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Author: Saratoga TODAY

Saratoga Community Garden at Wesley

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Need a raised bed to garden in? Saratoga Springs Community Garden at Wesley has planting beds that folks from the Saratoga community can come to garden in the space. 

Make new friends in the garden and at monthly socials, grow healthy organic food and enjoy beautiful flowers.

If you are interested in applying for gardening space, please contact Susan Bokan for an application at susanbokan@gmail.com or 518-221-8142. For more information visit thewesleycommunity.org/about-wesley/extended-neighborhood/community-garden/

No Mow May: Give Up Your Lawnmower & Give Bees A Chance

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.


No Mow May, for the bees

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Put your lawnmower aside for the month of May to help save our bees and the planet.

The City of Saratoga Springs is joining with Sustainable Saratoga to launch No Mow May, a national movement to help highly at-risk Pollinators transition from barren winter to blooming spring.

Action Plan:  Take No Action!

During the critical month of May, the city of Saratoga Springs will encourage all to keep your mowers at rest and let lawns go natural in May. This critical transition month allows the Bees, Moths, Butterflies, and all other Pollinators to safely exit their winter ground homes and find nectar nourishment available during May…nectar from beautiful Clover (great nitrogen source for spring lawns), cheerful Dandelions, native lovely violets and the few other Wildflowers that bloom and go to seed in May prior to mowing.

Appleton, Wisconsin was the first U.S. community to adopt No Mow May, in 2020. It proved exceptionally successful in supporting pollinators: No Mow May lawns had 5x as many bees and 3x as many bee species as lawns that were mown, according to scientists in Wisconsin.

Sustainable Saratoga has NO MOW MAY Bee Lawn Signs announcing you’ve signed up to help “Save The Bees.”  Get a sign by emailing pollinators@sustainablesaratoga.org. The organization requests a $10 donation to Sustainable Saratoga to cover the cost of the sign. The signs can be re-used each May for at least 10 years.

April 22 – April 28, 2023

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Blotter.

Saratoga Springs Police Department

Seddy Richardson, 45, of Schenectady, was charged April 9 with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and driving in the wrong direction. 

Thurman Jones III, 38, of Green Island, was charged April 9 with felony DWI, and failed to stop at a stop sign. 

Matthew Ragotskie, 31, of Saratoga Springs, was charged April 8 with trespass and resisting arrest.

William Murdick, 22, of Ballston Spa, was charged April 8 with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and failure to obey traffic control device. 

Joe Powell, 59, of Saratoga Springs, was charged April 7 with menacing, assault, criminal contempt, and criminal possession of a weapon. 

Ketia Louis, 41, of Albany, was charged April 7 with petit larceny, conspiracy, and act in manner to injure child. 

Arianna Vanness, 22, of Albany, was charged April 7 with petit larceny, conspiracy, and act in manner to injure child, and motor vehicle license violation.

Thomas Connolly, 24, of Ballston Lake, was charged April 7 with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and failed to use headlights with windshield wipers.  

Saratoga  Court

Penny L. Richards, 47, of Ballston Spa, was sentenced April 11 to 1 to 3 years’ incarceration after pleading to felony grand larceny, first charged November 2022 in Saratoga Springs.

Jonni A. Koller, 48, of Hudson Falls, was sentenced April 11 to 4 months (intermittent) incarceration, and five years’ probation, after pleading to felony DWI, first charged April 2022 in Northumberland. 

John D. Stevens, 44, of Wayland, Missouri, was sentenced April 11 to 5 years’ probation, after pleading to felony criminal possession of a weapon, charged December 2022 in Clifton Park. 

Jorge L. Lopez, 41, of Moreau, was sentenced April 11 to 1 year of local incarceration, after pleading to criminal use of drug paraphernalia in the second-degree. 

Sherrie Lee Criscio, 51, was sentenced to 5 years’ probation after pleading to felony DWI. 

Joshua G. Boles, 33, of Diamond, Ohio, was sentenced April 10 to 2 to 4 years’ incarceration, after pleading to criminal possession of a weapon, a felony. First charged October 2022 in Waterford. 

William D. Kunkel, 47, of Corinth, pleaded April 10 to criminal sexual act in the first-degree, first charged January 2022 in Corinth. Sentencing June 12. 

