BALLSTON SPA — Local art and accompanying activities will be presented in downtown Ballston Spa from 4 – 7 p.m. Friday, May 5, as part of the First Friday event “School Art in the Community.”
Presented by the Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association in collaboration with the Ballston Spa Central School District, visitors can expect to see artwork created by students from pre-K to high school on display in participating businesses throughout the downtown area.
The Malta Ave Odyssey of the Mind team will be holding an ice cream fundraiser in Wiswall Park, with all proceeds going towards their trip to World Finals at the end of May.
In addition to the art displays, visitors can enjoy food and drink specials at participating shops as well as special promotions.
For more information, visit www.ballston.org or contact the BSBPA at info@ballston.org
BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa High School National Honor Society will host a Touch-A-Truck event at Gordon Creek Elementary School on May 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This family event offers kids of all ages the opportunity to explore a variety of different vehicles, such as fire, police, military and construction vehicles.
There will be a horn free hour from 10-11 a.m. Admission is free and open to the community, but donations are welcome with proceeds to benefit the NHS Scholarship Fund. The event is held outside the Gordon Creek Elementary School at 50 Wood Road, Ballston Spa.
For additional information, please contact Christina Carlson at ccarlson@bscsd.org or 518-884-7150 ext. 2368.
Photo provided by Ballston Spa Central School District.
BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa CSD Board of Education approved the proposed 2023-24 school district budget at the April 19 meeting. The proposed 2023-2024 budget is $104,232,811, which represents a 5.7% increase in expenditures over the 2022-2023 budget. The projected tax levy to support the 2023-2024 budget is $58,016,479 – which represents a 3.1% increase over the 2022-2023 tax levy. The adopted budget supports all current programs in place and adds additional staff support for both academic programs, as well as for struggling and accelerated students.
The mandated School District Annual Budget Hearing was scheduled for May 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the Ballston Spa High School Library. There are also two Community Budget Presentations being offered this spring for residents to learn more about the budget proposal. Interested voters are invited to attend on Tuesday, May 9 at the Malta Community Center or on Thursday, May 11 at the Milton Community Center – both at 6:30 p.m.
If a resident of the school district meets the definition of a “qualified voter” but has not registered to vote, (s)he must register to be eligible to receive a ballot. A qualified voter may register with the county by contacting the Saratoga County Board of Elections, or at the district’s registration day on May 9.
Absentee ballots are available for voters who are unable to visit the polls on May 16. An application for the absentee ballot is available for pickup at the District Office or by calling 518-884-7195 ext. 1320. Absentee ballots must be received no later than 5 p.m. on May 16.
There are three Board of Education seats up for election this year, commencing in July 2023.
Voters will select from the following candidates at the polls: Katie Whittemore, Julia Routbort Baskin and Matt Dreher. A Candidates’ Information night will be held on May 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the BSHS Library for area voters to learn more about the candidates.
District voters will also vote on three propositions on the ballot on May 16. Proposition I is the School Budget proposal for the 2023-2024 school year in the amount of $104,232,811. The second is for School Vehicle Replacement in the amount of up to $965,000 to purchase and replace school buses and vehicles. Proposition III is for the Ballston Spa Public Library in the amount of $62,102 towards the expense of operating the public library.
The annual statewide School Budget Vote and Board of Education Elections will be held on May 16 from 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. District residents vote at Ballston Spa High School (residents of the Towns of Ballston, Milton and Charlton) and the Malta Town Hall (residents of Malta).
Additional information is on the district website and/or in the newsletter being mailed to district residents. Questions and/or comments may be sent via the comments section on the district website at www.bscsd.org or call the District Office at 518-884-7195.
An event I especially look forward to every spring is the blossoming of the early-flowering woody trees and shrubs. Their flowering sequence is a regular as clockwork. The first to show color is the native Vernal Witch Hazel. Its small flowers can range form a pale yellow to a rusty red and are often overlooked since they are small and appear even while the last of the snow is melting.
