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Author: Jonathon Norcross

Family-Run, Mexican-American Diner Celebrates 3 Years in Saratoga

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business.

Compadres Diner mother-daughter team Diana and Rosa Garcia with their chef, Sergio Felix. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.

GANSEVOORT — Horse racing brought them here, but family allowed them to thrive.

Compadres Diner, which recently celebrated its three-year anniversary, is owned and operated by the Garcia family. Dad Marino was an exercise rider for horse trainer Chad Brown. Mom Rosa practically runs the place. Daughter Diana, who graduated from Saratoga Springs High School just five years ago, handles all the paperwork. The youngest daughters lend a hand when they’re not in school, often giggling, dancing, and having fun while they work, according to Diana.

“We’re a little bit of a crazy family, but we always have a good team and we’re always together,” Rosa told Saratoga TODAY. “Some customers say they don’t see those things often because families go different ways, not together.”

The Garcias got their start by accumulating restaurant experience (Diana was a cashier at Hattie’s Chicken Shack and Rosa worked at the Route 50 Diner) and by selling street corn and tamales at St. Clements Church. 

The family was interested in starting a business, but the pandemic derailed their plans. When they later saw the property at 666 Saratoga Road available, they took the leap.

Initially, the plan was to focus primarily on Mexican cuisine. But when the Garcias met Sergio Felix, a chef who was adept at making both Mexican and American dishes, they decided to create a blended Mexican-American menu. Today, some of their most popular offerings include amigos omelettes (which include chorizo, green peppers, and pepperjack cheese), breakfast burritos, and chorizo benedict (poached eggs with chorizo and avocado, covered in hollandaise). Compadres also has a loyal contingent of tamale addicts. 

“People love the tamales here,” Diana said. “They’re like, ‘These tamales are just different from anyone else’s.’ We have regulars that come for just tamales once a week or twice a week. It’s a long process, it takes a little bit of work. But people say it’s the best tamales they’ve ever tried.”

The diner also boasts a couple Saratoga celebs among its fans. Chad Brown has held multiple events there, including an end-of-the-season celebration for backstretch workers. Pat Fleming, the host of the “Another Day, Another Diner” video series, told Saratoga TODAY that Compadres was “one of my favorite diners of all time.” Fleming has been to more than 100 diners, including many throughout the Capital Region.

Next up for Compadres: a Mother’s Day celebration featuring mariachi bands, and (hopefully) the addition of margaritas to the menu. Until then, the Garcias will continue running the place as a close-knit family business.

“We enjoy ourselves here,” Diana said. 

Popular Ballston Spa Deli Gets New Owner, Begins “New Chapter”

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business.

Photo of Front Street Deli in Ballston Spa by Jonathon Norcross.

BALLSTON SPA — Front Street Deli announced earlier this month that Kim Tribley would take over the business as its new owner.

The eatery had previously been owned for 21 years by Matt Hall and Chris Fignar. Jan. 30 was the duo’s last day as owners.

Tribley has owned the nearby Coffee Planet since 2018.

“This opportunity means so much to us, and we are truly honored to continue the legacy of such a well-loved local business,” Front Street Deli said in a Feb. 3 Facebook announcement. “We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Matt and Chris for their 20+ years of dedication, hard work, and success in building Front Street Deli into what it is today. Their commitment to the community has not gone unnoticed, and we are grateful for the strong foundation they have created.”

The announcement also stated that updates and reopening details would be forthcoming.

“This moment is filled with gratitude and reflection as we think about the many changes we’ve witnessed and the wonderful village we’ve had the privilege to grow alongside,” Hall and Fignar wrote on Jan. 29. “We have full confidence in the new owners and wish them nothing but success as they carry Front Street Delicatessen & Pizzeria forward. We know they will continue the tradition of care and quality that has defined this place.”

It’ll Be a Hot One, Like 7 Inches from the Midday Sun: Santana and Doobie Brothers Booked for SPAC

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Entertainment.

Image provided by Live Nation.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The “Smooth” Santana and the “Takin’ it to the Streets” Doobie Brothers will join forces for a Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) show on July 1. Tickets go on sale to the public on Feb. 20 at 10 a.m.

The Doobies are frequent visitors to the Spa City, having played at SPAC 20 times, according to Setlist.fm. This places them within the top-five most frequent SPAC performers (Dave Matthews Band, Chicago, Phish, and the Allman Brothers Band round out the rest). The Doobies also played at SPAC last summer alongside their opener, Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band. The group is known for its yacht rock vibes and classic tunes “What a Fool Believes,” “Listen to the Music,” “Jesus is Just Alright,” and “China Grove,” among others. 

