree, Robbery in the third degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the third degree, Criminal Mischief in the third degree, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Assault in the third degree, Four counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance in the seventh degree, Menacing in the second degree, Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia in the second degree and Criminal Mischief in the fourth degree. 

Corinth Woman Breaks Deputy’s Thumb

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in News.

A Corinth Woman has been arrested after she broke a Saratoga County Sheriff’s Deputy’s thumb. 

Jozzelynn Slimmer, 22, was arrested on Oct. 29 for 2nd degree assault stemming from an incident that occurred Oct. 20 in the village of Corinth. 

According to Deputies, Slimmer was being taken into custody on a separate incident when she resisted arrest which resulted in the Deputy breaking their thumb. 

Slimmer was arraigned in Corinth Town Court and is currently in custody awaiting further legal proceedings. 

Walmart Employee Dies After Getting Hit by Car

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in News.

One of the victims who was hit by a vehicle at the Wilton Walmart has died. 

Michael Bushey, 69 of Saratoga Springs died Nov. 3 while receiving treatment at Albany Medical Center. Bushey was struck by Timothy W. Besaw, 34 of Gansevoort in October after an incident at the Wilton Walmart. 

According to State Police, Besaw had attempted to leave the store with items he hadn’t paid for before being stopped by an employee. He then left the store with some of the items but got into an altercation with an employee. After this he got in his vehicle and intentionally drove it into two employees. 

At the time, Troopers listed their condition as serious but not life threatening. 

After fleeing the scene, Besaw crashed his vehicle on Perry Road and was taken into custody. After initially refusing a breathalyzer, Besaw later received a blood test at Glenns Falls Hospital. 

Besaw was initially charged with vehicular assault in the first and second degrees, driving while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of an accident. As of time of publication, Besaw has not been charged with any additional crimes related to the incident. 

One Saratoga Nearly Sweeps City Hall

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in Featured, News.

It was a late night in Saratoga Springs as candidates waited to see who would win control of City Hall. 

While results didn’t come in until 11:00 p.m., by the end of the night it appeared that the One Saratoga line had nearly swept city hall — winning five out of the seven races, assuming results hold. 

“I’m very happy about five out of the seven races,” One Saratoga chairwoman Courtney DeLeonardis said. “I feel we ran really wonderful campaigns with civility, integrity and professionalism. To me this is a sign that our community is looking for city before party.” 

Incumbent Mayor John Safford will continue to lead the city. He defeated Democratic challenger and current Supervisor Michelle Madigan, who previously served on city council and ran on the One Saratoga line in her 2023 run for supervisor. 

At the time of publication, Safford was ahead by 287 votes. 

Safford will be joined on City Council by Incumbent Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Coll who was endorsed by One Saratoga, as well as the Republicans and Democrats. Coll ran unopposed and defeated any attempts at a write in candidate 7340-63. 

Not returning to City Council is Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran. The embattled commissioner was defeated by One Saratoga and Republican backed Jessica Troisi by 433 votes. 

In a Facebook post, Moran conceded the election, thanking his Deputy and expressing pride in the work that he did as commissioner. He also took a jab at his opponent while wishing her the best. 

“Negative campaigning seems to work, to lose to a campaign without ideas, knowledge of the position or the challenges currently facing it is difficult,” Moran said in the post. “That said, I wish Ms. Troisi the best and we as citizens need her to be successful.” 

Safford will also have a trusted familiar face on City Council as his deputy, Joanne Kiernan, was elected Commissioner of Finance. Kiernan ran on the Republican and One Saratoga Line, defeating Democrat Shafer Gaston by 183 votes as of publication.

She will take over a seat currently held by Democrat Minita Saghvi, who ran for Supervisor this year. 

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for One Saratoga. Incumbent Commissioner of Public Works Chuck Marshall was defeated by Democrat B.K. Keramati who beat Marshall by 342 votes. While Marshall seemed confident on election night, telling reporters he was used to close elections, by the next morning he announced that he had called Keramati to concede. 

Marshall only took over the role after winning a closely contested special election in January for the seat vacated by former Commissioner Jason Golub. 

