Dr. Christine Alexander-Decker, MD, Charlie Kuenzel, and Karen Verrigni discuss the health, history, and horses of Saratoga Springs, NY! This podcast will teach you the history behind how Saratoga came to be the horse-racing town and healthful Spa City!
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Charlton School of Burnt Hills has announced a record $200,000 grant received from the Sarah B. Foulke Charitable Fund. It is the largest cash gift a charity has made to the school’s long-term fundraising plan called the “Next Chapter.” The donation will help fund renovations to a historic chapel that has served as a therapeutic arts space since 2014. The renovation project, the first step in a 20-year plan to reshape the school’s campus, began in June 2020, and will be completed this year by Schrader & Company Construction Services. The updated arts center will include a new kiln room and handicap accessible bathroom, new energy efficient windows and doors, new lighting, electrical, heating, and cooling systems, and new flooring and cabinetry.
Alex Capo, Executive Director of The Charlton School, said, “We are extremely grateful to the Sarah B. Foulke Charitable Fund for their tremendous generosity. In return for this significant gift, we are proud to name our new therapeutic arts space The Sarah B. Foulke Arts Center. We will also establish an annual Sarah B. Foulke Art Award; it will be given to an outstanding art student at graduation and will encourage future generations of Charlton School students.”
Anthony J. Izzo, speaking on behalf of Suzan Nolan and Lyn Murphy, two other advisors to the Sarah B. Foulke Charitable Fund, which is administered through The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region, explained the impetus for the gift. “Sarah Blackwell Foulke, a long-time Saratoga Springs resident and an attorney who practiced in Saratoga County, was a kind, giving, compassionate, and courageous woman who loved the arts and her community. She felt women deserved better opportunities in this world than they have. After touring the school and reviewing its mission, we decided that The Charlton School would be a good fit with Sarah’s interests in supporting the arts and opportunities that empower women and girls. We knew that naming the Arts Center in Sarah’s honor would create a long-lasting legacy to her spirit and passion for helping girls achieve great things and become their best selves. In this way, through The Charlton School, Sarah’s name will always be associated with enriching young students’ lives.”
Executive Director Capo added, “Our goal has been to transform the chapel into a space conducive to the intense emotional work necessary for a quality therapeutic arts program. This 50-year-old chapel building has been in dire need of updating. With the Sarah B. Foulke Charitable Fund donation and the fine craftsmanship that the team at Schrader & Company has brought to this project, we can redesign the space to fit those needs.”
About The Charlton School
The Charlton School, located at 322 Lake Hill Road in Burnt Hills, was founded in 1895 by John S. Hawley, a successful NYC business owner. He donated the land and $25,000 to open the Charlton Industrial Farm School for Boys destined for a criminal life due to neglect and poverty. In 1938, the Farm School building burnt to the ground overnight. The farmland was maintained for the next 17 years. In 1955, a new building was erected, and the doors opened to young women. The Charlton School began their mission of providing education and a home for young women within the Social Service System.
From those early beginnings, The Charlton School has emerged as a therapeutic learning community offering the right treatment in the right environment for students who struggle with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or complex traumas. The Charlton School also sees students who exhibit school refusal, fragility, or withdrawal; students lacking in self-esteem, motivation, or social skills; or students who are struggling with relationship or identity issues.
The Charlton School strives to create a safe and nurturing environment that fosters growth in their students and empowers them to succeed educationally and emotionally throughout their lives.
For more information on The Charlton School or questions on how you can contribute to their “Next Chapter” of growth, visit TheCharltonSchool.org.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The area’s longest running farmers’ market, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market Association, will open their indoor winter market season on Saturday, November 7, continuing at the Wilton Mall. Markets will run each Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and will feature 50+ vendors selling a full range of locally produced items including fresh produce, ready-to-eat foods, and artisanal products. The market will be in the mall’s food court, accessible from the Bow Tie Cinemas mall entrance and from the mall interior.
The market’s summer season is currently running in the parking lot just outside of the food court. The mall location allows the markets to maintain COVID-19 social distancing and safety requirements. Association representatives and mall management staff are now focused on providing a similarly safe shopping experience indoors by taking measures such as spacing vendor stalls further apart, providing extra hand washing and sanitizing opportunities, and closely monitoring crowds.