Santana is no SPAC slacker either, having played here 14 times, most recently in 2019. Since then, the group has released two new studio albums: “Sentient” in 2025 and “Blessings and Miracles” in 2021. Santana’s signature Latin rock, jazz, and psychedelic-infused sound first reached national consciousness after a legendary performance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969. The band expanded its fame into the late 90s and early 2000s thanks to the album “Supernatural,” a massive commercial success that included the hits “Smooth” and “Maria Maria.”

Compton’s Vows to Fight After Landlord Alleges Breached Lease

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business, Featured.

Compton’s Restaurant at 457 Broadway in Saratoga Springs. 
Photo by Jonathon Norcross.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — In a series of recent Facebook posts, Compton’s Restaurant said that it’s being sued and threatened with eviction by its landlord.

The popular Broadway eatery that serves classic American breakfast and diner fare has been a Spa City institution for more than four decades, prompting supportive messages from many locals.

“Closing is not an option for us,” Compton’s stated in one post. “We love the business and the customers.”

The restaurant also vowed to “fight hard to continue to do what we have always done.”

Court records obtained by Saratoga TODAY showed that the building’s owner 457 Broadway LLC alleged that Shortorder Inc. (Compton’s co-owners William Maher, Sandra Compton, and Tina Maher) materially breached their lease, failed to allow the owner to enter the restaurant to perform work and make improvements, and failed to vacate pursuant to a termination notice.

457 Broadway also alleged that on July 1, 2025, Shortorder failed to pay its rent on time. (“We have provided proof that we have paid every month,” Compton’s said in one of its Facebook posts.)

As a result of these alleged breaches, 457 Broadway believes it’s entitled to a judgment of accelerated rent and additional rent owed in an amount exceeding $475,000 to be determined at trial, plus interest and attorney’s fees. (“If we lose, we are looking at eviction and around $500,000,” Compton’s said.)

According to the court documents, 457 Broadway LLC’s work on the building would result in the temporary removal of four restaurant tables. Shortorder sought compensation of $700 per day in exchange for removing the tables. After some back-and-forth that involved a lease amendment offered in exchange for a $700 per day rent credit, the two sides ultimately couldn’t reach an agreement. (In a Facebook post, Compton’s described the proposed lease amendment as “very unfavorable to us.”)

“We would not sign and just agreed to allow them to do the work with no compensation because we did not want to be evicted or sued,” Compton’s said. “At this time, they said [they] would not agree unless we signed the new lease. They decided we breached the lease.”

Compton’s also alleged that their restaurant has been dealing with frozen pipes, water leaks, dirt, fumes, and other issues as a result of construction work being done above them.

Compton’s called the whole affair “incredibly difficult, both emotionally and financially” and estimated that it could cost them more than $50,000 to fight their landlord.

“We were going back and forth for 6 months trying to figure out how we are going to handle it,” said Compton’s. “Deciding if we just wanted to relieve stress and not fight. Just look for a new location. The extra support we have felt over the last couple days made the decision easier for us. We are going to fight. We believe we have done nothing wrong. It will be a long battle and we are preparing for it.”

A GoFundMe campaign launched by William Maher in support of Compton’s had raised more than $2,400 as of Feb. 17. Presumably in an effort to raise more funds, the restaurant also announced that starting in March, it would be open seven days a week, from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Saratoga Alpine Ski Teams Win Section 2 Championships

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Featured, Sports.

On Feb. 10, the Saratoga Springs High School girls and boys varsity Alpine Ski teams both captured Section 2 titles at Oak Mountain. The boys were victorious after soundly defeating Queensbury. The girls vanquished Shaker to claim their title. Photos via the Saratoga Springs City School District.

Spa Catholic Boys B-Ball Team Captures First-Ever Wasaren League Championship

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Featured, Sports.

Photo via Saratoga Central Catholic.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic boys varsity basketball team made history last Saturday, securing their first league title since joining Wasaren a decade ago.

Spa Catholic eked out a closely-contested victory against Tamarac, 72 to 69. They won as a team—by sharing the rock and turning every player in a Saints uniform into a scoring threat. Five of the newly-crowned champs finished the contest with double digits: David Redgrave Jr. had 18 points, Bryce Peterson netted 16, Reid Knussman contributed 13, Jasyn Thompson added 12, and Thomas Zayac chipped in 11.

But entering the record books wasn’t a walk in Congress Park. The Saints took an early lead against Tamarac, earning an 11-point advantage in the first half. But the Bengals rebounded with a 13-0 run to seize the lead heading into halftime. In the final stanzas, Spa Catholic was able to rally, but they never had more than a 5 or 6-point lead. Ultimately, they won by three at the buzzer.

