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Author: Aidan Cahill

Aldi Issues Recall of Contaminated Meatballs

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

Food seller Aldi has issued a product recall for thousands of pounds of contaminated meatballs. (Courtesy of USDA)

News- Bad Balls2 – Food seller Aldi has issued a product recall for thousands of pounds of contaminated meatballs. (Courtesy of USDA)

Food seller Aldi has issued a recall for Bremer Italian Style Meatballs after they were found to have metal in them. 

The recall was issued on Feb. 22 and applies to 32-oz. packages of meatballs with a best-buy date of Oct. 30, 2026 and a print time of 17:08- 18:20. According to the US Department of Agriculture, 9,462 pounds of meatballs produced on July 30, 2025  were possibly contaminated. The meatballs are made by Rosina foods in West Seneca, NY and packaged as “Bremer Family Size Italian Style Meatballs.”  

According to Aldi, the meatballs were sold in 37 states and territories across the US — including New York. Consumers who have purchased the meatballs are advised to throw them away or bring them back to Aldi for a refund. 

The USDA said that there have been no confirmed injuries or illnesses related to the contaminated meatballs. 

Air Quality Alert issued for Capital Region

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in News.

An air quality alert was issued for most of the capital region, including Saratoga County after Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) monitors picked up increased levels of Fine Particulate Matter (PM). 

The alert was issued on February 18 and at time of publication, it was set to expire at midnight. It covered much of the state — from the New York City Metro area up to the Capital Region. 

The air quality was listed at 139 by the EPA, making it unhealthy for sensitive groups. The main pollutant listed by both the EPA and DEC was fine particle matter, defined by DEC as any matter that is 2.5 microns or less. Monitors detected this level to be around 115 parts per million. 

Due to the reduced air quality, the DEC recommended those with health conditions, children and the elderly postpone outdoor activities while the alert was in effect. According to the DEC, increased levels of fine particle matter can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath.

It’s unclear what caused the increase in fine particle matter. Past air quality alerts in the area have come due to Canadian wildfires. 

Harsher Penalties for Driving Offenses in New York State

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

The penalty for driving offenses in New York State have increased significantly after a series of new driving regulations went into effect on Feb. 16. 

Under the newly implemented regulations, point penalties for offenses such as DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in

“These updated regulations will have no impact on drivers who follow the rules of the road, but they will have a big impact on dangerous drivers and repeat offenders whose poor choices always put other drivers, passengers, and pedestrians at risk,” said NYS DMV Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder. “Our job is to make sure that New York’s roads are safe for everyone, and if someone chooses to be reckless and unsafe, they do not deserve to be behind the wheel, period.”

The regulations were first proposed in 2023. At the time, the DMV said the goal of the changes was to take reckless drivers off the roads and address aggressive driving. In total, nine violations saw increases with two classes of offenses — DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation — resulting in automatic suspensions. 

In addition to the number of points increasing, they will also last longer. Under the old system, points on a person’s license would last for 18 months, however under the new system, they will last for 24 months. If a driver accumulates 11 points in this stretch, they their license will automatically be suspended. 

Here is a rundown of the updated point totals. 

• Any drug or alcohol offense. Previous point penalty — 0. New point Penalty — 11. 

• Aggravated unlicensed operation. Previous point penalty — 0. New point Penalty — 11. 

• Passing a stopped school bus. Previous point penalty — 5. New point Penalty — 8. 

• Speeding in a construction zone. Previous point penalty — based on speed. New point Penalty — 8. 

• Over-height vehicle or bridge strike. Previous point penalty — 0. New point Penalty — 8. 

• Leaving the scene of a personal injury crash. Previous point penalty — 3. New point Penalty — 5. 

• Failure to exercise due care. Previous point penalty — 2. New point Penalty — 5. 

• Facilitating Aggravated unlicensed operation. Previous point penalty — 0. New point Penalty — 5. 

• Speed contests or races. Previous point penalty — 0. New point Penalty — 5.

The new changes to the point structure aren’t the only recent changes seeking to curb dangerous driving. In 2025, a new regulation was implemented permanently stripping the license of those with four or more drug or alcohol convictions. 

Ballston Spa man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in News.

A Ballston Spa man has been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release on charges related to gun possession and cocaine trafficking. 

Jason Brundige, 51, of Ballston Spa was indicted in January 2025 and charged with two counts of distribution of controlled substance, use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm. 

As part of a plea agreement, Brundige pled guilty to a single count of distribution of a controlled substance, use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. All other charges were dropped. 

“This sentence reflects the seriousness of combining drug trafficking with firearms,” First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said. “Individuals who distribute dangerous drugs while armed put entire communities at risk, and our Office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold such offenders fully accountable.”

