Skip to main content

Author: Aidan Clark

Lake Ridge Restaurant Celebrates 25 Years

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Business.

Owners of Lake Ridge Restaurant, Chef Scott Ringwood and Bob McKenna (Courtesy of Lake Ridge Restaurant)

Lake Ridge Restaurant is celebrating 25 years in business this year, but they almost didn’t make it one month. Bob McKenna and Chef Scott Ringwood opened the restaurant in September 2001, the same month of the devastating terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers. 

“We got the approval to open on September 26, and nobody showed up,” McKenna recalled. “Nobody was doing anything at that point. Nobody was coming out to dinner. It was a scary time.”

Eventually the shock of the attack began to fade, and people emerged from their sanctuaries to begin a return to normality. 

Ringwood was leaving Dater Tavern in Clifton Park in aspiration to open his own restaurant a year before the attacks. He approached his friend about partnering with him. McKenna, who had been in the car business for 32 years, didn’t hesitate. 

The pair bought the property at 35 Burlington Ave, Round Lake and spent seven months renovating the building.

The key to their success? Well, it’s very similar to the car industry, according to Bob McKenna.

“It’s all about a customer experience, and you have to have good staff to give a good experience, and with that you get retention. That customer retention is great staff, great product, great experience; and from there you should be able to do a great business,” McKenna says. 

The great product comes from a lifetime of experience from Chef Scott and a tight menu that allows for the highest quality ingredients. 

The restaurant creates a cozy and intimate ambiance through its three dining rooms, two fireplaces, and a mahogany bar stocked with dozens of scotches and bourbons and a curated wine list. 

Whether you’re in town for the horse racing, have never ventured to Round Lake, or are a regular, Bob and Chef Scott invite you to Lake Ridge Restaurant, open Tuesday through Saturday, 4 to 8:30 p.m.

Saratoga Tennis Coach Rich Johns Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award by Intercollegiate Tennis Association

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Featured, Sports.

Fifty-four years after graduating from SUNY Potsdam, Rich Johns is recognized by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) as a Legacy All-American for his achievements on and off the court. Johns coached both the Saratoga boys’ and girls’ tennis programs for a combined 38 years before retiring in 2010. 

During his tenure as head coach, Johns led the Girl’s Varsity program to 17 league titles, nine section two team titles, and a record 85 game win streak for Class AA. 

A Legacy All-American adds to his long list of accolades. Johns is the recipient of the highest honors given to alumnus from SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Adirondack, the Minerva Award (1997) and the Trailblazer Society (2018) respectively. Also, the USTA National Starfish Award (2009), given in recognition of his “no-cut” tennis program, Racquet Sports Industry as their National High School Coach of the Year (2010), and the Saratoga Springs Rotary Education Foundation Award (2010) for his distinguished-exceptional leadership and commitment to education and community service. 

As a freshman at SUNY Adirondack in 1968 (Named Adirondack Community College in his day), Johns was the Northeast Collegiate College Singles Champion, secured the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 3 Championship, and got to the third round of the NJCAA National Championship. 

He transferred to SUNY Potsdam after one year at SUNY Adirondack, and his on-court success followed. 

Johns was runner-up at the State University of New York Athletic Association (SUNYAC) Conference Tennis Title in 1971. He captured the SUNYAC Singles Championship in his final year of college, the first and only Tennis player from SUNY Potsdam to achieve a State Championship. 

Johns never lost a conference match in his collegiate career.

Despite earning a spot in the NCAA Tennis Championships in 1972, fiscal irresponsibility and a subsequent budget freeze from Governor Rockefeller prevented him from traveling to California for the competition. 

Johns spends his days in retirement spreading his message, Act with Respect Always, a pay it forward movement. He travels around the region preaching 8 core character traits: Responsibility, honesty and fairness, civility, self-discipline, no excuses, courage, and respect.   

Skidmore Hockey Player Bryce Terry Leads Triatholon Fundraiser

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Sports.

Memorial Hospital Oncology Department Honors Bryce Terry (Courtesy of Bryce Terry)
Bryce Terry with his Parents (Courtesy of Bryce Terry)

Rising Skidmore Sophomore, Bryce Terry is leading his second annual Beyond the Summit Triathlon in support of his hometown oncology department at Memorial Hospital in North Conoway, NH on Aug. 21. This year four of his Hockey teammates, Shane Baker, Coleman Jenkins, Christian Day, Theo Angelopoulos, are joining him. 

