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Author: Kacie Cotter-Harrigan

Wards Aren’t Neighborhoods

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.

Folks, we have a challenge on our hands in Saratoga Springs with an arrogant group working to change our form of government and divide our city into six political wards which will severely alter the way you are governed and allowed to vote.

Wards would divide our city arbitrarily based only on geography. Most wards would include both densely populated areas and homes many miles away on large lawns. Our wards would not be neighborhoods. 

As former Saratogian editor Barbara Lombardo wrote in her recent blog: “The claim that residents would gain better representation with wards is false and grossly misleading.”

You will only be allowed to vote for your ward politician and a mayoral candidate, leaving 5 of the 7 City Council members which you can neither vote for (or against) or even influence. You will be effectively disenfranchised in this proposed undemocratic ward system.

You have a much stronger voice with our current Commission government. 

Communicating directly with Commissioners who can solve my problem is much more effective than talking with a ward politician who the charter says could not work with any city employee other than the City Manager…a guaranteed bottleneck.

Wards were snuck into the 2020 proposal without any public input by an unknown group of people who felt that they were so important that they could ignore the 2017 Charter Committee decision after a public discussion not to include wards.

Divisive wards, disenfranchised voters, and secret decisions are just 3 reasons to vote no and stop this bad City Manager-Ward System.

– Bonnie Sellers, Member of the SUCCESS Board, a Saratoga Springs citizen’s organization of residents from all political parties which was formed to protect the Commission Form of Government.

Substance Use Rising During Pandemic

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Families Today.

We are several months into the pandemic, and there is no end in sight—yet. Substance-related overdoses and alcohol intoxication incidents have been on the rise, nationally and locally, throughout 2020.  

A recent RAND Corporation survey highlighted a dramatic increase in alcohol consumption since the start of the COVID-19 shutdown. There were 30 overdose incidents on a single day, May 21, in the Capital Region, and Saratoga Hospital’s Emergency Department has seen an unusually high number of opiate-related cases this year. 

In such an environment, there may be someone you know who is struggling to get through the day. If you are concerned about someone who may be abusing drugs or alcohol: 

• Take time to educate yourself about addiction. 
• Don’t judge or lecture. Listen, encourage them to seek help, but know they must make the call.
• Be realistic in your expectations. This is a lifelong disease.
• Seek support. It may be helpful to get counseling for yourself. 
• Learn CPR and, when possible, get NARCAN training. 

Being prepared is the best thing you can do to protect your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. NARCAN® Nasal Spray is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose emergency with signs of breathing problems and severe sleepiness or not being able to respond. If you are interested in attending a future NARCAN® training, please email Saratoga Hospital Community Wellness Programs at communityed@saratogahospital.org.

I want to acknowledge the courage and resolve of everyone in recovery from alcohol and substance abuse. These are people who have already overcome much adversity, and many are facing the current pandemic challenges from a place of strength. 

But it’s the isolation that has taken a toll. Recovery is not something to take on alone, which is why we emphasize virtual support groups and mentoring. Our Addiction Medicine program has had a tremendously positive response from patients using its telehealth services, and the good news is that MANY OF OUR current Addiction Medicine patients are doing well, showing great resiliency in the face of the pandemic.

With our COVID-19 protocols that keep patients safe, we continue to deliver the high-quality treatment and support that builds that needed sense of connection, including stress-relieving alternatives to substance use that work specifically for you. We also offer several non-controlled anxiety medications as well.

If you are struggling with addiction and would like to get help, please call the Addiction Medicine team at 518-886-5600. Our program provides high-quality care without judgement, in an environment where you can receive comprehensive, personalized, and respectful treatment, including medication management and counseling. 

We all know these are difficult times, and we don’t know when it will end. The cumulative stress of it all is more than we have ever experienced. But you are not alone. There is a great deal of strength and comfort to be had from the bonding and sharing experience of group support. 

To learn more about our programs, please visit SaratogaCommunityHealthCenter.org. For additional resources, please visit SaratogaHospital.org. As always, in case of emergency, call 9-1-1.
Addiction Medicine Program at Saratoga Community Health Center: 518-886-5600 

 

Birth of the Boy Scouts – 110 Years Old this Month

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in History.

W.D. Boyce, a wealthy Chicago publisher, encountered a Boy Scout while lost in London.   Impressed by the Scout’s “Good Turn,” Mr. Boyce returned to the U.S.A. chartering the name “Boy Scouts of America” (BSA) in February 1910.  Mr. Boyce never formed a unit nor enlisted a youth in his movement. 