According to federal court documents, Brundige is alleged to have sold drugs to an undercover member police officer on two separate occasions as well as a confidential informant on another occasion. Brundige is believed to have distributed 42.7 grams of cocaine from his home in the Town of Milton with an additional 59.67 grams recovered from a hotel room in Malta — along with drug paraphernalia, around $2,400 in cash and a loaded handgun which was found in a garbage can. 

Prosecutors allege that Brundige displayed the weapon — a pistol valued at $300 — to an undercover officer during a drug buy, telling the officer that he was nervous. 

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the investigation was conducted by both the Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. 

“This sentence sends a clear message that drug trafficking and gun violence will not be tolerated in Saratoga County,” Saratoga County Sherriff Jeffrey Brown said. “I commend the collaborative efforts of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in bringing this case to a successful resolution.”

State reports Increased Rates Increased Rates of Bullying in Schools.

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

A new report has been released by the State Comptroller’s Office showing increased rates of bullying in New York State Schools. 

The report, which includes data from 2017-18 school year through the 2023-24 school year, shows that while rates of violent incidents have declined since the pandemic, rates of bullying have trended upwards. 

Statewide, schools reported .9 incidents of assault per 1000 students, .5 weapons offenses per 1000 students and .1 sexual offenses reported per 1000 students. This is down from 1.2 assaults, .7 weapons offenses and .3 sexual offenses. 

Drug offenses, meanwhile, saw a spike post pandemic but showed year-to-year declines in the latest data. Statewide, the Comptroller’s Office reported 6.5 drug offenses per 1000 students in 2023-24, down from 7.2 in 2022-23. Alcohol offenses meanwhile went from .6 offenses per 1000 students in 22-23 to .5 per 1000 in 23-24. 

While rates of drugs, alcohol and violence declined in New York, bullying did not decline. Across the State, New York reported 18.2 incidents of bullying per 1000 students in 2023-24, compared to 9.4 incidents in 2018-2019 and 17.2 incidents per 1000 in 2022-23. The Comptrollers Office noted that bullying had the highest number of total reported incidents. 

In terms of how Saratoga Springs and surrounding area did, in 2023-24 Ballston Spa reported eight incidents of bullying, nine incidents of cyberbullying, two assaults, two weapons possession incidents, one bomb threat, 35 drug incidents, three alcohol incidents and one threat of violence. 

This equated to 2 incidents of bullying, 2.3 cyber bullying incidents, nine drug possession incidents, .5 assaults, .5 weapons possession incidents and .7 alcohol incidents per 1000 students. 

As for Saratoga Springs, the school district reported 3 bullying incidents, 0 cyberbullying incidents, 0 assault or weapons possession incidents, 50 drug possession incidents, four alcohol possession incidents and four threats of violence in 2023-24. 

Per thousand students, Saratoga Springs saw .5 incidents of bullying, 8.6 drug incidents and .7 alcohol incidents per 1000 students. 

While Schuylerville saw the highest bullying incidents, it had the lowest alcohol and drug abuse incidents of the three school districts. Across all levels, the district saw 16 bullying, seven incidents of cyberbullying, two drug possession incidents and 0 alcohol incident in 2023-24. It also saw 0 assaults or weapons possession incident. 

Per 1000 students, Schuylerville saw 11.9 incidents of bullying, five incidents of cyber bullying and 1.5 drug incidents. 

In their report, the Comptroller’s Office noted that data may be underreported and may not reflect current conditions at the school. 

“Stakeholders should keep in mind, however, that a school reporting zero incidents through the SSEC report may have records of individual disruptive and violent incidents that are stored locally,” The report stated. “For example, records of an individual incident involving fighting or bullying would be maintained by the district if it resulted in disciplinary action, even if school officials determined the incident did not meet the threshold for SSEC reporting.” 

Already the numbers have brought about calls to action from one local politician, State Senator Jim Tedisco (R-44), who called on the legislature to pass a law that would require school districts to districts to notify parents if their child is being bullied. The bill, named “Jacobe’s Law” is named for a 13-year-old boy who died by suicide in 2015 after severe bullying. 

“We ask a lot of parents right now as it relates to being involved in their children’s education,” Sen. Tedisco said.  “Shouldn’t parents be made aware of threats of violence to their children so they can take the action they deem appropriate and have input on decisions of how best to protect their children’s safety? Unfortunately, due to a loophole in state law, many parents are not being kept informed about incidents of bullying taking place in the institutions we trust to educate and look after the safety and well-being of our children each day,” 

The bill was first introduced in 2016 and has been reintroduced in every legislative session since 2019. To date, however, it has never made it out of committee.

Green Island Man Arrested for Assaulting Corrections Officers.

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

A Green Island man has is facing additional charges after he allegedly assaulted three corrections officers at the Saratoga County Jail. 

Jamier Walker was charged with three counts of 2nd degree assault. He allegedly attacked the officers while being transported from one cell to another after he allegedly assaulted another inmate. 

