SARATOGA SPRINGS — Mildred Hoyle Meeker, 100, died July 8, 2023 at Saratoga Hospital. Mildred will be laid to rest with her late husband at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery. Online remembrances may be made at burkefuneralhome.com
BROADALBIN, NY — Joseph William Meuse III passed away Thursday, July 6, 2023 at Saratoga Hospital. Visitation will be on Saturday, July 15, 2023 from 12 – 2 p.m. at the Burke Funeral Home, 628 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs. Online remembrances may be made at burkefuneralhome.com
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Richard J. Blaich died on July 8, 2023. A memorial service will be Friday, July 21, 2023 at 6 p.m. at Compassionate Funeral Care. Calling hours will be 4 to 6 p.m. prior to the service. A private burial will be at Maplewood Cemetery at a later date. Condolences may be shared at compassionatefuneralcare.com
SALEM — Warren A. Cicotte passed away July 8, 2023. At the family’s request there will be no service at this time. “If I leave you, it doesn’t mean I love you any less, keep me in your heart for a while…” – Warren Zevon. Condolences may be shared at compassionatefuneralcare.com
It’s been seven years and you may be gone from our sight, but you are never gone from our hearts. Your loving family and friends.
MECHANICVILLE — Albert E. Brooks died July 9, 2023. At the family’s request, there will be no calling hours or service at this time. Condolences may be shared at compassionatefuneralcare.com
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Mary Ellen Tarantino passed away on July 6, 2023 at Shaker Place in Albany. She was born on April 8, 1938 in Saranac Lake to her parents, the late Bertha Mae Duquette and George LaDue. She came to Saratoga Springs with her family and ultimately graduated from Saratoga Springs High School. She always said some of her best memories were being with her extensive group of friends, where she would hang out at The Victoria Pool and Saratoga State Park. Mary Ellen was a dark-haired beauty with an eye for fashion, who was always beautifully pressed and dressed.
Upon graduating high school, she attended Grace Downs Airline School and while there in NYC, she was employed by Union Carbide Corp. for two years. She returned to Saratoga Springs to take a bank teller job at the Adirondack Trust Company. She then married her beloved husband Joseph Tarantino, and they celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 2010. When her children were grown, she became employed by Congressman Gerald Solomon for 20 years.
Her hobbies included sewing adorable dresses for her young daughters and had an eye for art with ceramics, where she made heartfelt lighted Christmas Trees. She volunteered for many organizations, one of which was running lunchroom at St. Peter’s High School. She enjoyed walks through The Avenue of Pines and Congress Park. Her daily “go-to” was Saratoga Casino where she would meet friends for lunch and would smile wryly when she had a big win at the slot machines. She loved a night out at Morton’s Restaurant with family. She enjoyed horse racing and rooting for her favorite horses. Even up to her last day driving at 84 years old, on her nightly ritual she could be seen in her black Rav4 with the designated MET15 license plate going to buy scratch off lotteries at Stewarts and then riding by her loved ones’ houses on her way home to see if they were all tucked in for the night. She will be greatly missed by her family.
She and her husband traveled to many fun places including Bermuda, Germany, Curacao Island, California, wintered in Flagler Beach, Florida and went on family vacations in Maine.
Along with her parents, Mary Ellen was predeceased by her husband Joe Tarantino, Jr. and her brothers Albert (Bing) LaDue and Frank LaDue. She is survived by her loving daughters, Sue Jeffreys and Joanne Tarantino; her beloved grandchildren Andrew Jeffreys (Allie Cox), Mia Jeffreys (Lenny Valvano) and Aspen Witt (Jeff Ridha); her sons-in-law William Jeffreys and John Witt; and her brother Jimmy LaDue (Barbara), all who are from Saratoga Springs. She also leaves behind her brother John LaDue (Karen) from Florida; her sister-in-law Penny LaDue from Georgia; and several nieces and nephews.
Services were private.
Memorial donations may be made in her honor to thsaratoga.org online or by mail to: Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, 683 NY-29, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
Online remembrances may be made at burkefuneralhome.com
BALLSTON SPA — After a successful launch of Saratoga County Historian’s tours in 2022, the History Center at Brookside Museum has announced five tours will take place from mid-July through September.
