It was April 2006, and we were putting the final touches on the Inaugural edition of Saratoga TODAY newspaper.
It was about 7 p.m. and we had just finished proofreading the final headlines. We all looked at each other, nodded, and clicked ‘SEND.’ Just like that and it was gone, off to the printer…the first edition of Saratoga TODAY newspaper. Now it was time to sit back and wait, as the delivery truck wasn’t scheduled to arrive with the freshly printed papers until around 2 a.m.
The staff took off and did their own thing; some slept; some ate dinner; some watched TV. We all convened back at the office around 1:30 a.m.
A large chunk of the first delivery targeted downtown Saratoga Springs. Don’t forget, nobody knew what this product was, it would be everyone’s first time seeing it, so we wanted it everywhere downtown.
The truck rolled into the parking lot, and we all excitedly filled our vehicles and headed to Broadway. After unloading our cars we grabbed newspaper bundles and began running around in the dark. That first night we must have looked like a rag-tag bunch of night crawlers. It was pitch black and eerily quiet with the exceptional straggler making his or her way home from the bar. As we made our way up and down Broadway we were hollering back and forth to each other from a block away:
“How many papers do you have left?”
“Did you drop 2 papers at XYZ?”
“How many papers do think I should leave at blah blah blah?”
It wasn’t long before the police became curious and slowly rolled their vehicle up to one of us:
“What’s going on guys?”
“Nothing officer, we are just a new newspaper in town. It’s our first day of delivery and we are figuring things out.”
“Ok, carry on.”
When Broadway was complete, we made our way to all the side streets, then West Ave, and then we divided up and headed to Wilton and Ballston Spa. By the time we were finished, the first signs of morning light were approaching, and we all headed home to catch a few hours of sleep before meeting up back at the office.
That was it. The first edition was on the street, and we had no idea what to expect. Would the community embrace it? Would we be able to sell enough ads to support a free distribution newspaper? Would the economy take off or crash? While all these questions were addressed in a detailed business plan and comprehensive budget, until the rubber meets the road, you never know what is coming your way.
I know they say time flies, but wow. It seems like just yesterday I was reaching out to Adirondack Trust and a few other key local businesspeople about my idea.
Our original office on 5 Case Street, Saratoga Springs
At that point I had been in the print media industry for about 15 years. During that time, I noticed an interesting trend; as paid newspaper readership was declining, I saw free community newspapers popping up around the country and gobbling up all those lost readers, as well as a whole new group of readers.
So, I reached out to those publishers and picked their brains. Everything I heard sounded promising, albeit challenging. The next step was to create a budget, build a talented team, get commitments from some big advertisers, and secure a business loan.
After accomplishing those initial tasks, the date was set for the first edition: April 5, 2006.
The Beattys: Kim, Chad and their son Keegan, 2019
One of our major drop locations, Impressions of Saratoga, set a record in summer of 2023. They went through an average of 10 boxes a week of Simply Saratoga magazine!
Most of you don’t know this, or won’t remember this, but we began as a 3-day per week newspaper: Monday, Wednesday, Friday. The idea was that Monday would kickstart everyone’s week; Wednesday would give everyone a good mid-week update; Friday would be a weekly wrap-up and include weekend entertainment news.
On paper it sounded great; in reality it was a disaster. Readers, and sometimes the staff, were always confused about which edition was on the street. Also, because our paper is 100% local news, it became challenging filling 3-days’ worth of papers per week with only local news.
So, a few months into our new venture, we pivoted to 1-day a week, publishing every Friday morning. We also made some significant content and layout changes. BINGO! Week by week the community became used to the new schedule and format. Saratoga TODAY slowly became the ‘Paper of Record’ for our area; A weekly snapshot of everything locals need to live, work and raise a family in our great region.
But, as we quickly learned, it still wasn’t enough to keep the company profitable. Between rent, printing, insurance, and payroll, we were losing money quickly. Don’t forget, all our products are FREE to the public, we don’t have any subscription revenue. We live and die on advertising revenue, so visit those advertisers! By around September (5-6 months in) we had lost a little over $100,000. Needless to say, I had MANY sleepless nights. I can still vividly remember lying in bed on a few occasions almost hyperventilating. I was worried about my staff, my investors, my personal savings, and my sons college education.
The reoccurring thought “What the heck did I get myself into?” regularly popped into my head. (And it popped into my head regularly.) But as soon as the thought began, I would chastise myself and say to myself “Chad, stop whining, and figure this out.”
Despite the fact that the newspaper was gaining market share month-by-month, I knew bigger changes were required. The solution: double down and launch magazines and events. (Go big or Go home.)