Matthew Schlegel, 37, of Petersburg, N.Y., pleaded April 13 to felony grand larceny, charged 2021 in Charlton. Sentencing June 15. 

Erica B. Shippee, 36, of Greenfield Center, was sentenced April 13 to 2 years’ incarceration, after pleading to criminal possession of a controlled substance. 

Jon A. Miles, 65, of Burnt Hills, was sentenced April 13 to 5 years’ probation, after pleading to criminal possession of stolen property. 

Thomas C. Madsen, 24, of Mechanicville, was sentenced April 13 to 4 years’ incarceration and 2 years’ post-release supervision after pleading to criminal possession of a controlled substance, and 1 year of local incarceration after pleading to felony aggravated family offense. Sentences to run concurrently. 

Bryan Pallone, 35, of Schenectady, pleaded April 13 to felony grand larceny, charged November 2022 in Halfmoon. Sentencing May 3. 

William R. Burden, 31, of Ballston Spa, pleaded April 13 to felony attempted assault, charged August 2022 in Ballston. Sentencing June 15. 

Cody J. Letourneau, 26, of Clifton Park, pleaded April 13 to failure to register as a sex offender, charged December 2022 in Malta. Sentencing June 12. 

Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office 

On April 7, at around 6:35 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Fire Road and State Route 146 in the town of Clifton Park for a report of an armed robbery involving a firearm. It was reported that property was stolen from a male at gunpoint by another male known to him. Responding units located a person in the area matching the description provided by the person who reported the robbery who was detained and later released pending further investigation. On April 8, the Sheriff’s Office arrested Steven M. Silvestri, 29, of Schenectady for falsely reporting an incident in the third-degree and making a punishable false written statement. Silvestri is accused of making a false report to law enforcement and of providing a false written statement. He was processed, released, and is due to appear in Clifton Park Town Court at a later date. The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the New York State Police.

Robert A. Desautels, Jr.

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

AMSTERDAM — With great sorrow, the Desautels family announces the passing of our brave, caring and unimaginably generous Robert A. Desautels, Jr. Robert fought long and hard for over 15 months after a brain cancer diagnosis.

Robert (Bob) was born in Albany, NY on November 4, 1969. He grew up in Saratoga Springs,  playing basketball, football, riding bikes and enjoying time with friends. He graduated from Adirondack Community College in Queensbury, NY and then Emerson College in Boston, MA.

Before his diagnosis, Bob owned a State Farm Agency in Rotterdam, NY. His goal was to make Insurance Fun. Anyone who was a client or visited his office can attest that he achieved this goal.

He is survived by his loving wife, Angel Desautels; children, Nicholas (wife Kelsey), Ryan and Rachael Desautels; stepson Aidan Schell; grandmother, Helen Trivelas; mother, Lillian Desautels; sister, Nika Desautels-Schena; as well as beloved nieces, Megan and Emily Schena; cherished pets Chloe and Ollie; and many dear friends and acquaintances.

Bob was a beautiful person inside and out. His smile was so infectious that it would light up the whole room. He cared so deeply for the people around him. He was kind and passionate and made an impact on many lives. He will be forever missed. 

Bob, our hearts ache with loss but we are happy that you are home free and painless. We will always love and miss you… until we meet again.

Relatives and friends may call from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, April 30 at the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518-584-5373) followed directly by a funeral home service. 

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in memory of ‘Robert Desautels’ to support brain cancer research at dana-farber.org/gift (Please note Robert’s name to ensure donation goes to brain cancer research).

Online remembrances may be made at burkefuneralhome.com

Mary Kohler

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

SCHUYLERVILLE — Mary Kohler, age 61, passed away on Friday, April 21, 2023 at Saratoga Hospital with her family by her side. At the family’s request there will be no calling hours or service at this time. For online condolences, visit www.compassionatefuneralcare.com

Leslie Kathleen Thiele

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Leslie Kathleen Thiele, 70, of Schenectady died April 23, 2023, of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. There will be a memorial service for Leslie at a later date. For online condolences, visit www.compassionatefuneralcare.com

Michelle Brennan

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Michelle Brennan, 49, passed away April 19. Visitation: 5 – 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28 at Burke Funeral Home, N. Broadway. Mass: 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 29 at St. Henry’s Catholic Church, Long Lake, NY followed by burial in Long Lake Cemetery. Remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com

Voters Approve Saratoga Springs Public Library Budget: 174 to 10 

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

Photo provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs School District residents have approved a tax levy of $5,283,757 to operate the Saratoga Springs Public Library in FY 2023-24.  Katie Capelli of Saratoga Springs was re-elected to the Library’s Board of Trustees. She ran unopposed.

