BALLSTON SPA — Vote tallies reported on Election Day remain “unofficial” until official election results are reported, and the election certified, which typically takes place in December.
On Nov. 30, the County Board of Canvassers of Saratoga County Board of Elections met to canvass the votes given in the several Election Districts of Saratoga County regarding the General Election held on Nov. 5.
The Board reported a total of 132,817 were given for candidates for President and Vice President, and that among the leaders Harris/Walz (D, WF) received 66,321 votes, compared to Trump/ Vance (R,C) receiving 63.940.
There are 181,203 active registered voters in Saratoga County, according to Nov. 1, 2024 enrollment statistics from the NY State Board of Elections.
Among the ballots cast in Saratoga County in 2024, just over 40,000 came via Early Voting, and just over 80,000 on Election Day.
Official results previously in Saratoga County: 2016 – Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton (54,575-50,913). 2020 – Joe Biden over Donald Trump (68,471-61,305).
Cherub atop fountain in Franklin Square. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos. Current signage at Franklin Square. The park will soon include new signage indicating the name of the McTygue Memorial Neighborhood Park. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A west side park that served as the center square of Saratoga Springs social life in the mid-19th century has been named the McTygue Memorial Neighborhood Park, in recognition of the McTygue Family’s public service to the city.
In acting to approve resolution on Dec. 3, Mayor John Safford specifically cited Michael E. McTygue (City Court Judge, 1918-1924); Charles A. McTygue (Commissioner of Public Works, 1947-1965); Thomas G. McTygue (Commissioner of Public Works, 1972-1978, 1982-2008), and William J. McTygue (Public Works Deputy Commissioner and Director, 1999-2010).
“When you talk about the depth and length of service to our community, it’s astonishing,” Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran added during the Dec. 3 meeting.
Among the achievements noted were the restoration of the historic Canfield Casino and Congress Park, acquisition and preservation of the historic Congress Park Carousel and the creation of the Franklin Square neighborhood park.
The park sits just west of Broadway where Division and Franklin streets meet, flanked by nearby columns and porticos of ornate 19th century design tied to Greek Revival and Victorian style of historical architectural significance.
It is where the town’s former railroad station stood nearby and Franklin Square – “one of Saratoga Springs’ oldest and most distinguished neighborhoods,” was “a center of Saratoga Springs social life,” according to historical documents sourced at The Saratoga Room of the Saratoga Springs Public Library.
Following an era of Victorian extravagance, a decades-long preservation effort was initiated in the 20th century, largely due to the effort of local lawyer and developer Bob Israel, a native of Newburgh who came to Saratoga Springs in 1977. Israel took to renovating multiple buildings around Franklin Square , itself created in the 1840s, according to the Glens Falls Business Journal in an article published June 1990.
Israel subsequently approached then-DPW Commissioner Tom McTygue when the two worked out a plan to create new curbing, benches and a fence on the city-owned land, to include as its centerpiece the installation of a 100-year-old cast-iron fountain topped with a concrete replica of a Grecian cherub statue which was purchased at an auction downstate.
The Bonacio and Robert Israel families donated just over $650 for a park plaque dedicated to the McTygue family and recognizing their service to the community.
Note: an earlier version of this article mistakenly referred to the park’s location as being on the east side. The park is located west of Broadway, on the west side of Saratoga Springs.
Kelsey Dodd’s debut release – a five-song EP with a little help from friends Joel Moss, Jim Mastrianni and Cassandra Kubinski.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Kelsey Dodd remembers being driven by her parents to dance classes since the time she was two-and-a-half years old, listening to songs and singing along with the music floating through the car speakers.
One tune especially caught her fancy. She had some familiarity with it having heard it in her dance classes.
“I was singing along in the back seat – ‘All That Jazz’ from ‘Chicago,’ and as my parents tell the story when that one big note comes on at the end of the song and they heard me sing, they looked at one another and said: she sounds good doesn’t she? My parents realized I had a love for singing when they heard me in the car,” Dodd recalls.