It wasn’t perfect immediately, but eventually everything fell into place. The varying products worked together symbiotically. The newspaper promoted the magazines; the magazines expanded on the newspaper; the events complemented the print products; and the website pulled everything together under one cohesive platform.
As I am sure you are aware, one of the important departments in a newspaper is distribution. They are the people who deliver our newspaper to hundreds of outlets throughout Saratoga County. During our first two years, weekly distribution increased 66%, from 6,000 copies to more than 10,000 copies per issue. Currently the print run for Saratoga TODAY is 10,2000 copies every Friday.
Have you ever wondered where we go through the most papers? Tied for the TOP SPOTS are the West Ave YMCA and Healthy Living Market in Wilton. Right behind them are the Hannafords in Wilton and Ballston Spa. And of course, Stewart’s Shops is also at the top of the list, providing readers with copies of Saratoga TODAY from exit 16 down to exit 10.
From the very beginning I was blessed to have a talented and experienced team by my side. I recruited the initial Saratoga TODAY team from a few local newspapers, but mainly from The Saratogian. In the beginning I think we had about 50 years of print media experience between us….now we are closer to 100 years!
Throughout the last 20 years, we have had a lot of success, and a handful of flops. But as Winston Churchill said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” One of my favorite flops was Simply Lake Placid magazine. While it seemed like the perfect market for our high-end magazines, we quickly found that region to be a very parochial community who didn’t take well to outsiders coming in. Either way, it was a fun project, and I enjoyed my time deep in the Adirondacks.
Were there other bumps in the road? ABSOLUTELY! For example, we certainly didn’t plan on the 2008 housing crash and subsequent financial meltdown. And none of us guessed that 12 years later the world would shut down due to the Covid pandemic! But as they say, the strongest steel is forged in the hottest fire.
Looking back at this journey, it was certainly nerve racking, but it was also pretty darn exciting! Although I only earned my Bachelor of Arts while in college, I feel as though I have earned my Masters in Business in the real world.
Fran, Congratulations on your book. What is it like to be a published author?
Fran: It’s an extremely amazing feeling to be a “published author”! Looking back upon the thousands of hours it took to finally have the privilege of showcasing a finished project is something I still find incredible to reflect upon. I took tremendous care to make sure my book will forever be something I can be very proud of, and I truly am.
Tell us about the process of writing your book.
Fran: Concept: First I came up with the concept: The Animal Menagerie is an A to Z picture book for children ages 4-7. There is an animal character for every letter of the alphabet, and the name of that animal is coupled with a rhyming descriptive vocabulary word such as “The Chuckling Duckling,” and “The Contrary Canary,” etc.
Choosing Animals and Vocabulary Words: After I came up with the concept for the book, I started choosing each animal based on whether there was a colorful vocabulary word that I could rhyme with it. The word would need to describe the animal in a way that lent itself to a contextual story that would accompany it.
Writing Stories: Next the stories for each animal were written in a way that brought the meaning of each descriptive vocabulary word to light. This had to be accomplished in a limited number of paragraphs, due to the 4-7 age group I was writing for.
Deciding upon Illustrations: Once the A to Z characters and stories were established, I sketched or described my vision to my illustrator. She then presented me with an image, which I typically worked with her to tweak 3-5 times, until it perfectly represented my visual interpretation of the story. This was an extremely interesting process, mainly because my illustrator lives in Poland, and so all of this was accomplished online. This overseas exchange took place over the pandemic years. When we were all feeling so isolated and disconnected, I was sharing explosions of creativity with a person over 4 thousand miles away who I have never met or even spoken to.
Layout and design: Finally, I worked with a dear friend collaborating for hours of time syncing the illustrations with the stories, and laying it all out to look perfectly pleasing to the eyes of parents of my target audience. Then the text needed to be proofread and edited before going to print.
Publishing/Printing: This process included vetting several printers to find out who would offer the best quality for the least cost. In general, quality self-publishing is a costly endeavor. It’s a true commitment to passion for what you’re doing.
Where did you do most writing?
Fran: Most of my inspiration came while working at my home office on evenings and weekends, when I could focus full attention on the project.
What, if any, were the unexpected challenges you encountered.
Fran: I was surprised by the incredible amount of time it took to bring the text and the illustrations together into an artistic layout style that reflected my vision. This is definitely the step in the process that took the most time. I was intent on having the book look as good as traditionally published books typically do so it would garner just as much attention when sitting beside a traditionally published book on a retailer’s shelf. There are so many aspects of a book’s design to consider and make decisions on from choices on hardback vs paperback, the size of the book, the number of pages, paper weight and color, printed endsheets, font, font size, colors, just to name a few. .