Edgar M. Robinson, Boys Work Secretary of the International Committee of the YMCA, oversaw all YMCA youth programs and summer camps in the U.S. and Canada.  Mr. Robinson travelled to Chicago to meet with Mr. Boyce in May 1910.  Mr. Robinson, a quiet, charming man, not particularly charismatic, but a man of vision and substantial organizational skills, convinced Mr. Boyce to allow the YMCA to serve as the organizational arm of the BSA. 

 Mr. Robinson contacted the heads of all youth (boys) organizations and convinced most to reorganize under the auspices of the BSA.  The national office of the Boy Scouts of America opened in New York City on June 1, 1910.  The first Boy Scout summer camp was held at the YMCA’s Silver Bay on Lake George that summer. 

In September 1910, J.C. Smith, Boys Work Secretary in charge of youth programs at the Saratoga Spa YMCA, travelled to New York City to attend a meeting at the Waldorf Astoria. There, Smith heard presentations by General Baden Powell, Dan Beard and others, and received his appointment as a Scoutmaster. Upon his return, Smith organized a “Patrol” of Scouts at the Saratoga YMCA. 

Smith announced the first nine youth members of the Patrol on Oct. 12, 1910. Because the YMCA was a Protestant organization, many early Patrols were formed at local YMCA’s or Protestant churches across the country. 

Patrols also began in Mechanicville (sponsored by First Presbyterian Church), on Dec. 17, 1910; in Schuylerville, on July 13, 1911; in Corinth, on Oct. 18, 1911; and in Saratoga Springs (First Baptist Church) on Oct. 24, 1911. 

Initially, each city or village operated as its own Council. The “Saratoga County Council” was founded in 1924.  Troop 1 Ballston Spa, chartered to the Ballston Spa United Methodist Church in 1913, is the longest continuously operating Troop in Saratoga County. 

Author Gene Phillips joined the Boy Scouts as a Charter youth member of Pack 24 Wilton in 1955.  During more than 40 years in scouting, Phillips has served as Cub Scout Committee Chair, Scoutmaster, Sea Scout Skipper, Training Chair and Advancement Chair for the Saratoga District of Twin Rivers Council. 

He is currently completing a book on the History of Scouting in Saratoga County, which includes a pictorial of all known memorabilia (patches, neckerchiefs, etc.) issued by Saratoga County Council (District).  Gene is an Eagle Scout (Troop 24 Wilton), as is his son Keith (Troop 24), and grandson Ethan (Troop 2 Ballston Spa).  Gene Phillips can be reached at phillassoc@aol.com. Gene’s article on the history of the BSA was recently featured by the Saratoga County History Roundtable. For more information, email SaratogaCoHistoryRoundtable@gmail.com.

Promising Season On the Fast Track

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Sports.

Photos by SuperSource Media.

For more than one reason, this is an accelerated year for the Saratoga Springs High School varsity golf team.

In a typical two-and-a-half-month season, the team would complete numerous practice rounds while also competing in a dozen matches. In 2020, that game schedule has been condensed into just a month, creating a lot less opportunity to fit in practice time. 

This year’s team however, has proven they can keep up with the pace.

“The season’s been great. We knew coming in, it was going to be a weird season. Our guys are up for it, though. They’re happy to be out here at all,” said boys varsity coach Jake Zanetti.

 

PROMISING YOUNG TALENT
During this unprecedented year, preparation has been key.

“The high-level of competition, professionalism, and sportsmanship that the team has built up to by former Head Coach Steve Emler. He (and the golfers’ year-round instructors) is responsible for getting this team to the caliber it is at, and I couldn’t be more appreciative of his guidance and support,” said Zanetti.

It has also set the stage for a promising young talent to emerge.

Saratoga Springs 8th grader, Carter Sica (whose age would typically place him on the Junior Varsity team) has been playing on the varsity team and has a respectable 5th place standing.

“Even though he’s young and new to the varsity golf experience, he’s had golf training and experience playing, so he was ready for competition early on. He’s just coming out, doing his thing. He’s comfortable and not over thinking it because it has a varsity tag,” said Zanetti.

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PLAYING A MIND GAME
Young Sica’s success out on the green stems from what’s going on inside his head.

Before he was keeping pace with the accelerated season, he had to prove he could handle the pressure of being the youngest member on the varsity team.

