SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 22-1 Saratoga Central Catholic varsity baseball squad earned a shot at the Section 2 Class C title after defeating Greenwich 6 to 1 on Memorial Day. As of press time, they were scheduled to face off against Granville Thursday afternoon for the championship at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy.
In the semifinal win, the Saints were led at the plate by Max Britten (2-3), Jason Pescetti (2-3), and Ronan Rowe (1-2 with a walk). All of them batted in a run. Brian Selig shut down Greenwich on the mound, pitching 7 innings, striking out 8 hitters, and allowing 6 hits.
The one run allowed by Spa Catholic was their highest opponent score thus far in the sectional tournament, as the Saints walloped Hadley Luzerne 10 to 0 in the second round and clobbered Hoosic Valley 12 to 0 in the opening round.
Against Hoosic, Pierce Byrne tossed a no-hitter, whiffing ten batters. Contributing to the dozen runs were Ryan Gillis (2-2 with a triple and 2 RBI), Hunter Fales (1-2 with 2 RBI), and Ronan Rowe (1-2 with 2 RBI).
The Saints haven’t lost a game since they fell to Our Lady of Lourdes 12 to 6 on May 10.
Offensive statistical standouts this season have included Max Britten (slash line: .386/.463/.421), Pierce Byrne (.395/.489/.645), Kihl Kelly (.405/.520/.544), Jason Pescetti (.471/.553/.571), Ronan Rowe (.474/.550/.645), and Brian Selig Jr. (.382/.560/.500).
Pitchers Pierce Byrne (1.33 ERA in 42 innings), Luke Dejnozka (0.51 ERA in 27.1 innings), Brian Selig Jr. (0.41 ERA in 34 innings), and Tyler Weygand (1.14 ERA in 24.2 innings) have shut down the Saints’ foes all season.
LaMP performs in front of a packed house at Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs on May 8. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — When a band is named LaMP, it’s near impossible to not make an “Anchorman” reference. Thankfully, this trio of jam band veterans is in on the joke (their website is ilikelamp.com).
The curious name is a combination of the first letters of each band member’s surname. Russ Lawton and Ray Paczkowski are both co-members of Phish frontman Trey Anastasio’s eponymous band, and Scott Metzger also shreds for Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, which is widely regarded as either the best or one of the best Grateful Dead tribute acts.
Rather than repeat the same sounds they create elsewhere, this trio has used LaMP to keep things groovy, jazzy, and instrumental. To these ears, they sounded something akin to Circles Around the Sun meets 70s-era Herbie Hancock. To the ears of their audience at Putnam Place on May 8, the sound inspired a whole lot of dancing.
According to their bio, LaMP played their first gig at a bar in Burlington, Vermont in December 2018 before entering a studio to create their debut EP, released in 2020. Five years later, a follow-up, One of Us, arrived on both vinyl and streaming platforms.
The group is one of those side projects created by talented musicians that flies a tad under the radar, but any fan should want it that way. There was no giant ticket conglomerate shelling expensive seats at LaMP’s recent gig in Saratoga Springs. Virtually anyone could afford the price of admission and find themselves an arm’s length away from the stage. From that vantage point, they could enjoy, in all its loud and live glory, the talents of three master musicians who are on stage simply because they want to be. Lest the joke be made one too many times, let it be said just once more, “I love LaMP.”
Photo of Aaron Madej via his Instagram account, @internaaron.
ALBANY — Greeting the governor. Suiting up to play for the Albany FireWolves. Winning the judges’ choice award at a fashion show in Saratoga Springs.
For the past year or so, it felt like everywhere you looked in the Capital Region, there was Intern Aaron (real name: Aaron Madej), a content producer and social media star who, until earlier this month, worked at Two Buttons Deep, a digital media company that has collaborated with Stewart’s Shops, the Saratoga Casino Hotel, and a host of other local institutions.
Then, with one swift social media post, he was gone.
“The rumors are true, Intern Aaron has left Two Buttons Deep; he quit,” announced the company’s co-founder Jack Carpenter in a May 8 video. “I speak for the team when I say that we’re bummed. We didn’t see this coming, and I felt he had a lot more potential here in our world, but alas, he’s got new opportunities coming his way and he’s doing what’s best for Intern Aaron, and really that’s all that matters.”