From start to finish, what was the timeframe?
Fran: I started the project in November of 2021 and the book was sent to the printer in October of 2023. I received 500 printed copies in mid-November of 2023, just in time for the holiday season. Although there were unexpected delays, and this wasn’t the timing I was hoping for, it worked out perfectly!
Was this a one-time project or are there more books on your horizon?
Fran: Yes, after spending so much time learning about the process of authorship and the tenets of book-writing, I feel that I know so much more now that would allow me to work more expediently on a second book. I have the concept already. I hope to get started on it over the next year.
Any advice for aspiring authors?
Fran: Follow your dream. Anything is possible! Ask questions to many individuals and the answers you receive in common are what you should move forward with as true. A concept can be inspired in so many ways – leave yourself open to hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting, and touching so you can recognize the thought concept when it comes to you, and then run with it. If you, like me, are one who has been saying or thinking that they will write a book for years, don’t just talk about it – do it! Live in the moment and make it happen, now! For me, in the words of Victor Hugo, It was ‘an idea whose time had come’! Now is your time!
The leaves are falling, the temperatures are dropping, and local candidates are presenting their platforms. Yes, it is election time again in Saratoga County! As the local newspaper of record for the greater Saratoga Springs region, we cover the candidates, we provide them with a platform (in print and online), and we publish ‘Letters to the Editor’ from all sides. Occasionally we also host a debate, but we rarely make political endorsements.
However, after 30 years in the newspaper industry, I have never witnessed a city council in such disarray. From out-of-control meetings to aggressive profanity laced rants in city hall, the current council is an embarrassment to our city. It is an example of dysfunction:
• City council meetings have become so toxic, with epithets and unrestrained belligerence, that a parent would be reluctant to bring their child to a council meeting. Mayor Kim has refused to maintain decorum at council meetings.
• This administration is in chronic violation of the Open Meetings Law undermining Mayor Kim’s claims of transparency. Last June Kim acknowledged that his office was unable to respond in accordance with the state requirements for providing public records on request and since then the backlog of unfilled responses has only gotten worse.
• Emails sent by the mayor criticizing subordinates have included crude and inappropriate language creating a toxic environment that has resulted in the loss of talented city employees.
Because of this, we have decided to make endorsements on two local races in the city of Saratoga Springs. Our endorsements are as follows: Mayor
John Safford: Republican
A Vietnam War veteran, Safford spent his career as a small business entrepreneur. His calm demeanor and concise thought process will bring sanity and clarity to city leadership. Safford will restore mayoral leadership and desperately needed respect to the position.
Public Safety
Tim Coll: One Saratoga
With 30 years in law enforcement, Coll brings a wealth of relevant experience to public safety. A registered Democrat, he will appear on the Republican ballot line and the nonpartisan One Saratoga ballot line. Coll, a former FBI agent, also served on the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Albany. His depth of experience in all areas of law enforcement, and his fresh take, is exactly what is needed in Saratoga Springs.
Despite Montagnino’s (current Public Safety Commissioner) best intentions, the visceral dislike of him from the city council has nullified his efficacy. With at least 3 of the current 4 remaining commissioners maintaining their position, we need new blood leading Public Safety. Tim Coll is that person.
Since its founding in 1948, the Nation of Israel has been our greatest ally in the Middle East. For 75 years, the lone Jewish state has been a bastion of freedom and democracy in a region dominated by radical regimes, and the world’s most notorious terror organizations.
In its short history, Israel has been relentlessly attacked on all fronts by enemies who seek their total destruction. The most recent attack, which is reminiscent of 9-11, has resulted in 1,200 fatalities as of this writing. But the Jewish people are no stranger to adversity and persecution, and they will rise from the ashes.
ISRAEL AT WAR
On October 7, at 6:30 a.m. local time, air raid sirens began sounding in Jerusalem. The terrorist group Hamas was beginning to launch their unprovoked and unprecedented attack. An estimated 3,000+ rockets were fired into Israel, with one rocket slamming into a hospital.
Simultaneously, armed Hamas fighters breached the Israeli border on multiple fronts and began indiscriminately firing on citizens, and taking innocent men, women and children hostage. Among the hostages are a number of American citizens.
By 11:30 a.m., Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared “Israel is at war.”
Those ominous words still ring clear in my head, and I imagine they will be etched in my mind forever. History always has a way of repeating itself. I still vividly remember the words of President George Bush on September 12, 2001:
“Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended.”
