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Author: Saratoga TODAY

Charity Hockey Game Returning to Weibel Ice Rink

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

Image provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Fire Hockey Team will present the second-annual St. Baldrick’s Cup, a charity hockey game between Saratoga Fire and the Albany Firefighters hockey team, on Sunday, March 15 at the Weibel Ice Rink in Saratoga Springs (30 Weibel Avenue).

All proceeds raised will go to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which has the goal of conquering childhood cancer by funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers, develop better treatments with fewer long-term side effects, and help survivors lead long and healthy lives. 

The day begins at 10 a.m. when doors open, offering attendees the opportunity to participate in head shavings, a signature St. Baldrick’s fundraising activity that raises additional funds while symbolizing solidarity with children undergoing treatment. Admission donations will be collected at the door to directly benefit the cause. 

The hockey game itself has a scheduled puck drop time of 11 a.m. During the game, there will be multiple fundraising activities going on, including a 50/50 raffle, various donations being raffled off, and the jersey silent auction. The Saratoga Fire hockey team will be wearing a special edition St. Patrick’s Day theme jerseys which will be auctioned off and given to the winners after the game. 

Following the game, the celebration will continue at King’s Tavern, where a portion of food sales from 1 to 5 p.m. will be donated to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. 

Last year’s inaugural St. Baldrick’s Cup, which featured the Saratoga Fire Hockey Team against the Worcester Firefighters, successfully raised $7,000 for childhood cancer research. Building on that momentum, the goal is to raise more than last year with all proceeds going to help fight childhood cancers.

For more information, visit www.stbaldricks.org/events/sbcup2026/teams.

NYRA Holds Belmont Job Fair

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) hosted a Belmont Stakes Racing Festival job fair in the 1863 Club at Saratoga Race Course last Thursday. Prospective workers met with NYRA, Dyehard Fan Supply, Integrated Staffing, and Levy Restaurants, among others. Available positions included restaurant hosts and staff, premium experience team, mutuel clerks, cashiers, merchandise clerks, customer service, maintenance and grounds crew, white caps, parking attendants and security guards. Photo provided by ELA, Inc.

Saratoga Peace Pod Celebrates 6 Years

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

BALLSTON SPA — The Saratoga Peace Pod, a group of crafters who create and deliver warm handmade items to those in need, is celebrating its six-year anniversary.

 The Peace Pod was established by Rachel Baum during the pandemic, when meetings were held virtually, and handcrafted items were collected from Pod members in the parking lot of the Saratoga Automobile Museum. 

Currently, the Saratoga Peace Pod creates warm items for local organizations, including To Life!, The MoonCatcher Project, Wellspring, WAIT House, and the Veterans & Community Housing Coalition. Donations are also sent to the umbrella organization Knitting4Peace, to be distributed wherever there is a need.

The Saratoga Peace Pod is an offshoot of Knitting4Peace, whose mission is to harness the power of love through compassionate creative action that invites, involves, and serves all women, children, and families in communities and countries around the world. It is comprised of thousands of knitters, crocheters, quilters, and supporters in the United States and Canada. Items created include hats, scarves, mittens, booties, baby blankets, baby bibs, afghans, quilted sleeping mats, Peace Pal dolls, shawls, and washcloths.

Members of the Saratoga Peace Pod meet one Sunday per month at Corina Contemporary Jewelry at 10 Washington Street in Ballston Spa. Saratoga Peace Pod Coordinators Amy Thomas and Laurie Bouchard collect donations at this time and welcome interested crafters to join them there for tea and conversation. Crafters may also drop off donations at the shop anytime it is open.

Those interested in joining the Pod and receiving a monthly email notifying members of their next gathering can contact Amy and Laurie at saratogapeacepod@gmail.com.

Week of March 6 – March 12, 2026

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Property Transactions.

This beautiful Dublin Square Townhome at 119 Grand Ave in Saratoga Springs was listed by Jane Mehan and sold by Anny O’Neil  from Roohan Realty and sold for $760,000

BALLSTON 

Samantha Healy sold property at 4 America Way to Michael Zotta for $585,000

Eastline Holdings LLC sold property at 32 Tamarack St to Kristopher Caraher for $779,980

GALWAY

Bradley Arnold sold property at 6307 Greens Corner Rd to Victoria Walton for $299,900

GREENFIELD

Annemarie OHearn sold property at 73 Pepper Lane to Elizabeth Lee for $559,000

Brian Fox sold property at 339 Green to Scott Shepard for $716,000

MALTA

Bertrand Belanger sold property at 2180 Rowley Rd to Forty Acres and Family for $875,000

Ramdeo Balliram sold property at 74 Pepperbush Place to Donald Knaack for $218,000

James Kennedy sold property at 19 Kozy Lane to Kozy House LLC for $490,000

Robert Behan sold property at 187 Thimbleberry Lane to Linhart McMullin for $320,000

MILTON

Anthony Giacomaro sold property at 632 Stark Terrace to Sean Flanagan for $725,000

