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Author: Saratoga TODAY

Thank You from Operation Adopt-A-Soldier

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.

It’s not often people thank you for taking their money and supplies. Just ask the IRS. But Operation Adopt A Soldier (OAAS) volunteers experienced that gratitude during our recent drive-through donation day at our temporary headquarters in Wilton.

Our all-volunteer, non-profit uses the donations to pack and ship free comfort kits for America’s soldiers serving in areas of conflict.

The always-generous public responded after hearing our August shipment was canceled because of depleted inventory; now we’ll be able to send 150 boxes before the end of the month. Then it’s on to September.

Every person who visited OAAS thanked and encouraged us for helping our soldiers as they donated money (each box carries a $12 postage fee), dropped off supplies and purchased shirts emblazoned with our motto: “Until they all come home.”

One family made a memorial donation in the name of Korean War veteran Robert Ovitt, of Queensbury, who died July 30. The proud paratrooper and Purple Heart recipient was wounded in 1953 in the horrendous battle for the famed Pork Chop Hill. A regular donor from White River Junction, VT, dropped off his traditional car load of supplies. There was the female veteran who gave three bags of supplies and money, then purchased shirts. An elderly woman stopped just long enough to give us a sealed, blank envelope and her thanks. We later discovered it held a sizable donation that dropped some volunteers’ jaws. We can only hope this anonymous donor reads this letter and knows how much we appreciate her concern for our soldiers.

As founder of OAAS and on behalf of all our volunteers, thank you to all who donated on our special day, which marked the one-year anniversary that a fire destroyed our Route 50, Wilton headquarters. 

Our brave troops also thank you.

– CLIFF SEGUIN, SARATOGA SPRINGS

International Overdose Awareness Day: Narcan Training and Candelight Vigil Aug. 31 at Congress Park

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — On Monday, Aug. 31, the community is invited to join in support and acknowledgment of the grief felt by families and friends who have lost a loved one to an overdose. 

The annual event is sponsored by RAIS (Recovery Advocacy in Saratoga), Healing Springs Recovery Community Center and The Prevention Council of Saratoga County. At 5:30 p.m. there will be a free Narcan training, followed by a candlelight vigil, at 7 p.m. at The Spirit of Life fountain in Congress Park.     

“International Overdose Awareness Day is a global event held each year, when thousands of people worldwide will stand alongside the friends and families of fatal overdose victims to reflect on those who have been lost,” said RAIS President Maureen Provost, in a statement. “The event is organized on the understanding that no one need feel shame or disgrace over a drug overdose. It allows all who have been affected by overdose a chance to publicly mourn and help the wider community understand that no one is immune to the tragedy of overdose.”      

 At the vigil, family and friends who have lost loved ones to overdose can participate in lighting a candle in remembrance.  Participants are encouraged to bring a photo or token of their loved one to place on our memory board.  All attendees will have an opportunity, should they chose, to share the name aloud of a loved one they would like to have remembered.  At the conclusion of the vigil, there will be resources available on local addiction recovery services. 

The vigil will also be streamed on Facebook on the Healing Springs Recovery Center page at www.facebook.com/HealingSpringsRCOC, for those who cannot attend in person.

The Wesley Foundation Seeking Nominations for Greatest Grandparents Club

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Wesley Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Wesley Community in Saratoga Springs, will recognize the area’s most senior family members by welcoming a new class of honorees to the Saratoga Greatest Grandparents Club.

Families are welcome to nominate their grandparent or great-grandparent for recognition at SaratogaGrandparentsDay.com. Nominations should describe why the grandparent is the greatest in 100 words or less. Images and short video submissions will also be accepted. The nomination deadline is Monday, Sept. 1 at 4 p.m.

All honorees will be recognized during the Saratoga Grandparents Day virtual celebration on Sunday, Sept. 13 from 11 a.m. to noon. The event, which celebrates the importance of family in conjunction with National Grandparents Day, will be hosted at The Wesley Community’s Facebook page.