STANDING FOR
FREEDOM
While Saratoga TODAY does not cover world or national news, we do stand up to evil whenever and wherever it exists. We stand for freedom; We stand for human rights; We stand for dignity; We stand for free markets; We stand for democracy; We stand with Israel!
Every day I hear people complaining about the area in which we live, and I must admit that I am often among those complaining. Yes, I can whine with the best of them. While complaining, for the sole purpose of complaining, achieves nothing, I believe most of us simply want to live in a safe, vibrant, and solid region.
So, how do we get to our end goal? Let’s deconstruct this scenario and get to the core of the issue. I will confess upfront that this editorial will have a faith-based relevance as we enter the season of Lent.
We will begin with the following assumptions:
To have a strong region, we must have strong communities.
To have strong communities, we must have strong families.
To have strong families, we must have strong faith.
While faith could mean different things to different people, I will dig into it from the Christian point of view, i.e., Faith in God.
First, let’s each reflect on the true nature of our individual faith. Think about it for a few minutes and then continue reading. To help, we will begin with a story.
Michael tells me he is a sailor.
I respond: that’s great. I am really interested in sailing.
I ask Michael if he goes sailing every week, to which he replies: no.
I ask Michael if he reads the sailing book, to which he replies: no.
I ask Michael if he ever visits the sailing club, to which he replies: no.
I ask Michael if he regularly thinks about sailing, to which he replies, no.
I ask Michael if he is teaching his children about sailing, to which he replies, no.
I ask Michael if he gets together with other sailors, to discuss sailing, to which he replies: no.
I ask Michael if he practices his sailing techniques, to which he replies: no.
I ask Michael if he helps other people who want to become sailors, to which he replies: no.
Finally, I ask Michael why he thinks he is a sailor. Michael replies: Well, I believe in sailing, and I visit a sailboat every Christmas.
This scenario may sound silly, but is this how we treat our faith? Simply saying something doesn’t make it true.
If the only proof that you are a Christian, is you saying, “I believe in God,” that is a very shallow commitment. You know who else believes in God? The devil.
I have always lived by the belief that one should delve deeply into their interests if they want to achieve superior results. For example, know the history; who the main players were; how it started; what are the rules; who are the leading players today; how can one become better, etc. Simply put, if you are committing time and energy into something, thoroughly understand that something.
And if we are serious, is there any more important interest than eternal salvation?
So, this season of Lent, I invite you to live your faith. Go to church every week, LISTEN, and take it to heart. Donate to the poor. Get off your devices and spend silent time in prayer. Sit down for family dinners and begin with Grace. Watch the series ‘The Chosen.’ Volunteer at your church or a community center. Meet with your Priest or Pastor and talk. There are great books available about ‘Understanding Your Faith.’ Buy one and read it every night.
This will require sacrifice, but little positive is ever achieved without self-sacrifice.
I can attest from personal experience, that it is worth it. While my journey has been filled with unexpected setbacks and encouraging victories, it is a continuous work in progress. So, hang in there and commit.
Circling back to the beginning; If we have strong faith, we will have strong families. If we have strong families, we will have strong communities. And if we have strong communities, we will have a strong region.
Are you a happy New Yorker? I didn’t ask if you like the region in which we live, I asked if you are happy to be a New Yorker? Based on recent census figures, the answer seems clear.
The Empire State continues to lead the country in population loss, losing another 180,000 people last year. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in the 12 months ending June 30, 2022, approximately 300,000 more people left New York than moved in. New York was also one of seven states to lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives last year due to population loss.
Is any of this surprising considering last August, during her gubernatorial campaign, Hochul attacked her opponent and his Republican allies, stating, “…just jump on a bus and head down to Florida where you belong. Get out of town.”
Yet, as residents continue to flee NY in search of a better quality of life, the Hochul administration continues to double down on its edicts, mandates, and taxes.
“For us, Florida became the shiny city on a hill, so we made a tough choice.” said Florida transplant Joe Kakaty. In 2021 the Kakaty family packed their bags, sold their house, and moved to Southwest Florida. “Millions like us are fleeing the great Empire State for lower taxes, for less government, and for more economic freedom” Kakaty added. “We will visit NY. We miss our friends and family but hope to spend more quality time with them in the freedom of the sunshine state.”
Kakaty’s frustration with NY government is reflective of the sentiment of many New Yorkers.