“I’ve been playing for a while, so I was just playing and just trying to score what I usually do. That was enough to make the team,” said Sica.

Getting used to longer bus rides to the courses, getting to know his new teammates, and his competition, are all things that Sica’s been able to take in stride.

“I just don’t really worry about what other people are doing. They’ll make their mistakes and I’ll make my mistakes,” he said. 

EVERYONE’S GAME
With so many reasons to feel the pressure, it’s also important to remember that high school is a time for building comradery and that school sports like golf are about more than competition, they are a chance to have some fun.

“I like that it is slow and I like playing with everyone, not by myself,” said 9th grader Emily Landau, the youngest player on the Saratoga Springs girls’ varsity team.

Fall Season Game Changer

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Sports.

While some school sports teams are experiencing their first weeks of fall play, others are noticeably absent. Football, volleyball and cheerleading have been deemed “high-risk” and have been relegated to a new Fall II Season, planned to run from March 1 until April 30, 2021.

“It’s really disappointing. We’re frustrated. We feel certain sports are being discriminated against. When professional teams and other states says its OK, but as a public school, we’re not permitted to – it’s hard to explain that to the kids,” said Terry Jones, Saratoga Springs High School Coach since 1999, and Head Football Coach since 2007.

MOVING THE GOALPOSTS

The proposed move is resulting in a lot of details that still need to be sorted out. 

“There are a number of concerns and everyone is tasked to be as creative and as flexible as possible right now to come up with solutions but there certainly is unpredictability,” said Saratoga Springs Athletic Director Nicholas McPartland.

The combination of concerns spans everything from safety protocols to scheduling conflicts. 

Wearing masks and social distancing has worked great for other fall sports, but football is fundamentally hands-on, so limiting contact between players poses a problem. For volleyball, being played indoors and the shared use of a ball are hurdles. Partial solutions, like wearing gloves without directly impacting the integrity of the game, just haven’t been researched enough to be feasible options yet, said McPartland.

DISJOINTED GAME PLAN

As it now stands, the Fall II Season will overlap the start of spring sports, which are scheduled to begin April 19, 2021. 

“Ideally, I would love to see the state move spring sports later to allow football to play a regular 10-week season with a two week pre-season,” said Jones. 

The possibility of cutting out competitive games and tournaments is another concern.

“How many kids want to practice a sport only and not compete? It’s like what we saw when the spring sports were cancelled this year. These athletes worked years and years playing and perfecting that sport and then to have that taken away from them, I think in some cases, it’s devastating for a lot of them. High school sports are such a vital part of student athletes’ lives – you feel for them,” he said.

KEEPING AN EYE ON THE BALL

What Mother Nature decides to do will also have a considerable impact. 

In some regions of the state, there may still be a foot of snow on the ground in early March, where in others, athletes can be out on the field running actual practices.

“It’s a great concern. Football usually starts in the warm weather and plays into the cold weather so athletes are conditioned by the time it gets cold. Starting out playing in the snow and cold weather, we’ll have to wait and see, but there is a potential for injuries,” said Jones.

For now, some SSHS athletes are waiting while others are staying active by joining other fall sports. 

“Sports is the hook that brings some students to school every single day. School is not as attractive for them when we don’t have sports. There are so many rewards connected to athletics, it’s worth trying to come up with a plan,” said McPartland.

518 Farms Grows Close to the Earth

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Food.

For Jeff Killenberger, growing mushrooms began as a hobby and transitioned to a family farm grounded on natural and sustainable farming methods. Meet 518 Farms, new this year to the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on Wednesdays. Jeff, his wife Megan, and 3-year-old son Finnegan make up the farm team bringing fresh gourmet and medicinal mushrooms, grow kits, and also lavender to the market each week.

“This life is about everything we care about: nature, sustainability, and understanding where our food comes from,” says Killenberger. “We also like a good challenge,” he adds. 

For the past three years, the Killenbergers have been growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms on their farm, 518 Farms, in Hoosick Falls. 518 Farms recently expanded beyond their 500 sq. foot growing space to outdoor cultivation in order to expand the variety of mushrooms that they offer.

Throughout the year, 518 Farms grows and sells a wide variety of mushrooms including Blue Oyster, Golden Oyster, Lions Mane, Nameko, Reishi, Shiitake, Chestnut, King Oyster, Morels, Miatake, and Wine Caps. The mushrooms come in pre-packaged, half-pound portions to maintain freshness and also to minimize handling. 