“Grandparents Day is a day to celebrate the members of our families who serve as an invaluable resource of stories and experiences from which we can all learn and grow,” said The Wesley Community’s CEO Brian Nealon. “After years of working, raising families and contributing to society, this day provides all of us with an opportunity to thank our grandparents for making such a difference in our lives.”

The Saratoga Grandparents Day online celebration will kick off with a video recognizing the 2020 class of the Greatest Grandparents Club. The hour-long event will also include virtual activities and giveaways.

Virtual attendance is free. Donations are also being accepted online at https://bit.ly/349fA5a. All proceeds support the continued renovation of the Springs building at the Wesley Health Care Center. The residence serves older adults who may have significant, chronic medical needs requiring daily assistance.

Sponsors of Saratoga Grandparents Day include Angerame Architects, The Fort Miller Group, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, and Ray Martin/Crescent Hill Partners. The event is chaired by Wesley Foundation Board Member Timothy Busch.

For more information about Saratoga Grandparents Day, visit SaratogaGrandparentsDay.com.

Saratoga Hospital Recognized for Heart Attack Care; Receives 2020 Lifeline Gold Award from American Heart Association

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — For the second year in a row, Saratoga Hospital has received the Mission: Lifeline Gold Receiving Achievement Award for heart attack care.

Presented by the American Heart Association, the award recognizes that Saratoga Hospital meets the latest evidence-based guidelines for treating patients with the deadliest type of heart attack—an ST elevation myocardial infarction or STEMI.

A STEMI is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart. To prevent death, blood flow must be restored as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or providing clot-busting medication.

“For STEMI patients, every second counts, so our interventional cardiology team continually seeks ways to streamline our processes and speed treatment,” said Jeffrey Winacott, administrative director of Saratoga Hospital’s cardiovascular service line. “With our partners in the field, we monitor response times and put the Mission: Lifeline guidelines to work to save lives and help ensure the best possible long-term outcomes.”

The goal of the Mission: Lifeline program is to reduce system barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks, from the 911 call and emergency medical services transport through hospital treatment and discharge. Saratoga Hospital earned the program’s Gold award by meeting specific criteria and standards of performance for quick, appropriate STEMI treatment.

The hospital launched its 24/7 emergency interventional cardiology program in 2017 and was recognized with a Mission: Lifeline Silver award in 2018. Last year, the program earned its first Gold award.

August 22 – August 28, 2020

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Police Blotter.

COURT

Timothy J. O’Brien, 56, of Schenectady, pleaded Aug. 20 to the charge of making a terroristic threat. The arrest took place in Wilton on Nov. 29, 2019. Sentencing Sept. 30.

Dennis M. Little, 63, of Malta, pleaded Aug. 20 to felony aggravated DWI. The arrest took place in Malta on March 11. Sentencing Oct. 21. 

POLICE

Jordan Guljas, 29, of Gansevoort, was charged Aug. 18 in Saratoga Springs with criminal possession of a weapon, and second degree assault – both felonies, and the misdemeanors: criminal obstruction of breathing, and unlawful imprisonment. 

Scott Moore, 54, of Amsterdam, was charged Aug. 19 in Saratoga Springs with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and failure to stop at a stop sign. 

Dennis Lescault, 28, of Saratoga Springs, was charged Aug. 19 with criminal trespass, criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Randall Alger, 47, of Saratoga Springs, was charged Aug. 20 with arrest fugitive from other state on warrant for extradition. 

Donald Hoffman, 49, of Schuylerville, was charged Aug. 21 in Saratoga Springs with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and speeding. 

Louis Guerra, 46, of the Bronx, was charged Aug. 21 in Saratoga Springs with criminal contempt, and aggravated family offense – a felony. 