In terms of who will represent the city at the county level, a clear favorite emerged early on as One Saratoga endorsed Democrat Sarah Burger received the most votes of any candidate running in a contested election in Saratoga Springs with 5157 votes. The only candidate who secured more was the aforementioned Coll. 

Burger will be joined by Current Commissioner of Finance and fellow Democrat Minita Sanghvi who received 4354 votes, defeating One Saratoga Endorsed Republican George Ehinger by 333 votes. Burger and Sanghvi will replace retiring Supervisor Matt Vietch (R, One Saratoga) and Michelle Madigan who ran for mayor. 

Around the County

Saratoga Springs wasn’t the only place in the county with contested elections this year. 

In the hotly contested race for Saratoga County District Attorney, Republican Brett Eby defeated Democrat Robert Logan 27955-26944, a margin of around a 1,000 votes. Eby will replace Karen Hagen who retired in August. 

It wasn’t as close in the race for Sherriff, it wasn’t nearly as close with Republic Jeff Brown defeating Democrat Ryan Mahan 29212-25884, a margin of over 3,000 votes. Brown, who currently serves as Undersheriff will take over for his boss, the retiring Sherriff Mike Zurlo. 

Several new faces will also be coming to the Board of Supervisors. In addition to the aforementioned Burger and Sanghvi, five different new members will join the board, if current results remain the same. 

In Wilton, Democrat Toni Sturm holds a 104-vote lead over incumbent Republican Supervisor John Lant. The incumbent also lost in Greenfield where Michael Gyarmathy defeated incumbent supervisor Kevin Veitch. 

This isn’t the first time this year the two have faced off. Veitch defeated Gyarmathy in the Republican Primary back in June 290-233. After losing, Gyarmathy, a registered Republican, ran on the Democratic line. 

Democrats also picked up a seat in Clifton Park where Democrat Ram Mohan Lalukota defeated Republican Juliano Febo for the second of their two supervisor positions 5383-4989, a margin of 394 votes. Current incumbent Republican Angela Thompson decided not to run for reelection while Republican and Chair of the Board of Supervisors Phil Barrett didn’t face a challenger for his position. 

In Stillwater meanwhile, Democratic challenger Robert McCoy failed to defeat Republican Incumbent Edward Kinowski. He lost 1320-936. 

All told, democrats now hold seven seats on the Board of Supervisors compared to 15 held by Republicans plus Joseph Grasso who ran on the Conservative, Republican and Democratic lines. 

Election Day Preview: Meet the Candidates Running in Milton

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in News.

The Town of Milton this year has one competitive race in 2025.

While incumbent Supervisor Scott Ostrander (R, Conservative) doesn’t face a challenge, the same can’t be said for the Town Council. Here are the three candidates running for the two seats on the council.

Candidate for Milton Town Council: Michele Juda (D, Working Families)

Thank you for the opportunity to share a bit regarding my candidacy for Town Council in Milton.

I am a twenty-six-year resident who has been an active citizen voice in town government for many years, frequently calling for transparency and accountability during public comment periods. While I commit to always being open-minded and considering the input of all, it certainly is time to have more balanced representation in the Town of Milton. My candidacy is about ensuring the checks and balances necessary to good government. Town business should not be conducted behind closed doors or influenced by insiders. I have pledged to make sure it is in front of the public where it belongs.

My election would ensure a critically needed counterpoint on a board where lockstep votes, with little to no public discussion or disclosure, are the norm. The board that is elected in this cycle will be tasked with adopting revised zoning codes based on the soon to be completed Comprehensive Plan update. These zoning codes will guide development and growth in Milton for many years to come – if there ever was a time to elect someone who is not afraid to ask questions and push back where necessary, this is it!

Protecting the character and natural resources of our small town are important to me. I believe we can remain a vibrant community, with low taxes, and a terrific quality of life without creating sprawl from the Town Center or focusing all economic planning on national retail and 24/7 airport operations. And we can do this while welcoming and offering opportunity to all who wish to call our community home.

