Skip to main content

Author: Saratoga TODAY

Chamber Hosts Celebration And Awards Night

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

Chad Kiesow unveils a custom painted lawn jockey statue for Amy Smith at the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce’s annual Celebration Night at the Saratoga Racecourse’s 1863 Club. Photo provided by Lauren Halligan.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Chamber Celebration night last week at the Saratoga Racecourse’s 1863 Club. Cynthia Hollowood was presented with the 2024 Joseph Dalton Community Service Award, and Amy Smith of the Saratoga Arms Hotel was honored with a custom painted lawn jockey statue.

Cynthia Hollowood, Executive Director of Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar and former General Manager and Partner at the Holiday Inn Saratoga Springs, was recognized for her work with Sponsor-A-Scholar, as well as her volunteer hours with more than a dozen local nonprofits, including the Saratoga Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Saratoga Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Saratoga Economic Development Corporation, and the Saratoga Hospital Foundation, among other organizations.

“For all of you who are doing great things in our community, thank you and keep going,” Hollowood said in an acceptance speech. “You never know how or when these efforts will pay off.”

For serving as 2023 Chair of the Board for the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, Amy Smith received a custom painted Saratoga Arms Hotel lawn jockey statue presented by the Chamber’s current Chair of the Board, Chad Kiesow, Chief Operating Officer of Stewart’s Shops. 

“I’m inspired by the enthusiasm of our young leaders,” Smith said, “and I’m excited for the future of the Chamber and Saratoga County.”

X-Files Museum Cancels 2024 Fan Fest

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The X-Files Preservation Collection has canceled its 2024 Fan Fest, which was scheduled for June 28 and 29 in Saratoga Springs. The event would have featured actor Mitch Pileggi, who played FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner in the hit 90s TV series. 

“We regret to inform you that we have made the difficult decision to cancel XFP FANFEST 2024,” museum owners Jim Thornton and Kelly Anthony wrote in a social media post. “We have poured our hearts, time, and finances into this event and were very excited to share with you all we had planned. Ticket sales, however, have not been adequate to make it reasonable for us to continue with the event.”

The owners cited the economy, a large number of X-Files events in recent years, and high hotel prices as reasons for lower than expected ticket sales. Thornton and Anthony said that refunds would be issued to all ticket buyers by May 30.

The X-Files Preservation Collection houses what is likely the world’s largest assortment of X-Files-related props, costumes, and memorabilia on public display. The museum began offering virtual tours in February.

Bicycle Benefits Program Returns

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

Graphic provided by Ian Klepetar

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Bicycle Benefits program, born in Saratoga Springs, is being relaunched in 2024 as part of Bikeatoga’s effort to inspire more residents and visitors to use bicycles around town.

Dozens of area businesses are offering special discounts and deals in support of the program. Some of the offers include a free mini doughnut at Darling Doughnuts, half off your order at Broadway Grind, $20 off a purchase of $50 or more at the Trek Bicycle Store, and 10% off at Bevs.

To participate in the program, purchase a $5 Bicycle Benefits sticker at a participating business, put the sticker on your bike helmet, and then arrive at a participating business on your bicycle.

Stickers are now available. A complete list of participating businesses can be found at www.bicyclebenefits.org.

Ballston Spa Bank Holds Community Service Day

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

Ballston Spa National Bank employees participated in Community Service Day on Tuesday at the Patroon Land Farm. Photo provided by Brittany Hamilton.

BALLSTON SPA — On Tuesday, Ballston Spa National Bank (BSNB) employees participated in an annual bank-wide Community Service Day. BSNB locations across the Capital Region closed at 12 p.m., allowing employees to volunteer their time planting vegetables, weeding, making beds, and working in the greenhouses at the Patroon Land Farm in support of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York.

“Our annual Community Service Day reflects one of BSNB’S core values of strengthening the communities where we live and work,” said Christopher R. Dowd, president and CEO, in a statement.

The Patroon Land Farm is managed by the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and produces food for over 1,000 partner agencies serving 23 counties in the region.

Jobs: Saratoga Springs Seeking Seasonal Parking Enforcement Officer

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —With the new seasonal parking rules set to kick-off this summer in Saratoga Springs, the city is seeking resumes from qualified persons who can help enforce them.   

The position exists in the city’s Public Safety Department and involves the responsibility to make routine foot and motorized patrols for enforcing parking regulations and issuing tickets for violations in accordance with city ordinances. 

SALARY: $20.36 per hour Seasonal/Temporary May 2024 – September 2024. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma OR One year of full time paid clerical experience. To be eligible for appointment, each candidate will be subject to a thorough background investigation. 