But the Aaron Madej story didn’t end there. Rather, it entered its sequel, “Empire [State] Strikes Back” era.
“When my departure happened, it came to a certain point where I realized that I needed to prioritize myself and my mental health and go forward and take new opportunities that also align with my personal, career-driven mission,” Madej told Saratoga TODAY.
That mission? To become an on-air personality for QVC, the home shopping network that Madej said he’s been watching since he was four years old.
“I have always been amazed at the persuasive tone of reporters on QVC, and that sort of carried through my entire life,” Madej said. “No joke, I put QVC on in the background in my house. It’s literally on the TV muted right now.”
Madej’s long-time admiration of QVC has helped dictate where his career is headed next, now that he’s officially a free agent. He’ll be working with Lola Saratoga, the downtown boutique known for its designer handbags, selling their products live on TikTok. Madej is also looking to expand his presence from social media to TV screens. It’s all in pursuit of his QVC dream.
“If QVC called me today, the second call would be to my landlord to cancel my lease,” Madej quipped.
Although he’d skip town for such an opportunity, Madej said he believes he’ll always end up back at home here in the Capital Region.
“I love it here,” said Madej, who grew up in Amsterdam. “It’s all I’ve ever known.”
While attending Amsterdam High School, the former intern fell in love with the world of marketing and knew he wanted to pursue it as a career. Fast forward a few years later and Madej, now a student at the University at Albany, saw an opening at Two Buttons Deep. Interested in a fun and flexible opportunity, it was a natural fit.
His tenure at the company began with an internship (hence his nickname) in fall 2023 before he was promoted to content producer. In that role, he appeared on the Buttonista Show podcast, met with clients, and curated social media content. His time at the company taught him not only how to be a success in the social media landscape, but it also provided a crash course in the businesses and power players of the Capital Region. But becoming a notable on-camera personality wasn’t something Madej initially expected.
“I got to learn, especially from Taylor Rao [aka the Buttonista], a lot of what it takes to be on camera and how we can shift our personalities to be best for the camera,” he said.
Despite the shift, Madej said his public persona is genuine, albeit a bit more extroverted than his true self. And when his true self is out and about in the world, he said he’s often approached by fans.
“It’s very strange to be that hyper-local celebrity,” Madej said. “It’s really great to be able to connect with people and also remind myself every day that my small work that I do really makes a positive impact in people’s lives and makes them feel better not only about themselves but also about the area that they live in.”
Whether selling handbags, interviewing the governor, dancing with the FireWolves, strutting his stuff at Panza’s, or ending up on QVC, the artist formerly known as Intern Aaron is, at heart, a Capital Region devotee.
“I love that every single city has a little bit of a different culture,” he said. “Every day I can wake up and I can choose what I want. If I want a big city life or if I want to go to the track or if I want to go to the Adirondacks and do some hiking, it’s all within arm’s reach. And that’s what I love about it.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — When the connections of Sovereignty, the winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby, decided to forgo the Preakness Stakes in pursuit of the Belmont, it ignited a firestorm of controversy among racing fans. Has the Triple Crown become obsolete? Should schedules be adjusted to encourage more attempts at a feat so impressive that Netflix named a TV show after it?
Despite all the grumbling, fans may soon bear witness to something arguably more spectacular than a Triple Crown attempt: a final showdown between the winners of the Derby and the Preakness here in Saratoga.
On Monday, the gleaming chestnut coat of Preakness winner Journalism was led casually into a Spa City-bound horse van. His trainer, Michael McCarthy, will have until June 1 to decide whether the colt is ready and able to run the Test of Champions.
“It would be three races in five weeks but if the horse is doing as well as he’s doing now, it would be hard to offer up any excuses,” McCarthy told BloodHorse on May 18. “Now it’s two races in two weeks. He ate up last night and he seems pleased with himself. So, we’ll weigh the pros and cons.
“I think it would be great for the sport if these horses stay healthy and whether it’s for the Belmont, Travers, or Breeders’ Cup Classic, we get a rematch,” McCarthy added. “It would be great for racing. Period.”
Journalism was upset by Sovereignty at Churchill Downs in front of the largest Kentucky Derby television audience since 1989. But at the Preakness, he boldly squeezed his way through two other horses, emerging unscathed enough to rocket ahead for a spectacular first-place finish.
