The recently unveiled logo for Familiar Creature, a wine bar opening soon on Phila Street in Saratoga Springs. Image via Hamlet & Ghost.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The team behind Hamlet & Ghost, the acclaimed restaurant/cocktail bar on Caroline Street, will soon be opening a “Montreal-inspired” wine bar on Phila Street in downtown Saratoga Springs.
Named Familiar Creature, the new eatery will serve local meats and cheeses, roasted chicken, French small plates, and, of course, wine. The kitchen will be led by Chefs Michele Hunter and Alex Johnson.
An exact opening date has not yet been revealed, but Familiar Creature is currently hiring cooks to staff its kitchen. Applicants are encouraged to email leah@hamletandghost.com.
Omakase Sushi & Grill owner Briana Lina participates in a ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside Saratoga Springs Mayor John Safford, State Senator James Tedisco, County Supervisor Michele Madigan, and others. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Omakase Sushi & Grill’s swanky design and unique dining experience have made it one of the more anticipated Saratoga Springs restaurant debuts in recent memory. Owner Briana Lin celebrated the official opening of her seventh Capital Region establishment on Tuesday afternoon with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“We’re proud to bring something new and exciting to the Saratoga community that has been very welcoming to us,” Lin said via her manager/translator. “We look forward not only to serving you but building lasting relationships.”
The eatery is named after the Japanese tradition of omakase, which literally translates to “I leave it up to you.” When ordering omakase, patrons entrust the chef to choose their meal for them. The restaurant also features a standard menu with a la carte sushi and other Asian dishes for less adventurous diners.
At the time of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the restaurant did not yet have a liquor license, although numerous elected officials in attendance assured Lin they could solve that problem. Event attendees included Mayor John Safford, State Senator James Tedisco, and County Supervisor Michele Madigan.
“One of the great privileges of being mayor of this wonderful city is that we can welcome places like this and people like yourself who want to make a mark in our city and provide something really unique,” Mayor Safford said.
Lin’s ever-expanding restaurant empire includes Azuma Sushi Bistro in Malta and five other establishments in Latham, Glenmont, and Niskayuna. An eighth restaurant is due to open in February 2025.
Omakase Sushi & Grill is now open at 30 Lake Ave in downtown Saratoga Springs.
A crowd of spectators gather outside Schuylerville High School on Saturday night to welcome home the title-winning football team. The Schuylerville High School varsity football team celebrates at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse on Saturday after winning their first-ever state championship. Photos via the Schuylerville Central School District.
SYRACUSE — History has been made once again in Schuylerville, the village where British General John Burgoyne surrendered to revolutionary troops hundreds of years ago.
The Black Horses varsity football team beat the previously unbeaten Salamanca Warriors 26 to 20 on Saturday afternoon at Syracuse University’s JMA Wireless Dome, capturing their first-ever New York State Class C championship.
The victory was ensured in the closing seconds of the game, when Schuylerville senior Luke Griffen sacked Warriors quarterback Maddox Isaac. The nail in the coffin followed a tense, roller coaster of a contest. At one point in the third quarter, the Horses trailed 20 to 7. But they answered back with 19 points in the second half. Landen Cumm had three touchdowns for Schuylerville, while Ollie Bolduc tossed for two TD’s and rushed for 100 yards.
“This incredible victory is a testament to the hard work, perseverance, and unwavering dedication of our players, coaches, support staff, families, and community,” said Schuylerville High School Principal James Ducharme. “From the first day of workouts, to the final play at the JMA Wireless Dome, our team has shown what it means to be true champions.”
Schuylerville previously appeared in the 2015, 2019 and 2021 state title games but lost all three times, including a 21-0 shutout three years ago. Upon arriving home late Saturday night, the Horses were treated like returning heroes as their bus was met with a crowd of jubilant spectators outside the high school.
The championship also cemented the already sterling legacy of Head Coach John Bowen, who led the Horses to all three previous state title appearances. During his tenure, Schuylerville has won more than 100 games and captured five sectional championships, including three in a row from 2019 to 2021.
“As the athletic director, it is my hope that our ability to finally turn this corner will instill a belief across our athletic landscape that this is possible and achievable for any of our teams,” Bowen said. “I am unbelievably proud of our players and our coaches and am thankful for the amazing support from the community.”
With the title victory, Schuylerville’s record for the season stands at 13-1. The squad’s only defeat was on September 20, when they fell to Warrensburg/Lake George/Bolton by only two points. The team began their playoff run with a dominant 45 to 6 win over Gouverneur on November 22 for the Class C regional title, then bested Valhalla in the state semifinals 24 to 7 on November 30. Prior to that, they won the Class C Super Bowl 35 to 21 over Cobleskill-Richmondville.
In January, the championship team will be invited to the Capitol in Albany to be honored by State Senator Jim Tedisco with a resolution.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Since the publication of “Moneyball” in 2003, sports analytics are most often associated with baseball. But there are plenty of ways advanced technology and statistics can be applied to virtually any sport, especially basketball.