Market manager Emily Meagher added: “We are working to continue the safe and pleasant shopping experience that we have established this summer, and are grateful to the Wilton Mall management for providing us with the additional space needed to accomplish this goal. Our vendors will continue to provide fresh and local food to help our community stay healthy throughout the winter.”
About the Saratoga Farmers’ Market:
Beginning in 1978 with a handful of vendors in a parking lot, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market
has grown to be one of the area’s largest markets.
It is a year-round not for profit organization, which from November through April will host more than 50 vendors each Saturday, selling fresh and local produce, meats, eggs, dairy products, baked goods, jams, wine, spirits, coffee, soap, flowers, art, ready-to-eat foods, and more. The market provides customers with locally made products from five counties: Saratoga, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Washington, and Warren. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is proud to be a predominantly agricultural market. More information is at www.saratogafarmersmarket.org and on their Facebook and Instagram pages.
BALLSTON
Brookview Court Inc sold property at 11 Kasey Pass to Staci Grandy for $273,026.
Alec Buniak sold property at 35 Lancaster Court to Chad Harrison for $375,000.
Brookview Court Inc sold property at 15 Kasey Pass Unit 15 to Dennis Lunnden for $282,729.
Rosetti Acquisitions LLC sold property at 2 Pasture Place to Howard Mastro for $326,041.
Rosetti Acquisitions LLC sold property at 2 Pasture Place to Caitlin Walsh for $305,000.
Michael Malizia sold property at 23 Beechwood Dr to Marie Zarelli for $299,000.
Enel Merend sold property at 540 Devils Lane to David Collins for $340,000.
CORINTH
John Mosher sold property at 498 Angel Rd to Brandon Stautner for $241,000
Janice Collins sold property at 40 Fuller Rd to Kayla LeClair for $225,000.
Quintina Compton sold property at 4771 Route 9N to Jeremy Sears for $110,000.
Lee Joseph sold property at 36 Hamilton Ave to Robert Nickol for $101,970.
Roseann DiLorenzo sold property at 16 West Mechanic St to Patricia Harrington for $155,000.
MW Property Development LLC sold property at 6 Oak St to Sean Sothard for $174,900.
Randall Nicholson sold property at 6 Oak St to Sean Sothard for $174,900.
GREENFIELD
Edward Bittner sold property at 110 Alpine Meadows Rd to Frederick Scheier for $339,900.
MALTA
DeGraff Bloom Custom Builders Inc sold property at 43 Vettura Ct to Anne Gregoire for $409,470.
Christopher Fay sold property at 65 Pepperbush Pl to Emily Roth for $208,000
Theresa Bernacki sold property at Callaghan Blvd to Brett Green for $715,000.
David Murray sold property at 24 Saratoga Farm Rd to Stephen Oates for $1,678,000.
Belmonte Properties LLC sold property at 68 Village Circle North to Susan Byllaardt for $531,842
Steven Fedorczuk sold property at 292 Ruhle Road South to Pamela Spataro for $310,000
Barbera Homes Malta Springs sold property at 20 Weston Way to Jason Heggelke for $329,000.
Robert Irish sold property at 112 Old Orchard Lane to Cartus Financial Group for $370,000
Cartus Financial Corporation sold property at 112 Old Orchard Lane to ZReid Frasier for $370,000
Abele Builders Inc sold property at 16 Copper Ridge Dr to Abele Homes LLC for $115,000
Abele Homes LLC sold property at 16 Copper Ridge Dr to Scott Volans for $470,225
SARATOGA
Richard Reeves sold property at 50 Trombley Rd to James Izzano for $950,000
Christopher Fontaine sold property at 245 Wilbur Rd to Michael Prian for $297,500.
Cosmopolitan Ventures LLC sold property at 141 Fitch Rd to Sean Rivage for $350,000
Thomas Derby sold property at 79 Pearl St to Dawn Desjardins for $140,000.
SARATOGA SPRINGS
Bendan O’Hara sold property at 60 Arrowhead Rd to Emily Keinz for $540,000
John Kane sold property at 2 Timber Lane to Abraham Abdallah for $625,000.
Barbara Young sold property at 2 Elks Lane and Joseph Davey for $1,105,000.
Katherine Petronis sold property at 59 Fifth Ave to Mallory Otto for $969,900.
Dolores Sarno sold property at 44 Pamela Lane to Ralph Cobbfor $425,000.
Christopher O’Briensold property at 8 America Way to Daniel Jones for $1,565,000.