Daquan R. Johnson, 27, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was charged Aug. 19 in the town of Milton with the felonies criminal mischief in the third-degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth-degree, grand larceny in the fourth-degree;  criminal possession of stolen property misdemeanor, and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation. He was also found to have a fully-extraditable warrant from Pennsylvania. Johnson is suspected of stealing items from two vehicles that had their windows smashed, according to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. He led police on a vehicle pursuit that culminated in him abandoning the vehicle and fleeing into the woods in the area of Phaeton Lane in the Town of Malta.  He was subsequently taken into custody when exiting the woods on US Route 9, police said.

Cited for trespassing Aug. 17-18 at Ballston Ave./ Alee Drive, and Woodlawn Ave.: William Charlson, 69, Robert Davis, 39, Dawn Rivers, 56, Floyd Knowlton, 54, Duane Keefe, 57, Brian Bennett, 48. All are residents of Saratoga Springs. 

Andrew Butz, 45, of Saratoga Springs, was charged Aug. 14 with harassment in the second-degree. 

Victoria Mitchell, 25, of Gansevoort, was charged Aug. 15 in Saratoga Springs with misdemeanor DWI, and failure to stop at a stop sign. 

William Dorrough, 32, of Clifton park, was charged Aug. 15 in Saratoga Springs with misdemeanor DWI, refusal to take a breath test, and three driving/ motor vehicle-related infractions. 

Dylan Whitt, 29, of Broadalbin, was charged Aug. 15 in Saratoga Springs with criminal mischief, a misdemeanor. 

John Koenig, 29, of Burlington, Vermont, was charged Aug. 16 in Saratoga Springs with disorderly conduct. 

Leighann Loftus, 31, of Clifton Park, was charged Aug. 16 in Saratoga Springs with misdemeanor DWI, misdemeanor aggravated DWI, and a motor vehicle equipment violation. 

Tyler Vogele, 18, of Milton, was charged Aug. 16 in Saratoga Springs with criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor, and assault in the second-degree, as felony.

Emily Roerig, 32, of Ballston Lake, was charged Aug. 17 in Saratoga Springs with criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor.

Laurie Zeh

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

LaurieGordonZeh

DAN POINT, CA — Laurie Zeh lost her long battle with breast cancer on August 12, 2020. She passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends at her home in Dan Point, CA. 

Laurie was a devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother, dear sister and good friend. Her family and friends will remember her for her generosity, intelligence, and her love of skiing, tennis and bridge.

Laurie was born in Saratoga Springs on January 23, 1940 to Lawrence Gordon and Nellie Spaulding Gordon. She graduated with honors from Saratoga High School in 1958. She loved Saratoga and shared fond memories of her high school years and the Saratoga Winter Club. 

She was a Magna cum Laude graduate of Syracuse University in 1962 with a major in Political Science. She was a member of Pi Sigma Alpha political science honorary, Pi Kappa Phi all-university scholastic honorary, and Phi Beta Kappa national scholastic honorary. 

Laurie met and married her husband Dale W. Zeh in 1961. While he went on to earn a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Laurie finished her senior year studies.

In 1965, they and their two sons moved to Pasadena, California where her husband did his Army tour of duty during the Vietnam war at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In 1970, they moved to Miami, Florida where Dale attended medical school. Upon receiving his M.D., they moved back to California where Dale did his internship and residency in Los Angeles.

They lived in San Marino while raising their two sons, Dale Jr. and William. When Dale began his anesthesiology practice at Huntington Memorial Hospital, Laurie did the billing for his practice and started what was to become one of the largest anesthesia billing companies in California. 

Laurie and Dale enjoyed travelling to many countries around the world and skiing with family and friends in Utah and Colorado. Laurie was a past President of the San Marino Tennis Foundation, a member of the Pasadena Jr. Philharmonic Committee, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, and a communicant of All Saints Church in Pasadena and St. Clement’s By-The-Sea in San Clemente.