I respectfully ask for your consideration and vote on Tuesday, November 4

Incumbent Candidate for Milton Town Board: Eric Delnicki (R, Conservative)

Twenty-five years ago my wife and I moved to Milton to raise our kids, and from the start I knew that I wanted to be involved in this community. When beloved town Councilman Frank “Doc” Blaisdell retired in 2024, I was honored to receive the widespread support required to represent the beautiful place we call home.

My extensive private-sector experience has proven to be a valuable asset to the town, and my background in business and management helps me to approach local issues with a balanced perspective, prioritizing fiscal responsibility, efficiency, and long-term planning. With these skills, I have worked with my fellow board members to ensure that Milton continues to meet residents’ needs and protect its quality of life.

Since joining the Town Board, I have joined our current team in focusing on thoughtful and responsible growth that puts residents first, as we strive to keep Milton affordable for working families while also creating an environment where small businesses can succeed. Through smart planning, the current Board has helped leverage the town’s growth to protect greenspace, enhance recreational areas, and improve public facilities.

 I believe in listening to the people of Milton, amplifying their voices in town government and making sure their concerns and ideas shape local decision making, because for me serving Milton is about more than policy; it’s about people. I am deeply committed to preserving our area’s small-town charm, while strengthening its sense of community, and ensuring that Milton remains a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family for generations to come.

Incumbent Candidate for Milton Town Council:  John J. Frolish (R, Conservative)

 As I seek re-election for a third term, my record speaks for the commitment I have to our town. Having been actively involved in Milton government for over 40 years, on the Fire Advisory and Planning Boards then as a Town Councilman beginning in 2018, it has been a privilege to serve my neighbors. Each of these roles involved a team working together for a common goal–exactly like the current team of our Town Board.

Throughout my tenure I have had the privilege of serving with bi-partisan members of the Budget committee, and have helped to craft balanced annual budgets that meet the town’s needs without raising the tax rate. The proposed 2026 budget will lower taxes by 1.9%. With proper planning, funds are available for long-range projects, such as park improvements and land acquisitions like the Woods Hollow Nature Preserve.

 Additionally, working on the Facilities committee with input on the Reimagine Milton studies, we’ve transformed public input into the future of our Town Center. Improvements were made to our Veterans Park, and the Burgess Kimball Memorial Park with the Milton Mile trail, and pickleball courts, with additional phased improvements for generations to come.

I’m proud to be part of a team dedicated to serving our town, nurturing continued good relationships between members of the board, community, department heads, and staff. Serving on the Personnel Committee has led to the selection of the best candidates to fill open positions.

Much of this success was accomplished with long range planning, collaboration and a practical approach to management. Continuing to work as a team allows us to face challenges in a fiscally responsible manner with low taxes, a safe community and valuable public services.

Resident feedback is always welcome and I look forward to incorporating your input into Milton’s future!

Election Day Preview: Meet the Candidates Running County Wide.

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in News.

In addition to the races going on at the local level, there are a few county-wide races voters should take note of as well as a ballot measure.

Several Candidates for countywide positions are running unopposed in this year’s race. In the county clerk’s race, incumbent Craig Hayner is running unopposed. He is running on the Conservative and Republican Party lines.

The same can be said for the candidates who will be up for coroner this year. Susan Hayes-Masa and Anthony Pernicaiaro are both running with no opposition of the Republican and Conservative lines.

Candidate for Sherriff: Jeff Brown (R, Conservative)

My name is Jeffrey Brown, and I serve as the Undersheriff of Saratoga County.

I am a lifelong Saratoga County resident, growing up in Malta, and graduating from Shenendehowa High School. After graduating with an associate’s degree in criminal justice, I pursued what was the beginning of a lifelong and successful career at the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. Over my career, I worked out of the Malta, Corinth, Clifton Park and Halfmoon Stations and was a proactive Deputy Sheriff, protecting our streets, making arrests and answering calls for service. In 2005 I was promoted to the rank of Investigator. I thoroughly enjoyed working as an Investigator, especially when it came to helping crime victims. I was involved in large investigations including homicides, burglaries and bank robberies. I was then promoted to Lieutenant and then Captain.

