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Accounting and Advisory Firm Expands

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

QUEENSBURY — UHY—one of the nation’s largest professional services firms providing audit, tax, consulting, and advisory services—announced Wednesday its expansion into Upstate New York with the addition of Queensbury-based certified public accounting firm CMJ LLP. 

CMJ’s legacy complements UHY’s commitment to serving as an advisor to the construction, automotive, manufacturing, distribution, wholesale, retail, and professional services industries, both regionally and nationally. 

CMJ founders Paul A. Curtis and William A. Jeffreys joined UHY as partners, and the CMJ team will transition to UHY as part of the combination.

“Joining UHY gives our clients access to broader national services and resources and the ability to deliver even more impactful, personalized guidance,” said Jeffreys and Curtis. “UHY’s client-first approach and commitment to excellence align with our values at CMJ, and together we are well positioned to expand services, grow throughout Upstate New York, and help clients tackle their most pressing challenges.”

Founded in 1988, CMJ provides accounting, tax, and advisory services across Upstate New York and beyond. The firm’s client base serves clients with expertise in domestic, multi-state, and international matters. CMJ is skilled in the formation, operation, and structuring of all business entity types, including corporations, LLCs, and partnerships, and offers experience in succession planning, as well as merger and acquisition advisory services.

In addition to CMJ joining UHY, Alex W. Cruden III and Craig A. Cruden of Cruden & Company, CPAs PLLC, have joined UHY’s Albany office along with their team. Cruden is a respected Upstate New York firm recognized for its expertise in tax, accounting, and assurance services. Cruden’s gaming, automotive, broadcasting, real estate, retail, and family-owned and closely-held client portfolio aligns with UHY’s sector focus. 

UHY is a top 25 accounting firm in the U.S. with more than 40 offices and over 2,000 team members. Their focus is on combining local knowledge with national, regional, and international skills and resources. 

UHY’s presence in New York began in Albany in 1964 as Urbach, Kahn, and Werlin PC. UHY is derived from a combination of the names of the founding firms that started an international network in 1986 that included London’s Hacker Young. Today, UHY is a national and global firm with offices in the Northeast in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. The addition of CMJ and Cruden to New York’s Upstate Region is another strategic step in UHY’s commitment to middle-market leadership and providing services from Manhattan to the Canadian border.

Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge Awarded $10K to Partner with Wellspring

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge #161 announced this week that it has received an Elks National Foundation (ENF) “2026 Impact Grant Renewal” for $10,000 to partner with Wellspring to help provide services for those impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, teen dating violence, and elder abuse.

This is the fifth time a $10,000 ENF Impact Grant Renewal has been awarded to the Elks, who have now supported Wellspring to the tune of $50,000.

Saratoga-Wilton Elks will shop and deliver to Wellspring requested critical items such as gas cards, CDTA bus passes, support for the food pantry, security bars and cameras, cell phones and minutes, bedding, personal care, cleaning items, and more.

Local Farm to Celebrate New York Maple Weekend

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

Image provided by Twin Leaf Farms.

GREENFIELD CENTER — Twin Leaf Farms will host a special New York State Maple Weekend event on March 21 and 22.

The family-friendly event will include a $5 pancake breakfast, guided farm tours, live maple-making demonstrations in the sugarhouse, local vendors, and live music.

New York State Maple Weekend is a statewide event that provides an opportunity for the public to visit local sugarhouses and experience firsthand how pure New York maple syrup is made. Guests can learn about the traditions and modern processes of maple sugar making, explore working farms, and taste maple products straight from the source.

Chiropractor Celebrates Expansion

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

Photo provided by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — At a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, Spring Back Chiropractic celebrated the expansion of its space and services offered at 28 Clinton Street in the Spa City.

Spring Back bills itself as a patient-centered clinic that evaluates each person through a holistic lens. Each treatment combines spinal adjustments, therapeutic exercises, nutritional recommendations, and educational tips tailored to each individual. More information is available at www.springbackchiropractic.com.

Compton’s Vows to Fight After Landlord Alleges Breached Lease

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business, Featured.

Compton’s Restaurant at 457 Broadway in Saratoga Springs. 
Photo by Jonathon Norcross.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — In a series of recent Facebook posts, Compton’s Restaurant said that it’s being sued and threatened with eviction by its landlord.

The popular Broadway eatery that serves classic American breakfast and diner fare has been a Spa City institution for more than four decades, prompting supportive messages from many locals.

“Closing is not an option for us,” Compton’s stated in one post. “We love the business and the customers.”

The restaurant also vowed to “fight hard to continue to do what we have always done.”