Linda Duhame sold property at 135 Nelson Ave to Ronald Pedrick for $445,000.
DGD Holdings LLC sold property at Lot 14 Shaw Dr to Mary Lentini for $200,000
Domenick Marchesiello sold property at 14 Schuyler Dr to Eric Hirschmann for $537,500
Robert Runak sold property at 11 Tyler Dr to Paul Markatos for $625,900.
Bonacio Construction Inc sold property at 111 Madison Ave to Michael Veneros for $250,000.
Christiane Ashba sold property at 6 Cherry Tree Lane to Christopher O’Brien for $999,900
Malvern Burrows as trustee sold property at 9 Winding Brook Dr to Brian Cuneo for $1,300,000
Megan Mayo sold property at 303 Nelson Ave to Dominick Fazioli for $661,000.
Peter Bleday sold property at 5 Spa Circle to Lucas Hoague for $300,000.
Lukoil North America LLC sold property at 54 Church St to Grewal Properties Inc for $575,000.
WILTON
Francis Mihaly sold property at 34 Ballard Rd to Adam Watson for $290,000.
Michael Witzing sold property at 3 O’Donnell Way to Robert Pacheco for $399,900.
In mid-September I wrote a story entitled ‘Downtown Dilemma.’
The story, which addressed the many facets of our ongoing homeless problem, received quite a bit of interest and positive feedback.
I ended the story by issuing a challenge to SOS, City Council, the County, Code Blue, and everyone else with the expertise and power to make a difference: Initiate meaningful change that will affect generations, and create a benchmark for other cities and towns to follow.
About a week later I was happy when Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Adam Feldman reached out to me. After a few discussion it was decided that the Saratoga Collaborative to End Homelessness will publish a monthly column in Saratoga TODAY.
The goal for their monthly columns in partnership with Saratoga TODAY, will be to keep the community informed, educated, and engaged regarding the ongoing efforts to tackle this complex social problem, as well as the causes of, and solutions to, homelessness.
It will explore the collaboration which started in 2019, for the purpose of working as one team, across sectors and agencies, to move beyond programmatic-level approach and develop a systems-level solution to homelessness in Saratoga County.
In this series, they plan to cover the full spectrum of system elements needed to prevent and end homelessness, from affordable housing to supportive services, rental subsidies, and street outreach teams.
The monthly feature begins next week so be sure to check back. Together we can ALL make a difference.
We have watched with interest the charter debate in Saratoga Springs, NY. Having lived in New Hampshire for 40 years before moving to Saratoga Springs, we lived and worked in communities that had a city or town manager form of government. We took it for granted that competent professionals with expertise in their areas were using their skills to manage the city/town departments that made those communities great places to live. We have been disheartened, however, after attending meet-the-candidates’ nights for a previous city election, to learn that the city relies upon a system where lack of expertise or professional qualifications are not a bar to city office. It seems to us that family connections or who you know are the way to get elected. We urge our fellow Saratogians, new and old, to vote to adopt charter reform – a system of government that will provide professional leadership in the form of a city manager and city-wide neighborhood ward representatives.
– Bill and Janice Christiano, Saratoga Springs
For the first time (that I’m aware of), the Saratoga Springs Professional Firefighters have taken an official position on a charter election and recommend voting no.
This is especially important because of the respect that firefighters have earned. Their letter has been posted on their Facebook page, and reads as follows:
The Saratoga Springs Firefighters IAFF Local 343, proudly endorses the City of Saratoga Springs current form of government and opposes the charter change being proposed on the ballot this year (2020). We, as the Saratoga Springs Firefighters IAFF Local 343, confidently support Saratoga Works, Saratoga Success, and One Saratoga. Sincerely, Nicholas Colucci Secretary IAFF Local #343
– Richard Sellers, Spokesman for SUCCESS, Saratoga Springs
Under Saratoga’s current commission form of government, no one is in charge at City Hall. City staff are divided among 5 independent departments supervised by 5 elected officials and their 5 political deputies. Commissioners spend more time protecting their turf than collaborating on issues. When council members don’t get along, their departments don’t work together. Services suffer, and our government wastes lots of time and money.
Few people who would make good city council representatives have the time and expertise to run a department for a part-time salary. You can’t vote out somebody you don’t like, because nobody else will run. In their last election, 3 out of 5 city council incumbents went unchallenged.