In May of 2023, Sheriff Zurlo selected me as his Undersheriff. As Undersheriff I am responsible for all five divisions within the Sheriff’s Office, +300 employees, and a $46 million budget.

Having worked at the Sheriff Office for 27 years and being a lifelong Saratoga County resident, I care deeply about the Sheriff’s Office and the County the members work hard to protect and serve. I have a lot to offer the members of the Sheriff’s Office and the residents of the County. It would be my honor to continue to serve.

I developed a plan which is available on my website jeffbrownforsheriff.com. It includes supporting our School Resource Officer program, crime prevention for our elderly population, having regular coordination meetings with the top law enforcement officials within Saratoga County and providing the support necessary for the Sheriff’s Office members to best provide the services to the community they serve.

Candidate for Sheriff: Ryan Mahan (D)

Ryan Mahan has dedicated more than 20 years to protecting and serving the people of Saratoga County. With over two decades in the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, Ryan has built a reputation as a steady, fair, and approachable law enforcement professional who puts people first. His experience spans over many divisions — from road patrol and traffic safety to school and community outreach — and he was instrumental in launching the county’s first School Resource Officer and Youth Cadet programs.

As President of the Saratoga County Deputy Sheriffs PBA for more than 10 years, Ryan has been a strong advocate for deputies and their families, negotiating fair contracts, improving working conditions, and ensuring that law enforcement remains connected to the community it serves. His leadership is rooted in accountability, service, and respect — qualities that have earned him trust across party lines.

Ryan is running for Sheriff because he believes public safety should never be political. His priorities include rebuilding morale within the Sheriff’s Office, strengthening school safety, ensuring transparency, addressing homelessness through compassion and collaboration, and restoring proactive community policing — especially in neighborhoods and communities too often overlooked.

A resident of Saratoga County, Ryan lives in Malta with his wife, Kelly, and their son. He’s an active youth sports coach in Halfmoon and Clifton Park, mentoring the next generation both on and off the field.

Ryan believes leadership means showing up, listening, and working together. As Sheriff, he will focus on unity, fairness, and safety — because Saratoga County deserves a leader who stands with the people, not above them

Candidate for District Attorney: Bobby Logan (D)

I’m running for District Attorney because we need a DA’s office that puts prosecutions ahead of partisan politics and national culture wars.  I’ve been a public servant my entire career, prosecuting criminals and investigating fraud by corporations and criminal networks.  

I’ve logged thousands of hours in the courtroom in over a decade as an Assistant District Attorney, and then as bureau chief in the Saratoga County DA’s office, I managed and trained Assistant District Attorneys and set policy for the unit – all with the goal of enforcing the rule of law, keeping families safe, and putting serious offenders behind bars.  

I am deeply concerned with how my opponent was selected by political party bosses, not voters. We live in a democracy and Saratoga County residents should have a choice at the ballot box – not people running uncontested for the highest law enforcement official in the county. 

I’m a husband, father of three young kids, and a proud Saratoga County resident. I want to make sure these communities are safe places to raise children and attractive for employers and small businesses.

I worked as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx and Suffolk County before serving in the Saratoga County DA’s office. My extensive prosecutorial experience is why I decided to run – my opponent has not prosecuted a case since 2014. That means he has not been on the front lines for the major changes in the criminal justice system. I’ve been in the trenches working cases and supervising attorneys as we dealt with upheaval in the justice system. It takes experience to obtain convictions. 

I now serve as an attorney in the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, leading an investigative team to prosecute and root out fraud cases. As DA, I’ll focus on public safety, not politics

Candidate for District Attorney: Brett Eby (R, Conservative)

From his campaign Facebook- Election Day is six days from today. I want to share why I’m the right choice to protect Saratoga County and deliver real results for our community.

The Only Candidate Universally Endorsed by Law Enforcement — Because those who protect us every day trust me to do the same.

A Plan to Combat the Consequences of Bail Reform — Holding dangerous offenders accountable and keeping our communities safe.

Support for Victims — Standing by victims through every step of the court process and continuing to support them after the case is closed with a victim based prosecution initiative.