Laurie is survived by her sons Dale Jr. and William, their wives Laura and Lisa, and five grandchildren: Jonathan, Heidi, Maggie, Rachel and Ryan. She is also survived by her sister Lynne Gordon Doyle (Danny) of Sarasota and sister Rhea Gordon Demory; and her brothers
Jan Scott (Anne), David (Kate) and Peter (Karen) Gordon; several nieces and nephews and several grandnieces and nephew. Her parents, her husband and eldest brother Lawrence (Patricia Watkins Gordon) pre-deceased her. 

Memorial gifts may be made to City of Hope, Office of Planned Giving, in Duarte, CA. Internment of ashes will be in the family plot at Greenfield Center Cemetery. A Celebration of Laurie and Dale’s Lives will be at St. Clement’s By-The-Sea in San Clemente on Tuesday, September 8.

Paul C. Armstrong 

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

PaulArmstrong

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Paul C. Armstrong, 67, of Raymond Watkins Apartments in Saratoga Springs, formerly of York Avenue, passed away unexpectedly at home, August 24, 2020. 

Born February 21, 1953 in Saratoga Springs, he was the son of the late John “Army” and Helen Armstrong. He was a 1971 graduate of St. Peter’s Academy in Saratoga Springs and attended SUNY Delhi. 

Paul served in the US Navy from February 1976 to February 1980, and the Reserves to February 1982. 

Paul had many jobs, enjoying the diversity of doing different things. He was a cook in the Navy, drove a tractor trailer, worked for Saratoga Springs and NYRA in maintenance to name a few. 

He enjoyed reading, playing the guitar, riding his bike around town and trying his chances at the Racino. 

He is survived by two brothers, John “Jack” M. Armstrong and his wife Roma Armstrong of Saratoga Springs and Bruce E. Armstrong of Saratoga Springs; two sisters, Corinne M. Scirocco and her husband Anthony “Skip” Scirocco of Saratoga Springs and JoAnn M. Rosebrook and her husband Richard Rosebrook of Porter Corners. Also survived by nieces and nephews; Anthony (Heather) Scirocco, Mark (Amber) Scirocco, Marisa (Stuart) Shickel, Jonathan (Stephanie) Rosebrook, Ashley Rosebrook and Nicholas Rosebrook; and great nieces and nephews, Madison and Vincent Scirocco, Schuyler and Ethan Scirocco, Ryan and Landon Shickel and Daniel, Dominic, Desmond and Damien Rosebrook along with many cousins and friends. 

A memorial service with military honors will be held at Saratoga National Cemetery, Schuylerville on Tuesday, September 1 at 11 a.m. 

Donations welcomed to Saratoga Bridges (ARC), 16 Saratoga Bridges Boulevard, Ballston Spa, NY 12020, which his parents helped in ARC’s early years to benefit his brother Bruce and others. 

Online remembrances may be made at burkefuneralhome.com

Gordon H. Sanders

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

ALBANY — Gordon H. Sanders, 89, passed away August 17, 2020. He was a longtime member of Congregation Shaara Tfille, The Jewish Community Center of Saratoga Springs, The B’nai B’rith, and the NY State Council of Retail Merchants. Services were August 20, 2020. Memorial donations to Congregation Shaara Tfille, Saratoga Springs. Visit burkefuneralhome.com.

Robert Porter

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

WILTON — Robert Porter, 75, passed away August 5, 2020 in Spring Hill, Florida. Calling hours are Friday, August 28, 2020 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. at Burke Funeral Home. Required health protocols will be followed, masks/face coverings must be worn. Memorial donations to Greenwich Lion’s Club, PO Box 172, Greenwich, NY 12831. Visit burkefuneralhome.com 

Vesta Marie Larkin

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Vesta Marie Larkin, age 76 (long-time resident of Welch, WV) passed away August 19, 2020. Memorial service will be held in Welch, WV (TBD). Memorial donations to McDowell County Humane Society (109 Dogbone Drive, Superior, WV 24801) or the research of Dr. Harry Erba (Duke University). Visit burkefuneralhome.com