A Wilton man has been found dead from a motorcycle crash in Corinth.
Jarod Green, 32, was found in a wooded area at the intersection of Fuller Road and County Road 24, according to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. He had been reported missing on Sunday Aug 3 at 11:10 a.m. Green was last seen leaving the Star Bar in Corinth.
According to deputies, Green failed to negotiate a curve in the road and struck several trees after leaving the road. He was pronounced dead on the scene. The intersection where Green was found was about two miles from the bar, on the same street. Deputies said they found the wreck after tracing routes of travel from the bar.
The investigation is still active at this time, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The Saratoga Springs Police Department has released the identity of a man found dead behind Market 32 on Ballston Avenue this week.
Michael Friday, 45, of Gansevoort, New York was found dead in a wooded area behind the supermarket on Wednesday July 30 at 6:40 am. Police were called to the scene by citizen who discovered the body. An autopsy was conducted the next day and while the results are still pending, police said no foul play is suspected at this time.
Police encouraged anyone with information about the case or Friday’s recent activity to contact Investigator Stacy Rigano at srigano@saratogapolice.org or (518)584-1800.
A Dodecahedron — a 12-sided sphere like object — is a common tool used by NCTWC to teach teamwork and woodworking skills. During the week, the girls made several of these to help hammer in soft skills (Aidan Cahill). See Story pg. 13
The second annual Girls Construction Camp recently wrapped up with girls in middle school learning about trades.
The camp was put on by the Northeast Construction Trades Workforce Coalition (NCTWC) and took place at the Whitbeck Construction Education Center in Gansevoort. The camp was the first of two to be held this year — the second being an advanced course.
Doug Ford, the president of the Northeast Construction Trades Workforce Coalition said the idea for the camp came from State Assemblywoman Cathy Woerner. Ford said that Woerner was looking for a way to bridge the gender gap in the trades by exposing girls to careers in the trades at a young age.
“We really want to make sure that young women know that the trades are an opportunity,” Ford said. “There’s no reason for them not to go into the trades with the technology that exists today.”
Ford said that only 10% of jobs in the trades are filled by women. Part of the mission of the camp was to also show that the trades weren’t just physical labor, according to Ford.
“When you talk about the trades, we always seem to focus on the physical aspect,” Ford said. “But there’s a lot of jobs that are part of the trades that aren’t necessarily physical. Project management, design, logistics — all these jobs associated with the trades that never get talked about.”
Job security was a benefit of the trades emphasized by Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh (R-112) who addressed campers during the closing ceremony of the camp.
“Jobs are always going to be around,” Walsh said. “You’re always going to need a plumber, you’re always going to need an electrician, you’re always going to need somebody to do HVAC, you’re always going to need a good carpenter. So, there are always going to be really good jobs in the trades and the jobs are only getting better.”
During the weeklong camp, the girls learned about the trades, went on field trips to job sites, saw firsthand the importance of soft skills like communication and got hands on experience working with common tools and materials.
Nora Chanese, an incoming ninth grader at Queensbury High School, talked about how communication on the job site was one of the major challenges the girls faced in the camp.
“It’s definitely been challenging our communication skills,” Chanese said. “There’s been times where we just absolutely fail at communicating and then we just can’t build.”
Chanese said she learned about the camp through a BOCES program that exposed incoming high schoolers to different paths. While Chanese said she is focusing more on sciences for now, she’s very grateful for the skills she learned at the camp.
“This is obviously a needed skill in the future,” Chanese said. “It means I don’t have to always call someone if something breaks — I can fix it myself.”
Under the direction of Matt Whitbeck, Vice President of NCTWC and owner of Whitbeck Construction, the girls built charcutier boards, Viking chairs, flower boxes, sawhorses and other wooden objects.
In addition, the girls participated in team-based competitions, got a look at quarry operations and cared for their respective mascots — two dogs named Buster and Bella. They also learned that the one naughty word on a construction site is “perfect,” according to Whitbeck.
One of the issues Ford said the camp didn’t have to deal with was distractions from smartphones. He said during the camp, they didn’t have to tell a single camper to put away their phones. This lack of distractions was noted by another camper, incoming eighth grader Joe Kelleherstark.
“It was actually really nice,” Kelleherstark said. “Sometimes in school, you don’t have that much teamwork because you’re normally allowed to go on your phone. You’re never talking to your friends at lunch and stuff. This time there were no phones, no nothing. And we were actually focusing very well on each other and helping each other.”
