Author: Saratoga TODAY

Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) announced that he has secured a total of $14,093,000 in federal funding for a slate of 15 community development and improvement projects across New York’s 20th Congressional District. Tonko secured this critical funding as part of the Fiscal Year 2026 government appropriations packages, which were signed into law.

“I’m proud to have secured federal funding for this incredible slate of community projects in our Capital Region, each of which brings great promise for our communities,” Congressman Tonko said. “With key federal investments, these projects will help drive economic growth across our district and deliver support to those in our communities who need it most. For two years, my team and I have pushed hard to ensure these worthy projects were included in the federal spending package. Now, after a long and arduous process, I’m delighted to announce that determined effort has been successful. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated local leaders who proposed and developed these initiatives, and I am eager to see how these federal dollars will help unleash our Capital Region’s untapped potential.”

Tonko championed funding for 15 local projects that will bring direct benefits to Capital Region residents. In alphabetical order, these include:

• $250,000 for ADA-accessible sidewalks in Ballston Spa

• $1,015,000 for a Community Corner creation in Mechanicville

• $500,000 for Community Park improvements in Scotia

• $1,000,000 for the Crossroads Center for Children in Schenectady for renovations and expansion

• $1,000,000 for Glenville Hill Fire District No. 8 for essential building repairs and updates

• $850,000 for Hudson Valley Community College in Troy for an Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Lab

• $850,000 for Lincoln Park Southwest Gateway improvements in Albany

• $1,031,000 for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy for equipment and technology to support quantum innovation

• $500,000 for the Town of Milton’s Town Hall expansion

• $1,092,000 for the Town of Stillwater’s water main replacements

• $2,000,000 for the Troy Public Library’s indoor air quality system improvements

• $1,521,000 for the University at Albany’s CNSE 200mm Wafer Cleanroom equipment upgrade

• $1,092,000 for the Village of Altamont’s wastewater treatment plant upgrades

• $1,092,000 for the Village of Menands for water system improvements

• $300,000 for Voorheesville sewage infrastructure improvements

Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park held its annual meeting on Monday, February 2. Staff and board members gave presentations on 2025’s educational programs, recreational offerings, public outreach, conservation, and the successful completion of Phase I of the Larry Gordon Outdoor Education Center with the opening of the Welcome Cabin. For more information on the status of the Larry Gordon Outdoor Education Center, please visit wiltonpreserve.org.

At the meeting, the 70 volunteers who donated their time in 2025 were honored for contributing 2,964 hours in trail work, program support, office tasks, conservation efforts, public outreach efforts, and other tasks to further the mission of Wilton Wildlife. 

Special recognition was given to the volunteers who have collected lifetime volunteering hours between 250 and 1,500 hours, with their names added to the volunteer plaques, which are on display at the Welcome Cabin. The following individuals were added to the plaque with 250 hours: Dave Matteson, Thomas McNamara, Steve Wilcox, and Rowan McKinney. Howard Lester moved up to 500 lifetime hours, and Jeff DeJesus was added at 500.

At the meeting, elections took place with Bradley Birge elected as Treasurer and Larry Dana elected as Vice Chair. Steve Wilcox is continuing in his role as Board Chair, with Marne Onderdonk and Nina Russo continuing for another term as co-Secretaries. Two new community members were elected to serve on the board: Maisie Wright and Karen Kellogg.

Maisie has a 20-year career in education, where she has worn many hats–from teacher to administrator–and currently serves as Chief Academic Officer for KIPP Capital Public Schools. In her role, she oversees academic strategy and impact, so she will bring a wealth of experience in governance and community-centered leadership to Wilton Wildlife’s Board. A native of southern Vermont, Maisie grew up exploring the Green Mountains every season in hiking boots or on skis.

Since moving to Wilton in 2021, Wilton Wildlife has been an anchor for her family; she especially loves bringing her two young toddlers out to investigate the lupine, lady slippers, and horsemint. Maisie believes that early education and exposure are the keys to future conservation. She holds a BA in Anthropology and Africana Studies from Cornell University and her master’s in education administration from National Louis Academy. She joined the Board to champion the intersection of conservation and education, ensuring it remains a vibrant resource for local families and future generations.