“I’ve got some gutsy kids that have made big plays for us all year and then made a couple more,” Head Coach Shea Bromirski told Saratoga TODAY.  “We scored 72 points in a championship game and we needed them all.”

Now, the ecstasy of victory is tempered by what’s ahead: a postseason run that is expected to begin on Tuesday, Feb. 24 with a home game. The Saints will likely enter the playoffs somewhere among the top four seeds. They’ll hope to carry their regular season momentum of 10 wins in their last 12 games into sectionals.

“We’re not talking about a championship, we’re kind of just trying to stay in the moment,” Bromirski said. “They have a phrase they use called ‘stacking days’… They’ve done a good job of staying in the moment, making nothing bigger than it needs to be, and just trying to get better daily.”  

Bromirski is in his fourth season with the Saints. As coach, he’s supervised some wildly talented squads. Last year, his boys went 20-3, ending the season with a tough two-point loss to Duanesburg. Bromirski was forced to rebuild his roster a bit after losing last season’s league MVP Tyler Hicks, who averaged nearly 20 points per game. But he had talented players waiting in the wings, ready to fill the void.

“Our depth became a big, big factor as the year went on,” Bromirski said. “We play a little bit faster than we played last year. We have smaller guards, but they’re really quick. We sped people up and tried to wear people down a little bit. It seemed to work as the year went on. It wasn’t cut and dry, what was going to happen. We were 4-4, we were 1-2 in the league, and we finished 10-3. So, it was a learning process.”

Next, the title-holding Saints will try to bring everything they’ve learned into the playoffs.

Ballston Spa Wrestlers Crowned Section 2 Class B Champions

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Featured, Sports.

Photo via Ballston Spa Wrestling.

BALLSTON SPA — On Feb. 7, the Ballston Spa varsity wrestling team captured the Section 2 Class B championship for the second-straight year. 

Four Scotties also qualified for states: Sean Pausley (285 lbs), James Capasso (175 lbs),Tyler Perkins (165 lbs), and Quinton Warlikowski (144 lbs). Pausley, Capasso, and Warlikowski are all captains.

“Those four guys have been pretty reliable this year,” Ballston Spa Wrestling Coach Jacob Warren told Saratoga TODAY. 

Despite the triumphant finish, the Scotties’ season had a shaky start. Early on, the squad had some holes to fill and suffered a few losses within their Suburban Council. But as the season progressed, fortunes changed. Ballston Spa took third in the dual meet sectional championships, avenging an earlier loss to Niskayuna. Then they captured the Class B title before finishing fourth overall at state qualifiers on Feb. 14. 

Now Warren is tasked with preparing four of his grapplers for the state championships.

“I think all four of them are confident that they can, and I believe that they can, go place in the state,” Warren said. “In the last few weeks, those four especially have honed in on what they need to work on to get to the next level.”

The four boys will compete at states at Albany’s MVP Arena on Feb. 27 and 28. 

THE BALLSTON SPA NYSPHAA SECTION 2 CLASS B CHAMPIONS

285 lbs: Sean Pausley, Champion

215 lbs: Evan Walosin, 4th place

190 lbs: Jacob Thomas, 2nd place

175 lbs: James Capasso, Champion

165 lbs: Tyler Perkins, Champion

157 lbs: Brennan O’Connor

150 lbs: Brian Macri, 4th place

144 lbs: Quinton Warlikowski, Champion

144 lbs: Liam Collins, 2nd place

126 lbs: Gavin Whipple, 2nd place

118 lbs: Steven Bondar, 4th place

110 lbs: John Garcia, 3rd place

103 lbs: Caden Fernandes, 3rd place

Saints Clinch North Division Title

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic boys basketball team clinched their second-straight North Division title on Tuesday after defeating Greenwich 82 to 59.

The Saints began the season by losing two out of their first three games in Wasaren League play before steamrolling through eight of their last nine league competitors. The b-ball squad finished with a 13-6 overall regular season record and will next face off against Tamarac for the league title on Saturday afternoon.

In the victorious contest against Greenwich, the boys had six players finish in double digits: Bryce Peterson (17 points), David Redgrave (15), Jasyn Thompson (12), Thomas Zayac (12), Kingston David (10), and Miles Knussman (10).

Amsterdam Mohawks Sign B-Spa Ballplayer

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Sports.

Image via the Amsterdam Mohawks.

BALLSTON SPA — Ballston Spa native James Haughton, who is currently a freshman at the University of Rhode Island, has been signed by the Amsterdam Mohawks of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL), the team announced on Sunday.

Haughton, a 5’11” infielder, previously participated in the PGCBL when he was a high school senior, playing for the Glens Falls Dragons. In 2025, Haughton had 14 hits, 2 doubles, 8 RBI, and 8 walks in 65 plate appearances for the Dragons, earning him a .681 OPS.