Court records obtained by Saratoga TODAY showed that the building’s owner 457 Broadway LLC alleged that Shortorder Inc. (Compton’s co-owners William Maher, Sandra Compton, and Tina Maher) materially breached their lease, failed to allow the owner to enter the restaurant to perform work and make improvements, and failed to vacate pursuant to a termination notice.

457 Broadway also alleged that on July 1, 2025, Shortorder failed to pay its rent on time. (“We have provided proof that we have paid every month,” Compton’s said in one of its Facebook posts.)

As a result of these alleged breaches, 457 Broadway believes it’s entitled to a judgment of accelerated rent and additional rent owed in an amount exceeding $475,000 to be determined at trial, plus interest and attorney’s fees. (“If we lose, we are looking at eviction and around $500,000,” Compton’s said.)

According to the court documents, 457 Broadway LLC’s work on the building would result in the temporary removal of four restaurant tables. Shortorder sought compensation of $700 per day in exchange for removing the tables. After some back-and-forth that involved a lease amendment offered in exchange for a $700 per day rent credit, the two sides ultimately couldn’t reach an agreement. (In a Facebook post, Compton’s described the proposed lease amendment as “very unfavorable to us.”)

“We would not sign and just agreed to allow them to do the work with no compensation because we did not want to be evicted or sued,” Compton’s said. “At this time, they said [they] would not agree unless we signed the new lease. They decided we breached the lease.”

Compton’s also alleged that their restaurant has been dealing with frozen pipes, water leaks, dirt, fumes, and other issues as a result of construction work being done above them.

Compton’s called the whole affair “incredibly difficult, both emotionally and financially” and estimated that it could cost them more than $50,000 to fight their landlord.

“We were going back and forth for 6 months trying to figure out how we are going to handle it,” said Compton’s. “Deciding if we just wanted to relieve stress and not fight. Just look for a new location. The extra support we have felt over the last couple days made the decision easier for us. We are going to fight. We believe we have done nothing wrong. It will be a long battle and we are preparing for it.”

A GoFundMe campaign launched by William Maher in support of Compton’s had raised more than $2,400 as of Feb. 17. Presumably in an effort to raise more funds, the restaurant also announced that starting in March, it would be open seven days a week, from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Saratoga Arms Officially Opens New Restaurant

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

Photo provided by Saratoga Arms.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Arms Hotel has officially opened its new onsite restaurant, Three Daughters Kitchen & Cocktails, following a soft opening in January 2026. 

The signature restaurant is now fully up and running with new Executive Chef Alexander Kollar at the helm. 

Three Daughters Kitchen & Cocktails is the first branded restaurant to debut at Saratoga Arms Hotel since it opened in 1999. Under the same leadership as the hotel, Three Daughters is owned and managed by the Smith family, who has owned and operated various lodging properties and restaurants in Saratoga Springs for more than 50 years. 

The restaurant’s name honors the three daughters of owner Kathleen Smith and her late husband Noel. Today, their daughter Amy Smith is a co-owner of the property alongside her mother.

While Saratoga Arms has been known for its breakfast, it has historically only been available to hotel guests—until now. Under its new name and culinary leadership, Three Daughters will be open to the public. The restaurant will also serve a year-round cocktail hour service in the parlors around the hotel’s fireplaces in the winter and on the property’s iconic Saratoga wraparound porch during the summer racing season.

The Three Daughters menu, which changes with the seasons, includes a variety of sweet and savory options including egg-based dishes utilizing local farm brown eggs, freshly baked goods, seasonal fruits, yogurt, and more. There are also some off-the-menu specials, which will rotate frequently, crafted by Chef Kollar. Kollar has been with Saratoga Arms Hotel since 2023 and was recently promoted to the executive chef position. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has infused his own personal culinary style into the Three Daughters menu, drawing from his experience cooking out west in Napa Valley and experimenting with new ingredients.

Three Daughters is open seven days a week, serving breakfast from 7:30-10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and 7:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. It is also open for cocktail hour, serving a selection of craft cocktails, beer, wine, and chef-driven small plates from 4:30-9:00 p.m. daily. To learn more or to make reservations, visit www.threedaughterssaratoga.com. 

Condos Planned Near Congress Park and Saratoga Race Course

Written by Jonathon Norcross on . Posted in Business.

Rendering of the six-unit condo project at Park Place and Cottage Street provided by the project’s developers.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A vacant lot at the intersection of Park Place and Cottage Street is poised to become the future site of a six-unit, three-story condominium building after the city’s planning board approved the project with a unanimous 7-0 vote on Jan. 22. 

The property is a couple blocks away from the southern tip of Congress Park and a little more than half a mile from the Saratoga Race Course.