Experience Helping Those Struggling with Substance Abuse — Promoting recovery programs that stop the cycle of addiction and crime.

A Meaningful Response to the Animal Abuse Crisis — Pursuing justice for vulnerable animals and strengthening enforcement.

Protecting Local Businesses — Delivering swift, efficient responses to property crimes that threaten our local economy.

Tough on Violent Criminals and Sex Offenders — Seeking strict sentences for the most serious offenders to keep Saratoga County safe.

Improving School Safety — Working with educators and law enforcement to make every school a safe place to learn and grow.

Bipartisan Support-I am the only candidate to receive multiple endorsements by elected officials in both parties.

Ballot Amendment

On the back of the ballot this year is a ballot measure regarding land transfers in Adirondack Park. Voters are asked this year whether to allow the state to transfer 1,039 acres of land to the Olympic Sports Complex to be used for skiing and trails.

In exchange for this land, the state would be required to add 2,500 acres of new forests into the park. A yes vote approves the transfer while a no vote denies it.

In terms of support, the New York League of Conservation Voters, Adirondack Council and Protect the Adirondacks support the proposal. The only notable opposition to the proposal came from a New York City politician who worried about the precedent the land transfer would set.

Note: An earlier version of the story did not list the party affiliation of Sherriff’s Candidate Ryan Mahan who is running on the Democratic Party Line. This has since been corrected.

Claire’s Sues Capitol Region Content Creator for Defamation

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in News.


The content creator ‘Donny Skipper’ is being sued by Claire’s for defamation after they say he made false claims about working for the company.

A local social media content creator is being sued by Claire’s for defamation and trademark infringement for posts made claiming he was fired from the company — among others. 

Cooper Wright — who is known by his account name “Donny Skipper” — was sued by the Claire’s Essentials LLC for at least seven social media posts critical of the company. 

In these since deleted posts, Wright claimed that he had been fired by the company for social media posts criticizing the government, showed Claire’s merchandise that depicts U.S. President Donald Trump and shows correspondence between him and representatives of Claire’s. Some of the videos appeared to be filmed at the closed Claire’s location in the Wilton Mall. 

In addition, on the LinkedIn profile for the fictious Donny Skipper, the documents allege Wright claimed that he had worked at Claire’s since 2022 at their Saratoga Springs and Clifton Park locations. 

All of this, according to the lawsuit filed Oct. 7 in federal court, was fake. 

“[Wright]’s actions are willful and in bad faith,” The lawsuit states “At all times relevant hereto, [Wright] knew that the content of his social media posts regarding Claire’s was false and continued to perpetuate his false narrative with such knowledge. At all times, [Wright] acted with a reckless disregard for the truth.” 

Wright, who lives in Washington County, mainly posts about tenant rights, commentary on political events and issues related to affordability. In a statement to the Albany Times Union, Wright claims that the posts were satire and sought to bring attention to community job losses and the impact of private equity. He said that it was never his intention to mislead or harm the company. 

Despite this, Claire’s alleges that Wright’s videos had a tangible impact on their marketing. They claim that in response to Write’s claims, their Instagram post about a recent Halloween product launch, their comment section with negative comments repeating claims made by Wright. The post — which is still on Instagram — has about 500 comments compared to others which typically garner less than 100. 

As for the posts which triggered the lawsuit, those have since been deleted and as of Oct. 29, 2025 there is no mention of Claire’s on any of the ‘DonnySkipper’ accounts. 

Claire’s is based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. In August 2025, the company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protections and announced that over 200 stores would close as a result of bankruptcy. The next month, the company was bought out by private equity firm Ames Watson. The firm also has a controlling stake in companies such as Lids and Champion. 

Although the Claire’s in Wilton Mall wasn’t on the initial closure list, things changed as the store was seen with its shutters down and lights off at the time of publication. The store also doesn’t appear on the Store Locator function of their website. 

As for their political activities, while Claire’s used to employ lobbyists from the Greenberg Traurig firm, they terminated their use of the firm of 2022. The last time they were listed as lobbying on any issue, however, was in 2020 when the firm reported that they monitored cosmetic regulation and several bills related to COVID-19 on behalf of the company.