SARATOGA

Kathyrn Guetti sold property at 109 Green St to Michelle Perkins for $200,900

Saratoga Lake 1226 LLC sold property at 1226 Rt 9P to 1226 Lake House Partners LLC for $1,250,000

SARATOGA SPRINGS

Walton Szczurco sold property at 12 Curt Blvd to Nicholas Lobosco for $339,000

John Capelli sold property at 8 Frederick Dr to Kincaid Capital Partners for $318,000

78 Church St LLC sold property at 78 Church St Unit 401 to Kristen McLoughlin for $1,369,593

Dato Ventures LLC sold property at 29 Newton Ave to John Alexanderson for $1,210,000

James Devellis sold property at 40 Fifth Ave to Matthew Bergeron for $2,710,000

Shayne Foley sold property at 5 Woodland Ct to Alexa Miller for 470,000

WILTON

David Crawford sold property at 40 Pheasant Ct to Joan Wilmarth for $295,000

Bradley Moss sold property at 12 Deer Run to Keith Egbert for $689,900

sold property at 62 Gailor Rd to Levi Holcombn for $296,000

Kyle Roberts sold property at 181 Traver Rd to Amanda Done for $650,000

New York Development Group sold property at 40 Cannon Royal Dr to Cobblehill Development LLC for $325,000

NYRA Announces Summer Stakes Schedule

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York Racing Association (NYRA) recently announced the stakes schedule for the 2026 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, which will open July 3 and continue through Labor Day, Sept. 7.

A few highlights include:

• Leo O’Brien on July 5

• Diana on July 18

• American Oaks on July 25

• Jim Dandy on Aug. 1

• A.P. Smithwick Memorial on Aug. 5

• John Morrissey on Aug. 6

• Whitney on Aug. 8

• Christophe Clement Turf on Aug. 15

• Alabama on Aug. 22

• Travers on Aug. 29

• Jonathan Sheppard Memorial on Sept. 2

• Spinaway on Sept. 5

• Spendthrift Farm Hopeful on Sept. 6

The full schedule is available on NYRA’s website here: https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/stakes-schedule/.

Ballston Spa Mayor Returns from Hiatus

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

In a video posted to Facebook, Ballston Spa Mayor Frank Rossi announced that he is not resigning and will be returning to office after a brief hiatus due to health reasons

After a brief hiatus due to medical reasons, Mayor Frank Rossi announced his to day-to-day duties in Ballston Spa. 

The announcement was made in a speech posted on Facebook on February 26. In the speech, Rossi talked about the reasons he took a leave of absence and said that he was feeling better. 

“I feel a lot better.” Rossi said. “My blood pressure is much better. My sleep schedule and sleep consistency are much improved. I would have said I was perfectly ready to return to work without hesitation.” 

Rossi had previously announced his decision to take a leave of absence in January, citing mental and physical health issues. His announcement came days after a lawsuit was filed alleging that a building owned by the Rossi family had failed to pay water taxes, as first reported in the Times Union. 

In addition, a second lawsuit has been filed seeking to reverse an ethics board decision taking no action after a company Rossi’s brother works for received a contract to renovate Wiswall Park in Ballston Spa. 

In his speech Rossi addressed the two lawsuits, pushing back on the allegations and saying that in both cases, the ethics board ruled in his favor. He also talked about the personal toll, saying that while he doesn’t care about his reputation, he cares about the reputational harm to the village and his family caused by the allegations. 

Rossi announced that he would not be resigning, citing the positive work he’d done over the last four years and the desire to continue not just his own work but that of past mayors and residents. 

“Would me resigning tonight resolve these issues and solve the problems the village is facing?” Rossi said  “No in fact, resigning would exacerbate the problems and the harm, in my view, it would derail what we’ve worked so hard to achieve, not just in these four years, but during Christine Fitzpatrick’s time, Larry Woolbright’s time, John Romanos time, Jim Capasso’s time, Burke Grandon’s time and Jim Capasso’s father’s time as mayor.” 

Saratoga County Career Center Announces March Virtual Workshops Schedule

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

The Saratoga County Career Center in conjunction with the Greater Capital Region Career Centers will hold the following free virtual career workshops during March:

March 4 at 10AM and March 5 at 10:30AM: Resume Development – This workshop presents the basics of a powerful and effective cover letter including formatting, tailoring to the job, and getting through the online application process to land an interview. Please have a rough draft of your resume with you. Facilitated by Rensselaer, Columbia-Greene, and Schenectady.

March 9 at 10AM: Broadview Financial Well-Being – Your budget is a key that opens doors, guiding you to your money goals. Get ready to take control of your finances and your future! Find out how to organize what you make, spend, and save; set goals to save up, spend down, look ahead; harness the power of mindful spending; and identify budget tactics that work best for you. Facilitated by Broadview and Schenectady.  

March 10 at 10:30AM: 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.