In Saratoga Springs, a new basketball facility called The Shot Spot has five shooting bays with Dr. Dish machines that can track shots by location and provide players with the data necessary to improve their game. The shooting machines have a corresponding app that allows players to log all of their training sessions and practices. The app then creates a visualization of where shooters are making (or missing) most of their shots.
Although this type of technology might be commonplace in the NBA, it can be hard to come by for the average player. Hence, the creation of The Shot Spot, which opened just a couple months ago.
“I had seen this concept online, nowhere near here, and thought it would be something that would be beneficial to our area as it’s something that doesn’t exist much in general but especially around here,” said Shot Spot co-owner Scott Kindl. “A lot of people don’t even know that shooting machines exist, let alone use one.”
Kindl and his wife, co-owner Kelley Kindl, didn’t just acquire some shooting machines for their new business. They built the basketball courts that are now used for training, coaching sessions, and casual shoot-arounds. Kindl said the process took about six months.
“We had to cut the concrete floor, dig down to be able to install five basketball hoops properly, and then after that we put it in the flooring,” Kindle said. “I definitely had to spend a good amount of time researching stuff.”
The freshly built facility is now the third local business owned by the Kindls, Saratoga natives who also launched Trendsetters Barbershop and Sadie’s Hair Bar. Much like a salon or barbershop, the Shot Spot welcomes customers of all ages.
“I don’t want people to think that we’re only here for advanced or elite basketball players,” Kindl said. “We want this place to be for everybody…you can come here on a date night if you want.”
Indeed, few things in life are more romantic than a perfect swish from beyond the arc.
The Shot Spot, located at 30 Gick Rd. (aka 40 Plaza Rd) Suite 115, offers both shooting bays and half courts for reservation. Pickleball courts, birthday parties, and basketball clinics are also available. For more information, visit www.theshotspot518.com.
Ballston Spa Scotties and Saratoga Springs Blue Streaks logos via the respective school districts.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — 13 members of both the Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa varsity football teams were named All-Stars in their respective classes last week.
For the Blue Streaks in Section 2 Class AA, the first-team honorees were Jayden Cox (center), Caleb Casey (safety), and Cam Toomey (punter). Second-team All-Stars included David Newell (running back), Josh Simon (tight end), Tucker Zeh (safety), Sam Bernd (defensive lineman), and Mason DeLeonardis (kicker). On the third team were Ben Coryea (running back), Gavin LaFrance (wide receiver), and Mack Harris (defensive back). Bobby Morris (quarterback) and Agostino Vitiello (offensive lineman) received honorable mentions.
For the Scotties in Section 2 Class A, first-team All-Stars were Brayson Cornick (all-purpose offensive), Sean Pausley (offensive lineman), Kala’i Makanani (running back), Payton Capone (defensive end), and Joe Hoffman (inside linebacker). On the second-team were Cole Donnelly (offensive lineman), Nick Leonard (defensive lineman), Brodie Fraser (defensive end), Billy O’Connor (outside linebacker), and Tyler Perkins (defensive back). Nick Orzel (offensive lineman), Luigi Fiorini (quarterback), and Mike Degenhart (inside linebacker) were honorable mentions.
POUGHKEEPSIE — Livia Wiltsie, a senior at Ballston Spa High School, has committed to playing softball at Marist College in Poughkeepsie. Marist listed Wiltsie as a utility player and outfielder, though she’s also pitched and played second base.
Wiltsie participated in the 518 Futures High School Softball Classic in June. She also spent time this year recovering from ACL/Meniscus reconstruction. She’ll be joining a Division 1 Marist softball squad that has won four Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) championships, most recently in 2023.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Racers of the American Basketball Association (ABA) won both of their games last weekend, defeating the Connecticut Surge at home 137 to 102, and slaying the New Hampshire Kingz on the road, 96 to 87. The pair of victories launched the Racers back into the national ABA rankings at #24 in the world.
The team’s record now stands at 6-2 on the season heading into a Saturday, December 14 matchup against the Albany-based 518 Ballers at Saratoga Central Catholic at 7 p.m. The game includes an “Irish Night” promotion featuring two dance groups and bagpipe performances.
On Saturday, the Racers’ victory was propelled by RJ Rosa, who netted 25 points, and Tobias Holmes and TJ Jenkins, who both scored 21 apiece. Big man Shaheem Sanders added 15 points and 11 rebounds for yet another double-double.
On Sunday, the Racers had a rough start out of the gate, trailing 52 to 37 at halftime. But in the third quarter, Saratoga erupted for 31 unanswered points to reclaim the lead. The Kingz were able to even things out to a tie, but the Racers finished them off with a few key plays down the stretch. Rosa once again led all Saratoga scorers with 28 points. THolmes added 26 points and dished out six assists.
