BALLSTON SPA — Saha Yoga, a boutique yoga studio located in the heart of Ballston Spa, recently announced that Leanne Applin took over as its new owner on Jan. 1. 

Having taught classes at Saha Yoga for the last five years and served as studio manager, Applin has intimate knowledge of the studio’s values, along with decades of experience in personal yoga practice.

Applin’s yoga journey spans nearly 30 years, and she stepped into teaching six years ago, going on to build Inspired Yoga with Leanne, a private yoga business specializing in group events and online classes, while also leading a weekly class at the Saratoga Senior Center. Most recently, she expanded her offerings to include reiki sessions, adding another dimension to her practice.

According to Applin, a large part of what makes Saha Yoga special is its faculty. “We are fortunate to have the teachers we have at Saha,” she said in a press release. “Our diverse group of teachers not only have an array of professional backgrounds, training, and life stories, but we all share the same core belief about the power of yoga and our desire to share that with others. Every one of our teachers has their own unique talents and style they bring to their classes. And are truly supportive of one another.” 

“We’re not just a place to take a class,” Applin added. “Our studio is designed to feel like a community. Teachers know your name, students support each other, and everyone who walks through our doors feels at home.”

The spirit of Saha Yoga remains, but the physical space has been refreshed with new paint, window treatments, décor, and a reorganization. A new website, logo, and dedicated restoration room round out the updates. New classes, workshops, and instructors have been added to the schedule, and specialty events like Zumba and ecstatic dance are on the horizon.

A grand opening celebration is being planned, and details will be announced soon on the studio’s website and social media channels.

More information is available at 518-353-2121 or at www.sahayogabspa.com. 

BALLSTON SPA — The long-awaited restaurant located on the second floor of the $35.9 million Saratoga County Airport is finally set to open on May 1.

Discussions regarding an eatery at the airport stretch back to at least April 2025, when a public hearing was scheduled regarding a proposed lease agreement with Alexi’s at the Airport Inc. 

The airport’s new kitchen and bar, Sunset at Saratoga, will offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner from 7:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m., Monday through Sunday, according to a sign hanging inside the airport. 

The restaurant will serve local social media star Pat Fleming’s signature “big black coffee,” as well as homemade Brooklyn bread from the Old World Gourmet Market.

The eatery also offered a special St. Patrick’s Day take-out menu with corned beef, shepherd’s pie, reuben, and Irish soda bread on March 17. 

Last month, Sunset posted that it was hiring for all positions. 

According to the Times Union, the airport restaurant will be run by Michael Speranza of Ballston Spa.

BALLSTON SPA — Meredith Motors, the family-run automotive sales and repair center owned by Jeff Gould, has been named Dealer of the Year by R&C Dealer Services Inc.

For Gould and his team—who collectively bring more than 20 years of industry experience—the award is a validation of a model shaped by lessons learned at large franchise dealerships, and a deliberate decision to do things differently.

 “After years in the franchise environment, we wanted to create something that felt more honest and more local,” Gould said in a press release. “This business was built for our community, by people who grew up here and care deeply about it.”

The award comes at a moment of expansion. Meredith Motors recently opened a brand-new, fully equipped repair facility. Staffed by a full-time mechanic, the new operation enables the business to serve customers across the full vehicle lifecycle, from purchase through ownership.

The repair facility also offers a range of services for cars, trucks and SUVs, including brake and exhaust work, New York State inspections, oil changes, and engine repairs. The workshop is currently accepting new customers.

“We want people to feel just as confident bringing their vehicle to us for service as they do buying one from us,” Gould said. “Honest service shouldn’t stop once you’ve driven off the lot.”

To learn more about Meredith Motors, visit www.meredithmotors.com.

GREENFIELD CENTER — Last weekend, Twin Leaf Farms was bustling with the noise of families and friends as they experienced one of New York State’s Maple Weekends. 

Attendees were treated to a pancake breakfast in the morning and had the opportunity to learn about the process behind creating maple syrup, with a chance at a tractor ride around the farm as well. 

The event began at 10 a.m. in a large barn where many local vendors could be found selling their homemade goods that ranged from cupcakes to woodworking. Families were seated at tables, loud conversations and children’s laughter floating throughout the space, adding a warm and welcoming feeling to the barn.

Attendees were able to see the evaporator that boils maple sap into maple syrup for consumption. The process is very specific, with the necessary temperature of the boiled sap changing with the barometric pressure. The intrigue was evident on the faces of both the young and the old as workers walked the crowd through the syrup-making process. 

The festivities will continue with the second Maple Weekend on March 28-29. Local businesses participating in the event include Hop City Maple in Ballston Spa, Sugar Oak Farms in Malta, and the Maple Valley Farm in Corinth.

New York State ranks as the nation’s second-biggest maple producer, creating 829,000 gallons of the sticky substance in 2025. The state also boasts the largest resource of tappable maple trees in America.

MALTA — Podcast production company Bright Sighted Media has moved its studio from downtown Saratoga Springs to the Innovation Center at Saratoga in Malta.

“This all happened in a short amount of time and we are so grateful to everyone who helped us with the move,” Bright Sighted said in a social media post. “We’re looking forward to creating with the Innovation Center to continue helping creators and entrepreneurs do their thing.”

The company has produced a number of local podcasts, including “Destination Saratoga: All Access,” which premiered its second season in January and is hosted by Discover Saratoga’s MacKenzie Zarzycki; the recently-launched “Good Stuff,” hosted by Bright Sighted Founder Christine O’Donnell and guest hosted by Saratoga Arts’ Spencer Sherry; “The Other 3 Years,” hosted by Saratoga Olympic rower Kristi Wagner; “Afternoon Tea at Pantry Hill,” hosted by Saratogian Darien Rozell; and the real estate-focused “Selling Saratoga.”

The Innovation Center at Saratoga—a makerspace and community collaboration space designed to support inventors, creators, and innovators—opened in June of last year. The center is stocked with a variety of tools and equipment, including 3D printers; computer workstations with object modeling and graphic design; woodworking stations; digital photography software; embroidery and sewing machines; creative pods; and offices. It’s located at 16 Old Stonebreak Road.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs Mayor John Safford officially proclaimed March 10 (stylized as Mar10 or “Mario”) to be West Ave Pizza Day in a small ceremony held at the pizzeria on Tuesday afternoon.

Safford read from a proclamation written in honor of the pizza shop’s owner, Mario Cardenas.

“West Avenue Pizza has achieved tremendous popularity in our city and across our region, offering its enthusiastic customers a menu that now includes pizza, chicken, Guatemalan dishes, and other specialties,” the mayor said. “It is just as well known for its charitable and philanthropic efforts and support of many organizations in our community. It’s a great example of a local pizzeria and restaurant gaining wide exposure and a wide following through dedication and initiative.”

West Ave Pizza has been owned and operated by Cardenas and his family since June 2021.