The triathlon includes a 1-mile swim in Echo Lake, a 52-mile bike ride through Crawford Notch, and a 5.2-mile hike up Mount Washington. Last year Terry raised over $12,000 and was honored with a plaque in the department’s lobby recognizing his efforts.  

When Terry was a senior in high school, his left leg swelled up to where he could not participate in daily activities. He was diagnosed with May-Thurner Syndrome at Memorial Hospital, a rare condition where the right pelvic artery crosses over the left pelvic artery, constricting blood flow to the lower extremities. 

“There were a lot of scary things that were said over the stretch of those 3 months,” Terry recalls. “But I’m able to live a happy, healthy, long life. “I’m so grateful for that experience, it changed my perspective on life, and I realized the beauty of life it its fragility.”

This experience motivated him to volunteer in Memorial Hospital’s Oncology Department.

So, when Skidmore men’s Hockey coach, Rob Hutchison challenged his athletes to partake in an athletic challenge, Terry was inspired to give back to the people who gave him a new lease on life. 

“Being around the patients and seeing their strength and coming in every day with smiles on their face while facing some of the hardest days of their life deepened my motivation to serve them,” Terry said. “That’s where the vision of this triathlon came. To raise money for these strong patients to continue their fight.”

Terry is living in Saratoga Springs over the summer while doing an internship with the County Chamber of Commerce and is asking the Saratoga Community to support his efforts. 

To donate to the fundraiser, scan the QR code attached to the article. 

Spa Catholic Baseball Honored in the Winner’s Circle

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Sports.

Spa Catholic Baseball Team Presenting Trophy to Dylan Davis (Courtesy of Adam Coglianese / NYRA)

The back-to-back baseball State Champions, Spa Catholic, were honored last Thursday at Saratoga Race Course. The team posed for pictures in the paddock before heading to the Winner’s Circle for the third race of the day. Three-year-old thoroughbred, “How Much is Enough” mounted by Dylan Davis was presented his trophy by the team and coaches Alphonse Lambert and Dave Long.

“Winning it two years in a row is a special thing, so it’s great that the community celebrates it,” said Pierce Byrne, who will be attending Siena to continue his baseball career in the fall. 

Four-time all-star Paul Lo Duca met up with the champions at the trophy presentation to commemorate their achievement. 

Only four teams in New York State Section 2 history have won consecutive State Championships. For captain Carson Moser, it was about winning with the same friends he grew up playing with. “We’ve all been playing together since we’ve been super young, so I think it’s more of an accomplishment than anything for all of us. We’re all super happy and proud of it.” Moser will be playing for Duke in the fall. 

Sugar Plum Farm Hosts Inaugural Youth Camp

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Entertainment.

Sugar Plum Farm Foundation in the Paddock at Saratoga Race Course (Courtesy of Aidan Clark)

Students from the Albany Roots Academy attended the inaugural summer camp at Sugar Plum Farm last week. Founder Robin Malatino exposed the kids to animal care, entrepreneurship, and public speaking skills; the latter she says was integral to her late husband’s success. 

Robin and Tony Malatino purchased the land to Sugar Plum Farm off Union Ave in 2005. When Tony passed away in March last year, Robin created the Sugar Plum Farm Foundation in his honor. Tony immigrated to the United States in 1949 aboard the USS LaGuardia and attended the Roots Academy. In his professional life he would serve as a U.S. Navy officer before going onto a career in finance. 

Albany Roots Academy is a Title 1 school and most of its students, like Tony, are first-generation Americans. Robin says the foundation provides the children with opportunities beyond the classroom.

These kids come from “underserved communities, so I thought, what a perfect backdrop, our farm, to be a place for them to come and not only experience animal husbandry, but also to learn how to be an entrepreneur,” said Robin. 

Over the week each camper developed a business idea and pitched it to investors. The camp concluded with a trip to Saratoga Race Course where the kids explored the backstretch, met announcer Frank Mirahmadi, and visited the Winner’s Circle. 

“This is the first year, but I think it’ll be an annual trip for them,” said NYRA Community Affairs Manager, Robert Hines. 

Saratoga Rowers Star at the U19 World Rowing Championships

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Featured, Sports.