The last Charter Review Commission surveyed City Hall employees. An overwhelming majority said our current charter promotes wasteful spending and prevents the effective management of the city. 65 percent said yes to a city manager.
In the new charter, direct responsibility for city operations is transferred from 5 elected officials to a single professional manager, and city staff work together as a single team. That’s going to save money. Freed from direct management responsibilities, more young people with jobs and families from all political parties will run for office and have a voice in city government.
We hear that a new manager and an assistant can’t replace 5 commissioners and their deputies. But I’ve spoken with the managers of other cities in the state, and they all told me – no problem. They’d work directly with the highly-paid department heads already on our payroll. Currently, 50 city employees make over $100,000, and 16 make over $130,000. They’ll be glad to give up 2 layers of bickering politicians for a streamlined system under a single professional manager, who will work under a more vibrant and representative city council.
It’s time, Saratoga. Turn over the ballot and vote yes!
– Rick Fenton, Saratoga Springs
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A stained glass window dating to the late 19th century is currently being restored at The Church of Saint Peter on Broadway.
Craftsmen set about restoring the 1895 east wall window picturing Jesus Presenting Keys to Saint Peter, earlier this week. The repairs are being conducted by Willet Hauser Architectural Glass of Winona Minnesota, a company that has been designing and preserving stained glass for more than 120 years.
The window preservation is being graciously funded by The Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust. The grant of approximately $16,000 extended by The Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust to The Church of Saint Peter was the catalyst that allowed the Church to conduct the project.
“Following the completion of the work, a plaque will be dedicated at a community gathering of prayer in gratitude for the tremendous generosity of The Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust, which made the restoration possible,” said Father Tom Chevalier, Pastor of The Church of Saint Peter.
When the Church was expanded in 1931, the window originally hung on the west side of the Church behind the high altar. At that time Church members created a new sanctuary space and added new altars. They moved the magnificent scene of St. Peter to the east side, where it now sits in the choir loft, in a perfect position where the morning sun can shine through.
Upon closer examination of the Church window, this Triptych (three panel) piece of art was found to be designed at the Franz Mayer Studio of Munich and gifted by Hon. M. N. Nolan, AD 1895. Nolan, who was mayor of Albany from 1878 to 1883, spent considerable time in Saratoga Springs. “The three panels that make up the window have spaces between them, but they are meant to be viewed as one scene,” said Fr. Chevalier. “We found that there was a protective coating applied to the stained glass many decades ago to protect it from vandalism or ice. When they put the protectant on it, it built up heat between two panes of glass which deteriorated the lead holding the glass together. Now they put tiny vents in the coating to alleviate this issue. Whereas the coating from years ago was opaque, now its transparent, and proper lights on the inside of the window will hopefully allow the stained glass to be visible from Broadway at night.”
The Church of Saint Peter was originally dedicated as a church in August 1852. Their core mission statement is “The Church of Saint Peter is a welcoming community that celebrates our faith thru liturgy, sacraments, ministry, music and outreach to those in need…” The Church livestreams weekend mass on Saturday evening and the service is archived on the website. Mass is open for two in-person limited capacity services every weekend, and two in-person weekday services, Tuesdays and Fridays at 8 a.m. Parishioners are required to pre-register for these services. For more information, visit: stpetersaratoga.com
The Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust was established to benefit nonprofit scientific, medical, educational, cultural, religious, and charitable organizations by funding projects and programs in memory of the Trust’s founder, Alfred Z. Solomon. Mr. Solomon, a leader in the fashion industry, a horse racing enthusiast, and a philanthropist in Gansevoort, NY, and New York City, died Sept. 4, 2004, at the age of 104, and founded this Trust in his Last Will and Testament.
VICTORY — Saratoga PLAN’s Next Generation Committee, hauled six bags of debris out of the Saratoga Siege Trail – a Saratoga PLAN partner trail in the Village of Victory. The trail is located just opposite the Schuyler House on Route 4, in the town of Saratoga.
The Saratoga Siege Trail is a flat, half-mile walking trail, which follows along the south side of Fish Creek.
The Next Gen Committee has been active for less than a year, during which they have explored how they can act as an extension of Saratoga PLAN. For five of their ten months as an active committee, the group met virtually and was still able to organize multiple stewardship opportunities–one being cleaning up the Saratoga Siege Trail. Items found during the clean-up included: a TV, old car parts, bicycle wheel, and plastic bottles.