“James is a baseball player who is committed to his craft with a high baseball IQ,” said Ballston Spa High School’s head baseball coach Curtis Nobles. “He is a skilled athlete in the field with really good hands and footwork as a middle of the field guy. Continued work on different arms angles consistently will make him an elite defender. Base running for James is done with an aggressive attitude and intent, always looking to take the next base. Offensively at the plate, elite hand speed and strength with the ability to adjust to all pitches at an elite level.”

With the B-Spa Scotties last year, Haughton had a .451 batting average and 1.196 OPS, accumulating 32 hits, 30 runs, 10 doubles, and 14 RBI in 89 plate appearances.

According to the Perfect Game USA scouting organization, Haughton ranks #22 among all high school shortstops in New York State.

Saratoga Racers Win 7 Straight, Set Sights on Playoffs

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Sports.

Juwan Malone dunks in a game against the Vermont Coyotes on Feb. 7. Photo via the Saratoga Racers.

MECHANICVILLE — The Saratoga Racers stretched their winning streak to seven straight games last Sunday after surging in the fourth quarter to vanquish the Herkimer Originals, 116 to 112.

Now sitting pretty with a 11-3 record, the Racers look to wrap up their season with two games on the road followed by three-straight home games in Mechanicville on Feb. 27, 28, and March 1. As of press time, Saratoga had the No. 3 seed in their division. But much could change before they enter the playoffs next month.

Against Herkimer, Saratoga’s leading scorer Juwan Malone netted 28 points and 7 rebounds to lead a heap of teammates who finished in double digits: Keishaun Wheelings (18 points, 10 rebounds, 9/11 from the field), John Ryals (17 points, 9 rebounds), Donavan Williams (16 points, 8 assists, 6 steals), and Terrell Camp (11 points, 6 rebounds). The win was secured in the final stanza, when Ryals rallied to tally 13 points and Saratoga outscored Herkimer 42 to 29.

Racers’ owner and head coach Frank Polsinello attributed his squad’s string of recent victories to a depth of talent and the full-court press.

“We’re not a very tall team,” Polsinello told Saratoga TODAY. “Other teams in the league might have guys that are 6’9” or 6’10” or even taller… Our tallest guy is maybe 6’6” or 6’7”, but all of our guys are extremely athletic and good basketball players. So, what we’ve done is a full-court press for most of the game, and we’re able to use our athleticism to get steals, convert baskets, and wear teams down by the second half.”

The Racers began implementing the full-court press during the second game of the season and have only lost two games since then. One of those losses came at the hands of the Buffalo Extreme, who are the top-ranked team in the entire American Basketball Association (ABA). Saratoga will get a shot at revenge when they play Buffalo at home on March 1, their final game of the regular season.

One day before beating the Originals in a barn burner on Feb. 8, the Racers defeated the Vermont Coyotes, 134 to 120. In that game, Malone again led the way with 24 points and 7 rebounds. He was one of four Racers to drop more than 20 points, with RJ Rosa and Tobias Holmes each netting 23, and Ryals contributing 20 on 6/10 shooting. Williams also wowed the crowd with 15 points and 11 assists.

Although Ryals, Holmes, and Rosa are familiar names to those who followed the Racers last season, Malone and Williams have emerged this year as a pair of new standouts. Malone was formerly a member of the ABA’s Bennington Martens before joining the Racers in 2025. In addition to leading his team in scoring this season, Malone is Saratoga’s third-best rebounder. He’s also well-known for his ferocious dunks.

“When he gets one of those dunks, it brings the team alive,” said Tim Hepp, assistant coach and president of basketball operations. “It just puts us at a whole different level.”

Williams, Saratoga’s assist leader, was on the roster last season but received limited playing time due to an ACL tear. This season, he’s healthy, thriving, and draining a whole lot of shots from beyond the arc. His three-point field goal percentage stands at an impressive 54%.

“He brings a lot to our team, energy-wise,” said Polsinello. “He gets a lot of steals, but he has also been spectacular from three point range…At one point, he was at 70%.”

In a 139 to 117 win over the New England Lightning on Feb. 1, Williams finished with 21 points and 7 assists. His shot selection seems to be one of his biggest strengths. This season, he’s only averaged about 3.5 three-point attempts per contest, but his buckets from beyond the arc arrive when most needed.

“He’s made some huge three pointers for us in tight games,” Polsinello said.

Now, Saratoga prepares for its final five games of the regular season, which will culminate in a March 1 showdown in Mechanicville against the top-ranked Buffalo Extreme.

For the Racers’ full schedule and tickets, visit www.saratogaracersbb.com.