The three officers were struck in the face. One was treated by jailhouse medical staff, one sought treatment at the Malta Med Emergent Care and the third did not require treatment. 

Walker was arraigned in the Milton Town court and remanded back into custody. 

Broadalbin man Injures Four in DWI Crash

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in News.

A Broadalbin man has been arrested after he allegedly crashed into another vehicle while driving under the influence, causing two people to need hospitalization. 

The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office said the crash occurred on Jan. 31 at 12:39 p.m. in the Town of Galway. The driver, Timothy P. Magagnos was arrested on charges of DWI and failure to yield. 

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Magagnos was traveling south on Greens Corner Road when he failed to stop at a stop sign, striking another vehicle which was traveling East on Route 29. The crash injured four people in the other vehicle, causing two to be transported to Saratoga Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

Magagnos was not injured in the collision and allegedly refused a chemical test at the scene. He was arraigned in Galway Town Court and released on his own recognizance pending further proceedings. 

Corinth Man Arrested for Attacking Driver

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in News.

A Corinth man has been arrested after he allegedly assaulted the driver of a vehicle he was riding in. 

Daniel Tubbs, of Corinth, was arrested by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 31 in the Town of Corinth. According to Deputies, Tubbs repeatedly punched the victim in the face and abandoned them on the side of the road. 

The victim, who was not identified by the Sheriff’s Office, subsequently went to nearby residence and informed the homeowner of the assault. The victim was initially transported by EMS to Saratoga Hospital for treatment but later transferred to Albany Medical Center for head and facial injuries. 

Tubbs was charged with second degree assault and 2nd degree assault and 2nd degree reckless endangerment. He was arraigned in the Corinth Town Court and is currently being held in the Saratoga County Jail awaiting further proceedings. 

Ballston Spa Mayor Takes Leave of Absence

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in News.

Ballston Spa Mayor Frank Rossi has announced that he is taking a leave of absence for health reasons. 

The announcement came at a village meeting on January 26. Rossie said realization that he had to take his health more seriously came after the death of former Ballston Spa Mayor Christine Fitzpatrick.

“Health becomes paramount, and right now my health is not in great shape,” Rossi said. “I’m not looking for sympathy on that, but we are at a point where I have to sort of look out for myself a little bit.”

Rossi said he doesn’t know when he will be back and said that being a public official can have a drastic impact on your mental and physical health. 

“It’s one of those times in my life that I need to take care of me,” Rossi said. “ I apologize to the community for that fact because I feel like I’m letting you all down in that respect. At the same time, it’s what you have to do sometimes.”

During the leave of absence Rossi has advised people seeking information and regular updates to go to the Village Facebook page and website, as opposed to his. While initially Rossie had planned on unpublishing his page, he later put it back up after he said someone threatened him with a lawsuit. 

Rossie’s announcement came after a controversial bill removing a residency requirement for Village appointed board positions — such as the planning board — was tabled for further consideration after public outcry. 

It’s unclear when Rossi will return to day-to-day duties. While during the meeting he said that he wasn’t stepping away permanently, he also said that he couldn’t provide any more specifics about when he was returning. 

In the meantime, he’ll still handle things like signatures while other duties he can’t complete will be handled by Deputy Mayor and Village Trustee Bernadette VanDenise-Perez, according to News10. 

Neighbors helping Neighbors: The Regional Food Bank Delivers 12 Pallets to Saratoga County

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

A truck from The Regional Food Bank delivered 12 pallets of food to Saratoga County (Aidan Cahill)

On Thursday, Jan. 22 a truck delivered 12 pallets of food — about 18,000 pounds — to Saratoga County food banks. 

The food was distributed as part of the Regional Food Bank’s “Restock Our Pantries” program to help local food pantries restock after a busy holiday season. This is the first year The Regional Food Bank has implemented the program. 

The food was distributed to local food pantries operating in Saratoga County in an effort to help them restock after the holidays (Aidan Cahill)

“The Regional Food Bank facilitated New York State’s largest Thanksgiving meal distribution and had a hugely successful Holiday Hunger Appeal thanks to generous community support,” Tom Nardacci, CEO of the Regional Food Bank said. “The holidays have notoriously left our shelves and partner’s shelves bare during January and February, this much-needed distribution program will directly support agencies by delivering food to where it is needed and in turn benefit communities.”  

Ryan Hughes from Life Works Community Action in Ballston Spa said that more people than normal are relying on food pantries due to the recent government shut down which temporarily left people without SNAP benefits as well as greater food insecurity. 

“Our local community members rely on us to provide food for their families and during this time when shelves are emptier than usual, we are so thankful for this Restock Our Pantries Program,” Hughes said. “We are grateful for the support of the Regional Food Bank and to state leaders for funding this gap and providing assistance to feed our communities.”