SARATOGA SPRINGS — A twilight run/walk will take place on the Pitney Meadows Community Farm trails Saturday, Sept. 23. Registration is at 5:30 p.m., and start time is 6:30.
The course features a flat sandstone-packed surface that takes runners along the perimeter of the Pitney Meadows Community Farm. All levels welcome.
Post-run activities include live music, s’mores, and bonfires on the Pitney Meadows grounds.
The event is inspired by Building on Love families. The idea is that participants can run/walk for someone special in their lives. Families can fundraise in honor of that special person leading up to the event.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —Historic Franklin Square, Saratoga’s oldest residential neighborhood, will be the focus of an Autumn Sunday Stroll at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 24.
Current Assemblywoman, and former Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation Executive Director Carrie Woerner will act as stroll leader for the “Wealth & Wellness: Franklin Square” event, presented by Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation.
Next Sunday, Oct. 1, Madison Squires will lead the popular stroll “Mail Order Houses of Saratoga.” This tour features houses on East and Pinewood avenues and meets at the Northwest corner of Lake and East avenues.
The SSPF Sunday morning tours last approximately 90 minutes and require walking and standing on varied terrain.
Tours are limited to 30 and tickets should be purchased in advance. If additional tickets remain, they can be purchased the day-of at the Tour meeting location. The cost per tour is $15 for SSPF members and $20 for non-members. Members with stroll passes need to contact the Foundation’s office to book their tour.
For additional information or to purchase tickets to any of the upcoming strolls and events visit saratogapreservation.org, call 518-587-5030, or email Marcy Dreimiller, Administrative Assistant, at admin@saratogapreservation.org.
Uppermost entranceway to Waterfront Park on Sept. 14, 2023. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 14 celebrated the completion of improvements to Waterfront Park.
The community will now be able to enjoy a new playground, handicap accessible ramps, and renovated bathrooms and gazebo.
“Waterfront Park was made possible by preservation and land acquisitions in 2001 by the Open Space Advisory Committee,” said Saratoga Springs Mayor Ron Kim. “It remains to this day one of the only points of public access to Saratoga Lake.”
The project was made possible by a collaboration between the Mayor’s Office/Recreation Department and the Department of Public Works, using funds that had lingered in the Mayor’s Office’s Capital Budget program since 2013.
Waterfront Park is located at 622-630 Crescent Ave.
“Improving the property and structures at Waterfront Park for our community has been a priority of mine since taking office,” DPW Commissioner Jason Golub said, whose public works department played a large role in the renovation. “The bathrooms are restored and operational for the first time in a year, and the gazebo has been updated and renovated as well.”
Members of the McDonald family with Saratoga County officials and representatives from state and federal elected officials’ offices at the Saratoga County Honor Deceased Veterans Ceremony on Sept. 19, 2023, memorializing David E. McDonald of the Town of Charlton.
BALLSTON SPA —The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors and the Saratoga County Veterans Service Agency held its monthly Honor Deceased Veterans Program on Sept. 19, when it staged a ceremony honoring David E. McDonald of the Town of Charlton.
McDonald entered the US Army on Aug. 2, 1966 and served as a Field Artilleryman with 2nd Battalion, 10th Composite Artillery Battalion, 197th Infantry Regiment at Ft Benning, GEorgia – where he trained on 105- and 155-mm Howitzers, as well as “Honest John” rockets.
For his service he was awarded the National Defense Service medal and the Expert Rifle Badge. McDonald was honorably discharged on Aug. 1, 1968. McDonald married his soulmate, Shirleyan Shakan in 1966 and together they had four children.
After service McDonald worked for Sheet Metal Workers #83 as a superintendent, through MCD Mechanical. He was a member of the American Legion Post 234 in Ballston Spa and served as Commander for seven years.
While serving as Post Commander, McDonald played an integral role in the Saratoga County Honor Deceased Veterans program. He was born March 9, 1947, and died at age 75 on Oct. 24, 2022.
Established in 1999 by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, the Honor Deceased Veterans Program provides a way for county leadership and residents to show gratitude for the service of veterans past and present. The program honors a range of veterans and each ceremony – held at 2 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month – is dedicated to a different Saratoga County veteran. To date, more than 300 Saratoga County Veterans have been honored.
