Author: Aidan Cahill

It’s been a hallmark of travel for years now. You get to the checkpoint, empty your pockets, take off your shoes and prepare to be scrutinized by the Transportation Safety Administration. 

Well part of that process is about to change. On July 8, the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) announced that passengers at domestic airports — including Albany International Airport — will no longer have to take off their shoes when going through checkpoints. 

In a press release, the US Secretary of Homeland Security said the change was designed to make passengers’ lives easier when traveling. 

“Ending the ‘Shoes-Off’ policy is the latest effort DHS is implementing to modernize and enhance traveler experience across our nation’s airports,” said Secretary Noem. “We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience.” 

This isn’t the first time this measure has been relaxed. Starting in December 2013, passengers could enroll in ‘TSA Pre-Check’ which allowed passengers to forego some of the security screenings, such as having to take off their shoes, after they paid a fee, got fingerprinted and passed a background check, according to TSA’. 

TSA has required passengers to remove their shoes since 2006. The policy was made due to an incident that occurred about three months after 9/11. On December 22, 2001, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami attempted to detonate an explosive device located in the bottom of his shoes, according to the FBI. 

The attempt was unsuccessful as the would-be bomber couldn’t light the fuse on the explosive and was subsequently restrained by passengers and crew. Five years later, TSA required passengers to remove their shoes and have them x-rayed. 

The change is one of several impacting travelers this summer. In May, passengers had to obtain a ‘Real ID’ in order to travel on all domestic flights. 

Earlier this month, TSA unveiled several policy changes designed to make the lives of military passengers easier. Earlier this month, TSA announced that Gold Star Families would get their fee waved when applying for TSA Precheck. In addition, service members and their spouses would receive a $25 discount on the program as well as having their dependents fall under the program when booked on the same reservation. 

Saratoga Springs — From rodeo horse to attempted amateur ice swimmer, Ali Ernst’s illustrious equestrian, Sly, has worn many hats in his day. 

Now the 22-year-old horse is training for a new job — police horse. Sly was introduced to the public and media at High Rock Park on June 27. The use of the horse comes from Ernst free of charge who said she just wanted to give back to a city she’s lived in all her life. 

Sly isn’t completely unknown to the officers he’ll be working alongside.  In February he had to be rescued from a frozen pond on Ernst’s farm after he fell through the ice. Officers from the Saratoga Springs Police Department were quick to get on scene and pull Sly out with no lasting effects from the ordeal. 

The next month, Ernst saw a post on the department’s Facebook looking for a new horse and instantly thought Sly would fit the bill. Although he’s not as tall or young as the department was initially looking for, the department took him on because of his chill demeaner. 

“Sly isn’t the biggest horse in the world, which is fine, we can understand that, but he’s going to be very good around people, and that’s what we want to see,” said Saratoga Springs Police Lieutenant Paul Veitch “We don’t want to see a large horse that’s not good around people, or a small horse that’s not good around people.  Sly fits the mold of being able to work parades, special events, go to schools, visit people etc.”

 During the event in High Rock Park, these traits were on full display as visitors of all ages were able to go right up close to Sly, petting him and posing for photos. Sly also got a chance to be reacquainted with the mount he’ll be working alongside, Brady. Although a few neighs were exchanged, both Ernst and Veitch see the two of them working well together. 

“They’ll be a good pair,” Ernst said. “They’re both goofy little boys that are interested in each other.” 

Prior to his attempt on the ice and his work on the force, Sly had been a rodeo horse for 14 years. Ernst raised him from the time he was born and used him as a breakaway rope horse — a rodeo event in which a rider attempts to lasso a calf with the rope “breaking away” from the saddle when the roped calf gets far enough away. Sly’s also helped out around the community with various events organizations around the Saratoga area. 

The search for a new horse came out of concern for the department’s other horse, Apollo. 

“He’s met his pensionable retirement time,” Veitch said. “We’re looking to find a forever home for him where he’s comfortable and happy only because we don’t want to work him beyond the time he can work.”

As for the next steps, Veitch said Sly will undergo training to get him used to environments he’s not familiar with such as crowds and parades. This training will start in the coming weeks and the pace of it will be determined by how Sly acclimates to his new job. As for public appearances, Sly will start at special events and progressively work into larger gatherings. 

“We can’t take him from his farm and put him on Caroline Street and expect him to succeed,” Veitch said. 

While Sly is with the department, he’ll still be under the care of his owner Ernst. When he’s needed, the department will give her a heads-up and retrieve the horse for duty. 

America turns 249 years young this year and Saratoga Springs is celebrating in style. 

With events taking place all over the city from sunup to after-sundown, residents can expect a mix of fireworks, live music, races and much more going on around town. Here is a rundown of all the events taking place in the city. 

Fireworks 

A staple of July 4 celebrations dating back to 1777, Saratoga Springs will have its annual fireworks show at 9 pm launched from the top of the City Center Parking Garage — located on Maple Street behind City Hall and City Center. 

Music 

Multiple musical acts will be performing around the city this July 4. A family friendly concert will take place at 7 p.m. just outside the City Center on Ellsworth Jones Place. The concert will feature Capitol Region music group “Soul Session.” In addition to the concert, visitors at the City Center can also enjoy Face Painters, Lemonade, Caricatures and Mr. Twisty Balloons from 7-9 p.m. 

Elsewhere in the city, Upstate New York based “Jukebox Rebellion” will be performing at the intersection of Caroline Street and Maple Avenue as part of a block party. 