One of the projects the girls worked on was a viking chair. The chair was comprised of two boards interlocking ( Aidan Cahill).
Both Kelleherstark and Chanese said they were exposed to the trades growing up through their grandfathers — Chanese’s was a general contractor while Kelleherstark said hers was involved in building houses.
Kelleherstark said she was considering carpentry as a career since she’s always been building things as a kid. One of the things she was most happy with was how well people got along.
“I’m pretty happy about how people are working together,” Kelleherstark said. “It’s very exciting to see people working together, because sometimes people are just on their own.”
In a July 24 meeting, the Saratoga Springs School Board approved a state-mandated restriction on cell phones and other internet connected devices.
The policy — which is new for this school year — bans all personal internet connected electronic devices during school hours and on school property except those supplied by the school for learning purposes.
Under the policy, students would not be allowed to access the device during any portion of the day — including during down periods such as lunch or study hall. Under the policy, students are discouraged from bringing devices into schools’ but if they do there are guidelines on how the device is stored.
For elementary school students, they’re required to keep the device in their assigned cubby on silent while students in middle and high school are required to keep the device on silent in their lockers.
Some exceptions to the ban were carved out for students who need the device for medical reasons or for those who need it for translations. Other students whose Individual Education Plan or section 504 plan require personal devices will be allowed to use them.
The ban is a state requirement that came into effect as a part of the budget for the 2026 fiscal year. Under the law, each school district, charter school, and board of cooperative educational services are required to implement a policy by Aug. 1, 2025. It also mandated that each school assemble an annual report on the enforcement of the policy due for first release on Sept. 1, 2026.
Cell phone bans have a long history in New York. In New York City, pagers and beepers were banned in 1988 with cell phones explicitly banned in 2005. This ban survived legal challenges and petitions calling for it to be rescinded, mostly by parents who were concerned about not being able to contact their kids during the day or in times of emergency.
These concerns won out in 2015 when the Mayor de Blasio lifted the ban in February of that year.
10 years later, Governor Cathy Hochul pushed for a new statewide ban, citing safety concerns as well as a desire to see more kids develop better face to face communications skills.
“I want laughter in the hallways again,” Governor Hochul said in an op-ed published on both Fox News and the state of New York Website. “I want to hear real voices in gym class. I want our kids to make eye contact and talk to each other face-to-face. I want teachers to feel free to teach again. And I want to create an environment where kids can actually learn and just be kids again.”
As for concerns about not being able to contact kids, especially in times of emergency, Governor Hochul argued that cell phones could distract students from getting to safety. This sentiment was echoed in the policy implemented in Saratoga Springs.
“In an emergency, the use of personal electronic devices can distract students from following the directions of staff or emergency responders, contribute to the spread of misinformation, create congestion in the emergency response system, and interfere with the district’s emergency response protocols,” The policy stated in its introduction.
Students who violate the policy will have their device confiscated and placed in the office. For the first offence, their parent or guardian will be notified, however the student will be able to retrieve the device themselves. Subsequent offences will result in the parent being required to pick up the device as well as the potential for the device to be held for a longer period of time.
While the policy explicitly states that it alone can’t be used as justification for out of school suspension, it did list other consequences for violators.
“The district may utilize consequences under the district’s Code of Conduct, including detention, in school suspension, and exclusion from extracurricular activities,” The Policy States. “The district may also utilize assignments on the detrimental impact of social media on mental health, smartphones in school, or other relevant topics.”
Air quality index. Educational scheme with excessive quantities of substances or gases in environment. Vector stock illustration
For the first time this year, summer got a little bit hazy as air quality levels in Saratoga County hit unhealthy levels.
On July 26 and 27, a monitoring station in Albany County — the closest to Saratoga County that reports to the EPA — air quality index levels above 101 for the first time this year, making the air unhealthy for sensitive groups.
These reports were backed up by private air quality monitors from the company IQAir which has seven monitors in Saratoga County. All of their monitors in the county showed air quality index levels hitting 101 or more in that time frame.
The drop in air quality comes as fire crews across North America battle several wildfires. In the US, there are currently 33 large fires being fought while Canada is seeing 109 fires, of which 56 are out of control, according to the National Interagency Fire Center and Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre as of July 30. In total forest fires have burned 15,357,733 acres in Canada and 3,141,850 acres in the US.
These fires have sent smoke plumes across the continent, leading to air quality alerts hundreds of miles from the origin of the smoke. The latest air quality alert advised sensitive groups — listed as those who are children, pregnant, have an underlying medical condition and/or work outside — to take frequent breaks, lower the intensity of work and to watch for symptoms such as shortness of breath and coughing.