Applications are available on the 3rd floor of City Hall at 474 Broadway, or online www.saratoga-springs.org under Civil Service, or via email civilservice@saratoga-springs.org to request one sent to you.

Completed applications can be emailed in, mailed in or dropped off to the Civil Service Office.

To read the job posting in its entirety, go to the city’s website at: saratoga-springs.org. 

Saratoga County Career Center May Virtual Workshops Schedule

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

BALLSTON SPA — The Saratoga County Career Center in conjunction with the Greater Capital Region Career Centers will hold the following free virtual career workshops during May:

May 22 at 11 a.m.: Completing Job Applications. Statistics show approximately 50% of mid-sized companies and almost all large corporations use an applicant tracking system to screen candidates for job opportunities. Learn how to prepare your online application to get the most visibility from hiring managers. Facilitated by Warren and Washington.

May 23 at 10:30 a.m.: Networking. Networking is your strategic tool for cultivating lasting relationships, fostering professional growth, and unlocking opportunities. Join us for an approachable journey to understanding networking. Facilitated by Warren and Albany.

May 28 at 11 a.m.: Overcoming Barriers. Join an informal discussion about how to overcome potential stumbling blocks to finding a job. Whether you’re facing transportation needs, childcare needs, prior justice system involvement, inexperience, health concerns or more, this workshop will provide you with resources and strategies to help you meet your goals. Facilitated by Fulton-Montgomery-Schoharie.

May 28 at 1:30 p.m.: Social Media. Your social media presence can make or break your ability to find a job. Learn how to use social media to your advantage in searching for a job and marketing yourself to land the job or career you’ve always wanted. Facilitated by Schenectady.

Registration is required for all workshops. Visit https://thejoblink.org/calendar/ to register or call the Saratoga County Career Center at 518-884-4170 for more information. The workshops are offered as part of the Saratoga County Career Center’s WorkPays! workforce education campaign.

Saratoga County Proclaims Emergency Medical Services Week

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

BALLSTON SPA — THE Saratoga County Board of Supervisors on April 16 approved a resolution to proclaim May 19-25 as Emergency Medical Services Week in Saratoga County. 

The Emergency Medical Services system consists of first responders, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, 911 telecommunicators, emergency medical dispatchers, emergency medical physicians, nurses, law enforcement officers, and firefighters, among others.

“Emergency Medical Services Week” was first proclaimed nationally in 1974 to celebrate Emergency Medical Services Clinicians and the important work they do in communities across the country. 

“Whereas, Emergency Medical Service Clinicians provide frontline life-saving services every day, it is important that this Board of Supervisors and County residents recognize the important work and sacrifices that Emergency Medical Service Clinicians make to provide emergency assistance to the citizens of Saratoga County,” according to the proclamation, “and encourages all residents to join in honoring the unwavering commitment of Emergency Medical Service Clinicians who have rendered services to the community, while remembering those Emergency Medical Service Clinicians who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.”

May 11 – 17, 2024

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Blotter.

Saratoga County Court

Rick C. Sweet, 36, of Ballston Spa, pleaded to attempted assault in the second-degree, and menacing in the third-degree, charged in January. Sentencing July 3. 

Seth A. Labarbera, 24, of Ballston Lake, was sentenced to 1 year in local jail, after pleading to criminal possession of a weapon in the second-degree, charged July 2023 in Saratoga Springs. 

David A. Fink, 27, of Ballston, was sentenced to 4 years’ incarceration and 5 years’ post-release supervision, after pleading to attempted arson in the second-degree, charged August 2023. 

Michael J. Scensny, 34, of Waterford, was sentenced to 3 years in state prison and 1-1/2 years’ post-release supervision, after pleading to attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance in the second-degree, charged June 2023 in Saratoga Springs. 

Anna E. Carberry, 50, of Mechanicville, was sentenced to 1 to 3 years’ incarceration after pleading to felony DWI charged September 2023 in Waterford, and 1 to 3 years’ incarceration after pleading to felony DWI charged April 2023 in Malta. Sentences to run concurrently. 

Faheem Johnson, 37, of Troy, was sentenced to 5 years’ probation, after pleading to felony DWI, charged March 2023 in Waterford. 

Rafael Brito, 28, of Clifton Park, was sentenced to 2 to 6 years in state prison, after pleading to failure to register or verify as a sex offender, charged November 2021.   

Noah Hughes, 34, of Schenectady, was sentenced to 1-1/2 to 3 years’ incarceration in a state correction facility, after pleading to criminal possession of stolen property in the third-degree, charged February 2023 in Malta. 