“All of our products are GMO-free and grown using organic methods. Even the packaging is biodegradable,” explains Killenbeger. 

In addition to fresh mushrooms, 518 Farms offers medicinal Breathe Easy Powder and Forget Me Not Powder made from pure reishi and lions mane, and a variety of grow kits for those that want to try their own hand at mushroom cultivation. Grow kits are available year-round, and Jeff Killenberger is happy to share his growing knowledge with interested cultivators.

Fragrant lavender “Munstead” is a new addition to the family farm. Plants are sold as starters in the spring and summer and then as bunches in the summer and fall. 

With so much growth within 3 years, the Killenbergers are grateful. “We’ve learned that there is never just one way to do something,” says Killenberger. “Keep an open mind and think like a mushroom,” he laughs.

518 Farms can be found at the Wednesday market through the end of October, and the Saturday market beginning in November. They can also be found at Cambridge and Kingston Farmers’ Markets. For additional information and online ordering, visit their website at 518Farms.com and follow them on Instagram at @518_Farms.

Saratoga Farmers’ Market runs at Wilton Mall 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our newsletter www.saratogafarmersmarket.org/weekly-newsletter.

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Keeping Score

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Food.

Hello my Foodie Friends!

During this unprecedented time of social distancing, so many foodies are challenging their skills in baking. While cakes, cookies, noodles and pastas are all proving popular, bread has emerged as the baking project of choice. Time is a necessary ingredient for bread, and the extra time at home has prompted bakers to attempt things they may not have before – such as bread. The joy of baking lies in producing something tangible amid a pandemic in which so many things, from socializing to school, have shifted online. So many foodies are finding pleasure in learning a new skill, especially something tangible, as opposed to all the things we do virtually. There is a beauty and satisfaction to transforming flour into a beautiful loaf of bread coming out of the oven.  Bread is playing that role for many people these days. There are people baking for the first time, there are people baking with their families and sharing a common loaf, the same way we share a common culture. There is one food that definitely unites most of the civilizations of the world: bread. Prepared in a thousand different forms for thousands of years, in very different and distant parts of the world, it is a staple of the human diet across many cultures. Bread is integral to the Italian diet, in fact it has become an essential part of Italian life and is eaten with almost every meal, whether it’s a chunk of bread to mop up pasta sauce or served with an antipasto before dinner. When making bread, transform a delicious homemade loaf of bread into a unique work of art by using a bread lame to score your bread. 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “SCORE” A LOAF OF BREAD?

Did you know that bread scoring was born many, many years ago when villages only had access to a community oven? Families would “score” or slash their bread so that they could identify their loaves at the end of the communal bake. Nowadays, we use bread scoring to transform ordinary loaves into a unique work of art by scoring our own creative designs. 

From baguettes to boules, there are common cuts for every type of bread. The bread lame is used to score or slash bread right before it hits the oven. The reason for this is simple: The openings control the direction the dough expands during baking. They’re like little chimneys, allowing steam to escape and the bread to take shape. The goal here is to encourage the loaf to expand upward—a cut down the middle does just that. Score once, lengthwise, and then make evenly-spaced diagonal slashes on one side of the loaf, starting at the end furthest from you, until you reach the bottom. 

At Compliments to the Chef, we carry Mrs. Anderson’s Artisan Bread Lame. This bread lame is specially designed for professional and artisan home bakers to easily score dough to control expansion of each loaf as it bakes. Scoring marks also create a pattern in the dough for homemade loaves of bread with an artisan beauty and professional finish. Made from 18/8 stainless steel and Romanian Beechwood, this specialty bread baking tool is strong and durable to outlast thousands of uses. The bread lame includes the Bread Lame Tool plus 15 double-edge dough scoring blades. Blades can be rotated to different corners to maximize their uses. It’s super easy to use. 

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Culinary store located at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs. We carry cool tools to assist you with your culinary creations. Your family may be keeping score as to how many loaves of bread you make!! I love warm bread with butter..mmmm….Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

 Take Care,
John & PaulaREARDON CountryBread

Osteoporosis Class and Yoga workshop

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Families Today.

Osteoporosis affects 55 percent of the population age 50 and older in the United States. Osteoporosis is most prevalent in post-menopausal women due to hormonal changes from reduced estrogen and progesterone production.

There are also a number of factors that may also contribute to osteoporosis including certain medications, lifestyle habits (ie. diet, exercise, and sleep), and other diseases. 