The dance lessons continued, and vocal lessons – at the age of 7 – and acting lessons would follow.
“Ever since I was very young, I had a natural tendency in the arts. I always just wanted to push myself further,” she says. “It’s just a normal part of my identity.”
Today, Dodd is 17 and has recently released her debut EP. Titled “Forever Evergreen,” the release features five holiday songs – from renditions of “O Holy Night,” “Let It Snow,” and “Home For Christmas,” to the original title track. Dodd’s main collaborators throughout are Joel Moss, Jim Mastrianni and Cassandra Kubinski, and the tracks additionally feature the talents of many other local musicians – Joel Brown, Dave Maswick, Nate Giroux and Sam Zucchini, among them.
The project began during the summer when Dodd brought a black binder with some 30 holiday songs to a meeting with EP co-producers Moss, Mastrianni and Kubinski, searching, Dodd explains, for the songs in which she could bring the most authentic emotions. “And I think we succeeded.”
“I’ve always had a passion for singing and I really love a classic jazz sound,” says Dodd, a senior at Emma Willard School who anticipates graduating next June and furthering her education by pursuing a bachelor of fine arts in musical theater.
“My love of that sound originated with the late, great Ella Fitzgerald – she has a quality that can never be replicated – and I love some of the current artists bringing jazz to a younger audience: Samara Joy, Laufey. I also take inspiration from people who have had a successful career on Broadway – which is my dream someday – like Barbra Streisand,” Dodd says.
“I’ll go wherever my voice wants to lead me. I dabble in a few instruments – ukelele, piano, I just started learning to play the guitar, but my main instrument is my voice – and I’m very grateful to have it,” says the Saratoga Springs native. “In the future I see myself auditioning for musicals in New York City, but I’m excited to continue to be learning and growing under new professors once I go to college, and hopefully continuing to work with the team I’ve been working with throughout this project to cultivate more music of my own to share more of myself,” she says. “The big dream is to be on Broadway, but that’s a million-to-one shot, so I’ll keep auditioning, putting myself out there, keep building the resume and hopefully one day I can achieve that dream.”
Find the 5-song EP “Forever Evergreen” on CD at kelseydoddmusic.com, and hear it on any number of various streaming services by searching “Forever Evergreen Kelsey Dodd.”
SARATOGA — On Nov. 27, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik was informed of a bomb threat to her residence in the town of Saratoga.
Stefanik was informed of the threat as she was driving home with her husband and three-year-old son from Washington D.C. for Thanksgiving.
“New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism,” Stefanik said in a statement.
“We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7. We want to share our best wishes to the upstate NY community for a happy and safe Thanksgiving. We are especially grateful to our law enforcement officers and military families who are on duty over the holiday season.”
Stefanik was elected in November to her sixth term to represent New York’s 21st Congressional District – a district which beginning in 2025 will include eastern and northern portions of Saratoga County.
President-elect Donald Trump subsequently picked Stefanik to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations – an appointment which will require Senate confirmation in the new year.
“Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them. These attacks ranged from bomb threats to ‘swatting,’” said Karoline Leavitt, Trump-Vance Transition spokeswoman, in a statement on Nov. 27. “In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action.”
The president-elect and the Transition are focused on “uniting our nation by ensuring a safe and prosperous future. With President Trump as our example, dangerous acts of intimidation and violence will not deter us,” Leavitt added.
Sam Gerrity, Chief Executive Officer Saratoga Casino Hotel; Officer Dean Gaetano with Lepa, a certified New York State Explosives Detection Canine; Officer Oliver Aldrich; and Skip Carlson Vice President of External Affairs Saratoga Casino Hotel, at Vapor on Dec. 3, 2024. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters sang a song that piped through on the overhead speakers about Santa Claus coming to town, and a Christmas tree towered over an assortment of wrapped gifts in the hotel lobby.