Another native early flowering tree can’t be overlooked: the Amalanchier which is also known as Serviceberry. Amalanchier trees light up the forests with their clouds of brilliant white flowers long before there are any leaves on any of the trees. They are an important food for any early pollinators looking for a meal. Later, Amalanchier berries will feed the birds that have just arrived from their migration north.
A little later, the interesting Redbud trees flower. Unlike most trees, the Redbud’s clusters of tiny flowers appear all along the woody stems rather than at the tips. Its unique appearance always leads to folks flocking to buy them at the garden center during their bloom time.
As the days rapidly lengthen and grow warmer, the progression of flowering trees accelerates, and we’ll enjoy all the apple blossoms. There are the fruit-bearing apples with their pink and white flowers. Along with them arrive their ornamental cousins, the flowering crabapples. Flowering crabapples can range in color from pure white to red and are a sight to behold at their peak flowering.
In mid-spring the dogwoods arrive with their odd four-petaled flowers. The petals are actually bracts, or leaves that simulate flowers. At the center of the bract is the true flower that will eventually form the dogwood fruit which is prized by birds and people who enjoy making dogwood jam form them.
Late in spring we get to enjoy the large flowers of the Magnolias. The largest is the Saucer Magnolia with its large pink flowers. Star magnolias with their smaller form and pure white flowers are impossible to ignore. Lately, yellow magnolias like ‘Butterflies’ have regained popularity. The sight of a well-established 25’ yellow magnolia in full flower is not easily forgotten. Thankfully, they are becoming more readily available than they were ten years ago.
If you are interested in planting early flowering trees, make sure to start prowling the nurseries in March and April, and plant them early in the season to get them off to the best start. If you already have them, remember to do any pruning as soon as they finish their flowering cycle so that the new growth you stimulate will have a whole growing season to produce the buds they need for more flowers the following spring.
MALTA — The Sugar Fairy Bakes, LLC has opened its second brick and mortar shop in the town of Malta. The soft opening took place on Saturday, April 1. This new retail bake shop and coffee destination is located at 2110 Ellsworth Blvd. The shop is conveniently located on the corner of Rt 9, about one mile off Exit 12 of I-87.
The old fashioned from scratch bake shop offers a large variety of pastries, cookies and cakes, as well as breakfast sandwiches, and light lunch offerings. All items are made from scratch in the Mechanicville bakery, which is also the original storefront for The Sugar Fairy Bakes.
In addition to the sweet eats, the new Malta bake shop is also a specialty coffee spot. The bake shop exclusively serves Moxxi Coffee, a locally-sourced brand. The Sugar Fairy Bakes offers cold brew and fresh hot brew as well as 13 flavors of iced or hot lattes, which are also available in latte flights. Custom cakes, catering needs as well as breads are all part of the vast menu offerings. This new bakery-coffee shop in Malta is open for breakfast, lunch and anytime treats, Tuesday – Friday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
“We are excited about our continued growth in this market,” said Stacie Blair, owner of The Sugar Fairy Bakes. “Malta has always been the goal destination for a brick-and-mortar shop and we are extremely grateful to the community members for welcoming us and supporting our growth as a small business.”
A grand opening, which will also debut a 1,000 sq foot event and meeting space, will be held on June 24. The celebration will include a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. hosted by The Southern Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re all nostalgic for simpler times in our lives and in our fast-paced world I want to give my customers something different. I believe baking is a labor of love. Love that should be shared with others,” said Blair. “As a from scratch baker taught by grandma over 35 years ago, I bring these sweet memories to the bakery and use them as the foundation that we build on every day. Keeping with tradition we use real butter, real eggs, and never run short on passion. Time and circumstances have changed as my company has grown, but the foundation laid in 2019 has remained constant. The potential here is limited only by my imagination.”
ALBANY — Chick-fil-A, Inc. has announced the operators of its two Capital Region locations, which will open this summer.