Saratoga Springs High School Choraliers perform for an episode of “Music for the Holidays,” a TV special broadcasting this month on PBS/WMHT. Photo via the Saratoga Springs City School District.
TROY — The Saratoga Springs High School Choraliers recently recorded some holiday-related musical selections at WMHT’s TV studio for the three-episode special “Music for the Holidays.” The Blue Streak singers can be seen in the second episode alongside Troy High School and Tesago Elementary. The special will air on PBS affiliate WMHT (Spectrum channel 11). Broadcast dates for episode two are as follows:
Yellow electric school bus plugged in at a charging station.
ALBANY — As part of his ongoing efforts to rescind and replace the electric school bus mandate established by Gov. Kathy Hochul, State Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C-Ballston Lake) has called upon the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to publicly release information related to the mandate, including:
A list of school districts that have completed a Fleet Electrification Study
Insights into how many of these districts have progressed from planning to actual infrastructure installation
Preliminary data on the costs incurred by districts in developing and implementing these electrification plans, if available
In a letter to NYSERDA, Tedisco wrote “it’s imperative that we gain a clear understanding of the current landscape of electrification planning and implementation across our state.” He also said the requested information would allow the state to “better assess the economic implications [of the mandate] and provide necessary support to our local educational institutions.”
The bus mandate requires school districts across the state to begin transitioning their transportation fleets to zero-emission vehicles in 2027. By 2035, all buses on the road must be zero-emission. Tedisco has criticized these requirements, stating that no provisions have been made for geographical disparities, diverse weather conditions, or unique travel demands.
“We need a reasonable approach, like the legislation I’m sponsoring Senate Bill 8467, to rescind the electric school bus mandate that will cost school districts in New York State billions of dollars, and replace it with a state-funded pilot program that enables school districts to test and evaluate how these electric buses perform,” Tedisco said in a statement. “The goal of having several clean energy options is a good one, but it’s got to be done with full transparency and common sense in a realistic way that’s reasonable and affordable for taxpayers, our local governments, and school districts.”
According to New York State’s Electric School Bus Roadmap report, “the total cost of [zero-emission school bus] ownership is expected to reach parity by 2027 due to advances in battery technology, increased supply chain outputs, as well as lower fuel and maintenance expenses.”
Electric buses can cost as much as $400,000, nearly three-times the cost of a diesel or gasoline bus. An annual report delivered early this year by Saratoga Springs City School District Director of Transportation Jerry Keenan stated that the district’s fleet includes 116 vehicles total (88 large buses, 21 small buses, 5 Chevrolet Suburbans, and 2 attendance officer vehicles).
In March, Assistant Superintendent for Business Robert “Bobby” Yusko said at a Board of Education meeting that “on top of purchasing the vehicles themselves to the tune of $400,000 a piece, there will be significant capital improvement upgrades that will be required as a result of this mandate.” At the time, Yusko said he was hesitant to provide an estimate of the total costs of converting the fleet to zero-emission vehicles because “there’s so much more information we still need to uncover.”
Renderings reveal the future design of The St. Charles Motel, which will be renovated and rebranded as The Ambler Hotel. Image via Weekender Hospitality, LLC.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The long-standing St. Charles Motel on South Broadway will be renovated and rebranded by Weekender, a Saratoga Springs-based hospitality brand that purchased the St. Charles earlier this year.
“I saw an opportunity to take a well-positioned, solidly located, well-built brick hotel at the gateway to Saratoga and turn it into something really cool and new; an offering that the current market doesn’t really have,” said Keir Weimer, the founder and CEO of Weekender.
The 18-room, two-story St. Charles will be completely redesigned inside and out to create The Amber Hotel. Weimer described the creative concept of The Ambler as “Palm Springs meets an urban New York market.” The brick exterior will be painted white, while the rooms will feature some bold pops of color. The hotel will also be a smart one, meaning it’ll offer WiFi-enabled keyless doors that allow guests to check in at any hour, large-screen TVs loaded with apps, and WiFi thermostats.
As a brand, Weekender prides itself on creating rooms that function as basecamps for adventurers. The Ambler will be within walking distance of downtown Saratoga Springs, allowing its guests to explore the vibrant Spa City on foot.
“You come, leave your stuff, and get out of your room and enjoy all that Saratoga has to offer, from the amazing restaurants and retail to Yaddo and SPAC and concerts to the track in the summer,” Weimer said.
Nearby on South Broadway will be the currently under-construction AC Hotel by Marriott, which replaced the old Turf and Spa Motel. Together, the two new establishments may help to beautify an area of Saratoga that serves as an entry point for many visitors.
“To push some investment south onto South Broadway is [something] we’re doing and several other companies are doing,” Weimer said. “I think that’s important.”
The plan is to have the Amber Hotel open in time for the upcoming Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in early June. To receive updates on the hotel’s progress, visit theamblerhotel.com.