“It went from the devastation of not being able to win the race, with what looked like an impossible task, to hopeful that he was going to somehow make a miracle happen,” Aron Wellman, president and founder of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, told the New York Racing Association (NYRA). “It took a superior, elite horse and jockey to be able to overcome those circumstances and make it happen.”
With Sovereignty resting comfortably in Saratoga, a rematch between the two thoroughbreds seems both inevitable and widely desired.
Journalism has visited Saratoga before (he was the third-straight Preakness champion to come out of Fasig-Tipton’s annual Saratoga Sale), but he hasn’t yet competed at the Graveyard of Champions. It may not be long before that changes.
Other horses who may run in the Belmont include Preakness second-place finisher Gosger, Kentucky Derby third-placer Baeza, Peter Pan-winner Hill Road, and Wood Memorial-victor Rodriguez.
NYRA also revealed this week that Preakness third-place finisher Sandman will likely target the Jim Dandy on July 26 at Saratoga.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Unofficial election results released late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning told an unsurprising tale: voters of the Saratoga Springs, Ballston Spa, and Schuylerville school districts approved their respective budget proposals by wide margins and voted new board members into office in largely uncontested elections.
Only one ballot proposition was met with any significant resistance. Ballston Spa School District residents narrowly supported their district’s efforts to buy an electric school bus by a margin of 161 votes. The bus is expected to be a pilot program of sorts to test the range, cost, and efficiency of a zero-emission vehicle prior to 2027, when all districts across New York State will be required to begin purchasing electric vehicles for their transportation fleets.
School district logos via their respective district.
Saratoga Springs
Residents of the Saratoga Springs City School District approved the proposed $159,398,849 school budget for the 2025-2026 school year by a vote of 2,282 to 568. Voters also approved the following propositions:
The Bus Bond Proposition was approved by a vote of 2,284 to 560;
The Legacy 2025 Capital Project Referendum was approved by a vote of 2,312 to 520;
The Capital Reserve Fund Proposition was approved by a vote of 2,346 to 491.
Three candidates were also elected to the Board of Education. The vote counts were as follows:
Ashley Fogarty – 2,288 votes
Leigh Wilton – 2,182 votes
Natalya Lakhtakia – 2,175 votes
As of press time, these results were unofficial prior to being formally accepted by the Board of Education at a meeting scheduled for May 21 at 7 p.m.
Ballston Spa
Residents of the Ballston Spa Central School District approved the 2025-2026 budget proposal of $110,305,520 with an unofficial vote of 77% “yes” to 23% “no.” A total of 1,342 votes were cast. Three other propositions were also approved:
Prop 2 – School Vehicles: 1,031 “yes” to 310 “no”
Prop 3 – Electric Bus: 751 “yes” to 590 “no”
Prop 4 – Library: 1,125 “yes” to 219 “no”
Two candidates were elected to the Board of Education, with both seats beginning in July. Carrie Chapman received 1,042 votes and Tim Turbiak received 915 votes.
These vote tallies were unofficial as of press time, pending formal approval.
Schuylerville
Residents of the Schuylerville Central School District passed a $40 million budget for the 2025-26 school year by a vote of 510 to 128. The capital project proposal also passed by a vote of 501 to 129.
Voters elected two members to the Board of Education to fill the following positions:
One five-year term beginning July 1. The seat will be held by Shaun Cumm, who received 514 votes.
One term that will commence immediately after the May 20 election (or as close thereto) and expires on June 30, 2027. The seat will be held by Bernie Buff, who received 500 votes.
In the Schuylerville Public Library Board of Trustees election, voters elected two candidates: Laura Dooley (538 votes) and BriAnne Mulligan (474 votes).They will each fill a three-year term ending in 2028. In addition, the Schuylerville Public Library’s budget appropriation proposition passed 558 to 80, increasing the annual budget appropriation by $32,000 to a total of $409,000.
“We’re grateful to our community for their continued support of Schuylerville students, staff, and schools,” said Superintendent Dr. Ryan Sherman in a statement. “The approval of both the budget and the capital project proposal allows us to maintain the high-quality programs our families expect, while ensuring our facilities remain efficient and prepared for the future.”