Team USA’s Mixed 8 Rowing Team (Courtesy of USA Rowing)

Olivia Lill and Parker Mansfield at the Olympic training center in Chula Vista, California (Courtesy of Christy Lill)
Team USA Men’s 8 Rowing Team (Courtesy of USA Rowing)

Plovdiv, Bulgaria— Two local Saratoga rowing athletes, Olivia Lill and Parker Mansfield, won silverware at the under 19 World Rowing Championship this past weekend for team USA. Both rowers train with Saratoga Rowing Association.

Olivia Lill won the bronze medal in the inaugural mixed 8 competition. Her boat completed the 2,000 meters race in 6 minutes and 02.64 seconds, earning them a spot on the podium. 

This new competition combined the men’s and women’s four teams.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity to compete with my crew against the best in the world. It is so cool to line up against other crews who speak different languages and come from different countries, but we all have one thing in common, a passion for rowing and racing,” said Lill.

Lill will be attending the University of Central Florida in the fall.

“I couldn’t have gotten here without the support of my friends and family, especially my home program, SRA, for always pushing me to be the best version of myself. I also want to give a shoutout to our phenomenal coach, Caitlin McClain at USRowing, who developed our four this summer. Hard work truly pays off!”

Mansfield participated in the Men’s 8 A Final and helped team USA win second place with a final time of 5 minutes and 36.46 seconds.

It was an exhilarating race as after 1,500 meters, team USA’s boat was down over half a second to eventual third place Germany with 500 meter to go. 

Mansfield attributes their final sprint to the adjustment the team made after the heat the day prior. 

“We worked a lot on our timing, we shortened our stroke,” Mansfield said. 

Program director for Saratoga Rowing Association, Mike MacMinn underscored the feat. 

“In the 8s it’s very difficult to overcome a deficit like that,” MacMinn said. But “that matches up with our race plan and the way we train. We stress the concept that we are a second half team; we close really well when other teams often have emptied the tank too early.”

Mansfield is entering his senior year at Saratoga Springs High School and is excited to see where Rowing will take him in the future. 

“It was truly amazing representing the country,” Mansfield said. 

Sales Record Smashed at the 105th Saratoga Sale

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Featured, Sports.

Hip 136, sold for $4,200,000 on Tuesday Night
(Courtesy of Fasig-Tipton)

For the second year in a row, the Saratoga Sale at Fasig-Tipton shattered record sales in all categories, notably $118,215,000 gross sales. A total of 35 yearlings were sold for seven figures over the course of two nights, also breaking the record established last year, when 25 horses hit that marker.

“[I] Genuinely believe it was the greatest horse sale I’ve ever seen in my life,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning said. “I joined Fasig-Tipton in 1988. We’ve had some wonderful moments, and some not so wonderful moments, and last night and tonight were simply incredible.

The most expensive horse of the night, hip 136, went for $4,200,000.

Hip 136 is a descendant of American Pharoh, who won the Tripple Crown and the Breeder’s Cup in 2015, and infamously had his eight-race win streak snapped at the Traver’s Stakes. 

Other notable sales from the night included:

• A Gunrunner Colt (hip 200), the second foal out of the multiple Grade 3 winning Majesticperfection mare, Four Graces, sold for $4,000,000

• Colt by Nyquist (hip 83) sold for $3,200,000

• Colt by Not This Time (hip 227) sold for $3,000,000

• Mischief colt (hip 140) sold for $2,800,000

The average sale was $777,730, up 24.2% over the highwater mark set last year of $626,366. The median rose 16.6% for another record, to $525,000 from last year’s $450,000.

The Leading Consignor by gross was Taylor Made Sales Agency, which sold 29 yearlings for a total of $22,705,000.

“Mark my words on August 11, 2026, you’re going to look up two years from now, three years from now, and see some of the best horses in the world are graduates of this horse sale,” Browning said. 

Galway Mural Pays Homage to Community

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Entertainment.

Farmland Mural with Community Members (Aidan Clark)
Woodlands Mural on the Right Side of the Building (Courtesy of Aidan Clark)

On Tuesday afternoon community members gathered at Galway Nature Preserve for a mural unveiling on Saratoga Preserving Land and Nature’s (PLAN) stewardship resource center. The mural was funded by a grant from Saratoga Arts.

“We’re hoping to have both sides and the front to represent the three pillars of land that Saratoga PLAN conserves, which is woodlands, farmlands, and wetlands,” said Stewardship Manager, Magnolia Roosa.

Long time Galway resident Sallie Way was the commissioned artist for the project.