Saratoga County wasn’t the worst place in New York to be affected by the drop in air quality. A monitoring station on White Mountain in the Adirondacks reported an air quality index of 160, a level dangerous to everyone outside.
The drop in air quality was compounded by extreme heat advisories which saw temperatures as high as the 90s.
A photo of the train derailed during a railroad Strike in Ballston Lake (Courtesy of North East Rails)
Walking the streets of Saratoga Springs, it’s almost impossible not to notice the history all around you.
From having one of the oldest sporting venues in the country to being next store to one of the most important battles in American history, the spa city is no stranger to influence and importance.
It’s this history that inspired Saratoga TODAY to look back at some of the events and notable happenings that took place this week in history.
Grant visits Saratoga Springs
July 27, 1865, saw famed general and future president Ulysses S. Grant and his family visit Saratoga Springs briefly before traveling to Nova Scotia via Boston. According to media reports at the time, Grant — who was only three months removed from winning the Civil War — was met with cheering but mostly well-behaved crowds. While in the city, Grant attended parties at Congress Hall, Union Hall and Lake Saratoga. He reportedly left in the early hours of July 29 to avoid crowds of onlookers. Later that day, General Joeseph Hooker and Rueben Fenton would arrive in the city for vacations.
Child Abducted in Saratoga Found in New York City
July 28, 1874 saw a child who was abducted from his father in Saratoga was found 12 years after he was kidnapped. The finding came after his abductor made a deathbed confession admitting to the kidnapping. Upon hearing the news, the father went to New York City to retrieve the now young man.
Train Derailed as Part of Strike
The night of July 31, 1910, saw eight rail workers purposefully derail a passenger train carrying 400 people in Ballston Lake. The derailment lead to the Sherriff to intervene in the strike and prevent further violence. Local reports indicate that the strikers were look for a 25 cent — about $8.50 today — increase in pay. The eight men were later caught and tried for the derailment.
Flights between Saratoga and New York City Begin
On July 27, 1929, it was announced that there would be regular flights between Saratoga Springs and New York City during track season to start July 29. The flights took place during track season and transported passengers via seaplane from Queens to Saratoga Springs with an additional stop in Lake George. Media reports said the schedule meant that someone could work in the morning, go to the track and be back in time for dinner.
In addition, on July 31, a short-wave radio station between Roosevelt Field in New York City and Saratoga Springs was implemented to give pilots up-to-date weather information.
Anti-Gambling advocates Home Bombed
On July 28, 1934, the home of Emma St. John was bombed by two men who reportedly broke the front windows of her home and tossed in the bombs. St. John was treated by a local doctor for shock. The bombing came after she had submitted a petition to then New York Governor Herbert Lehman to remove three county and city officials in Saratoga for failing to curb gambling in the city ahead of the race season. Lehman refused.
A measles case in Saratoga triggered a five day mask requirement at Saratoga Hospital.
The masking requirement went into effect July 18 and lasted until July 22. The notice came after someone who was later confirmed to have measles sought treatment at the hospital on July 14.
According to the New York State Health Department, the individual is an adult from Vermont who has a recent history of international travel. They first sought treatment at Saratoga Hospital before seeking treatment at Albany Medical Center on July 16.
“Our Emergency Department is fully prepared for serious illnesses that may present at our doors,” said Dr. Jason Mouzakes, Albany Medical Center Executive Vice President, and Hospital General Director. “Our team acted immediately and appropriately to minimize exposure. The patient arrived masked and was immediately isolated at the hospital. The Department of Health was notified, per protocol, and we are continuing to monitor the situation.”
notice wear a face mask sign vector
The Health Department said that although the risk of infection is low, individuals who were at the Saratoga Hospital emergency department are encouraged to contact the hospital while those at Albany Med have already been identified and contacted.
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that causes rashes and fever. It is spread by coughing and sneezing into the air and can be contracted by breathing in the virus or by touching a surface and later touching your eyes, mouth or nose, according to the Health Department. The illness can survive in the air or on a surface for two hours. Someone with the disease can spread it for four days before the onset of symptoms.
So far in 2025, the US has seen 1309 confirmed cases of measles — the worst since 1992, according to the Centers for Disease Control. These cases have resulted in 164 hospitalizations and three deaths in the US.
In April, the Department of Health issued a travel advisory advising those traveling to areas with outbreaks to ensure that they’re vaccinated against the disease and monitor for symptoms three weeks after they return.