“This vote demonstrates our community’s commitment to thoughtful planning and the continued success of our students,” said Board of Education President Bernie Buff. “These approvals ensure we can move forward with key improvements—both educational and infrastructural. We are grateful for the support of our voters.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — 23andMe, the genetic testing company that uses saliva samples to reveal the ancestry of its customers, is reportedly being purchased by a biotechnology company with Saratoga connections.
The Associated Press reported this week that Regeneron Pharmaceuticals is buying 23andMe for $256 million after the genetics company filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.
“We believe we can help 23andMe deliver and build upon its mission to help people learn about their own DNA and how to improve their personal health, while furthering Regeneron’s efforts to improve the health and wellness of many,” Regeneron Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer George Yancopoulos said in a statement.
A member of 23andMe’s board said that the transaction would ensure the protection of customer privacy, choice, and consent with respect to their genetic data.
Regeneron, which is based in Tarrytown, New York, purchased the former Quad Graphics printing facility in Saratoga Springs last year. Quad Graphics had ceased its operations in May 2024, causing hundreds of workers to lose their jobs.
According to its corporate fact sheet, Regeneron has more than 13,000 employees worldwide. The company has offices scattered across the globe, including its headquarters in Tarrytown and an industrial operations and product supply facility in Rensselaer.
Regeneron, called “one of the region’s largest employers” by the Saratoga Economic Development Corporation, had a reported revenue of more than $13 billion in 2023. In 2020, the company signed a $450 million contract with the U.S. government to manufacture and supply REGN-COV2, a double-antibody cocktail designed to combat the coronavirus. The cocktail was administered to President Donald Trump when he was infected with COVID-19 in October 2020.
A group of local business leaders participate in the “Inside Ballston Spa” panel discussion at the Milton Community Center on Tuesday morning. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
BALLSTON SPA — Ballston Spa business leaders representing the construction, real estate, tourism, and hospitality industries convened at the Milton Community Center on Tuesday morning to discuss the state and future of the village.
County-wide issues such as meager housing inventory and a declining workforce in the trades have borne their brunt on Ballston Spa. But the impact of local events such as the forthcoming Belmont Stakes or the opening of Tree House Brewing have yielded positive and/or mixed results for the village.
Challenges, successes, and future plans were the focus of the “Inside Ballston Spa” discussion presented by the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County (an affiliate of the Capital Region Chamber) and the Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association.
The Trades
Doug Ford, vice president of public relations and purchasing at the Curtis Lumber Company, said his industry has changed dramatically since he first entered it. Women, once a rare sight in lumber yards in the 1970s, now make up roughly half of Curtis’ workforce, he said. But attracting younger people into the industry has been a persistent challenge.
“We’ve done an absolutely horrible job of getting in front of young people and helping them understand exactly what our job entails and the opportunities that exist,” Ford said. “It’s not the schools that were at fault, it was us as an industry. We were absolutely doing nothing to help ourselves.”
Ford said that, at first, his company began talking to high school juniors and seniors, but he soon realized this was too late in a young person’s life to introduce the possibility of working in the trades. Today, outreach begins with elementary students and continues through middle school, high school, and college.
“I think the biggest thing we have to understand is that the trades are not a default to going to college. That’s the mindset that really needs to change,” Ford said. “If you’ve tried to hire a plumber, electrician, or someone from the trades recently, you’ll start to understand that’s a very lucrative and rewarding career path. It’s not something we should be looking down upon.”
Real Estate
Lisa Licata, managing broker of the Sterling Real Estate Group, said housing inventory remains low (despite high demand) and that interest rates are averaging around 6% for a 15-year mortgage and 6.8% for a 30-year. But, she said, there’s also been a sizable uptick in new construction and interest in modular homes.
“The average price point for a resale home is about $409,000, and that’s up 4% from last year,” Licata said. “In April, 61% of the homes that sold went above the asking price. 90% of those homes were on the market for less than 30 days. There is a big need for affordability.”
Tourism
Darryl Leggieri, president of Discover Saratoga, is a Ballston Spa resident who said that the village’s remarkable growth over the years has made it a destination for the influx of Saratoga Race Course visitors arriving each summer.
“I’m pretty proud of what’s happening here,” Leggieri said. “The culinary scene, the small businesses; you don’t see a lot of vacancies downtown, which is awesome…We have the assets here, it’s about amplifying that message and that’s what we try to do at Discover Saratoga.”
Leggieri said that tourism is a $1 billion industry in Saratoga County, creating thousands of jobs and tax relief for residents.