For more information about the Honor Deceased Veterans Ceremony, contact Saratoga County Veterans Service Agency at 518-884-4115.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Loughberry Road residents spent last Saturday morning, Sept. 16, eliminating invasive killer vines from trees and shrubbery along the entrance to the street. At the end of their efforts, over 25 large piles of the dead vines lined the road. The City Public Works employees remove the debris within hours.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — In a six-page decision dated Sept. 8, Judge Constantine DeStefano denied a motion by Saratoga Black Lives Matter founder Alexis Figuereo to dismiss charges against him in connection with Figuereo’s alleged actions at a Saratoga Springs City Council meeting on April 4.
Figuereo pleaded not guilty on April 24 to the charges of obstructing governmental administration – a misdemeanor, and disorderly conduct – a violation.
CLIFTON PARK — On Thursday, Sept. 14, residents of Clifton Park and Halfmoon approved the 2024 Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library tax levy of $5,103,252 by a vote of 595 to 79 for the purpose of funding the planned operating budget of $5,173,635.
Incumbents Stephen Meyer and Purushothaman Srinivasan were re-elected to fill the two open Clifton Park trustee positions. They will each serve a five-year term beginning January 2024.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —The city of Saratoga Springs released an official statement noting councilmembers support in the unionization efforts of backstretch workers.
Recently a significant number of backstretch workers have asked organizers for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1430 (IBEW) to help them improve their work life. The City Council strongly supports this organizing effort and encourages stable workers to unionize, according to the statement, released Sept. 18.
“We believe all workers should have a voice. A well-represented workforce on the backstretch would be an asset to Thoroughbred racing in Saratoga Springs, which is a key economic pillar to our city,” Commissioner of Finance Minita Sanghvi said.
The IBEW has been listening to employees of the trainers and backstretch enterprises and is seeking recognition that would lead to union representation of that workforce. The City Council explained it expects that both the workers and the union will be afforded every right of access allowed under law and is open to discuss improvement with appropriate leaders of NYRA.
“I support the effort by the backstretch workers to see collective bargaining status and I hope NYRA, stable owners, and fellow NYRA unionized employees will make every effort to allow the backstretch workers to decide their own destiny,” said city Mayor Ron Kim.
A rendering of the completed White Pines Business Suites and Mini-Warehouses. Image provided by Forest Ridge, LLC.
STILLWATER — The first steps of the planned Luther Forest Business Park are underway, with the White Pines Business Suites and Mini-Warehouses currently under construction.
The 30 suites are part of the larger-planned business park, said Jeffrey Chouinard, a partner in the project. The 1,500-square foot units are self-contained, with each including an overhead door for deliveries, a bathroom, internet connection, and more available amenities.
Chouinard said the units can be altered to fit the needs of businesses, mentioning possibilities such as adding a mezzanine level in one unit, dividing a unit into offices, or even combining two units into a larger one.
“It really gives people the opportunity, that are growing their business, to be able to take that next step,” said Chouinard.
Chouinard said he initially saw the idea in Florida several years ago, and noted there is a need for it in the area. He said there has been “significant interest” in the units, saying they are flexible for many business types and sizes.
“We have a handful that are already spoken for, which is great,” he said.
Chouinard said the units start at a base price of about $12 per square foot. Construction of the first building, containing 14 suites, began in the spring, and Chouinard said they hope to finish the first units in roughly six to eight weeks. A second building containing 16 units will also be constructed.
He pointed out the geographic location for the suites, saying they are under a quarter-mile from one of GlobalFoundries’ employee entrances.
“I would also think that it’s going to draw some attention from people that are going to be involved with the expansion there,” Chouinard said.
The units and the planned Business Park are surrounded by trees, with Chouinard saying they “tried to keep the legacy of Luther Forest as the forest.”
“We wanted to keep that forest kind of mentality,” Chouinard said.
The project is owned by Forest Ridge LLC, Chouinard said. The White Pines units are just one part of a much larger plan for the eventual Luther Forest Business Park, with Chouinard saying roughly 750,000 square feet of land has been approved in total. He said that one of White Pines’ neighboring properties is currently under contract, and they are in discussions for others.
Chouinard said they are aiming to complete the second building, with 16 units, “by next year at this time.” Altogether, the units are 45,000 square feet, he said.
“With the level of interest we have, once people start signing on the dotted line … we’ll probably just go right ahead and start the other building,” said Chouinard. “That way, next year by this time, this will all be landscaped, greened, done. Buildings up, and hopefully all rented.”