Over time bones become porous and fragile due to an imbalance in the activity of osteoclasts (cells that absorb bone) and osteoblasts (cells that form bone). Osteoclast activity is higher and causes an increased rate of resorption of bone leading to porous bones. The most common sites include the low back, hips, and the long bones of the legs. When bones become porous and fragile there is a higher risk for fractures in these areas. 

There is considerable research outlining the correlation between spinal compression fractures and osteoporosis. Compression fractures affect approximately 25 percent of all postmenopausal women in the United States. The prevalence of this condition steadily increases with advancing age, reaching 40 percent in women 80 years of age. 

Posture is often dependent on our poor habits and changes that occur as we age. For example, as we age, the postural muscles of the spine tend to get weaker and the upper spine starts to curve forward, called thoracic kyphosis. When this happens, the loads through the vertebrae are no longer equal, causing most of the weight to be put through only one side of the bone. When this amount of load cannot be equally dispersed and the bone is not strong anymore, the bones will break. These compression fractures can be painful, debilitating, and decrease quality of life. 

Improving an individual’s posture requires education about how we hold our body and improving the strength of the postural muscles. Yoga is one of the key exercises that improves both posture when done consistently (4-6 months). The results of yoga include improved posture, improved balance, better coordination, greater range of motion, improved strength, and better gait. Improving posture is especially important for reducing the stress to the vertebrae associated with spinal compression fractures.

Another important factor to consider for those with osteoporosis is balance and stability. Falls among the elderly, especially those with osteoporosis, are associated with high morbidity and mortality and can involve high-cost medical intervention. In fact, falls are responsible for 90% of the growing increase in hip fractures. One out of three adults aged 65 and older fall each year. Like strength training, balance improves with practice. Challenging the balance system consistently in a safe environment improves that system, and makes you feel more confident in overcoming slips, trips, and falls that lead to fractures.

In addition to helping your posture, Yoga reduces the risk of falling, which is the main cause of fractures in women with osteoporosis. A long-term balance training program for women with osteoporosis can improve the quality of life of the individual. Yoga also helps to reduce the anxiety that may be associated with the fear of falling. 

This is why Goodemote PT has created unique and well-rounded programs that use Medical Therapeutic Yoga in a workshop setting for 4-weeks. The workshop is led by a Doctor of Physical Therapy and certified Professional Yoga Therapist can be used in conjunction with your medical treatment for your best results. 

Additionally, we have a small group training program for Osteoporosis that integrates weight lifting and yoga to give you the maximum benefit. Here are different phases of our osteoporosis program. 

Phase 1 classes are a “foundations” series in which you will learn the lifts and yoga poses in great detail. Classes are held twice per week for six weeks with no more than four people in the class. 

Each class is an hour long and begins with a movement prep to warm up the muscles and joints you will use for the lifts done that day. Weighted vests are used during the movement prep to safely and effectively load the bones of the spine and the hips. 

The last half hour of the sessions finishes with a guided yoga session that uses researched foundational poses that have been shown to improve bone mineral density, posture, and balance. The expert instructors have a working knowledge of what poses are unsafe when considering osteoporosis and will guide you through sequences that not only are safe but show you how to move better through everyday activities. 

Small class sizes ensure that you are getting the attention you need during lifting and yoga to know that you are doing the lifts and poses correctly. No experience is necessary, this is what the foundations class is all about!

Phase 2 is geared toward building confidence in participants so they can do some of the lifts and yoga on their own, while still providing guidance throughout the program. 

We have seen great improvement in confidence, strength, posture, and balance in our Osteoporosis Program as well as our Medical Therapeutic Yoga Workshops for Osteoporosis. 

Join us for the next session of the Osteoporosis Program and the Yoga Workshop, both starting in October! Our well-rounded research-based programs focus on your goals while considering your individual medical history. 

For more information go to fysiofitpt.com, call us at 518-306-6894 or email us at Fysiofit@gmail.com.

Copy of Home Stretches

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Families Today.

Working from home has become the new normal for many people.

While some are lucky enough to have a dedicated home office set-up, many others find themselves in an ergonomically challenging work environment which can result in aches and pain throughout the spine. 

Incorporating stretches into your daily routine can help counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting and less than ideal work stations.  Stretches should be performed on a daily basis and can be done once or twice a day. Stretches should be held for 30-60 seconds.

FT HomeStreches Exercises