A few yards away, dozens of stations boasted well-lighted games of fortune or chance, and a crimson-colored lounge provided a respite for weary legs to rest atop a pair of ottomans dressed up as die cubes, a decorative “4” and a ‘3” rolled forward, respectively.
Inside Vapor, Saratoga Casino Hotel celebrated ‘Giving Tuesday’ on Dec. 3 by donating $130,000 to 13 different Capital Region non-profit organizations during the organization’s annual ‘Make A Difference’ holiday luncheon.
“Twenty years later, this is still the event we look forward to most every year,” said Skip Carlson, vice president of External Affairs at Saratoga Casino Hotel, and the acting emcee during the event, attended by approximately 100 people.
“Giving back to organizations that improve the lives of so many,” said Carlson, who introduced the disbursement of oversized, four-feet long checks that were bestowed upon the 13 different agencies at $10,000 each.
Representatives from each of the benefiting organizations were present to accept the donations. It would not be unfair to report that performance-wise Lepa stole the show. The 2-1/2-year-old certified New York State Explosives Detection Canine, was joined on stage at Vapor alongside members of Saratoga Springs Police Department K9 Unit.
“There’s a special bond between a handler and his dog and the dogs are an extension of how we do our business,” said Lt. Paul Veitch, who is in charge of the K-9 unit.
The specialized unit provides essential support to the Patrol Division in various operations, including tracking, building and area searches, item location, narcotics and explosives detection, and suspect apprehension. Handlers and their canine partners undergo a rigorous selection process, followed by extensive training to develop effective teams that are deployed in a wide range of situations.
“The K9 unit handles about 400 calls per year, that’s more than one per day. They are used routinely, and in Saratoga Springs we have four K9 units – two explosive detection dogs and two narcotic detection dogs and they are on the road almost 24/7,” explained Lt. Veitch, who was on hand to accept the $10,000 donation to the Saratoga Springs Police Department K9 Unit.
The 13 organizations that each received a $10,000 donation are: AIM Services, Inc.; Capital Roots; The Donna M. Crandall Memorial Foundation; Folds of Honor; Franklin Community Center; Jake’s Help from Heaven; Saratoga, America’s Turning Point; Saratoga Community Health Center; Saratoga Regional YMCA; Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar; Saratoga Springs Police Department K-9 Unit; SNACpack Program (Saratoga Nutrition Assistance for Children), and The Wesley Community.
Over the past 20 years, Saratoga Casino Hotel has donated more than $3.5 million to different charitable groups in the Capital Region. Their Make a Difference initiative that started in 2004 has since been their main charitable event to honor and provide funding to local non-profit organizations.
Current Sales Tax and Occupancy Tax Collections in Saratoga Springs.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Race Course will host an expanded racing meet next summer, with nine live race days in 2025 outside of the traditional 40-day summer meet.
An expanded Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will take place Wednesday June 4 – Sunday 8, and for the first time, a special July 4 Racing Festival, which will take place from Thursday, July 3 through Sunday, July 6. The traditional 40-day summer meet will be held July 10- Sept. 1.
The Belmont Stakes was first shifted to Saratoga in 2024 due to ongoing construction at its normal staging ground at Belmont Park.
In advance of last year’s event, regional officials estimated the hosting of the Belmont Stakes Festival at Saratoga would have an overall economic impact in the region of upwards of $50 million. That $50 million projection came from applying a mathematical formula taking the overall economic activity of the annual 40-day summer meet at Saratoga and assigning it to the number of days of the upcoming Belmont festival.
That overall 40-day meet figure, at just over $370 million, was detailed in a study commissioned by the Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency based on data from 2021 and released in 2023. The study additionally cited nearly $2.1 million of tax revenue in Saratoga Springs, almost $2.4 million in Saratoga County, and over $7.3 million of tax revenue in New York State as attributable to the 40-day meet.
Were regional officials to apply that same mathematical formula to the nine race extra days planned for 2025, that economic income estimate would top $80 million for the extra days.
