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Author: Saratoga TODAY

Cynthia A. Cervera

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

August 10, 2023. Cynthia’s zest for life and her radiant presence touched everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her.

Born on March 30, 1955, in Longview, Texas to E. Taylor and Virginia (Cattlet) Spence, she is predeceased by her parents and brothers, Dale and Mike Spence. She is survived by her loving husband of 43 years, Guy Cervera of Malta, NY, her cherished daughter, Felicia Cervera of Charlton, NY, and her adored extended family.

Cynthia’s education began at Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler, Texas, and continued at Tyler Junior College. Following her graduation, Cynthia pursued a career in the advertising industry; she eventually became a traffic manager in radio television in Houston, Dallas, TX and Buffalo, NY. It was during her tenure in Beaumont, Texas, where she met the love of her life, Guy Cervera. Shortly after meeting, they embarked on their 43-year-long marriage of love, adventure and family.

For the past 35 years, she devoted herself to their computer software business, working alongside her husband with pride. Despite her professional accomplishments, Cynthia often stated that her most important job was being a mother to her daughter, Felicia.

Cynthia’s interests were as diverse and vibrant as her personality. She was a talented writer, and her beautiful poems were published. She enjoyed going to the Saratoga Race Course with her family and friends, she luckily lived less than 2 miles away. Over the years, she and Guy became friends with many horse trainers, jockeys, and track workers. Cynthia was known for her fashion style and bright personality that could truly light up any room.

Despite her Texan roots, Cynthia became quite the accomplished Italian cook, learning from Guy’s mother, Jean, and his grandmother, Marguerite. Cynthia and Guy’s love for travel and music provided many memorable moments, and Cynthia’s love for dancing will be remembered. She loved life intensely and surrounded herself with her favorite people as much as possible. Her favorite person was her daughter, Felicia, with whom she shared a remarkably close bond. Their love for restaurant dining and shopping provided many occasions for quality time together.

Cynthia A. Cervera’s life serves as a reminder to live life to its fullest. Her spirited nature, loving heart, and creative soul will be remembered and celebrated by all those who were fortunate enough to know her.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the DeMarco family at Glenville Funeral Home. Cynthia is laid to rest at Island Hill Cemetery in Buskirk, NY.

Condolences may be made at glenvillefuneralhome.com

Randy Akstull

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

CORINTH — Randy Akstull, died Monday, August 14. Calling hours are Friday, Aug 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. follow by a service at 8 p.m. at Compassionate Funeral Care. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on August 19, 2023 at Memory Gardens Cemetery, Albany, NY 12205. Condolences may be shared at compassionatefuneralcare.com

Phyllis M. Dumont 

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

WILTON — Phyllis M. Dumont died August 12. A funeral service will be at 12:00 noon August 18 at Compassionate Funeral Care. Calling hours are 10 a.m. to 12 noon prior to service. A private graveside service will be at Gurn Springs Cemetery at a later date. Condolences may be shared at compassionatefuneralcare.com

Robert F. Mercier 

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

BALLSTON SPA — Robert F. Mercier died August 15. He was 73 years old. Robert was born on August 15, 1950, to Robert and Salvina Mercier in Albany, NY. Interment will be at the Gerald B. Solomon National Cemetery at the convenience of the family. Condolences may be shared at compassionatefuneralcare.com

Paul Antone Robbens

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Paul Antone Robbens, 81, passed away at his home on 8/13/2023. Calling hours were 8/17/2023 at Burke Funeral Home. Mass is 11 a.m., 8/18/2023 at St. Clement’s followed by burial in St. Peter’s cemetery. Memorial donations to a charity of one’s choice. Please visit www.burkefuneralhome.com

Angeline Whisher

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Angeline Whisher, 95, passed peacefully at her home on Friday, 8/4/2023. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated 8/16/23 at St. Clement’s Church. Burial will be private. Memorial donations to the Au Sable Forks Free Library, Au Sable Forks, NY 12912. Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com

August 12 – August 18, 2023

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Blotter.

Saratoga Springs Police Department

Dennis Walsh, 46, of Galway, was charged July 31 with criminal contempt. 

Nicholas Sarchioto, 32, of Renssalaer, was charged July 30 with criminal mischief. 

Jordan Jones, 32, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 29 with assault. 

Bradford Bayer, 36, of Greenfield Center, was charged July 28 with criminal contempt, and aggravated family offense. 

Daevon Gaillard, 19, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 28 with robbery.

Alex Gilmour, 43, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 28 with petit larceny, and criminal impersonation.

Timothy Feldman, 22, of Summit, NY, was charged on Caroline Street with criminal possession of a weapon -2: loaded firearm. 

Ronald Owen, 58, of Greenfield, was charged July 27 with petit larceny, and criminal tampering. 

Billy Hayes, 58, of Omaha, NE, was charged July 27 with DWI, and a vehicle equipment violation. 

Kevin Cavanagh, 56, no address given, was charged July 26 with petit larceny. 

Jeffrey Morgan, 52, of Saratoga Springs, was charged July 26 with DWAI, criminal possession of a controlled substance, refusal to take a breath test, operating an unregistered vehicle, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. 

Elijah Marks, 24, of North Little Rock, AR, was charged July 24 with criminal mischief. 

Luis Tapara Quispe, 26, of Beford Heights, OH, was charged July 24 with DWI, vehicle equipment violation, and moving from lane unsafely.    

Saratoga County Court

Kyle Trimboli, 29, of Albany, was sentenced to 60 days in local jail and 10 years probation after pleading to sexual abuse in the first-degree, charged November 2022 in Saratoga. 