Running 

For those who enjoy running, they can run in the “Firecracker 4 Road Race,” starting at 9 a.m. The 19th annual event is expected to draw over 2000 runners and will be preceded by the .02 mile “Sparkler Fun Run” for kids. The kids race starts at 8:15 — immediately before the adult one. 

Safety

Residents in the area should be aware of road closures and parking restrictions in effect on the 4th — particularly in areas where events are taking place. A full list of road closures and restrictions can be found on the Saratoga Springs Police Department website and social media pages.

In addition, multiple state agencies are advising people to leave the fireworks to the professionals to avoid ending up in the emergency room. On the county level, the Saratoga County Sherrif’s Office is stepping up DWI enforcement — details of which can be found on page 9. 

It was standing room only at the YMCA as Saratoga Springs held its annual Juneteenth celebration. 

The event took place June 19 and featured vendors, speakers, musical acts, dances and theatrical performances. This year was the fourth annual event in Saratoga Springs. The event wasn’t the only one to take place in the city. 

Later in the day, a new historic marker was unveiled on Congress Street to honor a predominantly Black neighborhood which was destroyed as part of urban renewal. Another plaque honoring one of two churches destroyed in the project was dedicated on June 21 behind City Hall on Maple Street. 

While Juneteenth has only been a federal holiday since 2021, the holiday’s origins go back to the Civil War. In 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by the United States which freed all enslaved people in states rebelling in the US, according to the Congressional Research Service.

While the proclamation was issued in 1863, it didn’t reach the last Confederate state — Texas — until 1865. On June 19, 1865, Union forces reached Galveston, Texas and issued an order announcing the end of the war and the freedom of all enslaved people in the state. Celebrations started in 1866, and it became a Texas state holiday in 1980. 

The holiday is often referred to as the “second Independence Day” in reference to the idea that many people in the US weren’t fully free until slavery was abolished. 

One of the board members behind the celebration, Donald Hyman, said he first heard about the holiday when he was in the Air Force and stationed in Alaska. He said the base commander was an African American man from Louisiana who celebrated the holiday on post. Hyman said he became involved in celebrations as an educator as a part of Schenectady’s celebrations. 

During the June 19 ceremony, Hyman performed a piece about famed author Booker T Washington. He was joined by several others who spoke about the holiday, performed songs, and acted out parts of the book “Big Jim and the White Boy.” 

Outside of the celebrations at the YMCA, a new historical marker was unveiled near the Embassy Suites on Congress Street. Saratoga Springs Supervisor Matthew Veitch said the marker came as a result of funds allocated to supervisors by the county to improve their municipalities. In creating the marker, Veitch said he worked with the Frederick Allen Lodge on the specific language. 

The Congress Street Neighborhood had been a prominent neighborhood for the Black community in Saratoga Springs. It featured not just housing but many Black owned businesses and cultural areas. Much of it was raised in the 1970s during Urban Renewal which also saw two Black churches destroyed and merged with others. Both these churches also received plaques. One of said plaques was dedicated June 21. 

“This means more than you will ever know,” said Joy King, one of members of the Lodge. “It’s very important that Saratoga recognize and honor everything the Black community has brought to the City of Saratoga Springs. This is a first step to show this is a very diverse community.” 

There wasn’t a dry eye in city hall as friends, family members, business partners and elected officials gathered to honor late business owner Mark Straus with a street named for him. 

The ceremony took place June 24 in City Hall — having been moved inside due to dangerous heat. The city renamed part of Maple Street after Straus, who owned and operated several businesses on Broadway. 

Straus was remembered as someone who played a huge role in the shaping of Saratoga Springs — particularly Broadway. He opened his first shop in 1971 and quickly became involved in preserving and expanding Saratoga Springs’ businesses. 

Many local leaders spoke about his character and impact on the city.

“To speak of Mark is to recognize a true pioneer in our community,” said Deann Devitt from the Downtown Saratoga Springs Business Association “Broadway in the 70s and 80s was a different place. Although it was lined with historic and architecturally beautiful buildings, many stood vacant, neglected and at risk of being lost. While many contributed to the revitalization of downtown Saratoga Springs, Mark had a unique vision, one of a bustling, connected and thriving downtown center.” 

Similar comments were made by his son Alexander who said Straus worked hard to help entrepreneurs succeed in Saratoga Springs. 

“He would make the time to help them realize their dreams,” Straus said. “He wanted to see people, especially entrepreneurs, find their foothold in this community and to grow and to really foster a city full of rich, vibrant, beautiful restaurants, stores and businesses.” 

Straus said his father was proud of the city and his legacy. As for the alley itself, Straus joked that his father used to illegally park in it. 

 “He would just pull in and he never got towed,” Straus said.  “He would follow every rule, but for some reason that alley, he felt like that was his parking spot.”

In 2012, The Saratoga Historic Preservation Society awarded Straus with a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to preserving downtown Saratoga Springs. 

While Union Avenue is typically known for horses, it was the horseless carriages on display this past weekend as Cars on Union took over the street. 

The annual event took place between Nelson and East Avenues on Union — right in front of The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and the Saratoga Racetrack. Cars from across the northeast took part with awards handed out at the end for best in show. 

The event was sponsored by the Saratoga Automobile Museum. 2025 was the third iteration of the event which started in 2023. It comes as the Museum had to cancel its Spring Auto show due to wet weather which rained out two events. 

Cars of all kinds were on display. From sleek sports cars to boxy SUVs and everything in between. The cars came from all over the world with American muscle side by side with the best from Europe and Aisa. While an American Chevy Corvette had the judge’s eye — winning top honors — it was a British frogged eyed Austin-Healey that captured the people and won the people’s choice vote. Other honors went to a BMW sedan and a right-hand drive Nissan Skyline — among others.