In Saratoga Springs, city Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi explained during a City Council meeting in August that initial financial returns in the city were “not a huge windfall.”
The city finance department, at Saratoga Today’s request, has provided updated revenue numbers regarding Sales Tax collections, and Occupancy Tax collected in the city of Saratoga Springs, bringing the impact of the Belmont 2024 Festival in the city into greater focus. Those figures may be viewed in the graphic attached.
Property at 28 Lincoln Ave. where proposed demolition would expand the Stewart’s Express shop located just beyond the trees to the left of the picture. Photo: Part of initial submission of documents to Saratoga Springs June 2023.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The potential demolition of a Lincoln Avenue residential structure and the subsequent redevelopment of a Stewart’s Shop in its place is under Architectural Review Consideration by the city’s Design Review Board this week.
Stewart’s Shops first approached the city’s Land Use Boards in June 2023 with the application that would demolish the existing residential structure at 28 Lincoln Ave. and construct a new 3,975 square foot shop as part of the redevelopment of the Stewart’s Express at 177 South Broadway.
The building on Lincoln Ave. stands a few yards west of the Broadway shop and on a road that connects Broadway with Route 50.
The Design Review Board subsequently determined the building has architectural and/or historical significance according to the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation. Following the DRB’s review during the summer, additional documents were requested and those supplemental materials since provided. Those materials included attempts to either relocate the structure or seek a purchaser who would acquire and preserve it. The proposal is currently under Architectural Review Consideration by the DRB.
The DRB is one of three Land Use Boards in Saratoga Springs. The Planning Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals, or ZBA, are the others. Meetings are open to the public and held at City Hall. For meeting times and dates, go to: Saratoga-springs.org.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A collection of posters and badges celebrating First Nights’ Past in Saratoga Springs are currently on display inside the Mayor’s office at City Hall.
Following an annual tradition staged in Albany at least since the 1980’s, Saratoga Springs held its first New Year’s Eve “First Night” gathering in 1996.
The exhibit is part of a revolving art display inside the office located at City Hall in Saratoga Springs, city Mayor John Safford announced this week.
SARATOGA – On Nov. 27, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik was informed of a bomb threat to her residence in the town of Saratoga.
Stefanik was informed of the threat as she was driving home with her husband and three-year-old son from Washington D.C. for Thanksgiving.
“New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism,” Stefanik said in a statement.
“We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7. We want to share our best wishes to the upstate NY community for a happy and safe Thanksgiving. We are especially grateful to our law enforcement officers and military families who are on duty over the holiday season.”
Stefanik was elected in November to her sixth term to represent New York’s 21st Congressional District – a district which beginning in 2025 will include eastern and northern portions of Saratoga County.
President-elect Donald Trump subsequently picked Stefanik to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations – an appointment which will require Senate confirmation in the new year.
“Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them. These attacks ranged from bomb threats to ‘swatting,’” said Karoline Leavitt, Trump-Vance Transition spokeswoman, in a statement on Nov. 27. “In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action.”
The president-elect and the Transition are focused on “uniting our nation by ensuring a safe and prosperous future. With President Trump as our example, dangerous acts of intimidation and violence will not deter us,” Leavitt added.
Plans submitted to the city in advance of the DRB meeting.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —An Area Variance extension is sought by the new owners of a vacant lot at 81 Phila St. to permit the construction of a home.
An original variance to build a home on the lot was obtained and approved by Design Review Board in July 2022, but the owner had since decided to sell the lot, according to city documents. The previously granted variance expired January 2024, and the current owners acquired the lot in June 2024.
There have been no changes to the lot or street which change the circumstances upon which the original variances were granted, and the applicants – Tom and Paula D’Orazio, of Loudonville – intend to build within the approved footprint and subject to the original approved variances.
The item is listed as one of seven new items to be discussed at the next Saratoga Springs Design Review Board meeting, which will take place 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2 at City Hall.