Saratoga Springs Police

Members of the Saratoga Springs Police Department Special Investigations Unit earlier this month executed a search warrant of a residence in Vanderbilt Terrace that had been the subject of numerous complaints regarding possible illegal narcotics activity. After obtaining probable cause, a search warrant was applied for through the City Court of Saratoga Springs and executed. Arrested after the search warrant was completed was Michael Dzieniszewski, a 37-year-old man with no address provided to the police, on the below listed charges. Dzieniszewski was processed and arraigned in City Court and remanded to the custody of the Saratoga County Sheriff pending his next court appearance. 

Charges: Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree, a Class B Felony- Intent to sell Criminal Possession of a Narcotic Drug in the 4th Degree, a Class C Felony Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree- a Class A Misdemeanor.

Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office 

The Sheriff’s Office responded to a stolen vehicle complaint on I-87 northbound near Exit 10 in Clifton Park. The vehicle had been reported stolen earlier from the parking lot of the Stewart’s shop at 1206 Route 146 and had been located on I-87. As a result of attempting to stop the vehicle, Jacob R. Hayner, age 37, homeless, was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment in the 1st degree; criminal mischief in the 2nd degree (class D felonies); unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the 3rd degree (class A misdemeanor); and moving from lane unsafely (infraction). Hayner is accused of unlawfully fleeing a marked Sheriff’s patrol vehicle knowing that he had been directed to stop, and of intentionally striking that Sheriff’s patrol unit with his vehicle causing damage in an amount exceeding $1,500. As a result, he is charged with recklessly engaging in conduct that created a grave risk of death to another person under circumstances that evinced a depraved indifference to human life. He was arraigned before the Honorable Robert A. Rybak in the Clifton Park Town Court and remanded to the Saratoga County Jail in lieu of bail, bond, or partially secured bond pending further action in the matter.

The Sheriff’s Office arrested Matthew H. Smith, 58, of Latham on a warrant for aggravated family offense (class E felony) and criminal contempt in the 2nd degree (class A misdemeanor). Smith is accused of intentionally violating an order of protection by repeatedly telephoning the person for whose protection the order was issued while an inmate at the Saratoga County Jail. The felony charge is a result of a previous conviction for a specified offense within the immediately preceding five years. He was arraigned and released to pretrial services pending further action in the matter.

Letter to the Editor

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.

As an educator, and a parent and taxpayer in the Saratoga Springs City School District, I fully endorse Amanda Ellithorpe’s re-election to the SSCSD School Board. Amanda understands the importance of a high quality education for every child, but stays mindful of her responsibility to the taxpayers of the district. Her fundamental understanding of school district finances, operations, collective bargaining units, and student assessments, as well as her knowledge of current district priorities and goals will provide seamless continuity and consistency to board operations.

Amanda uses a deliberate but diplomatic approach to her work on the board. With students and staff in mind, she asks questions and makes decisions with careful efficiency, effecting timely change in our schools. For example, her steadfast advocacy of the School Resource Officer program fortified the safety and well-being of our students and staff. While some board members waffled and dodged during the query process, Amanda was ready to deliver an informed vote, recognizing that the community at large desired and deserved a concrete decision that allowed the district to move forward.

Amanda skillfully balances her many responsibilities, all of which provide her with varied perspectives that help shape her work on the Board. A devoted Mother of two, Amanda not only fulfills her duties as a dependable Board Trustee but also serves as a Girl Scout Troop leader, demonstrating her commitment to empowering young girls and fostering their leadership skills, and serves on the Caroline Street School’s PTA.  As a single working Mom who wears multiple professional hats, her desire to dedicate time to serving our community in these capacities is admirable and speaks well of her character. 

Amanda’s background as a classical musician and her commitment to music and arts education is a wonderful fit for our culturally rich Saratoga Springs community. She is a consistent advocate and cheerleader for Fine Arts programs across the district, frequently attending performances and showcases with her daughters, and interacting with students and faculty to celebrate their achievements.

Overarching all else, Amanda’s personal commitment to her own children’s education reflects her broader dedication to the public education system, supporting all children in our community and working to provide the resources and support they need to thrive.

 I encourage my fellow community members to join me in supporting Amanda Ellithorpe for re-election to the Saratoga Springs City School District Board of Education. With her proven track record of leadership, her commitment to safe and thriving schools, her dedication to our community, and her passion for the arts and education, I am confident that Amanda will continue to be an effective advocate for our schools and our students.

–Carrie Jackson

Carol Leighton-Jones (Goertz)

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Carol Leighton-Jones (Goertz), 79, passed May 6, 2024. Cherished mother of Brooke and Lauren; loving Nona to Thomas, Jameson, and Lily; devoted sister to Paul and Carl; loyal daughter of Richard and Virginia Goertz; treasured teacher to thousands. You will be with us always, “From Here to Eternity”. www.burkefuneralhome.com