Author: Saratoga TODAY

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) announced the schedule and artist line up for the 2025 Holiday Train, a festive celebration combining musical performances and holiday cheer kicking off with its first show on Nov. 19 in Montreal, Que. Now in its 27th year, the Holiday Train raises money and collects food across CPKC’s extensive network in Canada and the United States supporting community food banks and making a real difference for families in need.  

 “Every year, our railroaders take great pride in bringing the Holiday Train across our network, this year reaching even more communities for the first time,” said Keith Creel, CPKC President and CEO. “We are thrilled to send this beautiful train filled with lights and music to spread the joy of the season and proud to support the giving spirit of the holidays assisting people experiencing food insecurity. It’s incredible to see communities come together every year to celebrate the holidays while supporting local food banks.”  

 Holiday Train Highlights

• 196 live music shows in six provinces and 13 U.S. states. Thirteen communities will be visited by the Holiday Train for the first time, with new stops in Maine (1), Louisiana (6), Oklahoma (1), Texas (4) and Ontario (1). 

• Performers include Barenaked Ladies, Smash Mouth, Tyler Shaw, Brittany Kennell, Jade Eagleson, JJ Wilde, American Authors, Pynk Beard, Teigen Gayse, Lanco, Tiera Kennedy and Dylan Marlowe. 

• Since 1999, more than $26 million and over 5.4 million pounds of food for community food banks have been collected in Canada and the U.S.

“At East Side Neighborhood Services, our Food Programs are dedicated to providing consistent and dignified food access, especially for older adults and families in our community,” said Mary Ostapenko Anstett, President, East Side Neighborhood Services in Minneapolis, Minn. “The Holiday Train brings more than donations — it brings hope, awareness and critical support at a time when it’s needed most. With the help of our community partners such as CPKC, we remain committed to ensuring that access to food doesn’t become an added burden for our neighbors.” 

 Ed Robertson with the Barenaked Ladies, performing on the Holiday Train with stops in Alberta and British Columbia, adds, “I can’t imagine a better way to visit some of Canada’s beautiful mountain towns than by riding the CPKC Holiday Train. It’s going to be a great time for a great cause!”

 The festive atmosphere created by the brightly decorated Holiday Train and engaging musical performances embody the spirit of the holidays. Each event is free, with CPKC encouraging attendees to make a monetary or heart-healthy food donation as local food banks will be accepting donations at each stop.

 This year’s Holiday Train in the United States will feature a new light display honouring the legacy of ‘Rudy’ and the recently retired Kansas City Southern Holiday Express train that operated across the U.S. South for nearly a quarter century. 

 A full schedule and details of this year’s Holiday Train are available at cpkcr.com/holidaytrain. 

 The Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on Oct. 29 at 11 Liberty Street in the village of Corinth after a lengthy investigation into illicit drug possession and sales. 

As a result of the investigation, Laurent S. Murphy, 39, of Corinth; Trevor J. Thompson, 26, of Porter Corners; Arthur E. Brust Jr., 27, of Corinth; and Kathryn E. Tooker, 38, of Corinth, were arrested.

 Murphy was charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the 3rd degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 3rd degree (class B felonies) and criminal nuisance in the 1st degree (class E felony). He is accused of knowingly and unlawfully selling a narcotic drug and of knowingly and unlawfully possessing a narcotic drug with intent to sell it. 

Murphy is also accused of knowingly conducting or maintaining a premise where persons gathered for the purpose of engaging in the unlawful sale of controlled substances and of deriving a benefit from it. He was arraigned before the Honorable Michael T. Woodcock in the Corinth Town Court and remanded to the Saratoga County Jail pending further proceedings.

 Thompson, Brust Jr., and Tooker were charged with criminal nuisance in the 1st degree and arraigned before Woodcock as well. They were released to pretrial services pending further proceedings. The residence at 11 Liberty Street was condemned by Corinth Code Enforcement.

On Nov. 5 New York Governor Kathy Hochul directed that flags on all state government buildings be flown at half-staff in honor of former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney who passed away on November 3, 2025. 

Flags will be flown at half-staff immediately through interment — which has yet to be announced at time of publishing. 

“I am directing flags across New York State to be lowered in honor of Dick Cheney, our former Vice President and lifelong public servant,” Governor Hochul said. “I extend my deepest sympathies to the Cheney family as we remember his life, leadership, and patriotism.”

Cheney served as Vice President Under Present George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009. Prior to that he served as Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush from 1989-1993 and as the at large representative in Congress for Wyoming for 10 years from 1979-1989. 

He died at the age of 84 in Northern Virginia due to various health conditions, according to a statement from his family.