“If you create a destination where people want to visit, you’ll create a destination where people want to live,” he said. “And if you create a destination where people want to live, you’ll create a destination where people want to work, and they’ll also want to invest. That’s the circle, and it keeps on going and going.”
Breweries
One Ballston Spa-based asset that reels in tourists is Speckled Pig Brewing, which is expanding its downtown presence with a new, neighboring distillery set to open sometime this year. Larry Heid, a Speckled Pig co-owner, said his company offers tastings at the Taste New York Pavilion at the track, which allows them to invite racing fans to venture to their brewery in Ballston Spa. He also said that outdoor spaces are an important attraction for summertime tourists (Speckled Pig has a rooftop space and the forthcoming distillery will feature an outdoor patio).
As for the arrival of Tree House Brewing earlier this year, Heid said he knew the brewery would offer some stiff competition, but that Speckled Pig offers more of a community experience than its larger competitor.
“What we really like to do is make sure that when people come to the Speckled Pig, they feel like a community,” he said. “We love seeing people all of a sudden be like, ‘Oh my God, we haven’t seen you in forever,’ and the Speckled Pig becomes a gathering place for residents of the Village of Ballston Spa. So we can hit on that customer experience that a place like Treehouse doesn’t doesn’t have.”
Heid said he often sees people arriving at Speckled Pig after first stopping by Tree House. This brewery-hopping, added Leggieri, has become a focus for Discover Saratoga, which is working on ways to incentivize tourists to visit multiple local breweries.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — After first going on the market in March 2024, the sale of Cady Hill, Marylou Whitney’s former estate in Saratoga Springs, appears to be pending, according to the property’s online listings.
No additional information about the buyer or final price was immediately available.
The property located at 40 Geyser Road includes 7 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, and more than 6,200 square feet of interior space. Built in 1851, Cady Hill sits on a bucolic 121-acre lot complete with a gym, chapel, tennis courts, rose gardens, gate house, office building, and two single-family ranch homes.
In 1926, Cady Hill was purchased by Harry Payne and Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. Upon Harry’s death a decade later, Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney purchased the property, and Marylou joined him in 1958 as his new bride, according to Julie & Co. Realty.
Marylou Whitney, affectionately known as the Queen of Saratoga, died in 2019 at the age of 93.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Depending on how district residents vote on May 20, some Saratoga school athletic facilities may soon get facelifts.
Part of the $142.8 million Legacy 2025 Capital Project referendum includes resurfacing the track and installing turf on the high school softball diamond.
“The thing that I have in my mind more than anything is safety concerns for the track,” said Boys Track Coach Chris Conley in a video posted by the district. “There’s been parts of it that have been starting to peel up and those areas start to become very unsafe; tripping hazards, slipping on it. It’s really not conducive to running very smart. If we could get it resurfaced so that it’s safe, that would be awesome.”
Varsity Softball Coach Geoff Loiacono said that a turf infield would make the high school softball field “playable all the time” because weather conditions wouldn’t affect it.
For more information on the project, visit www.saratogaschools.org/about-us/capital-project/2025-legacy-capital-project/
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The undefeated Spa Catholic varsity baseball team demolished Mechanicville last Thursday 8 to 1, clinching their 25th Wasaren League championship.
Pitcher Brian Selig gave up the lone run and only 5 hits in 6 innings of work, notching 8 strikeouts. At the plate, Selig smacked an RBI double. He was joined by Hunter Fales, Jason Pescetti, and Ryan Gillis, all of whom hit at least one double apiece (Fales managed to earn two).
The victory put the Saints at 12-0 in their conference and 15-0 overall on the season. Although a relatively one-sided affair, Spa Catholic had more trouble the prior day against Mechanicville, battling into extra innings to eke out a 5-4 win that kept their undefeated strike alive. In that game, Ronan Rowe went 4-6 with a double, while Fales added a triple.
Prior to that pair of contests, the Saints have been nearly unstoppable, racking up one dominant W after another (21-0 against Waterford-Halfmoon, 27-0 against Hoosic Valley, 10-0 versus Fonda-Fultonville, and 16-0 against Stillwater).
The Saints have a handful of games remaining on their calendar before the first round of the Section 2 Class C playoffs begin on May 22 at Veterans Memorial Park.