Vincent and Katherine LaTerra, the project’s developers, said they hoped to acquire a building permit by this summer and to finish construction by the summer of 2027.

The building’s design was inspired by the Spa City’s Gilded Age glory years.

“We didn’t want to just put up another multifamily building,” Katherine told Saratoga TODAY. “We wanted to create something lasting, something that predates trends.”

“We wanted to create a unique condo building that had that residential feel. [It’s] historic but new construction—no shared walls, private access kind of feel, which was also unique to this project,” Vincent said.

The LaTerras said that the two-year design process was a challenge because they wanted the U-shaped building to have windows facing every direction while still preserving its Gilded Age look.

“It was really important to us to have it feel unique and special and have the continuity of the architecture from the city’s history,” added Katherine.

Prior to the planning board’s approval, some city residents expressed opposition to the project primarily due to its size (18,500 square feet) and impact on a neighborhood filled with smaller structures.

“I think it’s a very attractive building in some other place,” said Susan Bokan during a public comment period. “It’s too big. The scale is wrong. Our neighborhood is all two stories (at most) of modest, wooden homes, and this is just so out of place, it’s outrageous. I’d love to see it someplace else, it’s very pretty, but not here.”

In regard to the size of the building relative to nearby homes, the project’s application pointed out that there are numerous examples of a juxtaposition of larger buildings with smaller ones throughout the city.

The planning board reviewed the project for about nine months before approving it.

Racing Museum Updates Hall of Fame Voting Panel and Procedures

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Following a thorough review of its contemporary Hall of Fame voting panel and a comprehensive evaluation of the overall nominating and election process, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame has made the following updates prior to the 2026 election cycle:

• A voter survey was conducted in December 2025 to guarantee an electorate that is deeply connected to the sport, knowledgeable, passionate, and responsive. That survey resulted in more than two dozen voters who received ballots in last year’s election being cycled off prior to the 2026 process. Additionally, several new voters were invited to participate this year, resulting in a contemporary voting group comprised of 154 members in 2026, down from 172 voters in 2025.

• Retired candidates selected by the Nominating Committee as finalists may appear on the Hall of Fame ballot a maximum of 10 times. Previously, there was no limit to the number of times a candidate could be a finalist within the 25-year eligibility window before timing out and transitioning to the Historic Review process. This policy will apply to all horses and retired jockeys and trainers. There will be no limit to the number of times an active jockey or trainer can appear on the ballot, as their credentials are evolving.

• Hall of Fame voters will receive past voting percentages as a reference tool to help evaluate the viability of candidates and how they are trending.

• All Hall of Fame voting will be done electronically (email) through the independent auditor McKenna and Franck CPAs, PC, based in Saratoga Springs. Ballots will no longer be physically mailed to voters. Materials for the 2026 election will be emailed to voters in mid-February when the finalists are announced.

NYRA Hosting Belmont Job Fair on Feb. 26

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

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York Racing Association (NYRA) recently announced it will host a job fair on Thursday, Feb. 26 to recruit employees for the 2026 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

The job fair will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. on the first floor of the 1863 Club. Applicants should enter through the Wright Street entrance (Gate 8) with parking available in the 1863 Club lot.

Prospective workers will be able to meet with NYRA, Dyehard Fan Supply, Integrated Staffing, and Levy Restaurants, among others. Positions will include 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.

Applicants must be at least 15 years of age and have New York State Certified Working Papers. Prospective security guards, cashiers and betting clerks must be at least 18 years of age to apply; security guards must have a high school degree or GED. All applicants must present a photo ID and Social Security card or I-9 alternative.

For more information, visit BelmontStakes.com.

Lago by Druthers Opens Free Public Ice-Skating Rink on Saratoga Lake

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

Photo of the new ice rink at Lago by Druthers provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Lago by Druthers has officially opened a free ice-skating rink on Saratoga Lake.

The outdoor rink, measuring 90’ x 120’, is located at 550 Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs and is open to skaters of all ages. Guests are asked to bring their own skates. 

“With such a cold winter, we wanted to give the community a free place to come together and enjoy the season,” said Chris Martell, president of Druthers Brewing Company. “From skating on the lake to warming up by the fire with hot cocoa, it’s all about getting people outside and making the most of the winter in Saratoga.” 

Lago also has multiple outdoor fire pits where guests can enjoy a drink and watch the skaters. In addition to Lago’s full menu, hot cocoa, both boozy and non-alcoholic, will be available for purchase. 

Skating hours will be Monday – Thursday 3-7 p.m., Friday 3-8 p.m., Saturday 12-8 p.m., and Sunday 12-7 p.m. The rink will be open weather permitting.