“Getting your feet on the ground where history happened is an excellent way to gain a deeper understanding of our modern communities,” Lauren Roberts, Saratoga County Historian said in a statement. “These walks reveal a glimpse of the past while providing context for the places we drive by every day.”
Each of the tour leaders are experienced historians with a depth of knowledge about their communities and the people who lived there. Tours are scheduled for 90 minutes and distances vary up to 1.5 miles.
Wednesday, July 19, 10 a.m. – Hillside Cemetery & Burnt Hills Baptist Church. Ballston Town Historian Rick Reynolds will explain how the Town of Ballston is preserving its past in Hillside Cemetery and tell stories of those buried there.
Thursday, Aug. 17, 1 p.m. – Round Lake. Village Historian Lance Spallholz and Scott Rigney will describe the community’s history which started in 1868 as a location for Methodist Camp meetings. The unique architecture of the village’s buildings will be on display.
Friday, Sept. 1, 10 a.m. – Ballston Spa Sensory Tour. Anne Clothier, Education Director at Brookside Museum, will explore the sights, sounds and smells of days of olde. Bring your children and grandchildren to this tour!
Saturday, Sept. 9, 10 a.m. – Historic Jonesville. Join Clifton Park Historian John Scherer for a walk through the historic hamlet of Jonesville and a tour of the Jonesville Rural Cemetery.
Tuesday, Sept. 26, 1 p.m. – Waterford 1810-1880. Russ Vandervoort, Waterford Town Historian will lead a walking tour of downtown Waterford, describing local landmarks and influential residents who lived there in the mid-19th century.
Registration must be made in advance at brooksidemuseum.org/events. A suggested donation of $10 per registration (individuals, couples or families) will support the programs of the History Center and a not-for-profit organization chosen by the tour leaders. Specific directions and parking locations will be provided to registrants in advance of the tour dates. For more information, call the History Center at 518-885-4000 or visit www.brooksidemuseum.org
SARATOGA — The Saratoga Lake Protection and Improvement District (SLPID), the governing body that supervises, manages, and controls Saratoga Lake for public benefit, has released a statement regarding initiatives.
Those initiatives include:
• Lake Steward Program – Lake Stewards monitor the introduction of invasive species by encouraging watercraft sanitation practices and educating boaters and fishermen on the importance of cleaning, draining, and drying all watercraft and equipment.
• Harvesting program. Weed harvesters manage aquatic vegetation for deep water access.
• Educational Programs – educational presentations and tabling events throughout the Saratoga region promoting public awareness of SLPID and sustainable ecological practices and prevention measures against environmental decline. Floating classrooms for the public on lake quality, stormwater prevention, aquatic invasive species, and wildlife habitat.
• “Take the Pledge,” – an erosion and stormwater prevention program for property owners on best management practices of lake living.
• Property analysis – property owner consultations on nature-based solutions on waterfront-friendly practices.
• Water testing – In lake and stream monitoring, Citizen Statewide Lake Assessment Program (CSLAP), a volunteer lake monitoring and education program that is managed cooperatively by DEC and New York State Federation of Lake Associations (NYSFOLA), Harmful algal bloom (HAB) monitoring.
• Lake assessments – yearly assessments on aquatic vegetation, aquatic invasive species, annual boat counts, and water quality reports.
• Aquatic invasive species management – Herbicide applications to manage aquatic invasive species and regular hand and mechanical harvesting.
• Support Marine Patrol
• Buoys – navigation and water testing buoys
•Lake levels – liaison to the dam for maintaining summer water levels.
All questions about the health, management, and programs of Saratoga Lake should be directed to SLPID at 518-223-3252, cconnolly@slpidny.gov, or visit the website at slpidny.gov.
QUEENSBURY — The West Mountain School has been selected as a recipient of a grant from the Killington World Cup Foundation, the school announced in a press release.
The grant award will help fund the WMS Capital “Building For The Future” Campaign for the race building expansion at West Mountain slated to begin this summer, the release states. In all, the Killington World Cup Foundation awarded 31 grants totaling $270,000 to Northeast area nonprofits in nine states for the upcoming ski season.