The advisory listed several countries where major outbreaks have occurred. One of the countries listed was Canada which has seen 3,822 cases of measles, according to Health Canada. Looking specifically at the two provinces New York shares a border with, there have been 2,245 cases in Ontario and 36 cases in Quebec.
Both the CDC and Department of Health have advised those who aren’t already vaccinated to get vaccinated.
“Measles remains a threat to public health and exposure during travel is something we need to consider. It’s important that New Yorkers ensure they are immunized against measles,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “Protect yourself and your family against measles and make sure you are up to date on immunization with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.”
In the US, 92% of measles cases have occurred in individuals whose vaccination status was listed unknown or unvaccinated according to the CDC. Prior to the introduction of the vaccine, it is estimated that three to four million people a year were infected with the disease with 48,000 requiring hospitalization and 400-500 dying yearly.
It’s been a busy week for the three boards responsible for the look and feel of Saratoga Springs.
Over the last week, all three boards held meetings to discuss various projects up for consideration in the spa city. While some projects got green lights after repeated meetings, others are still stuck in limbo. Here is a rundown of some of the major updates from the three boards.
Finley Project Clears Design Review Board
A proposed RISE shelter at 3/26 Finley Street received multiple approvals from the Design Review Board. In a previous meeting, the proposed affordable housing site received push back from those who lived in the vicinity of the site who claimed it would take down too many trees, not fit in with the neighborhood and be too unsightly.
In response to these concerns, project managers said they met with local residents multiple times and made changes to the site that would address their concerns. During the July 16 meeting, the managers presented an updated view of the site which included a computer-generated model of the neighborhood and showed what residents would see from the two streets affected.
While in the previous meeting, there had been multiple people who spoke out against the project, this meeting saw no one comment on the matter — something noted by board members. These measures lead to the board’s approval for the mass and scale of the building.
In addition to the footprint of the building, the design review board was also able to give their okay for the project to demolish existing structures on the site. In previous meetings, there had been some concern over increased traffic at the site. While board members had initially thought that the site would increase traffic, the determination was made that the zoning of the site already had traffic considered. This determination allowed the board to allow the demolition.
Outside of the Design Review Board, the project also got a boost from the Saratoga Springs City Council who wrote and approved a letter in support of the project and their efforts to secure funding from the New York State Office of Mental Health’s Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative.
Stewarts Fails to get Zoning Variance.
An attempt to put a Stewarts shop on Marion Avenue near the intersection of Marion and NY-29 Truck has hit another roadblock as the Zoning Board of Appeals denied a variance requiring a certain distance between a fueling station and residential zone. There had been a previous zoning variance at the site since the current fueling station predates modern zoning laws, however a review of the site found this didn’t apply due to lack of continued operation at the site.
Site Plan for 30 ½ Caroline Street Approved by Planning Board.
The site plan for the proposed building at 30 ½ Caroline Street was approved by the Planning Review Board. The architect had gone before the board with new designs for the patio and green spaces on the site. While there had been discussions over whether the patio area would be open to the public to allow traffic between Caroline Street and the Library it was decided to keep it enclosed for residents.
A convoy carrying the container, similar to this one from 2018, crawled through Saratoga County on it’s way to a train yard for shipment to Idaho (Courtesy of Naval Nuclear Laboratory)
Residents in Ballston Spa and Milton may have noticed an usual site rolling through town recently as a large container filled with nuclear fuel rolled through town on it’s way to Idaho.
The fuel came from the Kenneth A. Kesselring Site in West Milton and represented the first part of the dismantling of a nuclear reactor which had been shutdown in 2019. While most of the work took place at the site itself, given the lack of a direct rail connection to the site, a special container had to be loaded onto the back of a heavy lift truck and driven to and from the facility.
Residents had no reason to be concerned about this transportation. Since 1957, there have been 457 defueling and refueling operations conducted by the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program including 12 at the Kesselring site itself. In it’s history, there hasn’t been any injuries to the public or dangerous releases.
“Each shipment is made in compliance with applicable Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Energy (DOE), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and state regulations and poses no danger to the public,” The Naval Nuclear Laboratory said in a press release. “The containers are very robust and were rigorously analyzed and tested to demonstrate performance in a range of situations. From the first shipment of Naval spent nuclear fuel in 1957, the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program has safely shipped 924 containers of Naval spent nuclear fuel without a single injury to a member of the public or any release of radioactivity.”