March 11 at 10AM and March 24 at 1:30PM: Goal Setting – Goals are what take us forward in life. They are the first step in every journey we take. In this workshop we will explain how goal setting works, why goals are important, and take home more helpful resources to get you started. Remember: “If you aim for nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” Find out how to reach your dreams. Facilitated by Washington, Albany, and Schenectady.

March 12 at 11AM: Essential Skills for Success in Any Workplace – Join this engaging workshop to learn about the skills that are most valued by business leaders yet are underdeveloped in employees. Learn why these skills are critically important, how to develop them, and the influence of AI. Facilitated by Albany.

March 17 at 10:30AM and March 19 at 11AM: 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 Schenectady, Saratoga, and Washington.

 March 19 at 1:30PM and March 26 at 10AM: Transferable Skills – Transferable skills are qualities you have already acquired which can be used in a different job. Make it easy for employers to see the connection between your qualities and the skillset needed to do the job and market yourself as the solution to an employer’s problem. Learn ways to research the employer’s needs, then identify and show them that you have these skills. Facilitated by Warren, Washington, and Schenectady.

March 20 at 10:30AM and March 25 at 10:30AM: Networking – Networking is your strategic tool for cultivating lasting relationships, fostering professional growth, and unlocking opportunities. Join us for an approachable journey to understanding networking. Facilitated by Albany, Warren, and Schenectady.

March 24 at 11AM: 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 Fulton-Montgomery-Schoharie.

March 26 at 1:30PM: 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 www.saratogacountyny.gov/workforce 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. The Saratoga County Department of Workforce Development provides comprehensive training and employment services to residents through its Career Center and works with local businesses to attract and retain the local workforce.

Kim to Takeover as Interim Leader of Saratoga Springs Democrats

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

Former Mayor Ron Kim will lead the Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee as interim chairman (Photo: Saratoga Springs Democrats Facebook page.)

The Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee has announced that former mayor Ron Kim will take over as interim chairman of the committee. 

Kim was elected to the interim position following the resignation of chairman Ottis Maxwell during the Feb 21 meeting, according to a press release issued by the Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee. 

Kim previously served as Mayor from 2022- 2023 before being defeated by current Mayor John Safford in 2023. Prior to that, he served as Commissioner of Public Safety from 2005-2009. 

“Our local Democrats have spoken, and we need to prove that we hear them,”  Kim said in the release. “A local committee’s role has always been about building power and resources to help our candidates succeed, and moving forward, the SSDC is doubling down on this critical mission. While I may be a familiar face around city politics, I’m doggedly committed to recruiting and empowering new voices with the energy and expertise that can lead our candidates to victory, while keeping voters engaged and informed.” 

In the release, the Committee also announced that former Commissioner of Finance and current County Supervisor Minita Sanghvi and Former Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran had both resigned their positions on the executive committee — among other resignations. 

The resignations come after the committee suffered major setbacks in the 2025 elections. While Democrats defeated Republicans Chuck Marshall for control of the Department of Public Works and George Ehinger for supervisor, they lost control of the Finance and Accounts Department while failing to unseat Safford for the Mayor’s seat. 

The press release addressed these losses and said they conducted surveys into what Democratic voters wanted to see from the party moving forward. According to the Committee, voters wanted to see new leadership and commitment to winning state races. 

As for Kim, he will serve in an interim capacity until a new Chairperson can be elected sometime later this year. 

Hadley Man in Critical Condition after Snowmobile Crash

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

A Hadley man was rushed to the hospital on March 2 after an unwitnessed snowmobile crash on Sacandaga Lake in the Town of Day. 

Ryan Looman, 67, of Hadley was airlifted to Albany Medical Center after his snowmobile crashed while he rode on Lake Sacandaga, according to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. 

A preliminary investigation by the Sheriff’s Office found that Looman was about 1,000 yards offshore when he crashed. While the crash wasn’t witnessed, another rider who had been riding behind him discovered the crash. 

Looman was transported to Albany Medical Center in serious condition with life-threatening injuries. The crash is still under investigation. 

Fraudulent EZPass Activity Investigation Leads to Felony Arrest

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

On February 26, 2026, State Police of Clifton Park, with the assistance of the Schenectady Police Department, arrested Mazin S. Kakoum, 27, of Clifton Park, NY, for three counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument 2nd, a class “D” felony.

On February 25, 2026, State Police received a complaint from a Rensselaer County resident reporting fraudulent activity on their EZPass account. The investigation led to the discovery of a vehicle on River Crest Drive in Clifton Park that displayed a forged New York State license plate. The forged plate matched the victim’s legitimate registration. Kakoum allegedly owned and operated multiple vehicles while displaying the forged plate he reportedly purchased online, resulting in misallocated tolls on the victims’ EZPass account. In addition, two more fraudulent plates in his possession were located and seized.

Kakoum was arrested at his home and transported to SP Clifton Park for processing. He was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Clifton Park Town Court on March 18, 2026, and released.