Karen Kellogg is the David H. Porter Chair & Professor of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Skidmore College. During her 26 years at Skidmore College, she has taught courses focused on sustainability, renewable energy, and environmental engineering. Karen works with Skidmore students on research topics such as the barriers to renewable energy deployment, bioremediation, and campus sustainability. She also helps them engage in research and internships in the broader community, including many over the years with Wilton Wildlife.

Karen has a B.S. in Engineering from the University of Iowa and a Ph.D. in Ecology from the Pennsylvania State University. She has seen Wilton Wildlife grow from a small parcel to the multifaceted conservation organization it is today, and as a Wilton resident, she is excited to spend more time on the trails of this incredible treasure.

For up-to-date trail conditions or program information, please visit the Wilton Wildlife website at wiltonpreserve.org or follow on Facebook or Instagram @wiltonpreserve. 

A Waterford man has been arrested for falsely billing Saratoga County over accusations he falsely billed Saratoga County for services he never provided. 

Jason Wellington, 48, was arrested on Feb. 12 by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and charged with two counts of felony third degree grand larceny and 11 counts of felony 1st degree offering a false instrument for filing. 

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Wellington is alleged to have billed Saratoga County for childcare services in the Town of Waterford despite never providing these services. Because of these false records, Wellington is alleged to have stolen over $3,000 on two separate occasions in 2025. 

Wellington was arraigned in Ballston Spa Village Court and released on his recognizance. The investigation was conducted by both the Sheriff’s Office and the  Special Investigations Unit of the Saratoga County Department of Social Services. 

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced the release of proposed changes to cool water sportfish regulations that will help protect fish while spawning, increase the reproductive capacity of walleye in Lake Ontario’s eastern basin, and eliminate unnecessary special regulations.

“The proposed regulation changes for walleye, pike, pickerel, and tiger musky reflect DEC’s commitment to adaptively manage New York’s fisheries resources and to simplify regulations wherever possible,” said Commissioner Lefton. “We encourage the public to review the proposal and provide feedback.”

Highlights of the proposed regulations include:

• Changing the closing date for walleye, northern pike, chain pickerel, and tiger musky from March 15 to March 1 for both statewide and special regulations; 

• Changing the start date of fishing-prohibited regulations to protect spawning walleye on sections of select streams from March 16 to March 2; 

• Eliminating unnecessary special harvest regulations for walleye in 33 waters; and 

• Changing the size limit and daily creel limit for walleye in Jefferson County waters of Lake Ontario to two fish per day with no more than one longer than 24 inches.

The proposed regulations are responsive to fisheries managers’ and anglers’ concerns that the current fishing season closing date may not adequately protect spawning walleye and northern pike into the future, as a warming climate changes water temperatures and shifts spawning times. Establishing an earlier fishing season closure will help ensure that spawning aggregations of these species are protected.

There are also several walleye waters currently managed under special harvest regulation (18-inch minimum size limit, three-per-day possession limit) to help establish, restore, or improve walleye fisheries. A subset of those waters does not meet that objective, and the draft regulations propose to convert back to statewide regulations and a 15-inch minimum size, five-per-day possession limit.

In addition, the walleye fishery in Lake Ontario’s eastern basin (Jefferson County) has declined, and DEC is proposing a more protective harvest regulation intended to increase spawning stock biomass and increase the capacity for natural reproduction.

The full text and a summary of the proposed regulatory changes are available on DEC’s website. 

DEC is interested in anglers’ viewpoints and encourages public feedback on these proposals. Comments will be accepted through April 13, 2026, and should be emailed to regulations.fish@dec.ny.gov with the subject line “Coolwater Sportfish Regulations,” or sent by standard mail to:

Inland Fisheries Section

NYSDEC

625 Broadway

Albany, NY 12233-4753