Last year Way painted the right side of the building to represent the woodlands, this year the front facing mural represents the farmlands of Galway.

Way started conceptualizing the mural last winter in anticipation of a renewed grant from Saratoga Arts.

“I looked into a lot of the archival photographs that the library has, the farmer is inspired by one of the photographs of James Donnan,” Way said.

The barn is inspired by Donnandale farm, a sixth-generation family farm founded by James Donnan. On the right side of the mural are Christmas trees representing beloved local business, Bob’s Trees.

“This was quite an undertaking, a little ambitious, but it really came together,” Way said. “I think I’m most happy with all the connections that I made throughout the process.”

Galway high school seniors helped Way paint the mural and local dog walkers and hikers stopped while Way and her crew were battling the august heat to complete the mural. One hiker even played his Guitar for the volunteers.

The Galway Nature Preserve is overseen by Saratoga PLAN and contains about two and a half miles of trails and almost 50 acres of conserved forest land. Check out the mural and trail system at 2519 Crane Road, Galway, NY. 

Pope’s Italian Restaurant to Close After 40 Years in Business

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Business.

(Courtesy of Aidan Clark)

After 40 years serving slices to Saratoga’s faithful, Pope’s Italian Restaurant is set to close its doors. Customers have a little less than a month to quench their Pope’s pizza appetite, their final day of business will be on Saturday, September 12th.

An announcement on Facebook informed the community about their closure. 

“40 years ago, a man and his wife took a risk on creating a business to support his family. Since then, Pope’s Italian Restaurant has gone on an incredible journey to building a community & becoming a staple in the Saratoga area. From our start on Broadway to our current location on Washington Street, we couldn’t have done it without you. With all good things, this journey has come to an end,” the post reads. 

The owners cited family reasons as to why they came to their decision.

“We’re ready to take a step back and focus on family— the thing that started this all. We hope you all know that though this may come as a shock to some, this isn’t a decision we made lightly, and with bittersweet hearts, we’re ready for a new chapter.”

The post has over 100 comments from customers reminiscing on memories made throughout the years: from late-night slices on Broadway, to their trusted familiarity, it is clear that Pope’s will be missed. 

Meet the Robinsons

Written by Aidan Clark on . Posted in Business.

Nate and Tonya Robinson (Courtesy of Nicole Nero)

Saratoga Springs— Earlier this summer, Nate and Tonya Robinson purchased the building for their business, Max Level Fitness & Athletics. 

Tonya started her career in public relations; when she moved to Saratoga to be closer to her family, she started attending boxing classes at Raw Fitness. After a while she began coaching some classes there. 

At that time Nate was earning his Exercise Science degree from Skidmore College. Athletics has been a foundation in Nate’s upbringing; he was a year-round athlete at Saratoga Springs High School. 

“It was kind of the only thing that kept me out of trouble. Having sports to play and a team to be dedicated to kept me from being a knucklehead.”

The Robinsons wed in Congress Park in 2017. The pair met in downtown Saratoga when Tonya was home from graduate school. 

But the duo connected over their shared interest in fitness. 

“We definitely have shaped our lives together for the better. We like to travel and work out. I feel like our kids see it, too,” said Tonya.

Right before the Covid pandemic, the Robinsons opened Max Level Fitness & Athletics.

At the time there was a partition down the middle of the space; the other half was Saratoga Fit, which succumbed to financial pressure from the pandemic. 

“We had to make a decision: let another business come in, or do we double our rent and expand,” Nate told Saratoga TODAY. 

That leap of faith paid off. 

Tonya’s zoom workout classes, coupled with the extra space to social distance in the gym, helped their business survive the pandemic. 

Now the gym is bustling with athletes of all ages striving to reach their max level.

Nate and Tonya offer classes fit for a range of goals and experiences, from 30-minute-high intensity workouts to personalized strength training, to middle and high school athletes training for their upcoming season. 

“I always remember the kind of coaches that connected with me, and I always think about that with our athletes,” Nate said. “I want to be the coach that I needed back in the day.”

Every quarter, Max Level hosts an Athlete Sponsorship Fund Workout to give local youth athletes the opportunity to train at Max Level. Their goal is to provide five deserving athletes with 3 months of sponsored training completely free of charge.

For more information about the classes offered at Max Level, or the Athlete Sponsorship Program, visit: www.yourmaxlevel.com.