Luis A. Vazquez, 53, of Schenectady, was sentenced to 5 days in local jail and 5 years probation, after pleading to DWAI, charged December 2022 in Clifton Park. 

Matthew Schlegel, 37, of Petersburg, NY, was sentenced to 1-1/3 to 4 years incarceration, after pleading to felony grand larceny. 

Eric B. Sahm, 46, of Liverpool, NY, was sentenced to 2 to 4 years incarceration, after pleading to felony grand larceny, charged April 2023 in Wilton. 

Charles M. Starke, 55, of Mechanicville, pleaded to felony criminal contempt, charged May 2023 in Malta. Sentencing Sept. 25. 

Jose A. Colon, 53, of Saratoga Springs, pleaded to felony robbery, charged May 15, 2023 in Saratoga Springs. Sentencing Oct. 16. 

Khalee J. Gooden, 30, of Glens Falls, pleaded to strangulation in the second-degree, charged December 2022 in South Glens Falls. Sentencing Oct. 11. 

Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office 

On July 27, the Sheriff’s Office charged Jeremy D. Smith, 30, of Malta with failure to register a change of address within 10 days as a sex offender. He was sent to Saratoga County Jail in lieu of bail or bond.  

NEW YORK State Police

On Aug. 9, State Police of Clifton Park charged Edward F. Storms, 30, of Halfmoon, with two counts of Reckless Endangerment in the second-degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. At about 10:20 p.m. on Aug. 9, Troopers responded to the area of Ocean Spray Boulevard in Halfmoon, for reports of a vehicle intentionally trying to strike children. The investigation determined Storms was reported to have recklessly operated his vehicle, nearly hitting two juveniles walking in the area after a verbal altercation with them. 

On Aug. 4, at about 11:15 p.m. State Police of Saratoga stopped a vehicle on State Route 9 in Saratoga Springs, for multiple Vehicle and Traffic Law violations. The driver was identified as Niladri Ghoshal, 42, of Saratoga Springs.  Ghoshal was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated and other Vehicle and Traffic Law violations. He was transported to SP Saratoga for processing, where he recorded a 0.19% BAC.  

On Aug. 7, at about 7 p.m. State Police of Wilton stopped a vehicle on Butler Road in Moreau, for multiple Vehicle and Traffic Law violations. The driver was identified as Jay A. Sherman, 44, of Moreau.  Sherman was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated and other Vehicle and Traffic Law violations. He was transported to SP Wilton for processing, where he recorded a 0.14% BAC. Further investigation discovered Sherman has had multiple DWI convictions in the last 10 years. He was arraigned at the Moreau Town Court and remanded to the Saratoga County Correctional Facility without bail.  

New Live Project Sept. 9 Depicts Collaborative Improvisation of Music and Art

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

ROCK CITY FALLS — An improvisation-based performance – highlighting the open collaborative process of music and live painting between the artists – will take place 3-5 p.m.  Saturday, Sept. 9 at The Barn at Rock City Falls, located at 710 Route 29, Rock City Falls. 

Titled EQUILIBRIUM – the collaborative improvisation takes place between the Rock City Falls Trio’s electric harpist Alex Chang, double bassist Jason Handron, and percussionist Adam Forman and NYC-based visual artist Christian A. Mendoza. The performance is supported by a Saratoga Arts Community Arts Regrant.  

EQUILIBRIUM plays with the ideas of both finding a healing calm and working toward balance between the intersection of the lived experiences that the artists bring to the performance and also the current precarity that they find themselves living within — a world on a delicate perch amid current climate-induced crises of soaring temperatures, flooding rains, and an uncertain futurity — while navigating a search for empathic connection. 

Their work includes a reimagining of the late renowned Japanese free jazz artist Masahiko Togashi’s Pray arranged for this performance by Forman and moves through original themes by the trio that culminate by contemplating possible futures in the work in constant dialogue with Mendoza’s large format live painting in situ. 

The performance is free and open to the public with limited seating as well as live-streamed online and documented by filmmaker Stephanie Ching (After Spring) underlining the importance of the live component of the improvisation process. 

For more information, follow the link at: https://tinyurl.com/equilibriumimprov. 

Ballston Spa’s Family Fun Day – Sunday, Aug. 20

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

BALLSTON SPA ­— The Village of Ballston Spa is holding its annual Family Fun Day, a free event, on Sunday, Aug. 20. 

Family Fun Day includes Quiet Hours from 10 a.m. to noon for those with sensory sensitivities and the Main Event from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. for general attendance, located on Front Street. 

The day will close with a family-friendly concert with “The Refrigerators” at 6 p.m. at Iron Spring Park, also located on Front Street. 

The event will include more than 10 bounce houses, carnival games and crafts. 

Village Mayor Frank Rossi, Trustee Bernadette VanDeinse-Perez, and Planning Board Chair Rory O’Connor volunteered to be in a dunk-tank booth. Affordable $1-$3 food options will be available and provided by some favorite local restaurants. Free parking is available at the Saratoga County Parking Lot on West High Street (Route 67) or the surrounding streets. Special Needs or handicapped parking is available close to the event.

Friday Art Market on Beekman Street

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

Photo provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Come and visit Saratoga Spring’s Beekman Street Arts District. On Friday, Aug. 18, Beekman Street Arts District is hosting a Friday Night Art Market from 5-8 p.m. (weather permitting/rain will cancel the event). 

There will be refreshments, live music, an array of local and visiting artists, craft demonstrations, aritist plein air painting on site, artisan demonstrations and more. Come shop, browse, and spend time with friends and family while supporting artists and local businesses.

Admission if free. The next Friday Art Market will take place September 22. For more information visit saratogaartdistrict.com.