Scott Payne will work as owner/operator of the Clifton Park location at 304 Clifton Park Center Rd. Payne is a veteran who served as a pilot in the Marine Corps, and previously was the owner/operator of a Chick-fil-A in Purcellville, Virginia.
Will Potts will serve as owner/operator of the North Greenbush location at 502 North Greenbush Rd. Potts previously was the general manager at a Chick-fil-A location in Cheektowaga and participated in the Chick-fil-A Leadership Development Program.
In celebration of the openings, Chick-fil-A said it will donate $25,000 on behalf of each new restaurant to Feeding America, totaling $50,000 directed to support partners in the greater Albany-Schenectady-Troy area, according to the press release. The new locations will add approximately 200 jobs, the release says.
BALLSTON SPA — The Saratoga County Career Center in conjunction with the Greater Capital Region Career Centers will hold the following free virtual career workshops in May:
May 9 at 10:30 a.m.: Interview Preparation. Learn how to articulate your strengths, what questions to expect, how to address difficult topics, and ace the interviewing process. Facilitated by Schenectady.
May 10 at 10 a.m.: Goal Setting. This workshop explores how goal setting works, why goals are important, and provides helpful resources to get you started to reach your dreams. Facilitated by Washington and Albany.
May 18 at 11 a.m.: Completing Job Applications. Statistics show approximately 50% of mid-sized companies and almost all large corporations use an applicant tracking system to screen candidates for job opportunities. Learn how to prepare your online application to get the most visibility from hiring managers. Facilitated by Warren and Washington.
May 23 at 11 a.m.: Overcoming Barriers. Join an informal discussion about how to overcome potential stumbling blocks to finding a job. Whether you’re facing transportation needs, childcare needs, prior justice system involvement, inexperience, health concerns or more, this workshop will provide you with resources and strategies to help you meet your goals. Facilitated by Saratoga and Fulton-Montgomery-Schoharie.
May 25 at 1:30 p.m.: Social Media. Your social media presence can make or break your ability to find a job. Learn how to use social media to your advantage in searching for a job and marketing yourself to land the job or career you’ve always wanted. Facilitated by Schenectady.
Registration is required for all workshops. Visit thejoblink.org/calendar to register or call the Saratoga County Career Center at (518) 884-4170 for more information. The workshops are offered as part of the Saratoga County Career Center’s WorkPays! workforce education campaign.
Former Executive Director Steve Porto (left) with Honorary Trustee Treat Williams (right) at Grant’s Bicentennial Birthday Gala, October 2022. Photo provided.
WILTON — Porto has been with the organization for almost 5 years, after 14 years as Director of Parks and Recreation at Gavin Park in Wilton.
Porto oversaw the renovation of the site Visitor Center and expansion of the gift shop, pursued partnerships with state and local officials and businesses and NYS Parks, fostered the historic site’s brand, and led successful Grant bicentennial celebrations. He assisted the National Historic Landmark on the path to a new Strategic Plan and the long-term goal of construction of an Education Pavilion on the summit to carry out their mission of bringing the compelling story of Ulysses S. Grant to a wider audience.
Porto will stay on with Grant Cottage to work on special projects. He is succeeded by Beth J. Merrill, a seasoned non-profit and museum specialist.
BALLSTON SPA — The long-running interactive “Sheep to Shawl” program at Brookside Museum returns to the Saratoga County History Center on May 13 from 1 – 4 p.m.
Sheep, lambs, farmers, herders, and shearers, including the famous Fred the Shearer, and the Rock Day Spinning Guild will assemble on Brookside Museum’s front lawn to demonstrate every facet of sheep raising, shearing, and spinning to produce the wool clothing that was so ubiquitous in early America.
Sheep to Shawl is a hands-on, family-friendly event. Activities include petting the sheep, meeting farmers, and participating in demonstrations.
Brookside Museum is located at 21 Fairground Ave., Ballston Spa. A well-preserved 1792 mansion, Brookside houses the records, collections, and exhibits of the Saratoga County History Center. Visit www.brooksidemuseum.org.