 The library serves the residents of the Saratoga Springs City School District, and funds for the library are collected when school taxes are collected.  The proposed FY 23-24 contains a 1.5% increase over the amount levied in FY 22-23. The most recent increase was approved in 2019.  An estimated $774,103 will be available from sources other than FY 23-24 property taxes. The tax amount for public library purposes appears as a separate item on school district tax bills.

“We thank all those who came out to vote.” said Library Board President Katie Capelli, in a statement.  “We’ve just completed another busy year, including making progress toward the goals set out in our long-range service plan, and we continue to adapt to new modes of delivering library services introduced in the midst of a public health crisis. We are delighted by the public’s ongoing support, and look forward to continuing to serve the community as it recovers from the pandemic.”

Saratoga Springs to Receive $300,000 for Crescent Avenue Connector Project

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Congressman Paul Tonko has selected the city of Saratoga Springs’ Crescent Avenue Connector project to receive $300,000 in funding under the Fiscal Year 2024 Community Project Funding process, supporting Mayor Ron Kim’s Complete Streets initiatives.

With this opportunity, the city will be able to design a one mile long, eight-to-ten-foot-wide asphalt path parallel to Crescent Avenue, between Route 9 and Nelson Avenue. 

The multi-use trail will have lanes for both cyclists and pedestrians, increasing safety from car collisions for the community, according to a statement on April 20 released by the city. 

Waldorf Rebranding: School to Close High School Program, Focus On PreK – Grade 8

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Education, Featured.

Waldorf School outdoor high school class. Photo provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs has announced the rebranding of its school and mission to serve children in preschool through grade 8. This milestone is a major move for the Waldorf School in its mission to inspire creative thought, discourse, human connections, and experiential learning. 

This news comes in the wake of many recent initiatives and accomplishments of the Waldorf School, including: 

• Closing the High School Program: After much deliberation, the Board of Directors decided to close the Waldorf High School program at the end of this school year. Low enrollment over a number of years and a need to refocus energies on developing other programming precipitated this move.

• Expanding Early Childhood Programs: For the 2023-2024 school year the Waldorf School will provide full-day and half-day Mixed-Age Kindergarten classes, Preschool classes, and Caregiver-Child Playgroups at two locations: Forest Campus on Kaydeross Avenue West and Early Childhood Center on Lake Avenue. 

• Lower School Program Expansion: The Waldorf School is undergoing revisions to strengthen programming and build upon the artistic and academic rigor the school is known for including Pre and Early Literacy renewal, enhanced Middle School Curriculum, and Afterschool Program development. Regents tests will be offered to 8th grade students to help prepare them for the Advanced Regents diploma in high school, should they choose to take that route. 

• Rebranding: The Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs is rebranding itself as a PreK-Grade 8 institution that will continue to grow and expand in its new form, prepare for a changing world, and the next decade of Waldorf Education in Saratoga Springs. 

“The Waldorf School has been a hallmark of the Saratoga Springs community for over four decades. Rebranding our school and refocusing our mission will ensure that we are able to provide Waldorf education to the region for decades to come,” said Astrea Ravenstar, Administrator at the Waldorf School. “The interest and enthusiasm for our Early Childhood and Grade School programs at this time is astounding, and while the closing of the high school is very emotional for many of us, it is balanced by the strength and growth of our other programs.” 

Board President, Richard Frank, reflects, “As has always been in our school’s 43-year history, our community — with its deep passion, commitment, and vision — will be the true source of the strength of our school as we move together into the future. We are grateful for the commitment, care, and dedication of our community of friends, colleagues, and students that allows us to continue to bring Waldorf education to families in Saratoga Springs.”