Let’s take a look at some recent NY decisions stoking this frustration, which will undoubtedly play a role in future migrations:
• As New Yorkers struggle to pay their bills, heat their homes, and buy groceries, Governor Hochul just signed legislation granting state lawmakers a 29% pay raise, making them the highest paid legislators in the nation! They went from $110,000 to $142,000 per year. *Not a single Republican in either chamber voted for the pay increase.
• In her State of the State address, Hochul prohibited the use of fossil fuels in smaller buildings by 2025, and by 2028 in larger structures. Under the plan, New York would also ban the sale of any new fossil-fuel heating systems beginning in 2030. To get a better understanding of the absurdity of this plan, check out my July 28, 2022 Editorial: Electricity, Fossil Fuels, & The Green New Scam.
• Hochul followed that edict with a proposal of building 800,000 new housing units over a decade. In this proposal, the state would set a mandate, saying “every single locality will have a target for new housing.” Needless to say, the ‘housing compact’ as she calls it, will be riddled with over budget boondoggles that will cost taxpayers dearly.
• Hochul directed state regulators to make the necessary changes to require all new passenger cars, pickup trucks and SUVs sold in the state to be zero emissions by 2035.
• And if you’re a business owner, get ready for this…She called on the state Department of Environmental Conservation and NYSERDA to create the framework to require businesses to buy permits for their greenhouse gas emissions.
So, where does this leave us? While I love upstate NY, specifically the Capital and Adirondack region, I can’t help but wonder when the government overreach will stop. As with Rome, will the great state of NY eventually destroy itself from within?
Not if I have anything to say about it. I write these editorials to express my displeasure, and to hopefully spark thought and discussion which will lead to positive change.
A few weeks ago 44,000 people filled the Saratoga Race Course; throughout the summer indoor and outdoor summer camps were packed with kids; and every Saturday night on Caroline Street, the bars, and the street, are wall to wall people.
Well, summer is over, and it is time for the dictatorial edicts to begin again.
It was announced this week that 2–5-year-olds are now required to wear facemasks in daycare, and school-age children are once again forced into mask servitude.
“Follow the science” they say. Ok, let’s follow the science.
First, what is science? In general, science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence.
Let’s look at some evidence.
The population of Saratoga and Albany County combined is 500,000+ people. During the 18-months of Covid, zero (ZERO) people under the age of 25 have died from Covid. Another interesting piece of evidence from the CDC website is that nationally 2x as many people under the age of 17 have died from pneumonia than Covid over the past year.
If we follow the science, we should be quite concerned with pneumonia…or heart health for that matter. How about the government put a limit on the number of Big Macs and jumbo diet sodas a family can have in a week?
And what about those poor front-line workers who were heroes a year ago and are now being forced out of their jobs. That was a quick path from heroes to zeros.
Perhaps I am the crazy one and there is a utopian paradise awaiting all of us if we just stop thinking and allow ‘experts’ to make all our decisions; experts who are apolitical, beyond reproach, impervious to outside pressure, and unconcerned with wealth or fame.
Or maybe there is a supreme being who will make our decisions for us. I seem to remember something about a supreme being, but he blessed us all with free will.
Freedom doesn’t come free. This was never more evident than September 11, 2001, when radical Islamists from 7,000 miles away launched the most sophisticated and deadly terrorist attack in world history.
Families sat in shock, worried about loved ones, while young patriots answered the call and signed up for the armed forces. The American spirit is strong, and we don’t take kindly to attacks on our Republic, or our brothers and sisters.
Our nation mobilized as we prepared for the global war on terror. American flags lined our streets, and patriotism was at an all-time high. It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times.
Now, two-decades later, those terrorists are back in control of their heartland, Afghanistan. Their immediate neighbors, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, share similar goals of extremism and global Islamic dominance, ruled by Sharia law.
After the attack it was easy for us to label the terrorists cowards, but make no mistake, they are not cowards. They are ruthless, calculating, cold-blooded killers who will sacrifice their lives in the name of religious extremism. They have been killing for centuries, and they will kill for centuries more.
While there are differing views on our role in the middle east, I think all sensible Americans can agree on one point: we need to secure our nation. This means tightening our borders and enforcing the existing immigration laws. Vet those coming into our country and make sure they share our values. In July alone, 212,000 immigrants were apprehended at the southern border and released into our nation. In just one month, it was nearly the population of Saratoga County!
The sad reality is, if we can’t control our borders, there will be another 9-11.
We owe it to the fallen, and the survivors, to never forget the events of 9-11; never forget those who lost their lives; never forget the children left orphans; never forget the mothers who will never see their children again; never forget the service men and women who fought and died far from home; and never forget the realities of the world we live in.
Remain vigilant my friends, and always do the next right thing.