The press release also said that even if one were to stand six feet away from the container for a full day, they would only receive 10 millirems of radiation — about the same as a chest x ray and much lower than the 300 millirems typically seen in a year.
Once the shipment leaves New York, it will be shipped to the Idaho National Laboratory. Planning for the project has taken place since 2023. The container itself arrived in West Milton back in April 2024.
The Kenneth A. Kesselring site is a training and research facility that has been open since the 1950. It’s named after Kenneth A. Kesselring, the former general manager of the nearby Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory. Since 1950, over 55,000 sailors and officers have trained there including future US President Jimmy Carter. In 1952, then Lt. Carter helped set up the training program for enlisted sailors who would serve on the Nuclear Submarine USS Seawolf.
In its history, there haven’t been any incidents of releases or major security breaches at the Kesselring Site. The only one of note coming in 2009 when a truck containing debris from the site crashed outside Wilks Barree, PA. Even then, the amount of radioactivity in the debris was so small that the truck didn’t require warning placards while soil and water in the area didn’t show any increase in radioactivity.
The remaining reactor at the site consists of a “pressurized-water nuclear reactor, auxiliary equipment, and propulsion systems necessary for the training of naval personnel and for the testing and evaluation of design concepts,” according to the latest environmental report on the cite.
Speed, building sales and horses were all up for discussion this week at the latest Saratoga Springs City Council meeting.
While it may not have been as lively as the previous one, there were many issues brought up during the meeting that will have an effect on Residents both in and out of Saratoga Springs. Here is a rundown of what was talked about and the issues facing Saratoga residents.
Concern over ICE raids
Much of the public comment part of the meeting was dedicated to concern of ICE raids taking place within the city. The concern comes after multiple social media posts show masked agents in unmarked detaining individuals near Congress Plaza in Saratoga Springs.
Speakers including representatives from the Saratoga Springs Democratic Party spoke about the raids, expressing concerns about the raids and calling on the city to do more to protect the undocumented population.
In response to these concerns, Public Safety Commissioner Tim Coll reiterated that the city doesn’t participate in ICE raids and doesn’t have the authority to arrest people for immigration reasons. However, Coll said the city has asked ICE to give prior notice whenever they’re operating in Saratoga Springs to ensure there aren’t “blue on blue” incidents. He also encouraged residents to reach out to ICE or to their congressman if they have concerns over the raids as there is legally nothing they can do.
Concerns over the raids were also expressed by Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran and Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi.
Speed
While horses may be flying on the track, for cars on the road it’s a different story. A public hearing was set for Aug. 5 at 6:30 over a proposed ordinance that would reduce the city’s default speed limit from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour — with certain exceptions such as for school zones, arterial roads and roads with shared responsibility.
The proposed ordinance comes after an engineering study recommended the change. It wasn’t until recently that Saratoga Sprins had the power to reduce its speed limit to 25 miles per hour. Prior to 2022, the minimum speed limit was 30 miles per hour statewide. However, a bill passed that year allowed municipalities to make the change citing its effectiveness in reducing traffic fatalities in New York City and Boston.
The Aug. 5 hearing will start with a presentation on that matter and allow residents the opportunity to speak on the matter.
More Police Horse News
The Saratoga Springs Police Department is seeing further changes with its equestrian unit. During the City Council meeting, the city approved the transfer of outgoing police horse Apollo to Patricia Heneke who will take care of the 19 year old as he enjoys his retirement. Apollo did his last patrol with the department during the Silks and Satins 5k on July 12.
As Apollo retires, his old coworkers Brady and Sly will be welcoming a new partner to their team. City Council approved the donation of Bella to the Police Equestrian unit. Bella is a 10-year-old black Shire mare who is 19 hands tall. Bella comes by way of Creekview Manor Farm in Saratoga Springs.
Building Sale
Discussions have begun on the potential sale of a city owned building at 5 Williams Street in Saratoga Springs. The building, which was the former cite of the Saratoga Senior Center had previously been proposed as the site of a homeless shelter however concerns over it’s proximity to Saratoga Central Catholic School lead that plan to be abandoned.
During the preliminary meeting on July 14, Public Works Commissioner Chuck Marshall brought up the idea of a sale for discussion, saying that the money could potentially be used to help address the unhoused in Saratoga Springs.
While all members were open to the idea, concerns were raised about the potential of using a capital asset in order to fund operational expenses. Commissioners Moran and Sanghvi both said they would need to see the plan for how to allocate the property funds before they supported the sale. No vote was taken on the matter.
